Today I have an interview with Hitote Project artist Matt Synowicz (http://spaghetti016.deviantart.com) . Matt was one of the early participants. His entry can be seen here:
Let's get on with the questions!
..::Introductions::..
Hitote Project: Thanks for letting us thoroughly grill you. Let’s start slow before the truly hard-hitting questions start. Tell us a bit about yourself.
Matt Synowicz: Hi! My name is Matt. I'm originally from Wisconsin, but I now reside outside of the Chicago land area. During the day I'm a fire protection engineer (I design fire sprinkler systems in AutoCAD), and at night...I draw. I'm kind of like a superhero in that manner.
HP: When fighting crime in the art world what is your superhero name?
MS: "The Col-Erase Kid". It's my primary tool for making art, so there's no reason I shouldn't be named after it.
..::Art::..
HP: When did you know you wanted to do art professionally?
MS: Ever since I was a kid drawing on my parent's walls with crayons. Throughout all of school you'd find doodles on my notebooks, on the back of tests, and everywhere else. Some people want to be Veterinarians, others want to be Chefs, but I wanted to do art.
HP: Are you self-taught or institution-educated in the ways of art?
MS: I went to the Illinois Institute of Art, Schaumburg for 4 years, and I graduated with a bachelor in fine arts. Before that I was like everyone else. I had my sketch books that I would draw in, and I'd try to emulate things that I saw in the world on to the pages.
HP: What are your major influences? In that same vein, what really inspires you to hit the drawing board?
MS: My major influences are rather cliché (I think they are anyways). I'm really into comics, games and movies, and thats what really gets me going. I see something cool, and I have to draw. The same goes for other artists. I attend Wizard World Chicago annually, and one of the highlights is the "Artist's Alley". I see the artists showcasing their art and immediately I'm inspired to do some art.
HP: Who do you look up to as an artist? Is there someone you are dying to work with?
MS: I really look up to Doug Tennapel. His art blows me away no matter what it is. Every comic he's put out has such a great story combined with fantastic art. They always leave you feeling good at the end. To meet him would be a phenomenal experience.
HP: What would you do if you weren’t an artist? What is #2 on the “what I wanna be when I grow up” list?
MS: Honestly, I never thought about it. Being an artist was always high on the list. I never wanted to be anything else.
HP: What is your dream job?
MS: Character design for cartoons, or video games. I think I would be really good at it. I can draw all day, and I enjoy drawing people and objects. For lack of a better word, I think it would be rather fun and a great challenge.
..::The Process::..
HP: What tools (materials, mediums, programs) are you most comfortable with? Which ones do you want to learn? Which ones do you hate?
MS: I'm very comfortable with Colerase Pencils (red), Micron inking pens, and Photoshop. I can honestly say that I despise Illustrator. I've made many attempts at using it, and for some reason I don't get along with it.
HP: Can you describe your process?
MS: It starts with a flicker in the 'ol noggin. I get an idea in my head and if I continue to think about it, it generally has to be put on paper. I start off very sketchy and loose with the Col-Erase choosing the page placement and the shapes that I want to use for the character. I keep putting more lines down, and as I get more comfortable with the subject at hand, I tighten up those lines. I'm never too concerned with mistakes because those can always be fixed up later with Photoshop. After a few minutes, or hours (depending on the complexity of the piece), I'll either call it quits, or throw it on the scanner so I can give it some nifty inks/colors. Or, if I want the extremely clean look, I'll just grab a light box and carefully trace over my sketchy lines.
HP: What was the idea behind your Hitote Project submission?
MS: I just wanted to convey the main tools that I use to create my art. I used my own red pencil as a model (imperfections and all). I also used Photoshop. It's what I usually use to finish a piece, and that's the same program I used to finish up my Hitote Project submission.
..::The Important Questions::..
HP: Now for the big three…
What is your favorite a) Movie? B) Videogame? C) Television Program?
MS: A) It's a cross between Transformers: The Movie (1986), and Bruce Campbell Vs. The Army of Darkness. I've been watching both of those movies for a long, long time, and they just hold a huge place in my heart as the greatest movies of all time.
B) Metal Gear Solid, hands down. I've been in love with it since 1987 with the first Metal Gear on NES. I'm extremely excited for MGS 4, but I have to get a PS3 first.
C) I really enjoy the Venture Bros. There's just something about it that just pulls me in. I was lucky enough last year to make it on Adult Swim with some of my Venture Bros fan art during one of the bumps. Best night of my life!
HP: If you were trapped in a city decimated by a Zombie attack and had to choose three people to help you get out alive (no friends or family), who would they be?
MS: Woo, this one is tough. I think I'll choose characters from zombie flicks/games.
-Ben (Tony Todd) from Night of the Living Dead (1990).
-Kenneth Rhodes (Ving Rhames) from Dawn of the Dead (2004)
-Leon S. Kennedy (Paul Haddad) from Resident Evil 2 (1998).
I really can't think of anyone in real life that would be able to help as successfully.
..::Closing Words::..
HP: What do you feel is the most important element in your art?
MS: The most important element is keeping it mine. I have influences in the art world, but I try very hard to stick to my style. It's something personal that I like to share with the world, but I still want people to look at it and say, "Hey, I recognize that style!".
HP: How do you feel your art is relevant in the current world?
MS: I can't really say it's relevant in the current world. I'm not a political person. I don't try to convey a message in my art. I'm not using my art to change how things are. I do it to make me happy. I do it to make others happy. I want people to feel familiar with the way I draw, and I want them to remember things from way back. I think that's why I do a lot of fan art. I remember characters from my childhood, and I attempt to draw them in my style. If anything I suppose it's relevant to keeping nostalgia alive.
HP: Any advice for up and coming artists trying to hone their craft?
MS: This is going to be very cliché, but PRACTICE! Draw something every day. It doesn't matter if it's a stick figure, or the Sistine chapel. Getting something down on paper will make you more comfortable with your craft. Eventually you'll increase in speed, and you'll have better, more confident lines.
We want to thank Matt for talking to us. It was a blast to hear the things he as to say about his work and the art world.
Thanks for reading. We hope you enjoyed the first of many interviews here at the Hitote Project.
I'd like everyone to post any additional questions you may have for Matt.
I will assemble some of them and post a small follow-up... if he is up to it, hehe.
Thanks again everyone!
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