Interview with Viva Piñata Senior Concept Artist, Ryan Stevenson

The Viva Piñata® art team received a special honor recently when Rare Artist Ryan Stevenson’s piece, “Piñata Cascade,” was selected for inclusion in the prestigious Into the Pixel (ITP) art exhibit. Into the Pixel is the world’s only juried art exhibition in which experts from renowned museums and galleries, like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Hammer Museum, and the Getty Research Institute, gather together to judge and celebrate the best in interactive visual art. Ryan’s piece, along with the other 15 finalists, will be unveiled at the E3 Media and Business Summit this summer. While E3 may be closed to the public, Piñata fans can check out the Into the Pixel exhibit when it makes its first-ever public appearance at the E for All Expo at the LA Convention Center, October 18th through the 21st.

What’s your official job title at Rare and what were your responsibilities on Viva Piñata?

My job title is senior concept artist, which makes me sound old but just means I have the fun job of drawing and designing stuff all day long. My job on Viva Piñata was to create the style and shape the world. I ended up drawing everything in the game, from Piñatas to pebbles and twigs! The Piñatas were, of course, the most fun things to create.

Have you worked on any other games?

I’ve worked on a few games before Viva Piñata but this has been the biggest. The last thing I worked on before Viva Piñata was It’s Mr Pants for the Gameboy Advance. I had to create a universe for this strange crayon drawn stick figure…a very odd game, indeed.

How does it feel to have your work selected for Into the Pixel?

Amazing! It’s such a great idea with so many other top artists involved. It’s simply fantastic to be part of it.

How long did it take you to design “Piñata Cascade?” What were you shooting for when you started, and what did you think of it when you finished?

I can’t really say how long the image actually took, as it’s got every single Piñata in the game and each one of them took a while to perfect. Viva Piñata has always been a labor of love, so I just sit down and start creating. Time just flows past and I don’t even notice. The idea for “Piñata Cascade” came about while I was designing the Piñatas. They’re an interesting mix of patterns and colors, and I wanted to see all of them together on one image: to see how they would mix with each other and get a feel of the chaotic Piñata universe. I’m really happy with how it turned out; it really shows how strange and dense the Piñata world is.

Which Piñata is the most fun to design?

I always try and make each Piñata I design fun, so it’s a hard question to answer. The obvious one would be the Dragonache, as he’s really wild…but I do have a soft spot for the Galagoogoo. You may notice he’s all on his own at the bottom right of the picture, cheekily peeking in.

When did you first know you wanted to be an artist? Did you attend art school, or did you hone your skills on your own?

I grew up surrounded by art and most of my earliest memories include art in some form. I can’t even remember a time when I didn’t want to be an artist. I did go to art school and did animation, but I spend all my time creating, so the learning never stops, sometimes I think I need a break but I’m just having too much fun to stop.

Have you been involved in any art projects outside of games?

I’ve done lots of different projects over the years, like animation, sculpture, and painting. I’m currently working on some fine art drawings for a gallery exhibition at the end of the year.

Who are some of your biggest artistic influences?

I live surrounded by so much art; I have lots [of influences], but the one artist that’s had the biggest influence on me would be my Dad. He’s a fine art painter and I remember watching him paint when I was little, so I think he started me off as an artist.