#artists interviews

1. Real Name/Artistic Name: Sonali , Dangercat

2. Tell us a bit about yourself: I’m an illustrator based out of Bangalore. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and a Diploma in Photography.  

3. What moment in life/ artist/ project inspired you to take up illustration? No moment, I always remember drawing. I started as a kid and never grew up.

4. What is your personal work inspired by? What themes and topics do you enjoy working with? It's inspired by what i'm reading or listening to at the time, also my surroundings; plants, animals and my home. I don't have any specific themes or topics, my interests vary from mythology to science and psychology. I'm still in a formative stage when it comes to putting my thoughts down effectively. My main focus at the moment is to train my brain to think and visualise in different ways, I don't want to commit to one medium or topic I'm learning and exploring. 

5. What is your preferred method of beginning a project? Do you have a fixed process? It depends on what the project is. If its a book, then I'll read it a few times, figure out what kind of visuals would go with the story and what medium and colour palette would fit best. The next step would be sketches (here I collaborate with the editor and writer a bit). If its an album cover, I would be listening to the album constantly and drawing to it, that's all. Some projects require a lot more research, I enjoy this the most. I get to teach myself to draw new subjects while learning about topics outside my field (conservation, biology, the process of printing a book, or history). In short, I have no fixed process. 

6. What do you do, to deal with the general procrastination/lack of ideas that can affect all freelancers? Its tough, I used to get into a block that lasted days..but now I don't force it. I do something else for a bit and come back to it, it seems to be working (so far). 

7. Any rituals you follow before you sit to work, to help you get into the zone? A clean studio/ work-space! If things around me are in order, it helps getting my thoughts in order as well. I make a lot of lists and feel a sense of satisfaction when I strike them off. I also find that a good schedule of sleep, diet, exercise and down time help in keeping you clear headed for when you need to be productive.  Its a misconception that "freelance" is a whole lot of "do-what-you-want-when-you-want", when it actually takes a lot of discipline to pull off successfully.

8. Describe the materials you use the most in your work? Most of my commercial work is done digitally now, but you can replicate traditional mediums digitally as well...so that’s what I do. It’s faster. Sometimes I use ink and pens, sometimes gouache and acrylic for my personal work, journals and sketchbooks.

9. Tell us about the other materials you love experimenting with? I like charcoal and graphite and watercolour. Watercolor the most actually..

10. Which product has lasted you the longest/ you have had for a ages? I have a set of Soft Pastels I got 6 years ago. I have no idea what brand they are, the label seems to have been misplaced… I haven’t come across any other pastels with the same richness in colour.

11. Is there specific materials you find yourself picking up over and over?Yeah the Uni Pin Fine Liners and Copic Multiliners. I do a lot of pen work and they are the best I’ve used for details. They last long and are consistent.

12. If you could keep a kit of 4-5 materials only, what would they be? Fine liners, watercolour paints, graphite pencils, soft pastels and willow charcoal.

13. Which is your favourite material/medium and why? Willow charcoal- that black is really black and I like how it crumbles and how you can mix it with paint as well to create marble –like textures.

14.  Which material/medium are you dying to try? Oil paint! But I’m intimidated by them and have been for years.

15.  We all know that art materials are very expensive. If you could buy any supply your heart desires, no matter the cost, what would it be? Probably one of those gigantic Windsor & Newton watercolour sets. Ten shades of green.

16. If you could offer advice on art materials, for upcoming artists/students what would it be? Try everything twice. Don’t stick to just one medium, learn and experiment as much as possible. Understanding the use of material would mean learning how to translate what’s in your head onto paper most accurately.

17. The most underrated material/medium? Ball pen! It’s the most fantastic tool.

18. If you could dive into one artist’s supply stash, who would it be? Yours :) I have, and I’ve learnt so much, thank you!

19. Name an artist whose studio you would love to work in? No one in particular. I would pick a place with good music, cozy space with lots of things to be inspired by, coffee and periodic conversations.

20. Last piece of advice for upcoming artists on finding what material works for you? Use everything. You can make it work with whatever medium you choose and it doesn’t matter as long as you’re having fun. You’ll eventually start unconsciously leaning to one that feels closer to what you’ve visualized in your head, and that’ll be the one.  Also exchange as much knowledge you can with your friends, draw together and share your stash!

You can view more of Sonali’s work at the links below! Follow her, like her work and show some love :) Instagram Website Facebook

Where is your studio and how long have you been there? Currently I am working in the loft of my flat in Bow London.

What is your earliest memory of art? Dr. Suess.

If you could own any work of art, which would it be? Warhol’s Electric Chair.

When and where are you happiest? In the desert in America.

What is your greatest fear? Poltergeists.

What is your greatest extravagance? Taking too many black cabs eating at Nobu.

If you could ask one question and receive a true answer, what would that question be? Is Big Foot real?

Which natural gift would you most like to possess? Singing voice; I sound like a cat being run over by a lawn mower!

What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? Having no passion for anything.

What to your mind would be the greatest of fortunes? Friendships.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? My Voice.

What is your favourite drink? Tomato juice.

What is your current state of mind? Happily Mad.

Who is your favourite fictional hero? Bugs Bunny.

Who is your favourite fictional villain? The Joker.

If you had a superpower, what would it be? Invisibility.

Tell us a joke. What did the 0 say to the 8? Answer: Nice Belt.

Which album, film and book would you take to a desert island? Johnny Cash Greatest Hits, Out of Africa, Green Eggs and Ham.

What would your ‘death row’ meal be? A huge rare steak with baked potato, sour cream, bacon bits and chives and broccoli.

If you were a world record breaker, what would it be for? Most beers drunk in one evening.

Which artist do you think is most under-rated? All of them.

Which three historical figures would you like to have lunch with? Dr Suess, Trotsky, Andy Warhol.

What or who has been the biggest influence to your practice? Natural History Museums.

Who will play you in the film of your life? Michael Fassbender (I wish).

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Swim the English Channel.

What is your motto? Help Each Other.

http://dallasseitz.com 

Where is your studio and how long have you been there?  Space Studios, The Triangle, Mare Street, Hackney. 5 Years. 

What is your earliest memory of art?  When I was about 6, my parents took me to a Picasso exhibition. I saw his ‘Head of a Bull’ piece made from a bicycle saddle and handlebars for horns. I thought “I could do that!”  

If you could own any work of art, which would it be?  Something small… maybe Vermeer’s The Lacemaker, or Rembrandt’s The Flayed Ox.

When and where are you happiest? Probably when meditating, such as recently at a place called Jikoji in the Santa Cruz hills. 

What is your greatest fear?  Death. 

What is your greatest extravagance?  Could be cocktails. 

If you could ask one question and receive a true answer, what would that question be?  Something to do with the nature of the universe…? 

Which natural gift would you most like to possess?  A musical talent, such as Charlie Parker had with his saxophone. 

What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes?  Some kind of sudden disability, like loss of sight. 

What to your mind would be the greatest of fortunes?  Selling some work to a major institution, for a lot of money. 

What is your favourite drink? Margarita.

What is your current state of mind?  Calm and focussed. 

Who is your favourite fictional hero? Don Quixote. 

Who is your favourite fictional villain?  Leatherface. 

If you had a superpower, what would it be?  Something time related, like travel and stopping. 

Tell us a joke.  Pavarotti dies and goes to heaven. St. Peter at the gates says ‘just a moment’ and then… ‘Hey Jesus, here’s that tenner I owe you!’ 

Which album, film and book would you take to a desert island?  Currently John Cale, Paris 1919; Werner Herzog, Aguirre Wrath of God; Richard Brautigan, Dreaming of Babylon.  

Which three historical figures would you like to have lunch with?  How about Rembrandt, Goya and Picasso.

What or who has been the biggest influence to your practice?  Perhaps Paul Hedge from Hales Gallery, who challenged me to paint a newspaper clipping, coinciding with 9/11.

What is your motto? Treasure every moment.

http://hughmendes.com/

Where is your studio and how long have you been there? Childers Street, Deptford, 9 years.

What is your earliest memory of art? A print of a Vermeer in the bedroom I would stay in at my grandparent’s magical house in Brighton, I stared at it for hours.

If you could own any work of art, which would it be?   A Joan Mitchell painting from the sixties, a big one.

When and where are you happiest? In a blue sea, somewhere hot.

What is your greatest fear? I don’t want to write it down, it is too horrible to contemplate.

What is your greatest extravagance? Clothes/shoes/whippet collars (really).

If you could ask one question and receive a true answer, what would that question be? What’s the cure for cancer?

Which natural gift would you most like to possess? To know how to always be kind.

What to your mind would be the greatest of misfortunes? To never be loved.

What to your mind would be the greatest of fortunes? A lifetime of happiness for my gorgeous son.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be? To be stronger. 

What is your favourite drink? Champagne.

What is your current state of mind? Light, clear, a little vulnerable but optimistic.

Who is your favourite fictional hero? Snoopy.

Who is your favourite fictional villain? Anita Pallenberg in Barbarella.

If you had a superpower, what would it be? To be able to bring about world peace (may as well go for it).

Tell us a joke. How do you gather all hedgehogs in the world using only a matchbox? …. pull a match out of the matchbox, slide it in so it sticks out of the top, (red tip up) to mimic an aerial and say urgently “calling all hedgehogs, calling all hedgehogs!” in mock walkie talkie style.

Which album, film and book would you take to a desert island? Let it Bleed by the Rolling Stones, Performance by Nicolas Roeg, The Tao Te Ching.

What would your ‘death row’ meal be? Chips and gravy with lots of vinegar.

If you were a world record breaker, what would it be for? Sleeping (I'm really good at it).

Which artist do you think is most under-rated? Joan Mitchell (still, though it’s getting better).

Which three historical figures would you like to have lunch with? Doris Lessing, Charles Bukowski and my beautiful friend Anne Farley who passed away last year.

What or who has been the biggest influence to your practice? Life.

Who will play you in the film of your life? Charlotte Gainsbourg (in my dreams).

What would you do if you knew you could not fail? Paint.

What is your motto? To thine own self be true.

www.clareprice.com