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1. Do you have any projects going on that you’d like to tell us about?
I love starting new projects. I might be taking too many at the same time though! *laughs*
Right now, I’ve been working part time on short animated movie called “La Ballade des Enfarinés”. It’s not my personal creation though. I’ve worked as background colorist and clean-up artist in the project. So far, it’s been quite an experience! I can’t wait to see it finished! I wish I could say more about it, but I’m not sure I am allowed.
As for personal endeavours: I have a few ongoing projects that I hope I can finish in 2006. One of them is an illustrated fairytale called “Princesse Lune” (Princess Moon). It’s a very sweet story about a moon princess wishing to meet with the sun prince. I’m not telling more though! Hopefully, I will find some time to work on the illustrations soon and I will have a sneak peek on my website.
I’m also hoping to do an illustrated calendar this year. I’ll probably do a little survey to see if my idea is good. If family and friends approve of it, this project will offer a little bit more than your usual 12 months / 12 illustrations calendar!
2. When quoting a commission price for a customer, what factors do you take into consideration to come up with the total?
Most of the time, I evaluate how many hours the commission will take me and base my price on an hourly rate. Simple as that. I make sure that my client is clear about what he / she wants and also warn that I will charge for any extra work or modifications in the commission. Right now, I charge $15-25 / hour depending on the nature of the commission. I will charge more for an animation than for an illustration.
3. How did you begin to develop your own unique style? Was it a conscious process or did it gradually evolve?
People tell me I have a very unique style of my own, but when I look at my own work, I always feel that they are all of different styles! I always felt like there was no need to focus or stress on something like that. I’ve learned that if you put your whole self into your paintings and drawings, people will recognise your work.
Styles can be easily faked too. We were taught in my animation classes that we needed to adapt to any styles we were introduced and we had to try new styles with every new exercises we did. So I guess I was introduced to so many styles in such a short period of time that now, I am still trying to figure out what works best one for me.
4. You write a monthly column for EMG…what’s that like? How do you choose which subjects you write about?
I’m so happy to be part of Ellen’s e-zine! I’ve always had fun doing tutorials like the ones I’m offering on EMG-Zine. I like to help other artists and aspiring artists in any way I can. I’ve found that the best way I could do that was with tutorials and critiques. I noticed that most of the tutorials we can find on the web and in books are steps by steps images of paintings. While this can be helpful to a certain extent, they have their limits: you have to follow the author’s methods, and not your own, to get to the showed effect. So basically there are as many techniques as there are books. This can be confusing and overwhelming to anyone who’s trying to develop their own painting habits and techniques . Instead, I try to focus on creating tutorials that have general information that anyone can integrate in their own paintings without having to change the way they lay down the paint on the paper.
As for coming up with subjects: I first started my columns with the first steps I take when I start an illustration.(my first column was about brainstorming and thumbnailing) Readers made suggestions along the way and I’ve integrated these suggestions in my new columns. I’m always opened to new suggestions! I’m doing these columns for the readers after all!
5. What is your paper and medium of choice and why?
That’s a tough question. I like to work with so many mediums! I think it really depends on what I want to do.
If it’s for a storybook style illustrations, I will prefer to work with watercolor on hot pressed arches watercolor paper. I use the hot pressed paper because I find it easier to do very detailed inking on this paper.
I also love working with photoshop for other types of general illustrations. Working on a computer is ideal when you are confronting tight deadlines: you can easily correct your work and I also love the very clean style it can give you.
6. Is there a particular theme or subject that you constantly revisit in your art?
Currently? Yes. Fairytales. Especially ones with fairies, spirits, animals, princesses or princes. Anything that could be related for a fairy or folk tale will strike my muse.
I don’t know if this could be considered a subject but I always try to put some interaction or action in my own personal work . I will be especially inspired if I feel that the illustration I am working on seems like it’s telling a tale of it’s own or that we feel we need to learn more about what’s going on in the picture.
7. If you had to name one source of your greatest inspiration, what would it be?
Nature. Life. It’s possible to tell a tale with anything!
8. You have another fulltime job along with your art career. Any advice for those of us juggling another job along
with art?
I think I’m the absolute worst example of how one should struggle with both art and work. *laughs* But I do have some advice:
1. Make sure that’s really what you want! Unless you are very passionate about your art and you really want to put all the extra hours into it, take the time to consider if art is really just a hobby for you. I’m not saying this to discourage people one bit. But having two jobs at the same time never is easy. You have to skip on things you enjoy like going out with friends, spending some time playing games or going shopping. Most of the time, even though we put countless hours into our work, it doesn’t pay much. So even with the lower pay, we have to find it fulfilling or else we live a miserable life.
2. Make sure you are able to follow your schedules. And I don’t only mean your work schedule. We have to plan some free time to relax, eat, sleep, take a shower, exercise our body, clean up the mess. Write these essential things down in your agenda. If you don’t, you might forget about some of them or even skip them on purpose because you feel you don’t have enough time to finish your work.
3. Learn to say no! (I still have HUGE issues with that one) People know when you aren’t able to refuse work and they will take advantage of that. They will also be the first to whine because you’re not quick enough or because you’re late. Unless you want a miserable life overtaken by endless hours of work, learn to say NO!
9. Have you always wanted to be an artist? How long have you been creating art?
To tell you the truth, I think being an artist isn’t something we choose to be, it’s something we need to be. I’m a very shy person and art is there for me to express myself. I know for a fact that if I do not draw anything for a week or two (or more!) I will become sick, literally. So I guess art for me is both a job and a way to get all the bad vibes out of my system.
As far as I can tell, I’ve always been drawing, but I’ve considered art as a career 3 years ago when I graduated from college.
10. Do you have any art shows or conventions under your belt? If so, do you
have any tips for those who plan on doing this in the future?
Yes, I do. 3 times an Otakon attendee (in Baltimore, MD) at the Artist Alley and this year I plan on being at Anime North (in Toronto, Ontario) in May. Some of you might be surprised that I attend anime conventions. The first time I went to Otakon, it was with the wonderful group from Artcorner.org (the site is still there, but it now closed). Most of them were big anime fans. I graduated in classical animation, so japanese animation did interest me in some way. Even though I have been attending for 3 years, I never really thought of it as a business, except for last year (august 2005). Being in the Artist Alley mostly helped me meet friends and paid for the trip.
If I have a few tips to give to people starting in conventions, they would be these:
1. Try to bring as little as you can with you. Of course, you’ll need to bring all your material and prints, but stick to that. It will already be heavy enough, you do not need to bring extra books or unnecessary personal items.
2. Bring food with you at the table if you are allowed. I usually stay all day at my table to meet customers and I rarely have someone who can take care of my table while I’m gone. I bring something to eat, so I can have extra time for sales.
3. Always be curtious with your customer, young or old. People will come back to you if you take the time to answer their questions. Make sure you greet every customer when they look at your material. Sometimes saying: “ Good day! Thank you for looking at my portfolio!” will make them feel welcome. People are often shy to start a conversation so if you greet them first, they might even start asking questions.
4. It’s a good idea to bring an unfinished painting to work on at the convention. Not only will it keep you occupied when no one’s at the table, but people always love to see artists at work! Be ready to explain how you work and what tools you use. Customers can be very curious.
5. Try talking to other artists around you . Conventions are the best place for networking! I personally love to see other artists work too, so I love to have a look around and buy prints too. Bring business cards with you so you exchange them too!
11. Pretend you were commissioned to do a fantasy portrait of a celebrity.
Who would be your first choice to portray and why? How would you
portray them?
Enya. And I would absolutely see her as an Elven songstress. She’s got such an amazing and calming voice, plus I find that her face and features also emphasise that.
12. Are you a planner and goal setter or do you just take things as they come? Explain.
A little bit of both. I like to plan my own personal projects a long time before I start them so I can brainstorm my ideas for a while. I also know for a fact that if I plan my schedule ahead, I won’t have to push my own personal projects aside because of a last minutes deadline from a freelance job.
Most of the other freelance jobs I get are as I go. I cannot plan them ahead and since I have a hard time saying no to fun and interesting project, unscheduled projects take a big part of my time!
13. You just found out that some of your most-used art supplies are being
discontinued. Which one item do you rush out and stock up on because
you can’t do without it?
My 2H leads of my Mars Luminograph lead holder. I cannot do without this particular pencil holder and lead. I use it to sketch, to clean-up the line art of my paintings and my animations. It’s my lucky pencil and I take it almost everywhere I go.
Name: Annie Rodrigue
Website: http://www.moonlight-whispers.com/
email: mail [at] moonlight-whispers.com
DeviantArt: http://maina.deviantart.com/
Livejournal: http://www.livejournal.com/users/eaglemaina
Elfwood: http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/art/m/a/maina/
