Interview: Tina Speece

Today we’re joined by Tina Speece, who also goes by tinadrawsstuff. Tina is a wonderful visual artist who specializes in pinups and portraits. She mostly does black and white and grayscale. Her work is beautiful and has an extraordinary amount of detail. It’s clear she’s a talented and passionate artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

Pink Pop Dress

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

My name is Tina, and I’m multimedia artist-illustrator with a deep love of stories and storytelling. I love color, but I wind up working in black and white and grayscale a lot for reasons I still haven’t figured out. Pinups and portraits are my bread-and-butter and I take a lot of pride in making things “cute”.

What inspires you?

Stories!  Especially the way themes cycle and recycle and how we relate to those themes.  Cautionary tales disguised as kids’ bedtime stories, campfire scare stories that you know by heart but still a net a scream in the right atmosphere, stories “you think you know BUT” with some aspect changed [anything sympathetic to the monstrous is my favorite in this category]–there are patterns and beats that are older than time, but they still draw us in and we still keep going to those themes no matter what the world is like, and that’s so amazing to me!

Flapper Carmilla

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

Funny story: my 4^th grade art teacher told me I had no talent for art and needed to pick a new elective, which as a highly impressionable child pretty much destroyed any confidence I could’ve had at any point as a kid.  I switched to vocal music and theater and didn’t really make any art for a long time after that.  I was still fascinated by visual arts but since I “had no talent” for it, I settled for watching tons of movies and cartoons and writing fanfiction, and telling myself “This is good, this is fine”.

Then I got to college, and was planning to go on as an English major.  My first semester (like most everybody’s first semester) was a hodgepodge of “required” Gen. Ed classes that didn’t have anything to do with what I wanted to be doing but I had to do it.  I had some really good friends in my Japanese class, and to practice both the writing and our vocab, we started making silly little comics with the characters in our book (the illustrations in GENKI! were really easy to copy). Because we were all doing little comics and we were all friends, there wasn’t pressure to be “great” at it? They were just silly little things that we made, that I enjoyed making–that I drew during other lectures because I have always needed to do something while listening to something else so I could focus.

So I was sitting in Philosophy one day, doodling the ongoing love-triangle between Mary, Susan, and Takashi and listening to the lecture when it hit me [we’re talking a metaphorical punch to the face]: I like language, I don’t like it enough to sit and analyse it to this kind of depth for the next four years.  I called my mom, told her I didn’t want to study English, I wanted to study art, no I don’t know what I’m going to do, but it’s more right than anything I’ve thought about studying.

Fortunately for me, my mom was (and still is) super supportive.

I graduated with a BFA in 2013 and after a year of not being sure what to do (because freelancing is hard and art-focused opportunities in my area wanted more degree than I had), I applied and got into the Masters program at Columbus College of Art & Design in Ohio, finished THAT in 2017 and am still freelancing but now with a much better idea of what I’m doing. I honestly can’t imagine having gone in any other direction at this point in my life, and I only regret not drawing for so long between 4^th grade and college.

Deep Sea (acrylic pour)

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I try to remember to sign everything, but I like a small unobtrusive signature, so I tuck a TS somewhere in just about everything.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

1. You are going to make some really, really, really ugly things.  Sometimes you’ll be proud of those ugly things for a while, but they’re still gonna be ugly.  And that’s a good thing: you have to make ugly to understand what it is and whether you want to use it actively.

2. Do your best to purge the pop-culture expectation of an artist from your brain.  That way lies the path of disappointment and being really freaking annoying, not to mention it takes a lot of energy to namedrop and fake ennui.

3. Don’t fear the “art block”.  It’s your friend in the long run, because it lets you know something’s not working–either your mental health needs some attention and that’s why you’re not making, or you’ve stopped actively trying to hone your skills and have gotten lazy and your brain is bored and that means you need to get out of your comfort zone for a while, or that you need to take a break from the thing you’re currently doing and go do something else; even if that “something else” has nothing to do with art–everyone needs a break regularly.

Glow Up 2007-2019

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I’m a demisexual bi!

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

Oh yeah–I get it two-fold for being both demi and multi-attracted.  I usually get asked if the figures and character I’m drawing are ideal sexual partners or if my conflict and discomfort with another person in my field is because deep down I just want “bang them”.

The subject question is easy to displace, I just start ranting about the lack of variation in character design and that kills almost all follow-up.  The second question I usually just shut down with a face-melting stare because sometimes it’s not a judicious moment to ask someone if they’re a friggin idiot.

Penguin (acrylic pour)

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

That it’s something that can be “fixed” by an encounter with “the right person” and you’ll know in an instant

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

1. How you feel does have a name, and there are other people who feel the way you do.

2. You’re not alone, and that’s important.

3. You’re not broken, you’re not stupid, and you can’t just “pretend to be normal” because there’s nothing abnormal about you.

4. Most of the people you try to explain this to probably won’t get it, and they’ll say things that hurt because they mean well.  You have every right to correct them, you have every right to defend yourself; don’t feel bad when you do, because you deserve that respect, even from people who generally mean well.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

My portfolio
My studio Instagram
The Facebook page
Ownable, hard copies of work here, here, or here!

Valentine (silicone)

Thank you, Tina, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Taylor

Today we’re joined by Taylor. Taylor is a fantastic visual artist who works mainly in graphite, ink, and colored pencils. She mostly does portraits, but has recently started branching out into creative space type drawings. Her work is absolutely beautiful, drawing the viewer in with her attention to detail and use of space. It’s clear she’s a dedicated and passionate artist, as you’ll soon read. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

Hello! So, my art has always been all over the place, but I have stuck with drawing since childhood. I’ve only been a hobbyist, taking some drawing classes throughout school, but my goal is to work part time and run an art studio on the side.

My work is usually black and white, either graphite or ink, or colored pencil on black paper. I love working with high contrast and, specifically with portraits, minimalistic shading. I like working with realism, but I’ve recently branched out into some more creative, space-y pieces.

What inspires you?

Music has been a huge influence for me. Despite lacking any musical ability whatsoever, music has been a huge part of my life. Listening to storytelling in the lyrics, along with themes and feelings that can only be portrayed through instrumentals, is such a creativity boost for me and helps me branch out of my artistic comfort zone.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

Art, as a kid, was the only thing I really engaged in. I was the type that naturally did well in school, so I never really had to try or care. However, with art, I could really experiment and improve my skills, so I devoted all of my time to drawings. As I got into high school, I began studying fields I saw as potential careers, yet I didn’t stop drawing.

My overbearing logical side always stopped me from seeing myself as a professional artist. However, I realized that, even if I don’t do it professionally, I can still be an artist and devote myself to my artwork.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Don’t stop! You’ll see really, really good artists, and you’ll meet people who will look down on your art, but you shouldn’t let that get in the way of your creativity. I completely stopped art for a full year because I felt I was inadequate and that art would never get me anywhere in life. It was hard to get out of that funk, but getting back into art was the best decision of my life.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I identify as an aromantic asexual.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

I have gotten some weird backlash for creating LGBTQ pride art, because I’m not “really a part of the community.” Honestly, I just ignored it and kept doing what I was doing. Asexuality is a part of the LGBTQ community, regardless of what anyone else tells you.

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Since I have divorced parents, no one believes I am really asexual, especially aro/ace. They all tell me that it’s because I didn’t grow up seeing a loving relationship. However, my backstory isn’t traumatic and my situation doesn’t define my sexuality.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Don’t worry about labels in the beginning. I was so freaked out about whether or I was straight or gay or bi or anything. If you’re struggling, just be yourself. You may find a label that perfectly fits, and that can give you a wonderful sense of community and not being alone, or you might not. Even if you don’t have a perfect label, you are still valid.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

I use my Instagram page the most: at sketchingpencils. I also have a DeviantArt page that I recently started: sketchingpencils.

Thank you, Taylor, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.

Interview: Hazel Riley

Today we’re joined by Hazel Riley. Hazel is a hobbyist who enjoys realistic sketching, particularly the human body (be forewarned: some pictures have nudity in them). She works mostly in pencil, but her work shows extraordinary detail. It’s very apparent she has an eye for form, which makes for some beautiful work. My thanks to her for taking the time to participate in this interview.

WORK

Please, tell us about your art.

I like to draw as a hobby! I’ve found I work best in black and white mediums and pencil is the easiest of those to access, so that’s what the majority of my work is in. Currently I enjoy doing realistic sketches of the human body so my search history is very dubious at the moment. (It’s not until you search for nude models on the internet that you realize exactly how much porn is there, but maybe that’s an Ace thing.) My first models/subjects were my cats though, so my early sketchbooks have a lot of cat drawings in them.

What inspires you?

For me it can be anything however, any emotional work I do is usually related to something someone else is going through. For example I have a couple drawings that were inspired by a friend’s breakup and one that was inspired by my perception of one of my roommate’s relationships. Recently though, as I’ve been doing body studies, I’ve found myself being struck by inspiration at totally random moments. I’ve paused TV shows to take a picture of the screen because I like the pose that an actor is holding at the time, it’s very odd and unpredictable but I feel that that comes with the territory.

What got you interested in your field?  Have you always wanted to be an artist?

I don’t really know why I was interested enough in drawing to continue doing it past elementary school, I guess I did it long enough that I got good enough to keep trying. I always enjoyed art class when it was mandatory so I just kept signing up for it in high school. As I moved on to college it was a nice thing to do if the inspiration struck, so I always had a sketchbook in my room somewhere just in case.

Do you have any kind of special or unique signature, symbol, or feature you include in your work that you’d be willing to reveal?

I don’t really have a specific symbol, but I like to play with the idea of dichotomy. For example light versus dark, male versus female (if you’ll excuse the gender binary there) , beauty in the grotesque, etc.

What advice would you give young aspiring artists?

Do not, It do not, be afraid to use references! It seems obvious but for the longest time I didn’t use references because I figured if I couldn’t draw it on my own I wasn’t a good artist. That is wrong. Using references is what makes you a good artist! And it’s what makes you better! References can come from anywhere, I follow a blog that I wouldn’t otherwise be interested in because I’ve found some great references there. And don’t be afraid to use yourself as one if you can’t find the pose you want.

ASEXUALITY

Where on the spectrum do you identify?

I am an aromatic asexual.

Have you encountered any kind of ace prejudice or ignorance in your field?  If so, how do you handle it?

Not really in my field as this is only a hobby, and every place of work it’s either not a big deal or it’s never been a topic of conversation. So I’m very happy to report none!

What’s the most common misconception about asexuality that you’ve encountered?

Not exactly a misconception per se. But kind of the idea that asexuality is an option. Like that fact that I have to explain asexuality to almost everyone that I come out to has definitely made me white lie my way out of situations before just from sheer laziness.

What advice would you give to any asexual individuals out there who might be struggling with their orientation?

Do little things for yourself. Just small self care things that lets you know that you know that you’re Ace, even if no one else does. Follow some positive Ace blogs (this one is a good start!) Even if you don’t reblog anything you’re still seeing Ace things that are there for you. Also small physical reminders, like an Ace ring, are good ways to make a little Ace bubble around you. Play with the idea too, my ace ring is an ear cuff on my right ear because I can’t handle stuff on my hands. To everyone else it looks cool but I know what it means to me.

Finally, where can people find out more about your work?

Unfortunately as this is a hobby of mine and not really anything more I don’t post my art publicly anywhere. But if you see something here that really strikes your fancy you can ask me about it on my blog: ober-affen-geil.tumblr.com.

Thank you, Hazel, for participating in this interview and this project. It’s very much appreciated.