interview Archives - Every Day Original

Artist Feature: Rebecca Yanovskaya

June 7, 2016 by Odera Igbokwe

I’ve known Rebecca for a number of years now, and it has been nothing short of inspiring to watch her work evolve. She has come from SFF roots, like many here, and has pushed her subject matter and scale to epic proportions. What you may not know is that these incredible works are done in large part with a bic pen. You read that right. Her commitment to her art and her media is something we can all aspire to. So it gives us great pleasure now to reach inside Rebecca’s head and see what makes her tick.

Rebecca is known for her masterful use of ballpoint pen and goldleaf to create moody and atmospheric illustrations. These works harken back to classic epics and mythology while maintaining her own distinct vision. In our conversation with Rebecca she talks to us about process, artistic growth, and personal reflections. It is always such a treat to see what she creates for Every Day Original, and now you can experience some of the words and wisdom behind those creations.

You can view her entire body of work at www.rebeccayanovskaya.com or follow her on instagram.

1. We met at the Illustration Master Class, and I feel like I got to see your artistic evolution personally. There was a point where you really levelled up, figures were getting nailed, an emotional quality was in every piece, and around this time you started working with leaf. Can you tell us what happened?

That evolution was a process with a few steps that I can remember. The first hurdle I remember was taking my health and confidence in hand — I came back to the IMC that year after really jumping into exercise, and that really helped me come to terms with myself and care less what people thought of me. Hand in hand with that came a resolution to stop trying to ‘be’ things I didn’t enjoy. I realized I didn’t want to work with paint, or digital, or watercolour, and that was okay. The second big thing that happened was a mentorship with Pete Mohrbacher that began right after IMC. He worked with me to focus my path in a way I found fulfilling, and also helped me with some technical, mechanical skills I was unsure about. And finally, a very influential trip to the MET cemented to me the type of work I wanted to do (where I became reacquainted with Klimt and his gold leaf). I reconnected with my artistic idols and the genre of art I wanted my work to fall into, and I now strive to emulate the feelings I had when I saw their work in every new piece.

2. How can someone else have the same kind of breakthroughs you’ve experienced?

I think it’s important to do a lot of self reflection, and to figure out what really makes you create as an artist. Some people need a sherpa for that, others can do it themselves, but often going back to your childhood and remembering what artist/product first inspired awe in you can help. What was the first thing that you wanted to copy as a child? That’s usually where your passion lies.

3. Let’s step back, when did you know you wanted to be a professional artist? Did you have role models in your life, artists or no, who helped get you here?

I can’t think of a time in my life when I didn’t draw in some capacity. I was very lucky to have a mother that fully encouraged me, and so was able to surround me with art teachers who could give me the skills I needed. I think the first time I actually wanted it to be my profession was watching animated cartoons as a kid. The skill it took to create them blew my mind. I eventually realized that though I admired animation it wasn’t exactly my calling, but it definitely opened my mind to the possibility that someone out there was creating art and getting paid for it!

4. Could you tell us about your process and if there are any differences between your pieces on EDO vs personal pieces versus commissioned work?

I am really grateful to EDO for providing a consistent stimulus, which has helped me streamline my process considerably. There’s not much difference between the process for EDO and personal work, just an extra step of showing my finished sketch to the client for commissioned work. EDO has helped me have confidence in my ability to take very rough pencils to the finish without wasting time doubting my skills. My process for EDO is a lot about “what I feel like doing that day”. I start by taking a look at my stash of reference photographs and seeing if anything catches my eye in gesture or subject matter. I then push and pull them in Photoshop to get my desired composition. A commissioned piece will start in reverse, from the idea I need to get to, working backwards to the reference I will need to make that happen.

5. A lot of us will say how limitations help us do better work. Finding creative solutions around restrictions is a defining characteristic of a successful artist. You work in ball point and gold leaf, limited in palette, stroke, and overall look. How have you stretched the limits of these materials to create your work? Do you secretly add thin layers of paint when nobody is looking?

I definitely agree that limitations can help us do better work. I am quite lucky in that people know the end look of what I produce, and don’t try to push me into other directions. However, I never want to be stagnant with my own work, so I try to push the boundaries of what ballpoint can do. I think it also helps that I strive to recreate an image I have in my head, and any experimenting I do is in aid of that goal. I don’t use paint at the moment, though I have definitely thought about it and am not opposed. I don’t like experimenting for the sake of experimenting, however, so I want to have a purpose to the decision when I finally take that step.

6. Gold seems to be the color of the decade, and a lot of artists are picking it up. You use it very successfully, and it’s always interesting to see what you “golden up” and what you leave in pen. How do you choose what to make gold? How do you think about the gold in the piece, what does it add? What does it take away?

I choose the gold portions based on what best services the composition. If a form needs accenting or contrast to stand out, I will usually accent it with gold. I also use it (hopefully successfully) to make the eye move around the piece. For me, gold is my contrast to the dark of the ink. Before I started using gold I thought my illustrations lacked a certain something, and I think the gold has filled that purpose nicely.

7. What’s the hardest part of the artistic/illustration process for you?

For me, the hardest part is in the middle, after I have traced out my sketch and I’m starting to fill in the midtones and basic ground values. It’s at this point that the piece looks hideous and I start to doubt that I’ll be able to pull it through to something beautiful. This also happens if I don’t have very good reference of whatever I’m trying to draw, and I start to doubt my ability to use my previous experience. I am lucky that I am dogged enough to get through these phases, but it is painful every time.

8. Take us through a typical day for Rebecca Y. Do you have practices or systems you use to organize your day? Do you just do art 9-5 then relax? Tell us more.

I like to start by eating well and taking care of daily tasks, so I am emotionally ready for the art portion of the day. I have tried to make lists of tasks, but I don’t think it is really ‘me’, as I am naturally a ‘grazer’ but for art. One of the reasons I enjoy ballpoint is that I can work a little bit, put it down, do something else, and come right back to it without skipping a beat.

9. You work focuses alot on the figure and detailed anatomy. What draws you most to the human figure, and what does it communicate in your work?

I’ve always been fascinated by humans’ ability to communicate nonverbally. Body language is a very powerful tool, and I try to have my characters show their personality traits through their gestures and bodies. I’m also fascinated by the intricate shadows I get to draw in all the different gestures we can make. Beyond that I just think human bodies when shown at the pinnacle of their capabilities are beautiful.

10. You’re also a woman doing fantasy art. At EDO we have a strong team of women, and proud of it. But this was not always a point of pride for an art gallery, and we’ve seen more and more female-focused galleries, books, and shows. To what do you attribute this evolution?

I am very happy that there are more opportunities for women, though as a competitive person I am always striving for my work to compete with the best of the best, regardless of sex. I think the evolution can be in part attributed to the rise in popularity of genre artwork. Because fantasy and sci-fi have been under the radar of the traditional fine art world, more women have been able to rise to positions of leadership and inspire young artists. Had they been fighting against the established art world there might have been much more backlash. I think also in fantasy art, it’s much more about the finished product than the personality behind the work, and that greatly helps minorities stand out and be recognized for their skill.

11. Did you ever experience any kind of missed opportunity or discrimination because you were a woman? Can you tell us about that experience?

It is possible I might have, but I probably wouldn’t have noticed it at the time. I am much more likely to attribute a failure to my own lack of preparation or skill, than to an outside force like that. I have experienced discrimination outside of the art realm, but within art I have thankfully seen skill take a higher place.

12. Your work is incredibly detailed, and I’ve watched you labor on these huge pieces in a tiny bic pen. What solutions/tips have you discovered that allow you to create such time consuming work? Do you meditate, listen to audiobooks, plan on never having a social life? How do you do it all?

For better or worse, I have a bit of an obsessive personality. It definitely helps when creating such time consuming work. I like to listen to e-sports streams/world championship competitions when working, as well as some movie analysis panels. Add to that, disgusting amounts of reruns of my favourite TV shows. Basically, any kind of audio stimulation with multiple voices. The best solution I’ve found for myself is to avoid large areas of colour fill. It’s must more interesting for me to do detail work than fill in areas with tone, even if it’s harder or more time consuming.

13. What are some exciting projects on the horizon that you can tell us more about?

I have some new personal pieces I’m planning for IlluXcon that I hope will be received well. As well I hope to make my new EDO pieces more intricate and powerful, stretching boundaries, similar to Death Dealer. Some other big news I have, I can’t talk about for a while, but I am excited to see the reaction when I can. My Gilgamesh illustrated book will be coming out soon and I hope it will launch a new direction in my career, where I can illustrate all the classic epics.

14. Parting words, do you have any advice for artists out there who want to create the kind of emotionally impactful work that you do?

I think what I’d like to tell past me is that it’s okay to do the same thing you love over and over again, if it’s based on a passion goal. I want to say that you don’t have to force yourself to do things you think you “should”, based on the industry or peer opinion. It rarely ever works and wastes a lot of time.

15. Where else other than EDO can people find your work? And buy it?

My website has links to my prints sales, or I can be emailed at any time to discuss my catalogue of available works (ryanovskaya@gmail.com)!

's EDO GALLERY

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Artist Feature: Tran Nguyen

September 17, 2015September 15, 2015 by Odera Igbokwe

For our newest interview and artist feature at Every Day Original, we have a wonderful conversation with Tran Nguyen. Tran is one of our best sellers at Every Day Original and you can pick a little bit more about her brain in this chat with her.
Find out even more about her and her work at her website www.mynameistran.com

1. You have been getting a lot of attention lately and just won your second Spectrum gold. You’ve always been very humble about your success, it has to feel good. How do you celebrate these wins?
By paying homage to my core support group — my family and friends that constantly encourage me to keep trucking along. They make it worthwhile to continue my endeavor. And, maybe a beer or two (wink face).

2. In talking with you about your art, you said your art is used as a “psycho-therapeutic support vehicle, exploring the mind’s landscape.” Say more about this.
I try to pinpoint the concept behind each of my paintings toward a specific but universal emotion we’ve all dealt with in our lives. It’s my hope that the viewer can relate, recollect, thus foster well-being from what they interpret. It’s ubiquitous to say that life is a series of hardship and each year yields emotional baggage. In all, I’d like for my visuals to serve as a buffer in getting through tough times.

3. If I recall correctly, you were initially a very polite “no” to the invite to Every Day Original. What was your hesitation? What changed your mind?

I didn’t think I could keep up with the monthly contribution — I paint VERY slowly. Then, I decided to do studies as opposed to finished pieces which made it more manageable. Also, I misread a few key words in the contract, haha…stupid me.

4. Who are some of your favorite artists (contemporary and historical), and what lessons have you learned from their practices?
Gustav Klimt’s treatment of intermingling figures and shapes inspire me to tap into surreal environments. I also admire Hayao Miyazaki’s ability to capture subtlety in the human form and mannerism. His whimsical worlds and lively characters are conducive to sublime animation.

5. William Faulkner is credited with the line, “I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately it strikes at nine every morning.” How do you set to work? How does this differ based on the kind of work you’re doing?
Like Elizabeth Gilbert once said in her TED talk, ” I’m like a mule.” Every workday is a constant day of struggle and woe. I’m no genius and creativity doesn’t often come easy. It usually takes me a couple of hours to get into the mindset of creating.

6. You have a lot of experience with gallery work as well as illustration assignments. Do you still do both? Why or why not?
I sure do! I love both markets. They each have their good and bad. Gallery work is therapeutic and is without restraints, while commercial illustration allows for collaboration and a more concise narrative.

7. Your images have a very distinct sense of scale. Often the figures and faces loom over surreal suburban architecture. I think many artists wonder how to come up with “a thing they do” beyond style or technique. How did you decide on these themes of scale and mood? How do you measure or predict success at an early stage of developing these concepts.
It’s difficult to say how it came to be. The “large figures wandering around small, empty neighborhoods” was a concept I explored in my third exhibition with Thinkspace Gallery in 2011. The year after, I decided to elaborate more on the concept and I became even more fascinated with it. You can never predict what will or will not sell. I think it’s best to dedicate several paintings to a particular concept so that you can fully hone it.

8. Does your medium influence your finished work? Do the limitations of your tools help you create the work?
Absolutely. I decided to transition from digital to traditional because of the fact that an endless color palette is frightening. Also, I enjoy happy accidents and the tactile feel of a brush on paper.

9. Your most recent work has deeper values, more graphic shapes, and a more saturated color palette. Could you tell us more about this progression/evolution?
I’ve been in a purple phase as of late. I’ve also switched my undertone color to a more vibrant one and pairing it with a muted palette. Working with the new Hi-Flow Acrylics have helped with executing deep values as well.

10. Is using color something that comes naturally to you, or something you struggled and worked up to?
It’s definitely something I’ve struggled and worked up. A lot of experimenting happened to get the color harmony that I want.

11. You use photo reference, yes? Where in the process do you use photography, and how?
I use quite a bit of photo reference. It’s a lot of frankensteining stock photography, fashion photography, and shoots with my friends. This helps me determine the pose in the line drawing and rendering in the final.

12. I have noticed a lot (but not all!) of your work features Asian women. As someone of Vietnamese heritage, do you feel like you have a responsibility to represent Asian women in your work?
It’s only somewhat recent that I’ve been illustrating more Asian figures. I previously rendered a lot of Caucasians, and decided to explore other ethnicity in the past several years. I don’t think I have a responsibility to represent anything except for what lets me enjoy painting.

13. How does the “casting” of the characters in your images occur?
It depends on the setting of the painting. If the piece favors red, I’ll most likely choose a redhead.

14. If you could go back in time, to when you were at the very beginning of your career. What advice would you give to yourself?
I think it’s important to know that you’ll have some failures here and there, and that shouldn’t hold you down. I’ve had a few illustrations that has made me cringe when delivering it to the client. Just learn what you can from it and move on. It happens to every artist, young and old.

15. Tell us something unique about you so we can sound cool and in-the-know when we’re bragging to people that we’re friends with you.
I’m actually half deaf so it’s difficult for me at times to converse in crowded rooms. I also laugh like a retarded, clapping seal…particularly the clapping. I love pickles and Icee.

ORIGINALS FROM TRAN

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Featured Artist: Steven Russell Black

June 9, 2015April 13, 2015 by Marc Scheff

This month we caught up with pencil-pusher extraordinaire Steven Russell Black. Steven has a large and committed and organic following online and manages to create work for his fans in every spare moment. He is also one of our top sellers here at Every Day Original. We wanted to know how he managed to build his fan base, how he produces so regularly, and how he turns his fans into collectors.

Follow his instagram to see his daily process posts, and if you like what you see you can probably find it on his Etsy shop.

1. I’ve been a fan of your work for a while now, ever since I found you on instagram. Where do you find the most traction for your work, online or off? How do you most effectively boost your signal?

Online for sure. Instagram is my is my personal favorite, but its more difficult to drive traffic to a purchase as you can’t post links there.

2. You have a pretty committed following online and sell well both on EDO and eBay. That must feel really good! Do you have a strategy when you post online? How do you convert followers to buyers?

I’m thankful and humbled to have the support of a such a big following for sure.
My posting strategy is process process process, and the 3 busiest social media times of the day to post. Morning, noon, and night. In the case of a drawing I work pretty fast so I’ll post the start in the morning. Maybe just a head or start to a figure. Which is pretty science fact based, then at noonish I post the drawing almost finished revealing its fiction aspect, completing the science fiction and horror I like to inject into the work .Then at 5 or later I’ll post the final and a link to where it’s available for purchase.

3. With all of that said, I know a lot of people have this idea that artists sit at home in their underwear and work whenever they feel like it. Myth or reality?

Myth. I work whenever I have the time. When I’m drawing I can work anywhere. I draw on the bus, in line at the DMV, anytime I’m waiting for anything. I carry pencils, paper, and a sharpener everywhere I go. If I’m at home I draw on the couch while listening to movies. I don’t own a drawing board. I draw on a piece of foam core. It’s super light and I can carry it from room to room or out and about.

4. Does art pay your bills? If not, what does and how do you manage that with all the art you produce every day?

It pays most. I have a 40 hour a week day job at a printer, which is why I’m always looking to squeeze in a bit of drawing time wherever and whenever I can. The art is right at the edge of paying everything. Right now I’m just nervous to take the leap without a safety net.

5. Did you study art, where?

I had a high school art teacher who was incredible and giving to me. He let me do live figure model drawing as a freshman, and we went on several art trips to Chicago, NYC, and Washington D. C. I had a ton of material knowledge before going to college. I then went to The Columbus College of Art & Design in Ohio where I studied with C.F. Payne and John Jude Palencar. I’ve been lucky to have amazing instructors.

6. You mentioned to me that you used to be socially awkward. Do you think that cost you any opportunities? What has changed?

Yeah it definitely does before the days of social media and to a lesser degree now. There are two jobs of the artist, do good work and get that work seen. And if you aren’t comfortable networking and being social, the people who are will get called first, because often people refer their friends for work, or shows, or introductions to the right people happen just while being out in the community.

7. You seem to be well connected in the fantasy art world. Do you attend conventions? Which ones? How do you choose where to be and when?

I’ve never attended conventions. That is changing this year as Patrick and Jeannie Wilshire offered me a table at Illuxcon. Really honored and excited to do more shows.

8. Do you have any other loves other than art? Tell us about that.

I love biking and I’m lucky I live in such a great place to bike as Marin. So any time not making art is spent on the bike or taking tons of photos wherever I go as possible reference material. Everything I do feeds the art obsession though really. It consumes most of my thoughts in the day. It would be nice to have a real separate hobby. Not enough time in the day.

9. In our conversations you have said that your work is about “beautiful decay” and that “If I can get you to feel what I feel for the subject I’m not alone.” Do you feel alone? How so? Do you think your intended emotion reaches your buyers and affects them in any way?

I am alone most of the time. Art is a solitary pursuit and you are just alone for hours on end working on things.I think my intended emotions connect with the viewer for sure. Not always. But its always the goal to get a rise out of the viewer to lead them to where you want them to think or go or feel. You know while your making the piece though, you’ll be half way in and you can feel it swell and its pure joy all the way through to the finish on a good one that’s working. Then usually those seem to be the pieces the audience reacts to the most.

10. Tell us about your favorite pieces of art that you own and how you found them.

I have two Palencar pieces John gave me for helping him move and I traded drawings with Troy Nixey whom I love his work. He’s the reason I’m obsessed with fish and octopi and ocean life in general. He started following me on Facebook and asked if we could trade and I was honored and more excited than I tried to let on. I don’t think he knows how much of an impact his comics had on me. Unless he reads this.

11. Do you collect art? How do you decide what is “worth” buying?
The only art I own is art I’ve been given or traded pieces an artist I like. But what makes art worth buying for me would be a connection to the subject matter or the artist, and then the highest attention to craftsmanship and the art object itself being a thing of beauty. I think the way most of us live in smaller spaces. Its more fun to collect a larger number of smaller pieces rather than one or two really large pieces.

12. In many ways, collectors are investors. They are not just purchasing art they like but they are literally helping fund an artist’s career. At an art show recently I overheard someone say “I really love the piece, but I don’t know anything about the artist.” What do you feel about this? What would you want a collector to know about you to make them feel like they’re investing well?

My main interest in collecting a given artists work would first be a connection to the piece and wanting to know more about the body of work and their goals and aims and to know that the dialogue will continue, do they plan on making work for a long time to come. I am in this for the long haul, it’s all I ever wanted to do. I’m completely in love with making images and I’m always looking for ways to be better, to make a better product and to entertain my audience along the way.

13. We’ve talked a lot about making a living as an artist. Does the financial aspect of selling art affect your work? How?
Sure, it defines the playing field you are able to work in to some extent. If giant pieces aren’t selling you make smaller work. And you make work that is appealing at market, but I use that to define the playing field, never the content. I’ll also work larger or smaller or float between different media to fit a market. That feels like staying true to the vision.

14. If you could be besties with any artist living or dead who would it be and why?

I’ve been really lucky to get to meet some of my heroes and spend time with them. Mike Mignola and I got to meet finally at a show here in the bay area. I love that guy. So that would be the living.

As for the dead, We’re just dreaming so I’ll shoot big. I’d love to have known and partied with J.C. Leyendecker and Charles Beach. I’d love to have a drink and then fight with Jackson Pollock. Afterwards take Lee Krasner away from him to run my studio. Make collaborative pieces with H.R.Giger and Moebius. Hold Picaso while Dali punches him in the face and we both luagh and laugh. I’d love to adore women with Klimt while Egon Schiele looks on from the corner of the room and we tell him he sucks. I’d love to steal Frida from Diego. Told you I was dreaming big. I’d treat her right. And I would adore spending any amount of time with Durer.

15. Any final thoughts?
Thank you so much Marc and Lauren for creating EDO and giving my work a really great place to live online.

If you love an artists work, take a minute to tell them so and support them in whatever way you can. Buy a print or piece. Start with all the amazing work on everydayoriginal.com It really is the perfect place to start a collection and begin a dialogue with an artist you love.