I have never met a truly great artist who only worked in one medium. The best ones all had rich lives outside their primary focus. They pursued different outlets that fed their work in unexpected ways.
Frank Frazetta created some of the most iconic fantasy illustrations ever made, but he was also a dedicated weightlifter who built serious physical strength. Edgar Degas is famous for his paintings of ballet dancers, yet he spent years sculpting horses and figures in clay. Leonardo da Vinci filled notebooks with inventions, engineering diagrams, and observations of nature. Michelangelo was a poet as well as a sculptor and painter. These artists kept their minds and hands active across different disciplines, and that variety showed up in their primary work.
As a storyboard artist and visual development artist working on films, I have come to see the value in this approach. Having other creative interests outside my main day-to-day work keeps my eye fresh and prevents the kind of repetition that can creep in when you stay locked in the same medium for too long.
My Own Interests Outside Storyboarding
I shoot film photography, the old-fashioned kind with actual rolls of film. There is something honest about the slower, more deliberate process. I also paint in watercolor, often plein air. Setting up outside with a small kit forces quick decisions and teaches me to see big shapes and essential light before getting lost in details.
I have a strong interest in ancient history. It gives me helpful perspective on modern films. Video games have also been a big part of my life. Metroid Prime had a huge influence on how I think about environmental storytelling and atmosphere. The way it let you explore mysterious, lived-in worlds through first-person perspective still affects how I approach visual development. The Indiana Jones films and the Star Wars prequels were massive influences growing up. They taught me how adventure, mystery, and epic scale can be combined with character and emotion.
These outlets keep me engaged and bring fresh observations back into storyboarding and visual development.
Why Variety Across Mediums Makes Better Visual Storytellers
Directors need storyboard artists who can translate scripts into visuals that feel authentic. That requires more than technical skill in one area. It requires broad observation, emotional range, and the ability to see things from different angles.
When you stay in only one medium for too long, the work can start to feel insular. But when you explore other creative outlets, you bring new insights back to your primary work. Shooting film photography has made me more patient with light and composition. Plein air watercolor has sharpened my ability to simplify complex scenes quickly. My interest in ancient history helps me think about universal themes. Games like Metroid Prime trained me to think about how environments tell stories on their own. The adventure and scale in Indiana Jones and the Star Wars prequels still influence how I approach big cinematic moments.
All of this makes the boards I deliver more useful to directors. They carry real observation and broader experience instead of just repeated techniques from one medium.
The Practical Benefit for Film Productions
When I board a scene, I draw from everything I have seen and done. A quiet conversation between characters might remind me of the changing light during a plein air session. An action sequence might pull from the tension and discovery I felt exploring Metroid Prime’s alien worlds. An epic moment might echo the sense of adventure I loved in Indiana Jones.
Directors benefit because they get storyboards that understand subtext, rhythm, and emotional truth. Independent filmmakers with limited resources especially need this kind of depth. Strong boards grounded in broader creative experience help stretch those resources further by communicating the vision more effectively and reducing confusion on set.
Wrapping It Up
The best artists throughout history kept their creative lives varied. Frazetta lifted weights. Degas sculpted. Great illustrators read voraciously and explored other mediums. That variety made their primary work richer and more human. The same principle holds true today. My own interests in film photography, watercolor painting, ancient history, video games and adventure movies all feed into the storyboards and visual development I create.
If you are directing a film and want a storyboard artist or visual development partner who brings broader creative experience and fresh perspective to every frame, I would be glad to talk through your project.
📩 Reach out: paul@paultemplestudios.com
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Want more blog posts on this topic?
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2. Breaking Creative Ruts: Metaphor and Non-Linear Thinking in Visual Development
3. Wisdom In The Work: Bezalel And The Tabernacle