I'm at a loss for words. this is gonna be a bit of a ramble and it might not make sense because I'm pretty fucking sad right now, but I just want to talk and I want to share.
Viktor Antonov, the art director of Half-Life 2 and HL2 Lost coast, and concept artist on many other games such as Counter-Strike: Source, Dishonored 1 & 2, Wolfenstein: the new order, Fallout 4, DOOM (2016), Prey, and many more, has passed away at age 53.
I really don't think i can properly put into words how much this man and his art meant to me. Some of the most important concept art pieces that inspired me to become an artist, shaped the way i design environments, that helped create some of my favourite games of all time, and shaped me as a person and the way i look at the world were created by Viktor. Fuck i even named myself after a character in Half-Life: 2 and this man was probably one of the reasons those characters were created.
I remember when i was about 5 or 6, I was browsing the internet, and came across some pretty fucking amazing art. It was concept art for Half-Life: 2. I was in awe at what i was looking at. the detail of EVERYTHING was just insane. right then i KNEW i wanted to create art like that. I became obsessed with architecture and creating unique and interesting worlds from the mundane. I wanted to have my art out there and i wanted to create like he did.
This man's art is the REASON I am who I am and am interested in what I am.
the worlds this man created are just unparalleled.
i don't know what to say anymore really. I'm pretty sad and can't really make sense of my words.
All i can say is:
Thank you Viktor. Thank you so fucking much. You changed the world for the better and shaped the way games are created forever, and shaped the way I create forever. You will NEVER be forgotten
