Go behind the scenes with this month’s cover artists Chris Cold and Tobias Roetsch in the July artist showcase.

When I don’t know how to start a work, I just let my hands begin the job and try to exploit all the unexpected accidents as a base. Most of the time, that gives me all I need to begin an illustration.

Rakhmatullin’s characters often confront the viewer head-on, whether the subject is an alien with skin as variegated as an artist’s palette, or a mechanic who is, beneath all of the technology, aging, grizzled, and subject to the wear and tear of time. The environments he creates range from the nearly abstract to the thoroughly-realized worlds of his concept landscapes and battle scenes.

I had wanted to do a steampunk-themed piece for some time before the inspiration finally hit for “The Cartographer.” It’s such a uniquely diverse genre to work with, and there are all sorts of interpretive ways to approach the subject matter. I suppose it depends on my mood, but if I had to choose I’d be part of an airship crew. I’m a huge adrenaline junkie, so I’m game for anything that gets me off the ground and into the stratosphere!