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ARTIST SPOTLIGHT: Sandro Rybak

ARTIST SPOTLIGHT

Sandro Rybak

How long have you been creating your art? Can you tell us little about how you got started and how you have grown over the years?

I started learning to draw in 2008 when I got my graphic tablet. Since then, I spend most of my time learning how to paint. I always thought I had to draw naturalistic stuff, until I noticed that when I work more free and abstract, it represents me better. Now I also feel more connected to my work.

Your work has evolved a lot since you began. Was it difficult to start a career as an artist in a country like Germany?

In the beginning, I painted a lot of fantasy inspired work and thought it was the best thing you can do when you are a digital artist, but with time, it changed in a completely different direction. It was really hard to start a career, as Iʼm living in a small town and there is really no place for abstract and contemporary work here, so I had/have to fight really hard to teach people that things can be different, but still most of my work comes from the US, as it seems that people have a different taste over there.

Please tell us more about your artistic process! How do you go from concept to finished piece? What softwares and materials do you use?

I really donʼt have a solid process that brings me from A to B, but I try to have a fix workflow. I have a couple of workflows though. One workflow is usually for personal work - I start with random forms and go from there. With this approach I never know where the artwork will lead me to and it leaves me room for happy accidents and to experiment. When Iʼm working for clients, I usually start with a more or less rough sketch. When the client approves my sketch, I make a couple of color variants and start to block out the forms with colors i want to use. From this point I start shading my artwork and give all my forms a dimensional form. In the end I like to tweak the colors and see if the composition sits, if there are forms that overlap weirdly or if there are things missing. I usually work in Photoshop, but I also like to use Illustrator if I need geometric forms, so they donʼt look wonky.

I wish also that I could work more with Adobe Indesign on layouts, but it got rare since I concentrate on illustration work.

If you werenʼt an artist, what would you do for a living? Where do you see your artistic career going? What would be your ultimate dream to accomplish with your art?

If I werenʼt an artist, I think I would like to become a cook. Itʼs my balance to working as an artist. I donʼt know where my artistic career is going, but hopefully somewhere, where someday I donʼt have to be afraid of being broke and hopefully someday I can work together with people I admire and maybe leave a small footprint in this world.

Can you tell us about your morning routine and daily schedule on any given day?

My routine is kinda the same every day. Usually I fight 1-2 hours to leave my bed. I get dressed and leave my apartment for a small work and go back to work. It helps me to separate the fact that I live there where I work. So when Iʼm home it's much easier for me to not go back to bad and watch another season of a TV series. I have a break at 12PM and usually go to buy some stuff to prepare for dinner and after that I go back to work.

Do you listen to music while you create? If so, what kind and how do you see it affecting your finished product?

I always listen to music. I think I start my day with music and end my day when I turn off Spotify. I think music is my biggest inspiration and helps me a lot finding the right mood for my work.

What has been your proudest career moment so far? Whatʼs the next one you hope to reach?

Iʼm sure there are a couple of things that made me proud in the last years of work, but I think the proudest moment was, when i reached a point with my work that someone was willing to pay for it. The next point I want to reach is to create something that makes people happy, so they look at it every day, like I do with some artists.

Letʼs say you get full artistic freedom on a billboard on the busiest road in a huge city where millions will see your message. What would your message be? Any combo of words and images is fine.

Tobey Maguire was the best Spider-Man.

What would you say to up-and-coming artists who want to pursue their passion?

If itʼs really what you want to do, never give up because itʼs a really hard business and can break you to a certain degree, but it's really worth it.

 

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