1. Hi Carole, we are so glad to have a chance to talk to you for our web magazine. When I discovered your art some years ago, I naturally felt drawn to it because of the motives and of course your skills and ideas. How did you start?
Thank you very much for the privilege of being interviewed for your magazine.
I’ve always loved the world of imagination. Creating pictures of what I imagine in my mind is very important to me.
I knew people, some years ago, who made creations and it made me want to learn and create myself.
2. Do you have some professional education in graphic design and digital art or are you self-taught?
I’m totally self-taught . I form alone since the beginning. I learned through tutorials, videos and thousands of hours creating again and again.
3. Can you explain to our readers what exactly it is that you do? How does your artwork come to life?
What I am doing exactly … It’s sublime femininity and imagination . I choose photographs, women mainly because I am a lover of femininity. I am fortunate to have a great imagination. And I create by feeling. I want my images to emerge emotions, they speak to people who watch them .
4. Your art can be described as dark, mysterious and mystical. Where do you draw your inspiration from for such artwork? Do you have some other artists who influenced you or whose work you greatly admire?
I love Tim Burton’s universe. His worlds through his various films inspire me a lot . The readings of Baudelaire and Edgar Allan Poe also are an inspirational factor for me . On the internet some artists also inspire me, like Natalie Shau for example.
5. Where do you find the necessary photos for your artwork? I can recognize some of the models from your photo manipulations.
Most of the pictures that I use for my creations come from image banks such as Shutterstock , Fotolia , Depositphotos . Sometimes I do some collaborations with photographers and models, French or foreign . In such cases , the photographer gives me his photos and lets me make a creative spirit of sharing and loving art .
6. Would you say that your art focuses on the nature of women or expresses a darker side of women nature?
I love femininity. I like what the woman produces in an image. Her beauty , her unusual side , her sensuality , originality . Creating mainly on women is a choice, they talk to me , and I like to bring out their dark side, give them the power visually.
7. Do you have a favourite female model out there?
There are two models I work with regularly and who inspire me a lot . This is Margot Mi and Elisanth . These two women are inspiring , they are true muses.
8. How long does it take for one of your art pieces to be completed from scratch?
It depends on the job. A simple creation will take me a few hours (between 3 and 5 hours). When I decide to do something further , overworked , I sometimes spend more than 10 hours on a creation.
9. We can see a lot of your before and afters to show what was done in order to create your original artwork. What tools do you use in creating?
I work with photoshop. I use a lot of tools on it, the pen for the clipping , filters , shadows, adjustment layers . You can see some of my videos on my youtube channel ( Kryseis Retouche ) , so you can see it accelerated , from the beginning of the creative process to end.
10. We can also find some workflows you presented on Youtube, so we can follow the process and get a glimpse on how something was done. It seems you are keen on helping others improve or learn the skills as well. Do you get asked a lot to help or do you receive questions about some additional information about your working process?
Yes, on my youtube channel I put some accelerated videos. We see the beginning of the creative process to the end. Often people ask me for help and advice to create, and I help people when I can. I also often make tutorials for magazines or I explain some of my creations from A to Z so that others can learn to create in their turn.
11. It was on DeviantArt where I first saw your work. You have been present there for quite some time now, how do you feel about that art community in general?
Yes, I have an account on Deviantart . I also published my creations on Facebook and other sites like pinterest , twitter and instagram . I love Deviantart although unfortunately I can not spend a lot of time on it . I work a lot ( with handicapped children) and I don´t have much time to connect on social networks or my gallery. I like to exchange with other artists and discover new ones . I am also fortunate to have some creative people who inspire me in my personal entourage. However, I like to create and cultivate my little bubble, and I often remain behind in my artistic universe .
12. Where can people also find your work? You are present on social networks as well.
I am mainly present on Facebook and Deviantart . I also publish my work and some WIP on my instagram account. People can also find me on Twitter, and email me . I always say even if sometimes I put a little time into it.
Facebook : Kryseis Retouche
Deviantart : Kryseis-art
Instagram : @kryseis_art
Twitter : Kryseisretouche
13. Do you have some other passions beside this one we know of?
Yes, I have many passions. The photography at first . I like to ask and take pictures, although I am not a photographer or model. I also like to draw. Tattoos are also a great passion , and I have a lot. I have other ongoing projects.
14. Do you have some plans or wishes regarding your work for some future times?
I hope to create again and again, to learn new things, to surpass my limits. I really want to concentrate on this, for future projects , goodies creations, other tutorials in magazines . I ‘d love to one day make a first exhibition as well . And I hope it will happen. I take this last question to thank you for this opportunity and thank all the people who support me in my art .
Credits for my creations :
– Margot Mi
– Elisanth
– Delphine Ayache
– Marine DL
– FlexDreams
