Post by urbancinderella on Jun 10, 2005 2:34:24 GMT
Tell us the basics:
Name: Colin Lee
Age: 21, soon to be 22 (yikes)
Sex: Male
Occupation: Student
Your Website (if any): lee25.com
What you enjoy doing for fun: When im not at my computer, I enjoy having a pint with my mates and playing games, specificly RTS and FPS games
Your favorite website to visit (you don't have to own it): I'm not sure i have a favourite website, i have a lot of design type websites book marked but i couldn't pick a favourite. The site i visit most has got to be www.macrumors.com/.
Guilty pleasure: guilty pleasure? Hmmm wouldn't you like to know!
Any juicy details of your life that we can taunt you for: i really can't think of any 'juicy details' that i could tell you
How did you get started in design?
I've always been interested in design but it was only until recently at the start of 2004 that I began to learn how to use adobe illustrator. This was prompted by a tutorial I saw on how to use freehand to draw a basic silhouette around figures, although i chose illustrator to do the job instead.
But after that I developed on my own, seeking out examples of design everywhere.
How long did it take you to get comfortable in Illustrator?
A long time.. i remember being extremely frustrated by the way illustrator worked. I think it took about 3+ months before i felt like i could do what i wanted, although in reality I don't use a lot of the tools and effects that Illustrator has to offer.
I also learnt to use illustrator before photoshop, i remember being totally out of depth whenever i opened photoshop. The fact that these two programs had different ways of doing things made it more difficult.
Describe your creation process.
gosh where do i start!, ok,
there are a few ways i go about creating a piece, but the process i use most often is to find an image which i think has potential as a vector. then i proceed to illustrator where i decide what sort of treatment would be appropriate: whether i want to do it realisticly or stylised.
Then i choose a technique and go about filling the basic elements, the gradually building the detail up just as you would in a painting.
After its all done, i export it to photoshop where i do all my colour correction, text placement, cropping and framing.
How do you feel about tutorials?
I think that developing your own style is important, but i dont think theres anything wrong with tutorials. I think that tutorials should be used when you can't figure out how to achieve a specific effect or look, raher than using tutorials to create duplicates of someone else work.
Do you have a subject you enjoy using most?
oh thats a good question, I think the most challenging and fascinating subject so far has been the human vectors. Those vectors took the most time and concentration. Although the process was hard, it was enoyable at the same time and hugely rewarding at the end. I find that drawing humans is just really fascinating, due to the huge range of emotions one can portray, which a lot of people can identify with. Which may be why my human vectors have always been more popular than my other work.
Do you use live models when you do human vectors, or photographs? Or just straight from your head?
I use pictures either scanned, from a camera or most often from an image found on the internet. sometimes i will sketch something out on paper before i start on the computer.
Do you ever scan it, or do you just use your graphic tablet?
I sometimes scan it, but usually i sketch it on paper in order to sort out the composition and layout for reference.
How relavant do you think traditional skills and rules are in digital art?
I think that the traditional teachings in art and design are jsut as relavant in digital art. People often dismiss these rules, but I belive they are essential to ones progress. For example ' the rule of thirds' or 'golden section' which has been crucial to me understanding of composition which I have always struglled with in the past. Things like tone, colour tecture are jsut as important in digital art. When it some to rules and guidlines, I dont think that you should stick to them all the time, but i belive that you;ve got to know and understand the rules before you can break them.
Since we're being philosophical- I'm sure you've noticed how once a style becomes popular, it's pretty quickly copied. How do you deal with people who seem to be using your style? And do you think it's important to develop your own?
I do agree that styles are copied from time to time. But so far ive seen few pieces where i thought "boy i could have done that". I think that my own style is continually developing as I never do two pieces that are totally the same style. I think that vectoring is just like drawing: no two people can draw the same picture, due to the unique way in which an individual goes about creating an image.
When I see obvious cases where something has been copied, I tend to get annoyed but then I think that everyone 'borrows' from everybody else. I think its true what they say about nothing ever being truly original these days. Since my style is evolving all the time, I try new things im not too worried at the moment abuot people copying me.
Many have said that all styles of art have been done- and most art is an imitation of another person's style. Do you think it's important for another person to create a new style, or is it possible to be original while building on another's?
I think what most important when it comes to style is that you take the time to develop a style that you feel comfortable with. I also think that worrying about whether your style is 'original' or not is not the point. I think it is possible to absorb other peoples ideas into your own and still be original because I think thats how it's always been.
Is there an artist you feel has inspired your style?
The first person that comes to mind is Robert Lindstrom, I remember being in total awe of his work on his website www.designchapel.com. I was hugely influenced by him, as I saw what could be achieved with vectors. It also gave me standard of work which i could aspire to.
Do you feel you've reached that standard?
Almost. I've always pushed myself towards that professional finish and i'd like to think that im almost there.
Is there another style that you're interested in attemping, or are you content working with vectors?
I'm constantly seeking new styles from artists from a broad range of disciplines including fine art, photography, graphic design and illustration. But graphic design is the area im most intersted in. I find it diificult to make something that is a huge leap from somthing i usually do. Recently ive been interested in incorporating 3d renders in my work, as in architectural models rather than abstract renders. However programs like 3DS max scare the hell out of me so im sticking to my vectors as i think theres still so much potential and ground that I have yet to cover.
If you had to choose one piece for everyone to remember you by, which would you pick and why?
I honestly don't think any of my works are special enough that i'd want people to remember me by. But as i have to pick it would have to be 'Elijah' which was my first attempt at realism in vector and im still proud of the result today.
And on to the random questions... First thought you have in the morning?
oh that would be to rude to write down...
i'll tell you, but you have to agree not to print it in the interview.
What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of the candy, "Goobers"?
ive never heard of it, lol. I googled it, i think we have something similar. they are yummm.
Favorite movie?
amelie, a french film
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?
oh thats a reallly hard one, because when i find a song i like, i listen to it to death and get sick of it and don't want to listen to it for months. im gonna have to look through my tunes... i think maybe i would choose R.E.M - Daysleeper
Last one- if you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be?
a little baby tiger... then when its bigger i'll release it in some park, lol, and get another one.
Any last things you'd like to add other than that you're a mac user?
lol, yes..get a mac, you know you want one!
Thanks for doing the interview, sorry for keeping you up so late!
no probs, im not even tired yet..
Name: Colin Lee
Age: 21, soon to be 22 (yikes)
Sex: Male
Occupation: Student
Your Website (if any): lee25.com
What you enjoy doing for fun: When im not at my computer, I enjoy having a pint with my mates and playing games, specificly RTS and FPS games
Your favorite website to visit (you don't have to own it): I'm not sure i have a favourite website, i have a lot of design type websites book marked but i couldn't pick a favourite. The site i visit most has got to be www.macrumors.com/.
Guilty pleasure: guilty pleasure? Hmmm wouldn't you like to know!
Any juicy details of your life that we can taunt you for: i really can't think of any 'juicy details' that i could tell you
How did you get started in design?
I've always been interested in design but it was only until recently at the start of 2004 that I began to learn how to use adobe illustrator. This was prompted by a tutorial I saw on how to use freehand to draw a basic silhouette around figures, although i chose illustrator to do the job instead.
But after that I developed on my own, seeking out examples of design everywhere.
How long did it take you to get comfortable in Illustrator?
A long time.. i remember being extremely frustrated by the way illustrator worked. I think it took about 3+ months before i felt like i could do what i wanted, although in reality I don't use a lot of the tools and effects that Illustrator has to offer.
I also learnt to use illustrator before photoshop, i remember being totally out of depth whenever i opened photoshop. The fact that these two programs had different ways of doing things made it more difficult.
Describe your creation process.
gosh where do i start!, ok,
there are a few ways i go about creating a piece, but the process i use most often is to find an image which i think has potential as a vector. then i proceed to illustrator where i decide what sort of treatment would be appropriate: whether i want to do it realisticly or stylised.
Then i choose a technique and go about filling the basic elements, the gradually building the detail up just as you would in a painting.
After its all done, i export it to photoshop where i do all my colour correction, text placement, cropping and framing.
How do you feel about tutorials?
I think that developing your own style is important, but i dont think theres anything wrong with tutorials. I think that tutorials should be used when you can't figure out how to achieve a specific effect or look, raher than using tutorials to create duplicates of someone else work.
Do you have a subject you enjoy using most?
oh thats a good question, I think the most challenging and fascinating subject so far has been the human vectors. Those vectors took the most time and concentration. Although the process was hard, it was enoyable at the same time and hugely rewarding at the end. I find that drawing humans is just really fascinating, due to the huge range of emotions one can portray, which a lot of people can identify with. Which may be why my human vectors have always been more popular than my other work.
Do you use live models when you do human vectors, or photographs? Or just straight from your head?
I use pictures either scanned, from a camera or most often from an image found on the internet. sometimes i will sketch something out on paper before i start on the computer.
Do you ever scan it, or do you just use your graphic tablet?
I sometimes scan it, but usually i sketch it on paper in order to sort out the composition and layout for reference.
How relavant do you think traditional skills and rules are in digital art?
I think that the traditional teachings in art and design are jsut as relavant in digital art. People often dismiss these rules, but I belive they are essential to ones progress. For example ' the rule of thirds' or 'golden section' which has been crucial to me understanding of composition which I have always struglled with in the past. Things like tone, colour tecture are jsut as important in digital art. When it some to rules and guidlines, I dont think that you should stick to them all the time, but i belive that you;ve got to know and understand the rules before you can break them.
Since we're being philosophical- I'm sure you've noticed how once a style becomes popular, it's pretty quickly copied. How do you deal with people who seem to be using your style? And do you think it's important to develop your own?
I do agree that styles are copied from time to time. But so far ive seen few pieces where i thought "boy i could have done that". I think that my own style is continually developing as I never do two pieces that are totally the same style. I think that vectoring is just like drawing: no two people can draw the same picture, due to the unique way in which an individual goes about creating an image.
When I see obvious cases where something has been copied, I tend to get annoyed but then I think that everyone 'borrows' from everybody else. I think its true what they say about nothing ever being truly original these days. Since my style is evolving all the time, I try new things im not too worried at the moment abuot people copying me.
Many have said that all styles of art have been done- and most art is an imitation of another person's style. Do you think it's important for another person to create a new style, or is it possible to be original while building on another's?
I think what most important when it comes to style is that you take the time to develop a style that you feel comfortable with. I also think that worrying about whether your style is 'original' or not is not the point. I think it is possible to absorb other peoples ideas into your own and still be original because I think thats how it's always been.
Is there an artist you feel has inspired your style?
The first person that comes to mind is Robert Lindstrom, I remember being in total awe of his work on his website www.designchapel.com. I was hugely influenced by him, as I saw what could be achieved with vectors. It also gave me standard of work which i could aspire to.
Do you feel you've reached that standard?
Almost. I've always pushed myself towards that professional finish and i'd like to think that im almost there.
Is there another style that you're interested in attemping, or are you content working with vectors?
I'm constantly seeking new styles from artists from a broad range of disciplines including fine art, photography, graphic design and illustration. But graphic design is the area im most intersted in. I find it diificult to make something that is a huge leap from somthing i usually do. Recently ive been interested in incorporating 3d renders in my work, as in architectural models rather than abstract renders. However programs like 3DS max scare the hell out of me so im sticking to my vectors as i think theres still so much potential and ground that I have yet to cover.
If you had to choose one piece for everyone to remember you by, which would you pick and why?
I honestly don't think any of my works are special enough that i'd want people to remember me by. But as i have to pick it would have to be 'Elijah' which was my first attempt at realism in vector and im still proud of the result today.
And on to the random questions... First thought you have in the morning?
oh that would be to rude to write down...
i'll tell you, but you have to agree not to print it in the interview.What is the first thought that comes to your mind when you think of the candy, "Goobers"?
ive never heard of it, lol. I googled it, i think we have something similar. they are yummm.
Favorite movie?
amelie, a french film
If you had to listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be, and why?
oh thats a reallly hard one, because when i find a song i like, i listen to it to death and get sick of it and don't want to listen to it for months. im gonna have to look through my tunes... i think maybe i would choose R.E.M - Daysleeper
Last one- if you could have any animal for a pet, what would it be?
a little baby tiger... then when its bigger i'll release it in some park, lol, and get another one.
Any last things you'd like to add other than that you're a mac user?
lol, yes..get a mac, you know you want one!
Thanks for doing the interview, sorry for keeping you up so late!
no probs, im not even tired yet..
These interview's we're an awesome idea.