Q1: Let’s start with the common question, if you can kindly introduce yourself.
My name’s Christina Antoinette, I’ve been a professional illustrator for 8 years. I used to be a med student, I’m currently an art student at the prestigious Athens School of Fine Arts.
Q2: How did you get into the field of your work?
I sent some of my work to a popular children’s book writer, and he was kind enough to give me a story to illustrate. The writer is Eugene Trivizas, and I’m ever grateful for the chance to go pro.
Q3: Do you have any current favourite artists, comic artists, photographers who may have influenced you to become the artist that you are?
Boy, do I! I’ve been practically raised by game art and pixel art, I love Magritte, Goya, Francis Bacon and vintage poster ads in a big way and I wade through so much talent everyday on deviant art that it’s breathtaking. I also adore everything the Double Fine gaming studio produces.
Q4: What are the main tools of your trade?
Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, Artrage, a wacom tablet and a Fujitsu ST5112 slate tabletPC. Also, lately, my ipod touch 4G, for pixelling on the road.
Q5: How was it for you to learn the process of that? Did you teach yourself, take classes or learn from other existing artist’s tutorial?
I taught myself on the job, I’m still teaching myself. Thankfully, after a while things start clicking into place and I’m like “so that’s why there’s this rule”, and it’s all starting to make more sense. Mind you, I don’t think I will ever be at a place where I feel I’ve mastered drawing and painting, but that’s what I love about it. Oh and I swear by the Andrew Loomis books.
Q6: Do you think its possible for you to describe the process of your art style, what are the dos and don’ts, the important aspects you set yourself to achieve your style of design?
Sure. I don’t have a style. I paint (or pixel, or vector illustrate) whatever’s on my mind, and that’s both liberating and unmarketable what is really interesting for me though is working with different creative people such as game developers, advertising art directors, writers and film-makers, and making art that fits their vision. I’m good at that, and really love to do it, it’s a new challenge every time.
Q7: What are the biggest struggles you encounter as a artist?
Freelance work is hard sometimes, but never so hard that I don’t have money to pay the rent (or I’d quit). Also, unreasonable clients. Also time management, because I can’t confine creativity and productivity to a nine-to-five schedule, it strikes when it does.
Q8: Do you have any other future plans that don’t involve creative art? Would consider working outside that field and into something new?
I’m not really into creative art anyways. I’m just an illustrator, and I like it that way. If I wasn’t able to sustain myself through my art, I’d just get another and continue illustrating the rest of the day.
Q9: Do you have any personal mottos, quotes or existing quotes that motivates you to do what you love doing? Can you share it with us or provide words of wisdom from your experiences for those who look up to you?
Yeah, there’s a good one that my illustration mentor told me back when I was starting out as a commercial artist. He told me to treat all work as paid training. And I’ve done so ever since. It helps me to not mind the pay so much, as long as I’m doing something challenging, exciting, something I can learn from.
Q10: What do you think the future will hold for all artists from all backgrounds from now?
I’m sure visual artists will continue to be marketable. If not as fine artists, dealing with galleries and rich art collectors, then at least as commercial artists, working for film, television, games and publishing. We’re living in very visually oriented societies in the “developed” world.
Q11: To round off the last question, where can your fans and new fans find updated news and progress from you, – Where can we find you?
My primary account is on deviantart http://neofotistou.deviantart.com/
I recently started a pixel joint account as well: http://www.pixeljoint.com/ my handle is ‘neofotistou’
Thank you
