An Interview with Artist Dar Albert
Posted By Judith Laik on June 22, 2010
Judith Laik, Regency Romance Author
Interviewed by Judith Laik
1st Turning Point Staff Columnist
Copyright © 2010 Judith Laik and Dar Albert
Dar Albert’s website: http://www.wickedsmartdesigns.com
Media: Traditional acrylic paintings, and digital, cover, and graphic artist
JL: Thank you for joining us at 1st Turning Point. We’re excited to have you visit. I’ve spent some time at your website, and I’m impressed by your beautiful work.
DA: Thank you so much for allowing me to have this opportunity!
JL: Tell me a little about your background in art. How did you get started?
DA: Taking it back to the beginning, I was discovered to have a talent for reproducing images in detail and proportion when I was nine. My mother—an artist herself—took me under her wing when I was fourteen, teaching me the medium of acrylic. She was strict in only allowing me the barest essentials of the color wheel in order for me to learn how to: 1. Really see color, and 2. Mix any color I needed. At the time, I remember being frustrated when I knew that the store had rows of premixed colors in pristine tubes just waiting for me to squeeze them onto my palette, but I thank her for the lesson today. She is primarily a scenic or animal painter, and after a year under her tutelage, I decided to paint what fascinated me—the human form. In high school I made my pocket money through commission work to my fellow students. Celebrities, sports figures, family portraits, I did them all. As long as it was figural, I was happy to do it, and it allowed me to hone my eye.
Dar Albert's cover art for Damien's Destiny
JL: You work in a number of different media—digital art, traditional paintings, and graphic art. Could you tell us a little bit about each and what attracts you to working in that medium?
DA: I am trying to take the stigma out of digital art. There seems to be this idea that when you create art on the computer, that somehow the computer has done the work for you, or that you just tweaked a photo. I am working to show people that when I work in Photoshop, I am working with a blank screen, and that the pixels are put there by me, much like I would put acrylic down on canvas. I may have a photo I use as reference, but in no way is the finished product a doctored image. I just decided to challenge myself one day to see if I could paint a photorealistic figure with pixels, and it turns out, I can.
Graphic design is what I went to school for—my calling, as it were. I just have the need to make businesses beautiful from their business card up. I do warn clients that the way I approach design is from the artist’s point of view first. The technical side of it always comes much later. I think it puts a distinctive signature on the branding I have completed for several local companies.
Traditional canvas work is where I continually try to push myself. When I am knee deep into a piece, I am obsessed with it. I eat, sleep and dream about it. I feel alive when I am laying down layers and scumbling them back off. I want to use acrylics in new and unexplored ways—essentially, I want to turn my box of acrylics into oils, without the hassle of using oils. Human skin fascinates me, so I am always trying to explore it, working on making it look real and warm—alive. I want my work to breathe. When I finish whatever it is I’m working on, I always feel a slight jab of disappointment; it never looks like I want it to. I think that can be a good thing, however, as it keeps me motivated to continue on and start the next one.
Dar Albert's cover art for A Taste of Midnight
JL: I want to ask about your cover art. I think the authors among our readers will be particularly interested to read your insights on that end of the publishing business. How do you come up with the images for the cover? Who’s in charge of what the cover looks like? I know the authors usually don’t have very much to say about it, but what about the artist? Do you have any freedom to express your own vision?
DA: First off, I am an avid romance novel reader. I was one of those kids who started reading very, very early—I was four when I read the Legend of Sleepy Hollow. At the age of nine, I picked up my first Avon pocketbook, enamored by the beautiful couple on the cover. I told my friends and teachers that one day, I would make covers for books (I got a lot of rolled eyes and laughter). Since I’m a fan of the genre, I think I can make my next statement with some authority: Nothing frustrates me more than when you are reading a book, only to realize that the couple in the clinch on the front looks nothing like what the author is describing! I feel cheated, like I am being duped by the publisher, and it makes the story less somehow. Being hyper-aware of that, I always read my author requests carefully. I read the story blurbs, and try to pick up on key words. I also visit the author websites, and look at what made them happy with their past covers.
When it comes to having a say in the final output for the cover, there are always editors and art directors who will make the final call, but in most cases, the author gets to see what I have done, and request changes if I have not met the criteria in their cover request. It does not hurt my feelings if they want changes—I want to make that clear. I understand that the author has created a world with these people—he/she has already met the characters, knows in their mind’s eye what they should look like. I am the interpreter. I do my best to be their paintbrush. Since the cover is the first thing a potential reader encounters, what I do can help make or break the sale. That is a huge responsibility, one that I take very seriously.
Sometimes, the author gives me free reign. They will just request that I do what I think will work based on a brief description of the hero/heroine. Sometimes I have to follow in the footsteps of a previous artist, and create the next in a series. In any event, I try to take my ego out of it, in order to truly represent the author’s vision. When I sit down to begin the process, I search for photographs that contain a pose I like. I use photos for reference more than for finished content, since it is very hard to just find an image that suits what I want. What begins as a photo of a brunette man and blonde woman in suit jackets embracing casually, morphs into a mostly naked, raven-haired vampire prince and a redheaded shape shifter passionately embracing in front of a blood-red moon. Behold the magic of pixels and a little creativity!
JL: All your covers appear to be for Cerridwen and Ellora’s Cave. They have a reputation for their sensual, creative covers. Could you speak to how you got hooked up with them, with perhaps a little advice for artists who hope to find work as cover artists (for them and other publishers)?
DA: That is the best story! My fiancé, John, plays World of Warcraft online. A member of his raiding party happened to be Darryl King, Vice-President of Jasmine-Jade Publishing, and an awesome cover artist himself. One day, John jokingly asked him how his girlfriend could get a job doing that. Mr. King ended up sending me an audition cover, which was accepted, and I landed my dream job. I also have to give a shout out to Syneca Featherstone from Jasmine-Jade, who has taken me under her wing and been my mentor and friend in the cover world. The moral of the story? You never know who will be listening, so network and sell yourself as an artist whenever you can.
My advice for other artists who want to make a mark in this realm would be to develop a very thick skin. Criticism is part of the deal. If you are attached to your art to the point where you cannot be flexible and make changes as needed, then this would be a cruel world for you. The other advice I would dispense, would be to make sure you have a very good grasp of human anatomy, understand romance novels in general, and perhaps be knowledgeable about historical costuming. While historical novels have dropped in popularity, the pendulum will swing back around again, and I cannot tell you how much my knowledge of historical dress has come in handy.
In my case, actually scoring the job was based on whom I knew. I think this is probably true for a lot of job fields, but I think the old adage holds true. Other than really trying to contact the right person, I would say that living in a big city would also be a plus.
JL: What promotional tools have you/do you use? What additional tools do you see yourself using in the future?
DA: I have a big mouth. Seriously, it has been my best marketing tool, along with a website to back up any claims I make. I put myself out there. For example, John and I were having dinner at a little diner, and their menus were small, hard to read word documents. I loved the food, had seen their location, knew about the area, so I made up some menu mock-ups, took them back to the manager, and showed him what could be done to help create a brand for his place. This might come off as brazen, but if you believe in what you do, then take a chance. All they can say is no thanks, and you gain the experience. You are your best marketing tool! Another thing that has helped has been word of mouth. Please one client and you will get three more potential clients from reputation alone. You can have the best website, the best design, the best prices—but if nobody knows to go and seek you out, then they aren’t working for you.
JL: What are your goals as an artist? Where would you like to see your work shown/sold? What plans do you have for achieving those goals?
DA: My goals change depending on what medium or project I am working on. I want to always work on improving my realism, increasing my work flow, and organizing myself so I get more done in any given day. But mostly, I want to continue to create covers. I love what I do, and I would love to get to the point where that is all I do for a paycheck.
As for plans, I am not one for setting out long-term goals. For me, art doesn’t lend itself well to that kind of precise deadline. It is more organic, ever-changing. I guess the best I could say is that I am just leaving myself open for what comes next.
JL: Anything else you’d like to share?
DA: Picasso said: “Art is never chaste. It ought to be forbidden to ignorant innocents, never allowed into contact with those not sufficiently prepared. Yes, art is dangerous. Where it is chaste, it is not art.” That quote beautifully sums up exactly how it is I approach my work everyday.
JL: Thank you so much for visiting with us and sharing your insights with 1st Turning Point.
DA: This has been so much fun!
To view more of Dar’s art (including the lovely print she is giving away for the month’s contest!) click on the 1st Turning Point Home Page, and her website.
Judith Laik lives on a mini-farm in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, daughter, three horses, two cats, approximately a dozen Collies (they’re a dog show family), and one Scottish Deerhound that doubles as a sofa cover.
 Blue Moon Enchantment |
 The Lady In Question |
 The Lady Is Mine |
 Under Whose Influence |
 A Horse’s Tale |
 Around The Circle Gently |
I loved the cover that Dar did for my book, Echoes of Passion (from Cerridwen Press)! Thanks for interviewing her, Judy!
Excellent interview. Enjoyed the detail.
Okay, here’s a question I’ve always wanted to ask but never got around to, and your comments about color reminded me. In Echoes of Passion, the hero has green skin. You managed to get the hue to be a very realistic shade on the cover. How did you manage?
Thanks for the feedback, guys! As far as the skin tone, I make a small swatch of flesh tone, then play around with the hue settings until I reach a shade that looks like–in this case–green skin. When I find the right look, I sample the color, then wash or scrub the subject’s skin with a brush that is set at a low opacity, careful to go back over and un-tint the shadows or anything else that needs to keep its own crisp tone. When that looks good, I play a lot with the curve tool, trying my best to make the subject look as though they were always a part of the background. Hope this was helpful!!(and a big thanks to you, Ellis!!)
I so admire a good cover artist. To capture the sensuality and mood of a romance, without taking it too far, takes serious talent. Gorgeous covers and excellent interview! Cheers to a big mouth!!