I stumbled accross Carmen's very interesting traditional artwork recently when she fav'd one of my pictures. I took a look at her gallery and was quite captivated with the uniqueness of her style, including her ability to create very accurate portraits of other people's familiar faces. Her gallery shows her work "as is" - unadulterated by digital enhancement, and I would encourage you to take a look at her very natural ability there.

I was immediately inspired to ask her if she would do an interview, and although she is Spanish and her English is not good, she was good enough to respond positively, with what I found to be very clear answers (but she did request that I change any wording where necessary for the sake of clarity)! Read on...

The Interview

1.How long have you been doing art?

Well, I´m twenty… I believe that since I could hold a pencil.

2. What got you started?

My mother also paints, and I suppose that I wanted to paint like her. I wanted to know how to paint the things that I saw or imagined…

3. Do you have any formal training either as a traditional artist or in digital art?

Not really. In the school we had a subject called artistic education, but they didn’t teach us to draw or paint. They did however, hold competitions of painting and I almost always won. My mother has helped me whenever I have requested her to do so as well.

4. What software do you normally use for preparing your pictures to display?

Ehmm… Microsoft office picture manager, to clip, etc.

5. Do you have a preference for the type of picture you like to create?

I believe that I like more to create colourful drawings, although they are sometimes more difficult to do.

6. Can you give a brief overview of your technique?

First, I make a quick sketch: the composition, etc. Then, I put shadows and lights to the drawing; Finally I pass from the general things to the details.

7. What sort of things inspire your artwork?

Oh, lots of things: books, cinema, many artists... Also the feelings - sometimes, when I’m drawing somebody smiling, I also smile...

8. Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

Practice and observation. The observation and the attention are essential, and the practice brings confidence. And don’t set limits, because art doesn’t have limits.

9. Do you have any future plans for diversifying your artwork?

Not for the moment, as I'm now I’m studying medicine.

10. Is there anything else you'd like to add about what you do?

I hope you like my work. Oh, and I should add that I would like to have discovered DeviantArt before, because it’s brilliant.

Here are some examples of her artwork

On a personal note, I would like to wish Carmen well in her studies in Medicine, and I hope she will continue to produce her delightful pictures to share with us here at dA for a long time to come!