Mark Kirkpatrick and his liking for barren landscapes

Mark Kirkpatrick and his liking for barren landscapes

By Kaymir Stark

We at CFYE are all about exploring, whether that be physically in the field or mentally in the mind. We salute the hikers, the sailors, the cosplayers, the wonderers, the scientists and everything else in between. For me personally I am drawn to the landscape when it comes down to exploration. So it’s no wonder that instantly fell in love with the work of Mark Kirkpatrick. Let’s have a quick chat with this awesome guy!

Mark_Kirkpatrick_003
Mark_Kirkpatrick_003

Can you please tell our readers who’s Mark Kirkpatrick?

I live in Seattle, Washington surrounded by the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest. My environment plays a big role in inspiring the type of work I make. In Seattle we are surrounded by water, trees and mountains. For my day job I own a boutique design company called Visual Human.

Mark_Kirkpatrick_001
Mark_Kirkpatrick_001

What got you started in creating these landscapes?

I started an everyday project in 2014 on Tumblr and developed a liking for barren landscapes during the process. After completing 365 works for 2014 I decided to focus more on quality rather than quantity in 2015. I like the endless process of learning and exploring new boundaries.

I am fascinated by landscapes, it shows me fragments of history and exciting visions of the future. Why does the landscape plays such a big role in your work?

I’m drawn to the way light and color interact with each other on natural forms. There is an element of solitude in nature that I find very appealing. Looking out at a vast landscape is a very grounding experience. It can make the day to day issues of life seem inconsequential in comparison.

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Mark_Kirkpatrick_004

I got to know your work through the “imaginary landscapes” subreddit on reddit.com. Most of those landscapes are painted or digitally created. I am familiar with traditional paintings, but how does one create such beautiful scapes on digitally?

I create my landscapes using a 3d program called Cinema 4d. I model and light the scene in 3d and then composite together the image using Photoshop for static images or After Effects for video. I will use any tool that I have at my disposal to draw from. I have a traditional art background so I pull from that sometimes. Anything goes really.

About Mark Kirkpatrick

Mark is Creative Director of Visual Human, a boutique design studio in Seattle, Washington. Mark finds inspiration for his art in the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. Uninhabited landscapes are domina...View profile