Seniormentors Interrogations: brennenxr

 Why did you join DeviantArt and what made you continue staying on DA?

This is going to be embarrassing to admit, but I joined back in 2005 because some of my friends on Neopets were joining and I wanted to see their awesome Neopets related artwork. I was 13, don't judge pls.

What made you interested in participating in the community and in turn help as a senior mentor on seniormentors?

My involvement with Senior Mentors goes all the way back to 2007 when , leaf-lover, and I were running the joint. I had been in a leadership role for a couple of years after that, ultimately joined by electricnet who built our offsite back-end system that we used. Finally adulthood took hold and I wasn't on DA much anymore, so I handed the group over to LostKitten (among others). Now I'm back in an administrative role as the Application's Admin.

You are a very active deviant on DA, helping several groups. How do you continue to be active? How do you manage your time?

I've learned some excellent time management skills over time. It gets easy once everything is a routine. My personal motto is just get shit done in a timely manner. I usually have in mind everything that needs done that week (or day) and I do it when I have a free moment. I'm in college at the moment which takes up a lot of my time, so getting stuff done quickly has become my thing.

What form of art do you specialize in (as a hobby and/or in your career)? What essential tools are at your disposal?

Definitely a hobbyist writer. I love photography as well, although I haven't touched a DSLR since 2010. I don't have one anymore.

Do you have any particular education or interests that made you seek to learn by yourself?

I am certified in Interactive Media which is essentially animation, film making, photography, and web design. Taking those classes taught me so much about a lot of various art forms. As for writing, I'm not trained at all. Which you realize quickly when you take a stroll through my gallery.

Are you currently in a career related to art?

Nope, not at all. I'm studying software engineering and hope to do that for a living after I get my bachelor's degree.

As a mentor, how would you assess your pupils?

Something that we offer in the back room of the group is extensive Work Shops for our mentors to take part in. Whether you're a beginner in the field you've applied for mentorship in, or you've been doing it for decades, we have resources available to our mentors to help figure out the best way they can help you. Personally, I'd start with an interview back and forth with my new pupil to assess their current situation and to see how I could help. If I felt I'd be an asset, we could move forward.

Do you have any advice on any basic steps any new users on DA interested in DA related works, beginner's photography or literature? What can they do or have before starting in their field or liking? How about stepping into the professional aspect of art?

Before someone gets involved with photography, I would highly recommend that they do research on the type of cameras that are available to them and what sort of equipment they'd be interested in purchasing. Taking up a couple classes at a local community college couldn't hurt, and there are countless resources to be found around DA. The first place I'd point them to on DA is projecteducate or CRPhotography.

For literature, read. Read everything you can get your hands on. Find writers you enjoy and pay close attention to their style of writing when you're reading. If you ain't readin' you ain't gonna be writin'.

Often times, artists are stuck in the much discussed about artist's block and/or writer's block. How would one avoid that and what possible things can they do?

Put your camera or pencil down, go outside, walk your dogs, smoke a joint, go see a movie, drink some Ed Hardy wine (this goes out to you, JenFruzz). Get your mind off your work and come back to it in a few days.

What's your favourite artwork/artist/writer on DA and outside DA? Any favourite art sites, blogs, magazines/e zines that you could suggest that are your favourites?

DA has such a fantastic wealth of creativity and beauty uploaded to it every day that I'm not certain I could chose a favorite. Some of the people I find myself coming back to and favoriting a lot are similar-singularity, slenderblade, gvcci-hvcci, hypnicjerks, andy261, WatermelonBread, and angelcurls. Off DA, no clue. Same with other websites/magazines.

Throughout your career and journey as an artist, are there any particular obstacles that you remember strongly and overcame? Would you be able to share that with us?

Yeah, the angsty teenage period. Thank god I got over that. *prays those poems never leave Storage*

Are there any rituals that you perform to the art gods before you start on an artwork? What's your regular routine like before you start your work or assignment?

Stare at the blank piece of paper for a good minute or two. Sometimes with a very angry expression on my face. Usually like this:

Are there any particular techniques that you like to use frequently?

Well, not a technique perse, but I love writing haikus. I find them easy and concise.

LO! There's a major error in your artwork/writing and it will take a long time to fix it. How do you deal with it and what do you do? What if you missed the moment that just happened by. How does that effect what you would draw/paint?

Ignore the problem and don't mention it to anyone ever again.

Are you finicky about having the perfect 49% opacity, or just the right amount of water in brush or exposure even though another setting could have worked? How much are you willing to edit your work?

Usually with my poems it's a done deal once the last line is written. I leave them raw and only revise them if the quality of the piece embarrasses me. (Remember when I said above I'm not trained at all? )

Do you have to have be in a specific state to do your art?

Usually feeling some type of what about someone/something helps. One time I wrote a poem about frogs, though. So I guess inspiration is everywhere.

Here's me looking over your shoulder looking at your sketchbook/drafts/moment you are drawing/painting. What do you do?

Become extremely uncomfortable because RAFIN WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE STOP

Are the individuals in your family, relatives, friends supportive of you pursuing art/appreciate what you do as a hobby/career?

Short answer: no.