For our sixth interview of the 2021 Delaware Fun-A-Day, we talk to artist David Celli about his portrait works, creating during COVID, digital art creation, and selling art online. Thanks, David!
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We like to know how people are connected to Delaware - are you a resident, born and raised? What opportunities have you found here?
I'm a resident, born and raised here. Opportunities as far as art goes is probably the standard for most people. It started with family and friends, then friends of friends and it just kept rippling from there.
This is going to be your FOURTH year participating! Can you tell us a favorite memory that you’ve experienced throughout your DEFAD career?
There's a few I really enjoy but I think my favorite was seeing this young kid proudly standing next to his art. He had to be no older than 12 but he just looked so happy to be there. I just like seeing people be proud of and enjoying something that they worked on. Kids also don't hide how they're feeling so I think I saw pride and joy in its purest form right there. On the opposite spectrum, I really enjoyed watching people struggle with my puzzle 2 years ago.
Digital Art takes time, effort, and patience to put together a great composition just like all artforms. With this year being all virtual, do you feel digital artists will have a greater representation in the exhibit and how important is it to showcase the amazing work that can be created from using graphic design or digital manipulation software to make a unique piece of art?
Definitely. You can do some crazy things in digital that would take forever or just be impossible in more traditional mediums. I like seeing artists who embrace digital to its fullest with all the gradients and saturated RGB color schemes.
Please describe your 2021 project "Portraits".
Self explanatory really. It's been a busy year so far so I just wanted a simple topic this round. You can do a portrait of anything; a person, bug, tape measure, or whatever you feel like and in any style too.
As a well-seasoned Delaware Fun-A-Day participant, what advice can you give our newcomers? Is there any piece of advice that you believe would be a top priority for rookies to take a hold of?
Relax and just have fun with it. It's in the name of the show. I used to put a lot of pressure on myself to get something amazing done everyday but then I read a quote from Conrad Roset that said "When you start drawing, you try to show the world that you can draw and that you're learning, but later on there comes a point when you don't really care about that anymore." I think I've hit that point and I'm really happy I did. Also on days you're really feeling it, do 2 or 3 projects because days will come up where you won't or can't do any. No one will know (unless you say so in an interview).
With the state of the pandemic, a lot of artists have gone through trying to find new ways to produce work and learning new tricks to bring something fresh into their arsenal. We noticed that you have multiple social media platforms and a website to showcase your artwork. Can you speak on the importance of having a social and web presence overall to promote new content and how these things come together to build you an audience?
I can't pretend like I have a huge web presence but it is very useful for freelancing and making friends. I've gotten most of my work through reddit and instagram so it's very helpful for income. Also it's an oddly open platform where you can message any artist you really like for whatever reason. I've asked Alex Kanevsky about his book and Even Amundsen about character design and they both responded within a day or two despite age, location, or any other barrier. What I'm getting at is social media is more than a place for exposure and income, you can get things out of it that you can't put a price on.
DEFAD 2021 will be the first time the exhibit will be fully displayed virtually. Since you are a digital artist, it might not seem much in regards to your workflow will change overall. Yet we would like you to take the time to give some advice and pointers to others that need to think outside of the box to turn their physical pieces and other work into some sort of digital format (whether it be photography, illustration, digital media, etc).
Youtube. There's a tutorial out there for whatever hurdle you're having trouble with. Secondly, look for cheaper alternatives to the big software/hardware. Use ClipStudio Paint instead of Photoshop or get a Huion tablet instead of Wacom. Your wallet will thank you. Lighting would be my final suggestion. I've taken pictures of paintings in the middle of the street before just because it had the best light so I could get a good clean print made.
For purchasing your items through your website, you have four different places that customers can purchase through and buy your merchandise. In your professional opinion, would you recommend newcomers and veterans alike to branch out to multiple storefronts or advise them another way in regards to organizing, maintaining, and selling their work?
I like having multiple storefronts just because some people don't know about Inprnt or Redbubble so that way I can be found by that one person who only uses Society6 or Etsy. In time though I'd like to get away from single print sites like Society6 and sell prints just through Etsy or my website. I simply don't have a large enough audience for that yet.
Anything else you’d like to share?
If you need help just message me on Instagram. I've probably run into whatever issue you're having when it comes to digital art or digitizing art. Oh and give me your money through my shops or commissions, thanks. (^◡^)
Where can people see more of your work?
Instagram mostly @ObeseOcelot. If you don't have an account or just don't want Facebook to know everything about you I have it set to post to my website www.DACdraws.com too.