The Artist.
Q: Why do you go by the alias 'Ultraviolet'? Just because it is the name of one of my personal characters. Though i do also have an affinity for purples and violets ^_^
Q: How long have you been drawing? I've been drawing outright, since I was 2, but I first started selling my art when i was 16. My first job was working for a tattoo artist to create flash sheets for him.
Q: Have you won awards or been published? Both. I've been published in several small zines and art collections, as well as won several 1st place awards. I've also won a silver award at the Memphis Brooks Museum of Art.
Q: What inspires you to draw and where do you get your ideas for particular pics? I get inspiration from a lot of things, mostly from the natural world and from music. A lot of the time it's listening to music, it often conjures images in my head, be it the music itself or a lyric. Some times though, it's dreams or even nightmares, as the majority of my characters are inspired by them. Every now and then it's something mundane, like taking a shower and seeing a hair stuck to the side of the bath that's shaped like something interesting XD
Q: Whats the oldest picture you can recall drawing? A pot-bellied, snaggle-toothed dragon inside one of my books. XD Though I am told one of my first drawings was a smiley face in a perfect circle. Of course when I was a toddler, I also tortured my parents by etching witch faces into the wooden furniture!
Q: What media you use and which is your favorite? Ink, graphite, gel-pen, markers, watercolors, watercolor pencils, color pencils, Photoshop CS and Paint Tool SAI. I think I am too much of an art geek to decide on just one fave, but I am having a lot of fun with Paint Tool Sai at the moment.
Q: What is your favorite subject matter to illustrate? I'm sure most folks will think it is furries, but that isn't necessarily true. When i draw for myself I really love drawing demons, angels, satyrs, dragons, big snarly werewolves, and monsters.
Q: How do you do that thing you do, with your art? That would take quite a while to explain, I plan on working on some tutorials in the future
.Q: What do you eat besides fan boys (and girls) XD? Oh, that's all I need to keep fed and happy. ;D
The Creations
Q: What kind of creature is Ultraviolet? She is a species known as the Ukimori. A hybrid between bat (flying fox/Pteropus scapulatus) and heraldic unicorn. The Ukimori were created in a lab by a scientist. All Ukimori are test-tube babies! XD
Q: Why is she named 'Ultraviolet'? Originally she was just a code name, 'No. 6-5'. But the scientist that created her thought that was terribly impersonal and after a particular test during her infancy, he discovered that she had many UV reactive markings. He felt that was a far better identifying code-name.
Q: Does she have, or go by any other names? Yes, her real name is Asha Hira. Her surname was after the scientist who created and took care of her.
Q: What inspired her creation or design? It really wasn't just one thing. Initially it was things like dragons, angels and demons (especially demons). I am fond of the nature of duality and I wanted a character that embodied that. It seemed natural to me to want to combine something that was both dark and light. The two creatures associated with that, for me, are the bat and the unicorn. Bats usually being seen as dark and in myths are often associated with evil. Unicorns on the other hand, are generally associated with the light, good and purity. It just seemed nice to combine two very unlikely creatures.
Q: How much is she like you? We share a few physical attributes I guess, like the things she dressed in and piercings. As far as personality, we have playfulness and flirtyness in common. Of course we both have a strong respect for nature.
Q: What is the purpose of Ukimori? You mean you want to know why they were created? The scientists in Dr. Hira's lab were trying to unlock 'immortality genes' so that they could apply them to mortals for things like longer life-spans or to nullify the damage of various diseases. Ultraviolet was the first surviving success.
Q: Are there other Ukimori and if so, how many? There are six. UV is the only female. The other five are Nox, Neru, Kazzih, Dohminus, and Naggath. Out of them only one of them shares any genes with UV (a half-brother), and that is Nox.
Q: What is Shi'Imora and how big is it? Shi'Imora refers to the world in which all the characters and creatures I create inhabit. It shares some similarities with many of Earth's biomes, however it probably shares more similarities with Jupiter. It is a very similar in size to Jupiter and even has several (well, OK three) moons and a ring that encircles it. The Planet itself is alive, thinking, feeling, and is able to communicate with some of the inhabitants that live upon 'her'. Shi'Imora is actually a planet imbued with the essence of a very ancient deity.
Q: What is the large symbol on the opening page of your website? It's called the Immana. It is an ancient Shi'Imoran symbol, which symbolizes the divine. Its meaning is that of immortality through creativity, individuality and passion.
Q: What about all the other symbols? Those are from the ancient Shi'Imoran Alphabet.
Art Usage, Commissions & Other Questions.
Q: Can I store your art on my computer or laptop? Of course you can, you should be able to enjoy them offline as well.
Q: Could I post your art on my web page? You can, but please or email or note me first and tell me where and how it is going to be used. Also they must not be altered or re-sized in any way, the URL on the image is still there, and any watermarks or signatures still readable. It's unlikely, but if I do not like how the image is going to be used, I may decline its use. In that instance, please respect my wishes and do not post without permission. <3
Q: What about posting on sites like fchan, 4chan, lulz.net or any other chans out there? I really don't mind as long as the url on the image is readable and the image hasn't been altered. I say, go for it!
Q: How about if I want to use your art for my RP character? I am sorry but, I'd have to draw the line here. While you are welcome to email me and ask me about some pieces, most of my art was commissioned by other people or companies or they are my own personal characters. I'd prefer no one use my character's image as their own. I actively encourage anyone to take the time to create their own unique character. If you are not an artist yourself, there are certainly some talented artists on the net who are willing to do cheap (or in a few cases, free) character sheets or concepts.
Q: Can I make your art into Painter tubes or similar for other programs? No, please do not make them into tubes or similar for digital programs. I apologize for this, but it just makes it to easy for people to use my work for possible profit.
Q: Can I use your art for an icon on forums or somewhere like LJ? I'd prefer if people use the icons I already provided on my website, but if people are polite and ask I'll probably be fine with it. All I request is, please do not use any images of Ultraviolet, any of the Ukimori, Nikoli or Azriel. Thanks
Q: So, I really want you to draw something for me, do you do requests or free art? You can suggest ideas or concepts to me. I may or may not be able to draw them, though. However I am sorry, I do not do free art right now, I just don't have enough spare time.
Q: What about art trades? When I have the time, I love to do them. Please email or send me a note to see if I am currently accepting art trades.
Q: Do you accept commissions? Yes, though I am not always available for personal commissions, you can check with me via note or email to see if I am currently accepting any.
Q: Is there any where I can easily check for updates on your art or for when you are accepting commissions and trades? Yes, You can find my livejournal community under the name of 'ultraviolet_art'. I update there often and it's the first place I mention when I am opening commissions and trades.
EDIT: Since I just replaced an old journal I didn't want up any more, I've hidden comments to avoid any sort of confusion ^_^ (Posted the FAQ at the small hours of the morning on Feb, 10th, 2009) Any new comments from here on, will be left visible