Today we’re joined by Tonny. Tonny is an amazing visual artist who works in both digital and traditional mediums. They draw a wide variety of things and have an incredible passion for their work. Their style is quite eye-catching and interesting to look at. This is definitely an artist to watch. My thanks to them for taking the time to participate in this interview.
WORK
Please, tell us about your art.
My art is… a mix of “I draw what I feel” and “I draw what I want.” I work with both traditional and digital. For traditional I use watercolors and copics, in digital I use Photoshop, paint tool SAI and manga studio.
What I draw varies a lot, I either draw as-anatomically-correct as I can or I go wild with it.
What inspires you?
People. Real ones or fictional. It’s rare to not draw a human figure (or similar) in my art. I’m also very fond of the duality of things (life\death; control\chaos; good\evil).
Music, movies, games, feelings, moods, everything around me really, it’s complicated to make a list.
What got you interested in your field? Have you always wanted to be an artist?
One of my older sister’s is also an artist and I guess I followed her steps in a way. I saw her drawing and tried to do the same. I don’t really remember because it’s been so long, but I know I started taking my art more seriously when I was 14 (in 2004). At that time I was very into anime and manga, and I had just met a person that also drew so that pushed me forward into art.
Although I love drawing, I’d also like to study something in the medical field or astronomy haha but I never got to do it.
I’d love to be able to life off art, but where I live is very complicated so it’s some sort of plan b that I do at the same time as plan a (regular job somewhere).
Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in our work that you’d be willing to reveal?
Not that I can think of really, everything is pretty straight-forward when you look at what I draw. I do sign with my last name because it’s as gender neutral I can get, even though I’ve thought about using a pseudonym but it ended up not being me so I decided to just sign everything with my last name: it’s me and recognizable.
What advice would you give young aspiring artists?
Don’t give up. Don’t look up to others and think you won’t get there. Use it as inspiration, use it as stairs to reach your full potential!!
I remember when I was young and saw many amazing artists and couldn’t help but feel sad about what I drew and thought about how I’d never be good enough. Don’t do it! It’s a poison that won’t let you heal! Everyone has their own progress speed, some might be faster, others slower, but if you work hard and with passion, you’ll be who you want to be.
Draw, draw and draw again! Draw what you see, draw what you imagine, draw what you feel. Don’t feel bad for using references, use them as much as you can. Experiment with everything you can. Don’t be afraid to fail and fall: it’s part of the process. You get up and keep going.
ASEXUALITY
Where on the spectrum do you identify?
I’m panromantic asexual
Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field? If so, how do you handle it?
Most times it’s more ignorance, it’s hard for some to be in someone’s shoes, especially about a subject that for them feels weird. Most people that don’t understand asexual people are in fact who’s allosexual and I understand how weird it’s for them. Most times I’m calm about it and explain it as best as I can. Unless they’re being really idiots about it, then I can lose my temper.
What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?
Either the “you haven’t found the right one”, “you don’t know until you’ve tried” and the best “you don’t love them that way, maybe you’re just good friends”
What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?
It gets better. Really, it does. I never realized I was ace until a couple of years ago before because, having a religious background, and lack or romantic partners until I reached my 20’s, I never thought about having sex? but now that I think about it, everyone around me is all about it and I’m just “oh well OK then.”
Don’t mind what others say, you are as “normal” as everyone else!
Finally, where can people find out more about your work?
You can find me on Instagram -> https://instagram.com/king_of_space, Tumblr and sometimes I post doodles on my Twitter (but it’s most rambling and random Dragon Age stuff really) -> https://twitter.com/TonnyHranol/
Thank you, Tonny, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.
