Do you have any projects and artworks in the near future that we should look forward to?

I'm keeping mum about my pet projects right now so as not to jinx them. Just a little hint: one's in print, the other's in motion, and both of them would hopefully come out late this year or early next.

MY Jedi instincts tell me it has something to do with comics. Don't worry my jedi instincts are jinx free. Speaking of comics, are you a Marvel or a DC fan..?

I've always been a Marvel kid, DC's just too bland for me. The only guy that gets my respect over there is Batman. And the JLA as a group (Superman is just too pussy on his own).

And your favorite comic character and why..?

As for my favorite comic character, it's gotta be Manji, from the manga 'Blade of the Immortal'. A perfect balance of flaw and strength in character that agrees with my personal beliefs. Don't get me wrong, I like Batman, Spider-Man, and Wolverine, but I can't seem to identify with them as much as I do Manji. That's why he's my favorite.

How about comic writer and penciller..?

My favorite comic writer and penciller is a two-way tie between earth-shattering-manga-god Hiroaki Samura (writer/artist of 'Blade of the Immortal') and ultra-slick-savant Paul Pope (indie comics writer/artist). First, Samura. He writes and paces his stories in the most cinematic ways. His art is sketchy, sometimes bordering on incomprehensibility, hence its appeal (because the reader is required to participate by investing a certain amount of imagination as to what's going on). Lastly, Paul Pope. He doesn't write about grand epics and the whole good and evil and the blacks and the whites; he writes about the things in between. And he writes them with such style and verve that you simply can't put the graphic novel down. It's offbeat and refreshing. And his brushwork is just goddamn sexy, it's almost like oriental calligraphy.

Recent comic arcs that interest you..?

Some recent story arcs I've liked from Marvel are The Ultimates, the kick-ass version of the Avengers, as well as Marvel Knights Daredevil, where the unthinkable happens, blind lawyer Matt Murdock has been outed as the masked vigilante Daredevil!

From DC, I really enjoyed the Identity Crisis mini-series, where the DC Universe good guys get fucked with big time. Mainstream comics are growing up and I'm quite happy with it, but I'm also kinda worried about the kids who get to read all this kick-ass stuff at such a young age. Oh well, not my problem, I guess...

Where do you see yourself seven years from now?

Seven years from now, I'll be 31. Career-wise, if all goes according to plan, I'd either be in comics full time, or a lead concept artist for a video game outfit. Who knows, if things really turn out well, I'll probably have my own illustration/design studio. I like to keep it a bit vague because I believe in the power of intangibles. Whenever I imagine my future, it's always a bit hazy, and that's the way I like it.

Where do you see the Filipino digital art community as well..? Seven years from now..?

My forecast for the Filipino digital art community is optimistic. I'd like to think that by then, we'll see the emergence of a variety of styles and ideas that are unique to us as Filipinos, that the common Filipino's visual culture will be more evolved and more embracing to fresh and intriguing visual executions.

Right now, I see that we're gradually keeping pace with the global design forerunners. And that's okay, for now, that we're just keeping up, because our third-world circumstance demands that the digital art community be in this phase right now. I do not lament this fact, I accept it, because before we can push forward, we must first walk side by side the rest of the world. And once we've done that, it's only a matter of time before the community evolves into something more avant garde.

What do you think is the best digital/digital-art/art related production a Filipino or Pinoys have produced recently..?

Undoubtedly, it's Arnold Arre's latest graphic novel, 'Andong Agimat'. The story and dialogue is crisp and has numerous references to our pop culture, past and present. The art is masterfully executed, with every element in a scene set up for a purpose. I love it because it's unique, well-made, and relevant to us as Filipinos. And it's written in Tagalog, thank god. Finally, a Filipino writer in a popular medium who writes for Filipinos, without the pretense of hoping for a US comic book writing gig. If you haven't read it, I suggest you pick it up.

As I've said about the current state of digital artistry in the country, right now we're really good, which isn't a bad thing at all. But as digital artists, we have yet to break the barrier between what makes something good and what makes something GREAT.

... and your most favorite digitally produced or enhanced film would be..?

Discounting the dumb story, it's Final Fantasy: Advent Children. Anything that is physically impossible to pull off in an action movie, they did it in the movie. It has some of the all-time best action sequences ever. And it's cool just for the sake of it, no holds barred (which was probably why the story suffered as much as it did). Totally uncompromising action sequences that would make you cry in glee.

Offhand, which among your pieces of art would you say holds the most meaning for you, and why, in particular? Might that meaning be found in the strokes... the way by which that particular piece was made... or in the subject of that artwork itself? Or if we could be more personal, maybe because of the circumstances surrounding the creation of that art?

Wow, this is tough, it's like choosing which one of your kids you like best... but if i must, it has to be 'That Vacant Lot'. It is most certainly not as polished as my technically-better-executed artworks but it's one of the most emotionally-anchored pieces I've done.

I haven't played with my digital tools in a while but at the time I made this, I was able to tinker with Photoshop's brush tools and decided to do an exercise, not really caring how other people would feel about it. You could say it's the most self-indulgent artwork I've done, not trying to live up to anybody else's expectations but my own, and being proud of it, personally without the affirmation of others.

In my line of work as a commercial artist, there are always bosses and clients to please. We hammer out the details as instructed because we're duty-bound to excellence. In short, we try to please other people. 'That Vacant Lot' reminded me that it doesn't always have to be that way—that if you want to play, play hard, play nice, and most importantly, play by your own rules.

Which do you believe is an imitation of which... art or life?

I agree with the late-great Picasso when he said "Art is the lie that speaks the truth." My take on this is that although both art and life share a give-and-take relationship, the main ingredient that keeps the dynamic alive is LIFE.

By and large, Art is often a reflection of the aspects of Life in a way that all the elements expressed through art—technique, medium, message, effect—is inextricably bound to Life and Life alone. Art cannot go beyond the finiteness of Life. Once an idea outside the human experience manifests itself (which is kinda hard to think about, but as a theory, let's), it will be so detached from us and totally incomprehensible that it will not have any value whatsoever and, hence, cannot be called Art.

Art merely follows what is dictated by the limitations of human experience. Life, on the other hand, can sometimes take inspiration from Art, but will eventually run its own course, and can even take the ideas presented by Art farther than its catalyst.

In visual terms, I believe it's a lopsided yin-yang, an asymmetrical balance, where Life takes the reins and Art follows suit, and both have a little bit of the other in terms of influence/inspiration/imitation.

What do you think is the best approach to learn art..? Or can art even be learned? Speaking of which do you believe that you are an artist by nature, or an artist by learning?

I believe that art can be harnessed. Creating Art is both an experience and an expression of the Mind, Heart, and Hands (or Feet, if you're a tap-dancer). All these aspects of us can be taught, some aspects faster than others, and all only at a certain degree. Art can be learned, I believe, but it takes the proper nourishment of these three aspects to maximize the experience.

I am an artist by learning; some of you will be surprised to know that I'm a better thinker than an artist, because I am by nature, a thinker who happened to pick up art along the way. It's probably because I'm right-handed. No joke, I believe that left-handed people are naturally gifted, have more artist midichlorians than right-handed guys like me. But like a good gardener who was dealt with a bum seed, I grew my creativity as best as I could, learning all I could. Other people may have a head start, but in the end, it's what YOU do with what's given to you that determine the final outcome.

What is the best way to experience art..?

Without apprehension, with a willingness to try. A few years ago, I would have said that you should be open-minded to experience art. I would have said that you drop all your preferences and prejudices before you experience a work of art. But over the years, after numerous experiences and analysis, I've changed my mind about how to experience art. Doing so (dropping preferences and prejudices) would make you detached from yourself, which I don't believe in. Because for me, art is a personal experience, it is something that relates to you for who you are. It is an acceptance of the art in itself, the viewer as himself, and the interaction between the two as a genuine relationship. And that's the beauty of it, of art being personal.

True, there are some art forms more straightforward than others. Performance art is sometimes harder to 'get' than an Impressionistic painting. There's the danger of reading too much into something and the danger of not taking it seriously. But we see things the way we see them, through our own eyes. We experience things through ourselves as individuals. All that we really can do to experience art is to be able to try it and see if we like it or not. And in that mere trial itself, the artwork has achieved its purpose, regardless of our reactions.

That, or with mind-altering drugs. Just kidding :D

Any final words to wrap things up..? Friends to greet...

My, my, what a grilling. Haven't thought that hard in a while... To all you guys who've read this far, I'd like to reiterate that all I've shared here are my opinions and not the facts of life, so you don't have to take it any seriously than you want to. If you guys wanna talk, I got Yahoo! Messenger, my ID's chester_ocampo. And if you're so inclined, do check out my online galleries at www.chesterocampo.com and elpinoy.deviantart.com And if you're Jessica Alba or have any resemblance to any of Ms. Alba's prime assets, you can e-mail me your naked pictures at chester_ocampo [at] yahoo.com This has been fun. You guys take care! :D

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