"The DV8 Selection"

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The DV8 Selection:
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In this pilot article, i'd like to introduce you to eight deviants who are very talented, but relatively unknown. You'll get to learn a few tidbits about them, as well as view some of their amazing work! It's important, afterall - the latest information is that deviantART has over 1.5 million members, and that's a whole lot of deviants! So how does one get exposure? Well word of mouth, getting featured in journals, picked for a DD, or recommended... These ways and more. This is my way of helping people get some attention. You the reader could be among those who need a little attention. Or you just might love the artists you'll meet in this article. Expect it at on a monthly basis, and be prepared to totally have your minds blown!
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The Questions I asked each artist:
1. How long have you been doing your thing, making art?
2. What is your favorite piece in your gallery?
3. What would you like to do with your talents?
4. Which piece in your gallery is most popular, and how do you feel about that?
5. If you had to critique yourself as an artist, what would you say you'd like to improve on most?
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I.

1. About 20 years.. took a 4 year break around 2000.
2. My pink elephant I did it when i was 15.
3. Get better... I work professionally but my thing is to get better constantly.
4. [link] It's a huge electric butt... I dont feel any way particular about it.
5. Compostition... I do alot of figure work and I really would like a chane to do more compostitions and city scapes.

By the Author:
There's a lot of great hidden gems in this artist's gallery. KillaCaravagio has some really fantastic stuff, with a very cool and urban style that shows an excellent command of his craft. Some of my favorites are:



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II.

1. Well its been about 19 years. Started out tracing pictures of Ninja Turtles and Sonic the Hedgehog. lol
2. I would probably have to say the picture I'm currently working on at the moment. But, If I had to pick one I would probably have to say my Nixon profile picture.
3. Hmmmm...well I'm currently working on getting into a comic company but, I would love to see my work on ADs and Tee-Shirts etc.
4. Well my most popular picture would have to be My Samurai Champloo-Mugen Color ([link]). I'm kind of happy with the outcome seeing how I was still pretty new to Photoshop and It turned out so good.
5. Hahaha, thats a funny question mainly because I critique myself all the time when it comes to my art and I'm never happy with it. It's probably the reason why I always try to out do myself. (runs away screaming for Orange Chicken!)

By the Author:
I've been following this artist for a while, and let me tell ya about his cool comic style! It's awesome, it's definitely underrated, and you should really check it out!



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III.

1. I've just started to draw at april(this year), so i've just starting this for about two month ago...well i stil have a lot of work to do^_^!
2. hmm... That's a hard part, but for now i like my entry for Miss SDL 2009 Round 1: [link] because that's my first tournament in DA, so i work hard for that and that's the best that i can do for now...(but i still lost, so i still have more training^_^!)
3. My real dream is to become an editor, but because of my job, for now i'm stuck to become an colorist, but i still have a burning passion to become an editor sometimes in the future.
4. The answer of this question is same like the question no.2, my most popular piece is [link] so my feeling about this is well... i need a lot of improvement so someday i can became a great deviant artist like the other people that can pass round one of Miss SDL...
5. THE ANSWER FOR THAT IS ABSOLUTELY MY DRAWING SKILL !, i'm not that good like all of the other people in my studio, especially ~seochan, so for now i've decide that i must improve my drawing skill a lot started from now !

By the Author:
This artist is pretty darn new to deviantART, but wow - he should be taking the art community by storm. I'm impressed both with his lines, and with his character designs. Here's why!



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IV.

1. About four years...
2. My favorite is Supergirl, [link] in my gallery. After I was done with the piece, I noticed its flaws.
3. I want to draw comics professionally at some point.
4. Sniper Woman, [link] People really liked this piece, and knowing what people liked, I was able to tailor what I create to suit what people want.
5. I study expressions by observing them for myself. I tend to see myself a little more softly, and use that as my base.

By the Author:
Kenji-M's gallery is more than meets the eye, this humble artist is a total diamond in the rough! Don't believe me? Check these out!



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V.

1. Ive been drawing off and on since I was a junior in high school.
2. My favorite piece is The Guardian ([link]).
3. Improve.
4. Dante ([link]), I dont care for it since Im not typically a fan artist.
5. I would like to have more depth or contrast to my drawings and learn anatomy better.

By the Author:
This traditional artist is amazing with her pencil, and continuously wow's me. There are so many great and excellent pieces in her gallery!



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VI.

1. I've been doing art since I was little. My mom is an artist and she got me started with paints at a young age. I mostly did landscapes at that time. It wasn't until college that I started drawing people on a regular basis. Comics were something I played around with from time to time, usually in the Japanese 4-koma style. It wasn't until watching The Colosseum OCT and joining SDL (Samurai Dueler's League, c/o `RoninsUltramix), that I got my butt moving and started drawing comic stories.
2. Even after all this time, I'd still say my "Lonely Field - Color", [link] drawing is my favorite. I adore the character in it. I'm planning to one day do a second, updated version of it.
3. I would love to draw and publish my stories. I have journals full of stories that I would love to tell people. I just need to keep working and improve my art. If that didn't work out, I would love to do at least something in the comic industry.
4. I'd have to say I have two for this question. The most popular, by comments and favs, goes to my "LoT: The Final Judgement" [link] comic and I have mixed feelings about that. I'm happy that people liked the humor in it, I made it to be funny and a quickly made comic, but at the same time, in comparison to the rest of my gallery, I probably put in the least amount of effort into making it. The other popular one I would have to say is my "Twilight Kimono" drawing. It has nowhere near the same number of favs or comments as the other but I still get the occasional fav or comment even 1 year after I submitted it. I'm always surprised and happy when that happens.
5. I'd like to improve on making dynamic drawings, art that makes people go "wow" at first sight. Perspective is another. If it's a landscape I'm fine but if it's inside a room I run into some trouble.
And hands. I keep drawing my hands too small.

By the Author:
This awesome addition to the S.D.L. has tons of really cool pieces in his gallery, and you should definitely check them out!



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VII.

1. Basically, I do this for 5 months.

2. My favourite piece in my gallery it's the one name "The taste of fire", [link]

3. In the near future I will use my talents to thank me because anything I do it's done with passion.

4. The most popular piece in my gallery it's named "Into the lost", [link] Well, i'm a little surprised because I didn't expected that. It's one of a kind, but amazingly, it's the one that have been edited just a very little!

5. If you had to critique myself as an artist? Hmmm, i will like to improve the perseverence, the editing skills, the concentration of studing and and to be more critique with myself!

By the Author:
Switching tracks to photography is something we all do at some point, or something similar, but where do you find quality photographs? Right here!



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VIII.

1. I have never known a time in my life when I did not have a crayon, marker, pencil, or some mark making tool in my hand. Ever since I can remember I have been making marks on paper. My young childhood was not a very positive experience actually and I would immerse myself in the paper and become lost amid the chaos of it. I learned at an early age how to bend lines to create shapes and to create order. Within these creations I realized were creatures, characters, and environments which I could control. I also found that my parents were amazed ( and also terrified in a way) at what I could do at such a tender young age! When I was nine years old I began selling pastel portraits of people, beginning with family friends, which then spread to other people as word spread of what I could do. I became a quick star of sorts, and was very popular for a time as I appeared on certain television shows, and newspaper. It was strange for me to be in that lime light at such a young age. I remember people saying to me "I do not know how you can do that" to which I replied "I do not know how you can not do it!"
So to answer this question in short. I have always been, and always will be a "Creative."
2. All of them. They are all my children. They are all parts of me. Even the pieces which have faults. Which part of your body do you like most? However, I do love these: [link] and [link] and am greatly surprised that they have not had more attention.
3. Inspire others. I am greatly excited about art! I am one of those people who are truly high on life! I have extremely cosmic days in which I am amazed by everything and anything! I am amazed by the artwork that is produced by people and it excites me! Often as I am teaching I stop and turn around and ask the class "Does this not excite you!? Look what you have just done!" If you are a human being, and you can pick up a pencil, crayon, or paintbrush, and express your abstract idea. That is to have a thought, and control your motor functions in such a way as to express it through the use of an outside tool for others to look at, feel, touch, experience, then that is art!
4. Well the most viewed piece is my film [link] and the most favorited piece is [link] So I do not really know which is my most "popular". Let me talk about the painting Dragonsfire. I think it is odd that this piece is the most favorited because it is actually my very first digital piece ever. I have always been a traditional artist using watercolor, charcoal, pastels, airbrush, oils and any other mark making materials. So I answered a challenge of a local friend and colleague to produce a piece of digital art. I had no idea what a WACOM pad was so I did it all with a mouse and in a terrible art program which is/was actually more of a photo touch up program than a true art program. The program I used was Photostudio 2000. It has layer capabilities, however, it is not really a great program for art at all.
I spent several day's working on this thing which started out as one of my inkline drawings which I scanned into the computer. I then began the process of applying color to it. I had no idea what I was doing really except that I was trying to bring my painting abilities from real world application into this digital medium. Well, you see the result. Not horribly bad, however it is apparent that I was not yet comfortable with the medium.
In the time since this first digital painting I have purchased a WACOM Intuis3 12X12 pad, and taught myself how to use it in conjunction with some excellent art programs. I have produced a huge variety of illustrations and artworks, including film and video work. I continue to learn daily how to use the digital tools to create artwork which is hopefully interesting, visually stimulating, and even inspire the creative process in others. I still produce traditional art as well, and among teaching, freelance illustration, family life and volunteer work, I am extremely busy!
5. Everything. Everyday is a struggle to constantly improve on the formula. Each project is an opportunity to improve the skills which help you to realize the art which you visualize within yourself. It is an on - going process with never-endin

By the Author:
I've had the pleasure of seeing many spectacular deviations from this deviant, and enjoy a great friendship with him. When you look at the many great pieces he's done, you'll know why he's an admired artist.



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_{Requirements for entry into this article are to be a member of deviantART for at least 6 months, and have 10,000 pageviews or less. If you'd like to be featured in an upcoming article, and meet these requirements, please send me (=violentsamurai) a note with "The DV8 Selection", Feature Request, as the subject and answer the 5 questions posted at the top of this article.
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