Jean-Paul Germain: Digital Artist
August 9, 2014Welcome to my blog! In this post I will be interviewing artist and friend, Jean-Paul Germain.
Ra: How did you get into art?
Jean-Paul: I got into art at a very early age. According to my mother I was about 4 years old. She said I was a bit of an odd child. I loved to watch television commercials and drew fairly accurate depictions of the animated characters on television. She also said that she thought it was unique, at least to her, that I always colored within the lines and used the appropriate colors in my coloring books to do so.
Both my parents have dabbled in art. I remember my father painting landscapes & geometric figures on canvass & my mom dabbles in home décor and interior design. This is probably where get my sense of balance, shapes and color when conceptualizing my character’s design. A love of comic books did the rest. I had a large collection donated to me by a family friend the rest is history.
Ra: What do you use to create your art?
Jean-Paul: Initially I used anything I could get my hands on. I drew on poster board & in my black books & art pads. I used mechanical pencils, kneaded eraser and black fine tip pens & double sided Prismacolor markers. But when I purchased my first Tablet PC in 2002 and never looked back.
Currently my Tablet PC is the only thing I use to paint.
The Hardware I use currently is a WACOM Cintiq Companion a Professional Creative Tablet. It’s a portable workstation running Windows 8.1.
The Cintiq allows me to create directly on the screen with a pressure sensitive stylus and or use my fingers on the multi-touch screen. It’s portable and allows me to create anywhere on the go.
The software I use on the Cintiq is Autodesk Sketchbook Pro, which is the best 2D software as far as I’m concerned. It is amazing & super easy to use & allows me to produces professional quality work.
Ra: Describe your style.
Jean-Paul: I’m a Digital Urban Contemporary Artist. My forte is in Fashion Illustration & Visual Character Conceptualization. My signature style would be considered as being “Urban Contemporary Digital Design”. My work is an amalgam of traditional comic book style mixed with traditional fine art.
Ra: What are your favorite subjects to draw?
Jean-Paul: I love to paint the female form first & foremost. I have a passion for both traditional African & Asian themes in my artwork. I love experimenting with textures & patterns in my work. I love to create alternate versions mainstream superheroes. I like rendering Urban or Hip Hop fashion accessories, watches, bracelets, chains & earrings I also like both male & female foot wear, however, I want that pants under ones butt, waist on your thigh look to go the way of the dinosaurs. I’ve also recently in the last year or so tried dabbling in portraiture and photorealism with positive effects.
Ra: What inspires you as an artist?
Jean-Paul: I’m inspired by everything. Sci-fi, the Apple store, my clientele, my mood, movies, television & my fellow artist & their artwork which is a constant source of learning & enjoyment for me. I live vicariously through their achievements & they inspire me constantly.
Ra: Where can we see more of your work?
Jean-Paul: I would love for everyone to see my work and even contact me to talk shop, tablets, for tips & tricks, tutorials, collaborations, printed copies, commissioned pieces, gallery work and or magazine ads.
