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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Sunday, January 16, 2005

Movie artist exhibits on Maui

Advertiser News Services

LAHAINA, Maui — A Maui artist with a worldwide reputation for his artwork in movies and computer games will present his first show of prints and original paintings at the Carolyn Quan Gallery in Lahaina.

"Iboshi," by Craig Mullins, is a 14-by-30-inch digital painting. Mullins pioneered the art form while working on movies such as "Babe" and "Forrest Gump."

Craig Mullins, a pioneer in the digital art that is now standard in films, will show three original paintings and 25 giclee prints, along with some "digital hybrids" that he says take advantage of the strengths of both digital and traditional art. The show, at 181 Lahainaluna Road, is open Tuesday through Feb. 15, with an opening-night reception from 6 to 10 p.m. Friday.

Mullins' work draws on his classical training and the computer techniques he has developed to create imaginary worlds for movies and video games. This is his debut as a print artist.

Mullins has worked for nearly 20 years as a concept artist, matte painter and illustrator for movies, video games and commercials. As a concept artist, he comes up with the "look" for movie projects or video games, while as a matte painter he creates backdrops for scenes that range from castles to cityscapes, ancient history to futuristic fantasy.

Mullins was honored with the Grand Master Award for "Exposé 1," the digital art industry's premier book celebrating the work of digital artists worldwide.

He pioneered digital art as a matte painter in the movie "Forrest Gump," and he has continued to be a leader in the field, working on a long list of projects that include "The Matrix — Reloaded," "Final Fantasy," "Jurassic Park" and "Babe," as well as video games that include Bungie's "Halo," "Marathon" and "Myth."

Mullins' compositions are built on a traditional foundation, as demonstrated in his pencil drawings, watercolors and oil paintings of subjects that include nudes, portraits and landscapes. A native of California, he attended Pitzer College in Claremont and the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena. He began his professional life using paint and canvas, and continues to work with these traditional techniques in addition to his digital work.

To see more examples of Mullins' art, see www.goodbrush.com. To contact the Carolyn Quan Gallery, call 667-4362.