"The biggest advice I would give myself as a young artist is to do more of the kind of art I like, and not just what the industry demands"

Digital art by Niko Gesell.

Based in Nuremberg, Germany, Niko Gesell is a freelance Concept Artist who's worked for the likes of Blizzard and Deep Silver. He focuses on creating digital artwork that feels authentic, immersive, and visually striking.

We caught up with him to learn more about his work and what advice he would give his younger self. Niko uses various tools, including Rebelle 8 Pro and Blender (see our guide to the best digital art software and the best drawing tablets).

What’s the last piece that you finished?

I just finished my first aerial-shot painting called Second Place. It’s about two airplanes racing through the clouds and is much more about selling an idea and getting a mood across.

So something that would probably be used in pre-production or to pitch something – very different from doing tile sets that later get assembled in the game itself.

Second Place, created in Rebelle 8 Pro. “Super happy how this one turned out!” (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

What advice would you give to your younger self to aid you on the way?

I honestly think ignorance was a blessing. If I had known the amount of hours it would take, I might have been discouraged early on. The biggest advice I would give myself is to do more of the kind of art that I like, and not just what the industry demands.

Do not always mould yourself into a cookie-cutter form. But there are obviously huge upsides to making sure your art can be used in productions. That being said, I love the journey I’ve had so far

The Driftwood Shipyard. “Part of a larger project based on the idea that ‘Driftwood Vikings’ rely on items washed ashore due to limited resources on their own land.” (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

Scenes from the animated short film, NOKORI (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

Has digital art changed since you’ve been working in it?

Not really, no. I think people are struggling more than they were a few years ago. The prevalence of AI has scared a lot of people away from investing in games and has just created general insecurity among artists. It’s much more about being unique and having your own voice.

Herbologists Room. “I wanted to play around with Blender’s Eevee renderer for a while and this is the end result!” (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

What character or scene that you’ve painted do you most identify with?

The Estate (the orange house). It’s actually based on a house in the surrounding area of Nürnberg and feels most like home. There is something about old but colourful buildings that speaks to me. My dad used to do a lot of renovation work on old buildings, so I think I was taught to appreciate those.

Reading Corner. “Made as a practice piece, the goal was to further improve environment and background art skills.” (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

What is your next step in art or life?

I’ve been a huge film fan my whole life and have recently moved into that industry with my work. A lot of the knowledge from games does translate very well, but there are so many new things to learn and understand.

In addition, I’ve had the chance to direct my first animated short film, NOKORI, recently, which plays at a few festivals. I think I want to do more of that!

“Studying at the Temple can be relaxing!” (Image credit: Niko Gesell)

You can see more of Niko's work on his ArtStation profile.

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.

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