Dawn Brown is an illustrator and set designer as well as the creator of two critically acclaimed comic book titles,
Little Red Hot
and
Ravenous
. Recently, her work has been seen in the film
The Last Airbender. She graciously agreed to do& an interview for the blog.
***
Thank you for this interview Dawn. How did you get started as an artist for films?I've been a set designer since 1995, and made the transition to illustrator in 2007. Set design has really migrated to digital over the last few years, and computer drafting holds absolutely no interest to me. I really just love to draw, and so I made the transition to another branch of the art department that utilizes my skills in a more productive way.
Do you prefer the title "Concept Artist" or "Illustrator?"I use the terms interchangeably. "Illustrator" is the title that is officially recognized by the union. "Concept artist" has become a very popular title over the past few years. It is not an official union title, so a lot of the non-union guys use it.
Was it hard to make the shift from the fantastical world of Alice in Wonderland to the more realistic tone of The Last Airbender?Huh? Both films are set in fantastical worlds! No, it was not hard to shift from one world to the next. Those kinds of films are the most fun.
How did you get the job working on M. Night Shyamalan's The Last Airbender?Phil Messina was the Production Designer for
The Last Airbender. I have worked with him on several movies through the years. (
Ocean's 11, Solaris, Ocean's 13) He introduced me to Larry Dias, the Set Decorator. I get most of my jobs through Production Designers, Art Directors, or Set Decorators. There's kind of a "6 degrees of separation" thing that goes on in this industry, and it plays a big part in who gets hired on what.
What was it like working with M. Night Shyamalan?You know, I've actually never met M. Night Shyamalan. I've worked on 2 of his movies, but I've never had any interaction with him whatsoever. I mostly work in Los Angeles, and he mostly works in Philadelphia.
That's the nature of the industry I guess. Movies like Alice in Wonderland and The Last Airbender have a more fantastical tone than films other films you've worked on, like Ocean's Eleven and Charlies Angel's. Do you feel like these films open your mind to more creativity?Oh yes, of course! Like I said before, the fantastical films are really the best ones to work on. At least from an artistic perspective.
Did you mainly focus on set, costume or character design for this film? Do you have a favorite?I mainly focused on furniture design. I worked with the set decoration department. We were responsible for the set dressing, the furniture, the light fixtures, etc. I work with the set dec quite a bit, actually on
The Last Airbender, Alice in Wonderland, Star Trek, The Island, Planet of the Apes and
Batman & Robin.
What is the creative process for you when working? I receive an assignment from the Set Decorator, (Larry Dias on Airbender) or the Production Designer, (Phil Messina on Airbender) and whatever research or reference relates to said assignment. Then I usually do a round or two of rough comps, then a tighter sketch or illustration, and when the design is approved, I do the construction drawings for the shop. Then on to the next thing. It is very fast. I love it.
What was the biggest challenge you faced in working on the movie?No big hurdles or challenges on
The Last Airbender. It was really a pleasure for me. Some of these movies can be really, really tough. But this was one of the fun ones.
What does it feel like to have your ideas come alive on the screen?Of course, it's great! But honestly, I can not take credit or blame for anything that ends up on the screen. Making a movie is such a collaborative process, by the time anything gets to the screen, a hundred carpenters, painters, plasterers, electricians, grips, actors, etc. have added their own contributions and interpretations to any given idea or concept.
If you could sit with us in the theater and point out one thing to look for, what would it be?The Fire Nation war room table, the landing crafts, the Fire Lord throne room screen and lamps. Whoops, that's more than one thing.
You're married to fellow concept artist Warren Manser. What was it like working as a husband-and-wife team on The Last Airbender?Yes, Warren is my husband! It was great. But just to clarify, we don't bill ourselves as an illustration "team." We worked together from home. He worked in his studio, and I worked in my studio, each on our own assignments. We bounce ideas off each other all the time. We've worked together a few times, actually. But we are each hired on our own terms, we are not a package deal.
An often asked question among artists is if they should go to art school. Having graduated fromUniversity of Kansas with a BFA degree in illustration/graphic design, would you suggest other aspiring concept artists follow the same path?Of course getting an education is important. The best school for learning concept design for the film industry is The Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. It's not a requirement, but a formal education in art and/or design is a great place to develop your skills and start building a portfolio.
Which concept artists do you admire the most right now and why?I have the privilege of working with the finest artists in the film industry, and consider many of them good friends. (and I even married one of 'em!) Warren Manser,
James Clyne,
Ryan Church,
John Eaves,
Darek Gogol,
Ed Natividad,
Jaimie Rama,
Tim Flattery,
Paul Ozzimo, I could go on and on.... If any of your readers are interested in becoming concept artists, they should check out these guys' websites. School is in session!
Who do you get the most inspiration from and why?See the guys above. Seriously, I am surrounded by the most amazing and talented guys in the industry. They motivate me to keep learning and growing as an artist.
Some say the only way to succeed as a concept designer is to move to Hollywood or New York. Since many artists, like yourself, work from home, do you think this is still the case?I don't work from home all the time. Most of the time I have to go into the studio. Over the past few years, more and more and more film industry work is done outside of Hollywood. Other states and countries offer financial incentives that the producers can't refuse. Who knows what the future holds, but for now, it certainly helps to be in Hollywood in the beginning of you career, at least to establish yourself. There is no "only way" to do something in this business. But the ones who tend to succeed all have certain things in common. Talent, drive, flexibility, patience, good people skills, energy, resourcefulness, are some of the main qualities you need to succeed.
There's been a movement from traditional art mediums to digital. Where do you stand on this? Do you ever see the pen and paper going away in the industry?Everyone has their own take on this issue, but I feel strongly that I should keep both pencil and digital skills strong. Putting pencil to paper is where the rubber meets the road. There is absolutely no substitute for strong drawing skills. Period.
What& can& we look forward to next from you?Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides will be in theaters next summer. Ahoy!
Thanks for taking the time to do this interview Dawn. I wish you all the best.Thank you! Best wishes to you, too!
Check out Dawn Brown's awesome website and gallery at DawnBrown.net. Come back tomorrow for some exclusive concept art from her latest film!What do you think of the interview and her views on concept illustration in general? 
