My SVSLearn Story: Aleksey Nisenboym
With the creation of the new foundations curriculum at SVSLearn, it has been a wonderful to see all of the great work and growth that members have been experiencing. Aleksey Nisemboym is one of these amazing members. Here is his story!
Aleksey is a self-taught artist who joined SVSLearn two years ago, thanks to a mention on Jake Parker’s Instagram. One of the biggest benefits SVSLearn gives Aleksey is great art education at a low cost.
“During the day I work retail so being able to afford school or school courses is very tough financially so I’m very grateful for SVSLearn.”
Aleksey, on his vehicle design assignment: This is one of the exercises from the Vehicle Design course where we create and design our own space ships using the various exploration techniques from previous lessons. The exploration processes that [the instructor] Shane talked about helped me the most when it came to coming up with space ships. I would say the most useful lesson for me. What it came out to be was a space botanist delivery ship. Personally I'm not a huge fan of my space ships being used for war. Shane talked about thinking about what the goal of this vehicle is. In this case I thought about, what would transportation or work vehicles look like in space? Delivery trucks and passenger vehicles don't have weapons on them, why would civilian space ships? So it eventually turned into a Space Botanist Delivery ship.
Aleksey’s main education goal is something a lot of students can understand: getting paid for his art.
“I’m currently not working on any paid projects....I’ve been actively contacting agencies and creative directors and even though I haven’t been getting any work, I have been getting lots of feedback so I’m working on improving my portfolio.”
“Honestly, I’d just love to work in any art field that my work might fit into. Having worked retail for about 8 years now, it’s difficult to transition into an art career with no prior academic or professional art experience... but I try to keep myself occupied by working on personal projects.“
Aleksey, on his April contest entry: This was my entry for the April "Lisa's Robot" Contest. I tried to make it humorous, where Lisa's cat bot, clearly made to catch mice, is instead playing cards with the mice. In this piece I tried to incorporate my gesture drawing skills with the Catbot and Lisa's poses and body language. It was really tough to figure out how to give the mice gestures because they were so small so I used their big ears and tail as a way to express body language. I also tried to incorporate my new prop design skills into what the cat and the mice were using to play cards on. Like the broken plate and tuna fish cans as a table, the mug and bottle as seats. Using props to tell a story, like giving Lisa goggles, a wrench, and grease covered overalls to indicate she put this thing together. The gesture drawing class really helped me loosen up with my poses and characters. They don’t look robotic anymore (except for the catbot).
Despite the more general goal of getting paid work, Aleksey has been specifically working on comics for his own personal projects.
“My IDEAL job would be to work on comic books. Either my own or other peoples’. I’ve been developing my own stories and several editor and writer friends have said those stories show real promise. I’d like to turn them into web comics specifically. I also have a few ideas of re-adapting old Russian fairy tales I grew up with into comics as well.”
Between work and life, Aleksey’s time is pretty restricted, but he has come up with his own routines to keep practicing.
“I keep a daily sketchbook where I restrict myself to pencil only. If an idea seems promising, I flesh it out more digitally. I teach Procreate for iPad at my retail job once in a while, and I’m very well versed in it, so working digitally is nice but I really prefer traditional mediums for practice and such.”
“I frequently put on an SVSLearn video when I’m drawing in my sketchbook, usually one I’ve seen before. After a few sketches I take a break and come back to it, that break really helps me get out of a bubble and see things better when I come back to drawing.”
The courses in the new foundations curriculum on SVSLearn have helped push Aleksey to keep creating better work.
“I like the [new courses’] focus on having completed portfolio pieces at the end of the lessons. I have one from the Prop Design class and 2-3 finished pieces from the Vehicle Design course.”
“I also really enjoy seeing professionals speak about their process and show mistakes. It bridges a lot of ambiguity and gives me more confidence when I make mistakes.”
“Aside from the new portfolio pieces, my process on approaching a new piece has changed. Having an effective process has not only improved my work but it’s also given me a lot more confidence when taking on a new piece. “
Aleksey, on his retrofuturistic truck: This one was from the lesson where Shane talked about using photo references in order to design vehicle concepts. I used photos of 1950s pick up trucks and stuck a weird looking crystalline engine on top. What I learned from doing this assignment was adding gesture to the vehicle to give it some character. I never thought of doing this with inanimate objects, especially not giant trucks, so it was a fun new skill for me to learn.
Aleksey has developed his own process for working through one of the curriculum courses.
“When I start a new curriculum, I watch until the first assignment, take a break, then get back to the curriculum when I finish the assignment. I try not to be too tough on myself in the early assignments because I haven’t finished the curriculum yet. I usually post it on the forums for feedback.
“It takes a few days to get through a curriculum. I go back after and re-watch certain videos a few times in order to make sure I’ve gotten everything I could from it or if I want to make a second piece.”
Aleksey, on Baba Yaga's office:This was from Jake Parker's prop design course. I took this before I took the vehicle design class, if I were to redesign these I would implement some of the things I learned in my vehicle design course into this as well. Specifically playing around with the gesture of the props. What I did learn from this class however was thinking about who is using these props and how they would fit together in a scene. It was really fun to think about if someone went shopping for new furniture to redecorate their room or office, they would want those things to look good together. Figuring out how to take the design elements from one of the props and incorporating it on other props was the most challenging for me, especially for things like desks, which can be pretty bland. But the more exploring you do, the more ideas you get and eventually figure out a design you think will work well enough to take to finish. I really like the idea of Baba Yaga needing a work place to write out her curses and file her paperwork (and schemes) and since her house has chicken feet, why not use that as a design element on other props.
In some cases, Aleksey will go above the required assignments and do additional work.
“For vehicle design I made two additional portfolio pieces. I also alternate in my daily sketchbook, drawing little characters, props, or vehicles to keep my mind fresh and active with the new material.”
Aleksey, on his Star Quest and Re-entry designs: Both of these were original space ship designs I made. I used Shane's thumbnail lesson to work out several designs initially, followed by choosing a few and roughing out the sketches for them. Then adding details. Finally I added a few elements to these pieces to make them look like retro video game covers. I wanted to turn them into something and not just be stand alone space ships. I was really happy with how they came out.
Other times, Aleksey has found it better to take breaks or skip specific courses.
“I do sometimes get bored from being on a single track so sometimes I take breaks by watching a different curriculum.”
“I skipped a lot of the exercises in the perspective class because I’ve done it so many times. The filters I use are, do I know how to do this already? Have I done this before? If so I just move on to the next part of the course.”
Aleksey, on his Radical Racers entry: This piece was for a different contest I am participating in. It's not anything to do with SVSLearn specifically. The reason I wanted to share this piece was because I incorporated everything I learned from the prop design, vehicle design, and gesture drawing classes into 1 piece. Using Brooklyn's lessons on body language and facial expression to convey a story and emotions. Using Shane's Vehicle design course to create a retro hover-bike (again 1950's inspired) with vintage car parts and motorcycle parts so it looks like the character put it together themselves. And using Jake's prop design class to design the special items and lucky charm that tie the whole piece together. The little fetch rockets that have a little tongue painted on them as a drool covered tennis ball to tell the viewers who the character is. (Here's hoping I win)
Aleksey has several suggestions for other SVSLearn members.
“It doesn’t matter what software/tools you use. Figure out how you learn best. Remember to take breaks and don’t be so hard on yourself if it doesn’t come out the way you wanted initially!”
“Repetition and references is what makes you better. Use the monthly contests as a way to test your newly learned skills. Most importantly, ask for and listen to feedback!”
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