Mark N. Tompkins

Mark N Tompkins is one of the most awarded Canadian scenic artists alive. Currently living and working in the United States, Mark is a highly regarded person for his talents, considering that he started his Hollywood career as an actor.

History
Born in Vancouver, BC on January 16, 1975, Tompkins always dreamed to become an artist from his childhood. His parents have noticed his talents, so when they moved over to Staten Island, he got sent back to Canada, to the Capilano University in Vancouver in order to reach the full potential of his creativity. Capilano, to this day is considered as one of the most prestigious art institutions in North America. Tompkins moved back to the United States at the age of 22, right after he finished his college. Right after that, at the end of 1999, he was engaged in creating the ultimate background horror setup for the movie title Lake Placid.

Career
Mark Tompkins has always been involved in some kind of artistic activities since the mid 1990's, when he used to be a secondary matte painter for several theater plays. During his time in college, his technique improved vastly, so he moved up the ladder by becoming the primary matte painter or lead set designer for many theater plays in Vancouver. Working his way to the United States, he risked it all by involving himself in a the $27 million budget horror movie Lake Placid. Other directors and producers loved his work so he was immediately hired by the producers of several other horror movies like Freddy vs Jason, Final Destination and Thir13en Ghosts.

At the time, Tompkins tried acting, but that didn't catch on as quickly as he hoped. Being deprived of his primary income, he got back to matte painting, aggressively targeting bigger challenges in Hollywood.