CARMINE MAGAZINE

Carmine Magazine: How would you describe your style?
Amanda Pearson: I love faces, so faces are always a central part of anything I do. I think that it’s much easier to draw someone into art if your work shows an exceptional understanding of facial structure and expression. While I’m not quite there, I do like to really make sure my faces are beautiful and elegant. Bodies are feminine but often exaggerated, a lot of the time giving nods to [usually warped] underlying skeletal structure and other anatomical concepts.

CM: What things inspire and influence you and your artwork?
AP: Sexuality, beauty, and women; or the sexuality of beautiful women. I like drawing and exaggerating what I find beautiful: lines that flow, curves, colors, and angles. I like to study and accentuate shape and proportion, and am totally inspired by burlesque dancers, models, drag queens, porn stars, and anything that celebrates and glorifies femininity.

CM: Do you listen to music when you create? Describe your perfect creative work environment.
AP: While I like to listen to music, I find that I also really enjoy sitting in a crowded coffee shop or diner and taking in everything around me. I do my best work when I’m around other people who are drawing as well and on the same creative level. I really enjoy competition, and seeing who can come with the most interesting concepts.

What mediums do you work in the most? Why do you use them?
AP: I think I use ink the most. I adore any kind of brush pen because of the line quality and energy you can get out of them, and it is easy to get something that looks like more of a finished piece. I also love pencil because I’m a blending freak and I can amuse myself for hours with nothing but pencils and paper.

CM: Name some of your favorite artists.
AP: First and foremost, Salvador Dali. It’s a cliche choice, but I feel connected to him over any artist or teacher I’ve ever had. I learned to paint by studying his work and experienced real, true inspiration for the first time through his concepts and products. I absolutely love Zak Smith, Joshua Petker, Zito, Genevive Zacconi, and Aubrey Beardsley.

CM: If you could create in another art style what would it be and why?
AP: I love super realism. I don’t have the self control not to exaggerate things, but I love the idea of being able to render so perfectly that it looks like a photograph.

CM: Is art your profession, hobby or obsession?
AP: Drawing is my part time profession (for now), hobby, and obsession. Even if I don’t have adequate drawing materials on me, if I see something that moves me, I’ll draw it in my head or jot down ideas and thoughts evoked to work from later.

Find Amanda’s work at these places online:
mynameisvanity on Livejournal
A. Pearson Art on Myspace
Amanda Pearson on Flickr

Some artwork from Amanda Pearson:

Amanda, her purple hair and her Grease Lightning drawing at Dr. Sketchy’s NY.