Artist of The Month of May, Drum roll please! Posted by SilverArtist1
Haliestra
Why would you say you are an artist? Does your art have any specific meaning for you (ie, why do you create)?
How long have you been drawing? And what got you into drawing?
I wouldn't call myself an artist, I am just a person who likes to draw. I connect the word artist with all the well known "artists" out there, like Dali etc.
For me, drawing is a therapy or something like vacation, I draw when I have the need to express my feeling, to get over bad or good things, which happened to me since my birth (ok, I don't really know what I did with 5 or what happened to me when I was 5) Then I draw pictures which are telling a little story, for example my Halls of Blind drawing has a very important meaning and a little story behind it. One day I met a blind person, who had really no problem finding his way, we talked a while and became friends. Some Art has no meaning in particular, I just loved the ref for example or draw from refs for practice, but that does not happen very often.
My parents always said that I began to since the time I could hold a pencil or something. Sometimes in the dark in my bed when I should be sleeping and so on, but the real drawing began about 1985 whit horses, unicorns, birds, mostly animals, 1991 I moved over to portraits, in 2001 I stopped drawing (don't ask why, it's still a touchy thing and the tears are still flowing when I thing on it), in 2003 I tried to start again and in 2004 I had my comeback.
What got me into drawing? Hm, honestly I don't know. I love to draw, I cannot go on without it, it's a part of me, it always has been and will always be.
Is there any reason you have chosen this medium as favorite means of artistic communication for your talents?
I hope I understood the question correctly. I love sheezy for it's small community, it's like family and not business like as DeviantArt. Drawing is my hobby, I don't intend to earn money with it, if this happens I am very happy that I got the chance to sell my work.
Some graphite artists use a grid when creating portraits, others prefer a more freehand style. Is there any specific method you use when drawing portraits, and why?
I prefer freehand, because it feels more real, more I did it myself. The grid is not a bad thing. If you have problems with proportion and trying to get used to them. I use the grid sometimes myself (for huge drawings for example, there you can loose the feeling for proportion very fast, because you see just the parts of the drawing you're recently working on.) and there is no shame in using it, many known artists on DA using it as well.
Have you had any formal art training? Do you feel it is necessary or important for an artist to have formal training?
I had 2 years formal art training, but the most I learned by "learning by doing". I don't think formal training is necessary for an artist. There are a lot of helpful books out there to buy, but that's one decision everyone has do for themselves.
Are there any other mediums you like to work with? Other then Graphite.
I like Acrylics, because of their fast drying, that's all I can say about them, I could tell you much more why I don't like oils
Please tell us about the materials you use to accomplish your art work. Are there any specific brands of graphite and paper you would reccommend, and why?
I use bristol board, because of it's smooth surface, the texture and it's a very tough material. Then I use a kneadable eraser, the most important thing for an artist which I learned on my 2 years of training, because while correcting with an normal eraser you can destroy the surface of the paper and that's not a good thing for every drawing. I use the graphite pit from faber castell, why, I don't really know. I have always used them and still do.
Is there any specific subject that inspires you? How do you get inspire?
Surely there is. Everything inspires me, life, books, movies, music. I get my inspiration while reading, watching DVD or from listening to my favourite music.
I've noticed that your artwork is dark. Do you think your artwork is more effective that way?
Contrast have always been effective in a way.
Do you use photo references, or do you prefer making up your own interprtations of the certain characters faces and etc?
Yes, sometimes I do use references, when I have troubles doing a pose right or as I said earlier that I just love a photo of a person and want to draw it. But I love it to give my ideas in my mind a form for others to see, to bring my own characters I created while roleplaying to life.
What is the hardest thing for you to draw?
Hands, feets, beards
Which inspires you more: commisions, or creating for your own enjoyment? How would you encourage fellow artists to obtain commissions of their own?
I prefer creating for my own enjoyment or for friends. I do comisions as well, if I like the idea or find the subject interesting, I am very difficult to get for a commision. Hm, how to obtain commisions, tough question. I never really thought about it. I think the best thing is practice and don't give up. I cannot answer that question, because I was not really hunting for commisions.
Are there any artists or other sources of inspiration that you feel directly contribute to your creativity?
Luis Royo, Brom and Julie Bell, these artist have been very important and inspiring to me on the traditional way of drawing. For the digital way: Linda Bergkvist.
Sometimes artists suffer from "artist's block." If you feel your desire to create waning, what do you do to resinspire yourself and restore those creative juices?
The important thing is: don't force anything, take a break, read, have fun with your friends, this is for me the best thing to do to move around the artist block and get my inspiration back.
As you look ahead, in what direction are you aspiring to take your art? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? 10 years?
Hm, at the moment I don't think there will be massive changes. I cannot say in what direction my art will go, perhaps I am going to draw landscapes in 5 years and in 10 years still life, flowers or something like that. Or I am moving more into the dark/horror section or I am drawing more cation. I don't know. I will wait and see what the time will bring.
Do you have any advice for future artists?
Every known artist has begun from the lowest step of the ladder. Don't think you're not good enough to acoomplish what others did. Don't give up and practice, practice.
Thank you Haliestra for you're amazing answers! Thank you everyone for being to patient with this long over due Artist of The Month! Please visit her gallery!
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