Thomas Dubois proves you can build a career out of passion projects
An image from Thomas Dubois’s Adobe MAX Creativity Award-winning “Kimono” series. Image source: Thomas Dubois.
Thomas Dubois is no stranger to success, winning global accolades for his work as an art director, filmmaker, and creator of digital worlds. Most recently, he was named a 2024 Adobe MAX Creativity Award honoree for “Kimono,” which saw Dubois play with colors, light, and shadows in Adobe Photoshop to create dreamlike images that bring the striking aesthetics of Japanese geisha culture to life. The MAX Creativity Awards recognize excellence, innovation, and leadership across the Adobe creative community.
His talents have also been recognized by renowned directors like Gareth Edwards (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story”) and Chris Williams (“Moana”), who invited him to create concept art for some of their most memorable films. Dubois’s own short film, “Solitary Waves,” was a masterclass in light, color, and cinematography and made a splash at independent film festivals around the world.
Across all of his projects, both professional and personal, Dubois has never lost sight of what drives him: his love of emotional storytelling. “I love my 9-to-5 job as a digital art director, but I’ve never stopped pursuing my passions and exploring my own projects on the side,” Dubois says.
“There’s nothing better than creating worlds, and stories within those worlds, that inspire people to get emotionally involved in what they’re looking at.”
-Thomas Dubois
Thomas Dubois self-portrait. Image source: Thomas Dubois.
Architect by day, digital artist by night
Dubois has been drawing for as long as he can remember. Inspired as a child by comic books, Japanese manga, videogames, and Disney animation, he began developing original characters of his own and using drawings to tell their stories. As a young adult, he studied architecture at the Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Architecture de Montpellier (ENSAM), where he was inspired to begin experimenting with digital drawing and compositing using tools like Photoshop.
During his studies, Dubois grew close to a fellow student with whom he began to explore the world of filmmaking. Between their friendship and his exposure to 2D and 3D digital design in the classroom, university was the turning point that inspired Dubois to focus on digital art and more ambitious creative projects.
Concept art for “The Creator” (left) and “The Sea Beast” (right). Images source: Thomas Dubois.
An architect by day and digital artist by night, Dubois began creating concept art and posting it on profile-building platforms like Behance and Instagram. The quality of his work spoke for itself, and in 2018 he was contacted by Edwards, who was impressed by Dubois’s singular talent and visual style. Edwards invited Dubois to work on his sci-fi epic, “The Creator,” which would go on to be nominated for two Academy Awards.
Dubois has since collaborated with many talented filmmakers, including Williams, who enlisted Dubois to create concept art for his Netflix animated feature, “The Sea Beast.” Encouraged by Edwards, Dubois tried his own hand at directing in 2022. His first short film, “Solitary Waves,” wowed audiences and won best sci-fi short at the Hollywood Best Indie Film Awards and received a London Director Award, among other accolades.
Finding a state of flow with Adobe
Dubois is now working on his second film, which is shooting in Japan. He is fascinated by Japanese aesthetics and culture, and it was on a fateful trip to visit family in the country that the inspiration for “Kimono” first came to him.
“I was strolling down the street in Kyoto and noticed the sun was lighting up a Geisha from behind in a striking way. I never saw her face or learned who she was, but the beauty of that vision was seared into my mind.”
From there, Dubois began using Photoshop to develop the first digital painting for “Kimono.” More pieces followed, rounding out the series that would ultimately make him an Adobe MAX Creativity Award honoree. “I was extremely proud of ‘Kimono’ because it allowed me to explore my personal relationship with Japan through an art form I love,” he says. “It wasn’t just an exercise in storytelling, it was a statement about who I am.”
Whether working on “Kimono,” “Solitary Waves,” or his other passion projects, Dubois uses Adobe tools to invent unique digital worlds that invite viewers to inhabit every detail of his creations. Solutions like Photoshop and Adobe After Effects are integral to his workflow, allowing Dubois to create, experiment, and push his artistic visions in an integrated and user-friendly environment.
Another “Kimono” image by Thomas Dubois, the 2024 Adobe MAX Creativity Award honoree for Use of Color. Image source: Thomas Dubois.
“Moments of creative inspiration are like surfing a wave,” he says. “You reach a flow state, and the deeper you get into that state, the more rewarding the experience. Adobe tools allow me to maintain my flow without getting sidetracked by technical issues or limitations, and that makes them indispensable to my creative journey.”
Ever chasing new knowledge and experiences, Dubois is now learning how to use Adobe Illustrator and InDesign from his girlfriend, a successful communications agency art director in her own right. He encourages every creator to be curious and open to change, especially if they want to stand out in the massive sea of content being produced today.
“Experiment, try new things, and find your voice. Digital technologies have made creativity more accessible than ever, but it still takes a lot of time, work, and trial-and-error to figure out what you want to say and how you want to say it.”
-Thomas Dubois
For more on Thomas Dubois, his work, and latest projects, check out his Instagram. To learn more about the Adobe MAX Creativity Awards and see the full list of honorees, click here.