TT: Interview with Natalia Pierandrei

Artist Natalia Pierandrei, who was featured here at Texty Ladies on May 12, 2008, graciously agreed to an interview with me.  Nati’s an awesome woman and a very talented artist so I’m happy to bring you her interview today.  Thanks, Nati, for taking the time to answer all my questions.  You definitely lead a fascinating life! 

You recently moved to Rome. How are you settling in?

I moved to Rome because of my full-time job: actually it was something quite unexpected and consequently my life and my habits have been changing a lot since the past few months. I’ve visited Rome many times and I lived in Tokyo for almost a year so moving from the provinces to a big city wasn’t a problem. I have a double personality, one loves nature and peaceful places, the opposite one loves the confusion and the lively atmosphere of metropolies. I have to content both of them, every now and then!

Did you draw often as a child?

Yes, I’m used to draw often. I’ve been drawing since I was a little girl, my mom was my first drawing teacher and I spent so much time drawing during my childhood that I remember almost all my relatives were completely sure that I would have attended an Art School (by the way, secondary education in Italy is quite different from North America one). At that time, I wanted to become an archaeologist so I attended the ‘liceo classico’.  During the high school I changed my mind and finally I went to University and graduated in Oriental Languages and Economics of International Trade.

I’m curious about how you discovered your “style.” Will you talk more about that process?

I think it’s something unconscious and partially related to the fact I live in Italy. I mean, I’ve never said “Hey, I like the style or the use of colours of “put a name here”: I want to draw in the same way!” My style is the consequence of many factors. I visited a large number of art museums during my life that I think it produced an effect on me at least! So, my style is strongly influenced by that of Renaissance Italian Painting (the use of sepia tones) and Art Nouveau (strong lines). Also by comic books and manga, but in a minor way, especially in the latest times. I changed my way of drawing many times in the past, what you see now is the final result of a very long process. I don’t know when I exactly started drawing in this way, especially because my style is naturally evolving every day and I hope I’ll never stop developing new methods of expressing myself as artist.

Do you ever dabble with different styles? Use different tools?

Sometimes, I do. The matter is if you like trying new styles and techniques you need time to do that and actually my main problem is finding some free time for drawing…in general! But, I also think once you have discovered ‘your’ method you should go on to perfect it instead of non stop trying something different almost every day. It’s just my opinion but it’s like you lack of personality: having your own, different in kind style is very important to be appreciated as artist.

Do you have any hobbies?

Drawing has always been my main hobby. It became something a little bit different when I was at university and, with a friend of mine, I posted some illustrations to Elfwood. To my surprise, the drawings met with success. That tempt me to submit more artwork to different online galleries. Speaking honestly, I’ve never supposed that my work was worth of publication, and I’ve never thought of me as an ‘artist’.
Apart from drawing, that I think it’s still a hobby for me, I like reading, going to the cinema, travelling…nothing really special, to be honest! I’m a very common person!

Is travel a factor in your work?

Yes, it is. I like very much travelling, experiencing new cultures and habits is always exciting and inspiring. Not just for an artist, I think that getting in touch with something different from your everyday living is a way to improve yourself and enrich your life, aside from your profession or education. And yes, many of my illustrations are based on real places I visited.

What is a typical day like for you?

During the week, my typical days are quite ‘boring’. I mean, I wake up early in the morning, I take the metro, working almost 8/10 hours by day at office, come back home. If I’m not very, very tired, I draw or go to the cinema, go shopping, or take a walk in the public garden near my house. In the weekends my life is more eventful, I have time for drawing, visiting exhibitions, meeting friends, etc, etc.

Do you do anything special to your environment to help your creativity?

It’s very important to me to draw in a bright place, with lot of space for my drawing tools. I’m easily suggestible by anything I see, listen to, read. I’ve never got the so called “artist’s block”, on the contrary!
Listen to music, sketch in a certain place?

Sketching is not a problem, I can sketch everywhere, at office, at restaurant, I only need a piece of paper and a pencil/pen. If I’m at home, sitting at my desk, listening to the music is basic. Music always fills me with thoughts and feelings and creativity.

When did you first realize that this would be your vocation?

Actually, I’m not sure art is my vocation yet. I like drawing a lot, but realistically I have a practical idea of how difficult is to be an artist. Then being a person with a lot of different interests like me doesn’t help. Deeply in my heart, probably I’m dreaming to be an artist someday but I doubt about my capabilities and not having a formal artistic training is something that blocks my progress in this way.

How did your first sale come about and how did you feel about it?

People started to ask me if I was available for commissions about 4 years ago. At first time, I refused to take commissions, basically because I don’t like the idea of being ‘forced’ to draw a specific character, situation, background…I draw because I like drawing, art is something very personal: I can do, I can create something without anything limits or restricts me. I should add that commissions are a positive and immediate way to improve yourself by doing something you hardly do if it’s not your greater interest. So, I finally started taking commissions. It’s a real pleasure when people is satisfied with how I worked on their characters. So, basically I don’t take commissions for money, simply because I like testing my abilities with different themes!

Recently, I’ve stopped taking commissions, I’m too busy with different, long-term projects and I have no idea when I’ll be available again.

What type of art do you enjoy viewing?

Comic books, figurative and traditional paintings, I like art museums (so, basically old, traditional paintings), I’m not very much fond of modern, abstract art…basically because I have not a good knowledge of modern art to appreciate it.

What specific work of art have you felt most satisfied with?

Hard question! Usually, I’m satisfied with almost all my pieces….for the first 10 minutes! Being a perfectionist (in anything I do, not just art), I tend to be the stricter critic of myself. Actually, I don’t like the 90% of pieces I painted!

Will you talk about the business side of your art?

Business….hmmm, am I in the business of art? Well, the 90% of commissioned works I did, both for private or commercial use, have been done by ‘chance’. I mean, people usually contact me after seeing my artwork online, I’ve never sent my portfolio to a publisher. Probably, I’m just a very lucky person, probably I should seriously try to contact publishers and start thinking of a profession as illustrator…who knows! At this point, I’m totally unable to make up my mind!

Have you ever considered working in a different medium?

Often. I’d like to learn how to use acrylics. Maybe in the future…actually I need to take some art lessons before!

Please tell us about “Magna Veritas.”

‘Magna Veritas’ is a comic written by Marco Felicioni, illustrated by Jacopo Camagni and published by Le Soleil Editions, France. I only did some fanart of it, actually I’m not seriously involved in the project. The comic is great, and Marco and Jacopo are two of the most wonderful people I’ve ever met in my life!

Has your art book been released? If so, where can we purchase it?

Not yet, but I’m completing the last illustrations in these days. Recently, my life was very agitated and I had to stop drawing for awhile. I hope in the future I’ll have more time for my paintings. Anyway, as soon as the book will be out, I’ll post a entry with all the information about it to my blog.

Do you have any advice for artists just starting out?

Well…I don’t think to be the right person to give advices for aspirant artists, anyway…..To me, the most important thing is draw intensely, with passion. And, if your aim is to become a professional artist, try to be innovative and fresh in your style. Imitating might be fine at the early stage of your learning process, not if art is a vocation and it’s supposed to be your dream job. Trying always to be yourself in your artistic expressions not someone else. Diligence and originality have always been rewarded.

What will you be working on next?

After completing the illustrations for “Precious Things” I’ll start working on two different comic book projects, and another art-book. I have been contacted by a popular publisher here in Europe and this new art-book will be a challenge!

Then, illustrations for magazines, interviews, various online projects….

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I thank all my fans for supporting me, like a Placebo’s song, “Without you I’m nothing”.

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For more on Natalia Pierandrei and her work, please go to the following sites:

Nati’s website, blog, myspace, deviantart, etsy and cafepress.

Tags: Art, artist, Comics, illustration, Interview, Natalia Pierandrei, Nati