About the Artist
|
|
Art FAQ
Are you available for commission?
At the moment, yes. Details and pricing can be found under the "Commissions" link at the top of each page. Sometimes I need to close commission availability for a while, often to finish current commissions, and will post that information at the top of the Commissions page.
Do you do trades?
I'm usually open to doing trades. However, I reserve the right to refuse, especially if my schedule is too busy at the time. Keep me in mind, and feel free to ask again in the future.
How about requests?
At this time, I can't take requests. I don't have time to do freebie work for everyone who asks, so if I do something for free, it's because it's a gift for someone. However, if you see a picture you like and want to suggest a similar one, or additional characters for a set of themed pictures, please feel welcome. Just be forewarned that I may not use your suggestion.
Where/how did you learn to draw/color/whatever?
I'm primarily self-taught when it comes to art. My formal education was in English, not Fine Arts. I started drawing at a very young age and just kept with it, prolifically, despite the fact that through grade school and up into the first year or two of undergrad, my work looked pretty bad. I practiced by emulating styles I saw, mostly Disney (and, after starting undergrad, anime). I took the required art classes in sixth and seventh grade, and I took an Intro to Drawing class at college, but that's about as far as my formal education goes. Everything else I get from tutorials, asking questions, and practice practice practice.
What methods and tools do you use?
Most of my work is hand-drawn on some form of paper with a pencil, most often a .5mm mechanical pencil. Cheap ones work just fine. I will often do pencil shading with that very same pencil, though I do have a set of art pencils in varying hardnesses that I've used before. I ink lineart with inking pens (Staedtler, Faber-Castell, or Sakura Microns, in varying tip sizes) and erase the pencil lines, then scan it in for digital cleanup and coloring. Coloring is done with colored pencils or in Photoshop CS2, though I used to use PaintShop Pro 7-9. Lately I've been experimenting with watercolors on folding fans, and with digital inking in Photoshop and Illustrator.
What are some of your inspirations?
Just about anything, really. Sometimes it's a color scheme, sometimes it's a random object I see while out and about. Sometimes it's a concept. Most often, it's from one of the story ideas in my head. (Did I mention I've been a prolific story-creator at least as long as I've been drawing?) I have a list of artists I'm rather smitten with on my DeviantArt account, and another small handful I've found here and there on the Internet, whose art I like to look at every now and then to remind myself what I aspire to and to give me inspiration and something to study (for that self-taught improvement bit).
Can you do _____ style?
Maybe. Depends on what it is, really. Lacking formal training, I'd have to spend a very long time studying art styles I'm not currently comfortable with in order to get the hang of them. I've done some attempts at photorealism, thanks to my Intro to Drawing class at college, but most of my art is the style you see in the gallery. I think that's what makes having a variety of artists in the world great, though. There's that diversity of style because you don't have one artist who can do everything. Though I admit it does make an artist more marketable if they can switch styles easily.
Can I use your artwork for _____?
Depends on what you want to use it for. Web layouts, avatars, Winamp skins, and the like? Sure, but give me proper credit and a link back, and please let me know so I can see what you've done. Reselling on eBay or other sites, or anywhere people can buy things with my art without any of the money going to me? No. Want to use my art on something like a T-shirt for yourself? E-mail me. I probably have access to what you need (and for at least slightly higher quality than a store-bought iron-on). In most cases, though, please ask me before using my art for anything. I may say no, but I may say yes.
Can I get a print of _____? Or other merchandise?
There's a store link on the Garden page (my hub site). If you don't see what you want there, e-mail me and I'll look into it. There's a good chance I just haven't thought of it yet, or didn't realize it was something people wanted.