Features | |
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Last Airbender |
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Grey's Anatomy Promo VFX |
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Interview with Bobby Chiu |
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License to dream |
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Focus : Gears Of War 3 |
News Headlines | |
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Dragon Age 2 |
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Bioshock Infinite |
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Time travellers Comic |
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Envirometer |
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Thelma and Louise Remake |
Other Features | |
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Interview With Nick Harris |
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Making Art for Ipad |
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Making VFX for Ben Hur Remake |
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Interview : Mike winkelmann |
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Baby Data |
IA: In what direction is your art is going in today?
NA: At this point in time I’m pretty sure I’ll be sticking with realism. Knowing that, I’ll most likely be painting character portraits until I drop. As for the job side of things, I’m not sure. I’ve been getting quite a few enquiries for commissions lately: book covers, card games, character illustrations, that sort of thing. But I have to admit I am very choosy in the work that I will take on. “No thank you” is not as infrequent a reply to those offers as one might imagine. It’s a luxury I sometimes can, and sometimes cannot afford, but I would rather work on things that really grab my attention than sell my soul just for the sake of it.
IA: Can you speak about your influences and the artists you like?
NA: There are a few artists I like, but I cannot say that they influence me, as I don’t look at their (or any other artists’) works all that often. Yes, of course, I am surrounded by art whenever I log in to one of the numerous web communities I’m a member of, but somehow I have learned, or maybe even taught myself, to turn a blind eye to it. Not out of ignorance, or arrogance, but because I don’t want to be influenced by other people’s work.
IA: What about your other influences; such as books, movies or comics?
NA: Books, definitely, and ancient history. I read a lot, and so I get a lot of ideas just through doing that. After all, it was a book that made me want to start painting.
And then there is music. When I listen to music I see colors in my mind that slowly turn into scenes, almost like a film. From that I draw my inspiration and my ideas. When I commit to one of those ideas I tend to listen to the same music over and over while painting the picture to keep the inspiration there, while at the same time it never really stops evolving. Sometimes it happens that halfway through a painting I suddenly hear something new in the music and with it comes new images that merge with what’s already in my head.
IA: What's your opinion of the web galleries and communities developing on the web? What are the best and worst parts about these communities?
NA: To be honest, I feel there are too many. Most of the new ones springing up are just mediocre copies of those that have been around for some time. On the other hand, it’s nice to see art promoted in such a way, as it really gives people opportunities they would not otherwise get.
On the downside, there are a lot of people using those galleries as a dumping ground for their snapshots and “boredom scribbles.” That sometimes makes it hard to find the real gems, or at least those that are somewhat serious about their work.
IA: Do you think you've learned a lot the past years from others comments or artists comments?
NA: Oh yes, I’ve definitely learned a lot, mainly to not listen to people. I gave up listening to what people said when they turned from truly helpful and encouraging to sardonically scrutinizing and selfish. When a picture wasn’t “as good” because they didn’t like the color, or because it wasn’t as they thought I should have painted it. Or someone simply told me I couldn’t have painted it, or indeed couldn’t paint – period, which, to me, is not real criticism, but personal opinions. And it’s often a disheartening experience because you quickly realize that it’s impossible to please everyone. That, however, doesn’t mean I don’t take honest criticism on board, for that is always welcome.
IA: If you could share one valuable bit of advice with young artists what would it be?
NA: Stick to your vision and practice until your tablet is shredded and you dream in pixels. Don’t let people put you down because the only thing that matters is that you are happy with what you are doing. If that’s not enough, then nothing ever will be.
IA: What's your own definition of art?
NA: It’s the heart and soul of man spilled onto the canvas of choice.
Links
Nykolai Aleksander's Homepage on CG Gallery
Discover Nykolai Aleksander Work in High Resolution in
IT'S ART VOL 02-2008
