Interview with Artist Ylieke by firstamazon

Ylieke is a self-taught artist who has caught the eye of Tolkien fans for her detailed and emotional portraits of renowned characters such as Fëanor, Fingolfin (this interviewer’s favorite ones!), and Melkor, one of her personal challenges when it comes to drawing. Influenced by artistic movements such as Impressionism and Realism—which can be seen reflected in her strokes and delicate play with light—Ylieke’s digital art has captured moments of great importance in Tolkien’s legendarium. An avid reader of fanfiction as much as a fan artist, her contributions are the sort we cannot easily forget.

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How long have you been creating fanart? What fandoms do you create for and do you create art outside of fandom?

A little over a year, I think. As soon as I started painting consistently in general. It used to create for different fandoms, around five favorite IPs. It’s just lately I really did not want to leave Middle-earth.

I also do a lot of commission work and also sometimes do art for a startup company I’ve been with for a while now.

What got you started with making Tolkien fanart?

I saw Phobs Silmarillion fanart several years ago and got absolutely obsessed. Could not get enough of it. At that time I could not draw or paint, so I had to study to fulfill my obsession. :D

Who or what are your favourite subjects to make fanart of?

Oh, this is definitely Melkor. At the same time, he is the hardest to capture. I rarely can pull it off and hardly ever feel satisfied with the result, so I had to diversify to include the Elves.

What are the main theme/s of your fanart? Or does it vary?

Storytelling-wise I go for drama or conflict most of all, hardship and horror even. The more striking the trials and tribulations are, the more fascinating it is to paint them. Just like a book where the characters are facing challenges is a more exciting read then a book where everyone remains happy and untroubled throughout three hundred pages. 

Do you also write fanfiction? Does fanfiction inspire your art, or do you prefer to work with canon sources?

I do not write myself, but I absolutely see the scenes described by others before my eyes vividly, as if they were movie frames (though there is a caveat to that I will mention).

Fanfiction absolutely plays a role in my art. The only problem is I too easily swoon over it, while picking the most gruesome stories sometimes. So I really had to limit it, otherwise I would be constantly distress-painting some really disturbing images.

Do you have any formal training?

I’ve been attending an art studio once a week for almost two years while working a regular job, attending life-drawing sessions, and taking some digital painting classes online.

Do you plan each piece before you start? If so, how much research do you do? For example, do you use photos or other art for reference? Do you usually stick to your original idea, or do you find the work ends up directing you?

It really depends. Sometimes I have ideas stewing for weeks before I start with them; sometimes they are born when I’ve already started sketching for a new piece. I do like an hour of research after I get the initial idea. I want to see how other artists have solved this “problem” before me. For example, how would they position enemies in front of each other, how would they depict lovers? 90% of the time I stick to the chosen theme, but very often change composition, so it does not look like my original vision. Mostly it happens because my mind is tricky and obscures important details that end up not working on the canvas.

Do you prefer to work in a series, or does each piece stand alone? (Or a bit of both?)

Sequences of illustrations seem to be so much more exciting, episodes of a single story shown to the viewer to see how the story develops and characters are changing under circumstances.

In your own art, what is your favourite genre, style, medium, material, and/or technique, etc.?

Impressionists and some realists, especially American 20th-century illustrators are a big inspiration for me: Richard Schmidt, Morgan Westling, Frank Frazetta, etc. Digital is a go-to medium for me, as it allows for very fast iterations and corrections. Weeks of the traditional way of doing things could be compressed into hours with it.

How do you develop your art skills and has your style evolved since you first started creating art?

Apart from painting almost every day, I have a closer look at the masters' works and try to emulate how they would paint different details (hair, cloth, jewelry), how they would use colour and light, and how they design characters too.

My hand has gotten sort of stronger, so my strokes are more broad and confident now. Also, I’ve narrowed from trying different methods and styles (line art, smooth comic art, or alla prima approach) down to one way of doing things.

Any new skills that you would like to learn?

Oh yes, more traditional drawing on canvas with an experienced teacher is something I want to do very badly.

How long do you tend to spend on a piece? Do you like to create something within a few hours or a day, or do you like to work on things over an extended period of time?

One piece usually takes from two to fifteen hours to produce. And I really don’t like to stretch the work out. It is really a misconception that the longer you sit in front of it, the better it’ll come out; it really won’t. The best way to improve is to go through the whole process over and over again. Each piece is 0.01% of your XP in gaming terms. If you want to be a master, you really need this Level 90.

A late morning start with my workout and household chores routine works for me. So I start around 11-12 AM, when I am still fresh and full of energy.

Do you have any unusual or impossible-to-resist "arting" habits?

When the task is mechanical and does not require much cognitive effort (for example rendering), I really like to watch (or rather listen to) some TV shows on the second screen. 

Sometimes I rewatch things. The "second screen" means I have two computer screens mounted on my desk, and I use one-and-a-half of them to work with a little movie playing tucked somewhere in the corner. And I also watch literally everything, from dramas and thrillers to high fantasy and horror.

How does receiving or not receiving feedback or support impact you?

Oh, the love I get from the viewers means A LOT. I do not believe there is an artist out there who would answer differently, saying that they spoil their eyes in front of the screen, tolerate back pain to do very repetitive tasks just to enjoy the process of creation. Oh no. If I had all the time in the world I would paint for myself maybe once a month, slowly honing my skills for the sake of it. Presently I create 2 or 3 illustrations a week, because it is my job. And when people are saying they like what I do, it makes me grow wings really. Each and every comment. When there is little response—oh well, that means I’ve hit a really niche interest with my current work, which I do sometimes. But I am lucky in terms of my artistic interests, which are pretty much in line with what people like, because I am not different from everybody else in things I enjoy.

I also like constructive criticism, and I always listen to it. It is ALWAYS relevant, unless it is a straight-up personal insult. I always look for things people have mentioned and there is always merit to it.

Is there anything in particular that drives your creative process?

Yes! New experience always promotes the desire to paint. Both bad and good ones.

Who or what is your muse? Where do you get inspiration and motivation from? And if you're not feeling it, what do you do to nudge the muse and get your motivation going and inspiration flowing again?

Haha. Currently my muse is my closest friend, a very creative and interesting person who gives me a lot of food for thought and imagination with the stories they come up with. Though regardless of ideas I still work regularly without looking for inspiration, which usually comes some time after you actually sit and start working. Though there are times when you just can’t deliver, and then I take a break for a couple of days. Usually my mojo is restored after. This is why I prefer working with individual customers rather than corporate ones. The latter need you to churn out something on a regular basis regardless.

Are there any particular artists who've influenced your work — inside or outside of Tolkien fandom?

Yes. I love Krabat and Phobs, when we are talking fandom. Both very different, but so inspiring. They inspire me in a way that really makes my heart go faster, but art-wise, when we are talking about artists to admire, these are Roberto Ferri and Yuliya Litvinova. I look at their work every day, like a millionaire wannabe reading a Jeff Bezos book regularly.

Why do you make art? How does your work reflect your values and beliefs?

I can’t do anything else. Everything else I was doing before made me question my choices, as well as life goals. I did not see the point of it all, though I was working jobs many would consider worthwhile, like conservation NGOs and research. Art makes me feel accomplished like nothing before could. Eventually art helped me to lead the life I like, with the pace I like, though I do not think I shall stop what I am doing now.

I believe art is designed to make us feel the feels. Otherwise, it is not a good art. I do not like abstract art because of it. It is very much like a horoscope—so vague and obscure that people find things they’ve put there themselves. It works for other art too, but not as obnoxiously. Artist is a cypher, viewer is a code cracker that uses their experience as a key, though in my case I am putting very intentional ideas into my strokes.

What are some of the challenges you face as an artist and how do you overcome them?

Sometimes illustrations just don’t come out as they were envisioned. The best course of action in this case is to finalize the work as well as you can and move on. The next work will be 0.001% better.

What do you think is your biggest strength, and what aspects would you like to improve?

I am good at seeing and translating form onto canvas, I have been good at it since a very young age, just like my sister, so it is a very much an in-born quality. I am not so good at drawing emotions (too afraid of distorting the faces or bodies of my characters, so they would look unattractive) and in composition with more than two characters. Fun fact: when I started, I could only make one character look good, so I stuck to that: portraits and single-person illustrations. As of late, almost all of my works have two characters and interactions are complex too; it makes me hopeful that soon I will be able to pull off three or more elements in one image! Practice, practice, practice.

What is the most impactful thing you've learned through creating and sharing your fanart?

That people in general enjoy seeing nice and hopeful art rather than cruelty or malice. Even sex “sells” worse than the love and compassion characters are showing. It makes me really believe in humanity, honestly, even if it sounds naive.

What is the most rewarding thing for you in being a fanartist?

It is very rewarding to see people sharing your crazy ideas, voting for your AUs and designs. 

Do you have any advice for aspiring artists?

I really don’t know what to say. I am afraid AI is going to take jobs—it is a fact—so as a money-earning career it might not be an option, but I am hopeful that people will still prefer seeing art produced by other people, though corporations won’t see it this way. And as a side activity, art will just take too much time, if you want to achieve good results. It is pretty much like professional sport. So ... I don’t know. People must create; if machines will create for us we are pretty much done as a species, I think. Not dying out, but we will be something else. 

What has been your favourite piece or project to work on, and what made it stand out for you?

The Silmarillion fanfic I am illustrating right now. It makes my juices flow. It just has an amazing perspective on things of the Tolkien world and inspection of characters' minds and souls.

Do you have any upcoming projects that we can look forward to?

Yes! I want to issue an illustrated book. It is going to be an illustrated Silmarillion fanfic, heavily illustrated. I plan on each page spread having an illustration. The total number of pages is still to be determined, but it will probably end up under a hundred pages. The fic is being written at the moment, but I have 10% of the illustrations for it already. I really hope the community will like it, but even if it won’t, there will be a lesson to learn from it.

What do you hope viewers take away from your work?

How tragic some of the events of The Silmarillion were. The author really glossed over some very dark themes, which I missed on the first read. All the drama of people thrown into the events, deceit and betrayal, horrible battles, real meat grinders, that occurred on the fields of the North, personal tragedies and loss. The Silmarillion is a really rich book, written by an exceedingly smart person who knew how to pack things into his stories.

Do you like listening to music while you work? What kind? 

I listen to hard rock sometimes. Lately I discovered Aviators. It is a single person making all of the music, so talented.

What things do you like doing when you're not making art?

I like being interested in the world around me. This involves everything: reading about politics, talking to people, attending events, or reading. Everything that broadens my horizons really and provides new experience.

If you could spend a day with any Tolkien character(s) or Tolkien fandom OC(s), who would you choose to be with? Where or when would it be and what would you do?

That would probably be Manwë. I would spend the whole day next to him, trying to take in as much godly grace, tranquility, and kindness as possible. I find him the most comforting of characters, someone to make everyone around him better (yes, apart from some pitfalls of his politics). Being in Aman in general would be a time to remember.