Nicolas Imhof studied graphic and industrial design in Switzerland and Italy.

In 1992, he wins the first price of the “Java Cup” of Sun Microsystems for the design of an interactive terminal did for the University of Lausanne’s management.

In 1995, “LUP1”, Ecal’s final exams student movie won the Jury Price of the Milan Festival and has been then diffused in many festivals over Europe and America where it attracted the attention of American SFX studios which proposed him a contract.

He moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and spent seven years working on movies such as : Batman&Robin, Harry Potter, Along Came a Spider, Startrek Nemesis, Babe II, The 6th Day, Cats & Dogs … and discover the art of digital painting.

In the mean time, he learned production design under the great teaching of Geen Allen. He founded his company « Arkkana Studio. » and works on independant movies as Artistic Director. His first work « Stargeeks » wins the Public Price at the « Nodance Film Festival ».

He settled back in Switzerland in 2003 and work as an Art Director on Institutional movies (Nestlé, IMD, Clinique la Prairie, Axair Cobra) european commercials (Mercedes, Renault, Samsung) and feature films (« Nachbeben » by Stina Werenfels, « Mon frère se Marie » by J.S. Bron, « Nos Archives Secrètes » by Noël Tortajada,…)

2008 marks his come-back to his first loves: drawing, painting and illustration. He works on exhibitions, creates monumental canvases, develops storyboards and illustrations in 2D, 3D and digital paintings... Nicolas is a 21st century painter, his work challenges us, questions us. We are able to enter in his worlds. Travelling inside as per magic. We are in the thirs dimension

The Technic

The numerical illustration or digital painting consists in painting with computer tools. Traditional tools such as: brushes, pencils, colors,… exist virtually on a computer and are handled by the artist by the means of a graphics tablet This method is also the one used for the creation of special effects for the cinema, like the matte painting.