Name: Leonid Enin

Website: http://leopardsnow.blogspot.com

Imagine you are in a local coffee shop or out on the street. You strike up a conversation with a local and they ask.. “So what do you do?” How do you answer this?

I am a concept artist who currently works in the game industry for Gameloft in Montreal.

Any particular music you prefer to listen two while working?

Good question. I really like music in general and I listen to it quite often while I’m working on new images. But it’s hard for me to choose only one genre of music and say “ok, dudes, i’m a big metal fan”. Music is just a way for me to get into a creative mood and sometimes find a dose of adrenaline.

It sounds like you have a bit of a tech/engineer background. Do you play around with any programming/code?

Now – no, i merely have no time for that, I made the choice in favour of art years ago. Sometimes I really regret it having left programming, it’s a good job as well. It’s really artistic, I would even say. If you have good ideas you can create really gorgeous things, comparable to the paintings of the old masters. But it is still helpful in my work today.

Creativity is sometimes a hit or miss thing. How do you fight through the tough days when the job requires you to be creative?

If it is a part of work I don’t have those problems, but like all the artists I had them before. It is simple : when you work on full-time job you have to understand that it is your job. You just have to do your best, that’s it. And during my free time, if I don’t feel like drawing I just don’t .

As a Concept Artists to you feel much of the crunch periods of the game industry, or are you shielded a bit from that by nature of the work?

Well, i always try to be part of the team where and when i’m working on a project. That way i can influence on a project if i have a strong and good point to make. So, answering your question, i do feel much of the crunch.

If you could do any other job/career what would you think about doing?

Well, i was always interested in creating finished products, so regular job positions aren’t that interesting for me. I’d prefer to be everywhere and do everything that i can on a project. Depends on a project that i’m working on. It can be anything.

A few of my buddy concept artists, say it is more about “Problem Solving” Could you elaborate or talk more to this?

Probably every artist in the whole world has his own point of view on Art. I don’t think concept art is “a problem solving” thing. During all my life i haven’t seen any problems in concept art. It’s more about a positive way of creating something new and researching something different. Let’s say exploring new horizons. It’s sounds pretty nice. Clean and awesome exploration.

Do you have a set go-to brushes you prefer to work with?

Yes, sure. Like all other artists i prefer my own tools . I’d say, not only brushes, but also actions and some specific plugins.

When you are not working on art, work, etc.. what do you do on the side to keep you busy, hobbies etc?

Two months ago my kid was born. So after his birth my hobby is my family, but from time to time i have a little time to play my xbox or watch movies.

When you wake up in the morning, what are usually some of the first thoughts that pop into your head?

I think it’s something like “Oh, god, why the hell, so early?” and then I probably say the same thing again once the snooze alarm rings for the second time .

Name: Leonid Enin

Website: http://leopardsnow.blogspot.com