Post by urbancinderella on Jul 13, 2007 5:28:55 GMT
Interview with ~obselete-angeldeviantART - Digital
Administered by Whitney.
Name? Seth Collett
Age & birthday? 24; 12 August, 1982
Location? Cape Town, South Africa
Website/gallery? www.obselete-angel.deviantart.com
Tell us a little bit about when you first became interested in dark art. Why and when did you begin?
I first got interested in dark art in 2004, when I fist discovered deviantART. I browsed through the dark art galleries and was instantly inspired. That very night I started working on my first concepts- they are in my scraps gallery on my deviantART page. I have been in love with this kind of art since then.
Have you had any formal lessons or instructions, or did you learn on your own?
I studied graphic design from 2001-2004 at Technikon Pretoria, which gave me excellent ground in the digital art programs. That is when I learned [how to use] Photoshop, but the rest I learned from a lot of practice and observations of other great inspiring artists.
Which programs/mediums do you use when creating a piece? On average, how much time do you spend on one piece?
When creating a piece, I mainly use Photoshop, and maybe a little Bryce or Poser every now and again. I incorporate a lot of photos that I take with my Canon 350d, and scan lots of traditional textures, such as acrylic paints and any other cool textures I find. I am constantly on the lookout for objects to take photos of- trees, nails, clouds, anything that I find attractive.
On average, I spend about 50 hours, but I don't like to rush and don't really keep track of the time anymore.
What do you find most appealing about this type of art? What one word would summarize how you feel about it?
Satisfaction.
How do you usually go about beginning a piece? When do you know for sure that it's finished?
I start a piece by going through all my stock imagery, then something in there will stand out and appeal to me. When that happens, I instantly feel inspired. From there I work continuously- nothing is really planned. I just jump around from concept to concept until I feel satisfied, then I know it's complete.
I usually name the piece afterwards. I stare at it for as long as it takes for the piece to tell me its name. All art has great subliminal
meanings, so I try get the meaning out of it.
I notice that you use the human form in the majority of your pieces. Why is this? Do you see that it simply fits in as a geometric shape, or does it provide some sort of deeper meaning?
Personally, I find the human form very attractive and believe that it can portray so many emotions from it as everyone being able to relate to it.
I'm trying to combine a surreal image with very real imagery as well, creating something tangible and something that could in fact be real- not surreal.
The only "bright" colors I have seen in your art are usually dealing with some sort of light. Do you think that it's possible to combine brighter color in with dark art, but still have it hold the same meaning and concepts (however contradictory that may sound)?
I definitely do think so. I mean, dark art does not have to be dark and evil; it can be dark and beautiful, and that is what I want to portray. However, the imagery and symbols involved also play a huge role in the atmosphere created. At the moment, my new images are containing a lot more color and light, while still keeping the dark art persona.
I think it's also a matter of how I am feeling and what the meaning of the piece is to me. The light represents hope and clarity.
Where does your inspiration come from? (Horror movies, heavy music, dark colors, gloomy weather- or is it quite the contrary? Do you have any favorite artists, books, movies, or music that help you along when designing?) Who are some people that you feel have truly inspired you?
My inspiration comes from everything I come in contact with: animals, nature, music, love, life. Any and all sci-fi fantasy movies inspire me like crazy. Deftones has been able to get me so zoned into my art, Massive Attack, Portisehead.
At the moment, Dali is inspiring me once again. I have even started a painting after reading one of his books. David Ho was a huge inspiration and a lot of other artists on deviantART. Van Gogh, Botticelli, Giger, and any art that I'm attracted to inspires me so much.
Why do you do what you do? Do you look to send a message to people, or is it purely an expression of yourself? Does your art reflect what you feel is reality?
My art to me is a form of expression: expressing how I feel about the world and life, only symbols captured in a moment. I also love the fact that I can be of inspiration to other artists, as the inspiration I received from artists motivated me to this point where I am now. There is nothing more satisfying than creating emotions in images. It's like a burning passion for me.
What suggestions would you give to those who are starting to explore dark art?
I would suggest that practice and research should be the main components, as the research will provide inspiration and ideas, while the practice will develop skill. Don't give up because you're not creating masterpieces just yet- skill takes a bit of practice. We all have the potential to be great artists; it only depends on how dedicated you really are that reflects your success in your images.
