-Location:Volos, Greece
-Primary media:Graphic Design, Branding, Illustration
-Education:Graphic Design Diploma of higher education, Bachelor of Arts in Concept Art & Character Design (AKTO).
-Website:https://dimitrischatzelas.myportfolio.com/
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ART
Gournis: Your influences? Dimitris Chatzelas My influences come from many things. From a movie i saw recently, to visiting places for the first time.
I also find inspiration in old stuff like old signage, bumper stickers ect. because despite the fact that
they were designed years ago, they still work until today.
Gournis: How you manage to develop your own style? Dimitris Chatzelas Through countless hours of practicing mostly on personal projects.
EDUCATION
Gournis: The most important lesson in your education and why, (for example the third law of newton, because …). Dimitris Chatzelas The most important lesson in my education is never to stop educating myself. From new technology to new books.
From new techniques to new trends (not necessarily following them but it’s good to know what’s “hot”).
Gournis: The most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received? Dimitris Chatzelas Is to ingore the noize whether there is a bad critic i recieved about a project or that i won’t make it as a designer.
I grew up in a society that people where indoctrinated to believe that they can work less and get paid more and if
i decided to be a designer or an artist i wouldn’t make a cent. I can’t say that i’m rich, but i was never out of job.
Gournis: Which you personal weakness that had caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work? Dimitris Chatzelas When I was studying graphic design it was really hard for me to manage with colors. Before studying, i used to draw
comics in black and white and i never used colors so that’s probably the reason i had a tough time working with them.
And i hated the smell of oil colors :D…
LIFE
Gournis: Why it’s important to you, to be in this field? Dimitris Chatzelas I can’t stop thinking, designing and observing anything creative. I do this from as far as i can remember myself.
I can’t think of doing anything different from the above.
Gournis: Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us? Dimitris Chatzelas I don’t consider myself wise but as an advice, i would say that don’t be shy to show your work just because you don’t
feel it’s good enough to stand out. Graphic Design is a profession, not a hobby. We show our work to receive feedback
from other creatives and promote ourselves. That’s all…
CAREER Gournis: Do you have ‘something’ for those times where your brain run out of ideas and deadlines is running? Dimitris Chatzelas If I get stuck, I usually listen to music (rock, blues, jazz, ect.), go for a walk or do the dishes :D…
Gournis: You best and worst times as professional designer? Dimitris Chatzelas My best AND worst time was when I designed a logo for an animal wellfare organization and got rejected. It was one of my
best designs and the clients didn’t like it. But that’s part of our profession. It happens and we just have to deal with it.
LIFE WITH CLIENTS Gournis: What do you wish all clients knew? Dimitris Chatzelas That it takes a time to design a project, whether it’s a poster or a brand identity and that good design is an investment.
Not an expense.
Animated directions on how to make a great espresso coffee, with every little detail.
Straight espresso, can be used as the base for a number of coffees or smoothies, ice creams, sauces …. well hundreds and hundreds of recipes.
This animation It’s part of my coffee recipe library and soon I will release the others as part of my animation portfolio promotion.
Panagiotis Gournis
-Location: Athens, Greece
-Primary media: Pens, pencils, photoshop
-Education: Athens School of Fine Arts, Ornerakis school of applied arts
-Major projects: Dracula, True Story, The Coldest Summer
-Web site: dimiadam.daportfolio.com, toomanycherries
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ART
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Gournis: What is art? Dimitra Adamopoulou: I think no one can ever answer properly to this question. But if I had to, I would say that for me it is a way to make new realities. To manifest the nonexistent.
Gournis: Your influences? Dimitra Adamopoulou: Although I paint and make comics, I would say that my major influences come from cinema and literature. But I do not copy, it’s more like an influence in my way of thinking, rather than the style in which I paint. I am sure though that a thousand little drops of my favourite artist show every now and then in my work, subconsciously.
Gournis: Any project you wish to have been involved? Dimitra Adamopoulou: The making of Blade Runner. :D
Gournis: How you manage to develop your own style? Dimitra Adamopoulou:Actually I have many styles, and this is something I struggle a lot with. I know at some point I ‘ll have to find something that is like a trademark… I think there comes for everyone a moment when they say “that’s it”. For me, it’s just a lot of experimenting so far. I just let it flow and see what happens.
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EDUCATION
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Gournis: The most important lesson in your education. Dimitra Adamopoulou: For me it is open-mindedness. Never shut your brain to new things. Never judge art too quickly. Because you can always learn from even the things (or people) you hate.
Gournis: Skills do you wish you had been taught earlier in your career? Dimitra Adamopoulou: Good composition!
Gournis: The most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received? Dimitra Adamopoulou: A girl in my school told me once about the much needed “professional calmness”. The essence of it is that are going to do your best and eventually something good will happen. The world is not going to crush if you don’t make something perfect.
Gournis: Skills that you believe is most important for illustrators? Dimitra Adamopoulou: Composition. For me, it’s the alpha and omega of good art. If it doesn’t have that it must have spirit, fire. But this is something that can’t be taught, unfortunately.
Gournis: Which you personal weakness that had caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work? Dimitra Adamopoulou: Lack of patience. I can easily get bored. This is not good when you are in the middle of learning something. Throughout the years, I’ve learned to master patience a bit, and it has helped me a lot actually.
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LIFE
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Gournis: Why it’s important to you, to be in this field? Dimitra Adamopoulou: So far, it’s the only profession that makes me happy. Also, I don’t have to get up early in the morning and I work at home, which I love!
Gournis: Tell us your best story from the field. Dimitra Adamopoulou: It’s a funny moment that has to do with the fact that money for me is a blurry subject… I was doing a comic for an institution about the true stories of refugees and I was so into it, I really wanted to do it, to help, you know! So I thought that since it was for a good cause etc that I was not getting paid, that I would do it for free. So when they told me my fee, I shouted “What? I’m getting paid???”
Gournis: Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us? Dimitra Adamopoulou: I am not at all wise, so no. :)
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CAREER
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Gournis: Choosing a career as illustrator was an easy decision?. How you decided it, and how did you pursuing it? Dimitra Adamopoulou: It took time, but a career in illustration/art was always in my mind even when I was doing something else. So not easy exactly, but inevitable. I came to a point that I realised that if I didn’t do that I wouldn’t be happy. So I dropped everything, went to stay with my mom and started lessons at the Athens School of Fine Arts. The rest came by chance.
Gournis: Do you have ‘something’ for those times where you brain run out of ideas and deadlines is running ? Dimitra Adamopoulou: I try to relax. Watch a movie, go to the gym, see friends. However, what gives me a lot of ideas is going out of context. Go to a totally different place and meeting people I’d never talk to normally. This is a treasure.
Gournis: Can you describe your biggest challenge in a project? Dimitra Adamopoulou: The start! Ooooh, these moments in front of the blank page/canvas.
Gournis: You best and worst times as professional designer? Dimitra Adamopoulou: I only have good experiences so far, I am very lucky. I can’t remember anything in particular.
Gournis: The most delight and the most difficult part of the creation process? Dimitra Adamopoulou: Delight: when you manage to make something that is really really close to what you had in your head when you were begun. Difficult: when the opposite happens, and it’s not a happy accident but a disaster.
Gournis: Your most beloved art and your best selling art. Αm sure it’s not the same piece of art. Dimitra Adamopoulou: I have some pieces that I love but I can’t choose one. Not only because “I love all my children” but also because after I finish something I want to move on so I am a little detached. I don’t have a best-selling piece. But my comic-strip series “True Story” is very popular lately, I think this is my most popular comic so far. I really love it, though, and I have a lot of fun doing it.
Gournis: Describe your perfect client. Dimitra Adamopoulou: One that tells you exactly what they want, and they don’t change their mind at the last moment when you give them the final work. And obviously, one that pays on time.
Gournis: What do you wish all clients knew? Dimitra Adamopoulou: That painting/illustration is NOT the same as 3-D . If you tell me to “move the hand a little to the left and just make the character a little thinner” , I have to re-paint the whole image, there is no magic trick in photoshop that does that!
Quick sketch in memory of Terry Pratchett who left this world yesterday. We love him, and we will miss him dearly.
Gournis: What is art? Mike Karolos :In my opinion anything can be considered as art. Everything around us, the trees, the animals, our bodies, it’s just a matter of a point of view. Anything that can make you stop for a second or two and make you look at it without just passing past it can be art. Art can be very detailed and hard to make, but it can be also an idea and something very simple but characteristic and mesmerizing.
Gournis: Your influences?
Mike Karolos: When i first started designing my main influences and actually the reason i started designing in the first place was graffiti. I liked how the city was one big canvas in my eyes. Growing up i have been influenced by Pop Art and the De Stijl movement. Patterns, colors and shapes are my fuel to my fire right now. Also a great inspiration source for me is music. 90% of the time i design listening to music.
Gournis: Any project you wish to have been involved?
Mike Karolos: To be honest i can’t think of a specific project, but i know i often see great projects and think to myself it would be nice to be a part of it.
Gournis: How do you manage to develop your own style?
Mike Karolos: One of my principals is no matter how busy you are with client work, either working at a design studio or as a freelancer you’ve got to find time to experiment and make personal fun projects. That way you can keep evolving your style and find new ways to keep the creativity flowing.
EDUCATION
Gournis: The most important lesson in your education and why, (for example: the third law of newton, because …). Mike Karolos: I think the first thing that comes to my mind is “don’t be afraid to get inspired”. Get inspired by everything around you, your life, music, friends, music, other artists, museums, trips, different cultures. There is no parthenogenesis in art but try to create your own style. Personally i’m still working on it.
Gournis: Skills do you wish, you had been taught earlier in your career? Mike Karolos: Nothing comes to mind. I think everything happened when it should of happened. No regrets there.
Gournis: The most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received?
Mike Karolos: One good advice is that when stuck while designing don’t push it. Go for a walk, take a drive do something else to take your mind of it and when the time is right inspiration will come to you. I know what you are thinking… deadlines… well that’s another story.
Gournis: Skills that you believe is most important for illustrators?
Mike Karolos: I’m not sure if i would call myself an illustrator. I’m more of a hybrid illustrator-graphic designer. Still the most important skill for an illustrator although i’m not sure if i would call it a skill, is to be a signature artist. To be recognizable by your style and clients to reach out to you because they want your specific style.
Gournis: Personal weakness that had caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work?
Mike Karolos: I think it’s always been my anxiety of time. Wanting to achieve goals i have in mind regarding design as fast as i can. It is a weakness beacuse it is easier to get dissapointed that way. But still… time is ticking.
LIFE
Gournis: Why its important for you, to be in this field? Mike Karolos: I’ve known i wanted to be a designer since i was a kid. Especially from when i started to play around with graffiti. So you can say it’s a part of my life. It’s the way i express myself. Other people write music, poems, act, well i like to design.
Gournis: Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us?
Mike Karolos: Never stop trying in what you believe in. Even when other people get you down that’s just another reason to get back up and proove what you can do.
Career
Gournis: Can you describe what your biggest challenge in a project?
Mike Karolos: My biggest challenge is the initial idea. Once i have the idea i will find a way to visualise it sooner or later.
Gournis: You best time and your worst time as professional designer?
Mike Karolos: My best time is when a project comes to life and you see what you made out there. Of course when getting positive feedback that is a big plus. My worst, since what i do is not a hobby but what i do for a living is when your client or agency doesn’t pay for one reason or another.
Gournis: Your most beloved art and your best selling art. Αm sure its not the same work. Am i wrong?
Mike Karolos: If i remember correctly my best selling art is an old graffiti artwork of mine “roots” and my favourite right now is one of my latest from Abstract Portraits collection “Charlie Chaplin” Professional life
LIFE WITH CLIENTS
Gournis: Describe your perfect client.
Mike Karolos: The perfect client gives you time, let’s you be as creative as possible and pays on time. Is that too much to ask?
Gournis: What do you wish all clients knew? Mike Karolos: I wish all clients knew that we do is not a hobby but a job. We live from it and pay our bills. Designing is not just pressing a few buttons in photoshop. Designing needs research, ideas, skills, software, sometimes talent and a lot of hard work.
-Location: Athens, Greece -Primary media: Branding, Illustration, Packaging, Video -Education: Technology of Graphic Arts at the Technological Educational Institute of Athens & Graphic Design Diploma at AKTO -Major Illustration Projects: Editorial Illustration for Entertainment Weekly (EW) Magazine USA, Illustration Series for Ermis Awards 2016 The Calendar Series (concepts) -Web site:cornstudio.gr -Eshop:cornstudio.bigcartel.com
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Questions: Panagiotis Gournis (gournis.gr)
Answers: Dimos Stathis (illustrator at Corn Studio )
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Art
-Gournis: Your influences? -Dimos: I mostly get influenced by movies and music, not specific people, just feelings that other forms of art and everyday life give us. Of course I admire many artists/ painters from different art movements but I try to develop my own style which comes from rather experiences than people. Education
-Gournis: Skills do you wish you had been taught earlier in your career? -Dimos: I wish I had the opportunity to have been involved with digital media earlier (I had not an e-mail account until 2008). Also, I wish I knew how to promote my illustrations and make a living from, earlier. Life
-Gournis: Tell us your best story from the field. -Dimos: As a Star Wars fan, waiting for the new movie, I was excited to illustrate about it. So I designed a series of my favourite Siths (I support the Dark Side) as a fan art project . Vassia and Ilias support the Jedi’s and they wanted me to design a Jedi as well. I told them that only if it was for a client I would drew something for the Light Side, so Vassia managed to bring a special christmas project for a client of ours with the most strict deadline ever so far, and so I illustrated “Yoda” in 16 hours. -Usually takes me about 40 hours to finish a single illustration with the style I’m experimenting lately- Career
-Gournis: We know you as creator, designer, and also sell you art through here. What is the most delight and the most difficult part? -Dimos: The most delightful part is that I do what I love and make a living from it. The most difficult part is trying to find new ways to promote my work. Internet helps a lot but it’s developing so fast that I always have to adjust to something new. Professional life
-Gournis: What do you wish all clients knew? -Dimos:I wish all clients knew that it takes time to do research on a project and it takes time to illustrate.
Also, trust is a big deal, but I know it also takes time to make someone completely trust you.
Location: Salamina Island-Greece. Education: Public Institute of Graphic Design.
What is art?
– Who can tell? I think its hard for artists to express themselves in words. For me art is a visual statement that represents my perspective of the world. It’s feelings….and it’s everywere. It’s a universal language. -What styles are you most drawn to and why?
– As a graphic design I create to communicate – I am visual-thinking problem solver. When I don’t design for clients I usually pick up dark art styles. I always believed that the villain character of a story is always the underprivileged one. “Freaks” are fabulously unique and awesome.
– What is the most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received?
If you are not in love with it…If you are not breathing for it and you are not be able to see whats there and not what your eyes see…then just quit and get a “real job”.
– Personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work?
I would say my passion. I barely sleep because of work and Im always tired.
– Tell us your best story from the field.
Ι designed a memorial poster of a friend of mine that murdered and a great musician inspired of it and wrote a song. That was the best reward not only for mebut also for the memory of my friend.
-Words of wisdom that you like to share with us?
We were born to be real…not perfect. Imperfection is beauty.
– Do you have ‘something’ for those times where you brain run out of ideas and you need to create a design?
Listening to music and watching short animation movies.
-What do you wish all clients knew?
That they should trust the designers.They know what they’re doing.
Great tattoo artist and illustrator? Yes!!!
And that’s how i decided to have a few words with tattoo artist: Anthi Paraskevaidou.
ART
– What is art?
Art is the greatest form of expression , conveying forms from sadness through to euphoria .
Art is everywhere , if you look for it you will find it . Making art is incredibly therapeutic and although mainly unintentional , most art could be interpreted as being autobiographical .
*Art does not reproduce the visible rather it makes visible by Paul Klee
– Whats your influences?
I am not easily influenced by anything or anyone but what makes me ”tick” is enough to start creating something.
So , my influences mainly are from people who inspire me . This can be a painter , a tattoo artist , a person i admire , musicians , movies , characters , models , personalities with strong character etc.
– Any project you wish to have been involved?
I would like in the future to be involved in tattoo conventions around the world . Just for the experience meeting interesting people , artists , getting new ideas and inspirations from around the world . It would be nice…
– What is your favorite subject matter to tattoo?
I can’t tell you at least yet what is my favorite subject to tattoo , surely i know what is not but if we talk about drawing my favorite subject is definitely portraits . Mostly characters that have been worn . That’s what expresses myself more . I am not the happiest person on earth anyway…
EDUCATION
– Skills do you wish you had been taught earlier in your career?
I love skills , whatever they are , so , all kind of skills would be welcome
– Skills that you believe is most important for a tattoo artist?
PERCEPTION
– What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work?
I would say my perfectionist , something it’s not always needed cos it doesn’t even exist .
LIFE
– Why its important to you, to be in this field?
Anything that helps you express your REAL self fearlessness is important. Tattooing is one of these things to me .
– Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us?
I have a lot .. way too many to remember but something that comes to my mind first is ‘never love anybody who treats you like you are ordinary’ by Oscar Wilde
CAREER
– Choosing a career as tattoo artist was an easy decision?. How you decided it, and how did you pursuing it? Choosing a career as a tattoo artist was an easy decision as i didn’t exactly decide it . I originally wanted to be a piercer but the guy who was training me suggested that I start tattooing first and then do piercing later (something i never actually learned in the end) . Although I have been drawing from as early as I can remember , until that point I’d never considered tattooing as a career . So that’s how it started . Pursuing it was the hardest part ! it’s not easy to be trusted when you start a job like this and it’s very hard to find someone to believe in you! I came close to giving up many times , but you have to keep believing in yourself , knock on as many doors as you can and chase any opportunity you can find .
– Do you have ‘something’ for those times where you brain run out of ideas and you need to create a design?
Times like this i dig deep to find out inspiration through things and people who inspire me most but sometimes an instagram scroll down is enough !
– What is the most delight and the most difficult part as a professional tattoo artist?
I am not sure there are delight parts about tattooing.It takes a lot responsibility . Of course we all have our ”good” and ”bad” days ! Difficult parts exist on the whole duration process of a tattoo . From catching the suitable idea for the specific person till you implement it correctly on his unique skin type .
– Your most beloved design and your best-selling design. It was the same.
That would be ideal for a tattoo artist ! Unfortunately is something that happens very rarely ! People are so easily enthralled by current fashions and styles but they don’t always think that’s something permanent on their body.
CLIENTS
– Describe your perfect tattoo client.
A ”perfect” client for me is someone who gives me full artistic license to do whatever i want on their skin .
– What do you wish all clients knew?
Healing instructions !
About two years ago i saw in vcdc, The Extraordinary Story Of Hedgehog The Hugger. An illustrated poem by Konstantina Louka (a.k.a. Nantia) , utilising a coffee watercolour technique, it is the first part of a trilogy inspired by human nature. Two years have been passed since i met that little brown hedgehog but is never too late for a good talk and coffee.
So here is a few words about a poem that became an illustraed book, the piracy of a font, life, art and everything.
Art
– What is art?
– I can’t provide a definition for art, I think the word has lost it’s meaning.The word “art” has been misused as no other word has. Art to me is expressing ideas or feeling in any shape or form, regardless of whether the original message can be fully communicated. This is also it’s distinction from design, which much communicate a message, fully and clearly.
– What you will recall as your influences?
– I’m not sure I have specific influences. Of course, growing up in a picturesque place like Ioannina, images of it’s lake and environment will be a part of you. I may have also been influenced by my childhood memories of my father doing lettering and painting.
– Any project you wish to have been involved?
– Any project that I happen to see makes me wonder how I would do it if I was to implement it.
Education
– What is the most important lesson in your education and why.
– I’ve associated the word “education” with a freehand drawing class. I believe that anyone involved in art and design must absolutely take drawing lessons. Drawing requires observation of your surroundings, which opens your mind to new paths.
– What skills do you wish you had been taught earlier in your career?
– Skills are acquired by investing time and energy into practice and experiences. Learning is a process that you need to go through, there are no shortcuts.
– What is the most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received?
– Not spending my time in useless occupations (like social media) and instead doing something creative.
– What is the skill that you believe is most important for an Illustrator?
– Figuring out a way to instil in the final output of every illustration, your own signature, leaving a small piece of your personality. Allowing the viewer to see something of you in each illustration.
– What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work?
– For many reasons, the fact that my vision is quite nearsighted, always created obstacles in my education and work. Perhaps because of this weakness, since my default was not be able to see clearly, I developed a sense of curiosity for my surroundings and how I could output it on paper through an illustration.
Life
– Why its important to you, to be in this field?
– The important thing to me is not exist in this field, but to be able to express myself.
– Tell us your best story from the field.
– A few years ago, after a long day at the office, I stumbled upon some online illustration contests. I participated in all of them without much though. On one of them I actually won the grand prize of $100 (!) and the rest I forgot about it. Only after several years, I found through a Google search that in one of the contests I had not won but I was awarded a special mention. Without reading the specifications, I had submitted a traditional media proposal for a digital illustration contest…
– Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us?
– Always read the specifications thoroughly.
Career
– Choosing a career as Illustrator was an easy decision?. How you decided it, and how did you pursuing it?
– I’m not a person who waits from others to give her a chance, I try to create my own luck. It wasn’t that I took a specific decision to become an illustrator. Life happened and I found my way of expression.
– Do you have ‘something’ for those times where you brain run out of ideas and deadlines is running?
– Each designer after some time and experience finds “small tricks” to come up with ideas. For example, for my Inktober project I decided to have a common theme of drawing hands, since this is something I have experience with. This way I wasn’t starting every day from scratch since I already had my general theme.
– Can you describe what your biggest challenge in a project?
– When starting a personal project, it is difficult to put limits and schedule your work. Ourself is usually the worst type of client.
– What is the most delight and the most difficult part as a professional designer?
– It’s always great to be trusted by happy customers who come back again and again, and even bring in new customers. On the other hand, the financial aspect of the profession is the most difficult one, especially in Greece and even more outside Athens.
– Your most beloved work and your best-selling work. Am very sure it’s not the same. Am i wright? How you feel about that?
– Of course they are not the same, although sometimes a commercially successful project is also loved one and it’s quite satisfying. My most beloved work is a poem I wrote and illustrated, it’s main theme is the hedgehog’s dilemma.
A best-selling project, with lettering I really like is my “Limited edition” t-shirt
– Also you design fonts, who you feel when saw your work on pirate sites? Does piracy, affects your creativity or your job?
– It’s wasn’t something unexpected, although I didn’t think it would happen so fast and to such extend. I had to file hundreds of DMCA reports. The plethora and efficiency of these groups, making money out of advertising on pirated products, is terrifying. The worst part is that it is designers that feed these groups. Once as users, by downloading pirated fonts with an actual cost of as little as $10. And then by inadvertently providing them with our free fonts, which we distribute in an attempt for self-promotion.
That said, I’m not in the position to tell younger designers not to offer free self-promotional fonts, but they should be aware that these end up on pirate sites, which profit from their labour. Honestly, I’m not sure if the exposure they receive in most cases is worth their trouble.
On a more practical note, in terms of fighting piracy, the Copyright infringement Facebook report feature is an exceptional tool that should be used along with Google’s DMCA form to deal with these illegal actions on a first level. The problem is that these reports take time, tire you emotionally and distract you from the creative process.
There are a lot of artists who have decided to simple ignore the entire thing and focus on their creations and the clients who respect their work.
Like most designers, I’ve had to deal with various forms of mishandling and theft of my work. I’ve seen my illustrations badly copied being passed on as someone else’s work, use of my work without permission or credit or even other designers misuse and distort logos I had designed for past clients. Such issues and practices can have not only a financial but also a psychological effect. Still, I try to find ways to reward people who prefer the legal use of creative work and they seem to appreciate it!
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Nado Konstantina Louka interview by:
Panagiotis Gournis. Web Site & Eshop Development
=================================== https://gournis.gr
First time i saw Rob Snow was five years ago in http://www.vcdc.gr design forum, and when i think to start interview, i want to start with him. So, here is his interview and asome great pictures:
Comical illustration of a rat crazed with life and running from the shthouse, as a parody of the famous urban expression.
About you
Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Primary media: Graphite/Digital
Education: Masters Degree in Media Production, BA in Media Design (Animation)
Major projects:
Nissos Beer Labels, Ritzenhoff Design, New Scientist Magazine, The Untapped Source
Animal Behaviour Series (personal project)
Art
– What is art?
Wow! That’s a pretty open question, and for someone who studies semantics I can answer it a little deeper maybe. Art was the very first form of communication. Cave paintings scribed on the wall were used to communicate many different forms of needs. Ritual, directional, and so forth. These eventually turned to ideograms and later alphabet, but we were accustom to images first. This has always remained in our genes. You see it with young children (before they go to school). Able to draw, without guidance. So, art is a form of communication, that holds many a strong semantic value. It is about passion and also personal resonance of an idea, form or message.
Modern art has however transposed this into a weaker form of it’s original meaning and strength, but nevertheless it is still a strong communication form, and the oldest.
– Whats your influences?
I have influences for my themes, but as far as people who influence my work, I try to avoid emulating people I admire. There is no real point to try and reach a peak that you love in someone else’s work. You need to find your own path and become as good as you can at it. As far as themes go. I adore animals, so I like the idea of incorporating these into my art as much as possible. If not only for enjoyment but to bring that message in that I mentioned. I also, not a big fan of the political system, so if possible I like taking digs at that, and my new series does; Suited.
– Any project you wish to have been involved?
Wow! There are a great deal of projects I admire. If again I feel that I missed out on something, it would demoralise me, so I don’t regret many things. I am happy in my own creative path. The only thing I do look back on is that I was at Newcastle Polytechnic until 1989, and was in the exact same building as Jonathan Ives! Now that would have been a good plan to stay friends with him.
Education
– What is the most important lesson in your education and why, (for example: the third law of newton, because …).
Well, I guess, and a lot of scientific research goes into this now, I think being an artist, the most important lesson or rule is the chaos theory. Chaos has an unpredictable order that will make the path of your creativity move in such a way that can be fulfilling, passionate and spontaneous.
– What skills do you wish you had been taught earlier in your career?
Again, this is throwing back to regrets again, but I guess computer graphics and 3d modelling, but I am an old dog, so computers were not around at the age I needed them to be good at that. Thank god for pencil!
– What is the most valuable piece of artistic advice you have ever received?
My brain is a little thin with remembering things, but advise is two sided. You tend to take good advise negatively, and bad advise to heart. I guess that the advise that positive for me in my learning days was the hard path of taking criticism. Many young people don’t understand this anymore. You say something as an experienced professional, to help them, and they ignore you. Thinking they are better. Or they get sensitive. The best plan is develop what I call a ‘rhino’ skin mentality and actually listen to what experts are telling you. That is why they are experts, because they learnt something along the way.
– what is the skills that you believe is most important for illustrator?
Observation.
– What personal weakness has caused you the greatest difficulty in education or at work?
I remember once that I was told always take your weaknesses and make them into positives. I can be stubborn, so I try to convert that into persistence. Working on something until I get it right! That is a key factor in my work. Much of which has been very detailed over the years. So getting it right has been a challenge.
Life
– Why its important to you, to be an illustrator?
Well, what else would I do? Seriously, I am driven by the desire to create. It’s hard to explain, but I spend hours looking for ideas, developing them, sketching, finding techniques, etc. My entire life is centred around being creative. I would be lost without it.
– Tell us your best story from the field.
Hum! If it’s about actually projects and anecdotes then there are not many, but a story that can give some advise to the readers is this one a friend told me. Someone asked for an illustration, they wanted a picture of a dog done by hand. The artists stated it would cost X. The commissioner was a little taken aback by the price, and tried to barter. The artist thought and said to the commissioner, “Tell you what. I will do the artwork for free!” The commissioner looked really happy and excited by this. The artist added, “However, you will need to pay me for my time.” At that point the commissioner realised he was getting a good deal for the price he originally quoted. Lesson: Don’t sell yourself short and basically stick to your guns as far as who you think you are and what you are worth. If you make images for $10 to get $10, people will know you as the artist who does images for $10. Don’t do work unless people pay $1,000 and people will respect you and you will be known to do good work.
– Any words of wisdom that you like to share with us?
If I was wise I wouldn’t be an artist! :-) Anyway, what I can mention to you is that the process to create is a path. You cannot stand at the start of this path, hoping to leap to the end in one step. Learning the path is as much a part of the process as the images that you create. Many ask instantly how can they paint like this, I simply tell them it took twenty years to get to this point. In that process it is important not to give up. More people give up through failure than understanding that the learning is understanding the importance of the failure. It is a lesson that is better learnt that succeeding straight the way.
Career
– Choosing a career in illustration, its not a easy decision. How you decided it, and how did you pursuing it?
I have to disagree. It was a little similar to my rescue dog. She chose me! Illustration chose me. People ask me what I would do if I didn’t do art, I pause as I don’t think I could do anything else. I have been drawing from the age of six, so it has been in my blood a long time. Seeing lines on paper is a good drug for me. It keeps me high.
– Independent illustrator is a challenge. Any advice to those that thinking to producing their own art?
Follow what you like. Many fall into the trap of looking at what is trendy and copying/emulating the style thinking they will become recognised as well. Doesn’t work like that. Firstly, plagiarism is strife in the industry and second, you won’t have the passion for doing art if it’s not from your soul.
– What’s the most challenging about being an illustrator?
May sound a little prevention, but nothing about the actual art is challenging. Sometimes, I get stuck with shapes and perspective, but mainly it all comes together well. I guess if I had to say, then the costs involved and trying to convince people that the hours worked on a piece is what they are really paying for.
– Do you have ‘something’ for those times where you brain run out of ideas and deadlines is ruining ?
I teach Lateral Thinking at college, so I luckily never run out of ideas. I say to my students that ideas are like invisible butterflies floating around the air. You can simply grab them and make the creativity flow from their magic. We all dream. Many times I hear people saying I had a weird dream, but later say they are stuck on ideas to draw. Hell, what are dreams if not ideas!!!
– Can you describe what your biggest challenge in a project?
The client! I feel that the artwork that I do for myself is far better than client work. The modern age has tended to make people all feel they know something about design. NOT everyone does. But nevertheless they put their two pennies worth in and that tends to be enough to ruin the image. The clients that let me get on and trust me, tend to get excellent work. The ones who are over my shoulder all the time, get a result from a job, not a piece of art with passion.
Am very impressed by this film. Perhpas more than anyting else in 2015. Is a 2D hand drawn animated short film, with a wonderfull music, that deals with loss in a magical way. The film is entirely narrated by the music from a wooden flute, it will feel as one big musical ritual.
Way of Giants – The Story
The story follows Oquirá, a nine year old indigenous amazonian girl as she tries to change her inevitable destiny. In her journey she must learn to accept the cycle of life, and the difficulties that come with it.
Film is takes place in a forest of gigantic trees, where a tribe of natives live. They depend solely on nature, and specifically on these trees to survive.
One of the many things that they build from wood are the flutes that the tribe uses in their rituals. The children must learn how to carve these musical instruments out of branches from the trees. These are handed to the older members of the tribe to be used in the rituals.
A film by Sinlogo Animation
produced, written and directed by ALOIS DI LEO
lead animation and character design TIAGO ROVIDA
animation HENRIQUE LOBATO
cgi and background artist GABRIELA GOMES
animation assistants APOLO LONGHI, FLÁVIA GODOY, MARIANA YOVANOVICH
music TITO LA ROSA
executive producer LIA NUNES
sound design, foley and mix CONFRARIA DE SONS & CHARUTOS FERNANDO HENNA, DANIEL TURINi
editing and post production ALOIS DI LEO
art direction ALOIS DI LEO, TIAGO ROVIDA, HENRIQUE LOBATO
Animation Creatives 