With the release of the new God of War 3 video game I couldn’t help but notice a great deal of artwork in the online community that relates to the game. Much of it is quite amazing!

Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is a Professional Graphics Designer and Photographer, living in Fayetteville NC, has work been working with Photoshop® for over 8 years now, and Flash® for the past 5 years.

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Its obvious when you first look at this image that it was inspired by none other than the Jabbawockeez, the Season 1 Champions of America’s Best Dance Crew, who also stared in the movie Step Up 2 The Streets, who have taken the nation by storm.

I love break dancing, hip hop, and all forms of artistic and expression, and this image in which I am actually the model, allowed me to unite those passions in an interesting and unique way!

I had a friend snap a few pictures of me while I was doing a few moves in this mask and decided to use them for a series of Photo Manipulations. In this work I wanted to get back to lighting effects as they work so well with this type of image. I also wanted to add various other elements to convey motion, such as the arrows and the lines. It was also vary different to be in front of the camera for a change, but an interesting experience, I think I will try being my own model more often as it has opened up some interesting possibilities.

As for the Jabbawockeez mask, it was actually left over from my Halloween costume I wore while clubbing this year, which was a hit. I have some other images that I will post when they are finished but I just couldn’t wait to share this with you all. I’m a huge fan of the Jabbawockeez and I really enjoyed working on this image.

Visual Effects
This image required a series of layer for each of the individual effects as well as some intense masking, I would say there was anything in particular I had to do that I hadn’t used in previous images before as far as technique, I think it was more of a matter of execution in which I think I’ve improved quite a bit. In away this comes back full circle to “Dark Leap” one of my first images in this style. I’ve mostly improved on the techniques I used for that image and combined them with everything else I’ve learned since then.

Sponsored Links
This kind of photo manipulation are also taught to students taking Graphic Design Degree and part of their basic curriculum.

Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is a Professional Graphics Designer and Photographer, living in Fayetteville NC, has work been working with Photoshop® for over 8 years now, and Flash® for the past 5 years.

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Recently I had the pleasure of interviewing an amazing Digital Artist who specializes in Digital Painting. She is Russian based artist and designer Alena Lazareva and you may be familiar with her work from DeviantArt, Advanced Photoshop, Photoshop Createive, or ImageFX. Her images are nothing short of mystical and it was a real treat to get to talk to her about her work!

Could you tell us about yourself, where you’re from and how you got started in the design field?

Hello ! My name is Alena. I am 29 years old. I live in Russia.
I have been drawing since childhood. I studied at the School of Art at the artist. There I drew pictures in oils and watercolor, is now engaged in graphic design. My first acquaintance with Photoshop was in 2006. Then I went to the computer graphics courses, and began to paint in Photoshop. Now I draw in Photoshop every day and improve my skills. My interests: art, photography, computer graphics.

Sad_fairy_by_AlenaLazareva

A lot of your designs involve painting with light, is there any particular reason you gravitate toward this particular style?

In my artworks mythical creatures, fairies, elves, mermaids … The effect of light in the paintings give a sense of magic, magical world. Light – is the warmth and magic.

Fairy_by_AlenaLazareva

Were there any barriers you’ve had to overcome in entering the field and trying to develop as an artist?

At first, I did not have enough skills in the field of graphic design. Was it difficult to translate the plan. I went to courses graphic design, it really helped me. now improve their skills every day.

What has been your most valuable resources as a designer?

I think, valuable resources in the design of this creative thinking, a fantasy artist and good technique in creating artworks.

What would you say is the hardest part of being a designer?

The designer should strive to learn new skills, get acquainted with the artwork of other artists. And most importantly, the designer must have creative thinking!

Are there any other designers or artist that you draw inspiration or advice from?
I always liked works of KAGAYA. They inspire…me .It is a great artist – illustrator .

So far what would you say is your favorite piece you’ve that you have created, and why?
My favourite artworks : Angels, Paradisial bird, black angel. But very favourite artwork Mermaid!

Mermaid_by_AlenaLazareva

If you could use design to influence or change the world in a positive way, how would you go about it?
Arouse in people a good feeling ! It would be a project consisting of paintings by artists. These pictures would show human feelings, kindness, love, friendship … The project would remind all people of good qualities, which should be in every man.

What do you hope to achieve design wise in the next 5 years?

I plan to improve their skills in design, improve their digital painting technique, to master new knowledge in graphic design. And also think of interesting subjects for his paintings, and to please all his artworks. I also would like to participate in different competitions and get acquainted with the artwork of digital artists.

Paradisial_bird_by_AlenaLazareva

Thanks for a wonderful interview Alena. Be sure to check out Alena’s various galleries and the links below and show her some love and support by commenting, and rating her images!

Photoshop Creative Gallery
Advanced Photoshop Gallery
DeviantArt Gallery
DeviantArt Portfolio
ImagineFX Gallery

Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is a Professional Graphics Designer and Photographer, living in Fayetteville NC, has work been working with Photoshop® for over 8 years now, and Flash® for the past 5 years.

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The online community is full of amazing, talented digital artist, and today I’m happy to showcase some fantastic photo-manipulation work I’ve seen on DeviantArt. Photo Manipulation is one of the most interesting and diverse forms of digital art work. There is no end to the different images an artist can develop using simple photography as a base.

Some of these digital artist you may have seen before in magazines or on other websites, others are relatively unknown but no less talented. Please give them some feedback about their work and don’t forget to visit their DeviantArt pages when you have a chance. These 20 Photo Manipulatons are nothing short of “Top Tier”.

1. Sentient by Conzpiracy

http://conzpiracy.deviantart.com/

2. Noir by Queedo

http://queedo.deviantart.com/

3. Mermaid by Alena Lazereva

http://alenalazareva.deviantart.com/

4. Painted by Hart3uk

http://hart3uk.deviantart.com/

5. Evolution in Progess by Vanority and Buffalotbill

http://vanority.deviantart.com/
http://buffalotbill.deviantart.com/

6. Global Warming Evolution by Pepey

http://pepey.deviantart.com/

7. Fire Angel by Vanority and Buffalotbill

http://vanority.deviantart.com/
http://buffalotbill.deviantart.com/

8. Ocean by Novemberxnight

http://novemberxnight.deviantart.com/

9. Explosive Beauty by xScriibleDoodlex

http://xscriibledoodlex.deviantart.com/

10. Niyo by Karen McDade

Niyo by Karen McDade

http://karenmcdade.deviantart.com/

11. Dancing Glow by VCell

http://vcell.deviantart.com/

12. Iva II by Ivangel

http://ivangel.deviantart.com/

13. Splash by Jmlam

http://jmlan.deviantart.com/

14. Fly to Eternity by Doneandonov

http://doneandonov.deviantart.com/

15. Making Magic by Wicked Juggalo Girl

http://wicked-juggalo-girl.deviantart.com/

16. Violet Sensation by Dean Site

http://dean-site.deviantart.com/

17. Viento by Dazegrafix

http://dazegrafix.deviantart.com/

18. Lets Go by MDesignN

http://mdesignn.deviantart.com/

19. Cutting Myself on Scraps by Mg3000

http://mg3000.deviantart.com/

20. Bill in His True Form by Demonicangel04

http://demonicangel04.deviantart.com/

21. Summoner by Roberto Blake

http://robertoblake.com/blog

Remember to leave comments and show your appreciation for these amazing digital artist and their work!

Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is a Professional Graphics Designer and Photographer, living in Fayetteville NC, has work been working with Photoshop® for over 8 years now, and Flash® for the past 5 years.

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Today I interview a truly talented Graphic Designer and Digital Artist you may be familiar with from Deviant Art, she has been featured in Advanced Photoshop Magazine, and Photoshop Creative Magazine just to name a few. I am personally a huge fan of her work and have had the pleasure of talking with her about it, her name is Karen McDade and her work is nothing short of spectacular!

Niyo by Karen McDade

Where are you from, and when did you first develop your artistic ability?
I’m originally from South Africa, and have recently moved to Europe with the intention of seeing more of the world. I’ve always been artistically inclined and I fell into design a few years ago purely by fluke – a friend introduced me to Photoshop and I was hooked from then on…

alien-manga by Karen McDade

How did you decide to become a designer?
I had played around with Photoshop for quite a while before I decided to take the plunge into graphic design as a profession. I didn’t have a formal education in design so I went on a self-study frenzy, reading design magazines, doing online tutorials, buying design books, watching podcasts and spending hours a day learning the Adobe products. I’ve been freelancing for a few years now and I haven’t looked back.

gothic-night by Karen McDade

A lot of your work is vibrant and full of color, could you talk a little more about your style?
The colourful style isn’t a conscious decision. I take each piece as it comes to me and I try not to over-think the design. Most pieces are done over a couple of days, and I often take breaks from the design so I can review it with fresh eyes. It’s a very fluid process .

Myst by Karen McDade

Who are some of your favorite artist or people who have inspired you creatively?
I remember seeing Dave McKean’s work and being completely captured by it. I love how weird his art is, so dark but filled with meaning. I wanted to do that. My style couldn’t be more far removed from McKean’s but I would be disappointed with myself if my work resembled any other artist’s style. I’m also a big fan of Richard Marchand.

forest-nymph by Karen McDade

Did you have to overcome any barriers in pursuing your artwork?
I’ve been lucky in that I’ve had the support of my family the whole way through. I can’t complain at all. My fiancé has been especially supportive of my career, most notably when I was starting out and I didn’t have that much work coming in. He believed in me even when I didn’t believe in myself. I reckon the only barrier to pursuing my artwork currently is lack of time. Unfortunately I work most evenings and weekends so I don’t have much time for personal work, which explains my limited gallery. But it’s quality, not quantity that counts, right?

the-thinker by Karen McDade

What advice would you give to other people looking to enter the design world?
Try to look for alternate sources of inspiration and differentiate your work as much as possible from the current trends. Try find your own style, and if you feel you don’t have your own style, then don’t put any pressure on yourself – just keep on learning and it will come with time.

New Age Arms Dealer by Karen McDade

What do you feel are some new advancements or trends you’ve noticed in the design world today?
I’m happy see the overuse of lighting effects dying down a bit. I’m guilty of using them myself but I think, as a design element, it’s getting old. Unless it works for the overall concept of the design, you should try something less clichéd. The more attention I pay to international design, the more I notice how the trends differ in each pocket of the world. Personally I think the design coming out of Poland at the moment is some of the best in the world, followed by the UK and Brazil.

You’ve been published in a few magazines, is there anything in particular you can tell us about how that came about? And what was it like seeing your work featured?
It was quite validating seeing my work published in a reputable magazine. I make a point of trying to get my artwork seen by as many people as possible, so I have multiple online portfolios with graphic art communities. I credit this method with getting my work noticed by publishers.

Is there anything else you’d like to say?
Thank you for your thought-provoking questions. I hope I’ve mentioned something here that will help out other designers in some way. I’m always willing to assist designers whenever possible – the more support we give each other the more we uplift the level of the community.

Thanks for a great interview Karen, your work is truly amazing and has been an inspiration to me, as I’m sure it is for many other digital artist out there. I’m looking forward to seeing what you do next! The rest of you out there can let Karen know what you think by dropping a comment or visiting her galleries.

Advanced Photoshop
Photoshop Creative
Deviant Art
GFX Artist
Behanced Network
ModelMayhem

Karen’s own website is: http://www.omegared.co.za/ where you can contact her or hire her for a project!

Roberto Blake

Roberto Blake is a Professional Graphics Designer and Photographer, living in Fayetteville NC, has work been working with Photoshop® for over 8 years now, and Flash® for the past 5 years.

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