Interview with Kirsi Salonen - Part 3


















IA: Do you think that as a female you have a different approach to art and CG than your male counterparts?

KS: Well, maybe and maybe not. Again, it's a personal viewpoint. I know plenty of guys who are very emotional and thoughtful, who bring something personal of themselves into their art. It depends how you like to work. Some of artists choose to leave themselves out of their art and focus on other visible aspects and techniques. I don't think it has much to do with gender.
But truly, it’s much more common for girls to create softer images, fairytales and “cute” stuff. That's where I want to draw the line and hold strong to my style. Sure, sometime's creating beautiful women is fun and even relaxing but the reason why I don’t often create them is that I need a good backbone or story to feel really passionate about my subject.

IA: How do you think your style have evolved over the years?

KS: Over the years it's been a search of how to make more believable work in a way that's not too realistic. That's the area I try to evolve the most in my more detailed digital paintings. But I think the most groundbreaking evolution has been in the area of speed painting. I admit that it has affected my working style so much and I work so much faster and with intuition much more than before. Also, my style of expression has evolved. Sometimes I look at what I did 3 years ago and wonder at how much my thinking has changed. Some of the subjects are so locked in their place I and wouldn't think of getting back to them. Evolving, in my case, also means different themes.

IA: You have mentioned that you are writing a fantasy novel named Ordera. Can you reveal anything about it?

KS: Of course, I'd be most happy to. It's a story that I started working on last July (2007). As you know by now, I like to give a small story with some of my artwork, so for Ordera I took this a big step further. The name Ordera comes from the name of the world I have created. Ordera has the essence of the word order and symbolizes the hierarchy of this world and a certain message of the story.

The book will be divided in two, maybe even three, parts as it gets to the publishing phase. It's a big novel indeed, and it's something I'm very passionate about at the moment.

In short, the main theme is about survival and seeking out justice. It tells the history of two very different cultures and it's a growth tale of different species and their conflicts with each other. The main characters consist of a few cocky individuals and a group of leaders and followers, who aren't the nicest people to mix together in the same party. I want to show how good and evil are not just black and white and how horrible things can be done even by the most noble when they believe it's just. What happens at the point you achieve the things you've been searching for so long? Does it matter when you're face to face with it?

I am planning an introductory website for Ordera to be launched most likely before Christmas; it all depends on my work situation. The website will give the main storyline, dive into character profiles, share some interesting short stories and of course show many illustrations that I and a colleague have created so far, and those that are yet to come. After the website, I hope it will not be too many months more before the book is available.

The only thing that pains me is that I have to get it out in Finnish before it can be translated into English. This whole process is very time consuming and requires solid funding, nerves and some iron will before it all can come true. So many of my international friends, colleagues and fans have asked to purchase this book once it comes out and it will be a great day when I can deliver it to them.