Olga Rogovets
Olga is now an accomplished artist in both traditional and digital media who is on track to become a professional VFX artist.
I asked Olga to chat with me about how she got started, her artworks, her DrawPj experience and plans for the future. Here’s what Olga had to say.
Interview with Olga Rogovets by Cindy Wider
“Flower” by Olga Rogovets
Q: Hi Olga, please introduce yourself and tell us something about where you are from.
A: Hi, My name is Olga Rogovets. I live in Vancouver, Canada, but I’m originally from Kazakhstan. Living in Canada is great! My whole life I wanted to move somewhere else. I didn’t like the climate in Kazakhstan and I had severe allergies there. Here in Vancouver I immediately felt at home, I love this friendly people, amazing nature, my health issues are gone completely, this is my city, I feel like I was meant to live in it one day, I am finally happy.
Where it all started
Q: So Olga, how did you get started with art and drawing?
A: My art journey started at 2016, and since then I am obsessed with it. Right now I am mostly working digitally, creating photo-art, digital paintings and learning 3D modelling as in September I begin to study in one of the major Visual effects and 3D animation schools. So in a year my other dream may come true. I will be a visual effects artist (at least I hope this would happen. I’m ready to work hard for it). I am 33 and I finally know who I want to become when I grow up 🙂
“Finch” by Olga Rogovets
I always loved to draw. When I was a kid I didn’t need any friends or any movies. Just leave me alone with my pencils and I was happy.
I actually never learned to draw. The only art school we had in my city was far away, so I had to commute for like one and a half hours hours, spend 5 hours there and the go to ordinary school after that. It was too much for a 7 year old kid and my parents made me quit.
Since then I was always searching for a way to fill this void inside but didn’t realise what I needed. Only in 2016 I found a DrawPj course and decided to give it try as I was staying at home with my kid and wasn’t working.
Portrait by Olga Rogovets
Motivated to Draw
Q: What’s happening with your drawings right now?
A: I am always motivated to draw. I forget about everything when I draw; tiredness, pain and time. I seriously need to set an alarm as I once lost a track of time and almost forgot to pick my kid from school (but I got there just in time!).
Sometimes I don’t feel like drawing and procrastinate a lot, but I have a rule: devote at least an hour a day to art, any kind of art; traditional, digital, photo retouching-anything. I’m pretty much a self-starter though and I understand perfectly well that practice makes perfect so I do practice a lot, no matter what!
“Fairy House’ by Olga Rogvets
Discovering DrawPj.com
Q: How did you find us here at DrawPj.com?
A: I found out about DrawPJ when I was googling for some online art courses. I didn’t expect much but the program seemed well structured and answered most of my questions so I decided to give it a try and I never regretted it I must say. My life is divided between before and after DrawPj!
Before DrawPj I only drew as a kid. I never learnt apart from the 3 months at art school at the age of 7 as I mentioned before but I don’t think it really counts. So I can say that I came to DrawPj with zero drawing skills but I had some knowledge on color perception, perspective, form, and shading as I worked as a photographer and photo retoucher.
“Elf with lamp” by Olga Rogovets
Looking Back to the Start
Q: When students start with us I ask them to create a pre-instruction portrait. What do you think when you look at the pre-instruction portrait you created at the start of the course?
A: When I look at my pre instruction portrait (when I started with DrawPj) I laugh, and feel ashamed as to even-why I thought back then that I could draw! I am my worst judge and critic. I am never fully satisfied with my work, but of course I can see tremendous progress especially in such a short period of time.
Olga’s pre-instruction self-portrait (left) and self-portrait created during the course (right)
Studying with DrawPj
Q: What was it like studying with DrawPj?
A: DrawPj helped me greatly in all aspects. I was never able to draw before DrawPj. When people see my artworks they can’t believe that 2 years ago I couldn’t draw a stick figure. Honestly I can’t believe it myself.
My favorite part of DrawPj for me was Facebook group and support. At the beginning it was so great to be able to see other’s students progress, hear words of support at the darkest hours when you start to think that it is all useless and you won’t be able to succeed.
Instructor support was also priceless. When you think all is good only professional can show you your mistakes. I remember how Brigitte, my instructor always believed in me when I myself did not. There were moments when I almost quit the course. It seemed I will never make it right and her support always kept me motivated to try one or one hundred more times.
“Christmas Creature” by Olga Rogovets
What’s Olga Doing Now?
Q: What kind of drawings are you doing now?
A: Now I mostly work digitally. It gradually became my favorite medium, although it was so much harder for me to switch to digital painting from traditional art. I also enjoy working in graphite and oils.
My style, I would say my style is expressive realism. My art depends on my mood of course some of my artworks are bright and warm, but what appeals to me most of all is creating fantasy, mystic, gloomy art. I love working with light, creating non standard lightning effects, and exaggerating existing light.
“Eagle” by Olga Rogovets
Q: Do you have any favorite drawings that you’ve created?
A: My favorite drawings are graphite drawings of an owl and bald eagle. I used my own reference photos for them. I like them because I am a bird lover. I admire birds of all shapes and kinds, they inspire me a lot!
“Owl” by Olga Rogovets
Q: What about your drawing equipment? What are your favorites right now?
A: My favorite equipment right now is my tablet, Photoshop, and Infinite Painter (when I work on my Android tablet). As for traditional art I love Faber Castell graphite and colored pencils and Bristol smooth paper, I use Strathmore.
Olga’s Drawing super power
Q: If you could have a drawing super-power what would it be?
A: If I were a drawing super hero, my super power would be perseverance. But I wish my super power was speed as I am sooo incredibly slow at my work 🙂
Olga Rogavets in the Studio
Advice for Beginner Artists
Q: Do you have any advice for artists who are just starting out learning to draw?
A: As I have been in this situation myself I could recommend a beginner artist to first of all never compare yourself to other people. Everyone comes with different level of ability. Never compare yourself to anyone. Every person is as unique as a snowflake, you will never find two identical snowflakes, right? But that doesn’t make one of them worse or less worthy, you can only compare yourself to you a year, two or three years ago. Enjoy every step, be proud of yourself, and remember that every step is a goal achieved.
“The Lilac Bush Club” by Olga Rogovets
What’s next for Olga?
Q: What are your plans for the future?
A: I am going to study visual effects and 3d animation and in nearest future I hope to start working as visual effects artist, preferably matte painter as this field of VFX is especially appealing for me.
“Teddy Moon” by Olga Rogovets
See more of Olga’s Artworks
Check out more of Olga’s Artworks on her Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/olga.rogovets.9
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