Let’s delve into the creative world of Mister Deal, a versatile artist who’s been crafting captivating art since a young age. His passion for acrylic paint and graphic design has evolved over the years, and he’s eagerly embracing the possibilities of digital art and AI. In this interview, Mister Deal shares his thoughts on his artistic vision, materials of choice, and his evolving creative process. Join us as we explore the vibrant and textured world of this talented artist.
Tell us a bit about yourself and how you got into art!
From an early age, I would be drawing my favourite comic book heroes and fantasy art. I also pursued art at school with a passion. Really finding a love with acrylic paint, and adding marker pens, coloured pencils, and inks into the mix. At college, I took a graphic design course which taught me the relationship with positive and negative space, a love of fonts, and opened my world up to Photoshop. Which I discovered I could create images with a very similar feel to actual painting, by using layers and translucency. The most recent addition to my toolkit is using A. I. Many people find it controversial, for me, it’s another tool, like Photoshop. It’s a developing technology, and I look forward to seeing how it can help me create new pieces of art. Eventually, I would love to bring it full circle and merge painting with digital art and A. I.
How would you describe the art you love creating?
The art that I love creating would be vibrant, textured, and hopefully original.
What influences your artistic vision and style?
Anything and everything. Movies, TV series, pop culture, anything I see while I’m moving around. For me, inspiration can come from the most unexpected places.
Are there any present-day artists whose creations resonate with you and that you find particularly compelling?
For now, it’s Photoshop as it feels the closest to painting. But there’s nothing quite like actual paint on canvas and working into it with other media. It’s a different kind of tactile experience that I appreciate.
Among the various materials you engage with, which one do you find the most fulfilling to work with, and what draws you to it?
At the moment, Photoshop. It feels organic, and the possibilities are pretty much endless. But I’m really looking forward to combining all three of my disciplines: painting, digital, and A. I. There’s a certain excitement in the idea of merging these creative worlds.
Can you walk us through your artistic process, starting from the initial spark of an idea to the actualisation of the finished artwork?
I will see something, and it will give me a flash of inspiration. Then I will start to play around with it. Moving different elements around, colors, etc. In the process, there may be another flash of inspiration that changes the direction of the piece. I’m learning to allow the piece to take shape on its own. To let it happen more organically, instead of trying to rush to the finish line. Some pieces flow nicely and easily, and others don’t really click. I’m learning that it’s all part of the process.
Could you share some insights into your current creative endeavours and projects?
There are so many ideas zipping around my head I’m not sure where to start. I’m looking forward to having more time to explore all the ideas and see where they take me. Currently, I am working on some images with geishas, and I’m excited to see how they come together.
