Hello everybody,
Today I welcome you to another edition of the News Article – Hidden Talent. (put the Stunning Digital Painting to the side ) Today I bring you one hell of an amazing guy, probably the best artist on dA from Chile, yes you probably guessed it, but he goes by the name of Gonzalo, but we know him as …

Enjoy the read !

What is your name ?
Gonzalo Ordoñez

What is your alias and why you choose it ?
Genzo, for a comic I like a lot "Genzo le Marionetiste", but Genzo was already taken in DeviantART, so I added the “man” and now known as GENZOMAN.

Tell us a bit about yourself, Gonzalo?
Well, I was born in Arica, a town in the north of Chile, in the shore of the sea and in the middle of the desert, it's a little town but it's full of stories and mythology, I guess that made me get into comics and drawing... In my city there was no chance I could study art, so I traveled to the Capital to study, where I met my wife and now we have a son and 2 cats.



Do you get loads of support from family/friends ?
Yes, they are happy that I'm working in what I've always liked. And almost all my friends are into arts too.

How and when did you get into Digital Art ?
Around the year 2000, I used to post some drawing in a forum, they had a contest of digital art, and I did my first thing in digital to participate (I won ). Why did I carry on?, because I painted in oils and inks, so digital is so much cheaper and faster , you don't have to wait for paintings to dry.

Who introduced you to DeviantART, how did you find when you first started back in 2003?
I think a friend told me about DA, I've upload a couple of image, but didn't care very much in that time, because I had a website, then I let my website die and I start again uploading images in 2006.



Have you done any previous studies before getting yourself into Digital Art ?
I couldn’t study anything related to art in my small town, so I move to the south and study some graphic design (around 97) where digital color in Chile wasn't too known, just a few people where into it

How long does it take you to get into the feel of creating something new and stunning ?
Mostly I need to hear good music or melodies and that's the fastest way I get to that feeling that inspires me to draw.

You are really well known over DA, is it the same case in real life too ?
No, I mean in my country I’m more or less known for a TCG "Myths and Legends" that I'm illustrator and been editor too, but more than anything some players and cartoonists recognize me, but too known … I don't think so.



You have one hell of a gallery, bright, vibrant and colorful! What does painting represent to your life ?
At the moment is my source of work, therefore it's very important for me, for me is almost a philosophy of life in the sense that start to look colors, the form of things, tones in the shadows and generally is paintings where your mind takes refuge.

You seem to be painting anything but mostly fantasy creatures. Is it a preference or just feel more comfortable ?
Mostly it's a work that started with "Myths and legends" and after it extended with commissions of a fantastic cut, like World of Warcaft or Legend of the Five Rings.

Do you plan your images before doing them, or make them up on the spot ?
I plan them, I like starting with a fixed idea of how a character will look at the end because I like to organize work and I try be more faithful to the description and the mental image that I have before I begin, although in some cases if there are any interesting suggestion I'm always open to add changes.



What does your work represent to you?
It’s a complicated question because it can be analyzed from different points, looking back, it as a sign of identity, reflects a little of my personality, my tastes and interests.

Who will be your favourite artist at this moment ?
I usually pass for stages where I like so much an artist and after another is positioned, I have always felt very influenced by people like Frank Frazetta, which is like a place of preference, also Kazushi Hagiwara, Hyung- tae Kim, Alcatena, Ruben Meriggi, and the classics Géricault and Delacroix, but like right now I like a lot the work of Glenn Rane of World of Warcraft, in the last time it has become a very strong influence in me.

How do you respond to change in trends in this "digital" world ?
That is perfect that this is a digital world, one can alter the work to infinity, is good that this globalized world have this changes and people who are so far away from the centers of artistic creation such as Chile, can absorb things from other artistic centers production. For me it is almost a miracle that today I'm talking with someone to the other side of the world of the last video game of X box 360, and with that both visions we can talk about graphics. In fact, it is super fun because the world today is much more eloquent visual that it was 10 years ago.



So where is your working place, in an office at home ? Once you're finished with your pieces where would you post them ?
Once I had an office next to other artists, but with time and for various reasons I left it. I now work at home, this also with the birth of my son I definitely had to stay working at home, and I have a small desk near the TV and video game consoles.

What software do you use and what is your favourite tool ?
Photoshop Cs, and my favorite tool is the pencil, with time get used to Photoshop, I use other 3D programs to integrate some objects in the illustrations.

Is there any tips for other Digital Painter or Illustrator you would like to share ?
To be open to advice or criticism of other artists, a rich thing that have drawing is that we are all apprentices, I'm actually very grateful when another artist advises me, I actually do not think I'm quite prepared to give advice to another artists since I'm still learning.
What we must never lose the love for what one does, we all spent times where we compare ourselves with the rest, or we question If we are correct, all artists have a special and unique vision to bring to the world and this it is always important matter.



Do you work with commission, if so is it enough to make a living out of ?
Yes, I mean I am a freelance, work for companies and private customers and the truth is that in my case, thanks to God yes.

On commission, what type of customer will be after you ?
I have different types of customers, from collaborations for another artists, color digital comic, card games, chara design, covers of books or music groups, stories for children, etc. I cannot pick in general, I've been involved in several projects.

Do you usually have a message to send through your work ?
In the case of the mythological is to rescue the theme of memories and traditions, it is important to not lose the tradition of story-telling. But in general, I like the idea of the epic, I mean man against the fate or the forces of nature, that I like it very much.



What would be your casual routine like ?
I wake up at about 9 am, I sit to work, lunch with my wife around 1:30 - 2:00 pm, back to work, rest a little at 4 pm when I get to play Mario Kart with my son and continuous if there is a lot of work until I get too sleepy or I stop to play some videogames and to write stories.

What are your other hobbies, when you're not drawing or sketching ?
Reading, playing music on piano, write, listen to music, specially playing video games, I like also to walk but now I can't do it much, I love to swim and dive and climb mountains. I also love Astronomy.

What is your ultimate goal in Digital Art ?
Honestly I haven't thought about it, I think my ultimate goal would be improving day by day, the truth is this I see it as the martial arts, I am interested on improve little bit every day more than get to a perfection, I am interested in finding a feeling in the process and wish to never lose the desire to draw.



Where does your Inspiration source come from ?
Oh video games, the art of video games inspires me a lot and music, I think that many times I thought that I am a frustrated musician, so music inspires me a lot.

What would your top 5 tips be for anyone that is starting to Paint or Illustrate ?
1. Explore the possibilities of the tool brushes, I usually work with the brush that comes by default and you just add shape dynamics and other dynamics.
graphic tablet if they use it only on the job changed much
2. Try to work in gray-scale and then coloring, sometimes the most complicated part from illustrate is to choose colors and to do volumes at the same time, so make the first volume simplifies the act.
3. To have created a palette before, by example, if you are going to do a Late afternoon landscape, choose hot colors before, sometimes to be thinking to while one is working , reduces the productivity, is better to have all resolved from a beginning.
4. Avoid using many layers unless you are using post edition effects, the main idea is not to depend heavily on the ability of the pc power to correct everything, but there are times it's good that things have that human touch, where shows that you can fix things, for example painting by painting over instead of erased, so it is more organic and less digital.
5. Paint by hand (manually) ,there is no other better way to understand the painting better than painting by hand, proving the oil, acrylic, Would be had to get a finished piece with "pictoric style" if you do not know how it behaves in many cases the paint.

What do you think of today's Digital Arts levels and amount of work ?
Uuf, I think it is amazing, to see people in DeviantART as Ongaro or by example Wen-M, Arcipello, Omar Dolan to name a few that have an amazing quality, so high, I believe that digital art general have reached a point in which can emulate manual work pretty well, with the plus that means to work from this format, some 10 years ago or more, something I didn't liked of digital art is that it looked very like done in the pc or too synthetic and today is more experienced.



You have achieved an amazing number of 4 Daily Deviation over DA, how do you feel ?
Very grateful, I love DeviantART as a community, because is not only a community of artists but is very populated with young people, people that are not only close to the point of view of the artist, but the people who enjoy these rate things, I'm also very grateful because of deviantART I had to meet people and as a portfolio to show my work to customers who have contacted me by.



What type of music do you listen to ?
All, mainly I have a weakness for the metal music, electronic and OST. My favorite bands and that inspired me to work are U2, Pink Floyd, Moby, Jean Michel Jarre, Los Jaivas, Fairyland, Therion, Arjen Lucassen, Blind Guardian, James Horner, Yoko Kanno, and a long etc.

If there was another software you would like to master, which one would it be ?
Z-brush, I know using it, I love it but I've ever podium by Timpa Scarl more game or explore ‘loa faondo’ to do something more interesting to US weapons, something pars funds or render some very basic, so I love the z brush is changing totality the perception of making 3D models.



Your popularity over DA is ever so increasing, I mean how do you feel, going back to your first day, were you ever expecting that much ?
Honestly is not so much as the popularity to share with people what one does, obviously it is super fun to share what I do, is great to have feedback on what is done, know what they like, what does not, what can be changed or maintain.

Did you had to go through some very challenging task in your Digital career ?
Yes, mainly the fact that I am not a person addicted or very skilled in the pc, therefore exploiting the use of the hardware was a torture .

What are your future plans ?
Uff, continue working on the theme of the illustration, I like it a lot and not only as work but also as a hobby and of course I'm interested in doing some personal projects, comics, art books or things alike, I'm watching with which to start first.



If you could, you would ...
Go out in a cruiser, for a long time along with my Mac or be an astronaut and going to hear any moon in Jupiter.

What is your favourite piece, that you ever created ? And why you chose this piece ?
It’s Xanochoy [link] maybe because I like the design, the style it has.

What are your favourite pieces on DA, could you share them ?

If you had to sum up all your work into one sentence, what would it be ?
Uuf, is difficult to answer, "Epic fantasy with naked girls and ugly monsters !"

And to finish it off, What would you like to say to your millions of fans out there ? And what did you think of this Interview ?
One does not think a lot of if I have fans really, but to people who like my work thank you very much, I am very happy that someone likes my work, I promise that I will update the DA almost always, because I like to share what I do, I will try to keep my gallery with weekly updates. That is very complete and thank you very much for having stopped on me, and thanks for your patience because I delayed in responding, =Sangiev ownz ! Also sorry for the many spelling mistakes, or for my poor English !



And that is it for today’s News ! Hope you enjoyed this interview, it may be hard to get some few moments, but as you can see his mother language isn’t English and he still did answer this so ! Hope you enjoyed, because I certainly did, you may once again, find him here :


And that’s it for me aswell, stay tuned for much more ! Thanks for all the you guys are just awesome !
Take Care,
Kind Regards,

=Sangiev,