Q. How long have you been drawing?

A. I've been drawing since I can remember. I think that any kid starts to make the first doodles someday. Probably, I spent more time drawing than actually trying to speak... but I think, I started to put real passion in my art when I was a teenager.


Q. How do you start a picture?

A. Using a pencil (HB, usual), I start to make sketchy shapes to create an idea of what the pose and the character will look like. Then I add details, and stress the final lines with a mechanical pencil, scan the picture, and often do anything else on the computer. That is, if I wanna color it digitally.


Q. Where do you find your inspiration?

A. Usually, I take my inspirations simply by real life (not very creative but at least real). Animals, nature in general, and the insanity of mankind. Whether own experiences, friends' life experiences, or simply what I get to find elsewhere. There's more than enough things to create stories with. However, I like to mix that up with a certain sense of humor to make it enough bearable.
As for the designs of my characters, I like to draw animals rather than humans. Yet I like to draw human expressions, that's why I ended up drawing anthro-like characters often. I can't quite explain why the most of them look carnivorous, it's just that they always fascinated me in a way.


Q. What program do you use to color your pictures?

A. Currently, I use Adobe Photoshop CS2.


Q. Who's Judith Wiesner?

A. That's me, I'm sorry.


Q. How did you come up with the name "GloomyUnderwoods"?

A. Originally, I only wanted to have the username "Underwoods", because it's my favorite part when I go for a walk in forests, which are my favorite places when it comes to pure nature. Underwoods are the places for preys to hide as well as for hunters to lurk around.
However, this username was taken already so I added Gloomy because I often take my art's inspirations from not-so-happy-but-still-kinda-cool stuff.

Q. What's this in your avatar?

A. My personal watermark symbol. It's actually just my initials (JW), merged together and turned around... made look stylish and arty.


Q. Why don't you watch me?!!

A. I'm too picky when it comes to art. If I don't watch you, please don't take it too personally.


Q. What kind of art do you like especially?

A. My favorites are dark arts,
fantasy creatures (especially the creepier ones),
tragic, deep, or humorous comics/concepts,
cartoon-like as well as realistic arts,
I also like photos and photo manipulations...
and probably more kinda arts I can't think of yet.


Q. Can I draw fanarts about your characters?

A. Sure, I'd love to see it!
The only thing I won't tolerate are porns or sick (I mean REAL' sick) things to do to my characters- I just say this because I still remember people drawing such stuff especially about my female characters, and I pretty much hated it... it's just something done without any respect, intelligence, and heart.


Q. Can I write fan-fictions about your characters?

A. That would be a wasting of your time since I'm the only one who knows best about my characters, their personalities and stories. Go work for your own art instead!


Q. Can I color your linearts/sketches?

A. Let me know before you do it, because I want to be informed in case my art gets used by someone. Don't forget that the credits for the lineart/sketches you color go to me too. And do not make money with my art without my permission!


Q. May I take your art for private use?

A. You are free to use my art for private and non-commercial purposes (like desktop image, print to hang on the wall, use as toilet paper, etc), but if you want to use it commercially in any way, you have to ask me for permission first!


Q. Can I use your artwork on forums/Neopets/MySpace/Bebo/Orkut/etc...?

A. If you want to let your friends know about my art, it would be nice if you give them a link to my profile here on DeviantArt.


Q. Will you consider doing free art 'specially for meee?

A. No, sorry. If I would say yes, I'd get hundreds of requests and I wouldn't sell any commission. Giftarts and trades are things I only do when I'm in the mood to, and which are mostly for artists whose art I admire and/or for friends to make them happy.


Q. Are you currently open for commissions?

A. You can check that by clicking the link Art/Commission Status in my journal header.


Q. How long will it take for you to finish a commission?

A. That depends on what you want me to draw. Sketches are usually done in about one day (maybe two days, depending on my schedule and your character's design). One character drawn, inked and colored will take about three days, depending on how many details your characters has. In short, the more details the longer it takes.


Q. Do you ship out the original artwork once it's completed?

A. Yes, for those who paid for their commission. But it costs extra for shipping. You don't have to pay the shipping price before the commission is done. You know, in case you'll hate the picture, you can save the money for shipping and buy some chocolate instead.


Q. I really want a commission, but I don't know how to pay for one. How can I pay?

A. Paypal is the only way I know so far, but you need a credit card for that. To buy things through Paypal, you don't have to have an account there. I can also give you a link (via eMail) to where you can pay me the money directly.
If you have no credit card, you could also come over to Switzerland, ring my doorbell, and give me some cash.


Q. Why don't you do traditional art like colored pencil, watercolors, oil paintings, etc?

A. Because I'm simply not very good at it. I started to work with Photoshop once, and got too used to its many tools to stop now. Besides, oil colors are freaking expensive...


Q. Have you ever gone to an art school?

A. No. And I'm very jealous of the people who could. I'd love to learn more about art with the help of professional teachers that believe in art...

Q. Ha! I have gone to an art schoooool!

A. *punches you real' hard* >¦[


Q. Can you teach me how to draw anyway?

A. I thought long about how to make this answer short for such a big question.
Learn to love details, be picky, be observing, and don't really care about how much time you'll spend on your art. Practice is what I consider the best way of finding out in what you're personally good and not-so-good at yourself. You should sometimes go out and observe the world around you, just for practice. Or look in an art book, or artworks that you printed out, or whatever you like as art. Even movies, cartoons and comics count as art.
When you're together with animals and humans, watch their ways of moving and how they express themselfs with poses, the face and gestures.
At home, I got a huge collection of photos and artworks to learn from. Also, one of the best ways of learning is taking criticism. Also also, turn your drawing around, or mirror it, to see mistakes you haven't seen before.
Hope this helped...