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The RunAway Artist (Issue 12) Neil Lonsway
Today we get a special chance to interview and amazing realistic artist that seems to be able to capture every sense of reality and turn it into something amazing. Born in Canada and raised in West Africa, Neil Lonsway has accomplished much in each life but he recently graduated MICA on May and got his bachelors degree in drawing. I hope you enjoy this issue of The RunAway Artist and be sure to comment below.
Tell us a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?
My name is Neil Lonsway, but most people reading this know me as ornery from Newgrounds. I was born in Canada, was raised in West Africa, and went to college in Maryland at the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) in Baltimore. I’ve been drawing since I was a little kid, but never really thought of it as my profession until a year or so after high school. Before that I was always breeding myself more for astronomy and psychics. After high school though I decided that it wasn’t the best fit so I went to my back up talent, art. I didn’t really get serious until I transferred to MICA where I really focused on my skills and just kept improving. I graduated in May of 2010 with my bachelors degree in drawing.
What’s your favorite part about art?
Seeing other peoples stuff that just knocks my socks off with how awesome and original it is. Im a sucker for realism and well composed pieces, and seeing a realistic piece that just leaves me with my jaw to the floor is an amazing feeling.
Is there anything that goes through your mind while you draw?
I hate this, what the hell am I doing, this sucks, fffffffffuck, damnit, need to fix this.
How do you get all your ideas down? Is there any certain process you go through before you started creating anything?
Before I make any piece I mentally prepare for it for about 3 days, I just run over what I want in my head over and over all day long till I’m certain that’s what i want to make. Then I have to find the proper references and models, after I have all my reference material set I start drawing a basic outline just for placement of things. Once the outline is drawn I take about a day break to just look at the piece and draw the rest of it in my head, going over each stroke and mark, making mental notes of any mistakes and problems that might come up. I do this all day and night, and even in my sleep, THEN I put the first shades in exactly like i planned and just run through the same process that I did in my head. The final product looks like a fuzzy version of what I was imagining, normally because of deadlines force me to rush it and never really get all the details I want in.
What does your typical day consist of regarding art?
When I have a piece on the board it normally consists of working on it in short 10-20 minute bursts. I have pretty severe carpal tunnel so any longer just starts to hurt, plus it gets boring, I don’t generally like what I’m working on, and like the end results even less, but other people seem to enjoy the final product so I’m not complaining. I will just keep doing these small sprints throughout the day until the piece is finished some 20-120 hours later.
Would you tell us a little about past projects/employers?
I did my bachelors thesis on figures and negative space activation. Trying to figure out how to get a blank space activated with as little as possible. During college I worked for an art gallery, I learned tons about how to show and market artwork and even got some of my pieces shown there as well as other galleries. Come October I’ll be teaching some classes on composition and alternate media drawing.
Out of all the things you have created, which one are you most happy with and which one are you not happy with? (Favorite, Least Favorite)
Like I said before, I tend to hate all my work, but there have been a few pieces that I like. This drawing was the first in my nudes in empty space series and has a special significance to me for other reasons that are pretty personal and corny.
What are you currently working on?
Currently I’ve got a portrait for a friend that I really need to finish as well as a few small nudes and large nudes that will probably end up in a show in the late fall.
Do you have any favorite artist?
Steven Assael
What artist did you look up to when you where starting out?
None, it wasn’t until I got to MICA that I was encouraged to look at various artists who had relevant styles to my work.
What does your project consist of once you have the idea sorted out? Is there any special technique you use? How do you go about coloring? What media do you use?
See above for the process. But the techniques I use rely heavily on the ability to blend and do things with precise pressure. This is why I prefer traditional dry medias to digital or painting. With dry media you can erase and control it better as well and tone much easier. With digital or paint you rely to heavily on the program and its flaws or the paints inherent problems rather than your own natural dexterity and the versatility that it has when paired with the right medias. If im coloring I generally use pastels or colored pencils. Pencil and powdered graphite are my media of choice though.
What do you consider is the most fun and easiest part of art and which one is the most difficult?
The most fun is definitely once its done just hearing peoples reactions, good or bad. I love eavesdropping on people when ever I have work up in a show. You get the most honest critiques of your work when people don’t know the artist is standing right behind them or next to them. The hardest part is making something I’m actually happy with. I know I can do better so I’m never satisfied with what I make
Is there anything you do to keep yourself creative and productive?
Watch a lot of really really well shot movies and get the right music. I find that beautifully filmed movies and certain music really get my creative juices flowing. Seeing other peoples really good work is also a nice catalyst for creativity.
What do you consider to be the most fun subject to draw and why do you think that?
Glass, working with transparent stuff is a real challenge, but the most rewarding when you suddenly get it right. You really have to pay attention to what you see and not what you think you see. Once you get going it just suddenly starts working and its like “holy shit, how did I do that” and then if you are like me you spend to long trying to figure it out and end up ruining the piece.
What inspired you to become an artist?
I hated chemistry to much to be an astro-physicist. I’m serious.
Is there anything you have picked up from other artists that have helped you create such amazing art?
Not really, most of my classmates were doing bullshit abstract crappy art and conceptual things. My teachers pushed that kind of stuff as well. Some of my friends who did realism all had different approaches and when I tried their method it either seemed too similar to their stuff or just didn’t work at all.
What advice/tips would you give to aspiring artist?
Just do whatever you like, but don’t ever be satisfied with it completely, because if you make the perfect piece there is no need to ever make anything anymore. Be your own worst critic and you will always force yourself to get better, but don’t be overly hard on yourself. I may not like my stuff, but I know its not crap. If you see a piece you like, try to recreate it with the same method that the artist did. Figuring out how your favorite people work is a great starting point. Think of it like music, you learn how to play your own songs by playing those of your favorite bands and then improvising from their starting point.
If people were to contact you, where can they find you (email or social networking sites)? Do you have a website/blog?
They can find my contact info on my website www.isolationinthevoid.com
Last but not least. Do you have any art up for sale? Is there a site we could find your art for sell?
Everything that is on my website is for sale (that doesn’t say “sold” already)
Thank you so much for taking time off your busy schedule and letting us interview you.
No prob
Below a small showcase of some of the amazing art by Neil.
