I honestly believe that we start our lives as artists. It has been a pursuit that has never really left me. When I discovered Photoshop, however, it was as though worlds opened. I felt as though I was given a super power! The digital age we live in provides an artist with an endless toolbox to aid expression. I found, to my amazement, that I could accurately portray the ideas in my head. This has sparked a pursuit that is relentless; every image is a glimpse of a different reality, or a hyper real one.
I always seem to be working on multiple projects at once; no rest for the wicked! I have just finished a series of images, including a record cover image, for The Gravity Drive which has been really exciting for me. It’s great to see my artwork out there in the big wide world. I provide regular tutorials for Sebastian Michaels and for ShiftArt and I especially love to see how this influences other artist's work. To inspire and reach others is incredible and something that I hope I will never take for granted. I am currently photographing a lot of models for my digital work at the Art Asylum in Weymouth, UK. As a photographer, I take a range of images, from conceptual portraits to images that will be used for composite work.
I love to photograph people. I really try to capture the essence of a person—the quality of a moment in time. So I suppose this is a personal project of mine. I take the ordinary from these images and accentuate the extraordinary. It’s a never-ending quest. The reward, however, is wonderful. On completing an image, I’m given feedback that makes me feel very privileged. How I have captured the essence of the person, shown how they feel, given them strength by showing the limitless potential of what they can be. What more can I ask for?
My typical day always starts by organizing my three children and feeding my four cats. I spend between one and two days in the week photographing models at the Art Asylum studio in Dorset. I don’t drive, so this entails about five hours of commuting where I get to read (I love to read). I will shoot for about three hours and, as soon as I get home, I will download the images from my SD card. I always tell myself not to, but I generally end up spending at least four hours creating a digital art piece form the day’s shoot. On days where I don’t shoot, I am either creating art or recording tutorials about how I create it.
ParticleShop brings out the painter and magician in me. There are so many effects that you can add to an image. From painterly strokes to an injection of lightening. With the new dynamic speckle brushes, I can add spectacular effects. The brush packs allow me to blend and merge these so that the possibilities are endless.
It’s very difficult to answer this question as I use such a variety of brushes. I like to experiment with the brushes, adding glow or changing the texture options. There is so much more to every brush than is initially apparent. The brushes I use depend very much on the image I’m working on. So, I’m very sorry, I cannot commit to a favorite.
I believe that the best advice anyone can give to up-and-coming artists is to not compare. Don’t worry if you don’t feel as though you have reached the standard of your favorite artists. Find your own voice, don’t be afraid to experiment. There are no rules, no 'right way' of doing things. Keep experimenting, keep practicing, and above all keep on loving what you do. The passion you have will shine through your work.
I could not create the work I do without my Wacom Intuos Pro. This is especially true when building up ParticleShop brush work. The option to change with pressure is paramount to this. I love to be able to finely control digitally painting and manipulating an image. I just could not do this without my Intous Pro.
I use ParticleShop in conjunction with Photoshop. I especially like the ParticleShop option of saving brushwork separately. I usually further manipulate my ParticleShop work. For example, back in Photoshop I may duplicate the ParticleShop layer and apply different blend modes or blurring effects. I love the ability to really fine-tune my ParticleShop work within Photoshop and to mold it into an effect that reflects, uniquely, my artwork.
