Few artists in modern concept design have influenced the visual language of games and character culture as much as Paul “Zeronis” Kwon. His instantly recognizable style is characterized by bold silhouettes, emotional elegance, and precise futuristic details. Zeronis’ work has made a significant impact on some of the biggest gaming franchises and has inspired a new generation of digital artists.
Now, with Reminiscent: Art of Zeronis, Clover Press is giving fans a definitive, premium showcase of his artistic evolution. The upcoming Kickstarter edition promises not just a curated collection of Zeronis’s most iconic pieces, but a deeper look into the craft, discipline, and imagination behind them. It’s a rare opportunity to explore the mind of an artist whose characters feel alive long before fans enter a game world. Recently, we sat down with Zeronis to talk about the journey, the art, and the vision behind this landmark collection.
Creative Inspirations
GVN: Thank you, Paul, for your time today. Since this is our first chance to talk, let’s start with your creative history. When did you first get interested in concept gaming art, and which games or creators inspired that ambition?
PAUL: I didn’t get to play games until I came to the United States and started living in Arizona. A couple of my close friends were really into Final Fantasy 7 and Final Fantasy 8, and they also introduced me to StarCraft and Warcraft. I had never played any games before that, so I was completely immersed. Those games instantly changed the way I viewed fictional universes, storytelling, and immersive experiences.
I did tons of fan art of StarCraft, Warcraft, some Final Fantasy, and Zelda: Ocarina of Time. I just fell in love with those games, and they really set the dream of becoming a concept artist.
Some of the creators I grew up loving were the Blizzard artists, especially Samwise Didier. I remember copying and studying his work while I was playing StarCraft, Warcraft, and even Diablo, because his art would show up in the games and in the books. Chris Metzen’s work influenced me too — I specifically remember copying his art of the Ghost unit in SC.
Later, my influence expanded; Masamune Shirow, the creator of Ghost in the Shell, had a big impact on me. Tetsuya Nomura’s work on Final Fantasy was another major one. Miyazaki as well, and Shigenori Soejima, the art director at Atlus who’s responsible for the characters and worlds of the Persona series. His work is incredible. There are many artists who have influenced me over the years.
“Looking Back”
GVN: Now, let’s jump right into this exciting project. Reminiscent collects work spanning multiple eras of your career. What made this the right moment to curate a definitive art book?
PAUL: I don’t know if I was ever able to gauge whether this was the “right” moment. I don’t think there is ever a perfect right moment. I felt like I had done enough work, but I had always put an art book off, year after year, thinking it was never enough or that I wasn’t ready. At some point I just decided that this won’t be the only art book I’ll ever make, but I do have to get started sometime and show the art I’ve done so far.
I called it Reminiscent because that’s what this book is about — looking back and sharing the memories, experiences, and creative journey, and the kind of art, style, and characters I wanted to create at each moment.
To be honest, I was also reached out to by a friend. That helped push me to finally pull the trigger.
“What Feels Right at the Moment”
GVN: Your work combines elegance, attitude, and a distinctive touch of stylized realism. How would you explain the key elements that shape “Zeronis” as an artistic identity, particularly for your fans?
PAUL: I think there’s some essence that runs through my work. Even when I try to expand my stylistic range and experiment with different approaches, there’s usually an overlapping or common element that people can still recognize.
That said, I don’t think I have one very iconic or fixed style that I consistently replicate. It’s always slightly different. It’s just whatever I feel is interesting to work on at the time, whatever feels like the right choice in the moment.
Character Design
GVN: After shaping visuals for major game franchises, how has working on concept art influenced your approach to composition, character design, and world‑building in your own projects?
PAUL: I’ll be honest — I don’t know if my composition skills are that strong, because I haven’t done a huge amount of full illustrations. Most of my work has been character design and world-building.
For character design, it starts with having a pretty clear idea of the story, the background of the character, their intent, and their personality. I also try to give hints of the larger world through the costuming and the personalization of things like hair and overall aesthetic.
One thing I really try to implement is ideating the character thoroughly from the beginning — gathering references and inspiration, and writing down the pillars of the character: personality, archetype, purpose, intent. That helps anchor the direction. From there I do ideations and blue-sky thumbnails, then gradually narrow down to the ideas that have the strongest elements, all the way to the final design. I try to depict the personality through the poses and the final rendering. That’s the process I carry into my personal work as well.
Selecting What to Include
GVN: An art book is as much about selection as creation. What was your process for choosing which pieces best represent your evolution as an artist?
PAUL: That’s super true. It was very difficult to select from everything I’ve made so far. I’m still in the process of finalizing the selections, and I’m also still creating some fresh new artworks to include in the book. We’ll see how it all lands. I’ll probably look back years from now and wonder why I chose certain pieces. It’s something I’ll just have to accept and live with.
Clover Press
GVN: Clover Press has become a home for premium art books. How did working with them shape the presentation, format, or overall vision for Reminiscent?
PAUL: I feel very lucky that they reached out. They’re one of the reasons I finally decided to pull the trigger and make the art book now. I trust them and they’re very easy to work with. Having that partnership felt like a good opportunity to finally put all the work I’ve done so far into one book.
We’re still figuring out the format, presentation, and overall vision together. I don’t have a fixed answer for what it’s going to look like yet, but I’m excited to discover that along the way with them.
Spontaneous Inspiration
GVN: Your characters often feel alive in a single frame. What does your workflow look like from initial spark to finished illustration, and how has that process changed over the years?
PAUL: To be honest, a lot of it is spontaneous — whatever I feel like designing in the moment. That’s especially true for personal work or characters I randomly get inspired to create on the fly. For anything more specific that’s tied to a larger story or world-building project, I do have documented world-building ideas that create parameters. Those help me design consistent characters that fit inside that world.
New Challenges
GVN: Thank you for sharing a bit of your time with us, Paul. Finally, with Reminiscent capturing your journey so far, what new artistic challenges or directions are you excited to explore next?
PAUL: I’m not completely sure yet. I’m not sure if it will be something super ambitious or something more realistic and achievable. If I had the choice to do something difficult, I would love to bring my personal world-building and story to life — creating interesting character designs that live in those worlds and making them accessible to people who want to immerse themselves in them.
That could take the form of an indie game, maybe something small to mid-budget, or a comic/graphic novel, or even a book. I’m a terrible writer though, so it would probably make sense to partner with someone. But overall, I would rather do something for myself.
As Clover Press brings Reminiscent: Art of Zeronis to Kickstarter, it’s clear this collection is far more than an artist’s showcase — it’s a milestone. Paul “Zeronis” Kwon has spent years shaping the visual DNA of modern gaming, and this book captures that evolution with the kind of care, craft, and premium presentation only Clover Press can deliver.
Whether you’re a longtime admirer of his stylized realism or discovering his work for the first time, Reminiscent stands as a definitive look at an artist whose characters, worlds, and aesthetics continue to influence the medium. We’re grateful to Paul for taking us inside his process, his inspirations, and the vision behind this extraordinary volume — and we can’t wait to see fans rally behind the Kickstarter to bring it fully to life. Check out the campaign here.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 60 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove headfirst over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 21-year-old young man with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
