Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Artist Spotlight: Aleksandr Poltavskiy


Undead Crew: Who are your influences?


Alek P: Now days it'
s not as much as who but what. Pretty much I get influenced by all the random stuff I see. It can be watching a movie, reading a book, to even staring at the floor until the blobs form something and I go, Oh Damn! And run to draw something.

Undead Crew: What is your process in creating art?


Alek P: Usually my best work happens very randomly. For example some of my best designs I have done by just scribbling random ideas. One time I was making dinner and started drawing a skull, then added some horns for fun, then some hands. Next thing I know it was a design that sold in one day! But for most part I draw a sketch on the computer, then I go through with a new layer and re-ink it. Then go through and color. All done in Manga Studio by the way.

Undead Crew: What if any formal art training have you had?

Alek P: None, I tried to get some training twice actually. One time I went to an art school when I was a kid and we were told to draw whatever, so I drew a voodoo doll. All the kids started telling on me and the teacher told me not to draw it any longer. I never came back to that place. Second time I had a guy come over on the weekends to teach me how to draw, after 5-10 sessions we didn't get past 1 point perspective and so I got annoyed because I knew it before he came along and told him I was done.

Undead Crew: What made you decide to pursue art seriously?

Alek P: Chicks! Heh kidding, I always loved art and drawing. So I decided to try to do it digitally and had fun, eventually some people wanted to hire me so I thought, hell might as well try to make some money!

Undead Crew: Have you always been interested in horrific and morbid imagery?

Alek P: Umm kind of. I come from a christian background and so my entire life everything that was anything from normal was considered evil. Just like if you tell a child not to touch a hot stove a second later he burns himself I burned with desire to explore! For most part though yes, the way I see it. I can draw nice pretty mountains that everyone has seen day in and day out, or I can create concepts no one imagines. Or as some people have told me the art I create is what they see in their nightmares from Satan. I am envious of that though, because I have to sit and think of these concepts and they get them for free in their dreams!

Undead Crew: Who are some of your clients?

Alek P: Gah so many! Some of my latest and biggest have been: Bravado, Harley-Davidson, Lamb of God, Sumerian Records, Psychopathic records, KungFu Vampire, Bizzy Bone, and so many others I can list.

Undead Crew: What are some of your upcoming projects?

Alek P: Lately I have actually started doing more work on Motorcycle Helmets. So I am doing a few helmets for people now. I am always doing random T-shirt designs here and there, but currently these helmets are what I am focusing on as they are completely different and a challenge to work on!

Undead Crew: What do you like to do when you are not creating art?

Alek P: Oh so many things! One of the activities I really love but can't at the moment because of the weather is to practice motorcycle stunting. I am still learning but it's a lot of fun to try to get the wheelie as high as possible! Other then that video games are fun as well, hell tonight I am going to the release of KillZone 3. Most people reading this will read it after it has been released, but yes I was going to the release! I am sure this also falls under art but I like to practice different forms, lately I have been experimenting with airbrushing as well. Just anything and everything though.

Undead Crew: What is your favorite color?


Alek P: It used to be black (which is a tone of course) but lately I have been using so many colors in my work that it is hard to choose a favorite. Pink is always fun to work with, so is orange, green, purple, and all others. So all colors? :P

Undead Crew: How do zombies influence your art?


Alek P: The rotting! I love how they look when they are rotting away in details and their hands all over the place. A lot of the hands I draw are typically boney and just randomly positioned and fingers gesturing random stuff. So It's a lot of fun to draw stuff that looks grotesque and decaying!

Undead Crew: Do you prefer slow or fast zombies?

Alek P: There are 2 ways of answering this.

1. Am I part of the apocalypse? If so then slow zombies! That way I can have a chance to run away.
2. I think it was the movie Day of the Dead? Where the zombies are super fast and just jumping insanely high killing everyone? Not sure since I saw so many of those movies. But those were so bad a! I loved how no one stood a chance, and it made zombies the ultimate hardcore killing machine. Those I prefer but if I was to survive and those were the zombies I would deal with, I would definitely be the first to go! Unless I put zombie guts all over myself and walk around pretending I was a zombie like in the walking dead. (although I have a weak stomach so I would vomit every couple seconds.)

Undead Crew: What is your favorite zombie weapon?

Alek P: To use against zombies or that zombies use? In all honesty I do not know, I would always have the fear of their blood splattering in my eyes or mouth and I would get infected. I guess a machine gun would be nice so I can shoot at a distance, or a sniper. In the flicks that seemed to always take them out right away!

Undead Crew: What is your favorite zombie flick?


Alek P: Although hey are not as much zombies anymore I love the resident evil movies. For the fact that it gives the humans a fighting chance. FOr most part none of the zombie movies ever give humans a chance, in the end everyone dies because how is anyone supposed to kill the entire population of the world? In this movie there is some hope!

Undead Crew: How did you find out about ilovetheundead.com?


Alek P: I was actually browsing through different art sites and artist pages and saw you guys through one of them, so I thought I would check it out since zombies always interested me. :)

Undead Crew: How can people contact you for work?

Alek P: Best way would be through my email. info@poltart.com Anyone can find all the information about me on my website though www.poltart.com

Undead Crew: Thank you for sharing your art and spending the time to talk to us! As a band of artists ourselves, we always enjoy seeing what others are creating! please keep in touch and thank you again for supporting iLovetheUndead.com!

Alek P: Well guys thanks for the interview, It was a nice break from work. Now I will get back to creating demonic horrific work. Take care!

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Simply Amazing.

This has to be the greatest trailer I have witnessed in a long time. Beautiful. Chilling. Zombies.

Enjoy my friends.




//spm