A “Digital Art Revolution” Interview with Artist Josh Rowan.
Artist Josh Rowan is one of the dozens of exceptional artists whose work is featured in “Digital Art Revolution, Creating Fine Art with Photoshop”. Like many of the artists in the book, he is involved in many and varied creative endeavors. His work has been exhibited at the Los Angeles Center for Digital Art and many other venues.
This is a recent interview with Josh Rowan, conducted by Scott Ligon, author of “Digital Art Revolution, Creating Fine Art with Photoshop”, specifically for this blog.
Your digital artwork appears to be vector based, is that true?
Ha! Based, I guess. Being self-taught, I didn't really know what I was doing. I had learned to get a grasp on the pen tools a little bit by then but didn't know well enough to keep all those paths around for later. For the digital paintings I'd draw certain shapes like I was laying out a vector but it would only serve the immediate purpose. These days yeah, I try to keep them all around:)
Do you use a combination of Photoshop and Illustrator?
I've only started using Illustrator within the last couple years, and still only in limited amounts. Live Trace rules! I make 99 percent of my work in Photoshop.
Could you tell us a little about your creative process?
Depends on what kind of project I'm working on. It usually involves working off some sort of sketch. Sometimes an assemblage of photographs... But i usually work over the top of some layer of scanned preparation. I find that sketching out ideas, even if it’s an exercise in the composition of the piece helps tremendously.
One thing that's carried over from my work as a tattoo artist is most of my images still have a strong line or outline to them - especially in the graphic work for screen print. That's usually a starting point. Get the lines in there, sculpt them a bit if they seem to need it. Flatten those line layers if you've built them on separate layers. Lay that layer above everything. Select your areas from this layer to build your color underneath.
Could you tell us a little bit about your creative philosophy and why you create your specific images?
This may be a cop out answer. I think I've forgotten about any kind of philosophy... I'm immersed in so many creative projects that it's just become more of a way of life, and just how it is. If I'm not actively working on a piece, I'm inevitably thinking about it. In it still. As for a reason I make certain images I make, for my personal artwork I do it for me. Because I have something that I'm working through either mentally or want to play with a technique. To learn.
Like a lot of artists in Digital Art Revolution, you have a lot of different creative outlets.You design tattoos and you also make clothing designs. Both of these activities are visually related to your digital artwork and require a similar creative thought process. Do you see your commercial work as different from your gallery work or is that an irrelevant label?
I see them as very separate from one another. Like painting a house and painting a portrait. I tend to have far more of an emotional attachment to my personal work. For the most part the commercial work is a warm handshake, the gallery work is a relationship.
You’re also a photographer, but no photographic images are used directly in your work.
Actually, I have used photographs in the digital paintings. I have one named "Becoming of Age (Valet to the River Styx)" that is heavy with photographic textures. Where photos of real life elements are inter fused with vector images and gradients for the desired effect. This process really got me thinking about what was possible and i have been scheming on ways to further this process ever since.
Why do you think that is? Is it a conscious decision?
I think in pieces prior to the one I just mentioned, I think it was a conscious decision. I was most interested in knowing processes of the digital media. Wanting to create everything from scratch to know how to achieve a desired effect from the combination of tools you're presented with. Maybe this piece marks a point of wanting to branch out, I'm not saying I know everything about Photoshop, there are plenty of functions I haven't even began to use or understand. I love photography so it was inevitable to start integrating the two.
Do you take photographs as reference material for your images?
Yes, a lot of times. Sometimes just being out taking photographs becomes the source for ideas. It can work inversely.
You’ve published an illustrated book called “bad news”. Can you tell us about this project?
Haha! This was just a fun thing that happened really quick. It started as a joke between friends. Then as a couple single panel "comics" I emailed to some more friends. Then I carried a clipboard with me for about a month thinking of the most awful things you'd ever want to hear. It culminated in a book with around 120 illustrations that's currently being developed into a clothing line and being looked at for potential licensing. I've been taking it to trade shows this year, trying to see if it has a home somewhere. Sometimes it's nice to have a project or an outlet that can be very quick of a thing. I started by making a slew of characters, bounding boxes and background elements. I now have a system for making these panels that takes about five minutes to assemble.
Your website says you began working digitally in 2003. What did you do prior to this?
I had been tattooing since 1996. I took a break from this in May 2003 and did some traveling. Came home looking for a fresh outlet.
What was attractive about working digitally?
The undo button:)
You did a series of pen and ink drawings as an exercise with some friends, where you established some specific guidelines for the process. Can you tell us the details and why you decided to participate?
To go back to tattooing - its really common for tattoo artists to get together to do art, especially watercolor. There was something about the precision of pen that had me intrigued. Plus I was hanging out with a group of artists that were really inspired and a lot of fun to be around. It was a good social endeavor.
What interested you about creating individual works as part of a group agreement?
I was convinced that the guidelines we had set up and our commitment to working this way would only lead to big improvements in our individual abilities. And it did. It was really great to see so many people grow so quickly.
Are there any particular projects or accomplishments that you feel particularly proud of?
Hmmm.... When awarded or even being recognized by a gallery devoted to digital art (LACDA) within the first couple years of working in the media really gave me a fire to stick with it.
I'd say the work with Me Against the World (MATW), which I am a partner in. I have had several years of working alone. And now having this company and working with so many talented artists makes me really proud to be a part of a thing that has spread so far and wide. Seeing bands and artists pop up in magazines wearing clothing that sport your design or you had some part in creating has been a very rewarding thing.
Saving up enough money when I was young to disappear for several months to write and record an album. Even if I think the music is crap now, the whole experience changed my life.
What are your current and future projects?
Traveling even more. Wanting to take my photography work to a next level. Make more music. Video. Make it all work together and somehow learn to just sit on a couch by a window and read a book every once in a while.
Anything you’d like to do that you haven’t already?
Oil paint. Which will inevitably have a digital process in the planning of the piece.
Anything else you’d like us to know about your work?
It's not really work.
Learn more by visiting Josh Rowan’s website: www.joshuarowan.com
Artist Interview