Adi Granov: Marvel Studios Illustrator and Designer

“Art has always been an anchor for me, giving me a purpose and level of identity, especially during my youth when there were so many questions and insecurities. It always felt like no matter what life threw at me, I had art to keep me focused and grounded,” Adi Granov, Marvel Studios illustrator and designer, said.

Art acted as a lifeline for Granov throughout the worst parts of his life. 

“When I was 15, a war broke out in my home country Bosnia, and we were under siege and without food, water, and electricity for nearly three years. During that time the only thing which gave me any comfort was doing art and in numerous ways, it saved me and my sanity,” Granov said.

The comic and design sphere intends to show the emotions of the character and story present, less so the illustrator. Granov doesn’t do Expressionist work, meaning art whose only purpose is to evoke feelings from the audience. Even in his character design work Granov bridges that gap by putting emotion into the process as opposed to the product.

“The emotional side is very personal in the style of my art, so outwardly it’s not readily obvious as I treat my work as a professional product. But the process, the learning, the creation, all of that is an emotional journey which I find very powerful,” Granov said. 

AI art aims to optimize the creation process and lessen the artist’s struggle. In other words, it allows anyone to draw at any time. Granov believes that the struggle is what makes the creative process so valuable.

“The process and often the struggle and challenges of creation are what I am very passionate about. I embrace that struggle as an integral part of doing art and it lets me know that I am still learning and moving forward, which is very important to me,” said Granov.