Perfect for Halloween this week, today we’re looking at the dark creatures of Serbian artist Nikola Matkovic. After a five-year detour into 3D and mobile games, he has gone back to his original artistic passion: depicting things that go bump in the night.
With a gritty, traditional approach to digital art, Nikola says he hopes to help viewers find beauty in dark places through his illustrations. Below, he shows us three key pieces that he sees as having shaped his artistic journey and tells us a little about them. If you’re inspired to create your own dark and atmospheric art, see our picks of the best digital art software and the best drawing tablets (Nikola works in Photoshop and Procreate).
Lord of Dunes
(Image credit: Nikola Matkovic)
“This early piece was a turning point. It led to collaborating on projects that little me couldn’t even dream of. Crazy how one painting can change your life forever.”
You may like
Ushi-Oni
(Image credit: Nikola Matkovic)
“Growing up in a mountain town steeped in folklore made mythology a key part of my identity. Putting my own twist on creatures like Ushi-oni remains an absolute creative joy.”
Frostbound Exiles Cover
(Image credit: Nikola Matkovic)
“Created for an upcoming solo RPG by Blackoath Entertainment. We obsess over technique, but finding collaborators who let you create work that’s just ‘us’ is just as vital.”
You can see more of Nikola’s work on his ArtStation page.
For more inspiration, see our interview with Angie Hoffmeister about making horror art and our roundups of the best horror artists and the best horror movie posters.
This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions available.