Maygikal is 21-year-old artist from Australia who did not pay much attention to art until she was about 13 years of age.  From that day forth, she took standard art classes in high school and taught herself the rest of the techniques you can see applied on her  Deviantart page.

Maygikal graciously agreed to be interviewed.  In the following interview, ‘TP’ will stand for Toonari Post, the interviewer, and ‘M’ will stand for Maygikal.

TP: What mediums do you use for your art work?  Which is your favorite and why?

M: I mainly use digital mediums. Adobe Photoshop is my favorite program to work with! It is an incredibly versatile program, and after so many years of using it, it’s almost intuitive to me.

However, I also like the fact that since Adobe is so complex and has so many features, there is always something new to learn, which means there’s always something new you can bring to the table for your art!  I have also worked with traditional mediums, such as marker when I have the chance, but other than that, I don’t do much traditional work.

TP: What piece of your work is your favorite and why?  Which one are you most proud of?

M: I am most proud of this piece because I deviated a little from my normal technique/process of work and liked the result!

TP: When you first started, did you ever hit any bumps in your art process?  What were they, and how did you overcome them?

M: Yes, of course! And as an artist, I still continually run into bumps – I don’t think you ever stop running into obstacles, as there is just so much to learn as an artist. My main obstacle, at the moment, is trying to get a good grasp on color, light, and shade, as I feel coloring is one of the hardest concepts to learn!

The most difficult part about starting out is trying to get a good representation of the image you have in your mind – that’s obviously difficult to do when you first start off, not having a lot of practice or a good foundational set of technique!

I honestly think that to overcome any obstacle, you just practice. You just draw and draw and draw until it’s no longer an obstacle to you!

TP: Who, or what, are your inspirations and why?

M: I have an incredible number of inspirations! I decided only to pull a few that I feel have a direct, conscious influence on my own work: ~Blue-Fox ~nujito *FatPandaLynn *KeshiMeg ~Potetoe ~msh ~skullcaps, Julia, ~cheepers

I watch (on Deviantart) and follow (on Tumblr) an incredible amount of immensely talented and varied artists. I am also incredibly gifted to have the support of many fantastic artists who are my friends; it’s a fantastic resource to have a network of peers that can offer you advice and share your own art woes with.

I feel I have a really broad taste in the kind of art that I like, which keeps my own art fresh as I can draw inspiration from so many different sources without relying on just one person.

I picked the people above, however, because they encapsulate the kinds of aesthetic that I would like in my own art. Each of them have a very unique style with an incredible energy. I feel that all of them also have an impressive repertoire of foundational techniques which they use to every advantage.

TP: Have you ever had to deal with a situation where someone else took credit for your work?  If so, what did you do to resolve it?  How did this art theft make you feel?

M: Yes, many times! Often (if it is on Deviantart or on a site with the necessary functions), I’ll just report the image as a violation. In some cases I might approach the person in question and ask that they take the image down. I never like having my work stolen – so it doesn’t necessarily make me feel good! – but I’m past the point of getting unnecessarily angry or upset over it.

Many people who upload work or take credit for work that isn’t entirely their own tend to be little kids who don’t really know any better.

TP: If there was any art medium that you wish you could master, what would it be and why?

M: Oh goodness, so many! I would say painting, though. I’ve never really gotten the opportunity to paint ever (except digitally, but I haven’t mastered that yet either), so I think mastery of it would be pretty handy.

TP: Outside of Deviantart, what is your life like?

M: Outside of Deviantart, I’m a recent university graduate that has a bachelor degree in arts, majoring in History & Psychology! I’m returning to another institution this year to study a course in Animal Studies, though, as I have a real passion for animals.

TP: What is it like to be able to be part of a community (Deviantart) that allows you to share your artwork with artists from all over the globe?

M: I think it’s amazing, as Deviantart can be a great platform to get exposure for your work. It can really help you connect with all kinds of artists, and it’s an incredible tool useful for networking.

TP: Why did you decide to join Deviantart?

M: I joined Deviantart so long ago that I’ve forgotten! I think I joined solely because I wanted a place to store my art, and also because so many artists I admired were on Deviantart that it made it easier to keep track of their uploads and art.

TP: What are your goals in life?  Do you plan to continue art as a hobby or make it a career?

M: I actually hope to become a veterinary nurse, so art will always be a hobby to me – although one that I enjoy immensely and put a lot of effort into.

Image Courtesy of   http://maygikal.deviantart.com/

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About the author

Kala Istvanek
Presently, I am attending Carthage College in Kenosha, U.S.A. I will be graduating with a degree in Asian Studies, with a minor in English and Studio Art. I have been a bookworm ever since I could read and I can never turn down a book. Art is also one of my loves and discovering new artists is always a thrill for me.

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