Your Full Name
My name is Natalia Pierandrei, but I am better known as ‘nati’.

Tell us about you
I am an art and comic illustrator living and working in Italy. I work part-time as commissioned illustrator from late 2002 when I began accepting freelance art assignments and running my personal website, nati-art.com. I’m not a full-time illustrator yet but I hope I soon can  make the Leap!

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great illustrator?
Practice! The more you practice the more you get better. And determination! You must work very hard to become an illustrator.

Where are you located?
I live for the most part of the week in Rome for job. In the weekends, I usually come back hometown, a small city in the neighbourhood of Umbria region.

What is the most fascinating part of being an illustrator?
Being an illustrator is one of the most creative and expressive things I can imagine doing. I love doing the research involved in making pictures and writing books, I love making things look beautiful and well…Can you imagine something better than drawing all the time? I can’t!

Where do you get inspirations from?
I couldn’t really single out inspirations because they can be anything and anywhere. My brain works in a weird way – if I have to do an illustration, I’ll normally start doodling something else to avoid working. I notice that many of my ideas and solutions come to me when I am driving in the car or walking in the street. Sometimes sitting down and staring at a blank piece of paper is the worst way to get an idea. Listening to the music and looking at magazine and websites helps me to not stress out and also finding good inspirations and reference material for drawing.

How do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work?
I have a website that includes information about myself, images of my recent work, my past clients/resume, etc, etc. An online portfolio is always a good place to display your work to potential clients. I also keep a blog that allows me to interact with people who follow me and my work, and where I can upload more personal photo of myself and my workshop.

What is your long range goals in your life?
To continue doing what I enjoy and making people dreaming with my illustrations. At the same time, I like to keep my interests fresh, so exploring new processes and ideas are things that will take me into the future.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
The best commissions are those were people come to me asking to draw whatever I want and pay a lot for that [laughs]! Ok, personally I like fantasy themed projects the most, because that is my favourite subject since I was a little girl. But I think any kind of assignments helps you to improve and to get better both as artist and human being.

Who is an illustrator that you look up to? Why so?
I like fantasy illustrators as for example John Howe and Charles Vess. And, I like 16th century Italian painting, I wish I could spend more time learning about it! My artwork style is definitely influenced by manga and anime, although the final work I don’t think can be classified simply as ‘manga’ art. Anyway, I usually don’t look so much at other illustrators. It is my opinion you can get inspired from all sort of images, not just other artists’ work.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Honestly I like challenges! It could happen that a commission is a little bit more difficult than usual – maybe is something not related to your favourite themes or subjects – but in any case, if you love drawing like me, there’s not a work more exacting than others. Finally, some problems can arise with commissioners so it is important to pay attention to what exactly people want from you and watch out for people with impossible deadlines!

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
Internet  is affecting my lifestyle enormously, especially the art side of it. Without it, only my relatives and my closest friends would have known I so love drawing and would have seen my illustrations, probably. In my opinion Internet offers a great chance to improve yourself both technically and artistically by comparing your work with other fellow artists. I follow a huge amount of illustrators’ blogs on my feed reader! And obviously it is a fabulous way to promote yourself and your work!

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
No, I don’t think I would change anything I did in the past. Honestly, I didn’t get to go to a good design or art school, what I meant was that all I have learned, I have learned by trial and error. My art training was atypical, but I would not do things differently if I could back time.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
In my opinion, a thought to always keep in the back of your mind is to evolve your work. There is a fine line between evolving and changing your work/style. It is important that people will feel that your art is something fresh but still recognize it as your work. In my case, I think my style does progress naturally as consequence of practice and exercise but it is also because I consciously want to keep my art fresh and appealing.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
Only three? No, my list of favorite art-books is just sooo long [laughs!] I cannot think of few books, really…

What is your life motto?
Wonders never cease. It is the title of a song by Morcheeba. I am not a fan of them but I like the idea that you will never stop wonder to what you can see, feel and experience in a life.

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
Hmm, I don’t particularly have a favorite spot; just the usual one, which would be my desk. Boring as it sounds, and as messy as my desk is, it’s where I’m most comfortable.

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
I like the sound of rain. Falling asleep to the sound of rain is the best thing! When it is raining I used to lie on the floor and listen/watch the rain falling. Very relaxing.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
My personal website is www.nati-art.com. I also own a blog at http://nati-art.blogspot.com and a gallery on flickr, where it is possible to see all my old works from 2002 now.

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[.]

Your Full Name
Roxana Sagastume

Tell us about you
I am a girl that enjoy to see new and great stuff talking about artistic things, also I am a book eater I love to read about almost everything. In my personal life I am very patient person and so easy to be, I do respect every ones opinions even when I don’t share it I give the chance to the others. The most important thing to me in this world is to discover for what I am in this world, I want to help in anything to the others that wants to make something good for earth and others.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?
Follow your heart and stay strong even when no one likes what you are doing believe in yourself and make the things that you really want to make because at the end of the day ppl is not gonna be 100% happy if you try to make them happy, the only one opinion that matter about your art is the very your finally are your feelings there.

Where are you located?
Mexico in a town called San Cristobal De Las Casas at the beautiful Chiapas.

What is the most fascinating part of being a digital artist?
Keep walking, slow but never stop, keep dreaming and never lost the capacity of get surprised.

Where do you get inspirations from?
Everything, books, poetry, histories, anothers images,songs,music, life etc.

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
Yes I do, I have participate and win some contest at Internet and at real life, I have my own gallery at my town.

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
Well is not that I don’t have goals in life but if you expect too much you get disappointed about your ideas and I do like just expect life surprise me.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Photography, because is the exactly way to save a moment for ever, and I wanna be a good one so my nearly project is to take some classes with some of the best photographers at Mexico.

Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?
There are two, the first one is Jan Saudek because he is a master talking about ideas and composition and he was one of the firsts photographer who manipulated images in the time of revelations with chemicals, and the second one is David Lachapele because he is a master if he wants a woman with spider hair he just ask for it to be made and then he manipulate the whole scene and I so adore his work.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Well right now I got a project about making a documentary pictures about the 100 years of a city and I know how difficult is to make ppl happy talking about ideas and techniques to make photo about real ppl so I just try to be honest with myself and get involved with the ppl whom I am taking the pictures.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
Well is a double weapon because it make you be near of the ppl you love and that is far away from you and it give you advice about so many things but also it can get you so far away from the ones who are beside you is addictive and sometimes dangerous.

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
Exactly in the way I did, I have no regret about anything because even the bad things have been so damn good.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
Well I use my feelings in every image, I don’t think if its fresh or not, for me it is every time, sometimes I make things news to everyone and sometimes I just get back to the start. Is not a bad thing.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
Una lampara llamada Rosario,the sundancer, Horal magazine.

What is your life motto?
A STRANGE THING CALLED LOVE.

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
When I am totally alone in my cave of loneliness

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
The sound of the silence when everything is calmed in the middle of night.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
www.roxanasagastume.tk English and Spanish

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[.]

Your Full Name
My name is Konstantin Murashev

Tell us about you
First of all I would like to apology for my English, which leaves much to be desired… I very usual person. I was born in 1978 in USSR. I am married 9 years. To my son 8 years. My basic work is the sea. I am seaman. I very much like the sea and my work…

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?
If they are, I do not know them…. may be, Sincerity…

Where are you located?
More often: Russia, Murmansk

What is the most fascinating part of being a digital artist?
I think, possibility to express something that it is impossible to transfer by means of a traditional photo

Where do you get inspirations from?
Practically everywhere… The world is great and fine. The human too often forgets it ,turning to the robot movable only by habits and automatisms…

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
Funny. Really I draw basically for myself… Creativity goes with all the heart..How it is possible to promote heart?

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
No… I live for today.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Photomanipulation. It allows to look at the reality in a new fashion.

Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?

• Sauko Max http://sauco-m.deviantart.com/ …It is ingenious
• Karina Maranjian http://daunhaus.deviantart.com/ … It is very talented

It not simply unusual artists – Their works force to think

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Difficult question. Actually I usually give up work if something is impossible. Sometimes I do not have enough components for end, but I never take on the stocks in web… Can spend day, month, year, or it is more, before I will find a missing part.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
I think that the Internet has already destroyed borders and will soon destroy distinction between cultures. We become similar to clones. People turn away from a reality, find invented replacement.

However, instant access to the necessary information became the ordinary…

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
As to me personally: I wish to change nothing. As to the rest – The idea to affect others smells slightly of megalomania

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
About, yes. It occurs in itself, I only the intermediary

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
I do not read magazines, don’t listen radio and don’t watch TV. Commerce dictates rules everywhere.

What is your life motto?
У каждого свой путь и своя правда, и если не видишь короткого пути к цели, иди длинным, но даже если нет цели, то все равно иди, ибо порою в пути обретаешь цель.

I do not know as it to translate.

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
All my works are made in one place – in my room, behind a table. Probably, music is the important part of performance of work

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
Yes, I love wildlife sounds – rustle of trees on a wind, a surf roar, sea noise, rain sounds. The world always speaks with us. Unfortunately, we seldom hear it.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
My photo manipulation’s digital art can be seen here http://kosmur.deviantart.com/
Other works (sea and pinhole) can be seen here http://k0smur.livejournal.com/

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[.]

Your Full Name
JURGENA TAHIRI

Tell us about you
I was born and raised in Albania. I’m an art student currently studying graphic,painting and drawing.I’m a freelance photographer too.In my free time I usually make sketches,illustrations. I have published some of my artworks in magazines since I was 9 years old.I have been doing art since I was 4 years old .I’m totally in love with art,the true love of my life. Stuff I like: books, films, traveling , art galleries, coffee etc.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?
Creativity and hard work

Where are you located?
Tirana, ALBANIA

What is the most fascinating part of being a digital artist?
The way you express everything you feel through your work.You never get tired of doing this.It digitalises your feelings.

Where do you get inspirations from?
Life,books

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
I think web is the best way to promote everything today.I have accounts on DeviantArt, Facebook, ,Tumblr, Twitter etc

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
To continue to do what I do best ,ART!

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Doing posters,manga-anime,pop art illustrations,and some surrealism stuff because I like creative stuff .

Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?
There is not a certain one because when I think one is really good , there comes another who is good as well so I see many and I like many.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Well I always repeat to myself Take it easy! When I have a project or something like that that takes me hours to finish I calm down myself by thinking that everything has an ending.If you work hard it will be a brilliant one ,if you don’t work that much it will be a loss.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
One of the best inventions ever,we are close to each other even if we are in different continents.

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
I wouldn’t turn back my life.I love the one I have,the way it is.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
Well since I’m in the art world since I was a child ,I learned that it progresses naturally

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.

• Arte
• B&W photography
• Leonardo collections

What is your life motto?
Carpe Diem !

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
I love working at home or anywhere else where I’m alone and it’s quiet.

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
The sound of the rain pouring down.Its like telling me that I’m not the only one who’s falling

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
http://juri03.deviantart.com/

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[.]

Your Full Name
Jan Willem Wennekes (mostly known as Zeptonn)

Tell us about you
Hi there! I’m a freelance creative currently working mostly as illustrative designer and art director. I operate from the great town of Groningen in the Netherlands. I enjoy working on a variety of projects, running from illustration to art direction and to initiating and organising art projects. I’m also involved in an “interactive machine builders collective” called Rabonk for example. And I prefer working on environmentally sound projects (meaning, eco-friendly, cradle to cradle, etc).

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?
Find a way to use your own passion and enthusiasm in your work, and create your own style that fits you. Make sure you understand what makes you unique, what kind of things you do well and focus on those. Passion + Expertise = Success! And don’t forget to enjoy the ride!

Where are you located?
Groningen, The Netherlands – it’s a lovely town with lots of young people and a good creative industry.

What would be your most rewarding experience becoming a digital artist so far?
I was really happy when by book “Black & White Freedrawings” was finished, that was a great and complicated project to work on, and it all came out very nice. With any new project I strive to make it as new and different as possible – the most rewarding projects are those where you have something new to work on, something challenging, something that actually adds to your exciting body of work. Creating something new, exciting and additional also means that you will give the client something worth their investment, and will make the project more useful (and hence, in my eyes, more rewarding).

Where do you get inspirations from?
This is a question I get a lot and the answer is always complicated. I don’t feel that I ‘get’ my inspiration from something in particular. There are some situations that are more inspirational than others (meeting new people, seeing new and original work such as artwork, movies or reading a book) but the trick is to always be ‘open’ to inspiration on some level. The best artists I know are always ‘turned on’, they could see something that inspires them at any time of day, in any situation. It just has to fit!

How do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work?
I like to work on projects that are new, original and that will create their own promotion in some way. For example, a while back I designed rainboots for Greenpeace and those boots got a lot of media attention because it was an unusual product (not just in general but also specifically unusual for Greenpeace to sell something like that). Such projects get my attention, because they are new, interesting and will create a wave of promotion. In any case, it is always important to make sure your work is available: make sure you are with the portfolio sites such as Flickr, Behance, Society6 and the like. If your work is not visible, how do you expect people to see it and get interested in hiring you?

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De ButtonBoom / The ButtonTree from Zeptonn on Vimeo.

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Do you work better at night or in the morning? Why?
Mostly my afternoons are the most productive. I don’t work that much at night anymore (I used to do this when I just got started) and in the morning I often take care of things like emails, administration, writing, working on documents that are relevant for projects. I think I am the most ‘organised’ in the morning and the most ‘creative’ or ‘loose’ in the afternoon, if that makes sense.

What is your strength as a digital artist compared to others in the industry?
I think I am able to capture the core of the message that my clients want to convey, and am able to produce from that core a positive and vibrant feel (in illustrations, designs and products, but also in their identity, communication strategy etc). I always try to look for what is behind everything that clients tell me: why would they want that? What is it they do? Who are they? I always aim to work with the client, not just for them.

Probably another thing that makes me stand out is my focus on eco-friendly and environmental projects. I think this is simply the way to go, in the future everything will have to become sustainable and reusable in some form.

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Zeptonn Wall Drawing @ Studio Pats from Zeptonn on Vimeo.

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Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?
There are so many great artists out there. The Black Rock Collective (www.blackrockcollective.com) is a great group of collaborating artists of which I am a member, they definitely influence me. There is no particular artist that I am always following, I respect different people for their different abilities. Some are great at typography, others are excellent with patterns, and again others draw the most insane creatures. Most of the time it is not just the creative talent these people have, but also the way they employ it to enable their success. All these things can inspire and awe me.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Actually, I mostly try to make sure beforehand (somehow) that these don’t happen. If somehow something difficult does happen I believe there is always a way around it, or maybe even a way to turn it in to something positive and strong. Be creative!

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting the visual communication business?
I think the internet is a very strong means for communication, empowering people (some of whom are artists), spreading knowledge and work, allowing for more direct interactions between manufacturer and buyer, creator and user, designers and clients – and so on. Internet allows work from (new) artists to spread really fast, and it takes away borders and distances. An artist in China might be influenced by one in France, they might even collaborate on projects together. In effect, I have used these aspects of modern day communication and technology to create a book on collaborative work: “Black & White Freedrawings” (see more at www.freedrawings.nl)

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Waving Dudes II from Zeptonn on Vimeo.

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If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
I seriously would have no idea. I cannot imagine any decisions in my past that I could have taken differently. If I had done so (could do so) – I would probably have ended up somewhere else doing something different. All the things that happened in the past have made me into who I am now and have brought me to where I am now.

How does the global economic recession affecting the industry, or the least affecting your business/ work?
I haven’t noticed that much effect to be honest. Probably people in advertising are affected more. If anything, it might bring us individual designers (and some smaller studios) more work since we are more flexible and because some of the bigger companies have to scale down.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
Hand Job was a great book, Street Sketchbook was also amazing – as for magazines I have enjoyed Computer Arts Magazine a lot.

What is your life motto?
Follow your passion!

If you are using any software in producing your work, what are those? Do they make your work easier? How so?
I mostly work with Illustrator and Photoshop to create my graphics and illustrations. I have also been using After Effects lately, to experiment with animation and motion, which has been very interesting so far. I find that it brings new dimensions to work (time, sound and 3d space) and enables me to do completely new things. Still, most of my work ends up in illustrator where I do a lot of work. I’m quite content with how the software works and features such as livetrace, the blob tool and the pen tool are my biggest friends!

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
I am keen on electronic music – but in truth my music library is filled with all kinds of stuff. Other that music I do really enjoy being outside in nature, so I guess nature sounds would fit on the list as well

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
Check out www.zeptonn.nl

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[.]

Your Full Name
Adam Guinness Kissel

Tell us about you
I am a New Zealander by birth of English, Irish & German heritage. I live in Queensland, Australia with my wife and five children. I have a neo-classical photo-manipulative and collage aesthetic but also work on paper, acrylic /mixed media painting, lino print and graphic design in my artwork.

The essence or purpose of it all is to move people and myself… onwards … emotionally. My internet moniker is– ‘fleet of gypsies’ which serves as a de facto focus for the ‘artist-as-mirror’ theme I have chosen.

Thus my studio practice oscillates between traditional work and digital art, sometimes getting stuck halfway between the two in the trad-digital hybridism of post-modern experimentational poetry.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?

1. Being able to conceive spatial depth (a 3D look) for your elements /shapes in a flat 2D format. Knowing basic artistic perspective.
2. Using layering and the graphic aesthetic well.
3. Using the very broad digital colour palette liberally in innovative combinations.
4. Having an idea of design principles but being able to experiment in an appealing way – i.e. producing imaginative, surreal, beautiful, quirky, harmonious compositions.
5. Ability to formulate finished artwork having first seen the potential of raw materials and making something look like something else.
6. Being able to voice a ‘concept’ or ‘meaning’ and being able to use visual symbols and significators to enhance the works’ voice.
7. Ability to use decorative elements judiciously.
8. A feedback system and your own sustainable areas of personal inspiration.

Where are you located?
Brisbane, Australia in the State of Queensland.

What is the most fascinating part of being a digital artist?
I would have to say two things … 1) the varied responses to my work and 2) the self-transformative process of creative inspiration.

Where do you get inspirations from?
Spiritually…my faith community, but stylistically speaking, it can be anything from installations, dvd, music, Art Deco & Vogue Magazine to Pop Art and Comic books. Being open-minded and taking in visual imagery can help you sort out what you will do next.

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
Exhibiting on the web is essentially a kind of showcasing. Having said that, I’m generally a poor promoter of my own talents. Some sites sell prints of your work. Some of my sales go to charities. .I exhibit paintings occasionally and sell stuff on Fine Art America website, Red Bubble and Deviant Art. I often thought If I was just about selling, selling, selling I would be inspired for shorter bursts and be a bit compromised.

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
As an artist, the long term goal is always the development of higher tunings or developed aesthetics so to speak. The main tension of the internet art community is concerning integrity and many people will sell out to trends of success. Instant media itself can produce in people short term driven goals. Where artistic objectivity and self criticism is submerged by financial goals alone, long term artistic goals can be jettisoned.

Luckily I don’t have to paint just to survive. I also work in the medical field. I’m hoping to go beyond being 50%-there and 50% in art. Art is my passion. In my country artists are the new working poor, unless you have a great grant or support structure behind you. On a personal level my long range goals are connected with other people i.e. my family. Most medium term projects I embark on come either as a whim or out of a sense of challenge somehow. I’ve always been like that. I would certainly love to travel and research deeper into art or be in a more dynamic artistic community. The internet is a surrogate for these desires at times.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Painting… strangely… derived from figurative illustration with sculptural feeling. This is where I feel there is more of me to be personally invested. Throw in collage / mixed media series with painting and I’m happy to work long hours and get more creatively expressive.. Advertising / commission work is interesting… brainstorming is a creative process.

Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?
There are so many I get a sore neck. Those who consistently, innovatively tap new vistas of feeling are always popular. I’m sorry there are too many artists who have a swansong or a style that captures attention for a while.. If you go to http://fleetofgypsies.deviantart.com/ and look at my ‘Favourites’ Gallery, you might get an idea.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
Producing advertising material for some odd commercial thing at times can be difficult… Decision-making over what happens after the process of brainstorming is the key. Artistic synthesis needs to be matched by sustainable vision. The problem is that deadlines are not always so kind. Time, past work and prayerful meditation has given me answers in the past.

The non-creative solution is to become equipped with a wider range of visual materials (cost!!) . The creative solution is wrought by inspiration and self belief in the choice-making using what you know and have. Other people have different problems. Generally you can do much more with a fully equipped studio. You can always do more.. betterer. and provide what people really crave… their own choice!.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
My last comment was made tongue-in-cheek knowing that this was going to be the next question. It certainly is loaded isn’t it. The web, I mean! In my field – visual art..anyone now can upload virtually anything, but usually it is the same stuff made from a slightly different perspective. If I told jokes about manga vampires with enhanced breasts, you’d know instantly what I mean.

I originally liked the information sharing idea of the internet, but overwhelming social problems such as pornography, youth alienation, political censorship, spamming, viruses, social engineering and mind control makes me think our wondrous fascination with evolving technology isn’t such a ‘good thing’ that the Baby Boomers thought it would be. Sometimes I remember a dream with the odd sense of dread I had as a child being lost in a library when I was small… the books would come clattering down upon me, open-mouthed and heavy … just like the deck of cards in Alice in Wonderland.

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
Get more arts education. I was a late bloomer (but an early starter). I think I would have liked to have grasped more in the area of poetic text and how this can help inform visual art.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
I believe one’s style progresses naturally as one experiments and learns… that is.. if you desire to learn and retain the changes. That is why journalling is so important. Seeing natural beauty, the victories of other artists, found objects, textured colour play, romanticism, figuration, geopolitics and surreal /retro empathies all feed into my own ‘creations’.

As a re-modernist, sourcing visual culture is about sifting media with integrity and what I call ‘discernment of voice’. The post-modern surreal is an interesting place to play, although there is very little ‘new under the sun’. Striking work does not need to be shocking or stereotypically gothic-dark to be effective in voice.. open minded refusal to play safe when embracing visual ideas has been a key for me to unlock new areas to experiment. I have a triple random polymerge machine that throws random combinations of random numbers of random digital photos (jpegs) together (up to 24).

You can get some amazing visual effects like this. But it all gets back to choices.. of images . The 1900’s Dadaists utilised non-art random ‘bytes’ (sound, text, shape, texture) to get out of the traditional Art world’s “expression rut”. It is still a good practice today. My kids often say ‘that’s random!’ , but I think they mean ‘that’s unaccounted for in my current conversation’…..

I don’t think their phrase ‘random’ credits the dramatic shock value that Neo-dada randomness truly evokes. Sometimes life overwhelms us and our limited understanding.. then you can talk about prejudices, racial stereotypes, internal iconography &c usurping the random .. mundane and surreal…. the place of true spiritual and sensory-tactile feeling that is dished out by daily reality.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
I found Juxtapoz, (a low-brow modern art magazine) an interesting one… Design magazines, and visiting the art section of a library for journals and coffee-table things is always rewarding and full of interesting surprises. My favourite art book is a big visual book on Robert Rauschenberg’s ‘combines’. I need to check out more on-line art magazines too… or become a fat fossil who doesn’t know what he is talking about.

What is your life motto?
How does “Take responsibility… you are only here once” sound?

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
To be honest I’ve not been in many varied ones. I hate fussing over interruptions from lack of resources, I would have to say … quiet… intense …homely.. and well-stocked. I have a studio under my house and I mainly ignore it like a bad attitude to a friend or a.jilted lover.. but when I get in there … Bellissimo!!

What do you like the sound of?, i.e. wind blowing, bird in the morning, etc. Why so?
Ah… I want to hear the ocean…All New Zealanders have salt water in their blood..

If you have online portfolio (website/awards/credits/client’s showcase), what is the URL?
http://fleetofgypsies.deviantart.com/. I’m currently working on building a website at Fine Art America.

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Your Full Name
Roberto Campos Moura, but betocampos is more recognized.

Tell us about you
I was a traditional artist. And was not so bad – released my first solo exhibition when I was only 14 years old. One day I decided to replace the old canvas with a Wacom Cintiq, and brushes for Photoshop. Since then, the press has ceased to consider me a great artist, but at least I never more soiled my hands with oil paint. I had an academic background in graphic design, and post graduate studies in design, marketing and advertising, with over 12 years of experience working with concept art for games and advertising.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great illustrator?
I think the most important for an illustrator is a natural ability. Nobody can choose to be an illustrator. But to become a great illustrator is needed more than natural talent and love what you do.

As in any profession, to stand out, the trader must have discipline. And discipline means to us training the vision, need to be watchful eye to see beyond the obvious.

Where are you located?
Currently i´m working for Platinum Studio in Rio de Janeiro, and lives in rural zone of Minas Gerais state, with my wife and daughter, fishing in the river and raising chickens in the backyard.

What is the most fascinating part of being an illustrator?
Is that an illustrator does not need to grow up. An illustrator should not become an adult. The illustrator has to have eyes of a child, that is to remain always creative and unusual.

Where do you get inspirations from?
In general, comes from the details of everyday life. Life is always creative, for good or for evil. In this profession all you need to do is enjoy the show and not miss anything. Then just recycle everything and let go to work.

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
I do not usually have a very busy public life. But I maintain my digital gallery at deviantart.

What is your long range goals in your life?
To be honest, I do not have big goals. I’ve always been very immediate, I know it’s not very healthy, but keep me alert. Over the past 15 years, I’ve changed for each city I liked on vacation. But until a walker have
dreams. I would one day be able to actually choose the projects that work, without regard to financial need. In other words I would be stupidly rich and just work for fun.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
What attracts me most is the concept art. It is the maximum exercise of creativity, when we create new worlds. It is in the conceptual art that the inner child is strong and plays at being God.

Who is an illustrator that you look up to? Why so?
Many, of course I admire many classical artists, especially the work of Rembrandt. But keep the mind fresh, following the new artists in Asia, such the Imaginary Friends Studios.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
As some may know, I´m working for Platinum FMD, the Brazilian studio hired by Adobe to create the release image to Photoshop CS5. I did the concept art and put my hands on photo manipulation, although this is not my specialty.

Even though this is not a perfect job, was very fun to have worked on this project.

But I think the biggest trouble/challenge of my career was when I accepted to work for Platinum Studio as a photo manipulator. The first 3 months were terrible. The level of the guys were miles apart from mine. Until then I was a guy of concept, I was never very close to final art. And Platinum, with its hyper-realistic work really gave me a lesson. The head is the photographer Leonardo Vilelao, one of the best. And that was the biggest benefit of working in Platinum, train our eyes to incredible heights.
Two years have passed since then, I’m still learning the magic of them. At least now the distance has diminished, and only the fact of working closely with great photographers, has brought great benefits to my drawings.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
The internet is a beautiful thing from God. It’s what allows me to work today to any city in the world without having to leave my chickens inside the country

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
Perhaps I would have accepted the offer from EA games to study in their art school, in the California, about 15 years ago. At the time I lived in the jungle in the Amazon and was very interested in some female species of the tribe …

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
Every job brings new challenges. As a designer, I’m always adapting my style to best suit each project. So the search for references is essential to keep the work fresh.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
I like the Exposé series and others stuffs from CG Society.

What is your life motto?
I always need to remember: Dreams can come true, but the reality is not a dream.

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
I like a relaxed environment, working in teams. But it has a stage in the projects when I really think and generate alternatives that would rather be alone. Only with the wildlife for company.

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
I love the sound of the sea, waves crashing on the beach. This to me is inspiring. The beach really calms me, perhaps because of the 12 cycles per minute waves, exactly the ideal cycle of human breathing … or maybe they are really girls in bikini from beaches of Rio de Janeiro.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
I keep a digital gallery on www.betocampos.deviantart.com
And put something on Picasa

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Tell us about you and each of your roles in Silent View Studios
Well, Silent-View is the one taking the pictures and doing all the technical stuff while I am doing the post-production. And of course we are both extremely creative so we both are figuring out what to do next. It is all teamwork.

Describe how do you (each) feel at the starting of a new project?
Starting a new project always is some kind of exciting. Finally it is wonderful being up to create a new world…

How did the team was formed (meet) originally?
The beginning. Let’s see if I remember…Well, we met during a shooting. Within short time we noticed that we had the same view on the world and that we worked well together. So step by step the project was aroused.

Where are you located?
We come from Halle, Germany. Don’t be surprised if you never heard of it. The bad thing about Halle is what it sometimes feels like the end of the world, the good thing about it – it is calm enough to concentrate on our work.

Tell us about your unique style and the creative process behind it?
It’s our view on the world. It’s quite, gives a feeling of being an observer, someone outside that watches one short moment in life, frozen in silence. It’s a feeling that comes when working, nothing that is planned or can be explained. We put our feelings in our works, so it’s not that kind of creative process that can be described.

How does you (each) overcome creative block?
Creative block? Ask us again when we ever had something like that.

How do you promote/sell/showcase your work?
The internet in fact does most of the job. Of course we collaborate with some magazines, fashion labels and so on and have already published two books (http://www.blurb.com/user/silent-view), so all that leads to more prominence, but our works are quite well spread by the internet. Moreover the quality of our works is promotion enough. And it seems to work ;o)

Do you work better at night or in the morning? Why?
Oh, come on, working in the morning, are you kidding…

If we have a time machine, what’s one thing you wish you knew when beginning its career?
We love surprises – so sorry, you would have to do that time machine trip without our humble selves…

Who is a photographer that you look up to? Why so?
In fact we prefer painters. The old ones like Rembrandt and Raphael. Their works are impressive, their playing with light and shadows amazing.

What is your dream assignment that you want to do? Tell us a bit more about it.
Just have to know that we are doing videos as well, for example we are doing the next music video for “Project Pitchfork”. Our favorite assignment would be to make a piece of video art for which someone gives us all the money necessary to do something really glamorous, creepy and ostentatious at the same time. Do you by chance know a person like that…?

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting the visual communication business?
As I told, internet is a good medium spready information. But like all things, it has its dark sides. You shouldn’t be naive about that. The danger of misuse and manipulation is always present. Trust no one and nothing, not even these lines…

If you can only shoot one object for the rest of your life, what object would that be? Why?
Maybe flowers. They are a nice example of the vanity and beauty of all things.

What is your motto in life?
We live our lives and not a motto.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
To be honest, we aren’t up to date. Too much to do…

What is your definition of  Dark Photography?
It’s a feeling. A feeling of silence, loneliness and clearness. For further information, please have a look at www.silent-view.com

Where do you get your inspirations from?
From the abyss of our minds…

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
The sound of thunder and rain is a nice one. It gives a feeling of how small and meaningless human beings are. That’s impressive. And makes me smile.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
www.silent-view.com

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Your Full Name
Most people call me Bev. I don’t care what the other people call me.

Tell us about you
I’m a full time student working towards a degree in education.  I spend a lot of my time outdoors, camping, fishing, the works.  I was born and raised deep in the South, but eventually migrated back and forth across the country.  I guess you can take the girl out of the South, but… well, we all see where this cliché is headed, haha.  The bottom line is that I would die if I couldn’t be creative.  I have to be doing something, moving forward.  New ideas are like breakfast for me.  It’s a great way to start the day.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great digital artist?
I don’t think you can pin it down to a set list of requirements that equal greatness, or that anyone can make that judgment.  I think it just takes passion, the desire to try, and a will to create.

Where are you located?
Virginia

What is the most fascinating part of being a digital artist?
The sheer flexibility of the medium.  Even though most of what I create starts as a photograph, the post production is where the fun begins.  There are so many filters, masks, and treatments that can turn a simple photo into something amazing.  You can create an entirely different mood with the click of a button.

Where do you get inspirations from?
I find a lot of inspiration in nature, the small details to be exact. Tiny leaves, pretty insects and flowers.  I like looking at things which others might just walk over.  I also love visiting sites like Etsy and Flickr to see what’s going on.

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
I have many prints available on my Deviantart website as well as my Etsy, currently being developed, here: http://secondhandmemories.etsy.com.

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
I would eventually like to teach.  While I enjoy my life here in the country and all that it has to offer, I’m a city girl at heart, and I miss it.  A recent vacation taught me that.  There’s just so much more inspiration in a city.  Something is different on every block, everyday.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
Anything that requires me to be creative.  When you have a deadline, it’s a much different process.  Figuring out the puzzle to the end product is often the most rewarding experience.

Who is a digital artist that you look up to? Why so?
There are so many incredible artists I’ve run across both on DA and across the country, I couldn’t possibly narrow it down to one.  I’m constantly inspired by the creativity of people.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
A difficult situation is one that I cannot possibly put my own spin on.  Having to move from point A to point B with no detours and no creative process.  It’s draining.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
It’s incredible how connected we are today.  We truly are a global community, I think it influences every aspect of life, especially the art world.  New ideas and creations are being put into the pool, so to speak, every minute.

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
In regards to life?  A lot, haha, but you’d need another interview for that story.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
I’m always on the lookout for a new idea I can put my own spin on.  I spend a lot of time browsing for new techniques to try out.  Sometimes I get lucky and stumble across them, sometimes I come up with it out of the blue.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
Any collection of Ansel Adams.  The man was made of sheer genius.  The world today comes nowhere near close to anything he ever produced. Mapplethorpe, by Robert Mapplethorpe.  I’ve only recently become acquainted with his work, which is a shame, but his images were so incredibly inspiring.  I especially love one of his last photos taken, a self portrait taken in 1988, just before he died in 1989. Because I’m a décor nerd, Traditional Home always gives me the warm fuzziness.  The beautiful layouts with design, architecture, and furnishings just… they’re heaven, haha.  I have a stack a foot thick that I love to flip through for ideas.

What is your life motto?
Tomorrow is a new day, whether you like it or not, so enjoy!

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
At my kitchen table, everything strewn all over the place.  Organized chaos, so to speak.

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
I love the sound of crickets and frogs at night.  When I can’t be home with my windows open, I listen to a soundtrack of them to get to sleep.

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
http://ridiculouspinktree.deviantart.com.  That’s where my creative endeavors live.

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Your Full Name
Niklås Krauthaeuser

Tell us about you
when i had to buy a cheap digital cam for school i started with photography in 2004. after a short time i was working for suicidegirls.com and other alt-porn sites. after i finished school, i started to work in an advertising agency as art director, but the digital work bored me after a while so i saved money for a analogue medium format cam.

if i have a look at my way as photographer i can say that i came from total manipulation and composing and reduced the digital work more and more. i´m sure that i will continue the reduction of the post production in the future even more.

In your opinion, what would be the secret ingredients to become a great photographer?
if, a “great photographer” means, to be financial successful you need contacts, quality and to do something what isn´t provided so much on the market. if “a great photographer” means being a great photographer it is necessary to have ideals, ideas and to be very critic with the own work and never stop learning. what can i tell about great photographers? i just started some years ago and i still have to learn a lot.

Where are you located?
i´m living in Cologne/Germany but i´m dreaming of getting outta here (hopefully for Stockholm).

What is the most fascinating part of being a photographer?
people want to meet you all the time, especially girls.

Where do you get inspirations from?
everything can be an inspiration if you are interested. i´m interested in relationship conflicts, moralic conflicts, sexual conflicts and people in general. every strong emotion is a potential inspiration. i use my fears and joys, my doubts and experience of relationships often as key in my work. it doesn’t matter if you feel bliss or devastated, the stronger the feeling is the easier you can transport it into a picture.

Do you promote/ sell/ showcase your work? If so, how?
actually i´m really addicted to facebook. there is no easier way to spread your work. if i take a single picture of a person, his whole friends will see my works. if someone “like” or comments my work, all of his friends will see the gallery additional. basically this is working like a snowball effect. i´m planning some exhibitions with friend photographers.

If you have a long range goals in your life. What is it?
as mentioned above, i wish to proceed to do less and less post production, so i probably could do once pictures that are ready when the film is developed. apart from this technically fact i wish to be able to pay models for their work so i could realize more complex works i´m planning already for ages.

What types of assignment/ project are you attracted the most? Why so?
i like to work as a director: i think about concepts, draw storyboards, write lil screenplays, think about the light, the clothes.. like that. i would like to have more time to do this work properly and. i think there are just a few photographer working like that, even though i think that’s the highest kind of photography.

Who is a photographer that you look up to? Why so?
actually there are not a lot. its hard to impress me with photography, because the majority is just trying to sell something i don’t want to buy. model shots, advertising shots, celebrity shots .. whatever.

in my opinion there are just a few photographers who do work what includes, ideas, quality and style:

erwin olaf: because of his big commercial success erwin olaf is able to order everything he needs for his pictures. for every setting, he builds the whole room, instead of making a location research. even though he is working like an advertising photographer i absolutely love his detailed, emotional stories in one picture.

gregory crewdson: like erwin olaf, crewdson is also doing a giant effort to make his pictures look like a movie. compared with olaf he is working more outside and he looks very “American” for my European eye. i also like the intense of his “stories” and the detailed quality.

aaron hawks: actually aaron hawks is one of the first hasselblad photographer i discovered. i like his pervert works, everything is distorted like in a lynch movie. strange rooms, strange costumes, strange models and perfect light. he is into fetish, but he found a way to not look light dusty 80ies lack and leather shit.

alexander bergstöm, nan goldin, llyod hughes are great photographers as well.

Describe a difficult work/ project situation and how would you overcome it?
all of my projects are difficulty, because i have not a lot of time (next to my work), i don’t have the money to pay models (so i need to convince people for my ideas) and actually the research for a location isn´t often successfully. the only thing i can do is being very patient and never lose my targets. the biggest burden are people who wan to help and support and one day before or, even the same day they jump off. this people destroy all my work and effort.

What do you think about the Internet and how it is affecting our lifestyle?
since i´ve got internet i wont miss it. but i´m not sure if it had a big influence on my lifestyle. i show stuff to lots of people and give comments on every shit, but that’s not different in real life. internet is pretty good for porn and online gaming.

If you could turn back time, how would you do things differently?
hm. i would start earlier with analogue photography. and probably buy a lot of polaroid and roll films in advance.

How do you keep your work fresh? Do you need to consciously adapt your style or does it progress naturally?
i´m pretty critic with my work, so i proof to keep on progressing all the time. in fact nothing is scaring me more than not progressing anymore one day.

Name 3 of your favorite (art) books/ magazines.
erwin olaf – aparture
taschen – the new erotic photography
maurice sendak -where the wild things are

What is your life motto?
i dont have a life motto what remains long enough to mention.. i´m still young!

In what kind of a work environment do you do your best work?
a shared good dinner with a red wine a joint and a interesting person.

What do you like the sound of? Why so?
the “flap” of my hasselblad mirror. unique sound!

If you have online portfolio, what is the URL?
my website is a never ending construction. but on deviantart i´m already since 2004:
kalifbanane.deviantart.com

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