AC Unveiled: April!

This monthly Artisan Crafts feature showcases some of the best artisans that submit their work to dA, and to accompany their fantastic pieces are some Q&A with the artists to tell you all what they think of their work. So, let's begin!

Culinary

~robin-lila's Culinary art is interesting because no matter what she is making you know it will include colour, taste and delicious looking frosting! What more could you want from a pastry artist? Not much!

Here are some questions we asked ~robin-lila about her work.


Where do you think your taste for the culinary arts began?

I probably developed my love for baking from my mother, she was always making cookies or experimenting with breads, and I just love the smell of baking bread. She encouraged me to do what ever I set my mind to, and baking is exactly that, I love finding new recopies and experimenting with them.





What chef would you say inspires you the most?

I don't really have a specific chef that inspires me, but I do love to watch the specials on TV on cakes and other desserts.





How long does an average piece take to make?

The length of time varies from what thing I’m making, for cakes it takes a while for it to actually bake and then cool off, but I would say an hour for just decorating a cake or several cupcakes. Other things like Swedish pancakes or other breakfast type foods don't really take long to prepare because I’m more focused on the taste than what it looks like, if it looks pretty then its a plus.





What piece would you consider your best?

And as for my "best" I don't really know... flavor wise, the breakfast puffs were really good, but my favorite would probably be either my rainbow cake, or Swedish pancake... but oh man, I love them all ^_^

Clothing

Clothing is something we all enjoy because we all wear it. So if you wear hip clothing with flare, I know you will enjoy the dresses created by ~funkyfunnybone. Her clothing will not only make you want to wear them but to show them off to all of those adoring fans you will meet on the streets!

Here are some questions we asked ~funkyfunnybone about her work.


What started your interest in fashion design?

When I first saw garments for sale by ~*Minkie*~ on ebay, I was amazed! I couldn't believe that someone as young as she was could be so talented and she inspired me to try it out myself. I had no idea if it would work, and in the beginning it kinda didn't.. but I learned from all the mistakes I made and now here I am





Is there another design that you look up to for inspiration?

I'm really into Japanese street fashion... I get Kera Magazine straight out of Japan every month and I like to browse through them before bed. If you want me to be more specific, I really like H. Naoto and Putumayo





How long does an average piece take to make?

It can take as little as 2 hours or as much as about 5 hours depending on the design, but I usually work on multiple garments at a time. I usually only have 2 or 3 days to sew when I go home on weekends, so I've learned to get things done quickly or else I'd have a work pile miles high o_O





What piece would you consider your best?

Hmm.. that's a tough one. I have many pieces that I LOVE.. The Marilyn Manson dress for example.. and the Red Spider dress. But my b/f thinks that the tattered Jack dress from a looong time ago surpasses them all

Sculpture and Glass

Sculpture. It's a beautiful thing - full of elegance, beauty, poise. I think the one person that can capture this more than anyone on dA is ~LaughingTree. His style is his own and the abstract form of shape and colour make it interesting beyond belief. Here are only but a few of his gorgeous masterpieces.


When did you become aware of the art of sculpture & glass making?

It actually wasn't until I got to Ohio State, and it was entirely accidental. I was a psychology major at OSU after earning my degree in Special Effects (Industrial Design) from the Art Institute of Pittsburgh. I was very limited on the classes I could take and was practically forced to take all electives my second quarter there. I took glassblowing because it had always been something that I found "interesting." I was hooked instantly. That was the beginning of the end.





When making your glass sculptures, your biggest inspiration is whom?

I don't think my biggest inspiration is necessarily a "whom", but more of a "what." I take a lot of inspiration from my environment around me. Both literally and figuratively. I grew up with a dad who is a lung doctor. I had lots of access to hospitals and interesting things like x-rays and the occasional preserved organs. This led to my love of anatomy, while my love of trees has always just come naturally to me. I often stare at "structures" and find their shapes and movements to be my largest form of inspiration.





How long does an average piece take to make?

The average varies quite significantly depending on what it is... Pieces that are strictly glass take anywhere from 1-5 hours to make in the hotshop. Then the ones that are engraved take an additional 1-12 hours to engrave. The glass and metal sculptures take quite a bit longer. Depending on the intricacy of the metalwork and the scale, these take anywhere from 20-80 hours roughly.





What piece would you consider your best?

I don't think I have any piece that is really the "best." There are a lot of pieces that I like for various reasons, but nothing stands out as the absolute best. Although my 2 or 3 favorites would have to be:

Architectural Design

Architecture is an interesting gallery on dA because you get to see what something would look like before you actually get to see it built. That is what I love about ~mr-matthias because he shows us the inside and out of the projects that he works on. You get to see views that you might not even get to see in the finished project, so please, welcome his works into your lives as they are great!


How did you get into creating architecture?

I have been interested in Architecture since I was a child. I started by taking CAD classes in high school and now I go to a specialized school for Architecture.





Is there an architect that you look up to?

Le Corbusier





How long does an average piece take to make?

60-90 Hours





What piece would you consider your best?

None of them, because I am my biggest critic.

Custom Dolls

~noeling is known for his very cool dolls, but I thought it would be appropriate to put him into this feature. He is skilled with both recreating dolls and making them look like the people they truly are. Here are those dolls. I know you will enjoy them.

Interview unavilable.

Jewelry

Jewelery that fascinates the eye is exactly how I feel when I see ~OlgaC's jewels. They are colours, delightful and elaborate. Unique to the fullest, I would definitely recommend you see this gallery!


What about jewelry made you want to get into creating it?

Making jewelry is not only my job, it's my hobby, it makes me feel happy. I smile every time i see someone wearing my jewelry. The best reward for me is when my client likes it. Jewelry is not only a decoration, it's also an art, you can show so many emotions in it, so many moods. It can be a present for someone special or a thing you want to have to feel better, it can make you look elegant or funny. Jewely dots the "i", makes the outfit complete.





Is there a jeweler out there today that inspires your work?

There is one jeweler and great artist who inspires me... It's mother nature. And it's an amazing inspiration! So many colours and shapes! That's why i love to use stones, wood, seeds, leaves and all natural materials. I'm trying to use everything i can find and it's fun. Usually I'm really surprised by the effect i get





How long does an average piece take to make?

An average piece takes about 30 minutes to make and then some time to dry (if I'm using paint or glue), but there are also much more complicated pieces that take some hours to make them, it depends on the design. But i enjoy every minute and i'm proud of every little thing i make





What piece would you consider your best?

I put my heart into every piece, so it's impossible for me to choose the best one. Every single thing is different. In every series i've got one piece that i like more than others. But which one is the best? That's a hard question. It's not for me to say.

Leatherwork

Part dark, mysterious and incredibly detailed, ~VirtualMessiah is definitely on of those leather workers that you just have to admire. His masks might make you jump, but after a second glance you will see that they are quite beautiful and enticing. Here's a few!


When did you realize that you had a talent for creating leather pieces?

I had been making leather armor for a few years. Upon a trip to New Orleans on 2005 (pre katrina) I went into an amazing mask shop that had a few masks made of leather and I was astounded. Later in my trip I made my way to another mask shop that also had leather masks. These were crap and I thought to myself "I can do better than this!" When I got back home I started to teach myself how!





Where do you look for inspiration for your leather pieces?

Horror movies, superheroes, mythology and my partner in crime ~vandyfaye. She is an amazing artist that constantly keeps me in awe.





How long does an average piece take to make?

It depends on the size and detail. Some of the smaller pieces can take 4 to 5 hours for the leatherwork and then another 3 to 4 for paint and dye. Large pieces like 'From the deep' took 10 to 12 hours for the leatherwork with equal amounts of time for paint and dye. The 'stitch' series are works in constant flux sometimes taking weeks before all the pieces fit.





What piece would you consider your best?

That's like asking someone which of their children they love the most each new piece made builds on the work of the ones before it. But for a straight answer I'm very proud of 'Demonic' and 'The Dragon'.

Metal Work

~Ugrik knows how to master a blade! His metal works are fascinating and detailed, down to the very tip of the handle of his knives. His works grabbed my attention the moment I saw them, and I'm sure they will do the same to you!


What is it about metal that fuels your passion for it?

That's really difficult to answer. It started with a fascination with blades and weapons. There is just something mystical and beautiful in blades - like in fire, that also plays an important role in metalwork. It feels really good when you complete some project you have spent so much time. And the work never ends - always you can learn something, try to do things differently, use interesting materials. In Estonia we have a saying that hatmaker lives without a hat and shoemaker walks barefoot. It's also true about blade smiths so i'm often in constant need for new blades.





Where do you look for inspiration for your metal pieces?

A lot of places. Usually it's doodling knives myself or from internet. There's a lot of knife and blade pictures here in deviantart (most of them are completely useless because their design would probably be more dangerous for the user than object they are used on) but i have had good design ideas from here. I also like to watch blades from professionals - even if their style is completely different there's a lot to learn if you look carefully.
I also like fantasy and history so i make historical replicas for reenactment and that sort of thing.





How long does an average piece take to make?

It depends an awful lot on the piece and working methods i have to use. I would say that i can finish a knife in two days if i work really hard. In real life it usually takes more time since i have to work, study, fight with my laziness, and tend to other matters. Experimental pieces take significantly more time than types i have used before.
It can take a year if i leave it in a drawer untill i have good feeling to continue. Two weeks would probably be average time for average piece - or four days if i need do hurry.





What piece would you consider your best?

Ravenclaw or my sword i think. Its really difficult to tell which is best but these are my personal favourites. Every blade i have made is unique and has its own qualities and character.

Origami

Some very original Origami pieces come from the gallery of ~sergey-oriart. They can range from men reading to rooster's crowing. In some of his pieces he even manages to put them in weird places which adds a whole other element to them. He is a very gifted artist, and here are some of his best.


At what age do you think you started understanding and creating origami?

All in all I’ve been making origami for 6 years. But I started understanding it about 2 years ago (this is a rough estimate). Understanding origami for me is the possibility to make the things which I intended to do and not to look for sense in a randomly made form. Though improvisation also has its own charm.





Is there another origami artist out there that you find inspiration from?

I like some artists among modern origamists, their talent excites my unreserved admiration and the feeling of homage. Namely, Robert Lang, Kamya Satoshi, Eric Joisel, Hojyo Takashi, Giant Dih. But I find my inspiration not from their models. Inspiration comes to me from communication with the world around me, from books I have read, from films I have seen, from music I am listening for. And I can’t find in this process any order or rules. The idea of a future model comes at once. It is a question of inner state.





How long does an average piece take to make?

It is difficult to give a simple answer to this question. Because the process of creation is not only technical work with paper. The image of the future piece must enter your soul. You should feel it deeply, even become the whole with it for a while. Only those models that interlaced with me could find a response in other people.





What piece would you consider your best?

Those pieces, which can be seen in my gallery, are my good models. Around these the models I danced after they were completed (my small ritual) It is difficult for me to single out - all of them reflect different aspects of my perception of the surrounding. But I hope that my best piece is still in future.




There it is! Artisan Crafts unveiled for April! Be sure to stay tuned for future articles and remember that if there is an artist out there that you think needs to be unveiled, send a note my way. :]