Master Thesis Project
Demographics/ General Information about their job
1. Could you please introduce yourself?
My name is Fil Dunsky. I'm freelance illustrator drawing advertising, web & any other digital illustrations for famous brands and biggest advertising agencies worldwide.
2. Where are you from, and where are you located now? If these are two different places.
I am from the Far East originally. I live in Bangalore now.
3. What is your highest level of education? (level of education/degrees/other specific training)
Master degree in Graphic Design. Studied design & fine arts in DVGGU.
4. Could you tell a little about your work?
a. If you work as a freelancer or as part of some SME team.
Most of the time I am working as a freelance illustrator. Sometimes I join teams for big projects with great copywriters, art buyers and art directors and so on... but anyways I am always stays free and open to new orders. Usually I can manage up to 5 different orders at a time. Some of them may be at sketching phase, some are waiting for approval and clients comments and some are coloring...
In addition I am working as Subject Matter Expert at eSteem team. Creating some user interface designs and illustrations for social application & wallet based on Steem blockchain: eSteem Mobile & eSteem Surfer applications.
b. What is your current position?
- Freelance illustrator
- Product Lead & CMO @ eSteem
c. How long have you been worked as a freelancer / in that company?
I am working as a freelance illustrator for last 12 years & working as a part of eSteem team for 2 years.
Work Processes / Value Chain AND Information and Communication Technology
5. What are the common processes necessary to execute your main work activity? (Maybe, an example will be provided)
Well, basically I got different tasks from my clients. Every time they order character designs or illustrations but some clients knows very well what they need. Some of them even have sketches or some visual schemes done. Another don't really know and allow me to think of ideas on my own and start from scratch. Common activities are ideas generation, pencil sketch drawings, color drawings in Adobe Photoshop.
6. Thinking about the processes that you just mentioned, in which of them do you see the creativity is necessary as a resource?
a. Is there some process that cannot be executed without applying your creativity?
In every working stage it is necessary. Even if my client knows what is needed very well, anyway without creativity from my side it can not be achieved. Otherwise it will all look same. You need creativity to imagine ideas, to create sketches, to choose colors, to make shapes, add depth, lights and shades and so on.
7. Could you mention some of the digital tools that you use to support your work tasks?
a. Software / Hardware
Adobe Photoshop (Windows/Mac OS), Procreate (iOS). / Macbook Pro with Wacom Intuos Pro tablet or Microsoft Surface Pro 2017 tablet or iPad Pro with Apple Pencil.
b. Online communities / Social network / Portfolio network
Behance.net
Dribbble
Instagram
Facebook
ArtStation
c. Resource websites / Inspirational websites
8. Do you think some processes of your work could not be executed without the digital tools you mentioned or without Internet?
Yes, I am using Internet to check similar ideas and works, to inspire myself. I am making researches there daily based on the theme of my current work collecting a lot of visual information.
In my particular case illustration and character design finals can not be done without applications like Adobe Photoshop and graphic tablet at all because it's much faster to do it using computer and current world is so fast. Clients expect me to deliver everything on time.
Creative Process / Creative Value
9. Do you have some strategy or routine to stimulates your creative for work?
For me to start simulating creative process it's very necessary to watch for something beautiful. Some similar projects/illustrations or character designs somone else created or even my own works I've done in past which I still like to refer to. I get inspiration boost when I see some cool things and I realise I could try doing better or at least something as cool as other great artists.
a. Describe your creation process?
So I check internet, Google or better Pinterest for particular theme I am working on. It could be ideas, interesting shapes, colors or anything else. Suppose I need to create a duck character then I search for all kind of ducks (photos, drawings, illustrations and sketches). Then I am starting my own pencil sketches on paper. Ideas and sketches are most important and hard. Coloring part is just a technical thing and usually it needs less inspiration and takes less time in my case since I have my own pretty distinct style and I am working in that style only for now.
10. What do you usually do in a day when you do not feel inspired to perform tasks that involve a higher level of creativity? Even after some specific routine or strategy?
If my sketches are not coming good then I am trying to change place of work. To go to a cafe or park, forest... Drawing there might help. Sometimes just walking around the street for a while may help.
One of the biggest boost usually could be achieved by meditation and breathing techniques in my case. During and after yoga practice I feel so calm and contented, there are less thoughts and it's easier to focus the mind on any task, mind becomes sharper. Sometimes some insights comes during the practice.
Sometimes I am just relaxing drawing what I want to draw. Creating personal projects without any tasks, deadlines, control, comments and payment. But luckily these works could be sold in future.
11. Do you use some digital tool or digital environment to stimulate your creativity?
Or even that some of them are part of your creative process?
Well... only in the sense of community. When I am watching how others works or what other people created. Internet is a big digital exhibition these days.
Community Interaction – Physical and Digital
12. Do you feel that the physical community in your actual location bring some advantages to your work? And also, the main disadvantages?
Yes, it brings more inspiration meeting someone in person and sketching together or just chatting about work but I am not interacting with local community so often. I get it all more from internet worldwide.
a. If you have moved from your original country or region, does your current physical location have more advantages to offering work than your original one?
I've moved from my hometown by almost 9000 km away to Saint Petersburg but nothing changed at all. In Khabarovsk I've worked with famous brands and big advertising agencies from all over the world and in Saint Petersburg I've continued doing so. The only shift was 7 hours difference timezone but this does not really important in my case.
13. In your field, which are the main advantages of being part of some online community or share your work in some social network? And also, the main disadvantages?
I can grow faster with this. I am able to do my own exhibitions daily if I need and I can get valuable feedback from people both from art field and from others who are not up into arts. Since I am trying to make my work look nice and attractive for masses this is very important for me to understand if I am moving in right direction or not. Using social networks and online communities is very helpful for that.
Main disadvatnage is NDA with my clients. I am creating something beautiful and unique which is very actual for now and I am so in need to show it to people now but I have to wait when the product will be released so often I have to show outdated works which are less attractive for me because time goes and I am growing and changing with time and I believe my works are same as they are part of myself.
a. Do you feel that your work has ever been underestimated or underpaid having as a reason your interactions in online communities and social network?
Nope.
Copyright / Legislation
14. Have you been at any time afraid that your work exposure online could be harmful to your work?
No. I even believe that if Chinese people will steal my works and print them on mugs and notebooks this will help to spread my art to masses and this is the sign of success.
a. Has your work been any time used without your permission?
Yes. Many times in China and few times in Russia as well. Maybe in other places also which I am not aware of.
b. Are you aware of some coworker or friend that had any problem in this sense?
I don't know anyone who had some problems with that. I believe only our clients may suffer out of this. But this things could be settled using courts.
15. Are you aware of the copyright regulations in your region/country/domain of work?
Yes.
a. Do you think they are sufficient to protect your work from unauthorized use by third parties?
I don't know but at least I believe in that :)
b. What do you think could be improved in the actual regulation to support your work?
Would be amazing to have sort of official copyright blockchain where people could register their works and then automatically claim copyright issues using that system. I know these days some sort of these bloackchains started to appear but it will take a lot of time to adapt it to masses and to make it official on country level.
Thank you for your participation in this research!
Thank you so much for inviting me. This was very helpful to myself because I was able to understand myself better while answering these questions and I hope this will be helpful for anyone else.