Designer's Depot » Search Results » label/featured+artists

Featured Artist for the Week – Jean-Sébastien Monzani

noelevz — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 05:18:00 +0000

Real Name: Jean-Sébastien Monzani

Please tell us a brief info about yourself.
I am a Swiss and French self-taught photographer born in 1975 who is specialized in graphic design and portrait photography. I was born in France and moved at 18 to Lausanne, Switzerland, where I live now.

Elegance, simplicity, a strong sense of composition and emotions are key elements in my work. My images are often constructed as photo-series – something between fashion photography and movie storyboards. I mainly shoot on-location, almost exclusively in Lausanne (Switzerland). I don’t shoot professional models but rather pick up regular persons that will carry the emotions I’m looking for.

This sentence of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry sums it up pretty well to me: Perfection in design is not achieved when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing more to remove.

When did you first decide to become a graphic artist / illustrator?

I’ve started to work for friends upon the years, but it became serious in 2006, when I’ve started my part-time freelance work – besides teaching Computer Science at the university. On October 2007, this became my main activity. Since I’m getting more and more clients, I’m pretty confident it will go well.

What camera do you use? What other tools do you use in creating your artworks?
I’ve used many cameras and for a long time, I have scanned and retouched my films. But when Canon’s EOS 5D came out, it suddenly appeared as the perfect camera for me. It’s still my main tool today and I quite love it. The camera is nothing without good lenses: I don’t use zooms, only fix-focal lenses (35mm f2, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f2.8 mainly). Photoshop plays an important part in my work, but I can sometimes use Illustrator, Cinema 4D, Swishmax and many other tools.

Who or what inspires you?
I’m inspired by many things that I see everyday, often by on-line portfolios of artists and blogs. I also watch a lot of movies, and often go to the theatre. This gives the mix of illustration and narrative series that you usually see in my work.

Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?

I’m completely self-taught, but I also own a PhD in Computer Graphics. While this has nothing to do with art and design, it gave me a better understanding of graphic tools and concepts. Actually, I’m both a technician (software engineer) and an artist.

How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?
I simply try to look a lot around me and develop my own style and the same time. Some designs are “cutting edge” but too original for clients. Some others are purely decorative and lack clarity. When you work on commercial projects, you have to focus on the /functionality/ and then propose correct designs.

blur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://bp1.blogger.com/_Z0X4ZFloeeo/R8geDX3CwXI/AAAAAAAAAwo/33WDdz8Spio/s1600-h/0cc4449ec66e99aa.jpg">

What are your current projects?
I always work on numerous projects: brochures for institutions, websites for small business, illustration for the luxury business, design of a CD for a singer… This diversity is something I love in my work. As well as the possibility to refuse jobs that I don’t like (mainly photo-sessions).

Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?
I’m mainly proud of my personal photo projects I quite like some posters I’ve done for clients and the upcoming CD design I was speaking earlier will be quite cool too.

http://www.jsmonzani.com/clients.php?picID=0

Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?
I’ve already tried a lot of things but what I’d like to improve is simply drawing on paper. I’m not speaking of painting, shading… just drawing.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
During the day, I try to make pauses and surf of blogs such as http://ffffound.com/ for a refreshing change. I also devote time to personal projects, sometimes taking a day off. If possible, one personal project each month is a good thing: this involves finding ideas, planning them and of course shooting photos.

Finish this sentence. “If I weren’t an artist/illustrator I would have been a…
Actor or plays director. I’ve spent some time on the stage and quite love it. Even if this life is too difficult for me

and finally, What advices/tips can you give to the novice designer/ illustrator?

I don’t know for other people but I’m constantly thinking of art and design: I don’t do this because I’m looking for ideas, I just happen to like it. Since I’m completely self-taught (never went to an art school), I can only make this job because I’m passionate about it. I love it.

You must be devoted and passionate about your art and your work. And your art must accommodate to commercial needs to! Think of it before starting up!

I totally agree with this.

For commision works & other information, please contact him at:

website: http://www.jsmonzani.com and http://www.simplemoment.com

wanna be a featured artist?
email me at: mcedesigns@gmail.com
with the subject: interview request

For more featured artists, click here.

Featured Artist for the Week – Virus69

noelevz — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 15:49:00 +0000

Real Name: Igor Scekic

Please tell us a brief info about yourself.
My name is Igor Scekic. I’m 22(almost 23) years old student of Graphic design from Zagreb, Croatia. I like to be creative so I’m experimenting with traditional drawing, digital art and photography.

When did you first decide to become a graphic artist / illustrator?
Actually it started just for fun. About 4 years ago some friends of mine were making some stuff in Photoshop, nothing special, but I started to like this digital way of making art so I decided to try it by myself. it wasn’t serious until two years ago when I started making my first surreal photo manipulations.

What do you prefer: mouse, tablet, brush or pen and ink? and why?
Definitely the tablet, because it is the more natural way of doing things than with the mouse. It allows more freedom in digital art than mouse. In traditional art, I prefer coloured pencils and watercolors…don’t know why…maybe because I suck in other techniques.

Who or what inspires you?

Hm..it is hard to answer that. I find inspiration in works of other digital artists and also in works of some traditional artists as well like Dali, Magritte, Escher. Also I find inspiration in my thoughts, music, movies… Inspiration is all around us, we just need to open our eyes.

Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
Well I could say I’m self-taught. Most of the things that I know I learned by myself by experimenting, reading tutorials and examining other artists’ works. At the university, I haven’t learned anything special.

How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?
I try avoid trends and copying other’s ideas.

What are your current projects?

I can’t tell you all of them before they will be done. I’m making some stuff for the Evoke artgroup, one artwork for a magazine, some client works and there is something I can’t tell you.

About the fallen angel piece, What’s the story behind that piece?
This piece is about people who choosed the wrong way in their lives. Maybe they are beautiful from the outside, but their souls are ugly and ruined.

Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?
I don’t know. I have a few pieces that are my favorites, but others don’t find those pieces my best. But I can’t say that I’m specially proud of something that I did because I have a lot of self criticism so I always find something on my piece that will bother me… My favorites are Where is Alice?, MindTrap and Celestial Alchemy because they are special to me in some way.

oeeo/R77_UtQAv5I/AAAAAAAAAtw/n4SrdoiTSlE/s400/where+is+alice.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5169850153477128082" border="0" />

Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?
Of course. In art there are endless possibilities and it is impossible to explore them all. I’d like to make some cool looking motion graphics. I’m really impressed with motion stuff because motion is always better than a still image. It could give you more information.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
I’m not always so motivated, it depends on my mood. Sometimes I can’t make anything for 2-3 weeks, and sometimes I’m so hyper productive that I make a lot photos, drawings and digital stuff in a week or so.

Finish this sentence. “If I weren’t an artist/illustrator I would have been a…
porn star I don’t know. as kid I always wanted to be a pirate or a rock star. I suppose it is impossible to be a pirate, so I could would have to say a rock star.

and finally, What advices/tips can you give to the novice designer/ illustrator?
Experiment, watch other’s works and if something isn’t going so well don’t give up. keep on trying… and most important-CREATE DON’T STEAL.

For commision works & other information, please contact him at:

website: http://virus69.deviantart.com/
http://virus69.net/

email: surrealisticdaydream@gmail.com

wanna be a featured artist?
email me at: mcedesigns@gmail.com
with the subject: interview request

For more featured artists, click here.

Featured Artist for the Week – elsevilla

noelevz — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 01:25:00 +0000

Real Name: hEcToR SeViLlA lUjAn

Please tell us a brief info about yourself.
I’m a graphic designer from Mexico, Chihuahua(not the dog, like 4 hours down from El Paso Texas). 29 years old, scorpion, I like wine. Done work for Konami with Lunar Knights(really lucky), creator of Lullaby, penciler for Leviticus Cross(upcoming project), and many more stuff.

When did you first decide to become a graphic artist / illustrator?

I’ve always liked to draw, even more than design.

What do you prefer: mouse, tablet, brush or pen and ink? and why?
I like pencils, but lately I like more the use of a tablet, its easier to do somethings.

Who or what inspires you?
Cool movies, anime and videogames like the rest of the guys.

Where does your training come from? Self-taught? College/Art School?
I think its from the books I had read and tutorials, we dont have teachers that teach this where from I live.

How do you keep “fresh” within your industry?
That’s tough, I think I’m getting older, but love to see new anime and stuffs, and I always leave the door open for new styles, thats why I changed to digital.

What are your current projects?
Right now I’m on Drawskill, It’s a project I’ve always wanted to make since a couple of years, Besides Lullaby, about a group of artists kids, that shares sames doubt or fears, about the ego on artists, yeah sometimes I’ve been caught on that too, It’s like an express road that most artists takes and a lot of experience I had picked over the years, but I think the main objective is to push people to follow their dreams. This comic will also have tips that characters will use on their skills, but its going to be a real hard project, I hope people on Tokyo Pop approve it and people online will support it so it can work on a printed form, but I’ve always wanted to try a manga version of storytelling, more cinematic than the american way, because of the less space for paneling.

Which of your projects are you the most proud of? And why?
I think it’s Drawskill, even if it’s not printed yet, I have it all in my mind now, but it’s because it’s the first project, I will put into it a lot of things that happended to me, you know, like adding small details and make it more spicy, not like Lullaby that was based on fantasy and I can’t relate too. I’m kind of nervous with this project, but I have faith that it will be okay.

Are there any areas, techniques, mediums, projects in your field that you have yet to try?
Like I mentioned earlier, I really like to try the manga format. And to do a cool urban city, I’ve always done fantasy, so it will be quite interesting if I can mimic that, and not to make it so bad. Maybe some day I would like to do also an illustration book, but I need to have more skills, or maybe in th
e future I could become a teacher so I can share my skills. But I have never been good at teaching, not yet.

What do you do to keep yourself motivated and avoid burn-out?
To try new things, I started to get burned out of just using pencils, I always wanted to learn color and volume, or even use photos with textures, so right now I’m having more fun. A lot of people leave me behind because I left pencils, and thats cool, I was almost on a 90% of skill on pencils, and a 5% on digital, but slowly I’ve been raising my level again, and new people started to come and enjoy what I’m doing, and other people they even sticked with me through this changes in my style, for that I’m really proud of them, that they supported me. A cool tip is to always try to do something that makes you smile or happy. It doesn’t matter if fans hate it, never be a slave of the fans, or you will start hating what you do.

Finish this sentence. “If I weren’t an artist/illustrator I would have been a…
Popular person, it means a lot of sacrifice to be on this, to spend hours sittingon a chair, some people can’t handle it and get bored easily, so you need a lot of dedication, and sometimes to turn party invitations down. And that’s quite hard, specially when there are some cool looking girls.

and finally, What advices/tips can you give to the novice designer/ illustrator?
I wont tell empty advices, like follow your dreams and stuffs. I will just say this to you like the kind of practical dude that I am, protect your eyes, find the proper light for your room, search for ergonomic tips, dont spend to much time on a pc, have little breaks, and if I had followed that I wont be having trouble with my eyes. Don’t be affected by people who are flamers online, each day there are more and more people doing this, you don’t need people saying you are becoming better if you have a feeling that you have made something good, I’ve seen a lot of people leaving their dream because of flamers. Be patient, with time you will become better. Instead of asking other people for tools or brushes on digital, search for your own ones and the time you will use for asking use it to practice. The most important one is always to read art sources, practice isn’t enough you also need to understand basic concepts before practicing. Always carry a sketchbook and do small thumbnails, you will raise faster that way. And when people tell you that you are drunk, believe them, don’t try to waste time and saliva to convince them that you not. hahahahahaha.

For commision works & other information, please contact him at:

website: http://elsevilla.deviantart.com/
email: eelsevilla@aim.com

wanna be a featured artist?
email me at: mcedesigns@gmail.com
with the subject: interview request

For more featured artists, click here.