Interview with Tom Krieger
Hello Tom, could you tell us a bit about yourself, location, employment etc. and what first inspired you to take up a career in the Arts Industry?
 Well, I`m 41 years old living near Hamburg in Germany and I started to work with airbrush in the very late 80`s. At that time I was a young guy and I was very curious. After buying an equipment like brushes, compressor and some airbrushes I did my first experiences. But at this time it was very boring and I throw everything for 1 year in the corner. I had to prepare for the entrance examination of a graphic design studies. At this time I was very lucky to find a magazine called: airbrush-Zeitung. There I could not believe my eyes what some good artists were able to do with the airbrush in combination with other techniques. That brought about a rebound.
I was a student and hadn`t enough money to do some very expensive airbrush workshops at that time. So I did all by myself like learning-by-doing. I was always searching for the best artist pictures and the interesting techniques inside. My goal was always to paint as realistic as I can and to go one step further than a photo. Day after day and night after night I spent very much time in self teaching. I did over 20 illustrations which were in my mind and one after one they were getting better and better. I decided to go to some professional illustrator veterans here in Germany to get their opinions about my works. Full of enthusiasm I did the next 10-15 photo real illustrations and I decided to work both: as a freelance illustrator mainly for the advertisings and as a free artist with own exhibitions. After finding a representation for illustrators the jobs came nearer and nearer... ;-)
Do you believe in ‘talent’ or is just daily practice of drawing shapes and forms?
I think it is a big soap with all the ingredients inside. The talent is very important to realize what you can do and what is possible and how to get the results which are in your mind. Today the world of computer graphic with all the interesting programs in 2d and 3d offer a new world of possibilities, but the basic of understanding in perspective, depth in field, realism, anatomy and all the techniques are very important. You can paint shapes and forms on your graphic tablet or with your pencil on an old paper, that doesn`t matter.
But you have to do that all the time and be awake to imagine how to paint things that you see. If you are interested in photography also, that is very good for you to understand the depth in field for example, to get a good feeling of light and composition. The modern programs can do very good things, but if a person has no talent, he is unfortunately in a one-way street.
After a while I think that anybody can calculate the position of own talent and anybody can create his own way to do things which are in mind.
What software program(s) do you use for your CG and why?
I use mainly Photoshop on a Mac. Painter is a very good program, too. I did my first experiences in 3d with bryce and terragen, but I haven `got much time to go inside a huge 3d program and getting professionally. Sometimes if an assignment included things to render in 3d I am working with professionals in cinema 4d or maya in a cooperation. I am always searching for different styles in 3d so people can contact me and show me their render style.
What is your favorite canvas color when starting a painting and how important is working on paper with regards to your digital process?
When starting a painting it is always starting a job now. For this job I need good reference photos. When it’s possible to make the photos by my own I decide the main light-painting inside the picture.
The better the photo the better the illustration will be. If I have a new idea for my portfolio as a free work so it´s like a job, too. It is a job for me. I see the almost final picture in my mind and then have to go step by step to realize it.
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