Photography & Interview by Denise Vasquez ©2024
Where are you based?
I am based out of the Las Vegas, Nevada area.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Ventura CA. A beach town about an hour North of Los Angeles.
How long have you been an artist?
I have been an artist my entire life. As soon as I was able to pick up a crayon or dip my fingers into paint I was always drawing or painting something.
Who or What inspired you to want to be an artist?
I think it was less an inspiration and more an environment I was born into. Both of my parents were artists, so I was around art supplies and people making art from day one. Art was just part of life, like eating dinner or brushing my teeth. It wasn’t anything I strived to be, I just did it. Clearly, my influences as a young artist were my parents. My Dad was an illustrator and had worked for Disney, while my Mom kinda did everything from painting, to ceramics, and stained glass. Looking back I was so fortunate to have such an incredible resource in my parents. They literally taught me everything they knew, which gave me the ability to express myself with any art form and any art material. I think the first time I saw art as a career, was when I started reading MAD magazine. I loved how the art and comedy could influence peoples moods. MAD evoked laughter and happiness, and I thought that was very powerful. Something in me knew I wanted to be part of that.
What do you love the most about being a professional artist?
There are so many great things about being a professional artist. Art has literally taken me all of the world, and I have met amazing people. But the part I love the most is I get to make art for a living. I mean, don’t get me wrong, it is a very difficult path to walk. Lots of challenges, late nights, and problem solving. But at the end of the day, most everything I do is about making art. I couldn’t ask for much more.
Did you always want to be a pop commercial artist?
If you look at the things I would draw when I was a kid, and compare it to things I draw and paint now, not a lot has changed. I had mentioned MAD magazine but there were so many things back then that excited me and gave me a vehicle to express myself through. Some of my earliest drawings are of dinosaurs, alligators and of course Sharks (I LOVED JAWS). Then, like most kids of my generation, Star Wars became and obsession for me. Star Wars had such an influence on my creativity and made me thirsty for all of the fantasy, sci-fi and adventure I could ingest. I would eat it all up and then express that excitement through my art. Gi JOE, Masters Of the Universe, Indiana Jones, Transformers, and of course Star Wars dominated my childhood art portfolio. Then, I really got into collecting Comic Books. I really really LOVED comic books, and I obsessively studied and drew the art I cherished in the panels. The art was so exciting and the story telling was like MAD Magazine, but dramatic rather then comedic. In Jr. High School, I found that my classmates really liked the superheroes I would draw, and they would pay me $0.25 for a Xerox copy of my art! Pretty soon I would accumulate $5-$10 a day, selling my Superhero prints out of my back pack. Of course the money never made it home, as I would spend it all on Candy and sodas for my friends and I after school. Thinking about it now, that was probably when my art career really began!
What licenses have you worked with?
Oh, I have worked with a lot of different Intellectual properties. I have been blessed to work with many of the titles I mentioned in the last question. I have created official art for Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Aliens, Transformers, Harry Potter, Terminator, Lord of the Rings, Looney Tunes, Scooby Doo, Marvel Comics, DC Comics, Jurassic Park, Jaws, Back to the Future, The San Francisco Giants, The San Diego Padres, and most recently JOHN WICK. I am sure I am forgetting some properties, but it has been an amazing journey!
You’ve created commercial art for baseball teams, books, clothing, merchandise, trading cards, logos…do you have a preference?
I honestly don’t have a preference. I am grateful for any project I get asked to be a part of because every project comes with its own set of guidelines and exciting challenges. But if I were to pick my favorite projects, I always love the unique ones where my art is printed on interesting items. For instance, the San Francisco Giants have printed my art on collectible baseballs and light up canvases. I’ve had my art on T-shirts, Album covers, beer glasses, and even underwear (just to name a few unique items)! If I had to pick the coolest projects I have worked on, I would have to say Pinball Machines! Its so fun!
Do you prefer working alone or in a team environment?
It really depends on the project. When I paint, I relish the opportunity to work alone. But then, with Pinball Machines, it is a team effort and I REALLY love working with such a talented team engineers, game designers, and programmers! I feel lucky that I get opportunities to work with people or alone!
How did you get into doing pinball art?
When I was first offered the opportunity to illustrate pinball machines, I didn’t even know it was a job available to me. My opportunity with Stern Pinball came, well, quite frankly because of the hard work I have put in my entire career. Not just hard work creating art, but also hard work building a good reputation. As it turned out a gentleman I worked with years earlier now worked at Stern Pinball. When the need for an artist came up, I was the first artist he suggested! My first project was Star Wars: Comics, which was absolutely perfect for me, like I was born to do it. That Pinball Machine will always have a special place in my heart as my first!
How many pinball machines have you created art for to date?
To Date, I have created the art packages for three Pinball titles, but I have illustrated a total of 9 Pinball Machines. Each Pinball Title is produced in three different editions, with unique art packages. That means I get to design the art for three pinball Machines on each title. So far, I created the art packages for Star Wars: Comics, The Mandalorian, and John Wick. I really love illustrating Pinball Machines. I always look forward to the next game!
What is your favorite thing about creating art for pinball machines?
I love the challenges. There is literally a years worth of conceptualizing, designing and executing art. It is a challenge of time management, creativity. and endurance. Being able to conceptualize a spectacular theme to start, then make it come to life and exceed your original ideas, is one of the greatest challenges I have ever experienced in my career, and I love it! What makes it possible is the incredible team I get to work with. Pinball Machines take a lot of different talented and ingenious people. There is the game designer, the engineers, the builders, the lights specialists, the video team, the sound guy, the music composer, voice over talent, testers, marketing and licensing teams, and of course the artist and art director. We all come together cooperatively to create the best and most fun pinball game that we can! Its so cool that every game I have contributed to has been incredible!
What was it like creating art for John Wick pinball machines?
Working on John Wick was awesome. Not just because it’s one of the biggest movie franchises in the last decade, but also because it brought with it a whole different set of challenges. John Wick is VERY different from Star Wars. I mean, obviously one is space fantasy and the other is set in our world, but stylistically they couldn’t be more different. Having worked on two Star Wars Pinball projects in a row, I sort of had to clear my head and throw out everything Star Wars from my mind. The transition was quick for me because I absolutely LOVE the art direction and style of the John Wick films. I studied the films intensely and dove head first into the Neon Noir art genre that makes John Wick, John Wick, stylistically. Neon Noir was somewhat new to me so I welcomed the opportunity to learn and study a new art style. John Wick Pinball had an incredible team of creative minds and engineers that brought everything together. People like Elliot Eisman (Lead game designer), Tim Sexton, and Joshua Henderson, and legendary Pinball artist Greg Freres (Art Director). Lets not forget the music was composed by Charlie Benante of Anthrax and Pantera fame. I mean, everyone who worked on John Wick Pinball was Uber talented and we all worked together. You cant beat that!
What was it like creating art for the John Wick San Diego Comic Con exclusive vinyl album?
Illustrating the Album cover was such a treat. I grew up loving the cover art for my vinyl record when I was a kid. By the time my art career started, vinyl records were no longer being produced. To get the opportunity to illustrate an album cover was a dream come true. Adding to the fun, my hobby is to collect vinyl records, so to add my own art to my collection is really cool.
When you saw videos of Keanu Reeves having fun playing the John Wick Pinball machine during San Diego Comic Con, how did it make you feel?
Yeah, that was pretty cool. I would have loved to have been there (Literally missed him by one day), but I was really happy that he genuinely looked like he was having fun. Talk about an endorsement!
If you could create any pinball machine art, what would your dream machine be?
Wow, that is a difficult question to answer. There are so many cool themes and titles to potentially work from. I mean, do I choose form my favorites, or do I strategically think about what would have the best resource of concepts and characters? If it was a music themed Pinball, and I can’t choose bands Stern has already made… My number one choice would be Prince. Stern made a Beatlemania Pinball, but if Id love to work on a Beatles Sgt. Peppers Pinball Machine. For Movie themed Pinball, I would love to work on a Beetlejuice themes game. Back to the Future would be fun too! Other titles I’ve thought of are Masters of the Universe, GI JOE, and 80’s Mtv. My wildcard dream Pinball game would be Seinfeld. Can you imagine? That would be so fun!
What goals do you have as an artist?
My goals in art? That is always an ever evolving answer. You know artistic inspiration is so fluid and influenced by daily experiences. I feel one of the corner stone stop my art and my career is to always keep my mind open to new ideas and opportunities. Believe me, I have had opportunities to follow art career paths, like teaching or in the movie industry, and they are all great careers choices for anyone. But something in me always wanted to blaze my own trail so I can try what ever different experiences and opportunities crossed my path. So my goals as an artist are to keep an open mind and to keep experiencing new opportunities.
What advice can you give to aspiring artists?
Turn around, run for the hills, the arts are crazy! Haha! The greatest advice I can give any creative person is to always have fun with what you do. If you find your self making art, and your not having fun, then that is when you are doing something wrong. I notice a lot of artists get hung up on what other people think, or they feel they need other peoples validation to be an artist. The truth is, you don’t need anyone approval except your own. I honestly feel that is the philosophical secret to being a successful artist. You have to make art that makes you happy. Listen, art is not about awards, or competition. Trust me, in my younger years, I was very competitive. While it got me a very modest level of success, my spirit and focus was not really where it should have been. When you can find a place where you you measure yourself to your own standards and aspirations, you’ll find a peaceful journey and reach levels of success and fulfillment that you cant ever imagine. When you find what makes you tick, artistically, it will help guide you where you will find success and happiness.
Any new projects in the works?
Haha, this is a great opportunity to inform your readers that one of the key skills you must learn to be a professional illustrator is learning how to keep a secret! One project I can talk a little bit about is a mural I illustrated for Stern Pinball. Recently, Stern Pinball moved their Pinball factory to a new address. Stern has given me the honor of illustrating a giant mural for the front of their building. I am so proud to have done this illustration, but this mural was an incredible collaboration of talent. The concept of a giant Pinball Playfield is from the brilliant mind of Arcade Game and Pinball Legend George Gomez. The Color Scheme and flame motif is inspired by graphics created by Zombie Yeti (Jeremy Packer), while Kevin O'Connor made final edits to make the art fit the building and look awesome! This project means so much to me because my art will represent Stern pinball to everyone and anyone who visits or even drives my their factory! I cant wait till it is revealed!
Anything else you’d like to add?
Remember, art is fun, so have fun!
Where can people find you online?
Website www.randymartinez.art
Social Media (Facebook,Instagram): @randymartinez40
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