I am so very excited to be spotlighting Bonnie Wasson here today. This is the art piece that sent me over the edge to worship. I love this piece, it is so beautiful. I have liked her previous pieces but this one is my favorite.
I have always been a art lover. We have quite the odd collection or art pieces at my house. My husband have different taste but we display everything. I even have a print of the piece above displayed at home. :)
I know people say do not judge a book by a cover but I will be honest I sometimes pick up a book solely based on the cover. I love cover art. I love seeing a glimpse of the what is to come in the book.
On thing I have always loved about Seventh Start Press is the amazing art that can be found in their books. I love that they have not only amazing cover art but they even have some art pieces throughout the book to experience along the way. Also available for each title is a set of art cards that are amazing. And you can buy larger versions of some of the art pieces as posters or T-shirts. So after you love a SSP title you can fondly remember it with a poster or proudly wear it as a t-shirt.
But as I said I was lucky enough to get to interview Bonnie. I had heard she was a comic fan but man was I excited when she told me who her favorite comic book hero is. Kudos to Bonnie for that, amazing art and winning at Dragon*Con. So with no further ado, I bring you Bonnie Wasson.
ABOUT BONNIE:
Bonnie Wasson was born in Dallas, Texas. From an early age, her
mother’s love of science fiction and fantasy left an indelible mark on
what would eventually become an intense love for all things nerd. Being
exposed to the artistic beauty of animated Disney movies, the complex
details of comic book heroes and the strange new worlds of Star Trek,
Bonnie found that drawing fit her need for creative expression.
She graduated from college with a shiny BFA degree and is working in
the print industry as a graphic designer. She has recently found a small
niche in creating illustrations for book covers and interiors, as well
as participating in art shows for science fiction and fantasy
conventions.
Bonnie currently resides in Eugene, Oregon with her husband and her lovable (and sometimes diva) Labrador Retriever.
INTERVIEW:
When did you decide to become an artist?
I'm not sure if I can pinpoint the exact moment, but there was a strong
inclination to win all of the art contests in elementary school. I won a
few and it fed into my confidence. I remember trying extremely hard to
create a work of art that would grace the cover of the yearbook, but I
was never picked. I never knew who did the picking, but it might have
had something to do with my mother being a teacher at the same school. I
was way too young to understand what a "conflict of interest" might
have meant.
From then on, I found I could draw pretty good imitations of a handful
of Disney characters (mainly Bambi and the Little Mermaid- four legs to
no legs, the entire gamut, it seemed). I eventually moved on to
cartoons, then comics and so on.
Where did you train?
I went to the University of Kentucky with full expectations to become a
graphic designer. The program at that time wasn't a strong one and I
ended up with a degree in the fine arts. You got to stick your fingers
into all sorts of mediums, but I narrowed it down to drawing and
printmaking.
How did your training influence you?
I found that I was very fortunate to build a strong foundation in the
fine arts. I feel that in order to create a style all your own, you
really need to know how things are put together. Learning how a human
body is built, how light affects different surfaces, how colors interact
and understanding perspective are just a few things that an artist
needs in their toolbox to create a successful piece. I always felt that
if you had a strong understanding of the fundamentals, you can stylize
anything you want and make it look like it works.
Where do you get your ideas?
From just about anywhere. Anything from movies, music, a walk in the
park, standing in line for a coffee, watching TV, going to a football
game, the weather, other artists' work, my dog, ANYTHING. I'm constantly
absorbing what's around and thinking, "How can I incorporate this or
that idea into piece of Bonnie art?"
What artist or artists inspired you?
My list is always changing, but Adam Hughes (cover artist for Catwoman,
Wonder Woman, Marvel and DC in general) is always my top inspiration.
His compositions, facial structures, color usage and line quality always
amaze me. Other artists that make the list are: Michael Whelan, Frank
Frazetta, James Gurney, Brom and Donato Giancola in painting. Alfons
Mucha, Justin Gerard and Bruce Timm in illustration. Adam Hughes, Jim
Lee, Alex Ross and Tim Townsend in comics. The list can go on, and on,
and on...
How did you decide on this medium?
My true passion is working with graphite, but I've been working mainly
in the digital realm for a while. After college, I found work in a print
shop that specialized in digital and screen printing. I learned how to
use the Creative Suite on the job and was also exposed to what the good,
the bad, and the ugly in graphic design was up to. I began to realize
what could be created digitally and was hooked.
In all honesty (and some may say it's a stupid reason), I picked up
working digitally because of color. Yep, the Roy G. Biv scares the crap
out me. I was never really good at color theory and picking colors that
worked together. I'm still rather pathetic and I've always been crap at
painting with the real stuff. I began to experiment with a tablet and
Photoshop. It was so cool and I began to use Photoshop for everything
except what it is named for (photography is way out my league). This new
insight helped me overcome some of my fear of messing up an expensive
piece of drawing paper or canvas. It's irrational, but it's true.
Don't succumb to CMD+Z! It will spoil you! I've really tried to not let
that happen. This digital stuff is self-taught and I'm always looking
for ways to improve. I'm slowly training myself to not rely on that
particular command and concentrating on making good decisions with my
"stylus" strokes. I still say that if CMD+Z helps alleviate some
creative pressure, have at it. Whatever steps or tools help one to
expand their artistic talent, go for it. Adding the digital medium to
the tactile skills of drawing with a pencil have drastically helped my
art creation in ways that I never expected. There is always room for
improvement in my work and I always need practice. It's a never-ending,
glorious circle.
Where do you do your work?
Most of this craziness goes down in my studio. Studio. That sounds like I
know what I'm doing. It's more like the spare bedroom/office/room-for-random
-art-supplies.
What technique do you use?
My first attempts at this new fangled medium were basically pencil
drawings scanned and digitally colored. I then attempted to "ink" in and
clean up my line work and then color. Now I'm at a point where
everything is digital; from sketch to the final piece. I feel I'm at a
point where I need to shake things up and revert back to creating a
pencil drawing and scanning the image in. I'm always changing my mind...
Which is more important to you, the subject of your painting, or the way it is executed?
I strongly believe that it is a marriage of both. I want to create an
image that is strong and original enough to attract the viewer, but I
also want the piece to look like it's completed and not just an
afterthought. As the artist, I know what the piece started out as
compared to what the finished product is. There's a sense of
accomplishment that comes with its progression. For the most part, the
viewer sees the final piece in its final stage. A lot of times, it's
your first and last impression. With every piece, I try make sure the
little details are polished and are there with a purpose. I don't always
get it right. Sometimes I can get away with an "oh yeah, I meant to do
that", but I usually file it in the Gotta Do It Better Next Time
category.
Do you prefer a perfect smooth technique or a more energetic expressive technique and why?
If anyone has seen my portfolio, the general impression is that I'm all
over the place. Being relatively new to the digital world, I like to try
different things to see how they turn out. It also depends on what kind
of mood I'm in. I usually have a pretty good idea of how I want a piece
to look, but when it's filtered from brain to hand, I can't always be
sure how it will turn out. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's
we-really-need-to-start-over.
What genre do you like doing cover art for the most?
That's a no brainer (zombie pun intended). Give me fantasy, sci-fi,
horror any day. The whole idea of creating something that doesn't exist
is AWESOME! So many possibilities, it hurts your brain to think about
it.
Tell us about your Dragon Con award?
Total surprise. I've been an attending artist for the Dragon*Con artshow
for four years. The quality of artwork you see in that artshow is crazy
cool. There is some amazing talent in that room that will blow your
socks off. I'm small potatoes next to some those artists. To be awarded
an honor that was voted on by those artists meant the world to me. It's
an amazing experience to be able to network and meet some of the
greatest artists in the industry. I mean, how cool is it to walk by a
booth and see an original Boris Vallejo, Michael Whelan or Donato
Giancola piece hanging there with those guys sitting right in front of
them?! It's a total fan girl experience as well as a humbling one. These
artists are the masters of their craft and you can walk right up to
them, ask how they're doing and receive some free advise.
Do you have a favorite cover or illustration you have done? Do you have a fave that someone else has done?
It's hard to pick a favorite, but the cover I did for Leandra Martin's
Dark One Rising was a personal accomplishment for me. It was the first
cover that felt like a true digital painting. It may seem like a small
milestone to an accomplished painter, but I was so excited to complete
something without lines!
Do you read the books you are illustrating or do you let the author describe the scene?
I unfortunately don't have a lot of time to read the books I'm
illustrating. By the time the assignment comes through, the deadline is
already tight. I'm a slow reader and that wouldn't benefit anyone. I
leave it up to the author to pick out the scenes that they feel express
the heart of the story. I'll take the excerpts and create a preliminary
interpretation of the scene and run it by the author. At that point it's
easy to make changes with the author's input. I'm not sure how other
publishers work, but Seventh Star Press allows the artist and author to
collaborate in the creative process.
Who is your favorite comic book hero?
It's Robin. Really, it's Robin. Some of my fondest memories from
childhood are of watching Batman: The Animated Series and reruns of the
1966 series. Batman was awesome, but Robin accomplished what he was
designed to do: I could relate to him. I had a huge crush on Dick
Grayson (and Burt Ward, I ADMIT IT). However, if you really want to get
technical, my favorite Robin has ended up being Jason Todd. The reasons
why are for another interview for another day.
Thank you Bonnie for taking the time to answer my questions. And I always had a crush on Burt Ward too. LOL
You can find Bonnie and more SSP Art here:
