This month’s featured artist is a deviantArt member I discovered a while back. I totally lurked on her site for over a year and watched her create the most beautiful things.
She has a knack for creating lush scenery and stunning people. My favorite thing about her pieces is the way she draws metal work and gemstones. I love her color palette but would be petrified to even attempt using any of her colors coherently in a piece.
Needless to say I have much respect for someone who knows their way around a palette that rich and diverse. Her name is Yang Fan here’s what she has to say about her art:
Rachel: How old were you when you started drawing?
Fan: I can hardly remember; I think maybe 4 or 5?
Rachel: Tell us why you started drawing to begin with.
Fan: First it was just for fun, but later I found out it is the only thing I am good at (laughs).
Rachel: What kind of formal training do you have if you have any? If yes, where did you get formal training?
Fan: I went to the AIS of Seattle for an AAA degree in Multimedia and web design. I think that might be the only training I have received.
Rachel: What platform do you use to draw with, Macintosh or PC? Which do you prefer?
Fan: PC…it is easier to use for me.
Rachel: How did you learn Photoshop? Where did you take a class if you took a class to learn?
Fan: Mostly by myself; it is not a hard program.
Rachel: What computer programs do you use besides Photoshop?
Fan: 3d Max and Painter.
Rachel: About how long does it take to finish a drawing from start to finish?
Fan: If it is only sketch, it might take about 2 1/2 – 4 hours, depending on the detail. For the coloring, it takes between 20 – 60 hours.
Rachel: Do you make a sketch first and then scan it in or do you the whole process on the computer?
Fan: Yes ^^
Rachel: Some of your earlier work is with paints. What other media do you use if and when you don’t use the computer?
Fan: Gouache is the only media I like to use, but sometimes I use acrylic as well.
Rachel: Which media do you prefer: computer or traditional?
Fan: Computer.
Rachel: I’m absolutely blown away by the detail in your work. I’m a jeweler and some of the gems you create make me drool – they’re so lush-looking. What are some points of reference you use when you draw and color in the metal and gemstone portions?
Fan: Oh, thanks a lot! I like jewelry and pattern design a lot (laughs). I do collect some magazines and draw down random ideas. I think my job as a texture and interface design artist might sometimes help me as well.
Rachel: Where do you work as a texture and interface design artist?
Fan: I work as a texture and interface design artist at CATdaddy games, mostly doing 2D illustrations and interface designs.
Rachel: Your color palette is like jewels. What were your thoughts when you developed your colors?
Fan: I’m never quite happy with my color palette, (laughs), I always feel I use too much color, or it’s too dirty. Before I start putting details into the painting, I always try different color palettes and choose the one I like most – I like warm colors much more than cold colors.
Rachel: The details in your images and the depth of color make me feel “inside” your paintings. Where does that world exist for you?
Fan: It is really hard to explain T_T/// – most of the time I try to imagine a world before I start to paint. It often depends on studies and sketched ideas every day, non-stop.
Rachel: When I view your work I see many influences: Japanese culture, Chinese culture, fantasy, gaming, history and many others. Which influence plays the biggest role in your art?
Fan: Recently, games play the biggest role. There are a lot of great artists in the gaming industry and they all have developed very wonderful styles. There is so much for me to learn!
Rachel: I see that you draw doujinshi. What’s your favorite subject matter for that?
Fan: Devil May Cry is my favorite game, me and my friend plan to do a doujinshi for it soon ^^.
Rachel: Where has your work been used/seen besides the Internet?
Fan: Magazines, novel covers and books.
Rachel: Which magazines did you draw for?
Fan: I draw for a couple of Chinese magazine including “Comics King†(Xin ganxian ) and others as well.
Rachel: What were some of the book titles you illustrated?
Fan: I’ve illustrated “Gufang Bu Zhishang” (Sleep Rabbits) “Wu gou” and a set of tarot cards. Recently I am doing two cards for Sega’s online game “Three Kingdoms”.
Rachel: How would you describe your work?
Fan: It is really hard to say…I was trying to reach a gorgeous yet “deep”feel in my work.
Rachel: What would you say is your favorite style of art?
Fan: Half realistic, half anime.
Rachel: Where do you find your inspiration for your work?
Fan: Games and movies the most. Sometimes fashion design as well.
Rachel: What kind of routine do you have when you draw? What kind of schedule do you have if you have any?
Fan: First, I start with a really quick sketch, and then I list out references, designs and ideas. The next step is making a detailed sketch. I then start coloring it in the computer.
Since I have a daytime job—-I don’t have a lot of time everyday for drawing my own projects. I usually start at 8 or 9 every night and stop by 1.30 am. As for a schedule; I am very bad at arranging time (laughs), I think the point is “by all means, meet the deadline!”
Rachel: Can you describe your workstation at your computer or drawing board?
Fan: Wacom Intuos2 graphics tablet. I use a different PC since mine always breaks down.
Rachel: What do you do if you ever get “writer’s block” or in this case “drawer’s block”?
Fan: All the time, I will looking for more great work online to remind myself it is not time to give up yet.
Rachel: What kind of artist would you consider yourself?
Fan: A fantasy anime-style artist, I guess?
Rachel: What kind of art do you do besides drawing if you do other stuff?
Fan: Too sad, besides drawing, I write novels in Chinese – because my English sucks. T_T
Rachel: What do you write about for your Chinese novels?
Fan: Oh, mostly very dark stories about the underground society; the crime and drug business, killers – all set in the near future. The next one will be a fantasy-style one about vampires, demons, and humans.
Rachel: Do you illustrate your novels?
Fan:Yes and I design the characters as well. It is fun!
Rachel: What would you like to do with your drawing skills?
Fan: Learn as much as possible and design characters and posters for games.
Rachel: Where do you see yourself at 15 years in the future with your art?
Fan: Still working in the game industry, but with a more important role and task.
Rachel: What do your friends and loved ones think of your art?
Fan: They like it, but also agree I have a lot of “weak spots” in skills and I need more practice.
Rachel: Your name on deviantART is jiuge, but I’ve also see you sign your work as Yang Fan. Which do you prefer?
Fan: Jiuge means “Nine Songs” in Chinese, it is my pen name and Yangfan is my real name ^^.
Rachel: Yang Fan is a Chinese name. Which part of China are you from?
Fan: I come from Shenzhen, a city close to HUANGKONG.
Rachel: What kind of anime and manga do you like? What titles?
Fan: Very dark ones or including a lots of action, like “Berserk”, “Dogs”, “Gantz” or “Air Gear”.
Rachel: What type of music do you listen to?
Fan: Mostly rock.
Rachel: Who’s your favorite band or musician?
Fan: Green Day, Tool, Audio Slave, Linkin Park.
Rachel: On your site you have some great fan art of Final Fantasy 7: Advent Fan: Children and Devil May Cry. What do you like about these games that inspired you to draw some fan art?
Fan: AD is a beautiful 3D movie, I hope one day in my life I can reach that level in 3D. As for Devil May Cry, it affects me a lot. First it is a great action game with wonderful characters and nice art designs. By drawing fan art for it I get to know a lot of good artist friends. By thinking ‘I want to make a game like that!’ made me chose my job as a game artist.
Rachel: What other games hold a special place in your heart?
Fan: Resident Evil 4.
Rachel: What’s your favorite food?
Fan: Chinese food, Korean food and Japanese food.
Rachel: Could you tell us what your fave color is?
Fan: Red, gold and blue.
Rachel: Name some of your hobbies for us.
Fan: Watching movies and drawing, and drawing, and drawing T_T, guess that is all I have.
Rachel: What do you do when you aren’t drawing?
Fan: Sleep (so I can wake up to draw with energy)
Watch movie, (to find more good idea for drawing)
Read books (to look for more references for drawing)
Travel (relax a little before go back to more drawing)
Oh, my life is based on drawing -_-///
Rachel: I love the pictures you sent! The men you draw are sooo yummy! What can you say about these pics? What connection so you have these pics?
Fan: They are pictures that suck away my energy and life – just kidding. I spent a lot of time on them, and by drawing them I learned a lot —-^^ I like them because they showed I did start getting better every day at my drawing skill —- though I still need to try harder
Rachel: Do you use models?
Fan: I will use my friend for models if there is a certain pose I cannot handle very well.
Rachel: What would you say is the most interesting thing about you that people might not know about?
Fan: I am a cat lady, I have a kitty called ‘Kitty‘, I suck at remembering directions and numbers. I always (meaning three times a week) get lost you see, the only good use of me is “draw more”!
Thanks Fan! You can read more about Fan at her website, Angel Dust. Posters and prints can be purchased here .
*Note: All pictures used on this post are used by permission of the artist. All artwork in this post is property of Yang Fan.
To fans of Yumiko Readman, now is a great time to rekindle your love for books with the R.O.D. (Read or Die) manga! The manga was first created after the series of light novels from the same author (Hideyuki Kurata) which then of course spun off into the series we love today. In this tale we get to see Yumiko’s past and what she has done to become the woman we know today.
The art by Shutaro Yamada is amazing with a traditional anime style that is inspiring, as he makes the panels almost move by themselves. He really gives the characters a strong feeling of humanity and insanity. The story itself leaves nothing lacking with characters as quirky as Yumiko herself and just as powerful. Fans of the anime will have fun as well as die-hard manga fans. However with the ending of the manga in consideration, it may be a little confusing when comparing it to the anime as it doesn’t seem to fit in and leaves a feeling of “Well wait, how did this happen if in the anime that happened?” All in all it’s a good series to pick up and read; you might even become as devoted to books as Yumiko!
Lately, I’ve been changing my mind about a lot of things. Some things I’ve come around to after a long periods of indecision and some things I’ve come around to after lightening-like, and sometimes painful, epiphanies. The only pain involved in my current change of heart had to do with my ears. After agonizing dub work that left me begging for subtitles, I’ve pretty much come around to the idea that most anime sounds better in Japanese than it does in English. That said, it would still be nice to have the studios hire people who are actually talented at dub work so I don’t have to watch the subtitles. I still feel that it’s hard to catch all the action when you’re busy reading the dialog.
Along with various shapes highlighted in mochi are the various colors. Pink is 
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