Interview with:J. Leslie Booth [net500cg]
ILLUSTRATION
 | What is your specialty in illustration? Digital eLITHOGRAPHİ and ePHOTOGRAVUREİ, or any subject, in any style desired. |
| What are your regular clients like? What do they expect from you? Publication, corporate, entreprenurials, small business, worldwide to local. Professional imagery, with on-time, first-time, quality at a competitive price.
Size of client is not important. I choose the clients I want to work with. |
| Is there a web address where we can see some of your work? Yes.
Red Bubble
> (ooakgallery: http://www.redbubble.com/people/ooakgallery)
> (edigimag: http://www.redbubble.com/people/edigimag )
Flickr
> (ofieldstream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ofieldstream/)
> (lesofieldstream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesofieldstream/ )
> (OOAKdigitalgallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ooakdigitalgallery/)
artSIG (http://www.artsig.com/go/mysig)
photoSIG (http://www.photosig.com/go/mysig)
Facebook
> (ofieldstream: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=11250&id=1034874147)
> (ooakgallery: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=2016240&id=1520073116)
OOAK Digital Gallery (http://www.ooak.com)
Akilologos (http://www.ooak.com/1000)
To name a few ... |
| Have you completed formal art studies, or are you self-taught? Self-taught. 35+ years worth. |
| How did you get your first full assignment? What did it involve? The answer would depend on 'which first full assignment'. You see I've done 'first assignments' for several 'types' of illustration work. My first 'architectural assignment' - came when I was a Freshman in High School. My father brought me work from the construction site, in the form of redos on the construction plans. This led to a number of special illustrations for 'detailed specs'. My first 'engineering assignment' - came when doing work for a civil engineering firm in Lexington, KY; site plan elevation renderings. My first 'cartographic assignment' - came when I was working on a Federal Coal Energy Project: on site and in-situ sample renderings. My first 'advertising assignment' - came when I did initial concept renderings for the Jerrico Corporation, for a fast-food venture called, Long John Silver's Sea Food. And many more ... |
| What past or present day illustrators do you admire most? Anyone who did so and made a good living. I really never focused on 'names'.. but just looked at work. |
| How similar are your current drawings to those you did as a child? Nothing at all! |
| What was your favorite comic book as a child? Didn't read comic books. I was 'directed' to read real books. Not my choice, but probably didn't hurt me any, either. |
| Do you have a particular style, or does it vary a lot? My style varies with the subject and 'vision' I have. Also the need of the client. I really never wanted to develop a 'style'. |
| What is hardest to draw? Living objects. But I don't focus on the difficulty, but on the end result. |
| What type of music do you listen to while you work? New Age; Classical; Reggae; instrumental mostly. |
| Do you have a favorite work of art? Yes .. the next one I'm working on. |
| What do you do when a client simply says "I don't like it"? Rarely happens. I don't like surprises any more than the client. Both of us know what to expect. So, such an outcome is very rare. |
| What new techniques have you been experimenting with lately? Digital intaglio. |
| What part of your work do you do on paper and what part digitally? Concept sketching is often done on paper. But all final work is digital - from 'ground' up. |
| What research do you do for your illustrations? Very thorough. I want to know my subject inside and out. |
| Do you have colleagues with whom you share techniques, tricks, ideas, etc.? Yes. Dozens worldwide. |
| Do you have any specific goals as an illustrator? Get more work. Make more money. Enjoy what I do. |
| What illustration web sites do you frequent? Redbubble.com
artSIG.com
photoSIG.com
Flickr.com
JPEGmag.com
... far too, may more to take the time here to list. Sorry. I've been online for over 19 years and I've assembled a lot of sites. I can't even get to them all, now. |
| What are you working on now? Two major series: Akilologos ... short-stories of the images produced for OOAK Digital Gallery and Outdoor Heritage series of images. |
| What advice do you have for someone who likes to draw and would like to make a living from it? Pay your dues. Work hard. Ask a lot of questions. Be friendly. Help others where you can. Listen. Ask. Say 'Thank you!' for help rendered. |
ART
| What do you do? How do you define yourself as an artist? I am both a traditional and digital artist. Trained as an illustrator/graphic artist, I use all forms of media to produce the end result. However, over the past 15 years I've developed a technique using digital generation to produce my products called, eLITHOGRAPHİ and ePHOTOGRAVUREİ. I do not promote my work as fine art. I am a creative image designer and producer. My work will have the look of fine art. Maybe one day, the technique will be seen as a new type of 'fine art' production. The focus of my work is primarily on natural elements; wildlife, scenic, heritage outdoor activities. With specialties in entomology, herpetology, mycology in macro and micro formats. My work begins as digital photography and will either stay in that medium or morph into digital recreations. |
| What is your message? Diligent depth developing dynamic digital designs. |
| Your biography in four lines. 35+ yrs visual grfx | 25+ yrs tech | BSc AgScience Purdue Univ | Outdoor Communicator | OWAA |
| Do you upload your work to the web? If so, where could we see it? Yes.
Red Bubble
> (ooakgallery: http://www.redbubble.com/people/ooakgallery)
> (edigimag:http://www.redbubble.com/people/edigimag )
Flickr
> (ofieldstream: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ofieldstream/)
> (lesofieldstream:http://www.flickr.com/photos/lesofieldstream/ )
> (OOAKdigitalgallery: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ooakdigitalgallery/)
artSIG (http://www.artsig.com/go/mysig)
photoSIG (http://www.photosig.com/go/mysig)
Facebook
> (ofieldstream: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=11250&id=1034874147)
> (ooakgallery: http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=2016240&id=1520073116)
OOAK Digital Gallery (http://www.ooak.com)
Akilologos (http://www.ooak.com/1000)
To name a few ... |
| How is an idea born? For you, what is inspiration? Nature, naturals scenes, natural situations, human/nature intersections .. all of these fuel the ideas. They are born in two specific methods.
1) I previsualize an image. Then I look for and seek out opportunities to bring it to fruition. 2) Among the thousands of images I see daily, I have an endless supply of 'starter fuel'.
I do not create images from an agenda. My purpose is develop images that appeal to me, fulfill my mental previsualizations or in the case of commissioned pieces, to satisfy the clients visual desire in my own special way. Nothing else. |
| What role does technology play in your creative process? It is the foundation and KEY to my work. Though I can produce art with the rudimentary tools, I have worked for over 25 years to develop technological methods and tools to do what I want done; quick, tight, precise and exciting. |
| What is art? You really expect me to answer the 2nd most asked question in human existence? Not a chance. That is for you the viewer to decide. Not my job. I make images. If they are 'art' - then that is the viewer's decision, not mine. |
| When do you get your best ideas? Good question. Hard to answer. I've had them come at the most inopportune moments; in the middle of chaos; in the blissful realm of utter peace; and most often when I'm least expecting it. That's what I love about creating images. One must adhere strongly to Louis Pasteur's advice: "In the field of observation, chance favors only the prepared mind." Thus working from a 'Boy Scout' mentality of, "Always Prepared", I might be ready to nab the next one that passes me on the highway of life. |
| How do you evaluate whether an idea is good or not? Just like Hannibal Smith, "I'll love it, if the PLAN comes together." I'm pleasing me. And my taste varies. |
| Three creative ideas that you would have liked to have created? The pencil.
The Internet.
The 'next big thing'. |
| When and how did you begin to see yourself as an artist? Never. I see myself as a creator of images that convey stories and hopefully cause the viewer to enjoy that image, live the story and come back to feed often. I am a story teller. In image and prose. Artist? Well, I'll let the viewer decide. It doesn't matter to me. |
| Why do so many artists and creators have such volatile personalities? Volatility is the result of insecurity toward unsure outcomes and the inability to deal with change.
Personality is the ephemeral expression of environmental affects upon the dominant temperaments of the individual.
Thus a volatile personality, is one in which the adversity to change results in degraded expressions of the individual's dominant temperaments' lesser qualities.
Artists are basically insecure. Deal poorly with change. Artists are predominately gifted with the Melancholy temperament, which produces, as a dominant temperament, negative traits, displayed as frustrated perfectionists saddled with unrealistic expectations. |
| Do you consider yourself postmodern? Nope. Don't get into art age mentality. I make images. |
| How should a work of art be evaluated? Viscerally. Do you like it? Does it appeal to you? If so, then fine. Enjoy. If not, then well, turn the page. |
| Must an artist reinvent him/herself everyday? Only if you're a 'volatile personality'. ". ) |
| Which artists do you admire and how do they influence your work? The list is long. Mostly wildlife and outdoor sporting artists. But I learn from anyone who makes a compelling image that, 'Stops me.' Impression images - appeal to the 'graphic design', but I prefer images that present a recognizable representation of reality. Again, I am influenced by anyone or anything that makes an image that gets my attention - and holds it. |
| What do you think about public funding for the arts? Great idea! I'd love to acquire some benefactors! But applying for grants to do my kind of imagery? Not happening. Would be nice, though. |
| Is art necessary? Depends. If what one calls 'art' is destructive -either in content or reaction - in my book, NO WAY. I'm not into 'reactionary work', that uses destructive messages. Unless 'art' promotes positive result via beauty, harmony and unified form - it's not worth the effort. But, hey. That is my opinion. It would not be shared by many in the so-called, 'art community'. But that's why it's called, 'art'. Right? |
| Does it pain you to let go of a piece you have sold? Are you kidding?? !!! Everything I create is for sale. If I like it that much, I just redo it. I can do this easily enough. Besides, I have more ideas for images than I'll ever have time to do them all. |
| Is a work of art purchased, or is it better said, that it is the artist who is bought? Hmm? Like I just said, everything has a price. Buy me or buy my work. I really don't care. Just pay enough. But seriously. Business is conducted on a personal basis. It's not about price or object. It's about the relationship the buyer has - or thinks they have - with the provider. So, it's the artist one is buying. |
| In art, there is no guide. How do you know what the next step is? I really don't have to know. I'm not trying to work in steps. I'll just create images and when I need to 'do something else', I'll just do it. Learn as I want or as I need. |
| How do you feel about the fact that the pieces exhibited in contemporary art museums are often of artists already deceased? I really don't mind. If the work is good art,design,imagery. Who cares? It takes time for a piece of art to 'prove itself' as enduring. There are 'dues' to be paid, to become 'immortalized'. They are rarely paid during the artist's lifetime. |
| What role have the figures of art dealer, gallery owners, representatives, and intermediaries in general played in your career? None. Not so far as 'outside' providers of those services. I do all my own promotion and delivery. |
| What types of jobs do you usually do? Article illustration, fine prints, collectible prints, web imagery, brochure, logo and publication design. |
| Which of your jobs or tasks do you most enjoy? Design and problem solving. |
| Do you personally collect any items? Yes. |
| Which websites do you frequently visit? Redbubble.com
artSIG.com
photoSIG.com
Flickr.com
JPEGmag.com
... far too, may more to take the time here to list. Sorry. I've been online for over 19 years and I've assembled a lot of sites. I can't even get to them all, now. |
| What advice would you give to those just beginning? Have fun. Do what you enjoy. Look all around you. Don't become myopic. Don't get too focused, too soon. Be open. Be friendly. Touch all aspects of imagery. Learn, Learn, Learn. Ask questions. There are no stupid questions. Only stupid people who don't ask. And one more thing. There is only one secret in all of life ... 'There are NO secrets.' |
| 
1281 visits Whohub
J. Leslie Booth
West Lafayette, IN
|
99688 interviews created
INVITE YOUR FRIENDS