|
Who the Artist is |
| Full
Name: Dimitri
Patelis |
| Website:
www.creatorx.com |
| Business Name: CreatorX |
| Located in: Montreal,
Canada |
|
The Interview |
What
are the applications of airbrush experience you have? |
| Illustrations, Guitars and Murals
when I started out. |
| How many years have you used an airbrush in your
artwork? |
| 12 |
How did
you begin your career as an artist? |
| Album Covers, Commercial Illustrations. |
| What airbrushes and how many are used in your business? |
| Started with 13, but only use 3.
Two Paasche AB Turbo and One Iwata Micron CM-B |
Has your
work been written about in magazine or newspaper articles,
or elsewhere on the Web?
Where did these articles appear? |
| Comic Book News, Fantasy Magazines,
Newspapers. I am currently setting up a new studio away
from Montreal and do not have any of this material available. |
Have
you attended art school, or have you had some form
of training by apprenticeship or airbrush class?
|
| I am a selftought artist. I did
work as an assistant to renowned Surrealist Painter
& Photographer Dimitri Yeros in the beginning of
my career. |
Do you work
in more than one media?
If so, what other media do you use?
|
| I also do Digital Art and sculptures. |
| Are you
a fulltime or partime airbrush artist? |
| Fulltime. |
Do you work
alone or as part of a group of artists?
If part of a group, what is the name of your organization?
|
Alone/Group-
CreatorX. My partner's name is Lucas Wilton. He is also
an illustrator but deals more with administrative work
in the company. |
| Tell us
about your work and what goals you are trying to reach? |
| If I can be, as good in person,
as my art is, that would cover the main goal as a Human
Being. Then if Present and Future Artists use my work
as an inspiration and for learning, I think there could
not be any higher honor as an artist. If there is anything
else, I think it is being overshadowed by my previous
sentence. |
| Do you think
people understand your perspective or accomplishments? |
As far as understanding my perspective
that is a combination of things that include elements
that are not related to art therefore I don’t
think just by looking at my work anyone will get a grip
of it. As far as my accomplishments for many they are
as far as
unimaginable. For those who really know the field, I
am sure that they understand that there is always the
next level. |
| Who or what
was/is the greatest influence on your work? |
| My Brother. Due to the fact that
he was 4 years older it was he that always started the
fire for interests within me. He was always ahead of
his time in everything, which made him Strange to the
common Joe. He wanted to be a Automotive Designer but
because we were living in Greece at the time he did
not have the resources. He turned out to become an Outstanding
Musician who I consider being a lot more Masterful than
me as a painter. His interest in Music, Extreme Sports
and Life Style where probably the biggest influence.
As far as my subject matters that again started from
the numerous album covers that I had the opportunity
to view. This pushed me towards that field. |
How has
your airbrush style evolved? |
| Every Day. I was able to do more
detailing in the past due to patience but my lighting
technique is far more improved compared to five years
ago. So I don’t think I will go back. I used to
boast about my extreme detailing ability (still do sometimes)
but I don’t think everyone that sees a painting
of mine sits there with a magnifying glass. |
Have you
had a major shift in media or style?
If so, tell us about it. What influenced this shift? |
| Yes. As far as the style I think
it was always there but I hadn’t figured out yet
how to apply it on that damned surface. |
| What made
you first pick up an airbrush? |
| Some Illustrations I saw in Heavy
Metal Magazine. I asked some friend how do they achieve
these great gradients and he replied with a tool that
looks like a pen but sprays the color. That was in 1987.
I didn’t get my first airbrush till 1991. You
see I started drawing very late. When I was about 19
years old. |
| Have you
been able to make a living entirely with your artwork?
|
| Yes! |
| What do
you enjoy the most about airbrushing? |
| I can’t remember the exact
feeling ten years ago but the technical aspect of it
drove me crazy. From early on I was very technically
inclined in any form. (Mechanics, electrical, electronic
etc.) Just the fact that I could clean it, fine tune
it and break it apart was a huge turn on. Then being
capable of achieving the finest hairlines was another
insanity. I never use masking, and to be able to achieve
the finest detail without other tools but just the airbrush
was great. Didn’t even use paintbrushes for the
longest time. |
| What is
the most difficult aspect of your artistic process? |
| Composition. A bad start will result
in a bad ending. Not that the attempts to correct will
fail, but why go that route. I have started over a painting
only twice in 12 years. Everyone should learn to use
good reference and to learn to know what reference is
good. Not that I did this from the beginning, you learn
as you go, but you need to remind yourself on a daily
basis that you do not know all and be your own worst
critic. People can say all sorts of things to you about
your art, good and bad. If you are not capable of understanding
and comprehending for yourself what is good and what
is bad, and realistically accepting it, you have failed
as far as being able to evolve as an artist. Of course
this applies to everyday life. |
| Have you
been involved with any "unusual" art projects? |
| Yes. I have always tried to keep
me where I belong as far as my art is concerned. Though
in the need of bettering my finances from time to time
I would involve myself in creating art for clients with
an unusual approach. I Really cant think of anything
being unusual as far as subject matter or being sexually
graphic, but found unusual when I would get hired to
do art that was totally the opposite of my style of
work. Although I always tried to convince the client
towards a different execution then the one he dreamed
of, I did not always succeed. |
| What kind
of self-promotion works best for you? |
| Conventions, Internet, Word of Mouth,
Yes a lot of Blah Blah Blah. Dont expect for someone
knocking on your door if you dont make sure you shout
out to the whole planet that you're there. |
Is your
work presented in any museums?
If so, which ones? |
| I have had requests in the past
and the present but just never got down to it. Others
say I should have done it years ago but just cant remember
not being to busy. I hope I can free some time next
year and pursue this. |
Where
have you shown your work in the past? Which venues
work best for you? |
| Conventions, lots of Conventions.
I have been very busy though and haven’t attended
one since 1998. |
| Did you
design your own website? |
| Yes. My business also features webdesign. |
