MEET THE ARTIST: MATTIAS LINDSTRÖM - Q&A with H+
Meet H+ extended family member Mattias! Mattias Lindstrom is a Swedish freelance illustrator and graphic designer based in Barcelona. His graphics combine fine craftsmanship with a rich presentation of style to perfectly interpret the soft texture of airbrush painting. Known for his graffiti-fusion concept and design, rich characteristic scene setting, he combines wonderfully glamorous colors while shaping out his unique expression of style.
H+: What advice would you give to people that look up to you or are interested in beginning to illustrate/make digital art?
ML: To have fun and enjoy the process, looking for inspiration is a full time job, even when you are asleep.
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H+: What is your ideal workspace environment?
ML: Just somewhere cosy and quiet, with the least distractions possible, ideally an old hermit hut, a observatory, a room hidden behind a book shell, or something like the Batcave : )
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H+: What are you currently listening to or do you listen to music while you are working?
ML: Yes, I always listen to music or radio while working, sometimes I even think that it would be possible to work without music. Electro funk is a good choice to get a nice workflow going, I listen a lot to radio and podcasts, P3 Soul is a legendary Swedish radio show and a all time favorite of mine.
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H+: What inspires your aesthetic?
ML: Observing details in nature, airbrush sci-fi art from the 70s and the 80s, art history in general, graffiti, the bright colors of early video game graphics, scenery lighting in movies and surrealism to name a few things.
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H+: How long does it normally take you to make a piece?
ML: Its very different, when doing personal images i´m in an experimental mode and i linger a bit more on the process, normally i use to work on at least two images simultaneously this way i can always jump to the other when i get stuck. While working on commissions, I adapt to the timeline and make the best possible out of what I got, but I guess I normally need at least a week to make something decent.
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H+: Who are your biggest inspirations?
ML: My father, who was a great artist and art teacher, has probably been the biggest inspiration for me.
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H+: Why did you choose digital art as your medium?
ML: I have always been drawing, I've used most mediums from ballpoint pens, spray paint, acrylics to oil paint and learning to paint digitally was something I just had to do. I work mostly with my Wacom Cintiq and Photoshop that allows me to be faster, improvise and be able to try out loads of ideas that would be impossible with traditional mediums. Basically, it gives you more creative freedom. Another great thing about digital art is that you can work at night and see the colors even clearer as you are painting with an actual light source.
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H+: Who would your dream project be with? (Person or company or brand)
ML: Strangely enough I haven't thought about that enough to drop one or two names...Hmmm I would love to do cd cover art for some Hip Hop legends like A Tribe Called Quest, Kendrick Lamar, or Wu-Tang. I'm a big fan of Jim Jarmusch, so a little movie poster for him or maybe Tarantino would also be nice. But any superstar or mega brand are also warmly welcome to contact me, or just any friendly person.
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H+: If you could see your art anywhere in the world, where would it be?
ML: Anywhere it fits.
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H+: Some advice or words of wisdom to other freelancers out there?
ML: I'm afraid I don't have much wisdom to offer but for me it's important to always produce personal work in order to keep busy between commissions or waiting for feedback etc. It makes you develop and in the end it always serves as a self promotion.
