One of the core parts of ESL One Frankfurt 2016 will be the Artists’ Alley, which is dedicated to people who enrich the Dota scene with their work be it drawings, sculpture, cosplay, 3D art or graffiti. We are happy to say that ESL One Frankfurt 2016 will have its very own graffiti artist - Sebastian “kL52” Lohmaier - who will be creating some great Dota graffiti art on the spot. We chatted with Sebastian about his work, Dota and gaming in general - check it out below!
ESL: Hello, Sebastian! As you’re a new face for Dota 2 fans, please introduce yourself.
Sebastian: Hi, my name is Sebastian “kL52” Lohmaier. I’m a graffiti artist, illustrator and graphic designer based in Nuremberg, Germany. I love cartoons, comics, games, movies and especially all the merchandise that comes with it. Some would say that I’m just a big, happy nerd.
I am an absolute retro head when it comes to gaming. I was raised (born in ‘85) with an Atari 2600 and got a Gameboy by the age of 5 or 6. From there I jumped on all the major consoles that came out time after time, but I stopped at the PS2 somehow. I still enjoy playing with my Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive (AKA Genesis) to this day. The games that I love the most are 2D beat ‘em ups from Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat up to the catalogue of the good old SNK games like Fatal Fury or, to sum it up more easily, the King of Fighters series.
I also had a short period as super nerdy PC gamer with stuff like Doom, Duke Nukem, Diablo and all the other early Blizzard releases. After several Voodoo card customizations and things like that I was a bit fed up with PC gaming (due to money needed for new parts etc.) and came back to my retro consoles.
ESL: What projects are you currently working on?
Sebastian: This year I’ve started my first printing series based on an exhibition I did last year. The name of it is… guess what... NERDS.
ESL: How long did your longest project take? How long does it take you on average?
Sebastian: As a graphic designer I had to manage a lot of projects that took several months. When it comes to live paintings it can get really quick. Sometimes all you need is some quick lines to paint to get an amazing picture.
ESL: Have you ever come in contact with Dota 2 or esports before?
Sebastian: Dota 2 is pretty fresh for me, but I used to follow the esports scene before it became as big as it is today. I remember all these fine StarCraft and Quake tournaments when I was younger.
ESL: What intrigued you about showcasing your art at ESL One Frankfurt 2016?
Sebastian: Dota 2 offers a lot of great characters - that is the perfect base for my work. I take characters from any kind of movie, comic or gaming universe and translate them into my caricature style to put them on a big wall.
ESL: You’ve said you have an affinity for retro fighting games. What’s your favorite video game?
Sebastian: The Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat and also the SNK series are my thing. Breaking controllers and hours of shouting at my TV were the consequence of that. It was a great time!
ESL: What are you most looking forward to about being at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt?
Sebastian: It’s the first time that I’m going to visit such an event. I’m really looking forward to seeing the full dimensions of this tournament, catch some great vibes, meet a lot of nice people, paint an insane picture and just have a great nerdy weekend.
See Sebastian’s work in person in Frankfurt!
We’re really looking forward to seeing Sebastian’s work in the Artists’ Alley! If you want to enjoy his art in person as well as a number of other side activities and, of course, the thrilling matches, be sure to get yourself a ticket to the event here.
Do you want to share your own Dota art? Take part our art competition and win amazing prizes including exhibition at ESL One Frankfurt 2016 itself!
For all the latest information about the event, visit the official ESL One Frankfurt website and follow ESL Dota 2 on Twitter and Facebook.
Images from Facebook.com/kl52.er.
