THE ART OF MATIAS BERGARA

Dominic Carter talks to the artist behind Coda and Step By Bloody Step about how he brings amazing fantasy worlds to life

- Dominic Carter

We caught up with Matías Bergara, the illustrator of seminal comics including Coda and Step By Bloody Step, to learn more about his inspiring story, and how he remains uniquely focused on his artistic goals and refining his style.

Tell us about your background as an artist. How did you get started?

I started kind of later than most of my colleagues, the reason being that I studied a Literature course in college and went on to start a small animation/video game company with friends immediately after finishing my studies. I had always been drawing, but never considered it could become my main source of income or profession. I barely knew anyone who did. At some point I decided to become an artist and author and leave the company, partly because I got to make new friends who were doing comics and it seemed like something I could do at that point. I was 27 when I finally started trying to get my first commercial jobs as a comics artist and illustrator. It’s been ten years since.

Which artists have inspired you most, and why?

Too many to count, but I have great affection for Hergé because I read Tintin books constantly as a kid and they provided me with a very strong sense of clear visual narrative in comics. In my adulthood I discovered Victorian-era illustrators and commercial artists like Edmund Dulac and Arthur Rackham who blew my mind and influenced a lot of my painting technique. I love Christophe Blain’s body of work. I am a huge fan of cartooning and carefree expression.

You’re based in Uruguay. What’s the comics scene like over there?