FEATURED MEMBER - NOVEMBER 2006
This month's featured member is ~Fenrizulf!

Real Name: Fatih

Age: 28

Location: Turkey

Story behind your DA username: Fenrizulf is actually known in Norse mythology as Fenrir or Fenrisulfr. Fenris is a monstrous wolf who devour the moon and sun and god Odin in norse mythology. I'm interested in all mythology as you can see. Lol!! Besides, I'm a fan of Norwegian black metal band Darkthrone, Fenriz is drummer of this band. Fenriz is his stage name. So, I combine this one for DA username....Fenrizulf!!!!

Why do you create art?: because it's great part of my life...I feel to purify myself when I create art. Art is a different dimension, a different world for me.

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Everything. Music, lyrics, cinema, women, events, mythologies.... everything is feed my imagination.

How long have you been an artist?: since my childhood.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: for now it's only my fun/hobby but I would love to career in art.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in (poetry, photography, do you play an instrument, make crafts? etc): digital arts, traditional draw and poetry.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):


Dance Macabre


Jack the Ripper


Crescendo Nocturne

Why are these your favorites?: because, each of them is a forward step in my digital art creation. I love them.

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art (Can be on DA, or elsewhere on the internet):


Necronocturne Ritual by ~al-lain

(he is my little brother...He is very talented artist, he just need much more recognize. His arts always impressed me. )


Deus Absconditus by ~angel1592


Self destruction by `FallenRox

Why are these your favorites: because devil hidden in details

What do you use to create your art (example, what program do you use, do you use mixture of several programs, etc): only use Adobe photoshop CS 2 for my digital art.

Music that you listen to while creating art (If you do listen to music while making art, stuff that inspires you): Metal (gothic, black, doom, symphonic...)

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


Deus Absconditus by ~angel1592

Anything else you'd like to say to the group: Thank you so much for abstractsilence's staff, members and who support me and my art.


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FEATURED MEMBER - OCTOBER 2006
This month's featured member is ~Black-Red-Escape!

Real Name: Eddie

Age: 22

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa

Story behind your DA username: Black was the colour of my mind, Red is the colour of my joys and Escape was the word I have used too many times, alone.
Yes, it sounds all Emo and all, but it is a constant reminder of the progression in my life that has... turning into something almost like my ideal dreams.

Why do you create art?: I create art because I'm always trying to innovate new ideas, and ideas can't be be put down properly if the technical skills dont get exercised. So I guess, its mix of passion, of innovating and of continued practice to do better!

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Photography, imaginative novels, depressing days, storming days and when under-pressure to finish college projects... somehow ideas for art come to me then the most!

How long have you been an artist?: I started drawing stylised stone bridges when I was four.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: Art will now always be part of my life, and career(s) to come. I study Branding Communications which is like multimedia meets marketing meets advertising. I'll always have to be inventive in terms of art, to be innovative, dynamic and fresh.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in (poetry, photography, do you play an instrument, make crafts? etc): I do a bit of experimental photography with friends when we have time, I can craft in terms architectural representation. I can build mini-models of mass-scale and small scale housing and terrain.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):


Timeless Love


Another Life


Searching For Love

Why are these your favorites?: Well, Timeless Love is a piece I'm proud of, because I used bits of my own heritage and tried to meld it with a western representative style. Its something I've not done before, and I really enjoyed the result and feedback/critiques I got on it initially.
Another Life was an experimental on loose, perspective linework. I just really enjoyed the result of it, and also because it reminds me of my favorite mountain ridge that ovelooks my city - which coincidently is the biggest man-made forrested city in the southern hemisphere!
The last Searching for love was a special piece, it suppose to be just a feel-okay deviation, it represents to me that 'love' sometimes can be like waiting at a bus stop- You sometimes get off, sometimes you get back on! But most importantly, the 'bus' moves on, and one also has to move on...

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art (Can be on DA, or elsewhere on the internet):

:thumb15326496:
ballerina by ~TOYIB


Talking with god. by ~i-04


Abortion by ~Amelee

Why are these your favorites:
Well, the first one 'Ballerina' is one of my most treasured images. I has influenced a whole lot of my work. In pursuit of what emotion and feeling it creates with me, and it reflects in all my light-hearted deviations (hopefully) invoking that same type of feel of 'freedom'.
'Talking with God' was the image that got me thinking about using more obscure and strange angles in my deviations. I have not applied that theory much to my designs lately, but I have done so in the past under its influences, and I continue to do so in my spare-time photography that I take.
The 'Abortion' piece is just amazing, it takes a hard topic and portrays it with so much fierceness and at the same time simplicity. It would be great for an anti-abortion ad campaign.

What do you use to create your art (example, what program do you use, do you use mixture of several programs, etc): I predominantly use Photoshop CS2. However, I'm now experimenting with mixing it with Illustrator + Freehand.

Music that you listen to while creating art (If you do listen to music while making art, stuff that inspires you): It really depends on what I'm creating at the time- the theme of the deviation (light or dark) usually makes up the decision of the playlist (soft or heavy). Usually its music like Cafe del Mar, Hotel Costes, Buddha Bar, Soul Candi .etc which are all very similar.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


holiest of alters by `tragicmistress

Anything else you'd like to say to the group:
A single message, whether it's a statement, opinion, praise, critique or denounciation can have profound effects on the reciever, always remember that not everyone is adults, nor are some adults well-mannered; not every adult is responsible, nor is every child happy-clappy; not all men are men, nor some ladies as brittle as they say...
You are the power in which you make or break someone's day.
You are what you believe; you are what you say; you are what you act; and you are, what you type.


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FEATURED MEMBER - SEPTEMBER 2006
This month's featured member is ~SolidAhmed!

Real Name: Ahmed alromeadheen

Age: 23

Location: I am from Kuwait, i just moved to the USA and I am not sure how long I will be here (student)

Story behind your DA username: Solid as for being felt so vivid I guess. although solid stuff is not necessary means that is is vivid, but this is how our mind put even if it was wrong.

Why do you create art?: coz I am human

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: God, which is everything. the universe, space, earth, places, human, souls, everything.

How long have you been an artist?: I start at the new year of 2005. but I just did 3 pieces or something, but I really start last summer. which is 2005, a cool story is I went once to an art class and the teacher told me I can never be an artist.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: Mix of everything, but mostly to expresss.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in (poetry, photography, do you play an instrument, make crafts? etc): I would like to try photography, and I want to do astrophotography soon. anything else, maybe I want to try craft. I wish I can do poetry. I do Kung fu and sword play. that's actually what I used to be really good at. I think it is an art too.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):


Serenity


Imaginations From TheOtherSide


Sailing to the Moon

Why are these your favorites?: well to be honest I don't have a fav yet coz I still feel like I didn't do something good yet. but I love them a lot so is my other work even if it was unskillful. I love the golden rose coz it was a special gift to someone. I love the my featured one coz it is my 1st attempt to paint the world I want in my head. Hopefully the new one well be much better(which it might finish by the end of the year). the 3rd one coz it is dreamy. although I love a lot more .

What do you use to create your art (example, what program do you use, do you use mixture of several programs, etc): just one program. Painter. I don't mix but use the browser a lot. looking at other people arts or pictures(not only in DA) and what's going on around the world.

Music that you listen to while creating art (If you do listen to music while making art, stuff that inspires you): Almost everything. Check my front page and you will find out in the the ID

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


bermuda taowls by ~GunnerRomantic

Anything else you'd like to say to the group: be good and don't hurt anyone. remember it is painful.

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FEATURED MEMBER - AUGUST 2006
This month's featured member is ~Condanna!

Real Name: Dasha Kozerchuk

Age: 17

Location: Moscow, Russia

Story behind your DA username: This is one of my old nicknames which means 'sentence / verdict' in Itallian. I don't even remeber if I heard this word somewhere or just found in the dictionary but I like its sounding.

Why do you create art?: Now - just for pleasure, to express myself.
What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Feelings, music, my dearest people.

How long have you been an artist?: Oh.. From early childhood I used to draw :] I'm an artist since then ;]

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: The second.. in my dreams.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in (poetry, photography, do you play an instrument, make crafts? etc): Poetry [sometimes translating foreign into Russian], photography [is my secret fetish], photomanipulating [helps me to express smth that I cannot show in photography], etc.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):


Street Life: no 2

Dead Butterflies' Scream

F l o w e r s

Why are these your favorites?: I don't know. I just like them most of all.

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art (Can be on DA, or elsewhere on the internet):


Precaution

City zebra

Aromatic Love

[It was ve-e-ery hard to chose. It's only a 0.(0)1 part of them.]

Why are these your favorites: They are stylish. Every in its own way.

What do you use to create your art (example, what program do you use, do you use mixture of several programs, etc): Photoshop CS2 and Nikon D50.

Music that you listen to while creating art (If you do listen to music while making art, stuff that inspires you): I'm a music lover so it's really hard to name some exact groups/singers. But most of my works were inspired by Poets of the Fall and Fl¸ur.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


le renard by `annejulie

[I want it for my mom ; She adores foxes.]

Anything else you'd like to say to the group: I'm greatly happy to win the contest and I want to say 'thank you' to everybody who voted for me. I like this community [my 1st one on DA] and wish it well-being :]

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FEATURED MEMBER - JULY 2006
This months featured member is ~Noko!

Real Name: Russell Okon

Age: 44

Location: Chicago, Illinois USA

Story behind your DA username: Its just my last name spelled backwards. I was looking for a name to use for my online gaming and could not come up with any, that’s when my wife came up with the idea of Noko and I thought cool. The only problem with the name is that people think I’m Japanese.

Why do you create art?: I love the feeling I get after I complete a piece of wow I created that, its mine and there’s not another one like it. My work is actually a part of me, my inner self for all to see.

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Many things but the main one is emotion. Since most of my work is dark they are from emotions when I’m stressed or depressed. When I get into those states Id like to just shout out or bark at the moon. Since I don’t want to locked up in some insane asylum I create my art instead.

How long have you been an artist?: hmmmm I’ve been into photography since the age of twelve and been working with computer graphics since 1991 but not till recently have I done artwork. I would say about 2 ½ years.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: Right now it’s a hobby but I would love to do it as a career. Nothing would make me happier than designing CD and DVD covers.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in: Photography is my first and true love. I do all kinds of photography but I want to excel at studio portrait photography. There is nothing more satisfying than capturing someone’s true self in a portrait. I just recently upgraded my studio equipment and now I just have to upgrade my skills .

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):


Pain

Migrane

The Tear

Why are they your favorites?: I put my heart and soul into these manipulations. They were all done with a strong emotional state of mind.

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art by other artist on DA:


Metamorphosis by ~Almacan


Egg Forest by *IrondoomDesign


Orc by ~t-gar

Why are these your favorites?
They are all extremely well done and they are all in sharp focus. I know that may sound weird but I like art that is crystal clear. Metamorphosis is to me the most incredible piece that I have ever seen. Kazuhiko Nakamura doesn’t have many works on DA but the time to do each one is incredible. I love his attention to detail. Orc is done by T-gar the man of a thousand faces and is the king of textures. Finally Egg Forest by Augusto Peixoto is simplicity at its best. I also love the fact that this heavy Metal Artist would create such beautiful art. I wish that I have a fraction of his creativity.

What do you use to create your art: Photoshop CS/CS2, Illustrator and 3D Studio Max. Oh and its not a program but my camera a Canon 20D that I just love.

Music that you listen to while creating art: Pink Floyd and Godsmack.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


Metamorphosis by ~Almacan

Anything Else You'd Like To Say to the Group: Id like to thank Augusto Peixoto from Irondoomdesign for choosing me to be a featured member. I feel very honored to be a part of this group of very talented artist. There are not many groups out there that are run as well as this one so I would also thank all the people who keep Abstract Silence running like a well oiled machine.

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FEATURED MEMBER - MAY 2006
This months featured member is ~Derfel!

Real Name: Marco Giuseppe

Age: Twenty one

Location: Brasília, Brazil. So please, forgive me for the bad English…

Story behind your DA username: Comes from a trilogy I adore. Actually, nothing special... it’s just that I admire so much the story from Bernard Cornwell. And... I don’t know, Derfel is a nice character.

Why do you create art?: Basically I started to manipulate ‘cause I needed to learn, but at the first time I used photoshop I knew I would love to learn how to make interesting works, not only copy a head from a picture and put it on another body… but ok, I admit: this was the way I started. But today… today I do art like a hobby and also for training. I mean, I’m working as an Art Director, so the things I work with are quite similar to what I do here on DA.

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Good question ! Eh, I don’t know… maybe some kind of divine force comes to my head and I become inspired like magic… lol But sometimes – and this is much more common than the divine force – it’s looking for some stocks and resources. This is what usually inspires me.
But of course… there are always that kind of feelings and emotions and blah blah blah that you all know about.

How long have you been an artist?: This is another great question because I don’t know if I could be called like an artist. At least this is not possible when we’re talking about my profession, but let’s imagine it’s all about the works I do like hobby. This kind of works you see in my gallery… so my answer is since I joined DA. It was when I started manipulating.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: Both. I love to create my works because I feel comfortable about it. I think it’s nice, funny, relaxing and whatever else. But at the same time, this is the kind of thing that helps me a lot with my career. I love.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in: Hmm, I love photography but unfortunately this is not what I do better. I also love writing, specially about fantasy themes. Ah, I used to play the guitar too, but music is too hard for me! But, believe, I didn’t quit completely… I may continue training. Besides that, I do photomanipulation and this is the main thing.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made): Here they go, but not in any specific order:


Beyond the Confines

Spread Magic

Spectrum of Light

Why are they your favorites?: Don’t know… maybe ‘cause they’re better executed.

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art by other artist on DA:


Staring Contest by ~tegehel


Under_Red_Tree by `saligia


Leaving Eden by ~letsduarte

Why are these your favorites?
Try to understand how difficult was to choose just three works and imagine how it would be impossible to describe “why”. I think they’re just amazing!

What do you use to create your art: It’s basically Photoshop, the only program I know how to use. I also have some help from my tablet

Music that you listen to while creating art: Unfortunately I don’t listen much to music while working. I’d love to, but I have a terrible coordination for doing more than one thing at the same time But anyway, when I don’t need much concentration in what I’m doing you can find me listening Pop, Rock, J-pop, MPB, whatever…
Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


Her Silent Silhouette by `arcipello

Anything Else You'd Like To Say to the Group: Just that you are great, helping the members to show their works directly to people who share the same interests.
It’s good to be here.

And thanks !

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FEATURED MEMBER - APRIL 2006
This months featured member is *IrondoomDesign!

Real Name: Augusto Carlos Ferreira Peixoto

Age: 35

Location: Porto - Portugal

Story behind your DA username: I'm a metalhead since '86 and the reason for that username is simple... it's a mix of my favourite band IRON MAIDEN and my favourite style of Metal music, DOOM METAL.

Why do you create art?: Simply because I love the feelings that art can demonstrate and for the freedom that I feel in
share what I call "The Art Of Dreams" with all my supports and friends.

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Most of all FEELINGS and DREAMS, and the love for art that I feel! I'm always in a creative's process and sometimes I ask myself how I create so much works and from where the inspiration comes from, and the answer is always the same...FEELINGS!

How long have you been an artist?: Well since I was a little boy that I draw, and when I left the school (I was a art studdent too)
in 1990 that I'm became a graphic designer professionally, so I think that I could think that in all my life I was a artist.

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: For fun/hobby of course, because and unfortunally I could only
dream about to live from my art...It's a dream as my art!
Sometimes I have the pleasure of working with some bands and do the art for the cd-covers, but it is a rare situation, so..

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in: I'd love the various styles of art, and I love to photograph, sometimes I write some lyrics for my music-projects, and yes I am a drummer of a Portuguese metal band
called ~cycles-band

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):

Difficult question, because I love all my works, and in different ways, all represent moments or pieces of me or about my dreams and feelings, but I could try:
- "Cemetery's Keepers" was and still is the work with most visits, considering that I've got one daily deviation
for the work "Hypnotic Stare"with all those comments and but I feel "Cemetery's Keepers" a very powerfull
image with a great atmosphere behind it.
-"Rough Road" is a lovely work with a wonderful sky, and in a Portuguese art site, Olhares, [link] this is one of the most visited works and I am very proud of it, because Olhares is a more photographic's site than digital orientation.
Finally, "Memories" [link] is perhaps my favourite work of all time, because of it simplicity, beautifull and with
a great feeling..


Cemetery's Keepers

Hypnotic Stare

Rough Road

Why are they your favorites?: Like I said before "Memories" is a special and beautiful piece, with so much feelings around it, and as I use to say "the simplicity of the life is the most difficult one of obtain, but also is to more beautiful of see..."

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art by other artist on DA: I've got so many favourite works that it's hard to pick only three. But if I have to chose, these would be:


ILLUSION by ~slaine

c.d. cover "Terria" - Devin Townsend by Travis Smith
c.d. "Alive Again" - NIGHTINGALE by Gyula Havancsák

Why are these your favorites?
I choose them but I could choose others...there are lots of excelent works here at D.A. and generaly too... The reasons behind, are just because the ~slaine work is one of the first and more beautiful that I saw at D.A., second because Gyula Havancsák is my favourite artist and the third because Travis Smith is maybe the prime reason for I became a digital artist. All these works speack for themselves, like all the works of these three GREAT artists...

What do you use to create your art: I only use Adobe Photoshop as a
work's Tool, and the capacities that Photoshop gives to me, help me to create and develope my art. Sometimes a photo that I saw gave me some ideas, but sometimes I had visions in my mind and I try to project them to create a work...

Music that you listen to while creating art: Usually I don't listen music when I work but when I listen some is Metal music of course!
My inspirations are the ideas and some photo or image that I saw but music is good too for inspiration, but in my case is rare that it happens.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


The Crucifixion by ~lobur

Anything Else You'd Like To Say to the Group: First I'd like to thank you and the group for the excellent support and the oportunitty to show my visions. I'd like to give a warm to the beautiful =wolfmorphine for the amazing support and friendship and to all my friends here at D.A. I'd like to show my respect and my gratitude.

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FEATURED MEMBER - MARCH 2006
This months featured member is *Asaenath!

Real Name: Asenath Mason

Age: 28

Location: Poland

Story behind your DA username: There's actually no story to tell: I just wanted to have an ID the same or at least close to my name.

Why do you create art?: I find a lot of creative inspiration in my everyday experiences, and art for me is one of the tools to express all of them. The other one is writing. Besides, I just love to find and portray the beauty of the Dark Side: especially the dark and predatory aspects of female sexuality

What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: My artistic works are inspired by magical practices, dreams, and all kinds of occult experiences - I'm a practitioner of the Left Hand Path magic and I also do a lot of research on such subjects as Necronomicon gnosis and the Cthulhu Mythos, dark witchcraft, the Qlipothic Qabalah, and also some others. All this provides a lot of inspiration for my artwork.

How long have you been an artist?: For many years. I started painting pastel and oil pictures when I was in high school, and for most of my life I've been a traditional artist. A few weeks ago I turned to digital art, and I realize that I've got still much to learn about this kind of creation. That's why I'm very happy that my piece "Nocturnal Transformation" was appreciated here

Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: It's still a hobby, but I'm also thinking about some commercial use of my artwork. I've just opened a store at CafePress where I'll try to sell items with my designs, and I've got a print account here on DA. I love creating art and I'd be happy if I could also find an artistic-related job some day.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in: Now I create my artwork on the computer, and this is what I'm going to focus on in the nearest future. But I'm also planning to continue creating traditional pieces, especially oil paintings. I love photography, but I don't have time for this kind of art now. And as I've mentioned before, I also write a lot: I'm an author of many essays on esoteric, religious, and mythological subjects, a co-author of some books. Right now I'm releasing my first sole book called "The Book of Mephisto", a practical modern grimoire, based on a few years of theoretical and practical studies on Faustian magic

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):
:thumb27070209:
Dagon
:thumb29463879:
Vampire's Moon
:thumb28615120:
Temple of Nyarlathotep

Why are they your favorites?: "Dagon" is my first digital work which encouraged me to take up digital creations. I like "Vampire's Moon" because I've put a lot of work in the technical details and I'm quite proud of the effect. And "Temple of Nyarlathotep" is my absolutely favourite piece right now because it combines all elements which I like most in artistic works: esoterics, darkness, perverse erotics, and is devoted to my favourite figure from the Cthulhu Mythos!

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art by other artist on DA: I've got so many favourite works that it's hard to pick only three. But if I have to chose, these would be:


Mar Oscuro by ~Mparker

CTHULHU by ~necronocimon

The Tutor by ~BlueB0y

Why are these your favorites?
They are related to the occult themes, especially to my favourite ones. Also they are beautiful technically and eye-catching.

What do you use to create your art: For my digital artwork I use Photoshop CS, and I paint all the details myself using brushes and textures, and my own imagination. I don't do photomanipulations. In my traditional artwork I use oil paints and pastels, and for my oil paintings I prefer wood to canvas.

Music that you listen to while creating art: I usually listen to some ambient or ritual music, e.g. Endvra, Raison d'etre, Deutsch Nepal, Hexentanz, etc. But I love a great variety of music genres, and what I listen to at a particular moment also depends on the mood.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


Oceans Wrath by *JasonEngle

Anything else you'd like to say to the group: I'd like to thank everyone who voted for me! And I wish good luck to all of you who will take part in this month's contest. I hope you like the topic I chose for you

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FEATURED MEMBER - FEBRUARY 2006

This months featured member is =wolfmorphine!

Real Name: Shannon Hilson

Age: 29

Location: Manchester, Connecticut

Story behind your DA username: It's actually a little bit silly, but sometimes that's the way to come up with a user name no one else is going to have. "Wolf Morphine" is actually an inside joke between my boyfriend and I. My nickname for him is actually "Wolf".... no "honey"s or "sweetie"s for me, I guess.... so that would make me "Wolf Morphine", something addictive, pleasant, or intoxicating to wolves.

Why do you create art?: I create art first and foremost as a means of personal expression. I am one of those people who always has an idea, or a story to tell, or a beauty to share, but I often find it hard to express those things with simple words. It seems like I never have trouble getting people to understand my meaning when I say what I want to say with art though. It's great if people like what I do enough to buy prints or commission me to do something more personal, but that's not why I do it. Making art quite simply makes me feel happy and fulfilled, and if something I have done touches someone else, then it's that much better!


What sort of things inspire you to create artistic works?: Oh I can be inspired by just about anything! Many of my pieces are based on vivid dreams I have had, while others are nods to things like fairy tales or legends that have touched me in some special way. Still others came to me in flashes of inspiration brought on by something as simple as a line from a novel, or a single scene in a movie. Inspiration is waiting around every corner if you're looking for it.

How long have you been an artist?: I've been creating art in one form or another since I a small child! I can't even remember a time when I wasn't drawing, painting, or writing stories. I suppose I started getting more serious about honing my skills in my teens. I took every art class available to me, and got really into reading about art history and artistic theory for a while, too. That was also around the time I started entering my first art contests, and taking on my first commissions. Digital art is very new to me though. I started doing that over this past summer and have been hooked on it ever since!


Do you do art for fun/hobby or is it something you hope to do as a career?: I guess a bit of both. My primary reason for making art is for fun and for self expression. It's such an integral part of who I am that I honestly couldn't imagine living a life in which I didn't create art in some form. It would be really nice to be able to make a real career of it at some point though. I already have my work available for sale as prints, and I've had a nice crop of commission projects come my way recently as well, so that's a nice start, but I'd love to get into professional illustrating at some point in the future.

What are all the artistic mediums that you take part in: These days, as far as visual art is concerned, I create the bulk of my work digitally on my computer. I don't paint traditionally too much anymore, but I have a strong background in acrylics, watercolors, and oil paints. I also still like to draw detailed pieces in graphite from time to time. In addition to my visual art, I like to write as well... both poetry and prose, some examples of which are in my gallery.... and I play both piano and violin.

Links to 3 of your personal favorite works of art (that you've made):

The Prisoner

Requiem For A Melody

Ma'at

Why are they your favorites?: All of those are examples of works that I am very proud of from a technical, as well as a conceptual, standpoint. They all came out exactly the way I wanted, and I feel I was able to express what I was looking to in all three cases.

Links to 3 of your favorite works of art by other artist on DA: It is really difficult for me to chose just three works, because i love so many! So go take a look at my favorites list if you want to see more ^_~


Silent Prayers by `AquaSixio
:thumb23801826:
Where Time Stands Still by ~Skalabrin

Shadow Within by *dark-spider

Why are these your favorites?
These pieces all stand out to me for similar reasons. They are all very well executed techinically, they all have intriguing stories to tell, and they all have surreal elements to the subject matter. Those are probably the three main things that will really sell me on a piece of artwork.

What do you use to create your art: The bulk of my work is created digitally in Photoshop CS and is a blend of photomanip and digital painting/airbrushing. I rely very heavily on the painting part of that, probably because of my strong background in traditional oils and acrylics, so the stock photos wind up being guides more than anything else in a lot of cases. Sometimes I even paint in some of my elements completely from scratch with no guide at all just using the airbrushing and drawing tools. It just depends on the piece.

Music that you listen to while creating art: When I do listen to music while making art, it's usually something softer with interesting lyrics and creative melodies... Tori Amos, for example. I also tend to have the TV on a lot when I'm making art, usually turned to a movie channel, or an educational station like The Food Network or The History Channel. It helps keep me from concentrating way too hard on what I'm doing.

Link to one print you'd love to own on DA:


The North Star is an Airplane by `AquaSixio

Anything else you'd like to say to the group: First of all, I'd really like to thank everyone who voted for me! I was so thrilled to hear that mine was the winning entry. I would also like to tell everyone how much I enjoy being part of this group. I have discovered so many wonderful artists through this community, and seen so many masterpieces that have been extremely inspiring to me. I'm sure I don't have to tell anyone this, but keep it up!