Artist Interview with the Talented natamon
Thank you natamon for allowing me the opportunity to interview you, and providing the community with some amazing feedback about yourself and your art! Without further adue, here is the interview and feature of the lovely natamon !
KovoWolf asks "Tell us a little bit about yourself! What first perked your interest in the Anthro community and Anthro art itself??"
My name is Nat, and I live in Southern California. I like whimsical, macabre, strange things and sacred art. I think I found myself entering the anthro-community by accident, as I already really loved animals, and personifying them. Over the past 10 years, my love of animals has greatly increased, as did my amount of anthro and animal-themed works.
KovoWolf asks "What is your favorite medium to work with? Why?"
My favorite medium is a mixture of ink, pencil and acrylics, together. I truly like the look that is achieved through layering these mediums, with ink and watercolor being a close 2nd choice.
KovoWolf asks What is your favorite piece from your gallery? Why?"
Wow, that is very hard to say. Art is a lot like children or pets-you really don't have *one fave*, you love em all! But, to try and pick one of my fave animal works, I say 'Bejeweled Cat 4'. I like the way the cat's eyes compliment the golden colors, and the balance of the background. It feels very regal, and I also feel this cat's look tells a hidden story...
KovoWolf asks How much of your art, would you say, is for aesthetic purposes (to be admired by the viewer), and how much is it about a message to the audience?"
I'd say 70 percent is aesthetic and the remaining 30 is about a message. However, much of it
is also both.
KovoWolf asks "Where does most of your inspiration come from for your artwork? All your characters are breathtakingly portrayed as more real animals with 'human' traits. Where did this idea first come from?"
My inspiration is simple-the face of an animal. My imagination runs wild when I look at animals in person, as well as simple photographs. Some shots just scream a certain story, that only I can see quite clearly in my mind-so I crave to capture that as art once I see it. I think I just daydream off and on when I see certain animals, and imbue them with all these human thoughts, feelings and attitudes. I can't seem to help it!
KovoWolf asks "Being an artist we always find ourselves improving and growing from our old works. What is your least favorite piece in your gallery? Have you learned a lot sense this piece artistic wise?"
Well, this one is equally tough to answer, because I dislike looking back at my old work as well, but I suppose my least favorite would be 'Bejeweled Cat 12', as I did not get the proportion of the face as symmetrical as I preferred. I think I have learned a great deal since then, and will never stop learning-ever.
KovoWolf asks "What do you find most challenging about Anthro art or your art in general? How do you feel DeviantART has facilitated your artistic ventures? Has it allowed you to expand?"
I think the greatest challenge is to really capture what is in my mind-that vision of some special personality that I am trying very much to translate in my medium. Deviantart has allowed me to share my work with so many people who not only seem to appreciate my work, but the stories I like to tell within them. That is especially valued by me. I come from a
long line of story-tellers, so anyone getting a smile from the visual tales
I tell, means a great deal.
KovoWolf asks "How long have you had a passion for Anthro art? Was there someone who inspired you? A group of people?"
I think I began capturing animals fairly early in my childhood, but actually, it was the subject of people dominated my art from my preteens and onward. For many years, that was a far greater focus for me, and animals would only come into my work very occasionally. Then, in the past 15 years, my love of animals grew, and with that, a sort of 'translation' of my love of the human subject, into an animal form. Suddenly, I'd found I was making very human characters, only they just happened to be animals! Lol. But as for inspiration, the illustrators of countless children's books, growing up, was a HUGE inspiration...
KovoWolf asks "Is there anything that you are working on, project wise / art wise, that you want to share with the community?"
Oh goodness, I am always working on something! 
If a day goes by and I don't get to make some art, it feels curiously empty....But right now, in addition to working on custom orders, I am working on my sequel to my Dr. Weaselhoffer piece, with another Steam Punk ferret-he's a time traveler...
I like to sculpt as well, so more and more of my sculpted animal pendants will soon be available, as well as more of a series of 'Clockwork Creature' brooches..there are lots of previews and info on my Facebook art page, which I update often...
KovoWolf asks "Do you have any advice to offer future / current / aspiring Anthro artists?"
Well, I would say 2 things: never be afraid to place a little bit of yourself in your pieces and never forget the importance of reference material! No one is born knowing each and every aspect of animal anatomy, and photos will really help breathe extra, believability into your art subjects.
