Article by Simone Cantini, contributor to Excaliber
Summarizing Alberto Dal Lago’s career in just a few lines is no easy task, given how extensive and impressive the Venetian illustrator’s résumé is. One could start by mentioning that, for years now, he has been the official cover artist for the iconic gamebook series Lone Wolf. Or by highlighting his contributions to Marvel Snap, The Lord of the Rings, and Dampyr, a series from Italian publisher Bonelli. But even that wouldn’t do justice to his vast portfolio.
A multifaceted and dynamic artist, as evidenced by his wide-ranging collaborations – from working with Scuderia Ferrari to shaping the imagery of children’s publishing – Alberto Dal Lago stands today as one of the key figures in the Italian graphic art scene.
At Excaliber, we ave tried to offer a small but insightful glimpse into his deeply personal artistic vision, which shines through clearly in the interview he graciously granted us.
Let’s start with the most classic of questions: how did Alberto Dal Lago the artist come to be, and what are your main sources of inspiration, if any?
The “artist” Alberto Dal Lago was born the moment I realized I wanted to draw for a living. I think I have always wanted to connect with people through the act of drawing and the sharing of certain ideas. I have always had a vivid imagination and an intense urge to transfer the images forming in my mind onto paper. I had an early visual imprinting with the horror genre, and my fascination with those dark and gloomy themes in some way set a path for me to follow. I don’t have formal academic training in art, but I have always loved the work of certain fantasy illustrators who broke through in the market during the ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s. They gave me a crucial spark of inspiration – I am thinking of Frazetta, Vallejo, Brom, Rojo, Giger, and so on. I only began to discover and appreciate classical painters later on. Among them, Caravaggio definitely stands out. As for digital artists, there are many I follow and from whom I’ve picked up stylistic elements – but there are far too many to name!
Was there a specific moment in your career when you realized you had “made it”?
I do not think there was ever such a moment, to be honest – I wouldn’t really describe it in those terms. I prefer to say that, as with many careers of this kind, there have been (and still are) good moments and others that are less so. Among the most emotionally significant events, I fondly remember my very first job as illustrator and Art Director for the first Italian role-playing game, Nephandum. That project put me on the map within the national market and marked the start of my professional career. Another key moment was meeting Joe Dever (which led to the beginning of our collaboration), allowing me to break into the international scene. I also vividly remember speaking with the Art Directors at Wizards of the Coast during San Diego Comic-Con in 2010. That meeting was incredibly rewarding, both emotionally and professionally, as I was chosen to work with them on a couple of D&D projects. It was my first international convention, and I came home with new assignments and new clients.
Having worked across various sectors, is there one area where you feel most comfortable in terms of artistic expression, or perhaps one where you feel more pressure, maybe because it requires adhering to a more established style or context?
Needless to say, I thrive in the horror genre. No other genre compares – it is where I belong. Dark fantasy is another realm I enjoy working in. On the other hand, very traditional, classic fantasy can be a bit more challenging for me. I manage to navigate it thanks to experience, and by hiding my weaker points behind dynamic compositions and solid storytelling. But all it takes is a glance around to see that there are artists out there who are far more skilled and talented than I am – especially younger, more driven ones! The market is highly competitive, and I think it is important to recognize your own limits and be willing to step aside when needed.
Speaking of different sectors, how does your approach to a project change depending on the medium you are working to enhance?
That is something I get asked a lot, probably because people see me as fairly versatile – and indeed, I have had the chance to work with clients like Scuderia Ferrari and SkyArte, who operate on wavelengths quite different from my own. I believe it is crucial to tune in to the client’s needs and expectations, to understand how to solve their problem without feeling frustrated or “creatively stifled” when it comes to making suggestions or artistic choices. After all, we are craftsmen working in service of a client, whose requests – insofar as possible – should be fulfilled. Understanding what they want and how they want it is key to getting the job done and drawing a clear line between professionalism and amateurism. From a technical standpoint, my approach changes depending on deadlines and the project’s level of complexity. Sometimes you can skip certain steps, like the grayscale phase, and go straight to color. For Ferrari, for example, we had to combine 3D modeling with painterly style because of the kind of rendering required: a realistic replica of the car model used during the Grand Prix races. I always try to keep a fairly flexible workflow to help me manage different types of projects.
Getting more specific: your contribution to the mobile phenomenon Marvel Snap is particularly noteworthy. How did the challenge of making such iconic and well-defined heroes recognizable and appealing within the limited space of a card – mostly viewed on very small screens – affect the way you designed the characters?
First of all, thank you for your kind words about my involvement in Marvel Snap, though I wouldn’t say I did better than the many talented artists involved – every one of them is incredibly skilled and competent! The funny thing is, I am not much of a superhero comic book reader. Still, the project was appealing from the start – and it offered a new kind of challenge. Maybe after illustrating over thirty covers for the Lone Wolf gamebook series, I got used to working within very tight layouts, so I can honestly say that the Marvel Snap cards did not give me too much trouble in that regard. In fact, I had a lot of fun, even though so far I have only worked on lesser-known characters. As for staying true to the original character, the artists are given a lot of stylistic freedom and can express themselves quite freely. But as you rightly pointed out, one cannot overlook the fact that the final image is going to be very small. That means it is essential to ensure the scene reads well and isn’t muddied by overly dark imagery. Strong contrasts and vibrant colors are a must. Since I tend to prefer darker tones, it was a real challenge for me to get to an acceptable result. I also initially struggled with the breakdown of the different parts of the illustration, which are later animated to give the card a distinctive 3D or holographic-like effect. Still, it is a job I am really enjoying.
The impact of artificial intelligence systems is becoming increasingly significant in every artistic field, especially in illustration. Do you think the rapid progress of such tools truly poses a threat to human expressiveness, or do you believe that, if used properly, they could serve as valuable support for the world of art?
I have no prejudice against Machine Language Models or generative AI in general, which I believe could make a real difference in certain sectors – medicine and scientific research, for example.
These tools are already among us, and pretending otherwise is just denying reality. That said, I would be lying if I said I was not concerned about the impact they are having on the creative field. Beyond the way they are trained – which we all know is often unorthodox and disregards copyright laws, thus harming the intellectual property of artists – I think the greatest damage comes from how large companies are using them as a substitute for human labor. This is costing many of my colleagues their jobs. There is also the misleading message that is spreading with their widespread use: the idea that art is now “democratic”. I would also add that such an enticing tool, when placed in the hands of a young aspiring illustrator, might distract them from what should be an essential path – one made of experiences, frustration, learning, and growth – all necessary elements for evolving both as a person and as an artist. However, I do think that when used with awareness and care by someone with solid experience, these tools can offer valid support. There is no point denying it… as the Latins said, “in medio stat virtus” – virtue lies in the middle. Still, I remain a strong advocate for human artistic genius, which I believe won’t be easily replaced. Lately, I have been going back to working with traditional media, and it is precisely there that you notice the difference from machines. The hand’s stroke, the brushwork, the personal touch and gesture – those are deeply individual rituals that AI simply can’t replicate. I acknowledge it is a delicate matter and certainly one worthy of debate, though I would prefer to leave it at that for now.
We all have a dream project tucked away in a drawer – do you have a favorite series or character you haven’t yet worked on, but would love to illustrate?
Without a doubt, I would love to give my own take on Dylan Dog, a character I have loved since the very beginning and still follow today.
As a long-time fan of Lone Wolf and the covers created by Peter Andrew Jones, I wanted to ask: was it difficult to take on such a significant legacy – one that, for generations of readers, seemed almost inseparable from the character Joe Dever created and the unmistakable style of the British illustrator?
Given everything Peter Andrew Jones represented, I would say yes – it absolutely was. Peter graphically shaped the world of Lone Wolf with a unique and unparalleled style. When talking with Joe, we agreed that it was important to move away from that stylistic legacy and give the series a new look. What I found most rewarding was reaching multiple generations of readers through the new covers, which were well received both by long-time fans and by a younger audience. One of the compliments I hear most often comes from new readers who started following Lone Wolf because they were drawn in by the cover art!
Article by… SIMONE CANTINI
A lifelong video game enthusiast, Simone grew up in the glow of arcades and 8-bit systems. For over 10 years, he has been writing about his greatest passion for various online publications, striving to share his love and knowledge of the gaming medium with both old and new generations. A long-time colleague of Giorgio Catania, he jumped at the opportunity offered by Excaliber to embrace a new way of telling the story of the video game world.
