Artist 7: Chris Metzen

marine

Along with Samwise Didier, Chris Metzen is an artist, game designer, and animator for Blizzard Entertainment. Since the mid-nineties, he has created graphite drawings of prominent characters for three of their video game franchises. Despite being hand-drawn, his designs favor the composition of classic poster prints. On his website, he defines his art-style:

"I've always taken a comic-type approach to fantasy and sci-fi. I was heavily influenced by both Walt Simonson's and Jim Lee's pencilling styles for form, but I preferred the costuming, themes and general feel of Elmore and Parkinson's fantasy paintings."

King Leoric

I've been heavily inspired by Metzen's work since early highschool. His figures, while fitting in the fantasy realms they were designed to inhabit, convey a sense of emotional realism that goes beyond the standard fantasy art archetype. Each of his drawings reveal deep a deep sense of character. From capturing the facial expressions of a nihilistic space marine to the mannerisms of King Leoric's maddening realization that he had forsaken his own son.

A full catalogue of his work may be found here.