dA Zine No. 8 by Jessie Hockett

Issue 8

Peddle to the Metal - Can you keep up?

table of contents

Letter From The Editor Contributors Map

Spotlight Artist

Cover Image: “Shanghai Morning Light” by mickryan

mickryan

Traditional Art

article by BiKaZe Featuring himegurl85 and arcquidrone

Photography

article by serphius Featuring panderbear and indie_click

11. Digital Art

“Digital ABC’s” by Kaotickell Featuring Out-Phaze and ftepainting

14. Literature

article by SadisticIceCream Featuring platinummyr and GREGOLE

17. Herd ‘O’ Critics

Cado gets critiqued!

We’d like to thank the following people for their special contributions to this issue: To our minions, for putting up with our lack of ability to make a deadline. To the new minions that we’ve picked up since Issue 7. To the dAZineHQ family which keeps us all enertained for hours upon hours upon hours... To whoever invented cream soda. You rock. And to all of our faithful readers that leave us on their watch list despite our inconsistant nature!

18. The Parting Shot

thanks to...

Official-Looking Disclaimer: The views or opinions expressed by any writer or artist published in dA Zine are not necessarily the views held by the publisher(s), DeviantART, or any of the wonderful dA Zine staff members. If you have any problems with the views expressed by a writer or artist published in dA Zine, please bring the issue up with the respective writer or artist, not with dA Zine, dA Zine staff, or DeviantART.

letter from the editor Fresh out of the oven! We got a lot of good feedback from our readers after our return to business in Issue 7. Many of you commented on the look, the organization, and the content. We’d like to thank you for your input and we want to let you know that we are considering many options and changes in future issues. Though the only thing that we changed (as far as the design goes, at least) this issue is the colors. We will be changing the color each issue to reflect the Spotlight Artist’s work. Just because we haven’t changed much in Issue 8 doesn’t mean Issue 9 won’t be drastically improved. We plan on drastically improving our articles by implementing a more rigorous editing procedure. Our feature pages will get a bit of an overhaul as we feature more work in each issue. We will be making subtle change to the design to improve flow and structure. We still have a couple of positions open for those of you who want to join our staff. The positions are Digital Scout, Literature Scout, and Traditional Art Columnist are open, along with a few other positions that we add as we go. To see the updated list of minions and which positions are open, check out the “minions” link at the top of each journal. Thanks for reading and enjoy Issue 8! - GoaliGrlTilDeath (Editor-in-Chief )

dA ZineHQ: Our Crazy Little Family Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, that dA Zine crew is a load of crazy! I wish I could hang out with them!” Well, you can! dA Zine has carved out it’s own little corner of the deviantART chat network (or dAmn) and created our own little realm of insanity. Feel free to drop by and see us! Visit the channel #dAZineHQ. And if you were doubting our craziness, here is the first bit of a comic one of our faithfuls, spiker17, has begun to chronicle the crazy that happens. Welcome to our awesome, dysfunctional, random, nontraditional, insane, crazy, international family!

spotlight artist

mickryan

My worries on my choice of spotlight artists are put to the test when I browse through their gallery looking for examples of their work. Will I have only a few to choose from? Or will they have so much amazing work that it will take me ages to narrow it down to a manageable chunk? mickryan is an example of the latter. I could have featured every single one of his 216 deviations. Every photograph is expertly crafted, beautifully composed, and features innovative ideas. Beyond his photography, which speaks for itself, his journal entries serve as an insight into the life of a artist in China. Those of us in Western countries often cannot comprehend things such as sensorship and blocking of websites but this is something mickryan and artists like him face on a daily basis. If you like what you see here, please go check out mickryanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gallery. This is only a few of his 200+ deviations, all of which are +fav worthy by anyoneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s standards. -GoaliGrlTilDeath

Grace 01

Horned Woman

Shanghai Morning Light

spotlight artist

mickryan

Silverweed’s Song

interview with mickryan by fireinmyhead

dA Zine: When did you first become interested in photography? mickryan: I had a very late start in photography. My first camera was a Russian made Zenith SLR camera with a built in 35mm lens that I borrowed from my dad to use in Art College. It was in really bad shape and would throw the photo out of focus every time you wound on to the next shot. So I had to compose, focus, wind the film forward making everything in the viewfinder blurred, and then press the shutter button even though I couldn’t see clearly what I was shooting. Not surprisingly I failed photography. Sculpture was my major and I loved dealing with the reality of 3D. I also loved the mixture of manual labour and art that sculpture brought together. I liked getting my hands dirty, hacking away at large chunks of stone or mixing cement, whatever medium I was dealing with. My second camera was an Olympus I bought while living in Japan in the early 90s. Due to a serious lack of space I couldn’t practice sculpture so I searched for an alternative artistic outlet. I had a good salary and I guess I figured I deserved a good camera to make up for the Zenith. It wasn’t love at first sight. My first few rolls of film were terrible, even worse than it had been at Art College, and all I could think was that there were too many obstacles to learning good photography. How was I supposed to learn all about exposure (remember this is pre digital cameras), lighting, composition and everything else that makes a good photograph. The first good move I made was to turn to B&W film which was what I had been familiar with in college. Eliminating colour meant I could concentrate on composition and exposure, and I’ve never really gone back to colour except for commercial work. dA Zine: Given your love of 3D art, how do you go about showing the three dimensional qualities of your subjects with photography? mickryan: It doesn’t. Seeing in 2D probably took me some time to get used to and could help explain why I was so bad at it in the beginning. dA Zine: You have lived in China for four years now having moved from Ireland, what lead you to make the move? Twelve years as an art director in advertising exhausted me, physically and creatively. I had made money and decided it was time to do what I wanted rather than what paid best. My wife is originally from Shanghai and we both wanted our daughter to learn about the Chinese side or her heritage. Shanghai had become a very different place since I had first visited it and we thought it was just the right time for us to get out of the rat trap for a while. How have the culture and people of China affected you and how does this show in you work? Shanghai is a strange place. It’s not really China. It’s often described as being where east meets west but so many places are. In Shanghai it’s true only in a very superficial way. It was difficult at first because Shanghainese are very suspicious people by nature and they don’t like you taking their photos. You have to take time to get to know them first. It’s impossible as a white person to take photos surreptitiously. At first I was shocked by how gaudy and tasteless things are here. The Shanghainese are very ostentatious. They feel no shame in showing how rich they are and this translates into some very tacky décor, fashion and behaviour. I think I started to embrace this rather than fight it. Taste

spotlight artist

mickryan

is only a type of fashion, it comes and goes. And it’s often said that taste is the enemy of art anyway. But I think I have incorporated this into my photography on a very personal level. I’m not a photo journalist or photo essayist, I’m a portrait photographer so I’m not out there tackling the issues or as almost every other foreign photographer in Shanghai seems to claim ‘documenting the changes in Shanghai’. I’m just doing my own thing. Maybe that’s selfish but I’ve earned it and it’s why I came here. Which photographers have influenced you most and why? I think it’s impossible to list all the photographer’s I admire or have had an influence on me. But everybody from Penn to Sarah Moon, through David Bailey and Avedon. What artists of other genres (musicians, painters, writers etc.) have influenced you?  Where do I start with that one. In the early days sculptors had a big influence on me, especially the movements in the UK in the late 80s with artists such as Tony Cragg or Bill Woodrow, he was famous for cutting shapes out of home appliances and cars, whom I did my thesis on. I love reading but with my full time job as a photographer and with a daughter to raise I don’t get a chance to read any more. Currently I’m reading Sherlock Holmes and a non fiction book about Jack the Ripper but I spend more time reading kids books to my daughter than for myself so she gets a good dose of Tim Burton’s book The Melancholy Tale of Oyster Boy and we’re on book five of A Series of Unfortunate Events. I’ve also introduced her to the Narnia series as I read them myself when I was a kid and want to pass the pleasure on to her. Today music has the biggest influence on me. It doesn’t really translate directly into my photography but I spend a lot of time on the computer and in the studio or travelling so music gets me through it all. I listen to all kinds of stuff form David Bowie to The Herbalizer. I love opera music too but I prefer it live. I used to live in London in the 80s and you could get a seat in the gods for 5 quid which was cheaper than going to the cinema.

“Still Life With Parasol”

Your work on DA is all in black and white, why is this? Photography is B&W as far as I’m concerned. Colour is just a distraction. It’s been attributed to too many photographers so I can’t be sure who said it but it goes something like this: If you take someone’s portrait in B&W people will look at their face. If you take their portrait in colour people will look at their red jumper. You have achieved real success with your work already, how do the worlds of traditional artistic expression and corporate art mix for you? Do you keep them separate from each other; or is there a distinction between the two for you? It’s tough. I would really like to do far more B&W work commercially and incorporate what I see as my own personal style. It’s something I work towards but I’ve a long way to go. When I get there though I think it will make me a much better photographer in both artistic and commercial terms. You mentioned wanting to introduce your own style more into your commercial work; how would you describe your style and is it something that you have established or is it still developing?

“Nabu 03” “The Snake and the Kimono”

spotlight artist

mickryan

It’s definitely something I’m still developing. I think I wear my influences on my sleeve too much and want to get away from them and fully develop my own style. It’s something that you work at all the time but I’m definitely not there yet… if there ever is a case of getting there. Is there a general theme or belief behind your work? Not really, my work is kind of light and whimsical. I do it to amuse myself. I’m very busy commercially and always working to a brief so when I shoot for myself it really is for me with absolutely no audience in mind. If people don’t like it I really don’t mind as long as I enjoyed making the image.

“Houdini”

How do you see photography as part of the modern artistic world? That’s really changed so much. At first photography wasn’t considered art at all. It really wasn’t until the 1960s that it started to be taken seriously as art. Since then many artists such as Joel Peter-Witkin that are undeniably artists but use photography as a tool rather than any other medium. But digital has changed all that again. Now there are many artist that use digital cameras in their art. Unfortunately this has meant a serious decline in the quality of photography. Some of them are great artists with great vision but the actual quality of their photography is terrible and as they have many imitators people think that this level of photography is acceptable. The skills of photography seem to be dying. I see so many bad exposures and no understanding of lighting that it’s disheartening. I see myself as a photographer first and, if at all, an artist second. So where many people might not even notice I see very poor skills. I guess I have ten years or so of shooting on film to thank for paying attention to those details. What do you think of the use of digital manipulation in order to enhance aspects of a photograph or add effects? Is this something that you are interested in using? I stay away from it as much as possible. There’s definitely a tendency today to think “I can fix it in Photoshop” but if that’s your attitude then you are aware that you are capturing ‘broken’ photography. Occasionally I clone out a stray hair but I’m a straight forward photographer. I don’t do manipulation which is quite funny when some deviants congratulate me on my blending skills because they think something is put together in PS rather than just shot it as it is in the studio. But it’s nothing new, there has long been huge manipulation in Photography way back to the early 20th century when large negatives were retouched. Big studios would have their expert retouchers working full time. It’s really just a personal matter and I’m not interested in it. I’m a photographer not an illustrator.

“Through the Looking Glass”

What attracted you to the DA community?   I really like DA. There are many similar boards on the internet and some that pay special attention to photography but they all pretty much provide the same contents. I like the community on DA. I really just post my work there to share it. Some sites almost encourage nasty comments and I don’t think these are useful. I guess it’s useful if you are starting out but I work commercially for clients and I get all the feedback I need in the real world. I don’t post any of my commercial work on DA, I don’t think it would be appropriate or useful to the community. If any body wants to see it though they can view it on my own website.

traditional art BiKaZe has stepped up again to fill the traditional art void. If you are interested in filling this position, please send us a note. In the meantime, here’s “Zeebie”.

With art, drawing is the most common, and practiced foundation. There is nothing more stereotypical than an artist with his pencil and perhaps loose-leaf paper at their fingertips. In certain aspects, pencil drawing offers more of a direct outlet for an artist’s product than painting or other forms of traditional art. Whilst it may not be revered as much as the other forms of art, it is the most opportunistic and accessible. It is so intricate that many artists have referred to pencil art as a form of “knitting”, intricately placing lines in a certain process to bring together a bigger picture or a broader spectrum. It is the resolution of wishes and desires as they are expressed outward from a subconscious mind, and then woven together into a single dream that can only be referred to as “art”. It is also a way of capturing the abstract objects of the environment, the human soul, and dreams. There are most commonly three things that come to mind when drawing certain types of pencil art. One is Realism, second is Imaginative (or Visualization), and the last is Abstract. Firstly, Realism, being pretty self explanatory, is nothing more than a visual copy of whatever the subject may be. More commonly being nature, people, or any other type of environment. Secondly, Imaginative is anything that is dreamt or imagined, and lastly is Abstract: things that include, but are definitely not limited to, symbols, or signs. Personally, my pencil drawings range from the realistic to some very few cartoon like types of subjects. I find that with a pencil I don’t miss a beat while I’m drawing. I can capture my emotions as they come. Whilst they are fresh in my head; thus I am taking the more visualization and realistic mode. By combining the two I am able to take my reality, and make an event occur based on my feelings. Although I am much more interested in writing in my latter years, I have been scarcely known to express myself through this more popular form of art. To a more in depth artist a more comfortable the visual type of art would be more suitable. One who can take the time out to capture every aspect of their surroundings, and not be so fixated on one particular subject, but rather combine them all into one masterpiece. Using one of my different types of art, it is obvious the desire and idea that is trying to be portrayed here. It is not over stimulated with computer editing, or coloring, but rather a black and white image of one’s heart. http://bikaze.deviantart.com/art/Worthless-23431455 There are some aspects that I try to keep in mind and remember when I’m drawing.

Firstly, are the lines. I’m not really confident in making such dark and declarative lines when I’m drawing. I usually draw light lines as most other artist I know tries to and get a more visual idea of what I want. I’m also using that technique to see how closely I can get what I see in my head to look as good on paper. This is where an artist skill, and intentions, more commonly come into play. A cartoonist may make broad lines, and lengthy, whilst an artist with an environmental subject may take short strokes, to test out the emulation process. With lines one can see the emphasis (with dark, thick lines), and the subject of the picture. In my “Worthless” piece you can notice that the heart is much darker than the rest of the subject’s torso. It is clearly the main focus is meant to be. Furthermore the blood dripping through the subjects fingers is also an intentionally darker piece. It represents an attempt to capture an action onto the paper. An art appreciator who would be viewing this piece may be able to defer, that his heart was recently dislocated. I find that trying to capture the effect of it along with the results would best portray the feelings of the picture. One thing though, most pencil art has a sort of rhythm and movement. Note how my lines have neither. A more skilled artist would be able to incorporate such. Secondly, the tones of the art reflect a value in pencil art. Tones in pencil art can only range from light to dark; color is not often a factor however it does play a role in the final production. A more powerful drawing would display more of the toning spectrum of the pencils. Only three pencils were used in the drawing featured. In any case the white empty spaces are more plentiful when there is a simple message, or a direct topic. The tones are in more of a surplus when a broad environment is portrayed. Colors are much more difficult. With colors, not only does the tone of the color have an impact but the color in itself caries a voice also. For example the color red may be used to define a type of hunger or declaration. Blue may be used to give off a since of peace, or balance. Green may be used for serenity, and give volume or life to the portrait. Thirdly, textures obviously show how rough or smooth the surface of the picture is. Normally different types of pencils are used to show this aspect. In the featured piece, however, the lack of equipment is evident. When items such as charcoal is used, it is easier for the artist to shade a soft texture than with a fine point pencil, or a carpenter pencil. Each would be determined by the subject of course. Had the subject in the featured piece had a face, maybe a softer pencil such as the 4B would have been used, to show light fine soft strands of hair. Lastly is the form of the art in its entirety. If any three dimensional object were being used, the picture may have taken a less cardinal angle. By rotating, or moving the angle of the subject in the picture, one might be able to view or surmise the object better. The artist is attempting to carve out his image, making it bolder perhaps to stand out more. Space, form, shape, and flatness are often the things that an artist may be trying to convey when using this particular aspect. Nevertheless, art has been around for millennia, and many more to come. It’s ultimate goal to emulate dreams, thoughts, and nature is neverending. Man’s yearning to capture beauty and give it a tangible form will always be what drives us to keep art alive. With that being said it shall never die.

traditional features scouted by shorrtybearr

“ALI SETAN” by himegurl85 Oil colors allow an artist an incredible amount of diversity and with this a painting can become not only unique in concept but unique in its very medium. Oil paint promises awe inspiring art when in the hands of a professional. When looking at this piece you can either appreciate or admire. I spent five minutes looking at “ALI SETAN” just wondering how many layers it needed to get that natural brown bark, or how many strokes it took to get that deep green skin. I for one appreciate how hard it is to use oils and for exactly that reason I can’t imagine myself switching to it in the near future but I still like to view and admire other deviants and their deviations. Taking a look through this particular deviant’s gallery will always remind me of how much skill it takes to produce such deviations and for that reason I urge everyone to have a good nose through too.

“misconceptions” by arcquidrone Abstract art does not need to be defined or described. Art of this nature often speaks for itself at the tone chosen by the artist. arcquidrone has chosen well in their tone for “misconceptions”. Muted colors whisper while sharp cracks shout their presence. Dark and light both blend and contrast. These elements come together in a fantastic composition that can keep the viewer’s interest for far longer than first glance would suggest. I strongly suggest browsing this artist’s gallery. While there is not a large quantity of pieces to view, each one can captivate the imagination and keep you lingering.

photography

by serphius

So you want to start photography, but have little idea on where to begin. There are many options to choose from, and they all have their debates and subtleties that can get rather confusing in a very short amount of time. Film vs. digital, megapixels, brands, digicam vs. SLR… there really is no easy way to say “choose one.” Fear not, however! In this month’s article, I will go over some of the larger aspects of choosing a camera and help your search.

Probably the single most important choice you will make is between Film and Digital. (Note that I am assuming you are using said camera for artistic purposes, not just for snapshots of friends at parties.) Both have their pros and cons. In today’s world, nearly all marketed cameras are going to be digital. Digital provides a means of sharing photos on a much wider scale than film does, and the ability to check your photos as you take them is invaluable. On the negative side, the start-up cost is exponentially more expensive than a great film camera. While you may spend more in the long run getting film developed, expect to drop down over $2000 on a digital camera that can come anywhere near the quality of what film can offer. As film can be enlarged almost indefinitely without a huge loss in quality, digital has to catch up with expensive technology in their cameras, and even then it is not quite the same. If you go with digital, the quality above brings in the question of megapixels. Megapixels are essentially the millions of pixels available in an image. For most dSLRs, this ranges from 8-10, but it can go up to 14MP and over if you are willing to drop several grand on just the bare essentials. For the purposes of a beginner, the MP of camera is one the least important aspects. Once you go over 4 or 5 megapixels, the quality will be relatively the same across 9 the board for internet viewing purposes. However, if you intend on using printing services for your photography,

greater MP will basically mean larger prints without loss in quality. Whereas my old 4MP Powershot could only print 8.5x11” prints as its standard, my 10.5MP EOS 40D can go up to 30x40” and larger right after upload without resizing. Evaluate what kind of printing you will need from a digital in order to decide how many megapixels to aim for. The next question would be whether you would like a simple point-and-shoot, or “digicam”, versus a larger SLR. This debate is the same for both film and digital. The main difference is not just the power held in the body, but the way in which you view your pictures. Point-and-shoots generally use a small hole in the body as its viewfinder. This causes what you see in the viewfinder to be slightly off from where the picture will actually be taken. SingleLens-Reflex cameras use a system of mirrors so that what you see in the viewfinder is also what the lens is actually seeing, allowing better precision when framing shots. That, and the equipment stored inside is generally a raging beast compared to a Point-andshoot. It basically comes down to cost difference. A professional will need an SLR to have full control, but not every beginner can afford them. If you go with a digital point-and-shoot, make sure that it at least has a Manual mode (marked by an “M” on the style scroll) to allow yourself complete control and training for your camera. Finally, and probably least important, is the brand of camera, which often seems to inspire some incredibly heated debates. All I can say is that you should simply go to your local shop and hold a few of them you are interested in. Check the button and screen placements. Does it feel fine in your hand? Is it too heavy? Those are some of the main differences when it comes to the brands, all of which come down to personal choice. For digital cameras, the two most popular brands are Nikon and Canon. I and most professionals I have seen use Canon, but many students and smaller businesses prefer Nikon. Either way, you will find something to enjoy. Film offers a huge variety of competing brands, including Canon, Nikon, Pentax, Sony, and so on, all of which are respectable names in the field. So, there is your beginning guide to choosing a camera. The choice is yours and yours alone, but hopefully this guide will give you at least a few basic differences. As I said, there are many more complex questions and subtleties to read about if you are extremely choosy or serious. For that, you can always check out dA’s Photography Forum, ask some favorite photographers on their decisions, or read outside sources like Photo.net. Go to your local shop and see your choices for yourself (for LA folks, Cam Photo in Burbank is amazing). The employees will almost always be willing to answer your questions, and most are quite knowledgeable. From one photographer to one who is hopefully starting the craft, I will tell you that we have all been there. It is probably the best decision you will have trouble making.

photography features

scouted by Step-Into-Liquid-516

“Standing Out” by ~indie-click Ever feel like you are alone in the world? I am sure the little flower in ‘standing out’ by ~indie-click does, but that does not stop it from showing its true beauty. Few believe that there is any in a dandelion, and ~indie-click swiftly proves them all wrong. The way the photo was taken is new and fresh. A person can always find photos of the dandelion after it has bloomed: the fuzzy puff balls of seeds (and a gardener’s worst nightmare). But photographers and viewers alike always seem to forget the yellow flower the dandelion used to be. I absolutely love how the one flower is in focus and all the others are just yellow blurs, really letting the photograph live up to its name; both flower and photo really do stand out from the rest. There are always little ways to find joy in the world, even if it is through a simple dandelion. I get a slight feel of nostalgia from this photo, because I always remember as a child picking these and flicking the tops off. So enjoy this simplistic beauty and maybe you too can recall those wonderful childhood memories.

“Swings at Navy Pier” by panderbear So I was browsing through pages and pages of photographs, attempting to find some work that would pop out at me and I stumble upon this beautiful piece, ‘Swings at Navy Pier’ by *panderbear. I love the brilliant colors in this piece as well, the bright swing ride in contrast with the pastel sky. Although the photograph is clearly motionless, *panderbear still lets us feel the ride spinning, and the small number of people on the ride helps to give viewers the illusion of freedom. I have always loved swings; they make the rider feel as though he or she is flying; what person does not want to feel that? The photo was captured in a bit of a different way too; a lot of photos of swings I have been seeing lately only show one area of the ride. Although that is right to the point, it is refreshing to see the entire thing. It is wonderful to see that the only people in the shot are the ones on the ride. An absolutely beautiful portrait of modern day freedom and joy, two things that are truly lacking in the world. Definitely check this artist out, as she has many beautiful shots like this.

digital art

by kaotickell

As a change of pace from the last issue I thought I’d share an interview I had with the two digital art gallery directors, Cosmosue and JunkbyJen. Here’s how things went:

dAZine - We’ll start with your name, or what you’d prefer us to call you? Cosmosue - Susan / Sue / Cosmo / Crazy Bitch. JunkbyJen - Jennifer / Jen. dAZ - Where are you from? C - I am currently living in South Carolina, USA, but I was born in New England, and raised in Florida. I miss the beach! J - Burleson, Texas USA. dAZ - Describe yourself in 5 words? C - Contagious, Creative, Entertaining, Psychotic, Passionate. J - Obsessive, Panicky, Loyal, Sentimental and Procrastinator. dAZ - What are your hobbies? C - Painting/Art, World of Warcraft, Xbox 360 (COD4, Halo3 etc.), other computer games, gardening, learning guitar, drinking margaritas. J - Digital Art, Barbie Collecting. dAZ - Do you have a job outside of dA, or are you studying? C - I am currently a Freelance Artist, and I am not attending school, but I may return at some point. J - I am a stay at home mommy now, but I am educated in Healthcare (medical assisting and x-ray tech). dAZ - What do you love most about dA? C - The community and the wonderful works of art of course. J - All the wonderful people I’ve met and the beautiful art I’ve been exposed to. dAZ - Are you self-taught or did you go to a university/college? C - I am self-taught in digital. I’ve taught myself Photoshop, Poser, and other various programs, however, I did attain 2 years towards a BA in Fine Arts at a school in Florida, but it was mainly in the traditional medium, drawing/design/sculpture/pottery/etc. J - I’m self-taught.

“Beast of Prey” by Cosmosue dAZ - How about your tools of the trade? C - Mainly Photoshop CS3, Poser 7, and of course my trusty Wacom Intuos 3 tablet. Sometimes I also use Vue. J - PSCS2 and my beloved Wacom pen tablet dAZ - What inspires you? C - Everything! Nature is very inspiring, as well as just taking a stroll through the dA galleries. Stock art can really give great ideas, even if you do not use stocks to create. My children are often inspiring as well. J - Life in general. dAZ - Are there any mediums/styles that you’d like to try in the future? C - I’ve tried a lot of the digital mediums, but it would be kind of neat to try vexel/vector; I have wanted to try that in the past. J - Yes! I would love to be able to excel more in digital painting and airbrushing and learn traditional art. dAZ - Your best advice for getting your work noticed? C - Keep at it! You have to keep creating, keep putting yourself out there, keep improving and put everything you have into each work. Submit your work to clubs, art sites, etc. Use the Thumbshare forums; that’s what they are there for. Use the chatrooms, get yourself out there and be seen by being active, you will find that it’s also very enjoyable and you will meet some fantastic people.

digital art J - Well, how I started was by joining many of the clubs here on dA that catered to my kind of art (fantasy, digital painting, etc) and I also live by the rule that what comes around, goes around. I started placing myself more in the community by featuring my fellow artists and exposing them. In turn, I found that I would receive the same kindness. dAZ - When did you start creating digital artwork? C - Around 2003 I started to venture into the digital world, inspired by the game Everquest. J - In 2005.

So there you have it. I’d once again like to thank Sue and Jen for taking the time to answer my questions -- I’ll be coming back to see you both in the future! Next issue I want you guys to tell me what you want to see. Do you want me to do an overview of a certain gallery? Perhaps another interview with a gallery director? Or maybe you’d like to see the rough ins and outs of a program. It’s up to you. I’ll be putting a poll up at both my personal account as well as the dAZine account, so let me know what you all think! Until next issue, happy creating!

dAZ - What excites you about digital art? C - The endless possibilities. Knowing that if I can think it up, I can pull it off because there is no boundaries in art. J - I just love everything about it. I love to see artists’ ideas. Fantasy art is my main love. dAZ - Most common reason artworks are misplaced in the digital art section of dA? C - Misunderstanding probably, I don’t think anyone is purposely misplacing anything; it can be difficult to choose one category for your artwork sometimes. J - I think most newcomers might believe that anything created on the computer is considered digital. dAZ - Any advice for people that are new to digital art? C - Don’t give up. If you are struggling, check out some of the great tutorials in the resources section of dA, or ask someone; I give advice all the time on digital art. There is a common misconception that because it’s done on a computer it must be easy, well it’s not, it still requires work, sometimes over 50 hours or more of work and dedication, and it’s not just filters and overlays. Educate yourself in the medium you wish to work in or try and when/if you get stuck, keep going, reach out and find your answers and try again. J - Tutorials can be your best friends! Join the chats also! You can find valuable information just by chatting with your fellow artists. dAZ - And how about some secrets or tips for creating artworks in digital art? C - I have lots of tips for Photoshop users, take full advantage of the program, and do not over use filters, if you use them at all use them very sparingly and blend them into your work, layer styles like “overlay”, “soft light” and “multiply” can be very useful for bits of your artwork, but again, you do not want to overdo it and often you will find you can get the same effect by hand and it will turn out even better and more realistic. J - Again, tutorials are a blessing. Most of all, just don’t give up.

::Birthday Bloom:: by JunkbyJen To contact: Cosmosue - cosmosue@volunteers.deviantart.com cosmosue.deviantart.com JunkbyJen - junkbyjen@volunteers.deviantart.com junkbyjen.deviantart.com

digital features

scouted by the dA Zine staff

“MaLiCiOuS_manifest” by out-Phaze The position of Digital Scout is currently open. If you are interested in applying for this position, send us a quick not at dA Zine.

Though Malicious manifest by out-phaze is a simple-looking fractal, it is still visually appealing. The red area in the center of the fractal creates the illusion of a reptilian eye staring at the viewer from some unknown depth, while the gold tendrils that emanate from it clearly depict that a whole being is coming into existence. The golden tendrils also act as guidelines, keeping the viewers eye moving across the piece as a whole. The warm color scheme indeed creates a hellish atmosphere, which compliments the malicious nature of the piece intended by the artist. -Spiker17

“Onto The River” by ftepainting Given the popularity of anime art on DeviantART, we haven’t featured much of it here at dA Zine. That is why we would like to take this opportunity to feature ftepainting and her piece “Onto the River”. It is a great example of what anime has to offer. The subtle tones give it a quiet and peaceful feel, very fitting for a boat ride on a misty river. The expressions on the characters’ faces hint at an underlying story. And that is one of the strengths of anime: regardless of the detail or simplicity, there is always a story beyond what is seen. ftepainting does an excellent job at capturing this element in this piece and in many of her other works. -GoaliGrlTilDeath

literature

by SadisticIceCream

In my last article I wrote about the differences—and the often-overlooked similarities—between poetry and prose. Here, I’ll go a little more in-depth regarding the many, many subgenres in prose writing. When it comes to prose literature, the subgenres of fiction and nonfiction probably seem as different as day and night. Fiction is usually assumed to be the exciting stuff—crazy ideas that come from the author’s imagination, and usually grip you in a tightly crafted plot. Nonfiction, for most people, seems pretty boring— typically perceived to be about history or science, and all the “useless” facts that come with it. But nothing is as it seems, and the same rule applies to prose. Fiction is a particularly broad category, including everything from fantasy to sci-fi to historical fiction to more realistic pieces. Basically, anything and everything that is not based heavily on fact can be labeled as “fiction.” Nonfiction, on the other hand, deals mainly with fact, and while some authors might include their own opinions on a topic, it is usually assumed that whatever is printed in their books is true. Nonfiction might come off as a narrower genre, but it can include anything from science and history books to journalism to self-help books or guides. Take a look in any bookstore, and there will likely be a wealth of nonfiction on the shelves. Though I have so far described the two categories as being fairly ironclad, there are those genres where the supposedly defined line between reality and imagination blurs. Memoirs are a particularly tricky example. These, like autobiographies, are written by a person about his or her life, or a particular experience. But unlike an autobiography, memoirs are not definite fact; writers can invent what they recall people saying, for instance, or they can change people’s names. When the authors change too much, however, they come under fire. One such writer, James Frey, was branded a fraud after making up some of the content of his memoir, A Million Little Pieces. The popular book, which detailed Frey’s supposed battle with drug and alcohol addiction, was maligned and quickly fell from the bestseller list. In many other similar cases, questions of what defined fact and fiction came under scrutiny, especially with memoirs. Despite such controversy, there are ways to blend fiction and nonfiction. Many talented historical fiction writers often go through painstaking research to make their novels as realistic as possible and, at the same time, throw in some of their own inventions

to liven up the plotline. In these cases, this imagining is fairly necessary; we cannot possibly know what Genghis Khan was thinking as he conquered most of Asia, or what Queen Elizabeth I thought of her unusual family. Those documents do not exist, and if they ever did, they have not survived. Fiction, in this genre, enriches the historical facts and often introduces readers to the lively side of history that is rarely seen in classrooms. This mix of fiction and nonfiction makes the two styles complement each other—and gives the reader more to love in the writing. Despite the different stereotypes attached to fiction and nonfiction, both can be either highly enjoyable or just terrible, depending on the skills of the author. Blended together or standing on their own, these two genres, the bread and butter of prose writing, convey powerful ideas, each in their own ways. Looking for some summer reading now? Check out these books: Nonfiction: Blink, by Malcolm Gladwell [science] If you are not a science person, do not write this one off just by looking at its genre—it is all about your mind and how it makes decisions amidst all of those outside factors. If you have ever wondered why you choose chocolate over vanilla (or a host of other things), look into this book. Chinese Cinderella, by Adeline Yen Mah [memoir] Mah details her difficult childhood at the hands of her stepmother in this poignant, well-written memoir about identity and overcoming seemingly impossible obstacles. The Pope’s Daughter, by Caroline P. Murphy [history] The story of Felice della Rovere, daughter of Pope Julius II, is the tale of a woman before her time, powerful and influential not only based on her father’s prestige, but on her own merits. Fiction: Stardust, by Neil Gaiman [fantasy/romance] The story of a young man, Tristran Thorne, who ventures into Faerie to catch the falling star that will win his true love’s heart, is sure to capture imaginations. Instead of finding a cold piece of rock, Tristran finds a girl—and the secrets of his past that will shape his destiny. The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini [realistic fiction] The much-hyped, modern day classic really is that good. It is not only a story about Afghanistan and its people, but about friendship, family, and duty—and it will have you in tears by the end, I guarantee it. A Break with Charity, by Ann Rinaldi [historical fiction] Rinaldi weaves the tale of the Salem Witch Trials with the coming of age of Susanna English, an outsider looking in on 14 the circle of girls that accused dozens of being witches, and sent innocent people to their deaths.

literature features

scouted by angelperak

“Why are we Falling?” by platinummyr This is a sample of the work by platinummyr who writes both poetry and fiction. His work is characterised by writing that asks the big questions of life in subtle ways. He seems to concentrate on graceful imagery and more of a free-verse style in his poems. A developing writer with potential, platinummyr is on his way to discovering the elusive factor that makes good writing good.

It’s the dance of could have beens, And should have beens And the song of the ungrateful The worry of the faithless that you sing.

Interested in working for dA Zine? The position of Literature Scout will be open starting with Issue 9. Send us a note if you’re interested in filling this position.

No one is told what might have happened... It is not our domain to know the future. And I’ve never known it, I only see today. These words that last a life time They are far to much for me to say. So where are we going? We’ve jumped off this cliff So we better learn to fly!! Fly!! There’s no going upwards, We can only fall down forever. Where are we falling, Without even knowing how long?

literature features

scouted by angelperak

“Cycle of Destruction” by GREGOLE This is an excerpt taken from GREGOLE’s Rygama series. He states that this is actually from one of the first episodes he has completed of the series, though it is actually more of a post-episode outside of the main story. It offers the readers the opportunity to get a taste of what the rest of his series will be like. Strong description coupled with compelling narrative characterise this peice of work. DA has a large population of science-fiction writers, many of whom fail at keeping their readers hooked. GREGOLE overcomes this problem and if his writing continues in the same vein, I will be sure to follow along with this particular series. Please enjoy this excerpt.

[The sun gleamed vibrantly over what had once been the Australian countryside. A once alive, if arid desert, this was all but gone. Pollution had shrouded the atmosphere with a purple mist, creating an eerie, alien glow on the landscape. One man had left a stingy mark on evolution, shaping the world to his own liking. The sands were now cast into the shadow of a monolith. A monstrous pillar rose high into the air, its pointed peak stabbing into the unflinching sun. A cylindrical tower of dense steel and titanium, the monolith was a dull, neutral grey in color. Dotting its surface, translucent black lenses sat, each no bigger than a human head. Hundreds of these small lenses studded the otherwise blank surface of the tower, like insectile eyes, seeing everything within miles of the structure. The sheer mass of the monolith dwarfed all but the highest of skyscrapers. Its diameter could very well have comfortably housed four baseball stadiums. That is, had the structure been hollow. It was most assuredly not, however. It was a complex structure, a laboratory, a military base and a palace all in one. At the very bottom, wedged hundreds of feet beneath the main body sat Clint Wagner. Clint was reclined in a leather chair, contemplating his life. It was he who had ordered this fortress’ construction. It was he who had turned the world into the primeval, cruel kingdom that it was now. It was he who had determined that the safest place to occupy in a fortress was beneath it, wedged deep into the earth, where invaders would have to face both his defenses and the terrain itself if they wished to reach him.

hardly mattered now, however. She was one of the first to die. Ed had always been a bitter, cynical man. He had very few friends, certain that almost all of humanity was downright sickeningly stupid. Be it an incompetent government leader, an eco-terrorist or a Bible thumping faith-head, Ed had wished them all death. He wanted nothing more than for a cruel force to sweep over the Earth and weed out the stupid and the weak. He would spend sleepless nights venting to a young Clint about such things. As such, Clint had seen his father’s point before the burden of established morals and ideals had clouded his judgment. Everywhere his father had pointed Clint saw the same outrageous and absurd lack of cognitive ability in society. He also saw how moronic his peers and so called friends truly were - Especially after their reaction to his quoting his father’s words. The idea of weeding out the garbage of the human population could only be a great one, yet it repulsed and frightened them. Even in his youth, Clint had realized that his “friends” were among the undeserving garbage as well. And if he was to be anything but, he would have to burn his bridges. And so, the child resigned to a life of solitude. Ed, meanwhile, busied himself with his work. His partner Ned Wolf provided him with a colossal grant, allowing him to pursue experiments he could only have dreamed of completing! Soon, Ed had created a way to rapidly, yet effectively manipulate the genes of living beings. Clint, a teenager at the time, soon raised the question to his father: Now that he had the resources, would he go through with his plans?

Clint had been born to an American family, raised by his father Ed was shocked by his son’s forwardness with the idea. Was his offspring actually suggesting that he create some sort of Ed Wagner, a renowned geneticist. Clint’s mother remained monster to thin out the human population?] in the shadow of her husband and rarely spoke to him. She feared what Ed was teaching him and how Clint might react to her input. Clint could scarcely remember her first name. It

herd ‘O’ critics

by Spiker17

Spiker17 takes over this issue for a critique on a wonderful digital piece titled “Little Red” by Cado.

‘Little Red’ by Cado is an interesting digital drawing. The remixed concept of Little Red Riding Hood is definitely one I have not seen created very often. Cado’s unique portrayal of the ‘big bad wolf’ through the monster emerging behind Little Red on the wall sends the message that monsters are only fearsome if we make them that way. While the concept is different and unique, there are a few things in the piece that I feel could have been done differently in the execution phase. For starters, the block pattern on the wall behind Red ends rather abruptly toward the bottom, where most of the graffiti is placed. In my opinion, the effect would be more realistic if the pattern had continued down the length of the wall. Instead the effect is that the graffiti is not a part of the wall, but a haphazard attempt to fill negative space. I love the simple color scheme, but it is almost too simple. The black spray can in Red’s hand almost blends right into her black glove. The spray can might have looked better in gray or silver instead of black. Similarly, Red’s black braids meld right into the black shadows that are being cast by her hood. Deepening the black of her hair and/or lightening the shadow would definitely improve the viewer’s ability to distinguish between the braid and the body. Everyone knows that Little Red Riding Hood is nothing without her red coat, and the red coat that Cado has given Little Red in this piece is drawn beautifully, but the horizontal grain detracts from realism. I am not familiar with Photoshop myself, but if there was a way to smooth out the grain of Red’s coat, I would recommend trying it out. Little Red Riding Hood herself is drawn really well. Cado shows an eye for faces, and Red’s expression is appropriately mischievous and tough to match. Her arched eyebrow is gracefully drawn and makes it look like Red is asking the viewer, “Got a problem with my monster?” Even her smirk gives her an aura of toughness. The only thing I would suggest changing on Red’s face is shortening up the line that makes up the right side of her mouth. Being drawn so long almost makes it seem like her mouth is crooked or that she’s got a scar running up from the corner of her mouth. Overall, ‘Little Red’ is a great digital drawing. Cado has real talent -- that much is clear. A couple of tweaks here and there, and this

“Little Red” by Cado piece could definitely be outstanding. The message is unique, and Cado applies it well. The rest of her gallery is equally unique. Whether she is using Photoshop to digitally recreate fables from our childhood or she is messing around with watercolor paints, Cado is a truly unique artist. Her gallery is well worth browsing.

Do you want your piece critiqued, or know of someone who would? Send us at note at dA Zine! We will be more than happy to set our critics to work for you!

the parting shot