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Exclusive Wallpaper from Christopher Raymond and David Waters and Interview!

Some of you have seen the digital collaboration between Christopher Raymond and David Waters at our Open House about a week ago.

Time to polish some details and here is the WallPaper!

• 2550 x 1440
• 1920 x 1200
• 1680 x 1050
• 1440 x 900
• 1280 x 800
• 1024 x 768
• iPhone
• iPad

For this interview, we are with David Waters, a Moscow (ID) based freelance illustrator and graphic designer also member of the DepthCORE art group. David spent about a month with us at YellowBox, so now let’s discover a bit of his secrets to create great designs. Enjoy!

1. First of all we would like to thank you for taking the time to realize this interview. Please tell us more about your art and design background?

Alright. I’m David Waters, 23 years old and I study graphic design and illustration at the University of Idaho in Moscow. I’ll graduate at the end of Fall 2010.
I never really thought that I’ll be doing a artistic career or even attend to college for that! I I think I did my first drawings/doodling when I was 8 and since that I never really stopped. The thing that really triggered me to pursue art in my life was the 30 days Photoshop free trial!! But at first I started an engineering degree… I was spending more time on Photoshop to develop personal ideas than working on homework! So after a year I switched over to a graphic design/ Illustration program.
I began with graphic design over illustration that’s sure. It was more a college thing were you have to design brochures and stuff. Illustration came after I would say. At that time I was doing a lot of poster work and project after project my work included more and more illustrations.
And besides my school work, I have also freelancing for about two years, for small and large companies.

2. Your work is full of creativity mixing photos with digital drawing but with a sort of dark feeling. Where does your inspiration come from and could you describe a bit more about your style?

Ahah! I think that’s funny that you are saying that because my mom also told me that my work was really dark! It’s not to portrait negative ideas… it’s more about the color itself and the contrasts that I can create with other colors. It make shapes really sharp, line very crisp.. I don’t know, I like playing with it!
As far as a style, I think my work is unique but it’s hard to define. I usually got idea from different source of imagery, either it’s online, on print or even just things I see in my everyday life. I feel I can have a grasp on it, can make it tell more something and so I start my work process. I can be inspired by really any topic; it’s a matter of what is in my mind.
And I have been moving towards photography lately, because I needed to capture very specific images or things that I couldn’t find online. And having that ability to start with your own picture makes the process very more personal and interesting.

3.So then, could you describe for us your typical ‘start to finish’ workflow when working on a design?

As I said it usually start with an image. I spend some time online to see what I can find as a starter and gather many different shots. Then I have to make a selection, one or two that I’ll keep to begin the creative process.
At that moment I don’t know exactly what the final piece is going to look like but I have the idea I want to portray. I’ll just start to modify/ enhance this picture and draw over it or ad textures and shapes.
I’ll spend a good amount of time on the details, perspectives and shadows. It make the final piece more deep to the viewer I think.

You have been collaborating with other artists, how different is the process?
Well, I collaborated with other digital artists in the past. But it wasn’t intended. I was just talking to him online quite often, we were showing each other’s work for feedback, trends and just good discussions. I think I was showing him one of my piece and he really liked it, and said that I should probably add a little bit here and there and could make other modifications. And he told me that he would show me what he has in mind so I sent him my file and he worked on it for a day or so and sent it back. We did that few more times until we both really like it. And that’s when we started to think about it as a collaborative piece!

It was the same kind of process with Chris, he started to create shapes and lighting effects on a blank canvas and then sent it my way. Back and forth, back and forth, we worked on the file no more than few hours before sending it back to the other.
We did that so much that it’s really hard on the final piece to say who did what!
I would just say that working in the same studio was a new experience, it made the communication easier during the work. Getting instant feedback was great too!

4. What, for you personally are the pros and cons of being a freelancer vs working in a studio?

Before answering the question, I want to say that it was a great experience for me to spend a month with the team in your studio. I had never done it before, I mean working on digital art projects in team. And even if at first I lost the comfort of working at my own pace in a very personal environment, I think that a studio space can help my work.
Having that ability to share files in a minute with Ethan (Video Lead) or Kalani (Interactive Lead) is really unique and we can mix our skills and field of expertise. That brings the realization of ideas to another level I think. With very few web experience, it’s amazing to see some of designs used to make websites!
Also, and more on a business side than creative side, I can see how you guys can focus on your own field of expertise without having to handle the work of running the business, market yourself, deal with client and paperwork. Not that I haven’t seen you guys doing it, but it was more a team effort were you can rely on the others than a solo run.
I have to say that it’s great to get to know others peeps that are the same age passionate about the same things and yet have different personalities.

5. What are your tools of the trade, both hardware and software?

As far as software, I exclusively use Photoshop, which seemed to surprise you guys at the begnning! I pile up a lot lot of lawyers in photoshop but I like it better because I feel very at ease with it and I can really create what I have in mind.
I also use a 21in Wacom drawing tablet with my iMac 27in.

Thank you very much for the interview and good luck for your future projects!

Enjoy some details and progression of this unique collaboration

YellowBox Studio, Boise Web Design, Idaho Web Design, Boise Video Production, Idaho Video Production