What is following is an interview with @MrShmoods, a sweaty boy who annihilated my prejudices on random artists. Strong ideals and strong character, but I would definitely check his art too if I were you. Because, you know, maybe you'll learn how a REAL artist deals with his art huh?

Plebeian.

_________________________________| THE INTERVIEW |_______________________________

D-ray: Welcome...

uhhh, can I call you "Shmoo"?

MrShmoods: Uh, sure. "Shmoo" it is.

D-ray: Awesome. Before we begin, I asked for that juice. Scatole didn't know how to make it, so we bought it.

It's sugar free don't worry.

MrShmoods: MmmmMMMMmmm, juice for me.

D-ray: Oook...  enjoy it. Sooo... you are an artist right?

MrShmoods: Correct. I also animate once in a blue moon.

D-ray: Mmmmh, not bad. Why once in a blue moon? I mean, I know what you mean, but, why? You don't enjoy it?

MrShmoods: I do, it just requires a lot of time to be set aside for practice. That and I'm working on other stuff most of the time.

D-ray: Ah, yeah, I can understand. Especially when system crashes occur.

Well, tell me your story comrade. How and when did you start drawing?

MrShmoods: Oh boy... uh... when most artists started, I guess. I could give the cliched "I've been drawing as long as I could remember" speech that everyone's heard already, but I never actually started drawing seriously until I was about 15 years old. I used to draw a lot before then, but I've got a sweatgland disorder in my hands called Hyperhidrosis. Nothing crazy, it's mostly just a huge nuisance, but as a kid that had nothing but printing paper to draw on, avoiding the paper from getting disgustingly soaked in sweat was incredibly annoying. There was a long period in my childhood where I almost gave up on drawing cause it just got too hard to manage.

D-ray: Carambola. I started drawing seriously exactly at the same age.

What was the turning point in your art career? I mean at 15 years old?

MrShmoods: I got gloves.

D-ray: Oh, well now I feel stupid.

MrShmoods: Seriously, that was a HUGE step.

D-ray: Ever tried drawing with pencils instead?

MrShmoods: Yep. Always smeared the graphite all over the page.

D-ray: Gross... sorry, go on.

MrShmoods: Yeah, it's disgusting, I know.

D-ray: No no, I didn't mean that! Like, it's freaking annoying and gross to have all of that graphite on the hands.

MrShmoods: Oh yeah, it's all gross, especially the graphite.

Anyways, the gloves really helped me move forward with art. I eventually just got sick of my hands preventing me from drawing so I nearly gave up on art as a whole.... then I got a pair of finger-less gloves for Christmas in 2014. It's such a small thing, but it opened up the floodgates WIDE OPEN, and I immediately started drawing constantly. That day forward was when I was like "I'm absolutely going to make this my career".

D-ray: Courageus, really. Not alot of people see their potential immediately. I was one of them...

MrShmoods: Well, it's not that I was like: "I'm awesome. Time to start a career." It was more like: "There's literally nothing stopping me now, so I'm going all in."

D-ray: It's, still a good thing. Ego is something that we build in ourselfes, we don't spawn with it.

Eeeh by the way, are you, sure you don't want a bigger glass? With that tiny shot glass is gonna take you ages to finish the bottle.

MrShmoods: I take my juice very seriously, mister. I drink with class (takes tiny sip out of shot glass) and respect...

D-ray: Sure you don't lack style. And an empty bladder.

Oook...  let's go on.

What do you, think, it's the most important thing in your art?

MrShmoods: Important how?

D-ray: For instance, I think the most important thing is mantaining the personal style. Someone else would say that being precise and realistic would be, and so on.

MrShmoods: Oh, gotcha.

I like having nice clean lineart. Most people think lineart's the most annoying part in a drawing cause they're just tracing over what they already drew, but I find it very zen. I always respect when an artist puts the extra effort in good linework.

D-ray: Never heard such thought, but not gonna lie is an interesting point of view.

So is something like "keeping some kind of precision", eh?

MrShmoods: Eh, sort of. I guess it's really down to personal preference. There's so many different art philosophies that it would be an injustice to claim any of them as "the most important aspect of art"

D-ray: You have a point. That's why I asked this subjective question.

MrShmoods: I'd say, in terms of improving, everyone should always be comparing themselves to what they've already made, not what someone else has made. When you compare your art to someone else who's been doing it WAY longer, you're basically setting yourself up for failure. Sure, aspirations is totally healthy, but that should never be the point of reference. For example, let's say I've been drawing for 2 months and I just saw an artist on instagram who's been drawing for 9 years. That gap in experience and skill is absolutely unfair to compare myself to cause there's no way I'd reach that level of skill in such a short amount of time.

So, instead, compare yourself to what YOU made yesterday and see how it can be improved.

D-ray: I highly share this point of view. Such a shame that people don't have patience with art nowdays, any type of it.

MrShmoods: That's because everyone who's not an artist thinks there's some kind of "secret" to being a good artist.

D-ray: Yeah, and since we are on the topic, what's a good artist to you?

MrShmoods: Someone who has a passion to improve, and more importantly, someone who loves the process of making art and not just the outcome. I always say, art isn't math. You don't just plug in a formula and it works. Artistic skill is a muscle that needs to be exercised, and anyone that thinks there's a way to skip that step doesn't actually wanna be an artist as bad as they might think.

Case and point: Art's HARD.

D-ray: Very smart, really. Cut from the same cloth you and I.

Hold a sec, I take some Tabasco. Getting kind of thirsty...

(takes three sips of Tabasco) (choughs)

Euhh... that's what I needed...

Ehrm, ok... I think we can go on with the last question, (choughs) shall we?

MrShmoods: Yes (downs last drop of orange juice in one swig)

Shall we?

D-ray: Erhm...  so. To end this...

What is definitively your meaning of art? What is art to you?

MrShmoods: Limitless creativity. It's our one unique aspect as a species that sets us apart from everything else.

D-ray: (cough) Wonderful. Straight to the point.

I like you "baby boy". I mean... ...Shmoods.

MrShmoods: What about you? What's your definition of art?

D-ray: Oh, ehehe well.

This is supposed to be your interview, I don't think it's correct to steal the spotlight...

...butsinceyouasked:

I think something VERY similar. I would say STYLE instead of creativity. 

Art for me is everything that can express the character and ways of a being. Like, everything can be art for me, as long as it's personal.

That's why I don't think you learn art from schools. You learn the technique, but to make it art, what you do has to be personal.

Not saying that who doesn't is bad tho, just, subjectively for me, is not art.

MrShmoods: Ah, so you're saying everyone has their own idea of what art is, but art is such a personal experience that no set definition can be forced onto anybody. Is that right?

D-ray: To be fair, yes, everyone has their own idea of art.

But I would not say forced. Commonly, people with no clear idea of what art is for them, just rely on something that OTHERS think it's art.

For lack of will, self esteem or just because they don't want to risk. It's a choice that an artist makes:

Fight for your idea and get on with your own road with all of it's risks; or be more sure by following someone else's road, giving up all your personality?

But if you would compare the "imposing" thing to something like the influence of society, then yes, can be forced, and I consider it bad.

MrShmoods: Well said. The only person that can define who you are is yourself.

D-ray: Kind of sad that not everybody has the same "mental strength" to think like this. But the world is varied just because there are weaknesses and strengths. 

But, in the end of the day, originality would not be a thing without mediocrity.

Just, live the world, don't live on it.

Woh... ok. And after this gifted megalomaniac spotlight of mine, I think... uhh... that we can end this?

Hope you enjoyed the juice comrade.

MrShmoods: Yes indeed. The juice was satisfactory. My "juice deprived" rage fit has been postponed to a later date.

D-ray: You should try the Tabasco as drink. It's hardcore, but a champ like you would take it fine. It's still pepper juice, kinda.

By the way, it has been a freaking pleasure comrade. Really, I would have never thought to meet such interesting people through these interviews.

MrShmoods: Yeah, this has been a lot of fun to do. Thanks for the pleasant chat!

D-ray: Yeheah, I hope the best for ya comrade.

Scatole will lead you out of the house, remember to not talk about the juice. He didn't take it good for not being able to serve you correctly.

MrShmoods: Lips are sealed. Scatole will receive a radical high five and a pat on the back for good behavior.

D-ray: Great, have a good one comrade, and thanks again!

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