Ileana's artwork overflows with imagery and symbolism culled from her South American roots. Born in Venezuela and raised in the lush beauty of the Caribbean, her pieces are dynamic and colorful, combining a traditional style with modern elements. With the advent of digital drawing and imaging technology, Ileana has found the perfect medium in which to combine her fine arts and photography training into a unique visual interpretation. She has exhibited and sold her pieces in Venezuela, Hawaii, and California, and she was recently awarded a Finalist position in the MacWorld Expo 2002 Digital Art Contest. Some of her clients include the government of the City of Caracas, Xerox Corporation, and United Digital Artists.
Ileana lives in Laguna Beach, California, along with her husband, two rambunctious little dogs, and a very tolerant cat.
Q: How do you categorize the type of artist you are and the type of art you create? Or do you?
A: To me, the word "artist" describes a state of being. As such, it is associated with "body and soul" instead of the particular tool that the artist chooses to express his or herself. Presently, I prefer the digital medium as the best way to realize my artistic potential, and I use the term "digital artist" to market my current work. However, I would like to think that this term only defines what I am presently doing, and not what I am.
Q: Since you have a traditional media background, why have you gone digital?
A: Mainly because it has opened a world of possibilities that I could only dream of before. With the digital tools available to me, I am able to mix a variety of painting tools, methods and substrates that may have been technically challenging or impossible to integrate successfully in the past. Being "digital" is not circumscribed to the use of a particular tool, for it includes and affects the way we view and utilize traditional media, as well as photography, animation, sculpture and printing, to name a few. Consequently, the artwork is no longer viewed as a fixed imagery, but flexible and dynamic, and able to be expressed in a variety of ways. I find this to be mind-boggling and exciting, and we are only getting started!
Q: How do you market and sell your art? How important is that to you?
A: As a full time artist, my goal is to be able to make a living out of doing what I love. Consequently, finding ways to sell my work is important to me. Marketing is an entirely different realm and requires a lot of work and in-depth research, especially with digital imagery. Creating a strong web presence through my website and other virtual galleries has allowed me to showcase my work and to keep people informed of the latest events and achievements. This exposure has led to wonderful opportunities, such as being showcased in magazines and publications. In addition, I use services such www.artdeadline.com to submit the printed work to selected shows and gallery exhibits.
Q: In terms of selling your art, what has worked? Where have your successes been? Any good success stories you want to share?
A: Visits to my website generate a lot of interest in my work. However, with a few exceptions, it has been my experience that the potential clients are ready to buy only after they have seen the piece in its printed form. I have been told that being in front of a framed piece allows them to appreciate the dimensions and get a better grasp of how it would look in their particular home or space.
Participating in the Sawdust Festival in Laguna Beach was a success story for me since it involved educating a community that had been quite reluctant to accept digital art as a bona fide art form. I wound up as the guest artist that year and was able to sell six prints to a public that I would not have been able to reach otherwise. I noticed that there were a few digital artists participating in this year's show. I would like to think that I might have contributed in some way to a growing acceptance of this medium.
Q: On the flip side, what hasn't worked in selling your art? Any horror stories?
A: Two marketing ventures come to mind. One was my participation in the Art Expo in New York, for which I was not prepared. My "body of work" at the time consisted of a handful of images. The person representing me was well-intentioned, yet he had little knowledge of how to market digitally created artwork. Consequently, he was unable to effectively counter the strong negative perceptions of some gallery owners regarding the digital work. Overall, the significant cost of attending this show (over $3,500) went to my education than to any potential sales. On the up side, I learned the importance of preparedness and readiness for this type of show. I used the negative commentaries received as a way to educate myself and come up with educated responses and useful information. It also left me with a number of framed pieces and printed marketing material that allowed me to be ready to participate in the Sawdust show later that same year.
The other major learning curve came when I decided to invest in the printing of a paper version of my work. In my eagerness to have something ready for the upcoming Sawdust show, I hastily selected a local printer without much deliberation and wound up with a less-than-desirable batch of prints. Most people attending the Art Fair didn't spend a lot of money and seemed more interested in buying the 8x10 canvas proofs used in the demos rather than purchasing a paper print, which was cheaper, yet still priced out of their range. That led me to change my second edition from paper to small canvas prints that I sell at more affordable prices.
Q: Do you self-print your images or use an outside printmaker?
A: The printing of the artwork requires knowledge, expertise and time that I don't have at this point, so, after several trial and errors, I found Dunking Bird Productions, located in New Mexico, and run by JD Jarvis and his wife Myriam Lozada Jarvis. Both JD and Myriam are digital artists and tirelessly promote the digital medium through essays, magazine contributions and exhibits. Over the years we have come to understand each other's work and that has resulted in a great collaborating team.
Q: How do you get your prints looking like what you want?
A: In my case, it is important to have good and effective communication with JD and Myriam, so we exchange e-mails until we have a clear vision of what is expected before we get started.
When I mail the CD, I include a letter-sized version of the image that I have printed on my EPSON 860. This image is used as guideline for the color profile of the final output. JD usually sends from three to five smaller proofs of varying contrast and color, and I choose from these the final settings for the larger prints.
Q: What are the most important hardware and software items you use for creating your art? Any unusual workflows, tips, or tricks you want to share?
A: In terms of hardware, I am a Mac fanatic and currently use a dual 50-MHz Apple G4 and plenty of Ram and hard-disk space (30GB HDD and 1GB RAM) to accommodate my work with ease. I find that having dual monitors (Apple 15-inch Studio Display and Apple 14-inch monitor) helps unclutter the working environment. I also back all my work with a Que! Fire 12x10x32 CD-RW. The image proofs are printed on my EPSON 860 printer.
A Wacom Intuos tablet is an essential part of my work. I prefer a 6x8 size that I find less cumbersome to use than a larger tablet.
I take my digital pictures with a Canon S-10 2.2-megapixel camera that suits me well considering that the images are not used straight, but are heavily manipulated in my work. Since the scanner is the least-necessary piece of hardware in my setup, I have opted for a CanonScan Lido 30.
In terms of software, there are two programs that I could not do without: I use Corel/Procreate Painter [sample in-progress screen shown at right] in the creation of the figures and the application of the final touches. Adobe Photoshop helps me build and organize the background images and prepare the image for printing. I use Genuine Fractals to save a STN version of the work, which helps me change formats and sizes easily and as needed.
Perhaps my most unusual practice is the development of a palette, created through trial and error, with colors that I have learned print a certain way with my EPSON. This by no means is a fool-proof method since it depends on a particular device, but, until I gain a better knowledge of color calibration processes, it helps me pre-visualize the imagery regardless of changes in the monitor and/or light conditions.
Q: What's next for you? How do you see your future with digital printing and imaging?
A: Wow.. the sky is the limit! Every time I attend any of the trade shows my mind expands with new possibilities, so I think I will let the creative door open and allow whatever comes my way, for I am sure that change is inevitable.
Q: Any parting words of advice for those who want to make art digitally?
A: Perhaps the most helpful advice would be to let the artist know that he or she is the best advocate of their work. This is especially true when creating digital work. The knowledge that the artist gains in keeping themselves informed regarding their medium will help represent their art well and dispel any misunderstandings from an establishment that seems reluctant to embrace an art form that is evolving in leaps and bounds. On the marketing side, I recommend that the artist know in advance the type of audience, setting and clientele that they are attracted to, and use this knowledge as a tool for selecting opportunities for the promotion and showcasing of their work.
(All images Copyright © Ileana Frómeta Grillo. All rights reserved.)
CONTACT INFO:
Ileana Frómeta Grillo
120 Wave Street
Laguna Beach, CA 92651
ileana@ileanaspage.com
http://www.ileanaspage.com
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