About Me

Okay...

I know that it is kind of "bon ton" of webmastering to have such a page :) But I am really, really not good at speaking of myself. I tried hard to invent some creative, witty and original text for this section, but... well... um.

So, I asked Ann if she would mind me putting here the interview she had made with me as the "Artist of the Month", and she said she wouldn't, and here it is. You can now find out something about me and my art :)

(I apologize for the uglyness of the thing that I call "my English". It is my third language and obviously not the one I speak the best... Just thought this section wold be the right place to say it :))

Question 1: How did your interest in graphic design start? Is it for your own enjoyment or do you hope to work in this field some day? Are you going to school for this?

Answer: Well, technically it started when I got my first computer which came to me with PS 5 on it. I always loved to draw and paint so I naturally began studying the program, read a couple of tutorials about it etc. But the real start was when I came to fandom. I searched for info about BtVS and ran into some fanart archive, don't remember now what it was, I only remember that I was overwhelmed. I felt I'd die if I didn't figure how to make something like that :) At the moment I do this only for my enjoyment, unfortunately. I'd love to work with PS. As for studying, I did study drawing and basics of composition. That was years ago though.

Question 2: How does your ideas spring to mind when you start to work on a wallpaper/fan art? What medias (your own photos, magazine scans, drawings, etc) and software do you use? Do you like to use lyrics or poetry often or do you prefer to leave it blank? What moods to you try to evoke?

Answer: Usually, the idea springs first, and then I start trying to embody it. The idea comes from many sources - a powerful episode, someone else's fanart, eye-catching screencap, my own emotion... But, perhaps it would be more correct to say 'feeling', not the 'idea'. I analyze this feeling and try to figure how to give it shape and sense, which images, which colours, which words to use. I mostly use screencaptures and sometimes scans, plus lately I became a fan of stock images, so I use them too. I work in Adobe PhotoShop 7.0 now. I do like art with text, but my problem is that I'm not too familiar with English music and poetry. As a result, I rather simply use quotes from episodes. "My" moods probably are sadness, fear, drama, mystery, sarcasm.

Question 3. What other graphic design artists do you admire and why?

Answer: I admire many artists, but my most favorite are (in no particular order) Vrya, you Ann, Violette, and BlueSuzanne. To name the main reason, I love the art that makes me both think and feel. These artists' work always does it. And of course I admire the beautiful techniques. I adore Vrya's art for its multi-layered, multi-coloured style, for her rich textures which look almost like impressionist's painting. In your art, I love how you make characters/scenes in the foreground and background show through each other and interact, and your sense of composition. Violette has a unique post-modernistic style, very dark, but extremely clever and beautiful. BlueSuzanne's artworks are so exquisite, and she makes true wonders with her colours and typography.

Question 4: Do you have other interest in art besides graphic design?

Answer: 'Real' drawing and writing poetry and song lyrics, but I've been neglecting these hobbies lately.

Question 5: For those who might be interested in graphic design professionally, what is your advise to them?

Answer: I don't think I can be an advisor, since I'm no way a professional and have never worked in this field. The only thing I know for sure - if I want to improve, I should analyze every artwork I see and question myself: what's good here, what's not so good, and why.

Question 6: Why do you like BtVS and Angel? What is it about these shows that keep you interested?

Answer: This is the hardest question, considering how bad is my English. First of all, I love the characters and recognize some aspects of my own self in every one of them. Then, there's brilliant writing, so clever and so quotable. And, of course, it's what they are about. I don't mean the plot twists and all the mystic stuff (although that is what hooked me first, and I still love it, as a devoted geek), I mean the real things - relationships, responsibility, mistakes, death, growing up... there are so many themes that I find interesting, important, and inspiring.

Question 7: Do you have anything else you'd like to share?

Answer: I came to fandom about a year ago, but I'm still amazed how friendly, devoted, and creative is the community of people who live in different contries and never even have met each other. I just want to say: guys you are amazing. Don't ever change.

September 2004