‘Proper learning and working environment is key to success’

A nas Riasat of Lucid Concepts was born and has lived for 12 years in Saudi Arabia. He grew up watching cartoon series and playing computer games that were popular in his childhood. Being a fan of cartoons and animation, he spent countless hours drawing characters and comics from an early age.
Another source of inspiration was his elder brother who used to create detailed and accurate drawings of aircraft and other vehicles. After Riasat moved to Pakistan, he continued researching the animation and art fields, but never got an opportunity to attend a proper art or animation school.
He almost pursued a degree in business administration, but before that could happen, he got a job as a graphic designer at a software house. He was responsible for designing software interfaces. Later on, the software house expanded its business into a record label company where Riasat started designing album covers and posters. It was his first-ever experience of working in an environment where seeing celebrities was commonplace.
All of that looked exciting in the beginning, but soon he realised that he had been working not just for the wrong company, but for the wrong industry. The second time a similar feeling bothered him was when he started working for a small animation company. Finally, though, he found a place where he is at peace and is worth living in. “Yes, that’s true. Nowadays, I’m living in my studio ‘Lucid Studios’,” said Riasat.
At the studio, he co-founded a concept art wing ‘Lucid Concepts’ with his friend Nadir Hussain Shah. “Shah owns Lucid Studios and is one of the most visionary film/commercial directors in Pakistan,” Riasat added. He always pursued the path that would lead him to the animation field. When he came across a few documentaries and articles about 2D animation, mostly published by Disney and Hanna-Barbera, he became passionate about animation and dreamt of working for the Walt Disney Animation Studios after completing his studies.
“Then there was anime in the early 90s and, of course, PC games of that era that became my source of inspiration,” he said. He was in the third grade when he discovered his talent and started making stick figures, which evolved into cartoonish characters. After a couple of years, he started selling his artwork and characters to other kids in the class.
“I remember translating pixellated game characters into drawings of my own. It gave my imagination a tremendous boost since I had to force my brain to imagine the low-detailed pixels in a more defined form,” he added. According to Riasat, choosing the right type of environment to work and learn in is one of the principal keys to success. Craig Mullins, the great master of concept art; Khurram Alavi, the best digital sculptor in Pakistan; and Nadir Hussain Shah, a film director who has the aesthetics and vision that the local industry really needs right now are Riasat’s major sources of inspiration.
When asked what he enjoys the most about his job, he said, “Making my dreams come true. It’s like revisiting your childhood imagination. And I consider myself lucky that I’m making a good living out of it in the present economy.” Talking about the future, he said he sees his entire team setting a higher standard in the local industry. “We also have a plan to execute some videogame ideas, initially on a small scale though,” he said.
Moreover, as an art director, he sees his name on a lot of comic books and animated films; whereas he also has plans of starting an art academy, but it depends on the way the industry shapes itself in the future. For aspiring artists, he said if someone discovers they have the talent to draw and paint and dream of seeing their drawings and characters come to life, they should understand what the term ‘concept art’ is all about.
“Concept art is similar in nature to concept writing,” he said. “It’s basically a way of describing or expressing your story in a visual form. To be a good concept artist, one needs to be equipped with knowledge and experiences like a concept writer,” he added. Riasat’s advice to people interested in concept art is that they should not restrict themselves to their core skills of drawing, painting or sculpting. In fact, they should explore new tools and software since their artistic skills could be applicable in any medium.
“Lastly, don’t be dependent on institutions or production houses. The internet is the best resource where you can learn not only digital art but also the theories behind traditional arts and craft,” he added.