MacDirectory magazine is the premiere creative lifestyle magazine for Apple enthusiasts featuring interviews, in-depth tech reviews, Apple news, insights, latest Apple patents, apps, market analysis, entertainment and more.
Issue link: https://digital.macdirectory.com/i/1401427
As an artist it really hasn’t affected me much in terms of working conditions primarily because I work out of my home studio, so isolation is something I’m well equipped for and prefer. However, with customers not being available to me at the Disneyland Park, it has presented some challenges and you have to pivot and anticipate where the market is headed. What advice would you give to up-and-coming artists? When it comes to art it’s important to tell a good story and know your audience. Art in your home is a reflection of what YOU the collector is interested in. The most successful artists are the ones that tell stories that people were already telling themselves long before you came along and expressed it visually. I’m more of a collectible commercial artist, so I think about the audience interests more than my own. There are plenty of artists that don’t care what the audience thinks and paint for themselves and that’s fine too. I’ve certainly been criticized by these types of artists as being a “sell out” to commercialism because I offer limited edition prints instead of sticking to “one of a kind” works of art, but I’d prefer being called “a seller” giving people what they want and making it affordable for anyone to collect. Do you have any recommendations for obtaining clients? When it comes to cultivating clients, the best thing to do is to get on social media platforms and show your work. If you’re good, the audience will find you and they will want to share you with their friends. People love time-lapse, they want to see how the cake is made. It’s important to be authentic and be a positive force in the world and avoid getting into political or religious discussions on social media platforms where you show your art because you alienate a large portion of your audience in doing so. People are desperate for an escape from life’s troubles and art serves this purpose well as long as you don’t get in the way of it by using your fan base as a soapbox. Do you use Painter and any other software together? If so, what do you like about that process? I also use Maya in my process because 3D sculpture allows me to play with layout and lighting ideas quickly without wasting valuable time, paint and canvas. I can quickly block out my scenes and move a virtual camera around until I get the right shot. The result is more color, contrast and detail than traditional art techniques. Like Walt, I want to break barriers and experiment with every art tool in the toolbox to get that story told without limits and Corel Painter helps me achieve exactly that. How do you stay motivated and inspired to create? Any time I lose my groove, I go to a museum featuring works of art from painting masters like Rembrandt. These old masters achieved a level of detail and technique that motivates me to grow as an artist. I see these masterpieces and it challenges me to want to get to that level of artisanship. Looking at what other artists are doing is like taking a mental vacation into their world. You come back refreshed and motivated. Traveling and getting out into the world, living life and exploring is what inspires me the most. To learn more about Corel Painter please visit: www.painterartist.com/macdirectory