Vices

Which tools did you use for the creation of this piece?
Adobe Photoshop.

What was the creative process behind it, from the beginning until it was finished?
Honestly, this was one of those pieces where I did not have a strong creative drive behind it, I only had the urge to create something. I found the image used in the artwork and by chance the circular halftone effect seemed to emanate perfectly from the point at which the lovers’ tongues meet. To me, that perfectly summarised the visceral feeling I wanted to communicate with the artwork. After that, the other design elements sort of fell into place with the main image anchoring everything else.

“As an artist, I always want to outdo myself and create something more interesting and visceral than the last thing I made.”

What were your references, influences or inspirations during your creative process?
I knew I wanted to use the particular imager I have used in the artwork. Apart from that, my main inspiration came from the intense feelings of romantic love that I have experienced and how the potency of love almost makes it feel like a vice.

What did you enjoy the most about the process?
The best part about creating this piece was the happy accident of the effect used on the image. Happy accidents are hard to come by, so when they do, I run with them.

What was the hardest thing for you and how did you solve it?
The hardest thing about this artwork was accepting what I had made after it was complete. As an artist, I always want to outdo myself and create something more interesting and visceral than the last thing I made. Of course that’s not a realistic approach to creating art, but when I made this piece, I felt like I didn’t do my best. I still feel that way about a lot of my work, but over time, I’ve gotten to be more humble and accepting of my work with some introspection and spending more time being creative.