Interview with Ken Barthelmey: Talented Creature Designer for Hollywood Movies
I stumbled upon Ken’s work during the pandemic of 2020. At that time, confined within the walls of my room, I had recently bid goodbye to my role as an art director in Italy and embarked on a new journey in the United Kingdom, armed with light finances and a humble job as a kitchen porter. Yearning for a change in my career trajectory, I stumbled upon the intriguing profession of creature design. It felt like the perfect fusion of my aspirations as an illustrator and my desire to delve into filmmaking.
In my quest for inspiration, I turned to Google, typing in the simple query “creature designer.” Ken’s website was one of the first results. I was surprised by the quality and attention to detail of Ken’s work and since then has become a reference for my studies. Today, I am immensely grateful to have the opportunity to engage in this interview with him. So, without further ado, I extend my heartfelt thanks to Ken, and let’s begin this interview!
Ken Barthelmey is an Illustrator and Concept Designer working with clients all around the world. His focus and expertise is Creature & Character Design and his work has been featured in major movies such as The Maze Runner, Aquaman, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes Of Grindelwald, IT, Godzilla VS. Kong and Thor Love and Thunder.
Ken, could you share when you began studying creature design and how long it took you to secure your first job? What was that initial job and how did it influence your career trajectory?
Ken: I have always been drawing and building things for as long as I can remember. My second love has been movies and comics, they fired my imagination in childhood. Especially monster films fascinated me. I often found myself drawing the characters and creatures that I saw in those films, just to have another look at them later. In hindsight that was a good training for my drawing skills.
I believe I was six or seven years old when I saw “Jurassic Park” for the first time. Afterwards I watched the behind-the-scenes documentary and was blown away by the animatronics and puppet work from Stan Winston and his team. That’s when my passion for moviemaking truly developed. I became fascinated by special effects, visual effects, and the creation of movie monsters. Eventually, I started coming up with my own designs and sculpted them in clay. It began as a hobby, but I soon realized that the imaginative imagery in films are created by artists and that it is an actual job. It was a big revelation for me and I knew that wanted to do that as well.
Working as a creature designer is basically a combination of all my interests.
My journey into the professional realm began with illustrating commissions for magazines and ads, which provided valuable learning experiences. Eventually I wanted to focus on my passion and I created a portfolio about creature and character design which I showcased online.
Soon after, director Wes Ball discovered my personal work on CGHub, and hired me to design the Grievers for ‘The Maze Runner’. It was my first big design job in the movie industry, and I remain deeply appreciative of Wes for his trust and the opportunity he granted me. Since then I had the pleasure to work with many creative and talented people, and contributed to a diverse array of films.
As a self-taught artist yourself, what advice would you give to aspiring artists looking to break through in 2024? Are there any specific strategies or resources you found particularly helpful in your journey?
Ken: There are many great resources that can help you learn the craft. I began as a 2D artist, so I focused on mastering the basics of illustration. Books like James Gurney’s “Color and Light” and “Imaginative Realism” are fantastic resources that teach fundamental principles. Additionally, “Digital Painting Techniques” by 3DTotal Publishing has been invaluable in exploring different techniques from various professional artists. YouTube and online courses are also very valuable resources.
For designing believable characters and creatures, it is essential to have a strong understanding of muscle and bone structures. One effective method to improve your anatomical knowledge is by regularly sketching animals. Once you grasp how anatomy functions, you’ll be able to create new body shapes that don’t exist in the real world but could exist.
The form and proportion are the most critical elements in creature design. I ensure to prioritize these aspects by avoiding adding too many details in the initial stages of design. It’s only after I’m satisfied with the form that I begin adding details and refining the design further.
Then, you can progress to learning 3D sculpting programs and how to render your designs in a compelling manner. (I describe how to create a photorealistic 3D character concept in my PDF tutorial)
In order to get jobs, I recommend creating a portfolio that highlights your original designs. Clients want to see your ability to generate ideas and solve problems.
Additionally, it’s crucial to pursue your passion. Since I enjoy designing characters and creatures, I created a portfolio that aligns with my skills. This is significant because clients make hiring decisions based on the work they see in your portfolio.
It’s also beneficial to send your portfolio to various places. However, ensure that you only showcase your best work in your portfolio.
Remember, your portfolio is only as strong as your least appealing piece.
Having contributed to some of the most renowned movies, could you highlight the most thrilling project you’ve worked on thus far? What made it stand out to you?
Each project is a unique experience for me and brings a variety of challenges.
Ken: ‘The Maze Runner’ (2014) is the first Hollywood production in which I was involved, so this film will always be my most personal project. During this time, I hadn’t yet ventured into 3D work, so all the concepts I contributed to the film were either hand-drawn with pencil or created as digital 2D paintings.
‘The Tomorrow War’ is also a very personal project because I always wanted to create the main alien for a science fiction film. It proved to be a challenging project, with the design undergoing numerous changes throughout the process. However, I’m ultimately very satisfied with the end result.
I enjoy working on original films that are not sequels or based on existing franchises. As a designer, I’m particularly excited about the opportunity to create new characters and creatures that aren’t constrained by an established design language.
Are there any upcoming projects you’re currently involved in or have planned for the future that you’re excited about sharing with your audience?
Ken: I designed several characters and creatures for Marc Forster’s film adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s The Graveyard Book. It was an interesting project and the work I did is quite different from my previous projects.
I also contributed to a project set in the Alien universe, which has always been a bucket list project for me. Although my involvement was brief, it was exciting to contribute a few early designs to that project.
Additionally, there are a few other films and projects I’ve contributed to, but they are still in early development, and I’m unsure if I can discuss them yet.
Moreover, I have several personal projects underway, which I’m working on in my free time. I hope to be able to share something soon.
You’ve garnered significant recognition in the creature design world, with features in blogs and magazines. Beyond obviously your great talent, what do you think contributed to people discovering your work? And what recommendations would you offer to artists seeking greater visibility and recognition?
Ken: I’m not interested in following trends; I simply create what I love and hope that my work attracts people who appreciate it. In terms of visibility, social media can be a valuable tool. I’ve found that I receive the most visibility on Instagram, and many of my clients discover my work through ArtStation. When people enjoy what you do, they’re likely to share it on their own platforms, and for that, I’m always grateful.
You don’t necessarily need to spend money on websites, but if you can afford it, I would recommend it. Having a well-designed website where you can showcase your portfolio and skillsets appears more professional and appealing to potential clients. It can help you stand out from the crowd. Nevertheless, the internet offers artists numerous opportunities to showcase their work through various platforms and social media channels.
Ken, as someone deeply involved in the creative industry, I’m curious about your work setup. Do you primarily work remotely, and if so, what are your thoughts on artists working remotely? Do you believe remote work could potentially limit an artist’s career opportunities, or do you see it as opening doors to a wider array of job opportunities and collaborations with studios across the globe? Could you tell us about your experience?
Ken: I’m from Luxembourg and have always worked remotely with clients from all around the world. I know other designers who live in Los Angeles and still work remotely from home. Nowadays, with the internet and the ability to have Zoom calls, it enables us to be available 24/7, so the need to work in-house is not as important anymore. While some studios may still prefer to art direct their artists in person, honestly, in my 12 years of experience, I can’t recall a client or studio expressing any concern with me not working in-house.
I’m fascinated by your involvement as a creature designer in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.” Could you share how you landed this opportunity? Additionally, do you have any interesting anecdotes or memorable experiences from your time working on this project?
Ken: My involvement in “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald” was brief, but it was exciting to contribute to such a well-known film production. I worked on the Matagot cat creature. Artist Dan Baker had already done a lot of design and exploration work on them before I joined the project, and I built upon his foundation. I was hired by Framestore as a freelance artist, primarily for design work on the film “Pokémon: Detective Pikachu.” While working on Pokémon, they needed additional assistance on a creature they had already started developing for another project.
Interestingly, they use code names for these high-profile projects, so initially, I wasn’t aware of the movie I was working on. It was a pleasant surprise when I discovered shortly after that it was indeed the new Fantastic Beasts movie.
In conclusion, I hope that you loved reading this interview as much as I did. I hope all the best to Ken’s career and if you want to keep following his work, feel free to follow his channels:
ArtStation: https://www.artstation.com/ken-barthelmey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kenbarthelmey/
Website: https://theartofken.com/
