_{Many thanks to all the deviants who contributed to this interview with questions. The artist will answer more of your questions in this poll:
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Name: Elandria/Lanny
Age: 26ish
Residence: West Midlands, UK
Current profession: Whatever I decide when I fall out of bed in the morning ^^
Favorite quote: I'd agree with you... but then we'd both be wrong o.0
How do you feel about this interview? I'm totally excited (Read bouncing around on my chair with a cheesy grin). People are going to need therapy after this I'm warning you!





When you started posting stock on deviantART, did you think it would get so popular? Who supported you? Was any other stock artist an example for you?

Ooohh in a word... NO! Not ever in a million years did I think my stock would become as popular as it is! It’s one of those things that still both delights me and freaks me out when I turn my computer on in the morning to see I've been spammed by new messages during the night from people using my stock :. My best support has always been from my Fiancé Lee whom I tend not to mention often because he’s rather DA-shy but I couldn't function without his input, advice and pinning skills. Also *CausticStock who is as most people already know my alternative photographer, best friend and oft times muse and a few other notable DA friends who have been with me right from the start. Stock artists who first inspired me... has to be =lockstock and her husband *Cobweb-stock and also ~suicide-stock(Who I really really hope will bring her stock back!)and also ~dani-stock All of them inspired me by the incredible diversity of their stock and how good a quality it always was/still is.

Where did you get the name elandria from? ~FantasyMaker

Hhhmmm this is always a funny one to answer... it’s my name.. lol apparently there are a couple of role-playing games with a "Goddess Elandria" but I never knew about them or the other Elandrias of the world until somebody pointed them out to me a few years ago. I've had plenty of nicknames and still do … and my parents have this really really irritating habit of still calling me by my birth name(generally when I'm getting told off -.- ) No, before you ask, I won't tell you what it is.

How do you find the strength to share so much of yourself and how do you feel when the resulting art is shared with you? *katlienc

From the people who support me every day of the year, regardless of what mood I'm in and which side of the bed I fell out of. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, especially the bad moments, the emails from people being rude/perverted/gross etc, and one particular time when somebody stole my identity. It’s certainly made me more cautious (perhaps overly so in some cases I'll admit) but every single time I get a note or a comment thanking me for sharing my stock, and new deviations where you know immediately that they have taken as much care about working to create something beautiful as you did to create the stock in the first place, that’s the reward, that’s the moment where I know its worth it, and believe me, every one of those moments I am extremely grateful for!!

Do you keep a count of your stock usage? like how many deviations have been made with your stock since 2004? and what is your most used stock image? =FrozenStarRo

Lol urm yes... and no.. since January this year I've been keeping thumbs of all work created using my stock in a monthly journal but I don't keep track of which ones get used the most. For June there were a whopping 256 new deviations that I've been told about which I think is just AWESOME! The new stock must be good, right?

What is your favourite piece that has been created by another member of DA using your art? *Sharkfold

Oooh Sharkeh you would have to! I couldn't tell you. Honestly, I'm not just running out the easy way.. I've got over 6k of favourites and I favourite every single piece of work that uses my stock that I get linked to. Get back to me in another year and maybe I'll have figured it out.



What you are passionate about? You have over 200,000 page views, and that is a lot of exposure. You are in a position to influence the world, in a small way. But what if you were more so, say JK Rowling. If you championed a cause, that cause would get a lot of attention. So what is your cause? ~TalyrasMirror

Cliched, but honest. Peace, and the prevention of cruelty to animals. I spent 5 years at college and university learning to look after every type of small and farm animal (I wanted to be a Horse Physiotherapist) and seeing an animal injured through the neglect or blatant cruelty of a human who is supposed to know better cuts me to the heart. Sometimes I really wish the injuries inflicted on the innocent and helpless could be repaid back on those that caused the pain 10 fold . In relation to DA I'd say consideration for others’ feelings. Don't write something that you wouldn't like to read about your own artwork yourself.

What drives you to give away your likeness in stock photos? Where is the reward? Do you get upset if your rules are not followed or can you be level-headed about it since you've been around for so long? ^kuschelirmel

Since I'm well known for the *cough* lengthiness of my rules.. To be honest, when I first started creating stock, and right after the incident with the identity theft I really considered my motives for providing stock, and did remove them all for a time. I was truly heartbroken, but I've learnt to be more accepting of how others see stock and how they use it. I still get a little frustrated that people can't be bothered to credit and note the stock providers, it takes 2 seconds to add details to a dev description and a further 2 seconds to leave a comment and a link (ok that’s when DA is being good). I think more than anything it confuses me... they take all that time to create the manipulation/artwork in the first place, surely they are proud of it and want as many people including the stock providers to see what they have done? *shrug* Beats me. *gets down off her soap box*
The reward will always be seeing those hundreds of really creative and oft times stunning works of art created by the people on DA over the last 3 years, each one makes me feel very proud to have been a small part of the creation process, like I really do give something worth while and useable back to the community that I love so much.

What is the most bizzare thing you've found your stock being used in? ~ThunderInMyDreams

The very few occasions where I'm turned nude.. I think it’s really... odd... lol there are so many fantastic stock providers that do beautiful nude stock then somebody comes along and removes my costumes which is the thing I hope I'm most well known for .

Have you ever run into a print with your stock while travelling around the world (i.e. on holiday)? ~LucaBlackDragon

Nope, though I'd love it if I did (Holiday invitations anybody?) We generally spend our holiday time with the various sections of the family in the UK and when we can afford it in the South of France with my papa’s family, so opportunities are scarce.



What is the expression that would characterize your own digital art? Many artists choose to have different galleries for stock and art, how did you decide to keep them all together?

Fantasy is definitely my main theme, I've got an incredibly overactive imagination and tend to tailor my stock and my artwork quite literally in the fantasy direction (sorry for the pun lol). The reason I have both my art and my stock in the same gallery is because I'm too lazy to create another account and too sentimental to give up the comments and faves etc on the stuff that would have to be moved. I was drawing a long time before I started doing stock, even though there are very few of my own pictures in my gallery, most of which are at least 2 years old or more >.<

I'd like to know what contributions to artistic expression you think dA has? What are the disadvantages to a site such as this one? *Ana-Lyn

OMG were you having a serious moment when you asked this one? lol I think DA has a HUGE HUGE HUGE amount to give the art world, it’s a place of creative freedom in some of the most extreme forms imaginable. Not everybody agrees with the freedom of expression given to members of DA, but at least you know the site will never stagnate, people are always pushing the boundaries of artistic expression and DA provides the perfect outlet for new ideas and concepts to hatch. The only disadvantages I've ever seen to the site is its sheer immensity. People really do get lost in the DAsphere and never come out again, people with acres of talent can be overlooked in favor of the latest fad rippling the murky depths and it’s a bit of a shame. I take my hat off to those deviants out there who work their socks and pantyhose off to ensure that people get the exposure they deserve for the quality of their artwork/resources.

Did you work as a model before starting as a stock provider? How did being a stock model affect your modeling career?

Lol no.. a friend won a competition to take her and 2 friends to a "star" day at a photography studio where we got made up and our hair done and photos taken. I've still got those photos somewhere but that’s the extent of my "modeling" career . As for how doing stock has affected my potential modeling career... urm it hasn't, at least not in a "fashion model" sense. I do have a few artists that I provide reference material for on a personal level which is a joy to do, but that’s the extent of it

Do you plan to make art your career? if not what do you plan to do in the future? ~jesusfreak16

Lol no again. I never wanted to be an artist… my career through schooling was aimed at animal care until I changed degrees to do Graphic Design. My mother is a shockingly talented pastel artist so I have her to thank for my artistic genes. I feel sad in a way that I'll never pursue my own "fantasy art" as more than a hobby, because I honestly love creating stuff, but I'm too much of a realist to know that design/art jobs are very very hard to come by, and whilst my art is adequate, it’s nowhere near the level needed to survive the very cut throat world of art. For those who really do want to make art their careers DON'T GIVE UP!!!

Plans for the future…

I'm very much considering seeing if I can make a go of my costume design. Get back to me in a year and I'll tell you how I'm doing lol.




I would want to know if you make your own costumes, or do you have a designer? *DAnnsCreations

*clears throat* (Oscar speech alert) I'd like to thank my manager, and my therapist and the cat...
Basically everything I make is my own design, but often those designs are developments from commercially available patterns or historical references. My library consists of tons of books on medieval to Victorian clothing and their design and construction, that’s where I get most of my inspiration from, and yep with the help of my trusty sewing machine I make all my own costumes.

With all that is going on in your life do your find your costume construction and design and the ensuing photography session(s) a release and pleasure or a chore and stress? =VegaLightsMyWay

Definitely a pleasure. Its one of those things I enjoy doing the most, and seeing the results used and liked by the rest of DA. Sometimes the shoots themselves can be stressful since we have to rely on the weather etc for outdoor shoots, but all in all, definitely the "good" part.

About how long does it take to make a costume/ how much does it usually cost? ~silverwolf42 ~BalduranDeArnise

Hmm this is a tricky one. It entirely depends on what style the costume is. My "Cream and green" gown for example has over 25 yards of material in it from the lining to the overskirt, and is made from a heavy brocade. In truth the fabric alone cost over £150 and took me about 5 weeks to complete (It’s the most time consuming one I've ever worked on). Other costumes I can make in a week or so but all use good quality fabric and trimmings, over all I'd say the average cost of each costume is about £60 - £80 without labor.

When did you first begin making your own costumes? Do you have a favorite costume? ~Dezera

Heh my first costume I made with my mom for a college ball when I was just turning 17, and they've grown and got way more complicated since then lol
Hmm as for favorite costumes... that’s a hard one. I love all of them, and though really I should sell them for lack of wardrobe space I'm way too attached. If I'm pushed though I think it would have to be my first black one. It was originally made for my last ball at university and I love how the fabric moves when I'm wearing it. Even more now I've converted it to be more Victorian in style.



Elandria in quick mode: (Lanny: "Theres a quick mode??!" o.0 )

*Describe yourself in 7 words. ~QueenHaku urm... crazy, honest, dedicated, passionate, sarcastic, loyal, weird

*If time travel would be invented, where would you like to take a journey? ~cris2d2 Back to the time of Henry VIII so Caustic and I can beat him round the head for destroying the monasteries, and to stop the Templars from being slaughtered, or even further back to see how they really did make the pyramids (it’s aliens I'm tellin ya!) urm and probably a quick stop off on the way home to pick the brain of a medieval tailor to steal all their tips and tricks

*What do you mostly appreciate about other people? ~Winnie88 Their willingness to do good for others.

*What tree would you be? *Ashien Silver birch(no idea why).

*How can someone be a cookies and chocolate fan and be so thin? =FrozenStarRo lol willpower and an extraordinarily fast metabolism Oooh cookie!! *toddles off*

*What is it you want to accomplish the most at the moment? ~hotshadows Making my way downstairs in the dark to my date with the fridge without breaking my neck

*Do you know you are beautiful? *mojorison

*What do you use to challenge yourself to grow as an artist? =MoeGoof The artwork people around me on DA create all the time is a constant inspiration... also the threat of Lee getting all ranty at me for not trying to develop my talent.

*Do people recognize you in the street? lol no…‘cept for *CausticStock when he first met me … and I still say he had an unfair advantage

*If there was one thing that you could change on this site what would it be? ^LawrenceDeDark How am I supposed to answer that in a few words?!!!!

I just want to say thank you to all my friends and deviants for their continued support! Here’s to another 3 years of fun!! **

_{***Many thanks to =cybergranny for helping with the html.}