Interview with one of my favourite Photoshop artists Cindy Grundsten
I have stumbled upon Cindy Grundsten's Photoshop art works while browsing through deviantArt. I was very impressed by her great imagination. Her style is very close to my heart. I have always loved this fairy tale inspired art works, a fantasy world where even if dragons and bad creatures exist, good is always the winner.
Cindy Grundsten is a very talented digital artist, her blending techniques are great, she knows exactly what images to put together so that she creates art, not kitsch! The world she envisions is sweet, mysterious - a magic world where many strange things can happen!
I like Cindy because she is like me but with years of talent and hard work ahead! Let's find out more about one of my favorite artist Cindy Grundsten!
Here at PSDDude we love doing interviews with talented graphic designers and famous Photoshop bloggers. For example in 2019 we had I had the pleasure of making an interview with PHLEARN's Aaron Nace - one of my favorite Photoshop bloggers. So, check that interview too after this one.
The Swan
QHello, welcome to PSDDUDE! Please, introduce yourself, tell us briefly about yourself, where are you from, and how did you start in digital art?
AMy name is Cindy Grundsten. I live in Sweden. I always loved to create things with my hands and since I was a little girl I used to draw a lot. In the autumn of 2007 I found an internet group about edited pictures which got me interested. So I joined the group and started my first step. In January 2008 I joined Deviantart and started with photo manipulations. This was something I really loved.
Magic world
Just like mom
QIs digital art your job or you do something else for a living? What do you like to do when you are not working?
AI had a little company called Cindys Art & Design. I had a lot of jobs for models and photographers in Sweden and USA, but it was difficult to get paid what I wanted for the work. I had to close the company for the moment, but my wish is to start it all over again.
Royal visit
green beauty
QWhat software do you use? Tell us a bit about the techniques you prefer/use: photo montages, digital painting, color adjustments, etc.
AI create my artwork in Photoshop CS3. But I really wish I can upgrade to CS5 some day. I dont really know what to answer about my technique. I love photo manipulations and I think I use the same techniques as other people do. Its about getting every detail to blend in perfectly. Photo manipulation is my favourite, but I also paint in my work (for example skin and hair). Sometimes I have to paint other small details. Colour is very important to me. It must be perfect, and I can go on for hours if I don't feel it is the right colour. I use Photoshop's default tools for colour and I always adjust colour balance.
Deep mystery
Sweet dreams III
QI am sure you have a graphic tablet. Tell us about it and how long did it take you to learn to use it as good as you do it now? Is it harder to make a digital painting than a photo manipulation?
AI have a graphic tablet, Intous 3. I bought it a couple of years ago, and it was not difficult at all to start working with it. I love my tablet. Without my tablet I would've never been able to paint hair. I never did digital painting, I only paint over stock photos, and the hair of course. I think painting is more difficult than photo manipulation.
Because you re worth it
QI can clearly spot fairy tale inspiration in all your beautiful art works! Tell us a little about that? Are there a lot of Swedish mythology and folk elements in your art and which are they?
AI like fairies and elves. Maybe because I love the magic feel about it. I think that's why I love to create such things. I am very scared about getting stuck on the same theme. I love to expand and develop. I will prove to myself that I can master what ever I like to create. I dont like limitations. And since I started with this I am always trying to get better and better. I have so much more to learn and I want to break boundaries.
Queen
In fairy tale
QYou have a lot of imagination! Tells us a little bit about your other sources of inspiration beside fairy tales.
AI like so many other things too. And I love to try different types of artwork, not only fairy tales. Lately I also have tried dark art. And I really like that too.
Dark Angel
Dark Angel by Dezzan
Vampires
QDo you have a favorite digital artist or a favorite painter someone that you admire?
AOhh yes!!! There are so many good artists here on Deviantart that I love and admire. The list is long. But there is a very very special artist. His work goes right into my heart. I found him when I first joined Deviantart. And he will always be my master of art. His name is JohndeLano and you can see his work here JohndeLano's artwork.
More Dolls
More Dolls by Dezzan
QI am really curious about the creation process! What are the steps involved and what is the hardest step?(coming up with the idea, putting together different pieces, making the finishes, etc.)
AFor photo manipulation there are many steps involved: from cutting out photo pieces to making every object look like it belongs in the resulting art work. I have to work with each and every object and make sure that the contrast, light, shadows, colours and so on blend in with the background. If I, for example, have the work in a tone of yellow, and I place an object with a tone of blue, I must work with the object and give it the same tone, contrast and so own. Sometimes some areas in the artwork need blurring. There are lots of things to think of. Putting things together is not so difficult. But of course sometimes I need to solve some problems on the way. But it usually works out well in the end.
The Bride
Cool tough and wild
QYour works are very beautiful and I am sure are not easy to create! Is it hard to gather all the stock photos? How is the searching process and what are your usual places where you find stock photos?
AI often buy stock photos. And its because I want to work with good quality. There is so much more work to do if a photo has a bad quality. I also want to work with big resolution. And all that I can get if I buy my stocks. But of course I also use some stocks here from Deviantart. And I have folders in my favourites where I put those stocks.
Who are you
Deep mystery II
QWhere can we find or buy your art works on the internet?
ANone of my artwork is for sale on the Internat yet. But I am thinking of selling prints of some of my work. Not here on Deviantart I think. But if I will find a good place for it I probably will use it for selling my work.
In my fantasy world
Do you recognize an angel
QHow do you see your future in digital art? Do you have a lot of art projects coming?
AThere are periods of time when there are lots of projects.
And sometimes I have a lots of time for my own practices. I love to practice hair painting. You can see that I have quite a few tutorials about
hair painting on my deviantart account( Painted Hair TutorialExclusive,
Paint hair over stock,
Paint hair over stock
).
I love to create what I want,
from my own head and heart.
Shall we play
Thank you for giving this interview, you are such an inspiration to us all. I am looking forward to seeing your future art works and how you develop as an artist. I wish you all the best of luck!
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