Illustrator and animator Hannah Ayoubi combines her quirky style with her passion for character design, her adorable dog, and her favorite veggies in each of her works. Take a deeper look into her world by visiting her blog and perusing her illustrations and award winning animations.

ToonariPost (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

Hannah Ayoubi (HA): I can’t remember a time I wasn’t drawing. Ever since I could hold a crayon I was spending hours and hours in front of the TV watching cartoons and tearing through stacks of copy paper with drawings. I copied a LOT of stuff: cartoons, illustrations from books, comic books, advertisements in magazines…I also took lessons in an art school when I was a kid, which was great for learning how to handle different tools and mediums properly and learning things like proportion and value. When I was a teenager I took a class that taught Photoshop, which was REALLY valuable.

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

HA: I love the aesthetic of watercolor, it’s definitely my favorite…but I actually don’t use it that much! I think it’s just because these days I’m just too lazy to get out paints and bother with cleaning them up and stuff, so I just use Photoshop and have some brushes and techniques to make drawings look like watercolor. I wish I used real watercolor and Prismacolor pencils and markers though…nothing ever beats the real thing! Most of the time these days I sketch in moleskins with whatever black pen I have on hand. Now that I think about it, I haven’t drawn with a pencil in a long time!

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

HA: I don’t know if it’s my favorite or not, but I really enjoyed drawing the “Chicken Farmers” I designed. I love farmers, I love families, and I love chickens!

What I’m most proud of is the animation I made at my second year at CalArts, “Vampire Gastelbrau“. It was super, super fun to make, because I was really attached and excited about the world and its characters. Everything about it was inspired by a trip I had the summer before to Romania–it was a 10 day missionary trip with my church. I absolutely fell in love with the atmosphere and the people. Gabi (the little girl) is inspired by a real little girl I met there with that cute haircut.

And Gerta (the grandma) was inspired by the MILLIONS of adorable old babushka women that were everywhere you went. I wanted to feature a vampire because Dracula is from Romania, and my mom came up with the name “Gastelbrau” (she was talking about our last name, Ayoubi: “I don’t understand why people can’t pronounce it! It’s not like….uh….Gastelbrau or something!”) and I loved it.

I also had the best tasting tomatoes of my life in Romania. So I just kind of combined all of these inspirational ingredients in a pot and made this short. The animation itself is pretty sloppy and full of cheating (not my strong suit!) but I’m pretty pleased with how it came out.

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

HA: Oh, yeah. When I was in elementary school and junior high, especially. I remember getting really frustrated a lot when drawing, like it was so hard to translate what was in my head on paper, and nothing ever came out right. Like, I’d try to draw a character and I’d end up drawing the foot over and over and over a thousand times and never get it how I wanted it, things like that.

The only way to get past that blockage is just to push through and keep drawing. Also, copying is important! Draw everything. It’s how you study and grow. The more you draw things you see and observe the more you’re building your artistic arsenal, if that makes sense.

TP: Who or what are your inspirations and why?

HA: As far as other artists’ work I really love Jill Thompson‘s work, especially “Scary Godmother” and “Magic Trixie“. Her pen work is really fun and her full watercolor comics are so gorgeous, on top of the fact all of her characters are just super lovable. I adore Milt Kahl‘s animation, also all the old UPA cartoons. I love John Bauer‘s illustrations, too. There are tons of artists that inspire me all the time, I wish I could list ‘em off more easily! Oh, and Sailor Moon was definitely my first huge inspiration–need you ask why? She is awesome.

TP: Have you ever had to deal with a situation where someone else took credit for your work? How did this art theft make you feel?

HA: Someone once took one of my drawings and was trying to sell it on a t-shirt on ebay. I was flattered that someone thought my work was good enough to make money, but also annoyed that they didn’t ask my permission or anything like that.

TP: You do graphic novels and animations in addition to your other art works. Is there one of these formats that you prefer over the others?

HA: I think graphic novel is my favorite. I love animation, but the actual process of animating is a struggle for me. I prefer capturing moments in a single story-telling drawing. It’d be a dream for me to make a living doing graphic novels and illustrated books. I need more practice though; it’s very time consuming!

TP: Can you tell me a little more about the work and process that goes into making your animations?

HA: The first thing that happens is a whole lot of thinking. Lots of thinking, lots of brainstorming, then sketching ideas out into little vignettes. Then writing out a really rough script, if you even want to call it that, just to organize sequences of a story to tell. Then storyboard, try to get it reviewed by teachers and classmates and make adjustments to shoots and ways scenes can be made funnier or more effective.

Then pop it into after effects and time it out to make an animatic…then animate! I use a combination of flash, after effects and Photoshop to animate.The way I animate is really weird and not practical or professional at all (seriously, like I said, not my strong suit) so I won’t even get into that!

TP: Outside of a class assignments, would you consider drawing your own comics? What ideas do you have for them?

HA: Yes!!! Like I said before, I really love making sequential art. Honestly, I’d love to continue the “Gastelbrau” story through comic form. I have a lot of ideas for those characters, including more vampires, some of Gerta’s back story, and even a werewolf (of course!). I actually have a lot of ideas floating around in my head to make comics out of…I also have an idea about a family of kappa (Japanese water spirits) but we’ll see if that ever gets anywhere.

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Michael Okey was born and raised in Miami, Florida and grew up with his parents who were extremely supportive of him and his love for art. Since the 4th grade Michael has attended Magnet art schools (schools which have an emphasis on art programs) and was always at the top of his class. He’s won numerous awards, contests and metals throughout his education and is now attending the Art Center College of Design. When Michael was in high school he had his work displayed in numerous gallery shows (and sold work) and being exposed to that kind of environment at such a young age really opened his eyes to what one could do in the art world.  Micheal feels that “art is universal and always in demand, and if anyone tells you you’ll starve being an artist, they’re lying. If art is a dream and passion, go for it. It’s a decision I would never regret. I’m so thankful that I was able to live the life I have and experience life growing up as an artist and never thinking I was going to be anything else”.

ToonariPost (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

Michael Okey (MO): I actually started drawing early in my life, 4 maybe? and it wasn’t until the end of third grade that my mom noticed how much I loved art and she made me apply for the top art magnet elementary school in my area. Ever since the fourth grade I have been in intensive art schools. So to answer your question, I’ve been traditionally taught.

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

MO: When it comes to my work on my DeviantART account it’s 98% digital (Photoshop and Painter 11) with a few oil and acrylic paintings thrown in. I love both though, for different reasons. For me, Photoshop and Painter are awesome, they’re quick, easy and super versatile. I love just throwing textures, filters and brushes all together and seeing the crazy outcome, whether I use it or not isn’t the point. I think all digital mediums give artists the freedom to experiment and not worry about the final result because you could always go back in history or delete delete delete!

My true love, though, is painting traditionally (oils and acrylics). There is one thing that traditional will always have on digital, its surface. When you finish a painting, the tangible nature of the finished product always excites me. In my opinion, it’s much easier to get lost in a varnished painting than it is to get lost in a glossy print. There’s nothing like it.

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

MO: To be honest, I don’t have a favorite. The pieces I love the most are usually the ones I work on last. Each piece is a new challenge and for me, the challenge is my favorite part of any and every piece. Not every piece I work on I feel is a success, though, and because of this I find that “If looks could kill”, “Set fire to the rain”, and “Let it Burn” are my best pieces thus far (strictly speaking about digital pieces). They are the most balanced, well rounded (color, value, composition, etc.) pieces in my gallery.

TP: When you first started, did you ever hit any bumps in your art process. How did you overcome them?

MO: Everyday of my life. Artwork is hard. There are so many factors involved, composition, color, lighting, staging, value, saturation, etc., the list goes on and on. Each new piece is a new challenge and like every artist you just have to solve the problem at hand. My key to problem solving, reference. Whenever you’re not sure of what color something should be or how light affects a certain surface, look it up. The information and the answer to your problems are out there, you just have to go and search for them.

Image Courtesy of  Michael Okey

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Minevi is a digital artist that has a knack for creating and portraying characters in a variety of themes, from edgy to soft, and even in a pop inspired background. Taking a look through Minevi’s DeviantART gallery will inspire any aspiring artist to pick up a tablet and figure out how Minevi has been able to get such smooth looking pictures with so much detail. Make sure to look closely at a lot of Minevi’s works and you can see the intricate shades of a dress’ ruffles or the light hitting each strand of a character’s hair. It is absolutely a joy to look at each piece.

ToonariPost (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

Minevi (M): I don’t remember a starting point for drawing- I’ve always enjoyed doodling even as a kid! I didn’t really try to put effort into finished pieces until I was around 16 though, which was around the time I got my tablet. At the moment I’m still mostly self-taught, but hopefully will be able to take more art courses in the future.

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

M: Most of my drawings are done entirely on the computer, but I like to go back to pencil and paper when trying to sketch up ideas. To be honest I don’t really have much experience with mediums other than digital, so at the moment it’s the only one I can call my favorite.

TP: What piece of your work is your favorite and why?

M: My favorite piece would probably be “Cardboard City”. While there are improvements I feel I can make to this drawing now, at the time of its completion I really felt like I had done everything I could on it. The amount of satisfaction from putting your all into something and seeing it turn out well is immense!

TP: When you first started, did you ever hit any bumps in your art process? How did you overcome them?

M: Definitely! I’m constantly running into things I’ve never drawn before or have no idea how to draw. During times like these, I try to look up references to study from, whether on the internet or in real life. If possible, I also try to study how different artists interpret the subject I want to draw in their own drawings. Afterwards, I’ll spend some time trying to draw/sketch what I’ve studied repeatedly until I think I’ve gotten it right.

TP: Who or what are your inspirations and why?

M: There are too many to list! Cellar-FCP, Miwa Shirow, and Kishida Mel are among some of the many artists I admire. Idol-Artists aside, I also find great inspiration among artists on DeviantArt and pixiv, especially those whom I have been following over long spans of time- as you watch their improvement as an artist, you get to see them figure things out and fine tune their style, and from seeing that, you sometimes realize things about your own drawings as well!

TP: What artists would you consider working with to do a piece? Why, and what type of work do you think would come from this partnership?

M: I can’t really list anyone specific, but if I were to ever work with another artist on a piece, I see myself most likely working with someone I’m already familiar with. It’s hard to predict what would come of this kind of partnership though! I think not knowing what to expect is part of what makes collaborations between artists interesting.

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

M: I’d like to become good at oil painting- I really like the textures that oil paints can produce; it’s one of the many things that digital works can’t emulate. Looking at a painting on a flat screen isn’t quite the same as having an actual one in front of you in person!

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

M: While I’m not currently studying fine arts, I hope to continue working on drawing on the side so that maybe someday I’ll be able to turn it into a career. I really love creating and drawing new characters, so my dream job would probably be some type of character designer. It’s a long shot, but if you never try, you’ll never succeed!

TP: Do you feel that your culture has influenced you in some way that makes you different than other artists?

M: I think it has! I spent my childhood in Hong Kong, and comics and manga are a very prominent part of the culture there. There is a lot of content brought over from Japan, in particular, when it comes to entertainment, and it’s hard to grow up as a kid without being influenced by anime and manga. Growing up as such, I feel that my drawings are slightly more influenced by styles of East Asian comic artists compared to those of some of my friends.

TP: Can you tell me more about your background?  What experiences brought you to be the person you are today?

M: There aren’t really any defining experiences I can think of off the top of my head, but personality-wise, I’ve always enjoyed figuring out how things worked. I guess this sort of translated into my attitude towards drawing!

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NekoKirara is a full time graphic designer of Malaysian origin and you can find your artwork in her various galleries on Deviantart and on Tumblr. The first piece of her work that I was exposed to was “Koibito,” which means lover and was inspired by koi fish.

The resemblance is in the color palate, but the posture of the characters and the look of their eyes struck me and caused me to wander through her other galleries and become enraptured with some of her more macabre art. To find out more about the artist behind these pieces of art, I requested an interview and was allowed to ask a few questions.

Toonari Post (TP): How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

NekoKirara (NK): I started to draw in 2005 and am self-taught. I mostly learned to draw by observing and constantly practicing.

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

NK: I do my work mostly through digital media, such as Paint Tool SAI and Adobe Photoshop. I used to do my work using traditional media (e.g. markers and color pencils), but I like doing my work through digital media nowadays because it’s really convenient.

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

NK: Ah, I don’t have a set one, it usually changes, depending on what I would make in the future, but this is my current favorite for now. I like it because I’ve always loved surreal elements that are out of the ordinary. The artwork I’m most proud of has to be this.

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

NK: Not really, well, I have to be honest, I neglected my studies during school and put all the time I had on drawing because I knew it was what I wanted to do when I grew up.

TP: Who or what are your inspirations and why?

NK: My main inspiration for now is my favorite band, Goo Goo Dolls. Their music is the biggest inspiration to me. I have done quite a lot of work that is inspired by their writings.

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?

NK: Oh, a lot of times, it is no stranger to me. Usually, someone would inform me about thieves who are claiming my artworks as theirs, and I would, firstly, ask them to remove my work. If they refused to do so, I would just contact the administration or anyone in charge of the sites where my work is stolen to have them removed. It has worked very well so far.

TP:  What is your favorite subject to draw and why?

NK: As for now, I’m really enjoying drawing object heads. I have a fondness of doing dark macabre art.

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

NK: For painting, I would like watercolors. I have always admired the skills and patience needed to use that medium. I really like the smooth blending on textured paper. Other than that, I really would like the ability to play musical instruments, like piano, violin or guitar.

TP:  Outside of art what is your life like?

NK: Of course, but I’m afraid it’s nothing amazing. I just feel very blessed to have the ability to transfer what’s on my mind to a blank canvas, so I’m just drawing all the time.

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

NK: I want to be inspired and to inspire people. It is my biggest wish! I want to send messages through my work. It would be the greatest compliment to me if I could do that. Art is already both a hobby and career to me. I’m really grateful to be able to make it.

TP: Do you feel that your culture has influenced you in some way that makes you different than other artists?

NK: I’m not sure what to say about this. Maybe, a little? I try to stand out from the ordinary through concepts, I’m always thinking of new ideas to win the hearts of my audience.

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

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Natasha Ringor is a talented artist that primarily practices digital art, but would also like to dabble in painting when she has the time.   She is known on Deviantart (an online artist community) as Muse33, and she also has a Tumblr account where you can find more of her artwork with her musings attached as well as pictures from some of her favorite artists and inspirations.  Ms. Ringor agreed to do an interview to allow her fans to see more clearly into the mind of an artist at work and also to find out who her muses are.

TP: How and when did you first start practicing your art (are you traditionally trained or self-taught)?

NR: I have been drawing for as long as I can remember. I used to draw a lot of Disney princesses and Archie characters, but it was actually anime that encouraged me to draw more. I loved the character designs and the aesthetic so much that I would try to draw them. I’m mostly self-taught, but I also attended some painting and basic art workshops when I was younger. Not going to a real art school didn’t discourage me from trying to learn new skills by myself.

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

NR: Mostly digital, but I also use watercolor, colored pencils, and alcohol markers. I love the efficiency of digital media, and the fact that I can make my art look like it was done traditionally when it’s actually digital, but I also like using alcohol markers. If I had more time, I’d probably use that more often too.

TP: What piece of your work is your favorite and why?  Of which are you the most proud?

NR: “Power in Grace”  and “Everything is Still” (the titles are different on my Deviantart page), but these are the original titles.  I really liked drawing “Power in Grace”, because it was a challenge for me to draw muscle-y men (haha).  I also love portraying the blending of masculine and feminine roles, so even if the two acrobats appear well-built, their clothing, expression, and posture show a feminine delicacy.

“Everything is Still”, on the other hand, is something I’m really proud of because it was a very personal piece that challenged me to draw something I’m not too fond of, mainly backgrounds.

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

NR: I was very insecure about my art style since it’s heavily influenced by anime and manga.  I knew that it was a style that some people saw as a lower form of art because of how mainstream it was. Despite this, I learned not to focus too much on style, but the story my art tells. No matter how unique or beautiful an art style is, it only becomes ornamental if it stops at that. Rather than struggling to find a unique art style, I’m more focused on making illustrations with a strong concept behind it.

TP:Who or what are your inspirations and why?

NR: A lot of artists from Deviantart like Kidchan, Bloodypepper, and Bluevenom. What I love about following artists on Deviantart is how I’m able to watch them grow as well, and it just inspires me to improve and try new things. I’m also attracted to the soft delicate style of ’70s shoujo manga and the vibrant colors and fluid strokes of impressionist paintings.

TP: What is your favorite subject to draw and why?

NR: People. I enjoy portraying human emotion and all its subtleties.

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

NR: Painting. I used to paint before, but it was more of my mom forcing me to do it. I never really enjoyed using acrylics and oils, but now I wish I did use them more. I don’t want to be too reliant on digital media for my art.

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

NR: I love vintage and retro things, particularly the glam and glitter of the ’70s and the excess of the ’80s. I also enjoy baking and cooking.

TP: Do you plan to continue art as a hobby or make it a career?

NR: I haven’t really thought that far ahead yet, but I do plan on turning my love for illustration into a career. I’d like to work as a concept artist and character designer for a gaming company. I also want to publish my own comic.

TP: Do you feel that your culture has influenced you in some way that makes you different than other artists?

NR: It’s sad to think, but no. I’ve been too influenced by foreign artists. I’m not too familiar with my own country’s art scene.

Image Courtesy of   http://muse33.deviantart.com/

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I first stumbled across oOKeitaOo’s art while browsing  deviantart.com.  He is one of thousands of artists that use this site as a community to view other artists’ work and promote their own.  oOKeitaOo graciously agreed to do an interview, so I could show others the workings of the individual behind the art.

oOKeitaOo is a student in Russia finishing up his last year of high school and has been drawing ever since he could hold a pencil.  When he was in his early teens, he was exposed to an anime show by one of his friends called ‘Naruto’.  It inspired him to draw anime characters, and he eventually moved to digital drawing, which he has been working on for the past two to three years.  It is hard to imagine that he went from just sketching in his notebooks to such detailed linearts, which are the works of which he is most proud.

In the dialogue that follows, ‘Toonari Post’ will be abbrevieated TP, and oOKeitaOo will be K.

TP: I see that you do a lot of linearts and allow others to color them and trace your images as long as they credit you.   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?

K:  It has never happened with me, but if it ever did happen, I wouldn’t do anything.  If a person stole my art and said it was his, he would never learn to draw well on his own, so I would have less competition.

TP:  What is your favorite subject to draw and why?

K:  I think it would be clothes or something that has lots of details.

TP: When you first started, did you ever hit any bumps in your art process?  How did you overcome them?

K: This has often happened to me.  Usually, I just save it or set it aside. I don’t ever throw it out because, one day, these works may help me.  I just correct it, and it will become good art.

TP: Why did you decide to join deviantart? What is it like to be able to be part of a community that allows you to share your artwork with artists from all over the globe?

K: I joined deviantart because I wanted to show what I can do and see what other people think about it.  Its amazing to be a part of this type of community because I can see what foreign artists think about my art and have them critique it.

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

K:  I’m going to become an advertising designer.  I hope to go to the University of Technology and Design of Saint Petersburg (in Russia).

If you would like to check out any of oOKeitaOo’s artwork, go to his deviantart page.

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

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