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Gez Fry Gez Fry was born in the UK to English and Japanese parents and now lives in Japan earning a crust as an illustrator. With natural talent in spades and a technique that mixes natural and digital media, Gez has an impressive roster of clients including Namco, Adobe, Evisu, Firetrap, Buena Vista International and the BBC.
Being able to draw on Eastern and Western influences in equal measure is a unique experience, so we were intrigued to chat with Gez and discover more...
 PIXELSURGEON: You've lived in France, England and Japan. Why settle in Tokyo?
Lots of reasons - my wife is Japanese, and we both love it here. Plus a lot of my friends live here, and art-wise, it's a really inspiring place to be. It's an artistic mecca, for me anyway. I love England too but I can't handle the weather for extended periods..
In what way do you consider Japan an "artistic mecca"?
Well, a lot of my favorite artists are Japanese. It's a very visually-oriented culture, and its perception of reality in stylised images is, in general, something I find myself very much in tune with. It has a long history of combining line and colour in beautiful ways, from the days of ukiyo-e and before, right up to the present. Simply put, I find Japanese aesthetic values very appealing.
Being half British and half Japanese, did you have the best of both worlds or only half of each?
Definitely the best of both - though the difference is that when I'm in England, I'm considered 100% British, but when I'm here, I'm 100% foreign. It's just the way it is. But being seen as a foreigner has its benefits, so it doesn't bother me.
What are those benefits?
Being an outsider is both good and bad. You'll always be seen as different and interesting for it, but on the other hand, some days you'll just want to be the same as everyone else. But it's only a big deal if you make it one, and I don't.
Do you find yourself drawing on influences from both cultures?
Yes, though my artistic influences are mostly Japanese and American. England is a bit behind (or ahead, depending on your point of view) when it comes to the kind of art I'm into - comics, video games, geeky stuff like that. But there are other influences that I hope come through in my pictures, like a kind of English attitude. I love drum & bass music and I think that comes through in some of my character designs.
Do you have specific artists or illustrators who influence you?
Yeah, lots! When I was growing up, I really loved reading comics by Joe Madureira (X-Men) and Masamune Shirow (Ghost In The Shell) - one of my big motivations for drawing was that I wanted to be able to draw like them one day. Nowadays some of my faves are Hayao Miyazaki (Spirited Away), Tatsuyuki 'Cannabis' Tanaka, and Alphonse Mucha. But probably my biggest inspiration comes from the artists I have the honour of knowing and being friends with - Adi Granov, Alex Stodolnik, Nivbed, Matt Rhodes, tek9z, Kevin Dalton and loads more.
Did you study art or illustration?
No. But my mum is a professional illustrator and she taught me a lot. I did go to Uni, but I studied languages. In hindsight, I think it was a good move, because it gave me a chance to travel and learn about the world, rather than just about art.
How many languages can you speak (I'm guessing three - English, Japanese and French - based on how many languages your website is translated into)?
Four - English, Japanese, French and Italian (I studied the last two at Uni).
Which language do you feel most comfortable speaking? What do you speak at home?
English. I speak Japanese at home with my wife.
What techniques have you perfected over the years to reach your current style of illustration?
I haven't perfected a damn thing! Haha. I suppose I'm getting pretty used to using photoshop, and I like inking my lines with watercolours and a brush. I like to learn new techniques because it keeps things fresh - like different styles of rendering, or combining natural and digital media.
Do you use a Mac or a PC? Do you think it matters which one you use?
I use a PC. I don't think it makes any difference really, since all the art software and tablets work on both.
What are the themes, styles or techniques which define a piece of Gez Fry artwork?
I don't have any themes that I stick to intentionally, but looking at some of the pics I've done recently it seems like there are a lot of cars and girls! I love fashion and clothing, and as I mentioned before, videogames. I'm just finishing a game project that's aimed at a younger audience than my usual stuff, and that has a lot of themes I really enjoy, like sci-fi, adventure, and a sense of friendship in its character designs. I did it in a more "manga" or Japanese style than usual, and it's something I'd like to do more of.
What do you do when you're not drawing or illustrating?
Mostly I go out with my wife and friends in Tokyo, and more often than not, end up in a karaoke box! I love clubbing, especially when UK drum & bass DJs come here on tour. Holidays are good too - who doesn't love travelling and lying on the beach...
Which Karaoke tunes make you grab the mic and head for the stage?
That would be Guns N' Roses! Hahaha.
Do you have a favourite piece of artwork?
Kind of - but it changes every five minutes or so.
And in the current five minutes, which picture would it be?
Probably some sketches by Glen Keane for the Disney movie 'Tarzan'. They are full of emotion and life, just amazing.
From your older work, it would seem that have a fascination with Kill Bill? What is about Tarantino's movie that interests you?
I did those pictures for a small British promo when the second movie came out (one of my first illustration gigs) - to be honest, I'm not that much of a Kill Bill fan, though doing the pictures was definitely a lot of fun.
Where do you see yourself in five years' time?
Somewhere nice, drawing pictures, hopefully!
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