Hey there Deviants!

This interview is the second part in a double feature this week because I'll be away from home next week, and I won't be able to publish this then. Instead of making you wait for this installment, I thought I'd bring it to you early. Here is another interview with a dA stock provider to help you get to know the personalities that are responsible for the stock that you use in your artwork.

=LawrenceDeDark (aka: Lawrence) of *LDD-Stock was gracious enough to agree to this interview.



Words like "supportive", "kind", "friendly", or "generous" aren't normally associated with themes like horror, darkness, blood, or death. But I assure you, *LDD-Stock and it's owner manage to unhinge yet another set of misguided generalizeations.

Meet Lawrence. He's the owner of *LDD-Stock, one of the only stock accounts I know of that is mainly focused on providing some type of themed stock. At *LDD-Stock you'll find some of the most haunting and unnerving stock photos around deviantART. This is because Lawrence is not only a stock photographer, but he's a stock user as well. This stocker explores the genres of dark and macabre art. Sure you can use *LDD-Stock for any kind of art that you please, so long as you adhere to his terms of use. But his stock gallery is full of strange angles, somewhat odd lighting, and some gnarly tools that seem to hint at the most sinister part of the human psyche. (...Among other freaky tidbits, seemingly from some place deep inside The Twilight Zone.)

However, the man behind the horrors is one of the most personable and accommodating people you could hope to meet at deviantART. I was instantly disarmed the first time I exchanged comments with Lawrence. Because of his light-hearted manner, his fairly cheerful demeanor, and a wonderfully involved community spirit, this is one deviant that I felt would be an outstanding subject to interview!

Please sit back and enjoy getting to know one of brightest souls to contribute to the dark genre art fans of dA. Here's a fabulous supporter to all stock providers at deviantART.


1. What exactly is "stock art"?

*LDD-Stock: I believe there are actually two different types of stock art. Some stock art is simply photographs that one could find in any section of the photography gallery. Be it a landscape of mountains or a photograph of a model standing in the woods. The only difference is that the artist that puts their art in the stock art gallery makes it available for others to use.

Then we have stock art where the artist takes photographs of models, objects, animals, landscapes, etc. specifically with the intent that they be used as reference or in digital works. These photographs may be designed in such a manner to make it easy for an object or model to be extracted from the photograph or more accentuated for use as reference. Similarly, an artist can choose specific landscapes or photographs of buildings with compositions that afford their use in digital works.

How's that?

Fantastic!


2. You have been =LawrenceDeDark at deviantART for almost a year longer than you were known as *LDD-Stock. What took you so long to decide you wanted to offer stock photos?

*LDD-Stock: I actually started my stock account with bloody portrait photographs of myself that I had left over from a shoot for my own use. I then added a bunch of objects.

In January, I scrapped everything in my stock account. I wasn't happy with the composition or quality of the photographs I took with my old camera. I started over with a more serious mindset of providing quality usable stock.




3. What is it about dark (macabre, horror) art that you enjoy so much?

*LDD-Stock: Well firstly, I do not believe dark is always macabre or horror. Dark can be a mood among other things... Last Man is a good example of what I am trying to explain.



Having said that, I do also have a fair amount of horror and macabre in my gallery. I cannot really explain why I create what I do, it just comes out of me. Most of the works in my gallery stem from something in my life or have meaning to me. Though I rarely spell things out for people. I believe it is better to let people see what they see.




4. When you hear the phrase "active in the stock community", what does that mean to you?

*LDD-Stock: Wow. That is tough to quantify. I guess it could be described as someone that is supportive and interacts with people in the community. I do not believe one needs to provide stock to be active in the community. People that provide feedback to stock artists would seem to qualify as well as those that feature stock artists in their journals and help support stock artist's and their contests. There are also many stock artists that reach out to others and foster a positive community spirit. We cannot forget these folks.




5. Are there any helpful clubs around deviantART where artists can find stock images to use in their macabre or horror artwork?

*LDD-Stock: I am sort of embarrassed to say that I am not aware of any such active clubs at this time. I am sure there are probably some out there.




6. What kind of stock images are best for the "dark art" genre?

*LDD-Stock:

~lebstock for nice textures


*CausticStock great gallery of castles and other structures


~Fune-Stock backgrounds


*petronieska-stock excellent female model stock


~Morf-stock he's the man


and, of course... ~Blood--Stock blood!



_{Note from author: Lawrence informed me that ~Blood--Stock's gallery has very recently been closed.}


7. As a stock artist and as a digital artist, do you use your own stock photos?

*LDD-Stock: I have a really bad habit of scrapping works from my gallery. I have had 30 some works for a long time... I add one, I scrap one. Most of the works I did with my earlier stock are gone. I do have this shot in my main gallery.



I put the left over bandages in my stock account. Surprisingly, they have been used several times.



I do intend to use some of the shots from my old house and cemetery collection in the future.




8. If you had no restrictions of money or any other realistic factor, what would be the most fantastic stock photo shoot for you?

*LDD-Stock: That's easy. I would love to have a group of models, a studio, hair and makeup artists.




9. Putting fantasy aside, what's your best photo (in your own opinion, not based on page views) in your stock gallery so far?

*LDD-Stock: I really like this shot because I think it sort of tells a story. Unfortunately, I don't believe it is such a great piece of stock from a usability standpoint.






10. Can you show me any examples of how this image has been used?

*LDD-Stock: No... It has not been used.




11. How does your own art influence your stock gallery?

*LDD-Stock: Well I have photographs taken at a cemetery and an old house that sort of has a haunted feel about it. I did another shoot recently in an abandoned school. These are all stock photographs that I believe could be used in darker themed works.




12. Your main page lists music as one of your interests. How is your art/stock influenced by music?

*LDD-Stock: Music is a very important part of life. I always have music playing and it definitely plays a key role in my creative process. There are 9 pieces in my gallery that are titled after songs.




13. What kind of music do you like to listen to?

Oh, I listen to a lot of different types of music. Everything from rock to dance/trance/remixes.

I really like Underworld, Paul van Dyk, Depeche Mode... that sort of stuff.




14. Other than in your own art, which of your stock images do you think have been used the most?

*LDD-Stock:






15. Did you think they'd be used so often when you uploaded them to your gallery?

*LDD-Stock: These images have not really been up that long. I did believe the photographs from the old house had a good chance to see some action. I really was not sure about the others.




16. How is being a stock artist at dA better than what other sites offer?

*LDD-Stock: I have checked out a few sites and nothing compares to dA in terms of the application or community.




17. If I was thinking of opening a stock gallery, what advice would you have for me?

*LDD-Stock: I would advise you to do a little research. Check out the stock art gallery and specifically the categories that you think you may contribute to. Perhaps looking at the All Time - Popular sort of specific categories might help guide you.

Set your camera on the highest resolution setting possible. When it comes to stock, the larger the file the better!

If you are going to take model photographs be sure to shoot in front of a blank wall or use a drop cloth -- avoid busy or messy backgrounds. Be mindful of lighting, shadows and try to make the photographs interesting. Check out stock clubs for further tips. You can find a good listing of clubs at *TheFellaPages.

And, be mindful of the categories and upload your photographs in the correct section. If you are not sure where to put something, contact one of the Stock Art Gallery Directors.




18. On both of your accounts, your profile pages say that you're a "Shadow Deviant." Just what is a "Shadow Deviant"?

*LDD-Stock: One that lurks in the shadows or prefers the dark I guess. I am not fond of bright light. I am a night person for sure. I also spent a lot of time in the darkroom at school. I was really into B&W photography and spent several hours a day in a darkroom for a couple of years. This was back in the day when one sandwiched negatives and did dodging and burning with equipment rather than in Photoshop. I really think that had an affect on me... or maybe it just sounds more sane.




19. What is the darkest piece of artwork that has been made with your stock?

*LDD-Stock: That would have to be this one.



It is also my favorite and not just because it was made for me by my closest friend on dA. Wait a minute... maybe that is not totally honest.




20. What else should we know about *LDD-Stock before this interview is complete?

*LDD-Stock: That he does not like to talk about himself and this was really difficult. He only agreed to it because of his fondness for the interviewer.




Thanks, Lawrence, for your time and for your insights!


_{Previous Interviews:
20 Questions with AlinePotter-stock (May 3, 2007)
20 Questions with Gracies-Stock (May 7, 2007)
20 Questions with Markopolio-Stock (May 14, 2007)}