James: First I would just like to know your background. What was your education like? Did you learn how to be an illustrator or was there a moment where you just realised you was one?
Vacuum: To be honest, I still don't feel like an illustrator and it's still somehow weird to me that this is like?? My actual future job?? Woah. Maybe because I'm still studying and I haven't worked full-time yet, who knows. Answering your question, I'm learning how to be an illustrator because at some point of my life I realised I wanted to be one.
J: I see, they have a word for that feeling "imposter syndrome" and from what I read even the greatest authors such as Neil Gaiman feel like that from time to time. Are you currently studying on a BA or MA? Looking at your website and professional style I assumed you already have or had a client.
V: I'm studying on BA right now, last year! That's flattering, thank you. I do freelance sometimes but that's it so far.
J: You've got quite a lot of followers on twitter, it's
through this that I was able to find you. Is twitter (and other social media) a
hobby for you or is it more a job to market yourself and make a brand?
Did it come naturally to have this brand for yourself or
was it more thought out is what I mean.
V: I think it was more natural, I started
with tumblr and it was a hobby, I posted art, reblogged some stuff. When I
noticed that people actually liked my art then I eventually made it into an art
blog! I always enjoyed twitter as a social media and had a personal twitter for
a while (but mostly for my friends) and when I got more followers on tumblr I
was asked a lot about an art twitter so I made one! I have this account for
like what?? 1.5 years?? And I'm honestly blown by the response, because I never
thought about twitter as an art platform before (it's really fun using twitter
for art though). Since I do freelance, social media are a great opportunity to
well, get some freelance work, so in the end I think it's a
combination of both.
J: I'm getting Aya Takano vibes and maybe more so a
Shintaro Kago influence in your work. What artists inspire you in particular?
V: I get a lot of inspiration from manga artists, to be
honest. My favourite ones are Asano Inio and Kenji Tsuruta!
J: What are your daily habits that contribute to your
whole brand and illustrations. Do you have a set time of the week or day to do
uploads? And what is considered a good or bad day for you?
V: I draw almost every day I think! I
don't really have a set time, even though I can say I draw mostly at night (the
opposite of a morning person T B H) I usually just sit down every day and
either draw something I was thinking about or sketch something random; Doesn't
always go the way I want to but ehh that's just how it is. (If I don't have any
deadlines of course, then I organize time and schedule to be sure I'll get it
done in time). Bad days are the art block days for sure. It's terrifying in
some way, one week you draw every day and then bang and you can't draw anything
for
2 weeks.
J: Interesting, I recently read the midnight disease by
Alice Flaherty which says a lot about block. That it's usually caused by
problems in personal relationships and having experienced it myself I found
that it's better to leave the studio just for a moment to sort out what the
problem is. And something as little as counciling or seeing pastors can help
save the day rather than waste it by procrastinating. I even recommend that if a tutor says something that bothers you it is
okay to tell them, as avoiding so has actually put me in a block state.
You also seem to work extremely fast and consistently,
it never looks like a sketch with you. Is this because you favour digital work
over traditional tools? Or do you have plenty of reference when you begin?
V: I don't really think it's a good thing,
because I'm rarely chill enough to just sketch and post it,, I think this is
perfectionism, and maybe it helps that I usually know what I'm going to draw so
I just go straight to the thing?? I don't reference a lot, mostly I use
references for details, backgrounds and sometimes poses! Sometimes I have such
a specific pose in mind that I can't even find a right reference for it (though
glad I can just sit in that pose and make photo and use it for my drawing LMAO).
For artblocks I think it really depends on
a person! I usually get art blocks after exams because I'm tired, I've been
drawing things I didn't wanted to draw for a month and I've been in constant
deadline. Usually just taking rest and procrastinating helps me, and I slowly
regain my powers and go back to drawing! In terms of feelings and relationships
I think things that I draw while being sad or having
breakdowns are the ones which I really love after? They come out much more
personal (also drawing is a good way to distract yourself from over thinking
haha)
J: I hear that a lot in art, that usually when you
express bad feelings you get a catharsis and meaningful art. What drives you to
illustrate? is the subject important or is it more the practice? Maybe both?
V: I think both?? I mean to learn I concentrate on a
practice, but when I draw for myself I think about what and how I want to draw
a thing, that's pretty much it.
J: It's mostly portraiture, full body shots with you.
Character must be an important thing for you, so do you base them on real
people? And if so what do you feel about those characters to want to draw them?
V: No, I rarely base characters on real
people, at least intentionally! I do of course have influence from people I see
and I incorporate features that I like in my drawings. I love drawing people so
yeah, my stuff is mostly portraiture; I think about mood first, character and
what surrounds them comes out from what feeling?? vibe?? I want to express
(when I'm drawing original stuff with random characters of course). For OC's
and fan art I just concentrate on their personality. Basically, what I'm trying
to say is that pose and space are just tools to express something
and usually first I try to think about how it will all look together.
J: I see, so it's mood and personality of character that
you concentrate on and any decorative elements comes from that idea. I think
Vania Zouravliov has a very similar process to portraits. What time of the day (or night) do you usually begin
your work? And how long do you go for until you need a break?
V: Usually I start at 5/6 pm and work until
night; I have a really bad habit of not taking breaks so it can be from 2 to 3
hours until I need a short tea break! If I work with traditional media I start
earlier because of natural lightning.
J: Ever considered getting one of those blue daylight bulbs? Do you upload work the same night that it is finished?
V: I don't work
traditionally a lot, so for now I'm fine with what I have to be honest. And
yes, I usually do try to post the same night I'm done with the piece.
[This interview took place on October 15, 2017]
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