Lombi asked this question on the artcone forums: Lombi: Hey there and welcome to the interview. How are you today?
Anwar: Fine dude. Thanks for the invitation.

Lombi: Alright, let’s start off with you giving us a little bit of background info … who you are, what you do, where you are from, how old is your inner self, what your foot size is… that kind of thing :}
Anwar: hahahaha.. ok… I’m mexican, 23 years old and I’m a teacher in a elementary school in my free time I like to read, paint, desig and watch movies. Btw, my foot size is 27 LOL

Lombi: How would you, in your own words, describe your style? What and who were your major influences in the development of that style? Does your soulmate have any bigger influences in what you do? Which artists do you admire and respect for what they do?
Anwar: wow.. lots of question. I would like to describe my work as dark art or emotional dark art. Because my main point is to show an idea not a image finished. My bigger influences are Dali in art, Tim Burton in concepts, and in digital art I like the work of damnengine and apocryph.

Lombi: What kind of music do you listen to, when you work? What are your favourite bands/artists?
Anwar: When it’s time to work I usually pick one artist and listen only their music, my more often choises are NIN, Korn, Placebo, Tool, Sepultura and that kind of music. Also there are some times that the silence is better.

Lombi: A question everyone wants to know these days … at what point did you want to become the artist you are now … was there any breaking points or such? How did you get started in digital art?
Anwar: Well.. I have to thank to DA because I found there what I want to know. In the past I was painting, designing non-digital but when I found DA i found a new world, and I wanna be part of it.

Lombi: Unlike a lot of other artists you started out with skinning and then proceded to manipulation. Tell us a bit about that.
Anwar: Yeah, it is funny now, but my first work in digital were winamp skins, first using “all in one” programs after that maing them from scratch, you know cropping by hand.. hehehe

Lombi: The second most common question out there (hehe) … what software do you use in creating your artworks, how does the common process look like when you are creating a piece? Do you just see that software as purely a tool used to create or as something more? What kinds of media and techniques do you commonly like to use when you create a piece?
Anwar: I think software it’s not important, there are alot of ways to create digital works. I think the way you use the software is the important. I use Photoshop but also I try to mix it with hand draw and painting and photography. All is about what you want to say.

Lombi: What is the history of your camera equipment … with what did you start with and what are you using today?
Anwar: Well the history of my camera is weird, I was fan of the photography but I am not good at, so I usually take photo only to remember places, but when i started in photomanip i was using alot of stock photos but one day I was asking someone for permission for use a stock photo in a commertial way, he didin’t gave me permission so since that day I try to use only my own stocks, it’s better but also is harder. You have the camera but don’t have the models. I start with a DSC-p71 but right now I have a f717 (both sony) and I planning to buy a Canon soon.

Lombi: When you create a piece what normally inspires your work?
Anwar: Fears, tales, dreams.. too much. Some times I ask myself that too hehehehhe

Lombi: When you are working on a piece, when do you know that it’s finally done?
Anwar: That’s an interesting question. I usually ask my friend what do they think about the image, they gave me suggestions. There is always one moment when everything in the works looks like is right.. i think that’s the moment when the image is finished when everything looks natural.

Lombi: Tell me how was it like breaking into the digital art scene … i know it’s very hard for young and unknown artists to get their name out nowdays … how was your experience like? What’s the best advice you could give to someone who wants to break into the scene?
Anwar: Advice? I don’t have a really advice, I just wanna tell to those who want to break in the scene: welcome home! The artist will create because he/she needs that. The scene well.. it can wait.

Lombi: You left your manipulation account for a while now with no signs of you getting back ever. Now you’re back (crowd cheers in background). What was the reason of your departure?
Anwar: Well I was busy and didn’t have time for digital works. Too much things happends in the same time and that made me leave my digital account for a while. Now I’m back, still with alot of work but I wanna continue my digital works.

Lombi: Your name was often mentioned a while ago in a somewhat of a “deviantART scandal” … of you with around 85.000 visits and more than 14000 comments given not getting a senior deviant status while others that remain nameless have recieved that status pretty quickly … with a far lower skill level than yours imho. What’s your oppinion on that – has that in any way affected you to stop n05feratu?
Anwar: DeviantART is giving us a opportunity to show our art. We must respect their desitions and accepted them. I do.

Lombi: I’ve asked you to choose 5 of your favourite artworks to be featured here along with this interview … so tell me … why do you like these 5 so much, what are the stories behind them?
Anwar: “Like never before” that image has an special meaning to me because is just a scene with a romanticism influences also something surreal. I think is one of my best because when I planned it I saw it the same way It looks now… I’m happy with it. “Not the right way” is another of my favs, I didn’t except too much acceptation for that image but when I readed the comments I saw that this thing (suicide) is very commun sadly, too much ppl is hurted but those memories. Another image is “The body“, it’s a light of hope for me. “How to grow up in a box” and “Mr Nobody” are some that I will always remember.

Lombi: So tell me … how would you describe the digital art scene roughly around your location? I’ve heard many artists complain about almost complete ignorance towards digital art … especially from traditional artists, galleries and such. Is photography better accepted? Your two cents?
Anwar: Digital art still needs support. Photography in the begining was not accepted the artist in those days needed to work to get the aceptation that right now they have. Digital art is still a baby, not much ppl interested in support it but I see every day that ppl start seeing digital art as a new way to make art. I hope in the future digital gets the recognition and appreciation of more ppl.

Lombi: What would you do if you were in an empty room (and no cameras anywhere) with a tied-up ripper?
Anwar: Run in circles :D

Lombi: What do you think about the whole online art community thing at the moment? Where would you like to see the future of art go? What are your plans for the future?
Anwar: I would like to see less blood.. I like dark art without blood because is harder to make, you need to make the viewer appreciate the scene behind the artwork, make them use their imagination. I hope to be part of that moment.

Lombi: Your old website on twisted realmz is now gone. You have a new one brewing somewhere … like a web collection of photography :}?
Anwar: I am planning to launch my website soon.

Lombi: Can’t wait for that! Okay, cntinuing with the questions… You wake up one day and find out that you have amazingly cool superpowers. What are they?
Anwar: Time travel for sure. :D hahahaha

Lombi: You find out that you will be relocated on a desert island tomorrow. You can only take one thing with you. What is the one thing you can’t live without?
Anwar: A machine for time travel? hahahahaha just kidding hehehe…

Lombi: Err … umm… any questions for me?
Anwar: Do you know the atomic weight of the Hydrogen? hehehehhehe No questions hehe :D

Lombi: The atomic weight of Hydrogen is 1.008 grams per mole. Hehe. Well, that’s kinda the end of the interview. Thanks for taking the time, my friend. Any final words of wisdom you would like to share with us?
Anwar: “The harder part of making art is to make the viewer feels the same way you feel the image”.Thanks for the interview.