Featured Artist Mark DeMent

Digital artist Mark DeMent presents an intriguing and unusual portfolio. Visit his website to see more of his work.

 

 

I am a graphic designer and illustrator working in advertising and design. I have a degree in fine art and I am now expanding my work in fine art as a digital artist.

 

 

For my advertising and design career I’ve had to cultivate a number of looks and ways of working to accommodate client requests. I enjoy exploring different software packages and different looks, but I’ve begun to narrow down the way I work for my fine art. I want to have a painterly feel to the work, but I also want my art to maintain a sense of the digital.

 

 

I use 3D illustration, digital painting, and image editing as the primary means of creating my art. I have been developing a method of unifying all the elements into a work with the feel of a painting.

 

 

I love the work of the classic turn of the century illustrators, NC Wyeth, Arthur Rackham, Maxfield Parrish and especially Edmund Dulac. Their work is very different from one another and I like them all.

 

 

I enjoy working with pattern design, landscapes, abstracts, pieces of stories and zeppelins.

 

 

The zeppelins are a favorite. My grandmother had an old National Geographic with the Hindenburg crash on it’s cover, and I have had an interest in airships ever since.

 

 

I always come back to creating more images with airships. I’ve begun exploring work that has as it’s source one of my favorite notions from a book by illustrator Chris Van Allsberg.

 

 

His book “The Mysteries of Harris Burdick” showed me the power of presenting one frozen moment of a story. How one line or one caption can send the viewer in any direction they want to take it.

 

 

I like the idea of giving the viewer the opportunity to fill in the blanks about my images. Create a bit of fun.

 

 

I enjoy artwork that leads someone to create their own backstory. I find it fun to see if I can create a piece that would cause someone to want to know enough of the surrounding story that they would complete it for themselves. I can see this line of work becoming one where I spend a great deal more time.

 

Want to stay current on cutting edge business articles from Artsy Shark, plus artist features, and an invitation to the next Call for Artists? Click below to sign up for our twice-monthly email. You’ll get all this plus opportunities and special offers that you can’t get anywhere else!