This week we’ve landed an interview with the artist behind the unique look of such games as Psychonauts and the upcoming Brütal Legend. As always, we’ll let him introduce himself.

Scott: I’m Scott Campbell, art director at Double Fine Productions. I also make comics and paintings!

Kwanzoo: How long have you been art-ing it up?

Scott: Forever. In my life, I’ve always liked drawing and I went to school to be an illustrator… so quite a while. Been in games for about 12 years now. Comics for 11.

Kwanzoo: How did you get involved in the game industry?

Scott: Out of college, I joined up with Lucas Learning, doing kid’s Star Wars games. I had a friend at LucasArts who helped me get in there.

I was background artist. Officially.

Kwanzoo: And unofficially?

Scott: Unofficially, I was a good bro.

Kwanzoo: I’m guessing LucasArts is where you met up with Tim Schafer?

Scott: Yeah. I worked there for about 4 years. Began doing concept art and art leading some games. We had mutual friends and hung out a number of times away from work.

When he left to start Double Fine, he asked me if i wanted to go help out as art director.

Kwanzoo: And you went?

Scott: Yes. I sure did.

Kwanzoo: I guess it’s been eight years now at Double Fine?

Scott: Yes, about that.

Kwanzoo: As art director, you defined the look for Psychonauts, correct? It seems like a 3D version of your 2D stuff.

Scott: Yes. I remember Tim came to one of my art shows, in which i had a piece depicting about a hundred uncomfortable little scenes between cartoony dudes. He said he wanted the game to be in that style. In early meetings he also discussed wanting to go towards the Rankin Bass stop motion look. Which is basically turning 50s character designs into 3D.

Kwanzoo: Any challenges in turning something like… your art into 3D? I’m not really sure how to describe your style.

Scott: Yes, at first, it was very difficult doing the turn arounds of the characters. I worked closely with the modelers, trying to figure out how they would work in 3D and had to do lots of detail drawings of elements like how the hands would work and so forth. But after a little while, they figured out how to do it very well. They mastered it, those modelers.

Kwanzoo: How would you describe your cartoon style?

Scott: Hm. i’ve never thought about that actually. Strange. I would say just cartoony/stylized. But sometimes comparing it to other artists, might be better… Maybe if Shag, Tim Burton, and J. Otto Siebold had a kid? That kid would be the Psychonauts characters… perhaps.

Kwanzoo: What did you guys think of the reception to Psychonauts?

Scott: We’ve all been very happy about it. It has been very exciting to see the fan base grow for it, since its release.

Kwanzoo: It seems like its had some legs, maybe due to things like the Steam version.

Scott: For sure. And just word of mouth has been spreading well.

Kwanzoo: How’s the style for Brütal Legend differ from Psychonauts?

Scott: Well, we wanted to go more towards heavy metal imagery. So we pursued the Frank Frazetta/Simon Bisley route. And I have always loved drawing in that style.

Kwanzoo: Frank Frazetta I know, but I’m not familiar with Simon Bisley.

Scott: Simon Bisley is sort of Frazetta pushed to the insane level. more veins popping out and muscles on top of muscles. Things you might see on the cover of a metal album.

Kwanzoo: So, one unusual thing about Double Fine is they have a whole section of the website for webcomics. Yours is over 600 strips. How did that come about?

Scott: I’ve been doing comics on the side for quite awhile, minicomics and the anthology called HICKEE with some old Lucas friends and Double Finers. I wanted to try to do a comic every morning, to keep fresh and keep creative, and to have a good mental break from what i was working on at work… and Tim wants to encourage a wide variety of things on our website and from Double Fine.

Kwanzoo: I know anecdotally at least a few people seem to know Double Fine mainly from your comics. Do you see that at all, or is it just me?

Scott: I don’t know. it’s hard for me to tell, to be honest. I am always surprised who might know of one part of my work and not the other. Some people have no idea i do comics at all.

Kwanzoo: Speaking of which, you did the cover for the latest MC Frontalot album recently. How did that happen?

Scott: Yeah, that was fun. Frontalot came up to my table at the MOCCA convention in New York and just asked me if i would like to do it. I had heard of him, but hadnt listened to his music, but now I am a fan. He is an awesome guy, that guy. But i forget exactly what he knew of me. Psychonauts and my blog perhaps…

Kwanzoo: Any other side projects you’re up to?

Scott: Right now i am preparing for a solo show at Gallery Nucleus in March ‘09 and a children’s book about dragons for Simon and Schuster.

And that takes up enough extra time… since Brutal Legend is still in the works.

Kwanzoo: Children’s books: Like comics, but incredibly lucrative.

Scott: Perhaps, eventually. But yeah, more than comics for sure.

But graphic novels are on the rise, so we will see. An exciting time for comics, I think.

Kwanzoo: Lastly, and I know you probably can’t make an announcement on this, but someone wants me to ask if Brütal Legend will have a PC release.

Scott: Heh, yeah, people ask that a lot. And I honestly don’t know the answer. I’m just drawing demons and warriors!

Kwanzoo: Fair enough. Thanks for taking the time to talk with us.

Scott: No problem! I like talking. It has been pleasant.

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