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Cinema to Watercolor: The Work of Alex Hillkurtz

Learn how this visual artist’s love of cinema inspired his painting
Alex Hillkurtz (@alexhillkurtzart) is a storyboard artist and watercolor painter specialized in architectural motifs. Originally from England, he grew up in California, where he has worked on storyboards for films like Argo, Almost Famous, and Captain America: Winter Soldier. Alex says painting and drawing help us to live at a more relaxed pace by making us aware of our space and what surrounds us.
Don’t miss his live chat on Domestika Live. Watch him create a sketch and see his process in action.
Let’s learn more about how he developed his artistic style.
Cinema as a teacher
Alex remembers that although he liked drawing, his first love was film. Classic movies awoke his imagination and he began to draw fantasy worlds. After watching a film about how they made Star Wars, Alex decided he wanted to make films.

He moved to California to study cinema. There, he began to draw his ideas to show how they’d look. Finally, he met a storyboard and found that this would be his vocation. Bit by bit, he managed to get an opportunity to work in a cinematographic studio, drawing graphic scripts.
So far, he has drawn over a thousand advert storyboards and around 50 feature films.

From film to paper
This cinematic language can be seen in his drawings, that stand out for their interesting perspectives and a visual narrative where the viewer can compose a story from the picture.
He always carries a sketchbook with him, an essential work tool. Drawing in it has become a form of meditation that allows him to continuously observe light, people, shapes and spaces.
Ink and watercolor
With the years, he introduced color to his sketches with watercolor. Color gave him a new and exciting way to express his ideas. Finally, he incorporated what had influenced him throughout his life with color to become a watercolor artist.

Watercolor allows infinite experimentation and learning as you don’t always control the results. His fascination with watercolor brought him to make more elaborate paintings and finally to become a teacher of the technique.

If you want to learn more about his creative process and his secrets to perspective, color, light, and shade, sign up to his course Architectural Sketching with Watercolor and Ink.
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