It’s time again for FREE CONTENT FRIDAY and we are pleased to publish a full interview we’ve had with Melissa Krauss  who has been involved with the internet from the beginning. Her specialty has been creating artwork that features well defined and striking female characters. Her artwork influences include text based role-playing games and the natural environment of the forest.

After you’ve read the interview, let us know how you liked it and please share this interview with others using the social media share buttons at the end of the article

3DAD: You’ve mentioned in your last post on Deviant Art that you’ve been on-line since the Beginning of the internet! Did you start posting your digital art very early on in the internet’s history?

No, I did not, I was busy with writing and bulletin boards (now known as forums). Digital artwork was not even in the picture for me at that time.

3DAD: What were some of the earliest influences for your artwork? Was much it from RPG?

RPG was definitely a strong influence, and books. The forest has always had a great deal of influence on my artwork too.

3DAD: Did you work with paints or photography before going digital? What were the earliest tools you used to create your images. Were you surprised at what you could achieve even back then with digital paint tools?

No. Before 3D I had never created artwork other than the drawings of horses I made when I was a child. 3D became a way for me to bring some of the visions in my head to life.

3DAD: Did you have any early “breakthrough” images that you posted where you suddenly received more than expected feedback?

Yes, there were a couple, “Conjuring Magic” and “Freedom” are two that come to mind.

3DAD: Your artwork is very much character based. Do you tend to create a backstory of those characters for the images you create?

Usually not, no. Most of the time I make a character image based upon my perception of how someone might react in that particular situation. Or how they might look, their facial expression, stance, etc.

3DAD: It’s great to see many well defined female characters in your work, have you helped inspire other women in digital art because of this?

I truly hope so. You see so many female characters in stereo-typical fantasy art settings, but so few with true depth.

3DAD: You have a category of “angels” in your Deviant art gallery with some fantastic imagary– what’s the influence in creating so many angel figures?

I have always been a spiritual person, but not particularly religious. Angels, specifically archangels, are one of the mystical creatures that fascinate me. I have heard them described as both terrible and beautiful, having envisioned them that way myself.  That is such an elusive, ethereal combination to try and capture in an image. I feel as if I never quite capture it, so I feel compelled to keep trying. I feel that the closest I have come to that is with “Heaven’s Spear”.

Specific artwork questions:-

 

Remnants of a Dream

 

“Remnants of a Dream”

 

This is striking angel figure in a stony courtyard, with great grey toning. How did this image come about – was it a remnant from one of your own dreams?

I wanted to make an angel in a context that people could relate to a bit more, as opposed to the warrior visions of my angels.

 

Heaven's Shield

The series of “Heavens Spear”, “Heavens Bow”, “Heavens Sword”.

What made you decide to do a series here? Was it wanting to explore this Poser character with the given armor clothing?

I have always had this vision of archangels as quietly powerful, a being both terrible and beautiful, majestic in the fullest sense of the word. The series was born because I felt compelled to create archangels as “weapons” that serve heaven, one might say. I felt that particular armor was a perfect choice.

“Untitled warrior commission”

This is a strong image of a female warrior: Tell me about this commissioned work.

The woman who commissioned it saw another similar image of mine, and contacted me about creating her RPG character. She was extremely frustrated by the lack of female warrior images with armor that actually covered most of the body. Having played an RPG warrior myself online for a number of years, I could truly empathize with her.

I am The Warrior

“I am the warrior”

This image has a good pose and a great use of light in it. Were you pleased with the outcome?

Yes I was, though the lighting took forever to get just so on this one.

The Heart of a Knight

“The Heart of a Knight”

This is a good combination of using Poser and Vue, with a great snowy backdrop. Is there a backstory for this character, given the quote that goes with the image?

During my RPG years, I ran an online group, an order of elite RPG warriors. Our writings were very detailed and I insisted on some aspect of realism to it, in order to make it more believable and give our storylines more depth. It was common practice for us to research warriors and battle tactics of the dark ages, medieval times, etc. The more I learned about knights, the more I realized how much they had been romanticized. The truth was much darker, and far less noble. Even so, there always was and always will be idealists, and this image represents the ideal of what a true knight should be. Noble but not arrogant. Courageous and smart. Strong and merciful. Someone who can indeed think swiftly on their feet.

Primal

“Primal”

This is one of my favourites. It has a compelling pose and tells a story straight away. Tell me about how you created this image and any story that this image portrays.

I was walking my dog one day and my mind wandered, as it usually does when we walk in the woods. I thought about what it might have been like, back in ancient times, if Amazon women had actually existed. What would the land have been like? Arid and dry? Jungles? I opted for arid and dry, with a character I felt would have been more on the savage side. A fierce hunter, to be sure. She would have to be, to survive in such a harsh environment.

“The Moment”

This oriental warrior has outstanding colouring, great hair and a nice out of focus background. I notice it’s from a series of oriental warriors you’ve done. What helped you inspire this image?

The martial arts, plain and simple. My son has been in martial arts for 9 years, so it’s often on my mind. It’s such an elegant style of fighting, and movies like “Hero” are part of the inspiration for these images.

Remembering the Brave

“Remembering the Brave”

You’ve mentioned that this was an image you reworked, which you rarely do? Is this one of your favourites – what inspired you to make this image?

Yes, this is one of my personal favorites. The inspiration for this image came from two sources; the brave people that lay their lives on the line to protect the rest of us. And from my father, one of the strongest, bravest people I have ever known.

3DAD: What hardware and software are you using now? Is it enough for the job!?

I use a Dell Inspirion, but I would like to get a larger, more powerful computer. I’m a bit limited by my current system. Software wise I mainly use Poser Pro 2010, Vue 7.5. On occasion I might go to Bryce or Carrara, but rarely.

3DAD: What’s one of the greatest challenges you’ve had in creating your art and how did you overcome it?

To be honest, creating the art itself has been one of the greatest challenges for me. Learning the ins and outs of all the programs, learning the postwork, the composition of the images, everything about it was a HUGE challenge. I never imagined 10 years ago I could do any of this.

3DAD: What’s your favourite postwork software tool or function at the moment and why?

I use Photoshop for all my postwork. I’m very comfortable with it, and I feel it is a very versatile tool.

3DAD: Which other digital artists inspire you the most?

Luis Royo
Marta Dahlig
Cris Ortega
Stefan Morrell
Dominic Davison

3DAD: What three tips would you give to those who are just starting out with 3D digital art?

Do not assume that 3D art is created quickly.

It takes patience, passion and persistence to learn the programs and create the art.

Study the images of the old masters, there is so much to be learned from them!