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Some say that to create art, you need inspiration, which only derives from the gods. In today's case, you can say this art is very directly inspired from a whole pantheon.
As soon as we knew internally that The Pantheon was in development, we wanted to do something to commemorate such a unique activity. After some consideration, we ended up with this idea: a poster will all the raid bosses. We had the immense pleasure of working with Gabriel Flauzino and Displate to create the outstanding piece you saw last week.
And today, we have the immense pleasure of getting to know Gabriel a bit more because he is the protagonist of our latest Community Focus.
Tell us a bit about yourself so our readers can know you better
He-llo, dear reader! I'm happy to be here, but even happier that you are! I'm Gabriel Flauzino, aka FLZ, a 23-year-old art nerd, soon to be 24. Despite having some Italian blood and surname, I was born and raised in Fortaleza, Brazil, a place I affectionately like to call a tropical dystopia—but hey, summertime has always been my favorite!
It's hard for me to pinpoint who I am... Throughout the years, I've changed a lot, and in many ways, I’ve become a whole different animal. As a teenager, I played the keyboard and guitar; wrote poems, songs, and fables; painted digitally and traditionally; and studied physics and biology... I wanted to do it all. However, the sacred path of the digital pen was chosen, and being able to make a career out of it was a dream of mine.
The adult me (who usually drinks too many energy drinks, goes to the gym six days a week, and has ADHD as his worst enemy) got to live this dream, and I will never cease to show my appreciation towards Bungie and its wonderful community for helping me on the way.
Everyone has a story of how they first started playing Destiny. Would you share yours with us? And do you have a favorite class?
I first played Destiny back in 2014, when I was 14, and it literally changed my way of seeing games. The amazing concept art, the marvelous storytelling through the scenarios, the lighting, the textures, the planets... I can still feel what I felt back in the day: a growing passion to tell my own stories and share my vision of what I saw when playing it. It's pure magic, and I hope I'm able to convey this feeling through my art to all of you.
Something in Destiny really caught my attention when I first saw it on E3 2014. I played a lot of games when I was a teenager, and they helped me learn English and specialize in an art style that resembles posters and splash art. Games like Persona 3, 4, and 5; Final Fantasy 7, 8, 10, and 12; and Shadow of the Colossus were some of the main games that marked my most nerdy years. My teenage years were really rough, I gotta tell you. Having the goal of pursuing an art career most definitely helped me to keep everything in check inside my noggin.
Destiny was already one of my favorite games back then, when I started making fan art of it in mid-2018. I couldn't make a dime from art until then, and believe me, I was trying hard. Fast forward to October 2019, when I won my first Art of the Week with an art style that I believe is my specialty: posters! Then my humble account of 40 followers grew to over 2,000 in a few days. It was honestly unbelievable. It's crazy when you realize people like what you do, that iit's not a delusion nor an illusion, and people actually care for the hard work you've been doing for countless sleepless nights.
On the topic of my favorite Destiny class, it's pretty hilarious how my class usually matches my current personality and hobbies. From 2014 to 2018, I mained Warlock, as all I wanted to do was study and read. Then 2018 to 2021 rolled in, and I mained Hunter as I entered a more, uh, emo phase. (Sorry, mom, it really was a phase.) Now, from 2022 onwards, I am a Titan main because I'm chronically addicted to the gym and boxing. Look, I'm a simple man. I see dudes with big arms, and I wanna be like them.
How would you define your art style? Where do you find inspiration?
I would say my art is “safe.” Like, I genuinely like playing it safe when making my artwork, as I enjoy studying what has been done in the past. I often find myself drawing more inspiration from the work of John Collier, John Martin, or Arnold Böcklin, for example, than from any other artists from this generation. You may ask, "What does a 23-year-old fan art artist know about art history?" Exactly, I know nothing and will ultimately die as an apprentice, but I want to study what made the works of the other artists the most impressive pieces of art in human history.
With that said, while I consider my art style safe, I believe it can also impress. It takes time, but I often work more in my mind than on canvas, imagining how the final piece needs to look as well as what to do to achieve that, and most of the time, I won't stray away from the initial idea.
And where do I find inspiration? Artists like Aaron Blaise and Ethan Becker helped me to master tools like Photoshop and PureRef and manage good workflows that can achieve industry standards. Geniuses like Hayao Miyazaki taught me to dream higher and higher. Mutuals like AviixeArt, Brandon Meier, Kathi_Langley, and Gammatrap (Brandon McCamey) were and still are brilliant minds that I look upon in my career, and who I often find myself using as inspiration for countless works of mine.
So, raid bosses: what makes them so interesting that you have dedicated so many pieces to them?
The real question is: who doesn't think raid bosses are interesting?! We all like good villains —and beating them. The idea that a collective and joint act can beat even the most powerful bad guys is something only the raiding experience in Destiny can deliver. You feel powerful and fulfilled with your achievement, and that's a peak experience in the world of video games.
One of my favorite games ever is the Dark Souls franchise. The feeling that a mere mortal is capable of facing literal Gods is something that the gaming genre delivers in an awe-inspiring and powerful way.
Illustrating all the power and malice of these villains on a canvas is to seal the idea that you and your friends conquered that battle together. Raids are my favorite part of Destiny: getting together with friends, suffering for countless hours (seriously, I spent 19 hours on Day 1 Deep Stone Crypt...), and sharing good memories. It really is something special, which I hope to memorialize in every piece I make.
I know picking a favorite is hard, but you can tell us... Which is your favorite?
I think this is an easy choice. Of all the villains we've ever faced, the one who finally showed us the horrors that exist among the stars was Oryx. From Aurash to Taken King, the Navigator has proven himself several times, and The Books of Sorrow are the apotheosis of Destiny's lore, in my opinion. Seeing Oryx's trajectory following his ideals, even the most terrible and distorted ones, until the end made the final showdown against him the most special moment in Destiny's history.
The magic of fiction is being able to admire a villain's conviction, even if their actions are unimaginably cruel. Knowing that makes the moment when they are struck down much more complex and satisfying.
And in the end, with Touch of Malice, Oryx won. There’s a bittersweet truth we chose to ignore at the end of Books of Sorrow, that maybe Oryx wasn’t totally wrong. Maybe the universe is as unfair and cruel as Oryx once wrote, and maybe the Ravenous Heart will still pulse with the dying of the last stars and the last gulps of primordial black holes.
Now, let's talk about The Pantheon. Your Pantheon. Could you share with us how this piece came to be?
Look, I'm going to be brutally honest here: I caught a really bad case of COVID while making this artwork, but I was so determined to finish it. I just didn’t care. I swear to God, I got home from the hospital and went straight to work. It was not a lot of fun, but I was okay enough to paint and give it my best, so I'm happy I chose to do so. And I have to tell you, it was worth every second.
First, I made two iterations of what I wanted the art to be, which was a poster of sorts, with all eight villains in their coolest poses possible. The artwork is definitely not gloomy nor dark, but rather it gives a sense of wonder and achievement. The Destiny art team helped me a bunch with some suggestions, which were very welcome, and I duly implemented them in the final piece.
I was able to draw a character each day, giving them all the attention and spotlight that I thought was necessary. Color-wise, it was kinda tough. Some characters like Atraks-1 stand out a lot, so adjusting the tone map to be pleasing to the eye was half of the process. Ultimately, this piece is something I already planned on doing when I first saw The Pantheon was launching, so I had a blast partnering with Bungie and Displate for the ride!
I’m absolutely pleased and pumped to see everyone’s reaction when The Pantheon of Gods ships. Bungie did an excellent job making these characters present again in the game, with a fun and memorable activity that to memorializes this moment in
Also, could I be a little biased by placing Oryx in front? Yes, I was.
Anything you would like to share with other artists out there? Maybe even some colleagues you want to mention?
Alright, this may be the longest part of the blog post, so bear with me. Robert Schumann has always been an interesting figure for me. In addition to being an excellent pianist and composer, Schumann wrote something that has echoed with me: "To send light into the darkness of men's hearts—such is the duty of the artist."
For other artists out there reading this, what do you interpret from this? What do you think is your light, and what do you think is the darkness in the heart of mankind? I feel that, in an era that is stained more and more with the arrival of technologies that seek to destroy the essence of art, it is necessary to have both the sensitivity and softness to express oneself through the artistic medium as well as the perseverance and sense of justice to fight against these oppressive means. Do what you love, and if you send this light to someone's heart, you will be immortal.
That being said, all of this is only possible with a strong sense of community and a place where you are welcomed and admired. I would like to dedicate a little bit of everything I have ever achieved to some of the most special people I have had in my life and in my inspirations.
Mr. Stephen Boe, aka AviixeArt, and his enviable brushstrokes. Brandon, aka Gammatrap, and his extremely effective technique as well as his wonderful personality. Kathi, with her hypnotizing neon colors. Kevin, with his endless creativity. Gustavo Bleyer and Polux, for being dear countrymen and extremely talented. Robyn, for her dense, greenish brushstrokes. Emily and the way she does magic in traditional art. Seeing you all grow, along with many other artists, is what keeps me hopeful for the future of human art. Thank you for being here. And I would also like to thank Byf for the opportunity and recognition a few years ago during an art competition that he promoted. It was hella fun!
And before we go, please, let everyone know where they can find you online and enjoy your outstanding work.
I’m on Twitter and Instagram. Don't be shy, and feel free to talk to me there! If you just found out about my work, feel free to join along for the ride. There’s still much, much more to come.
Thank you for having me today! I'm looking forward to seeing all of you for The Final Shape, and beyond. Tchau!
No, Gabriel, thank you for working with us! It's been a real pleasure, and we can't wait to see your future works. And please, keep sharing your talent with the world.
Destiny 2 Community Team