Tell us about this piece.
I sketched Emperor Cock shortly after a friend told me she liked my bird sketches and that I should do a full bird painting. Peacocks are among my favorite birds, but I didn’t want the picture to be too colorful and bright, so I stuck to an almost monochromatic blue. This image was also my chance to explore new techniques of applying lots of detail in short amount of time.
The Emperor originally had a set of giant hot pink antlers, but I dropped them near the end because they didn’t seem to fit the image and I couldn’t render them correctly. They got replaced by a more subtle abstract headdress.
If you were to describe your work to someone who’s never seen it, what would you say?
Slightly moody and dark with lots of details- made to be printed big.
What’s your creative process?
I get inspired, I make a quick sketch, scan it and start painting in Photoshop. I usually just want to start working with colors, so I don’t make preparation sketches (this is bad). However, if I’m working on something important that isn’t just for my own amusement, I do thorough research and make lots of sketches before starting the image in Photoshop.
Could you share an image of one of your latest sketches?
Here are some preparation sketches I made for my Cut to the Core entry, Ae. I’m bad, I like sketching with cheap pens.
Would you share three unique things in your workspace that inspire you?
My small collection of videogame figurines, my My Little Pony collection (shh! Don’t tell anyone), and a plushie character my friend made for me, Speep.
What’s the best compliment/most extreme reaction you’ve ever received in response to your work?
Most extreme one was a half-drunken professor calling my artwork “plagiarism”. I took it too closely to the heart, wept for a few months, then decided to turn things around. It’s certainly not a compliment, but it’s affected what I do in a big way.
What are you really into right now?
Steam punk and birds.
What would be on your quintessential mixtape?
My mixtape would make a lot of people run away screaming, since I listen to a lot of different genres. There would be Abney Park, Poets of the Fall, Phil Thornton, Britney Spears, Queen, Phil Holland, The Glitch Mob, Lady GaGa, lots of videogame soundtracks. I’m sure just seeing these artists mentioned together in one place makes people cringe.
If your art was music, what would it sound like?
Generally, my works would be dark, oriental, Egypt-inspired type of music remixed by The Glitch Mob.
What do you have as your desktop wallpaper?
I have two (rather old) monitors that are a lot of fun to customize. At the moment it’s two underwater photographs from National Geographic website, full of fish and jellyfish. Perfect for the summer!
What websites do you check out regularly?
DeviantArt, blogs that I follow on Blogger, Doe Deere Blogazine. There are also a lot of websites I follow through Twitter.
What are your vices/guilty pleasures?
Big creamy coffees with ice cream and walking around barefoot.
What’s the first picture you can remember drawing as a child?
I still have some old kindergarten drawings of various people. I used to draw Disney characters a lot when I was little. Daisy Duck was my favorite.
What was your last memorable dream?
I have just returned from a vacation and didn’t get much sleep in the car. But I did see odd shapes and creatures dancing to music while I was trying to fall asleep. It was a first for me and I plan on turning some of my “visions” into artwork very soon :)
If you had to change careers, what would be next?
I’ve always had morbid curiosity about what working in funeral home is like…
What’s your motto?
Every now and then I remember something Andrew Jones once said, “If you can’t have fun with this job, you’re doing it wrong.”
Dona Vajgand
