PFD's Featured Artist: Misticheskaya

PFD's Featured Artist: Misticheskaya

Artist's Profile: Misticheskaya

Real Name: Viktoria

Style/Genre: decorative realism

With PFD since: 2011

Inspirations: Henri Matisse, Gustav Klimt, Alexandre Dumas, Spring and romantic weather

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Hi Vika, and welcome to our rubric! We received a lot of questions from your fans that wanted to know more about the person behind the virtual brush that creates the artwork they have come to love. So we had to group them into clusters, for your convenience :)

The first question is - how did you get into digital art? Did you have some training in traditional painting?

M: Hi everyone! Me coming into digital art was a gradual process. I am a classically trained artist, but I've always been curious to learn new things.

And if you learn to draw on paper using a pencil, you should have no problem doing digital art. These are just tools, really.

I: Why did you pick this name? Is this a part of your real life (last) name or does it mean something special to you, define you as an artist?

M: The fact is, it has nothing to do with my real name (Vika).When I was deciding on a name for PFD, my imagination betrayed me :). However, at the time, I had my first piece ready for sale at PicsForDesign, and just on the spot I came up with a name for it - "misticheskaya" (*meaning "mystic" in Russian). And this is how my artistic pseudonym was born.

I: What kind of person are you? What makes you smile? What makes you angry? What do you enjoy on a regular day when you are not creating and have some time to dedicate to yourself?

M: I adore my lifestyle: I do what I love, I have a wonderful family. It's crucial to have inner-harmony, and I believe I do have it. Looking out of the window, I equally enjoy a sunny day and a snowy one. Nature sets the mood just in the same way little nice things around us do. Like a morning cup of coffee or an intricate pattern on an autumn leaf.

I'm in awe of people eager and ready to change, reach new heights, learn something new and interesting, working tirelessly towards making their dreams come true. I'm also inspired by people doing what they are great at and enjoying their life. As for the feeling of anger - I get it when I see people impinging on the rights of others, or when I see injustice, defenseless people getting mistreated or humiliated.

I enjoy peace and regularity, but sometimes it's nice to have fun. Travelling is the best way to relax and experience an incredible emotional boost.

I: Does art inspire you in your everyday life, as opposed to being a way to earn a living?

M: Drawing is my life. I love drawing and therefore love my work. While creating each picture, I'm filled with anticipation; ideas just come pouring in while thinking through the composition, and these are extremely pleasant sensations, so I'm always impatient to get down to it. I'm definitely a very lucky person to be able to earn a living doing what I truly love.

I: It's noticeable that your work is very detailed. How long does it take you to make one tube? From start until it's put in store.

M: It's hard to just go ahead and give a number here, as each piece is different. After all, it's not just about the drawing itself, a big part of it is also coming up with the narrative, searching for the perfect light-and-dark solutions. Each illustration takes me a long time to complete.

I: How do you get ideas for your artwork? And how do you decide what to make this time? Is there more meticulous planning and research or pure inspiration?

M: My artwork reflects my mood. And my mood is always in expectation of the immediate future. For example, in anticipation of Xmas holidays, I feel like creating as my mood takes me. Or after rereading "Sherlock Holmes" I created a tube inspired by it. Ideas come pouring in from all around. I aspire to create something relevant and enjoyable, so that the viewers would love it.

I: Do any of the tubes you created for PicsForDesign have some special meaning to you? If you had to choose, which one would be your favorite ever and why?

M: I give my artwork my all. And put a lot of effort and emotions into creating each one. So it's very difficult to pick just one - each one has a part of me. But if I were to choose that one, I'd probably have to say it's my very first piece at the store - Mystic, because this is how my PFD story started. It has searching, lots of anticipation and enthusiasm.

First tube by Misticheskaya posted at PicsForDesign.

I: Do you have a sketch or a finished piece that you never released?

I have on such thing as unfinished pieces, due to the fact I'm a very determined person. First off, I think my idea through very carefully. The idea is born in my mind, not down to every detail yet, of course. I try to find those details later when creating a sketch. The original sketch undergoes changes as I move forward, can get erased and drawn from scratch, but sooner or later it all comes to a logical end.

I: Finally, a chance for you to say a few words to your fans :)

I'm so very grateful for having you. It's a great joy knowing my art is appreciated. Hope you find harmony, love and beauty around every day that goes by. Love you!