Advanced Photoshop Cover November 2008

Out of the blue I was approached by Advanced Photoshop Magazine to use my image AmalgaMATE II on the cover of issue #49! It's quite an honor for me to be selected.

My work was also featured in the spotlight section of issue 52. I'm happy to know that other artists and art fans can now see my work in print form and I almost enjoy seeing my work featured in a magazine as much as I love playing blackjack! Hopefully, those who are seeing my work for the first time will be inspired by what they see.

COPY: MichaelO is the artist responsible for Advanced Photoshop 48's stunning cover, so we had to get him in to find out more about his inspiration and techniques.

MichaelO is an American freelance artist who describes art as his life, a passion that is instilled in every part of his being: “I see art everywhere, in everything, and I have a constant need to capture it and put it down on paper – or in my case, onto a computer screen.” He says that he has always been an artist, studying a mix of traditional arts at a young age. “I believe that skill in art is something I was born with. A God given talent. With that talent comes the responsibility to use it to the best of my ability, with reverence and humility so that my work, which will last beyond my years, will leave a legacy that mirrors my respect for the gift I was given.

He later made the transition to creating art digitally, drawing on the skills he developed as a traditional artist. Nowadays, he describes his art as a merge between digital painting and photomanipulation, and all the work displayed over these two pages use photography as a base: ”I paint over the image with a variety of effects, including many Photoshop tricks and techniques. All of my work is created in Photoshop, although I occasionally integrate work from other programs, such as ArtRage, 3ds Max and Poser.”

He does take on freelance commissions, but he prefers his personal work: “I feel that my best work is the imagery that I have created on my own without compensation, simply for the love of it. That is where I can express myself without worrying if the client will like it or if I can meet the deadline. This work has its own reward, worth more to me than money.”

In 2009, MichaelO will spend his time completing his book, a portfolio of work created over the last three years, as well as biographical information, his views on digital art and an insight into his techniques. This is sure to help inspire future artists, something that is important to MichaelO. “I try to create imagery that will inspire others. To hear someone say that my work has inspired them in some way is a great feeling, and over time that has become my number one goal.”