Freelance illustrator Zezhou Chen has emerged from humble beginnings to work with some of the top names in the industry. We caught up with him to hear how he went from not having enough money for cigarettes to illustrating Magic: The Gathering, why he quit teaching, and how computer games stop him burning out.
Tell us about your art background.
Between 2004 and 2008 I studied computer arts and design at college. It was a total scam, but luckily I didn’t waste too much time on it and instead bought a Wacom tablet to teach myself digital painting. Later on, from 2009 to 2011, I completed a master’s degree in graphic design at the Ukrainian National Academy of Fine Arts. After completing my studies, from 2011 to 2012 I worked for a couple of games companies in
