Wednesday 22 April 2009

Chaz Feature

AG: What is your name?

C: Carlos, although I sign as Chaz most of the time.

AG: Where are you from?

C: I was born in Venezuela but live in Barcelona, Spain since 2006.

AG: How long have you been drawing?

C: Since I was a kid! I even won a couple of art contests in school. ;)

AG: Is Art a chosen career choice or a hobby?

C: Both. I'm a Graphic Designer and currently work for a company. I also do some freelance work in illustration and comics, which I really enjoy.

AG: Do you possess any formal training i.e. college, workshops, through
work experience etc?

C: Yes, I do. I studied Graphic Design, I developed my natural skills, learned techniques, and design foundations. My work experience is abot 20 years old. I've worked in both, illustration and design since I was studying design.

AG: Which media do you most enjoy? Least enjoy?

C: Nothing compares (to me) to pencil drawing. I really like sketching and then tightening those pencils.

What I like the least is coloring, specially laying flat colors on comics, but once I begin "sculpting" flat colors, lights and shadows come out and then I begin to enjoy coloring.

It's like a challenge to me, so I face it even if I don't like it at first and do my best to get killer colors.

The good thing is every time I begin a new project, I learn a lot from it, so it never gets boring.


AG: What is your creative process? Do you have one?

C: Not really. I just read a script or a brief idea for a commission, and then I just go for it. Sometimes I achieve a good shot from the first attempt, but there are several other times I have to make lots of sketches, try different poses and points of view, to get what I want.

I'm a bit of a perfectionist. When I see a finished piece after any given time, I feel like I could have done better, even if I like the results ;)


AG: What is your main source of inspiration?

C: Human anatomy, special male anatomy of course! Also nature, plants and animals, fantasy, magic etc.

AG: Do you have any favourite artists?

C: Most impressionists (Manet, Monet, Van Gogh, Matisse), art nouveau like Toulouse-Lautrec's, and also Dalí.

As for comics artists, I like Ed Benes, the late Mike Wieringo and of course, Patrick Fillion and Tom of Finland!

There are a lot of talented gay artists nowadays, such as Jozef Szekeres, Ismael Alvarez, Hokane, Humbuged, and so many others!


AG: Are you currently working on any projects?

C: Yes. As much as my daytime work allows me to!

I'm finishing the second volume of Brother to Dragons (Class Comics / H&O) and always making commissioned works for people everywhere :)


AG: Has your work ever been published?

C: Yes, my first ever gay comic is Brother to Dragons (Class Comics for English /H&O for French), and also some short stories in Handjobs magazine on 2008.

But I've been published lots of times since I've worked in newspapers, magazines and other media such as books.


AG: Any advice you would like to offer to our aspiring artists out there?

C: Just go for it if you really like it and feel you can do it, either as a hobby or as a paid job. It's hard living from art, but if you manage to put your skills to work in a decent position/project or client, then you've got it made.

Sounds old, but you can do whatever you want, as long as you believe you can and go for it ;)

And yes, try to be very professional! That's just as important as your artistic skills!


AG: Cake or Pie?

C: Cake! Thicker and bigger, LOL.

AG: Any other comments?

C: Just thank you for your interest in my work and everyone who have read this far!

Feel free to ask/comment whatever you want or drop by my blog and say hi anytime :D


Thanks Chaz!

Check out more of his work at his blog and his Y! Page :).

images©Chaz
Do not redistribute without prior permission!

3 comments:

Y said...

He is a great artist indeed.

Anonymous said...

Hi. Just read Brother to Dragons over the weekend and enjoyed it a great deal. The artwork is stunning and incredibly sexy. :)

buff said...

WOOOF, Chaz. Someone who draws Gay Pride every day.

Mega hairy muscle hugs of thanks for sharing insights into this important male artist.