Mark Wasyl aka Mekanikal
Mark Wasyl
Having grown up in LA, a city heavily defined by its diversity and street culture, I’ve been given a palette of areas to draw inspiration from. From the graffitied walls, to rock and roll shows, to skate parks, the itch for creativity is inevitable. I find myself fortunate to be to be submersed in such an artistically rich environment.
Music is a huge influence in what gets my subconscious working and helps set the stage for my work. Plug me into some old school Sabbath, Jimi, Slayer, Crystal Method, Gorillaz, Pink Floyd, Suicidal and old school Metallica and I’m officially infected and ready to work.
Artists and designers like Pushead, Coop, Rian Hughes, Simon Bisley, Itsuo Ito and Ryan McGuiness are just some of the amazing vector illustrators I have seen online. I’ve certainly borrowed elements and ideas from these artists work to help define what I’m after, so I give much respect to those who have come before me.
The result of all this stimulation can be seen in my series of sexy pinups in a style sprinkled with graphical elements and flourishes that are directly linked to my love and appreciation for music, art, pinups, design and cultural diversity.
How I approach my work?
There’s no real science to the way I approach my work. I’ll throw on some tunes to stimulate my mood and brain activity, break out my sketchbook to follow up on an idea I’ve put to paper and then start to evolve that idea through my vector program of choice. I’ll just plug away at a piece until I feel its time to stop and then I’ll just nip at it a little bit more. You know how it goes, an artwork is never really finished, is it?
The subjects of most of my art are women. I love drawing them but I try to keep the art simple. My focus is on the line work, the curves that ultimately make up the pinup. Then within that framework I invest my time defining the blocks of shade and then turn my focus to her eyes, creating that sort of sinister gaze that reaches into your soul. Each work is a new challenge that calls on me to trust my instincts and let go of any inhibitions.
Being an artist today…
With so many creative outlets and mediums to work with the list of places to execute your creativity is endless. You’ve got the canvas of the vinyl figures, to snow and skateboarding decks to clothing becoming more of artwork than anything else.
Networking has never been easier with websites like MySpace.com, DeviantArt.com and GigPosters.com we have the ability to hit a worldwide audience and cultivate an awareness that wasn’t possible just a few years back.
About my work…
There’s certainly a dominant theme amongst the pinups I create. I see it below the surface, certain angst, if you will and an allure of naughtiness or a bad ass attitude that I think people seem to appreciate and embrace. This is probably why everyone seems to love the "Dev’lish Girls" as well as my "Chicks with Attitude" series. From the comments I receive, it appears that lots of women actually see themselves in the pinups I create. I think that this in itself is a powerful realization, if they can somehow identify with the piece.
I’d love to quit my day job and just submerge myself even further in the art that I create. It would be a dream to be able to do this full time and eventually branch off into different products to showcase my work. I’m working now to see my pieces on apparel, accessories, posters, boards and stickers.
In closing…
I crave the creative process because like listening to music, there’s this inevitable rush I get while I’m in the zone. With every art piece I’m taken through this incredible journey that ends with my final signature. Keep your eyes open for the evolution of my work. This is just the beginning of my journey. There is still so much left unexplored.
