Programming & Digital Art – Meet the NastPlas Team

Posted on 04. Jul, 2010 by DAS Team in Articles, Inspirations

1) What is your name? Where are you from?

“drfranken” is “Fran Rodriguez Learte” a computer programmer and digital artist, born in La Coruña and working in Madrid.

2) Could you please give us a background about how you were first interested in art?

My artistic side came since childhood, especially from my father. My father was a great artist. He painted using all sorts of techniques such as oil, charcoal, pencil, watercolor. My mother also paints very well and loves the arts.

3) Since when have you been drawing (traditional art)?

I’ve drawn since childhood, I always liked drawing, but lately I used the pencil drawing for specific jobs but i draw digitally most of the time.

4) When have you started Digital Art? What was your motivation?

My interest in digital art arises when I start my studies as a computer programmer and start to discover a world of new possibilities and tools to express my art.
Expressing what goes through my head with ease using digital tools and sharing my work with people were a great motivation for me.

5) What is the NastPlas Team?

Nastplas Team, created by my wife and I, is a freelance study of illustration and digital art. I do the illustrations and the artistic part while my wife’s gives the nod to the work. Together we form a good team.

6) It is mentioned in your website that you are also a software developer ’with php,C,C++,ActionsCRIPT..’. How do you see software coding related to Digital Art?

I think that there is some relationship between programming and digital arts. As a computer programmer , I can tell you that using algorithms can achieve exceptional works with digital art. Art and mathematics have been linked since the dawn of civilization. They appear in all cultures. It is a deep relationship where they mix the sense of aesthetics, the pursuit of an ideal of perfection, the exploration of space time and the recognition of shapes and patterns of repetition. Often, I use repeating patterns of shapes which are integrated in my designs.

7) Have you taken any formal education in Art or Graphic Design?

I Graduated from the Fine Arts School in Salamanca (Spain) in 1998 [After, I Studied The Development of Software Applications and CASE tools in Valladolid (Spain)]. I currently work for One of the most important electrical engineerings in the world as computer programmer and application developer. I try to improve my technique, every day as an illustrator and digital artist, my true passion.

8 ) What kind of Graphic Tablet do you use? Do you use any other tools?

Wacon Intuos4, C4D, Photoshop, Painterx

9) What interests do you have other than Art?
I love New Metal music, playing guitar, playing with my cat “Tete” and Chinese food.

10) What is your favorite art piece that you made so far? Why?
I like them all because each one has a special meaning for me. I cannot stay with one.

11) To what extent do you see the digital art world shaping the future?
I think digital art is in continuous evolution. More and more, It has weight in the world of art and that’s good. Until recently, people did not understand it as a form of art. I think that our work is increasingly being recognized and I like that.

12) Are there any artists out there who influence or inspire you?
There are many artists that I like. The list is very long …

13) Do you have a Digital Art Secret?
The truth is that I have none, I just do what I like.
I sit at the computer and let creativity flow.

14) What advices would give for digital artists out there?
I think the best advice I can give is that they have to be perseverant in their work and to strive to improve every day a little more.
Nobody is born knowing everything.