Interview
Scott Harben
Scott is a visual artist whose work bridges the worlds of comics, fantasy, and entertainment. Working primarily in oil, he brings characters and stories to life with rich detail and atmosphere. Over the course of his career, Scott has collaborated with major studios including Marvel, Lucasfilm, and others, contributing to projects that span genres and mediums. His growing body of work reflects a deep passion for storytelling through paint, inviting viewers into imaginative and evolving worlds.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“I started doing art around 15 years old, I grew up in Scotland and England as my mother was from Edinburgh. I was inspired and captivated by the texture and history of the landscape around me and used it as fuel for my art. With many gaps between doing my art and just carving out a living I settled in as a photographer and director. Around 2003, a good friend asked me to collaborate on comic covers for the Punisher Max for Marvel Comics and I dived back in. I still look at old masters art as inspiration but also to my contemporaries.”
What inspires you?
“Texture. In landscape, architecture, faces and objects. They say the devils in the details, well I take that to heart. Also many other artists such as Caravaggio, Rembrandt, HR Giger, Frank Frazetta and DaVinci. Their attention to detail and story telling is strongly influential to me.”
What themes do you pursue? Is there an underlying message in your work?
“Storytelling and tension. There has to be tension in all my work. Like a rubber band ready to snap, I want the viewer to wonder what will happen next.”
How would you describe your work?
“A compelling fusion of classical technique and contemporary imagination.”
Which artists influence you most?
“Frank Frazetta, Caravaggio, HR Giger, Rembrandt to name a few.”
“Storytelling and tension. There has to be tension in all my work. Like a rubber band ready to snap, I want the viewer to wonder what will happen next.”
What is your creative process like?
“I spend a lot of time researching my subjects. Recently, I have been painting stormy seas and sea monsters. I wanted to paint the sea as if it was in the heart of a storm, roiling and petulant, churning in all its anger. This time helps me understand my subjects. I then work on thumbnails either on paper or the computer to help me refine the composition then I jump headfirst into the painting.”
What is an artist’s role in society and how do you see that evolving?
“An artist’s role in society has always been to reflect, challenge, and expand how we see the world, that role is always evolving. Traditionally, we as artists have captured the spirit of our time. Expressing cultural identity, provoking thought, and giving form to emotion. In contemporary society, that role has broadened. Artists now also serve as storytellers, activists, bridge-builders, and innovators. I see my role much the same but also because I work in pop culture too, I see what I do as recording those moments people truly enjoy and feed their fandom. It always thrills me when a fan fawns over one of my paintings.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“Most recently, I had a collaborative show at the premiere pop culture gallery in Texas, The Galactic Gallery. They are the primary gallery for Drew Struzan, the most prolific move poster artist of the last 40 years. It was an honor to have my work alongside his.”
