Enrique “Emuse” Velasco in the spotlight
Today's interviewee is Enrique "Emuse" Velasco. Thank you for sharing in.
Spotlight are short interviews to introduce some of the artists here at Putty&Paint.
Who are you? Tell us a bit about you.
My name is Enrique Velasco, also known as emuse, born in 1980. I am a professional freelance miniature painter from Madrid, Spain.
I finished history degree some years ago with not many professional expectations. I was studying for a public examination but yes, the fu***** economic crisis started and the public jobs were drastically reduced. The inability to work in something connected with my studies made me decant for something completely different, something that had always liked me and I realized it could be an interesting and motivating activity. I have been working the last five years as freelance painter and still I have many doubts about my future.
What are your favorite tools, and why do you use them?
I have no particular attachment to any tool… maybe only the Winsor & Newton brushes. In this life all the material things are replaceable, and the market has plenty of good options to choose from. In fact, I’m very standard in everything that I use: An evolution airbrush, Citadel, Vallejo and Andrea paints, Winsor & Newton brushes as I said, wet palette, pigments, etc… The same as 90% of the painters. What I usually advise is that always, of course if it´s possible, invest money in the best tools. Miniature painting is a complicated labour, so try to avoid external obstacles.
How would you describe your own style?
I think that If you don´t be a conformist person, you always will be absorbed in a learning process, so your painting style always will be changing. In the last year I´ve noticed that a certain style is being formed. All this has been a long process of trial and error that did not bother me find a style but rather try to absorb and practice all possible. Every time I am more aware of what I look for in a figure and I’m starting to feel that I can pull it off, but I still have a lot do. It is obvious that each figure has a style that favors more or less, but overall I love the figures with great contrasts, with a dramatic aspect. Every time I’m more interested in the atmosphere, in represent by the color rather than with the technique, and in achieve a final result near a illustration. It was always said that I am a extremely clean painter, but you should see my way of painting to verify that this is not true! And who knows, maybe in five years I have a different style! Get back to me with this question in a few years!
Show us your workspace. Do not clean it.
I´m very organized. I always clean and arrange my workbench after a working day. I hate chaos.
Who influences your work and what inspires you?
I would not be honest if I did not say that I entered in this world after seeing some of the first works of Alfonso Giraldés like his ogryns, the blood pact or Rawnee. There was nothing for me in the miniature world beyond Games Workshop. I was not aware you could get to that level with a figure, and was what made me start practicing based on what I read and saw online. In that time I followed many artists and their works, initially valuing more technical features and now focusing more on what the artist wants to convey. Artists like Diego Esteban, Fabrizio Russo, Kirill Kanaev, Sang-Eon Lee and of course Alfonso Giraldés are an inspiration and an example to follow in terms of what I get to achieve with my painting. I am strongly influenced by films, comics, illustrations, history and 80s and 90s popular culture. All these influences are captured in some ideas that attempt to express in my works.
What’s your current favourite music/movie/series you enjoy while working?
I hate the silence for work. There is always playing a film on a small tv that I have but obviously I can not see it. The dialogues break the silence, but It’s funny because if a play a record, it distracts my attention, but not the movies. I play all kind of films that I have seen before, mostly fantasy films, from the Universal classics to the latest movies of the genre, but I’m a big fan of cinema and of course I like to see all genres in my free time. An yes, it´s a crime dubbing a film but I must say I love the voices of some old spanish voiceover actors.
Show and tell us what you are currently working on or what you recently finished?
I have a lot of work now. I am working at the same time on several projects, as you can see in the picture. All of them are commissions except the Crystal Brush Project (under the top secret image). I´ll dedicate all February and March to finish the project at time. It has a big conversion process and 12-14 figures will be in the diorama. A lot of work, but I´m very motivated. I hope it will be my best project for the moment. I am also finishing all the details to announce a new round of painting classes in my studio. Oh, and I´m planning my display for the World Expo. I´m exhausted but happy!.
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Visit Enrique “Emuse” Velasco at Putty&Paint
And on his Website emusestudio.blogspot.com
