{"id":540708,"date":"2026-07-14T09:32:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/540708\/"},"modified":"2026-07-14T09:32:21","modified_gmt":"2026-07-14T09:32:21","slug":"ive-finally-learned-to-lean-into-the-way-that-i-draw-tim-probert-on-creating-the-art-of-lightfall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/il\/540708\/","title":{"rendered":"“I\u2019ve finally learned to lean into the way that I draw” \u2013 Tim Probert on creating the art of Lightfall"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tim Probert is the author and illustrator of Lightfall, a series of fantasy graphic novels steeped in the traditions of fantasy storytelling. Set in Irpa, a land without sun, it sees the protagonist Bea, along with her friend Cad, embark on an epic quest to save their world from eternal darkness.<\/p>\n

Tim\u2019s artwork can also be seen adorning the D&D: Dungeon Academy books, the Rip and Red series, and Pickle, among other titles. In addition to his work in the world of books, Tim also worked as an art director at Nathan Love animation<\/a> studio on projects for clients that included Nickelodeon, Pok\u00e9mon, Mountain Dew, NISA, Katy Perry and Crayola. We caught up with the artist during his work on the next Lightfall adventure.<\/p>\n

If you’re inspired, see our guides to the best digital art software<\/a> and the best drawing tablets<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos From\"\"\"\"<\/p>\n

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\"Character
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Bea and Cad, the protagonists of Lightfall, costumed and ready for adventure (Image credit: Tim Probert)Where did your illustration journey begin?<\/p>\n

I went to school for painting and got a BFA in painting from Boston University. While I knew I wanted to go into art, I didn\u2019t really know what I wanted to do exactly. And all of those fields felt very impenetrable to me. It was like thinking, \u2018You don\u2019t become an illustrator of kids\u2019 books or anything like that. That\u2019s what other people do.\u2019 <\/p>\n

So I was like, \u2018I\u2019m just gonna go.\u2019 I went for painting and learnt about drawing the human figure and colour theory. And while I was there, I started getting all of the art-of books from Pixar movies. And I was like, \u2018Okay, this is it. This is what I want to do.\u2019 So I focused on that and started teaching myself Photoshop at night. <\/p>\n

After I graduated, I interned for a little bit at an animation studio doing clean-up art. I was picking up little illustration jobs where I could, and all the struggle of that. Then I did a book called New York, Phew York, which was a scratch-and-sniff book about New York City. It was my first kind of real job, and that helps. <\/p>\n

The person who wrote it, Amber C. Jones, was really good at publicity and marketing and got us interviews. I was around 22 years old. I didn\u2019t know what I was doing. New York, Phew York got seen by people, and I think that\u2019s how they found me at Macmillan [Publishers]. Then they asked me to illustrate a chapter book. <\/p>\n

\"Lightfall<\/p>\n

Image credit: Tim Probert<\/p>\n

\"Lightfall<\/p>\n

Image credit: Tim Probert<\/p>\n

What have been your biggest influences?<\/p>\n

Hayao Miyazaki is a huge influence. Not just for his beautiful films and the unique way he tells a story, but for the way he draws. His Nausica\u00e4 manga is a favourite of mine, and the drawings are full of such weight, motion, and detail. Each panel is a little world. <\/p>\n

Amulet [by Kazu Kibuishi] was a big influence as well. Kazu\u2019s work editing the Flight anthologies introduced me to the wide variety of stories and styles going on in comics. Amulet is not only a great series of books, but it helped open up the way for big, serialised fantasy stories in comics. Also, I helped out painting some backgrounds on book six, and a bit on eight. That was like a masterclass in how to put together a large, painted graphic novel, and was hugely helpful for me. <\/p>\n

Reading the complete Bone [written and illustrated by Jeff Smith and first published in the early 1990s] was another big deal for me. I saw that you could tell a sweeping, epic story with comics. And it could also have humour and cartoony moments. It showed me anything goes in comics if you can make it work.\u201d <\/p>\n

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\"A\n<\/p>\n

A preliminary sketch suggests natural forms for a habitat (Image credit: Tim Probert)How has your work in the animation industry informed your work as an illustrator?<\/p>\n

At the same time that I was beginning book illustration work, I did a little bit of work for Nickelodeon, some concept work, and that was seen by Nathan Love, the animation studio in New York. I ended up freelancing there and then became staff there. And then I had this kind of dual career for a while. I<\/p>\n

did ten years at Nathan Love, mostly as art director. And then I was also illustrating chapter books at night and on the weekends. I did both of those for a long time, and then I was able to pitch Lightfall. I did the first couple of books while still working at Nathan Love. And just recently, I left Nathan Love to become a full-time author and illustrator. It\u2019s a different world. <\/p>\n

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\"A\n<\/p>\n

Tim\u2019s work as a storyboard artist emphasises the value of simplicity in layouts (Image credit: Tim Probert)Is Lightfall the focus of your current day-to-day working life? <\/p>\n

Right now it is. I have some other projects that I\u2019m kind of chipping away at on the side. After I finished the fourth book, I was able to do a couple of little comics, like mini comics, which was nice. And I still freelance at Nathan Love on occasion. <\/p>\n

Did you have the entire Lightfall series planned out from the start, or is there some refining?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a bit of both. I always kind of knew where I wanted it to end up, but I didn\u2019t know when we would get there or not. I was given a two-book deal up front, and so I knew I was doing the two. And then, while we were working on the second one, we decided we were going to do more, and we settled on six. <\/p>\n

So then I kind of had an idea; but every time I sit down to write, I\u2019m like, \u2018What am I doing? Where\u2019s this going?\u2019 <\/p>\n

What\u2019s the time frame to write and illustrate a Lightfall book to the point where you are then revising and refining? <\/p>\n

Generally, 18 months is the ideal. I think that with the last one I ran over\u2026 it was probably like 20 or 22 months, maybe. <\/p>\n

We were down to the wire on that one. But in the ideal world, it\u2019s 18 months. It\u2019s about six months of writing and thumbnailing, and then six months of drawing and six months of painting. 18 months sounds good. It almost inevitably takes me a whole year to write them, at least. And then everything else gets kind of truncated into the schedule as quickly as it could get done. <\/p>\n

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\"Illustration
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In these design iterations, the influence of anime is evident in the facial design for main character Bea (Image credit: Tim Probert)<\/p>\n

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\"Illustration\n<\/p>\n

For protagonist Cad, these design iterations showcase attention to colour values that work with the nature motif of Lightfall (Image credit: Tim Probert)Do you have a sort of guiding kind of aesthetic?<\/p>\n

I don\u2019t know if it\u2019s like a guiding aesthetic so much that it\u2019s like I\u2019ve finally learned to lean into the way that I draw. I spent many early years of illustrating trying to draw different styles and trying to draw like different people that were doing well. <\/p>\n

It was like thinking: \u2018What are they doing? Let me try that.\u2019 And it just all felt very unnatural. There was a point where the illustrator Cory Godby \u2013 he\u2019s wonderful \u2013 was doing a mentorship programme I applied to. <\/p>\n

I wasn\u2019t accepted, but he still wrote me this really nice note. He was looking at my work and he said, \u2018These are the images that look like you were drawing like you wanted to. So you should do more of that. And for me, it was like, \u2018Whoa! Okay.\u2019 So I feel like that\u2019s been sort of my aesthetic principle, I guess. <\/p>\n

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\"Illustrations\n<\/p>\n

The influence of Hayao Miyazaki\u2019s films informs Tim\u2019s depiction of nature and the wilderness (Image credit: Tim Probert)<\/p>\n

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\"Panel\n<\/p>\n

Delight in the epic wonder of nature suffuses Lightfall (Image credit: Tim Probert)<\/p>\n

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\"Panel\n<\/p>\n

Lightfall\u2019s vibrant panels vividly define character action and reaction (Image credit: Tim Probert)<\/p>\n

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\"Panel\n<\/p>\n

Tim\u2019s formal art education in painting finds expression in Lightfall\u2019s environment work and use of colour (Image credit: Tim Probert)What\u2019s the dynamic between your background in animation and your work in illustration?<\/p>\n

I learned a lot working in animation. For my role at the animation studio Nathan Love, I took on a lot of tasks. I would storyboard and design characters, work on environments, and paint colour keys \u2013 basically anything in the pre-production pipeline \u2013 in addition to checking in during later phases to make sure the look was coming together. <\/p>\n

I think my illustration background helped with this stuff. But, in turn, all of these skills helped out when it came to making a graphic novel. Storyboarding especially taught me to draw quickly, clearly, and efficiently, and to not be afraid to throw stuff out. This is immensely important when you\u2019re thumbnailing a 250+ page book. So the two worlds have constantly fed, informed, and improved each other. <\/p>\n

\"Lightfall<\/p>\n

Image credit: Tim Probert<\/p>\n

\"Lightfall<\/p>\n

Image credit: Tim Probert<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for you?<\/p>\n

I\u2019m starting to think about my post Lightfall life and starting to work on some new ideas. I\u2019m starting the fifth Lightfall book now, and the plan is for there to be six in all. I can now see the end of the books in sight, and then there\u2019ll be that freak-out moment of \u2018What am I going to do after that?\u2019. <\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

This article originally appeared in ImagineFX. Subscribe to ImagineFX<\/a> to never miss an issue. Print and digital subscriptions are available.<\/p>\n

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