Noper - Interview

Romanian artist and visualist Noper has worked with burn on a variety of projects, his sketches making the official posters and material for events like Burn Airpark and a ton of other wonderful and crazy projects. We thought it'd be a good idea to interview him, to find out what drives him, his inspirations and hopefully a bit more...

What first set you off on that path of art that made you think "Hey, yeah maybe I'll do this when I grow up"?

Noper: My father was an artist too, so I grew up in a very artistic, creative environment where I was taught to see both the good and the bad. Eventually that included learning to appreciate this talent I think I have. To be specific and answer your question, I think when I got to high school and everybody was in awe with my drawings and that was the first time that I said to myself "This is actually pretty cool, maybe I could do this more seriously".

A lot of your artwork depicts toothy, grinning creatures that always look very pleased with themselves - what fuels the creation of these characters?

Noper: I'm generally really bored by normal things so in everything I do I tend to exaggerate it a little to make it more interesting for me. I guess the grinning and all comes into that!

A lof of artists have difficulty finding a way to create artwork but also make money. It can become a big chicken and egg problem between making art that might make money for you one day, but first needing the money to make the art in the first place. Do you have any advice for young artists in this situation?

Noper: I did a lot of stuff on my own in the beginning trying to form a believable portfolio. At first I tried to do a little bit of everything - you know, a jack of all trades. But with time and experience came the knowledge that if you're good at one thing you are really wasting time with other stuff. So my advice would be to channel your energies in one direction - the direction you're really good at and that you love - and the results will surely come.

You're working as a creative director in an ad agency at the moment - how do feel working as an artist in the commercial world?

Noper: I worked a long time as an Art Director (though not anymore) in an ad agency and to be honest the Artist and the Art Director in me never got along. The artist was constantly trying to do crazy shit (trying to get "us" fired") while the art director had to work for a living, had to stay on brief (and there were some ugly briefs) and obey rules. The Artist side was very important for me, kept me alive from a creative standpoint, in the tough un-artsy medium of advertising.

How does your work differ as an artist to when you're a creative director with clients?

Noper: I try to bend the rules a bit, try to do things differently, "do the crazy shit" as I say. I like experimenting, keeps the spirit alive fresh and kicking. Of course it could go wrong sometimes... but nothing is 100% when you have to compromise for a client who probably wants to play it safe.

The creative process can be one of such extremes - sometimes it's going amazingly well, and sometimes you make a wrong turn. How often do you really love something you've made and how often do you really hate it? What do you do when you get stuck?

Noper: Everything I do has a love-hate relationship with me. There are things I really love and things I deeply hate in every piece I make - I think that's unavoidable. There's no black or white. At least for me - all my work is in a grey area. The thing is I really like it this way, I really like to hate things in my work and not love it all (if that makes any sense) and I tend not to try and redo these parts. I think that balance keeps me on the right track to always improving myself and trying new things.

There's a lot of chaos and anarchy to your drawings - what would you say are the unifying themes to your work, and why are you interested in them?

Noper: I'm so involved in this, that I cannot figure it out. Everything is a bit "distorted" and "disfigured", maybe. I try to view everything I do through a dreamish/nightmarish lens.

Sometimes making that first mark on a page is the hardest part - is there any ritual or habit you have before you start drawing to help you start?

Noper: I just do it! I sit my ass on the chair and just draw. I start with a light grey sketch first to scare this common fear of ruining the white paper space and after I am satisfied with what I see I begin the real stuff.

What upcoming projects are you excited about?

Noper: Starting in November I'll begin producing an animation with two friends of mine. It's a short animated film called "The cosmic tomato" which involves an epic journey through space and a bunch of silly robots with a mission. Can't talk more about it, but it will be fun. I'm excited!

Find more out about Noper on his official website.