Sta.sh
It brings out the kid in me, sharpens my creative mind.
I am a photographer, currently just a hobbyist. On dA, I am involved in projects such as #FeedbackFrenzy and of course #projecteducate! I'm really happy to be involved in #projecteducate because I love providing help, education, and assistance to others. I aim to do this in my articles and tutorials (whether or not they are ones submitted to #projecteducate).
Margarita is a mexican artist that has amazing skills and talent towards traditional art! Her works are brilliant and deserve a closer look, it would be a shame not to stop by to see the works she put so much soul into.
Thanks. For me is practice without any doubt. “Practice makes perfect” goes the saying. Some time ago I didn’t even knew half the techniques I know now. I worked harder to exceed myself and even if I’m not satisfied I consider I’ve improved a lot.
For me, ability is perseverance and not everyone has that dedication.
First, please introduce yourself to those that might not know you yet.
Hi everyone! It’s a pleasure, my name is Margarita Luna but I prefer to be named Yuriko. I’m 25 years old, I’m mexican and I am an illustrator. I’m working to be an art professor someday and to do art books as well. Painting and illustration are my biggest passions and I wish to dedicate my whole life to them.
You are a very successful artist, what do you believe are your most important features that made you pop out of the crowd?
Thanks, I still don’t consider myself successful, so it’s a little difficult to answer but imagining I could be, I could attribute it to my passion and love for art and for my feelings that connect with the feelings of those who see my works.
What do you want to express through your artworks? What inspires you?
I wish to express melancholy, sadness, pain. I consider those feelings deeper than happiness and that’s what I want to capture in each illustration. What inspires me? Music, classical above all. Specially the piano, violin and cello. People, the weather. Reading is one of my greatest vices. Movies, all of Tim Burton’s works. Horror and suspense movies. Going to the theater. Other artists and occasionally my mood.
In your opinion, the quality of your art depends more on technique or on its message?
I think a bit of both as I’m still not satisfied with my technique so as a whole that’s what moves me to try new things and try to give more quality to each new artwork.
Your works are unique - do you believe that what you do requires a particular skill or it's just about the practice? What skills do you consider to be the most important?
Thanks. For me is practice without any doubt. “Practice makes perfect” goes the saying. Some time ago I didn’t even knew half the techniques I know now. I worked harder to exceed myself and even if I’m not satisfied I consider I’ve improved a lot.
For me, ability is perseverance and not everyone has that dedication.
Most of the artists wish for their own style. How would you describe yours, and how did you develop it?
For me is perfection. I want those ideas I have stored in my mind to look exactly the same when I draw them in paper, even in the slightest detail. I started a long time ago drawing manga style and I thought that allowed me to express my ideas perfectly. But as time passed I discovered that my ideas moved more towards darker themes. The part I enjoy the most is to add color to my works, for that reason I experimented doing pictures with a variety of styles and formats and now I’ve ended in a more gothic and realistic style with a format reminiscent of storybooks.
But I haven’t left the manga style behind, I like to use various styles as this doesn’t limits me in what I want to express.
But I haven’t left the manga style behind, I like to use various styles as this doesn’t limits me in what I want to express.
What are your favorite tools and how were you introduced to them? Did you experiment or someone recommended them to you?
My technique is 100% traditional. I’ve tried to work digitally but that didn’t caused me the same euphoric sensation I have when working with brushes and paint.
I normally use a mix of materials, everything that allows me to cause the effect I desire. Commonly I use watercolors, acrylic, felt-tip pens, color pencils, inks, charcoal and even some liquid eraser.
The truth is I ventured to try everything I could after some classes I took in high school with my Artistic Education teacher which were only an acrylic specialization. But that drove me to test and investigate. I started reading books and learned from my mistakes. Later I took painting and drawing classes.
I normally use a mix of materials, everything that allows me to cause the effect I desire. Commonly I use watercolors, acrylic, felt-tip pens, color pencils, inks, charcoal and even some liquid eraser.
The truth is I ventured to try everything I could after some classes I took in high school with my Artistic Education teacher which were only an acrylic specialization. But that drove me to test and investigate. I started reading books and learned from my mistakes. Later I took painting and drawing classes.
What role has deviantART in your artistic life? Do you use it solely to expose your art or you also make friends and learn? Why did you join?
Well, a friend recommended me to enter dA a couple of years ago. I’m not used to these social networks as I’ve always been a reserved and solitary person, I’m terrified of sites like this. But now it encourages me each time I receive comments, good or bad, it makes me feel better and it motivates me.
It allowed me to meet wonderful people for whom I have a lot of affection and to witness sublime artworks from incredible artists I admire so much. Is one of my little motivations even if I abandon the page for long periods of time.
It allowed me to meet wonderful people for whom I have a lot of affection and to witness sublime artworks from incredible artists I admire so much. Is one of my little motivations even if I abandon the page for long periods of time.
Show us the pieces that you are most proud of. Do they have a story behind them? What is the reason you consider them your favorites?
‘En Soledad’ caused me a great impact. I think is evident but with this illustration was the first time I tried realism. I doubted it would look the way I wanted. When I started the work it was part of a test and in the end I loved every detail. Now I can see some flaws in it but I am proud that some people also felt something watching it and gave me a DD even when back then I didn’t knew what that meant XD.
The story behind the picture is not that horrifying. I did it in one autumn afternoon when I was victim of a cold. I tried to show literally all the discomforts I felt in my throat because of coughing so much. The scars in the upper part of the nose represent the symptoms I had. The skeletal hand is a recurring detail in my works as I have problems in the exact same hand precisely; it causes me pain while working. Something that causes me nostalgia as the problem will only be worse in the future.
The story behind the picture is not that horrifying. I did it in one autumn afternoon when I was victim of a cold. I tried to show literally all the discomforts I felt in my throat because of coughing so much. The scars in the upper part of the nose represent the symptoms I had. The skeletal hand is a recurring detail in my works as I have problems in the exact same hand precisely; it causes me pain while working. Something that causes me nostalgia as the problem will only be worse in the future.
About ‘Tsubasa-Clover’, I achieved with it a little personal satisfaction as some years ago I wanted to draw as beautifully as my favorite mangakas: CLAMP. And after I posted it I received many comments about how close it looked to their works. For this illustration I also received a DD which gave me even more excitement. It was the culmination of a little dream, to achieve a goal I thought I couldn’t reach.
The story behind it is not very deep. I did it for a contest; I wanted to draw my two favorite characters of my favorite manga Clover and that was the result.
The story behind it is not very deep. I did it for a contest; I wanted to draw my two favorite characters of my favorite manga Clover and that was the result.
Regarding your own art, what do you think has been your greatest achievement so far?
My greatest achievement, they could be many. Each work I’ve done has bring me great satisfactions without a doubt but I think the greatest is that some people consider me a good artist even when I think I’m not good enough. That must be my greatest achievement.
Do you have favorite artists on deviantART? Could you show us some art that you like and/or inspire you?
Of course, lots. There are many phenomenal artists. Those who inspire me the most are: Abigail Larson [link], Camilla d'Errico [link], among others.
There are some other artists who are not in this community but I have a deep admiration for them, I love their work: Victoria Francés [link], Benjamín Lacombe [link], CLAMP [link], Alex Ross and Rebeca Dautremer [link].
How do you choose your models/themes? Are you inspired by something in particular or it all comes from your imagination?
The themes in my mind are always Sadness, Melancholy and Pain, sometimes Terror and Gore as I like to mix blood, tears and darkness, those are the basics for me. I’m a little extremist; I can draw a romantic scene like a Shonen ai or a gore scene depending on my mood.
Most of the time the faces come from my imagination, maybe that’s why they don’t change so much but the details and poses sometimes come from memories of pictures, photos or videos as everything has influence in my perception. Almost always I just like to imagine the entire picture by myself.
Most of the time the faces come from my imagination, maybe that’s why they don’t change so much but the details and poses sometimes come from memories of pictures, photos or videos as everything has influence in my perception. Almost always I just like to imagine the entire picture by myself.
:bigthumb138881720:
What drawn you towards this type of traditional art? How was your first experience with this kind of art and how long ago was it?
The magic of combining “this with that”. I love the liberties that traditional means give me, as opposed to working digitally. Getting dirty, to make mistakes and start all over again and not only press Ctrl Z. To paint even the slightest detail and use almost infinite combinations that you create and think in the moment.
It fascinates me to be able to choose the thickness, type and color of the paper; to measure the exact quantity of water to use and the appropriate strength in each brushstroke. Each of them can mark a difference.
My first experience was when I was 13 years old. I was in high school in dance class but after watching my refusal to dance (I assisted to class with my sports uniform instead of the regulated uniform, which almost caused me to be expelled XD) my professor changed me to a painting class. Today I’m very grateful she did that, she saw a little spark in me and helped me develop it.
It fascinates me to be able to choose the thickness, type and color of the paper; to measure the exact quantity of water to use and the appropriate strength in each brushstroke. Each of them can mark a difference.
My first experience was when I was 13 years old. I was in high school in dance class but after watching my refusal to dance (I assisted to class with my sports uniform instead of the regulated uniform, which almost caused me to be expelled XD) my professor changed me to a painting class. Today I’m very grateful she did that, she saw a little spark in me and helped me develop it.
Is there anything else you would like to add? A few words for your audience and/or other artists, maybe?
I only want to thank you and everyone who reads this interview. Thanks for considering my art something worthy. As for me is life itself.
Thank you, ~yuriko-shirou 
I send you a big Hug and thanks again for the opportunity!
Have a great day!
XD XD XD XD
Runs to watch ~yuriko-shirou