Sci-Fi Art Now Creator Interview: Max Bertolini

Max Bertolini's cover for
Nathan Never #9

Max Bertolini is a self taught cartoonist, working in the comics business and illustration field. He's the artist on the Italian comic Nathan Never, a 94 page, black and white comic, which means he spends half his day working in black and white and the rest painting in full colour, working on comic covers, Fantasy and Sci-fi books. "My mind is split in two, I would say," he feels.

Sci-Fi Art Now: What tools do you mainly use to create your art?

Max Bertolini: I begin drawing the characters with a pencil that helps me to create the shades as well. Than I scan them into Photoshop and put on the colours.

Sci-Fi Art Now: Why?

Max: I began with oils years ago but finally turned to the PC because it's faster and you can fix colours quickly. Now I have a lot of fun drawing with Photoshop, much more than traditional ways.

New Beginning
by Max Bertolini

Sci-Fi Art Now: What inspired you to become an artist?

Max: When I was a child I wanted to bring to life the characters that kept running into my mind. I wasn't satisfied until I managed to draw them exactly. When I grew up I started enjoing all kind of art, not only comics and fantasy novels, and that helped me so much expanding my artistic views.

Thor by Max Bertolini

Sci-Fi Art Now: What was the most useful piece of advice you were given when you began learning your craft?

Max: I was given a lot of advice. The one I remember best was a talk with Neal Adams, that explained me the importance of photo reference among many other hints I had from him.

Iron Man by Max Bertolini

Sci-Fi Art Now: Which artists most inspire you?

Max: John Buscema, Neal Adams, Klimt, Martiniere, Sparth, Marko Djurdjevic and many other I can't even remember.

Sci-Fi Art Now: What is the appeal to you of science fiction as an inspiration for some of your work?

Max: Sci-Fi is the place where anything can happen, so you can draw anything.

Sci-Fi Art Now: Do you have a favourite piece of work or project you have worked on?

Max: There's a cover I made for an Italian comic book called Future War. I like the colours and the mood of the piece.

Future War by Max Bertolini

Sci-Fi Art Now: In your career, have you had any bizarre experiences while creating your art?

Max: Once I drew a background watching the reflection of my room on the monitor!

Daredevil by Max Bertolini

Sci-Fi Art Now: What most frustrates you about being an artist?

Max: That I'm never good enough.

Sci-Fi Art Now: What keeps you going despite the hopefully occasional frustrations?

Max: I have tons of stuff still to learn and I want to know them all!

Sci-Fi Art Now: What advice would you offer to anyone starting out as an artist?

Max: Learn to observe reality around you, never give up, study different styles of art, not just those you're used too look at, and draw, draw and draw!

• Check out more of Max's superb art at: www.maxbertolini.com. Contact Max via maxATmaxbertolini.com

• Check out more about Nathan Never on publishers Sergio Bonelli Editore web site