The Dark View of Cameron Hampton

A few days before I discovered the artwork of the artist Cameron Hampton. Could I describe that I saw? Many words come to my mind: gloomy, sadness, solitude, darkness. Enter to the Cameron Hampton´s world is an oniric and disturbing experience. Her strokes are violent and looks like her paintings were bleeding. She loves use pastel but also include in her artworks pieces of old pictures and ancient images to lend her works the meaning of nightmares. Let’s going to know more about her:

Innerview: Could you tell us about yourself?

Cameron: I was born in Atlanta, Georgia. I moved around a lot when I was a kid so I got to see a lot of the southern and southwestern United States. The constant changing of my surroundings influenced me greatly. 

My work has been described as dark realism. I use traditional mediums combined with modern mediums to create dire, gritty, macabre and dark imagery. I like to explore the darker side of humanity. I think if we artists can bring the dark side of humanity out into the light then maybe we can understand it more. 
I am a Signature Member of several pastel societies including the Pastel Society of America and a Gold Medal Circle Member of the International Association of Pastel Societies. I attended the Atlanta College of Art, now the Savannah College of Art, and Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York. I have also studied independently in Austria, Slovakia, The Netherlands, Belgium and Hungary.

I own my own gallery, The Hampton Fine Art Gallery in Greensboro, Georgia.

Innerview: When did you know that your way was in the art field? 

Cameron: I originally wanted to be a musician. But I had been drawing seriously since I was nine years old and I kept going with it. Before I knew it I was in college studying sculpting and painting and I had fallen in love with art. It’s always been a part of my life and always will be.

Innerview: In which way your artworks allow the spectator to know (and to get in) your essence?

Cameron: I try to explore the darker side of humanity not only with my subject matter but also with my textures and colors. Textures and colors are paramount to my work. It is my language. When people are viewing my work, I hope they feel it like I did when I created it. 

Innerview: How born Altered?

Cameron: I started creating pictures for Altered, a series about the Jack the Ripper and Whitechapel murders, about two years ago because I have been interested in the case since I was about nine years old. Everything about the case is fascinating to me, the Victorian Era, the gaslight, London, the dark, brooding atmosphere, an unsolved mystery…it’s perfect for any sort of storytelling, especially for pictures! 

Innerview: What do you think about the digital mediums?

Cameron: I LOVE the digital mediums! I think they are just as important as the traditional medium’s. They are another tool for us artists to use.

Innerview: How long does it take to produce one artwork (painting, modeling?

Cameron: It depends on the picture. Some pictures take a long time because I create my own textures which have to be “aged” or they are large works that require many hours of work. But most pictures, especially illustrations, are done in about a day. I usually know what I want and it is just a matter of doing it.

Innerview: Which part of producing these artworks do you enjoy doing the most?

Cameron: There are several parts to producing artworks that I like. First, before I begin there is a lot of research. Then, I like the sketching out of the image. It’s always exciting to start a new painting or illustration! The next part I like is the coming together part of creating a picture. That moment when I’ve done my preparation work, hard work and it all comes together well. 

Innerview: We saw in your webpage you use various techniques so what is your favorite one?  

Cameron: I love pastels. Pastels are my favorite medium. But I also enjoy combining the traditional mediums like pastels and charcoal with the new digital medium's. The two blend beautifully together.

Innerview: How do you get your inspiration?

Cameron: I get inspiration from everywhere! Inspiration comes easily to me because everything has life in it. 

Innerview: How is a day in your life?

Cameron: I don’t have a routine for working. I don’t have set hours. Sometimes I work only a few hours a day and other times I work twelve to fourteen hours a day. I am part Native American. We believe it is unnatural to live and work on a schedule. 

Innerview: Any advice to the aspiring artist?

Don’t give up! Always keep working no matter what difficulties come your way. Practice your craft. Educate yourself. Have an open mind and heart. 


If you have anything that you need from me, don't hesitate to ask.

Innerview: Thank you so much for the interview Cameron. 

Please visit Cameron´s webpage in: 

http://www.artistcameronhampton.com/

Altered´s  blog

http://a-l-t-e-r-e-d.blogspot.com/

And to buy the Altered graphic novel:

http://www.blurb.com/books/2905313

Inside James Lynch

I knew James not much time before. About a year ago.  However, first  at all I was attracted because his kindness and his great pleasure for helping inexperienced artist (writers, pencilers, inkers, colorists and so on)to find a opportunity in the comic book´s world and to create chances for the formation of professional and friendly ties between them. James is a very busy man but he gifts us some of his time to answer out questions:

No hace mucho tiempo conocí a James Lynch. Hará cosa de un año. Sin embargo me atrajo, primeramente y antes que anda, la gran amabilidad y el gusto que tiene por ayudar a artistas noveles (escritores, dibujantes, ilustradores, entintadores, coloristas) a encontrar una oportunidad en el mundo del comic book y a crear oportunidades para la formación de vínculos profesionales (y amistosos) entre los mismos. James es un hombre muy ocupado que nos regaló algunos momentos para responder nuestras preguntas:

Innerview: Hi James! Could we know the way begins Wonderfunders?

Innerview: Hola James ¿sería posible conocer de qué manera comenzó Wonderfunders?

     James: It came about when myself, Phil Woodward, and Robert graham were having a conversation on the Connecting Comic book Writers and Artists group here on Facebook  so we thought It seemed a worthwhile endeavor to support the independent community with free tools, education, and a supportive environment

James: Comenzó cuando Phil Woodward, Robert Graham y yo tuvimos una conversación en el grupo de Facebook: Connecting Comic book Writers and Artists. Así que pensamos que valía la pena apoyar a la comunidad independiente con herramientas gratuitas, educación y un entorno de apoyo en general

 Innerview: When start the liking for the comic books?

Innerview: ¿Cuándo comenzó el gusto por los comic books?

James: I remember being 6 or 7 years old and trudging through the snows of winter and the stickiness of hot Long Island summers to spend my allowance on them. I loved them instantly and completely. If the truth be told I think I learned to read as much by reading comic books as I did by attending school.
 More or less thirty after my 15 year old nephew Thomas came to live with my wife and me. My stepchildren were all grown and at school. We had not had a kid living with us for a couple of years. Thomas loved comic books as much as I did (and do)! I had heard of a game called City of Heroes being launched earlier that year. It seemed to be something that Thomas and I might do together. We loved it right away but Thomas suddenly developed hormones! My Gaming buddy was too busy to play with me anymore. I sullenly kept playing, but my heart wasn’t in it like it had been.
Some years later I am invited to become a Member of The Omega Factor super group on the Pinnacle server. I laughed almost daily with my virtual reality friends. Some of them were game experts, some were comedians. Some were encyclopedias of comic book lore, gaming, sci-fi, fantasy, and pop culture as it related to these topics. Most were a little bit of all of these things. I had found a home. I came to gradually understand that although I had never met a single one of them face to face that I genuinely cared about them. I had met them virtually, but they were real friends.
 None of us had or has a bunch of money (life can be so cruel!). I got to thinking that there had to be a way to fund our mutual favorite pastime. What could we do to help us come up with communal scratch for things like the Ventrilo server we used, the Super group forums? I thought about a memorial car wash, Cookie Sales? Nope! but  What if we pooled our talents to produce a few comic book titles? Hey, that sounds interesting! Some of us can write. Some of us can draw. Ink. Letter!! Color!!! Edit!!!! print!!!!! License Toys!!!!! Script!!!! Cast!!! Sell out!!!!?
I started to read everything I could about the industry. Really liking comic books and thinking you can easily master them is a bit like enjoying fine food and thinking that you can instantly become a gourmet chef. It will take training, work and study. Dedication and commitment to excellence will probably need to come in to play as well

We will tell stories in new ways. We will create new images that will expand the mind and feed the soul. We will create the new fables of our times and keep it entertaining.
We also hope to sell some comic books

James: Recuerdo que tenía seis o siete años y caminaba a través de la nieve, en invierno o  el calor pegajoso del verano en Long Island para gastar mi mesada en comics. Comencé a amarlos de forma instantánea y completa. Si he de ser honesto pienso que aprendí a leer gracias a los comic books que yendo a la escuela

Más o menos treinta años después vino a vivir con mi esposa y conmigo mi sobrino Thomas. Mi hija adoptiva se había marchado a la universidad  y hacia un par de años que no teníamos a un niño viviendo con nosotros. Thomas amaba los comics tanto como yo.

Había escuchado que a principios de ese año iba a ser lanzado un videojuego llamado: City of Heroes. Parecía ser algo que Thomas y yo podríamos hacer juntos. Amábamos ese juego pero súbitamente las hormonas se desarrollaron en mi sobrino y de pronto mi compañero de juegos estuvo todo el tiempo ocupado como para jugar conmigo. De mala gana continúe jugando pero mi corazón dejo de ser como antes.

Algunos años más adelante fui invitado a pertenecer al grupo  The Omega Factor en el servidor Pinnacle. Reía todos los días con mis amigos virtuales: algunos de ellos eran expertos en juegos, otros eran muy cómicos, había algunos que parecían enciclopedias del mundo del comic book, los videojuegos,  la ciencia ficción. Muchos eran un poco de todo. Había encontrado un hogar y poco a poco comencé a darme cuenta que no había conocido a uno solo personalmente, sin embargo, sentía un genuino interés en ellos. Los había conocido de forma virtual pero éramos amigos reales.

Ninguno de nosotros tenia (o tiene) mucho dinero. Pensé que tenía que haber una manera de mantener vivo nuestro pasatiempo ¿Cómo podríamos pagar el servidor que utilizábamos para los foros y demás cosas necesitábamos? Pensé en lavar carros  o en vender galletas, pero no ¿y si hacíamos un fondo común con nuestros talentos para producir algunos comics? Alguno podría dibujar, otro entintar, otro escribir.

Comencé leyendo todo lo que podía acerca de la industria. Gustarte los comics y creer que fácilmente puedes volverte un maestro en ese campo es como degustar un buen platillo y pensar que instantáneamente puedes convertirte en un chef gourmet. Tomaría entrenamiento, tiempo y estudio. Dedicación y compromiso serán necesarios para hacerlo bien.

Nosotros contaremos historias de nuevas maneras. Crearemos imágenes que expandan la mente y alimenten el alma. Crearemos las nueva fabulas de nuestros tiempos y mantendremos entreteniendo pero también esperamos vender algunos comics.

 Innerview: We think we live the same things as you James. We agree with your ideals and we wish you luck. It was a pleasure talk with you and we thank to you the time you gift us and the hard (and continuous) fighting for stimulate the independent comic book.

Please visit Wonderfunders in:
 http://wonderfunders.com/

and don´t forget to buy the anthology in:
http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=11932&products_id=7351&osCsid=sa15up4v6lea01f6ipiabllj41

Innerview: Creo que a muchos de nosotros nos pasó de la misma forma James. Coincidimos con tus ideales y te deseamos suerte. Fue un placer conversar contigo y agradecemos el tiempo que nos regalaste y la lucha ardua y continua para promover el comic independientePor favor  visiten Wonderfunders:  

http://wonderfunders.com/

Y compren la antología:

http://indyplanet.com/store/product_info.php?manufacturers_id=11932&products_id=7351&osCsid=sa15up4v6lea01f6ipiabllj41