Todd SumamnoKevin Lapeña is a Philippine artist who is always on the go to try new things. This can be reviewed in his art collection which is filled with different types of creations. I am also amazed by his skillful and stylish use of colors and lights. Follow up the interview below and see what Kevin has to say about himself and his work.
Q1. First of all, thank you for your time with TDI. Could you first tell us more about yourself, such as your artistic background or anything you want to tell us.
Hi! Thanks for taking interest! Well, what can I say but i really like what I do… I picked up the pencil, so to speak, when I was a toddler, and I haven’t put it down since then. But I really started getting serious about drawing when I was in high school. I have experimented with various mediums and styles, and always tried to attain at least a little mastery of each style I tried out. My motto has become “my only vanity is the quality of my art”.
Q2. How would you describe yourself and your works? What kind of style you are trying to present?
Frankly, I can’t think of a specific style that will best describe my work, since I am influenced by various styles, themes and media. Often, (and I’m not ashamed to say so) I tend to concern myself more with techniques & skill rather than the essence. I used to try to stick to a style, but I ended up giving up on trying to classify my style. Instead I’d say that my style is a more “open” style, which adapts to different themes and concepts.
Q3. You have quite a diverse collection featuring various subjects and characters. Where does your inspiration come from?
I tend to be inspired by various themes. I come across something I really like, and I adapt it a little. After a few months or years, I find something else that gets my attention and it infulences me as well. I first started working on comics style, specifically inspired by Todd McFarlane & Greg Capullo from Spawn comics. After that, I moved on to practicing sketching photo-realistic animals, working on anatomy, shading and texture. From there I branched out into different mediums – watercolor, oils, ink etc. A couple of years back, I suddenly got hooked on digital graphics, and since then I have spent most of my drawing time in front of the computer. Nowadays, I enjoy illustrating fantasy and science fiction creatures and characters though digital painting.
Q4. Averagely how much time do you spend on each piece? And normally what’s your process when creating a piece?
Working time varies with each piece accordingly. Some pieces take a couple of hours, whereas others may take 8-20 hours. I always (well most of the time) start several rough sketches. I scan them into the computer and work on basic values. After I have properly determined light and shading, I paint in the details.
Q5. How do you think is the artistic environment in Philippines?
Frankly I haven’t paid much attention to it until recently. I love going to galleries and seeing exhibits, and I used to think I would immediately join the local art scene after college. (My original plan was to major in classical painting, but I got “sidetracked” by a sudden interest in computer graphics.)
I do know, however, that the number of talented artists here is increasing exponentially, however I’m not too convinced of that being an artist in the Philippines is very lucrative. It seems that not too many people here have enough time to learn to appreciate and ultimately enjoy fine arts, and other arts like opera & ballet. I believe that here, art is does not equate to culture and lifestyle, but instead, It has become more of a luxury.
Brittany Maslo