JoeJarrah was nominated from the digital comics gallery, but he’s also been posting beautiful scenes created in DAZ for years. He became a member in 2013. JoeJarrah’s ongoing digital comics series, Skytown, is a witty science fiction parody that’s been running for a couple years now. We love this artist’s sense of humor. He’s also an artist with a great feel for detail.
We spoke with JoeJarrah about his background, workflow, and how he came to create his digital comic, Skytown. We chose 10 works from his gallery to share with you in the above video. You can also visit his gallery at the button link below.
Renderosity: Tell us about your background. Who is JoeJarrah?
JoeJarrah: I grew up in several different countries in Europe and the Middle East, mostly around the Mediterranean. I grew to love the sea, and when I went to university I trained as a marine biologist; so science and nature, along with the myths and tales I read avidly as a child, and my abiding love for music (my other main hobby) have been the influences for most of my art work.
You were nominated from the digital comics gallery, but you began posting at Renderosity as a DAZ Studio artist. How did you learn DAZ?
JoeJarrah: My forays into visual art started with drawing and painting as a youngster and incorporated into photography as I grew older and got my first SLR camera. The latter proved very useful in helping to understand 3D lighting and composition. This was a real asset when I discovered and started muddling my way through DAZ studio 3, almost exactly 11 years ago (my first ever image was for a Halloween challenge in 2011). I stuck with DS3 (better the devil you know) for a long time, but finally switched to DS4 last year. Iray and HDR lighting has opened up a raft of new possibilities, and its a constant learning process thorough a combination of trial and error, helpful tips from my digital artist friends and online fora.
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Skytown (Ch.2 Pt.8) by JoeJarrah
JoeJarrah: A year or so ago, around the beginning of the COVID lockdown in the UK, I was mucking about kitbashing a slightly manga-style character, and the idea of using a comic layout first struck me. From there, I started experimenting with layouts using some old DS3 renders that I had done years ago as a loose storyline. The idea took hold, and because the main character was a steampunk airship captain, the idea of "Skytown " was born.
As I worked on subsequent issues, I referred to my collection of physical comics for inspiration on refining the layouts. Its sometimes overlooked, but geometry, balance, and lettering are just as important in creating atmosphere in a comic as the actual illustrations and story. I also snuck in the odd popular culture reference, as much for my own enjoyment as anything else. Its taken on something of its own life and direction over the year (as creations are wont to do) and is now more sci-fi than steampunk... who knows where it will head next?
JoeJarrah: So I'd say to anyone who enjoys this form of expression...just have at it! Anything goes, you never know how it will turn out, but you'll have a lot of fun on the journey whatever!
Do you read much fantasy or scifi? I am also wondering if Frazetta is an influence on your visual style. Some character poses of yours remind me of him.
JoeJarrah: I do read a fair bit of sci-fi. I used to a lot of fantasy too, but less so now as I find much of it a bit too derivative. Frazetta is definitely an influence for my fantasy themed work (for everyone surely?!?), but also Jim Fitzpatrick and Roger Dean. Because I do a lot of work on historical and mythological themes, I would say Alma-Tadema, Godward, Waterhouse and Burne-Jones are also major influences on my overall style.
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