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Today we are interviewing a great mind in the industry of digital Art at the age of 20, this guy has made a great progression in Digital Art, he is the one and the only :
Enjoy the interview !
What is your name ?
Reid Southen.
What is your alias and why you choose it?
The alias I use across the net is Rahll. It’s actually based on a character from Terry Goodkind’s Sword of Truth series. I started reading it something like 10 years ago, used the name for various things and it just kind of stuck.
Tell us a bit about yourself Reid?
Interestingly enough, my passion before art was actually writing. For the longest time I wanted to be a writer (still do), but throughout high school I became more and more interested in art. I was always drawing or doodling anyway, and one day I discovered DeviantART and was blown away by all the digital work. I finally realized I could actually make a career out of it, and I haven’t looked back since.
Currently, I’m an art student at the College for Creative Studies in Detroit, Michigan. There, I study illustration for the entertainment industry and I’m going into my third year.
Do you get loads of support from family/friends ?
Definitely, my family has been supportive since day one. My father used to study art at the same school many years ago, and my brother is a photographer, so it kind of runs in the family. My friends have also always been very supportive, especially my good artist friends such as Danny LuVisi (Adonihs) and Marissa Rivera (PearlPhoenix).
(
- Adonihs, 
-PearlPhoenix)We all known that you are pretty well known on the net, is it the same in real life ? Are you known for your art in your living area or Uni ?
To be honest, outside of DeviantART, I’m not much of a big shot. I’ve had people recognize me from the site before, but as far as being a name in my school or anything like that, I’m relatively unknown. I’m not the type to flaunt or inflate my own ego, so I don’t go around showing everyone what I do.
Have you done any previous studies before getting yourself into Digital Art ?
I got into digital art early 2006. I got my first tablet, thought it was awesome, and then soon gave up because it was frustratingly difficult. Later that year in the summer, I picked it back up again and busted my ass, and promised myself I’d get good at it. I’m completely self-taught digitally. School has taught me quite a bit so far, but nothing substantial with digital that I didn’t already discover myself.
How long does it take you to get into the feel of creating something new and stunning ?
As many artists know, working a painting doesn’t always go as planned. It usually takes until about the midpoint of piece before I’m happy with where it’s going and I get a good feel for it. The drawing is usually solid, but once I start throwing colors down, things don’t always look so hot. The first half is always the struggle, simply because nothing looks good until later.
Do you plan your images before doing them, or make them up on the spot ?
I tend to plan my images out pretty well before I jump in. I do thumbnail sketches and roughs to tweak the idea and composition, and I often do a rough color study. I’ve realized that a good painting takes careful planning. It’s better to figure out the problems early on, so you don’t suddenly realize how terrible your composition is after you’ve rendered it and can’t change it.
Who will be your favourite artist at this moment ?
If I had to choose just one person, I’d say Danny LuVisi `adonihs.
Are you friends with Adonihs or enemy?!
You always seem to be dissing each other, is this in a jokey manner ?We’re really good friends actually, any insults are of a loving nature. (Ain’t that right sweety? Tehe) We’re always helping each other out with our work, bouncing ideas and critiques off each other, and generally just being idiots together.
How do you respond to change in trends in this "digital" world ?
Honestly, I tend to ignore them, or steer clear if I can. I’m not going to lie, I’ve definitely jumped the bandwagon a number of times, but I’m trying to move away from that and do more original work. You won’t get noticed if you follow the trends and do similar things to everyone else. Marketing yourself is all about standing out from the crowd, not conforming to it.
So where is your working place, in an office at home ? Once you're finished with your pieces where would you post them ?
I essentially work at home out of my bedroom. Occasionally I’ll do work at my school, but I don’t have access to a Cintiq there, so it makes working a little slower than I’m used to. As for posting, I generally post do dA when I’m done, as well as my portfolio site at Carbonmade [link]
What software do you use and what is your favourite tool ?
Photoshop, all the way. As for favorite tool, it’d have to be the most used, the paintbrush.
Is there any tips for other Digital Painter or Illustrator you would like to share ?
This might seem strange to some people, but to be a successful digital painter, you should have a strong foundation with traditional media. Both the techniques and concepts you learn are vital to successful image making in general. And to be honest, I didn’t paint traditionally up until recently. I realize now that if I had learned earlier, digital would’ve come much easier to me. There are always exceptions to the rule, but not everyone can be that exception.
Another thing is to never give up, you’ve got to believe in yourself and what you do. Even now, every time I do a painting there are 2 or 3 times during it where I feel like it’s utter crap and don’t want to continue. The trick is to quiet those voices in your head and keep pushing yourself until it’s done. I guarantee you’ll surprise yourself if you just give it everything you’ve got time and time again.
Also to visit this : [link]
Do you work on commission or are you thinking of ever doing this ?
I’ve done a number of commissioned works, and I definitely hope to do more in the future, whether they be personal or commercial. School keeps my free time to a minimum, though, so it’s sometimes difficult to take on additional projects.
Do you usually have a message to send through your painting ?
It depends. Sometimes I do things just because I think it’ll be cool. Other times, I combine that with something I’m trying to say, but it’s not always obvious. Recent pieces I’ve done reflect certain aspects of this in the artist description. Embedded messages depend heavily on how I’m feeling at the time.
What would be your casual routine like ?
Hard to find a ‘casual’ routine when school keeps me busy, but if I had to break it down in terms of my time off of school, I’d say I usually wake up around 9 or 10, check my messages, browse the net a bit, eat something, and then I’d probably find myself painting or sketching for a good part of the afternoon and evening, while occasionally taking breaks to watch movies, play games, or talk to friends. Interesting, I know.
We also see that you draw, and amazingly as well. Ever thinking of making one of your primary ? Along with your painting ?
Digital painting is really my passion, but drawing is a big part of it. You won’t meet an artist that can paint amazing works that can’t also draw well. A good painting generally starts with a good drawing, so although I can draw well traditionally, I focus on using that in conjunction with my digital works.
What are your other hobbies, when you're not drawing or sketching ?
Just by looking at my art, you can probably tell I’m a big fan of games and movies. They’re a big inspiration and motivator for me. I’m also a fan of the sciences, things like physics and astronomy are something I’ve always been interested in. Unfortunately I don’t have a ton of time to keep brushed up on them anymore.
What is your ultimate goal in Digital Art ?
To never stop getting better and to one day work on some kickass movies and games for the rest of the world to experience.
Do you use references for your paintings or come up with the total concept?
A good artist always uses references, but they also have to know to what extent. The idea is to conceptualize something first, and then collect or take the reference to support that concept.
Where does your Inspiration source come from ?
Games, movies, books, friends… It really comes from everywhere. Any and everything can be inspiration if you’re looking at it the right way.
What would your top 5 tips be for anyone that is starting to Paint or Illustrate ?
1. Learn to draw well, and start with a pencil and paper like everyone else. Never underestimate the value of a good drawing, because it’s going to be the foundation for your paintings. Drawing might one day be the thing that pays your bills, so master it the best you can.
2. Find ways of challenging yourself. Don’t always do paintings or projects that fit inside your comfort zone, because you’re never going to force yourself to learn that way. And don’t always expect someone else to challenge you either, take initiative, be self motivated.
3. Learn the tools. When it comes to digital painting, learn the tools of Photoshop as well as you can. Knowing the paint brush and the dodge and burn tools isn’t going to be enough. In fact, stay away from dodge and burn aside from minor tweaks, a good artist can call it out a mile away.
4. Plan well and use a consistent process. Don’t just start drawing and hope it turns out well. Do sketches, plan your design and composition, don’t just assume you’ll fix it later, because 9 times out of 10 you won’t or can’t.
5. This might seem obvious, but work hard. I’ve always told people that if an artist does his job right, he makes the work seem effortless, but don’t let this fool you. Even the best artists have to work their asses off to make what you see. Just because they’re professional doesn’t mean it’s easy for them.
What do you think of today's Digital Arts levels and amount of work ?
I’m not entirely sure what you mean by the question. If you’re referring to the amount of work available to digital artists, I’d say it’s nearly limitless, which is an exciting prospect. We can do anything from books and book covers, to games, movies, CD covers, advertising, you name it.
And to anyone thinking about breaking into the field, have you ever seen some digital work in print, or done professionally that you thought, “Jeese, that’s the crappiest thing I’ve ever seen, I could do better than that.” Well, go for it then. If it’s in circulation, and you can do better, then there’s a job for you.
You have achieved an amazing number of 4 Daily Deviation over DA, how do you feel ?
There was once a day when I had only a couple thousand page views and I thought I’d never get one. Then suddenly I turn around, and I get hit with them almost rapid fire. What makes me happy is that they’re all in different categories, even a traditional one. It’s quite an honor, but hell, give someone else a chance!
What type of music do you listen to ?
I listen to a lot of stuff actually, but I get stuck into certain things for extended periods of time. Lately it’s been a lot of soundtrack and ambient type stuff, as well as some techno and trance. I also like a lot of classic rock, and a handful of newer bands. Times have been rough lately, so I’ve been sticking to things that can keep me relaxed.
What is your gear like ?
Currently I have my 20.1” ViewSonic LCD and my Wacom Cintiq 12wx as dual displays. I also have a Wacom Intuos3 6x8 that I use when I go to school, and a Logitech G15 keyboard with macro keys that I set to different functions in Photoshop instead of using the normal key commands.
Do you think your painting have gone better with the Cintiq, or did you start to paint with the Cintiq ?
I get tons of messages and emails every week through dA and YouTube about the Cintiq, people telling me they’ve bought it because of what I’ve said or what I do, or just asking questions.
My advice to those thinking about doing digital is usually as follows: Start with a regular tablet, instead of a Cintiq with the screen. The reason is that it’s more difficult, and in being more difficult, it forces you to really learn the tools Photoshop has to offer. It also forces you to come up with tricks and workarounds because of the limitations.
Then, when you decide to move onto the Cintiq later, you’ll have a better overall digital understanding. If you jump right to the Cintiq because you already can draw traditionally and you think it’ll make the transition easier, you’ll be stuck in a traditional way of thinking and never really learn to utilize all the wonderful things digital has to offer.
If there was another software you would like to master, which one would it be ?
I’d love to be good at a 3D program like 3ds Max or Maya. It would definitely help my endeavors as an illustrator. Google Sketchup is a good start, though, so I’m going to be pursuing that more when I have time.
Your popularity over DA has increased, were you expecting that ?
Honestly, it’s been a little daunting. It’s like one morning you wake up and suddenly you realize you’re "popular." It’s nice to have so many fans and recognition, but it also comes with a lot of baggage. Adonihs can attest to that. Still, though, I’m extremely grateful, and it’s opened up a lot of doors for me.
Did you had to go through some very challenging task in your Digital career ?
So far, most of the challenges I’ve faced have been brought on by my own will and drive to get better. I’m no professional yet, so I have to keep finding ways of challenging myself with each piece I do.
What are your future plans ?
I plan to finish up school and probably make my way out to California where all the entertainment jobs are.
If you could, you would ...
If I could somehow arrange a meeting to get together all the amazing friends I’ve made through dA over the past couple years, I think that would be just about the coolest thing ever.
What is your favourite piece, that you ever created ?
It would have to be Voyage of the Stardust. It might not be my best work, but it holds a lot of deep personal meaning for me.
What are your favourite pieces on DA, could you share them ?
That’s like asking what my favorite movie is, there’s just far too many. I could give you a sample of what I’ve favorited recently, and pieces that really stand out to me.
If you had to sum up all your work into one sentence, what would it be ?
Better than yesterday, but not good enough for tomorrow.
And to finish it off, What would you like to say to your millions of fans out there ?
Millions? That’s news to me! Anyway, I wanted to thank everyone who’s supported me. Whether you’ve just stumbled across me today, or been around since the beginning, without you guys, I’d have no one to entertain and motivation would be a lot harder to come by. So, from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
I also wanted to thank =Sangiev for the opportunity to do this interview. It’s quite an honor my friend.
And that is it for tonight !
Hope you enjoyed reading this Interview of the magnificient :
And that you all had a nice day
Live your Life !
=Sangiev
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Do Rahll the courtesy of visiting, and tell him XxsoulhunterxX sent ya!
Cheers,
-Wesley J.
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