Ana Cruz is one of the most inspiring artists on deviantART. She's a make-up artist who takes photos and amazing photo-manipulations! It is a great pleasure to interview her.



Q: Most of your pieces are photo-manipulations. Did you started as photo-manipulator when you came to deviantART?

• That's funny question.
By the time I registered on dA I was submiting only conceptual photography: object macros, arquitechture, etc. Soon I fell in love with photomanipulation. I started practising and, now it's one of my big passions. Meanwhile I got back into photography but in a different category and level.



Q:When we look into your gallery we find some different categories on your own photo-manips. There are some Surreal, Dark and Fantasy photo-manipulations. Can you expain us the difference between those?

• I can relate to every single work I submit here on dA. All of them expresses my own state of mind, my feelings and my secret worlds. I can say that I have a very complex personality and, it's easy for me to get different emotional states so, all my diferent styles represents different parts of me - pars that build my whole self as a human being.



Q:What inspires you? What makes you feel like creating such beatiful pieces? And where do you get your resources? I know you have your own stock account.Do you use your own stock or you mix it with others?

•Like I said on the previous question, my biggest inspiration are my own feeling and secret worlds. I create my works as a visual symbol of what's happening inside my head.
Despite I have 2 stock accounts I usually use my own stock. I already know everything i submit as stock so, to me, it's more appealing and challenging to use different stocks than my own.



Q:Is there any particular photo-manipulation of yours you like the most? Why?

• I have to say "Lulaby of death". That's a very spcial image because it's dedicated to a dear aunt that passed away.



Q:You also take pictures! Portraits mostly, wich camera do you have?Is there any photo with a special meaning in your gallery?

• Yes, I still consider myself a newbie because just recently I started to give a more serious look into the photography world. My camera is nothing much - Sony DSC-H5 - but, it works fine for the kind of photography I'm doing. I hope that soon I can buy a Canon 40D.
I can't choose any particular photo as a favourite. They all are my favourites because I shoot them, I prepared the models with hair, makeup, etc. All the production was made by me, so, all of them are part of me.


Q:Have you ever been told you look like an actress in your pictures? Because i do think so.

•Yes, some people told me I look like Jeniffer Love Hewitt. I honestly don't think so but, many people say that.



Q:I remember that you have written a journal some time ago about someone who commented your make-up in one of your portraits. That person thought you've edited your eyes and it was real make up. Would you like to talk a little about that? Where did you learn? Are you a professional make-up artist?

• Yes I remember that situation. Noone told me directly I had edited my eyes. Some peopel asked me if I edit them because the makeup was way too perfect.
I can honestly say that it bothered me a lot. I got hurt and angry at the same time because some people were doubting my work as a professional makeup artist. I know that I'm good in what I do and I do not allow people to say otherwise. If it's good, it's really good because I work hard and I'm a perfectionist.
I'm a profesional makeup artist. I first got my rofessional degree on CEN on a course that took me one year and a lot of money. One year later I took a makeup expertize course (lasting 3 months) with a famous portuguese makeup artist, Miguel Barroso.
I still want to achieve more and get more knowledge. Soon I'll be taking a new course on Makeup Forever facilities and if everything goes as I'm expecting, I'll be working directly for the brand.


Q:Have you ever had any kind of trouble with other deviants? Like abusive comments or dramatic reactions to your work? What kind of advice can you give us?

• Yes I have. I prefer not to talk about it because it's part of my past and those people don't "exist" anymore to me. I just ignore them.
I don't know what advice I can give but, in my opinion, to ignore and to forget that those people exist is the best thing to do. If necessary block them so you don't have any kind of problems and like that it will be easier for you to forget that they don't exist. On the other hand, don't block them; that would be giving them too much importance already.
I guess each person must do whatever they find it's better for themselves, as long as they don't hurt, provoque or harrass anyone else.


Q:Can you tell me some artist,or artists here on deviantART who you find inspiring?

• There's a long list of people who I really admire but I'll try to resume in a handfull of Artists to whom I bow.
First of all my biggest inspiration and also a great dA friend is =Lady-Dementia. her art blows my mind away and, as a person she rocks!!
Also, I love other inspiring artists and loving people such as *kmye-chan, *MorbidiaMorthel, =axentric, *Ioneek, =Eireen and many, many more. - you all know who you are




Thank you a lot, Ana!