Mario Sánchez Nevado Interview

Tell us a little about yourself:

I grew up in a little farming town in the south of Spain. I liked to draw, sing or play like most children. Although I wanted to be an entomologist, I ended up studying Fine Arts and working as a freelance designer at the same time… until now.

Since creating is my way of life, besides of doing images I play instruments, write, take photos or even act in performances, I just like to be involved in creative stuff. Besides that, I like music, film, video games and hanging out, like everyone else.

I think every human being is a creative one. The thing is not to ask when did we start, but why everyone else stopped.

When did you first begin to make art?

I think every human being is a creative one. The thing is not to ask when did we start, but why everyone else stopped. I’m just a kid who never stopped doing doodles or experimenting with anything. I used to copy my favorite toon characters, like Dragon Ball or Saint Seiya ones, until I started to create my own characters and then it all went from there.

When did you first start using Photoshop and how did you learn?

I think I was 15, when my parents bought me my first computer. It had Photoshop 5.5 pre-installed in it. I used it for fun, to draw my own characters, nothing fancy, but there I learnt how to use the basic tools. Years later I started to work freelance as a web programmer/designer. I’ve always been self-taught on this.

What inspires you?
Nature, everyday life.

I don’t really have a process, as each image develops on its own.

Who are some of your favorite artists?

Istvan Sandorfi, Dave Mckean, Travis Smith, Misha Gordin, Chema Madoz, David Lynch.

What is your typical process when creating a piece of art?

I don’t really have a process, as each image develops on its own. I just have tons of photos I’ve shot myself and I start to mix them up in Photoshop, as I rarely plan beforehand my images, I prefer to just go with the flow until I see some shape or some information that tells me what I’m trying to explain with that composition in particular, and then I just go from there.

Where do you get your source materials from?

Mostly, they’re shot or rendered by myself. In certain cases, it’s impossible for me to photograph certain things, so I grab public domain images.

I do not use plugins of any kind.

What is your favorite Photoshop trick/method at the moment?

I wouldn’t call it a trick, but the Camera Raw filter is the ultimate tool for post-production.

What is your favorite Photoshop tool or plugin at the moment?

I do not use plugins of any kind.

What work of your own are you most proud of?

I guess I’d go with ‘Betrayal’ or ‘Trust in me’ for the complexity on them.

What are you currently working on?

You just caught me starting my vacation, so I’m working on trying not to work :). Refreshing your mind when you invest more than 14 hours on average per day is a good way to fuel your engine again for future projects.

What would you tell someone who is starting out making Photoshop art?

To experiment in every possible way and to avoid sticking to methods, no matter how easy they make things.