Photomanipulation Rockstars: Morteque

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As an artist, Morteque has wowed us for years with her lovely use of light and darkness in her dark- and emotional-themed manipulations. In recent years, she has expanded her portfolio to include work as a cover artist. But who is Morteque? Recently, she offered me a glimpse into her world, and I wanted to share her with you.


How do you feel your own art has evolved in the time you've been on dA? Do you feel you’ve grown as an artist, and if so, in what ways?



Oh yes, I have been part of dA for almost 6 years now! I started like an absolute amateur; the time spent here helped me a lot. Creating photomanipulations was just a hobby for me, and if someone would have told me back then that I would be working on a professional level with different people now - photographers, models, authors, etc., I would definitely have not believed them. I feel like I have grown in many ways - as an artist I have developed my skills a lot but have of course even more to learn; as a person I learnt how to deal with negativity and that the fact that someone doesn't like my work is no reason for me to quit because I love what I do too much. :)


Those are really important lessons for all of us to learn! How has dA changed in your time here? In particular, how has the atmosphere and spirit of the photomanipulation community changed?



Oh there is definitely a big change. Since I became part of dA many amazing artists have joined, the community is much more competitive and you should work really hard to get noticed among all the rising talents. :) Of course there will always be those people who just care about pageviews and favorites but what community doesn't have them! :)


What are your personal and professional goals as an artist, and how can we in the photomanipulation community help you meet those goals?



My goal is to continue doing what I love and if possible, do it for a living. My dream is to be a professional cover artist, working with different publishing companies and authors from all over the world. :) As for what the photomanipulation community can help me with... you already do a lot for me, I have always appreciated your support and I cannot thank you enough. :)


A lot of people really like the “glowy” look in their photomanipulations, and yet that look is difficult to do well. For example, a lot of times it is just too soft and fuzzy or too overpowering. What do you think many artists are doing wrong? What would you do different?



Hm, this depends solely on the artwork itself, what kind of light-source you have chosen, etc. What I would recommend is to pay close attention on what other fellow deviants use to achieve it, find the look you like and feel that best fits you or come with one yourself and practice, practice, practice! And never forget details, even if they are small, people will notice them and that will keep their attention on your work. :)

I tried a lot of ways to achieve this effect until I found the one that works best for me. What I do is very simple - on a new layer with its blending mode set to soft light use a soft brush with low opacity with white color. This is how I do it. :)



What advice do you have for artists who look up to you and want to get involved in photomanipulation?



My one and only advice is to be patient, maybe stubborn at times, practice a lot. When you receive criticism try not to let it get to you, take the best out of it to improve yourself but never give up. Keep doing what you love, this is the most important thing you should keep in mind.



What advice do you have for artists who would also like to do book covers and other commissions?



I might risk repeating myself but be patient. Keep up the great work, keep improving your skills, promote yourself - there are so many different ways these days and someday you will get your first commission and after that many more will follow :)



Toot your own horn! Which of your own deviations are your favorite or your best, and why?



I have 6 works of mine that are my favorites just because in them I managed to describe a certain feeling or emotion or mood. Here they are:







But if I had to choose one - my favorite would be "Reborn" because it is very personal and is connected with a very important part of my life. :)



Thank you, Morteque! :heart:

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zummerfish's avatar
beautiful, absolutely beautiful! loved every bit of the interview :P