When Illustrator Zac Retz is not freelancing, he's always trying to learn and improve his skills. So, he always keep busy with a personal project, where he can dive deep, explore the story, and lean. Zac Retz's current personal project is about two college kids, great adventures, new lands, love, heartbreak, conflict...

The story is always evolving and growing as I create and explore the art for it. In the end I hope to make an animated short, graphic novel, or even a video game, but right now I'm just having fun exploring the story through visuals.
-Zac Retz

The design of characters, props has grown and changed so much throughout the summer of working. I take inspiration from the world around me and just try to make it more awesome by doing tons of sketching. I may settle on something then a week later change it up again. That's whats nice about a personal project, you can keep changing things until they are exactly the way you want.
-Zac Retz

I'm inspired by real life experiences, relationships, and adventures. The main inspiration for this project is just personal growth and trying to be the best artist I can.
-Zac Retz

I try not to think about style too much, I just let my art evolve in a natural way. But I guess my work is imaginative, with realistic lighting. I'm inspired by the old master landscape painters, film and animation. I try not to be inspired too much by one artist, but I do study other artists all the time and try to pick up on the things that make their art so appealing.
-Zac Retz

Advice: Never settle! If you get a job you need to keep learning and improving your work or the rest of the industry will pass you by and before you know it, you will be very far behind. Don't get caught up in things like brushes, and Photoshop tricks. Learn about composition, color, values, and storytelling. These principles will last forever and will make your work great!
-Zac Retz

About Zac Retz

Zac Retz graduated from art school in 2012, BFA in illustration at RIT. He then illustrated his first kids book with Flashlight press. From there he moved on to work in games as a background and concept artist. After working at a game studio for 2 years he left to pursue freelance in the animation filed. Currently Zac works as a freelance visual development artist specializing in environment design, and color/lighting. See more of his works on Behance, Blogspot and Cargocollective.