The Next Big Interview: Kiddo428Story is the most important thing I care about. Lighting, composition, color, characters, all work for my story."– kiddo428 In launching The Next Big Interview series, a talk with Kiddo428 feels appropriate on many levels, and not without a dash of the fortuitous thrown in for good measure. KD was featured in the inaugural edition of The Next Big Thing , a journal that exists to bring recognition to the extraordinary talents and dedicated professionals DeviantArt houses within its profuse member ranks, but who often go unnoticed or undervalued for months and years in the community. With his inimitable style and undeniable skill, ...
The Next Big Interview: ProjectOsxar I never render everything fully out in an attempt to make the viewers fill out the gaps themselves, and as a result making them more engaged in my work."– ProjectOsxarFull disclosure: I'm prone, highly prone, to gushing about ProjectOsxar's art. In my defence, consider the paintings themselves, done in an impressionist style that entices the viewer into the scene, and suggest their mysteries in a seductive array of potent colours and loose forms. Oscar's work spikes an avid wanderlust, exploring the boundaries between a mystical past and a cryptic future to create images that feel distinctly of the here and now in their artistic value...
The Next Big Interview: ElolaIllustrator ... I prefer not to tell my whole interpretations; they are surreal pieces so everyone will have their interpretation of the pieces, and I think those are just as valid as mine."– ElolaIllustrator "To die, to sleep-- To sleep--perchance to dream: ay, there's the rub, For in that sleep of death what dreams may come When we have shuffled off this mortal coil, Must give us pause.” It’s a pity that Shakespeare’s Hamlet never saw Alfonso Elola’s work, for he may have found an answer to his existential quandary in the above excerpt. With its surreal style and skeletal imagery, Alfonso’s art seems to envisage the very dream tha...
The Next Big Interview: Ohmybug ... I find it really inspirational when an artist enjoys his/her art. Sometimes maybe the quality isn't the best, but its execution, its message, is much stronger."– ohmybugI like to think of ohmybug's art as akin to the dizzying pleasure experienced on an endless merry-go-round, as flashes of the amusement park animate our eyes, and before we know it the world becomes a fantastical space where anything is possible. Such are the sensations afforded by the colourful circus that defines Aliz's style, where she takes us into whimsical wonderlands to awaken the sleeping child within us, and embolden us to engage with the monsters we thou...
The Next Big Interview: Cirrusmin0r I like to draw silent pain, a cry without a sound, sincere misunderstanding, and brutality at the time of its fulfillment. What I paint is distorted and direct expressions of love. And a little bit of mystery."– cirrusmin0rOne suspects that an artist capable of producing such phantasmagoric imagery might provide for quite the thought-provoking interview, but Cirrus Minor exceeded my expectations to reach new depths of profundity in the revelations about her artistic content and practice. Creating art that explores surreal tensions between the torturous and rapturous permutations of life, Cirrus' keen interrogation into human nature ...
The Next Big Interview: Sketchshido Everyone has dream projects or dream companies, and it is extremely important to have those. Many of my career decisions were decided based on them. However, I’ve also learned to place personal growth and happiness in priority. There is a level of craftsmanship and creativity I want to achieve with my work, and it can be done with or without my dream company."– SketchshidoAs indicated by his statements throughout the interview, :devSketchshido: perfectly outlines how to achieve amazing milestones in one's career while still remaining true to personal goals that emphasise committed application and perseverance. A risk-taker from his ea...
The Next Big Interview: Jeremy Paillotin The biggest quality I admire is the ability to have a unique style. There are so many trends and gimmicks in this industry—and I’m guilty of a lot of these—but sometimes you stumble upon artists that are so unique and true to their own personal vision, and for me that is the biggest quality I could think of."– Jeremy PaillotinIf you find yourself fighting the urge to step into one of Jeremy Paillotin's evocative landscapes, be assured that you're not alone. The French artist has married natural ability and dedicated study to culminate in considerable admiration from his peers and esteemed artists in the field of concept art, a...
The Next Big Interview: Datem If you keep doing something, you have a chance to be successful. If you stop, you lose even that chance."– DatemThere's an enthralling cinematic quality to Datem's paintings that fully immerses the viewer in dystopian worlds and forlorn environments, prompting a keen awareness of what great art can make us experience and imagine. A subtle master of mood, Rostislav began his career in an almost inadvertent manner — a fact that makes his progress in such a short span of time all the more inspiring. As a personal fan of his work, it was a true pleasure to conduct this interview and make a small contribution to lifting the veil betwe...
The Next Big Interview: LieSetiawanStorytelling is everything for me now. I used to make comics and loved it, and as I grew older I got trapped into just wanting to make cool art. But I’m getting back to it realizing how much more fun it is to put storytelling first in every piece."– Lie SetiawanImmaculate rendering and imaginative depth continue to be evidenced whenever :devLieSetiawan: uploads a new piece. These were the qualities that first brought his art to my attention and have kept it there ever since with increasing excitement for the skills he possesses. The remarkably thoughtful and refined steps that distinguish Lie’s creative process are reflected in the ...
The Next Big Interview: ArtofryanyeeI remember getting a bookmark when I was in 4th grade of a Hubble space photo of a nebula and remember looking at it so intensely and getting lost in the image. It was a moment of limitless power. I am not sure if I capture that, but it’s something that I try to recreate in my work."– Ryan YeeThere is light and then there is light. If you've been privy to the paintings of Ryan Yee , you know the magnificent distinction that he achieves in his artworks, capturing a divine radiance which is complemented by the soft colors and coarse strokes that epitomise this lustrous style. In everything from warrior angels and dark mages to terrify...
The Next Big Interview: Jan-Wes I really love art that tells a story and art that can evoke an emotion in the viewer. I also love it when lighting and color are really striking and pull you into a world. And when all of these get mixed together with fantastic understanding of form and drawing skills, I won't be able to stop looking at it..."– Jan-Wes Based on his observations in the above excerpt, :devJan-Wes: might as well have been describing the very reasons why viewers find his art so visually stimulating and engaging. A concept artist and illustrator from Germany, Jan's considerable creativity is highlighted in his personal world-building project, exploring a s...
The Next Big Interview: LivingInfinite... I’m consciously always trying to do something that I’m not sure I can pull off. I want to pick angles, poses or a subject matter where I’m going to screw up, give up, have to do some research, and hopefully come back and make it work. It’s slow, it’s frustrating, and it doesn’t always work out, but I think that’s how you learn."– LivingInfiniteWe all know the popular saying that voices the oft-recurring disparity between what we say and do, between what we claim is important to us and the actions we take in service to those goals: You can talk the talk, but can you can walk the walk? In reconnecting to his enduring pas...
The Next Big Interview: Draken4oThe community that has formed around the digital arts in the entertainment industry is amazing. Everyone is positive, full of motivation to succeed and super helpful. The professionals inspire us with their story and success, and most of all their amazing art. And people like me and even younger artists pushing themselves to become better, makes everyone else do the same. That’s what I admire the most and that’s why I love my work."– Draken4oFrom providing a detailed breakdown of his creative process, to his thoughts on talent and motivation, it is no overstatement to say that :devdraken4o: possesses an incredible amount of valuable ...
The Next Big Interview: Gilles BeloeilI think the best advice is to try to keep the student spirit, even if you are a professional. You should always search for new information. Anybody can teach you something. Sometimes, I watch my 5-year-old son when he draws. I am just amazed how fearless he draws and paints; he does some amazing random patterns that I think are very difficult to produce when you are a grown-up. Your mind just wants to organize everything to make it look good, and the result is often that all your paintings look the same."– Gilles BeloeilIf you're a fan of the imagery and moods of the legendary Assassin's Creed, you can thank artists like Gilles Beloei...
The Next Big Interview: KimonasI remember showing my work to Wesley Burt for critique. I asked him how I could improve. Instead of a long-winded answer he just said 'Draw more'. So I did.- Kimonas:devkimonas: admits to a love of high fantasy, and it's evident in his portfolio where leaping elves, soaring angels, and fighting dwarfs all co-exist in a distinctive style that reflects a firm grounding in the fundamentals of art. It's this adherence to craft that has elevated his work in a relatively short space of time: distinguished by realistic textures, precise detailing, and anatomical correctness. A self-taught artist, Kimonas balances rigorous practice with a genial a...
The Next Big Interview: ApollinArtI think the best piece of advice I could give is to not be too enamoured with your art. It might sound a bit weird but sometimes it helps to detach yourself from a particular piece, so that you can really hear criticism and implement it when working for a client, or simply to allow yourself to have a fresh pair of eyes on your work after you take a break.- ApollinArtCombining great drawing skills with a keen eye for colour, :devapollinart: is able to produce art that teems with magic and mystery, drawing us inside vivid fantasy worlds. What follows are scenes that sparkle with delightful moods and engaging characters, reflecting the artist...