A Chat with Kurt Wenner, Artist
Ever since the first details about it came to light at E3 2005, gamers have been looking forward to the revolutionary Xbox 360™ shooter Gears of War®. At this year's E3, artist Kurt Wenner was asked to create a mammoth mural of a scene from the epic action title. Check out his comments below, and keep checking back as we bring you photo coverage of Kurt's progress.
Xbox.com: How did you become involved in this project for Gears of War, and have you painted under similar circumstances before?
Wenner: I was invited by E3 to do a piece. Xbox® later became the sponsor. I have done many different events and offer my services on my Internet site, www.kurtwenner.com.
Xbox.com: Can you tell us a little about the setup for the mural? What size is it going to be, and will show-goers be able to see it unfold, or will it be unveiled at the end of the show?
Wenner: The mural is 15x15 feet. The image is lightly sketched on the surface, but most of the work will be done on site in front of the public.
Xbox.com: Can you talk briefly about the different challenges you encounter while working on large-scale projects? What differentiates your approach to these projects as opposed to more traditionally sized paintings?
Wenner: The major challenge involved in creating this piece is the time limitation. I need to finish about one square foot every hour during the convention in order to finish the work on time.
Xbox.com: What has impressed you about Gears of War visually? Has any particular element jumped out at you (for example, environments, character design, general mood)?
Wenner: From what I have seen, the design and the detailing on the characters are truly impressive. The detail in the CGI images appears virtually limitless. The environments are also very spatial and atmospheric.
Xbox.com: Do you already have an idea for what you'll create throughout the show, or will it take shape more spontaneously over the course of the event?
Wenner: This particular piece was very carefully designed. Sometimes my images are more spontaneous and evolve during the event.
Xbox.com: Are you much of a gamer yourself?
Wenner: The last video game I played was Pong.
Xbox.com: Have you ever worked on any kind of game-related projects in the past?
Wenner: No.
Xbox.com: What kind of reference material have you had access to for this project? Have you had a chance to see the game in action?
Wenner: Although I had very good visual information, I have not seen the game in action. I look forward to seeing it at this event.
Xbox.com: Thanks Kurt, and good luck!
