FAQ


What are the materials you use for your artwork? As a beginning artist, I only have a few. I never took an art class except when I was in high school. So, anything I've learned came from reading, seeing things or trial and error. I first started out with the basics like pen and ink. Then I started to use Photoshop to expand my knowledge not only in drawing but also in webpage creation. Photoshop is a great tool to learn about shadows, lighting, balance, body proportions. As I pushed myself to learn more about arts I noticed a lot of the artist I came to admire use watercolors. So I started to learn watercoloring. I'm still learning the techniques for it and I am loving it right now. I'm trying to discover the types and brands of the materials to use such as papers, brushes and paints. I have to feel comfortable with the materials I use to get the best quality work from myself. Right now, I'm using Arches, Strathmore and Canson watercolor papers. Make sure its acid free. I generally like working on the bigger size papers. I found that the smaller Strathmore ones are too grainy (cold press) which makes it hard for detailing. I also get a lot of blotches with those smaller papers. The paints I've used are Winsor & Newton (both in cake paint sets and tubes), Yarka (half pan) and Van Gogh (paint cake set). An artist friend recommended Talon watercolor but I have yet to try it. I did buy it though. We'll see. I have yet to find the best watercolor for me. The brushes I got from what ever is on sale. I have a wide range of brushes. From bamboos, Winsor & Newton, Isabey, Dynasty to a regular all purpose brush. I also used a lot of materials such as paper towels, sponges, sandpaper, and salt to get texture. I bought a lot of reference books as well. I found the most helpful books are the ones that showed pictures of what the artist do to create or paint. Other than that I just played around with the paintings and discovered new things from that. Discovering something is one fun part about painting. I'm just learning acrylics and I'm also loving the medium. I use watercolor and acrylic interchangeably or mix them in a painting!! I use Liquidex and Golden acrylic paints on large Cresent illustration boards. Watercolor and acrylics are completely different in chemistry. I have to plan ahead to see if the sketch I'm working on would be done on watercolor or acrylic or a mixture of both. There are many other creative things I would like to try but with work and project its hard to keep up and remain focus. I would really like to try pottery but that will be ways in the future. I'm afraid to know how much I'll have to spend to learn it. ;)

What inspires you? I'm inspired by so many people and things. I could be walking in the streets or shopping and I would find something to inspire me. I think the people who inspired me the most are the ones who pushed themselves to do something good with their lives. People who wouldn't let any obstacle pull or push them down. Nothing is more inspiring to me than to see a person make good of their life, even though it seemed like fate deserted them. I also found inspiration when I'm reading a book. Whether it be romance, science fiction or childrens book. I have this urge to draw the characters I liked in them and show through my artwork how I saw the characters. Going to the conventions and art shows also helped me a lot when I needed inspiration. There are so many talented people at those events that I feel so geedy around them. Yes! Im a nerd at heart and I'm proud of it! My family and friends are my biggest inspirations. They gave me the encouragements I needed to move on when I thought I wasn't good enough in what I do. They helped me believe in myself when I thought the worse of myself. It's been a rocky ride for me. I remembered what Tom Hanks said in the movie League of Their Own, "If it was easy, everyone would do it. The hard..is what makes it great!" I love that movie. Its very inspiring especially to women.

Can I copy or use your artwork? I am greatly flattered if someone would use my work but only if its for a good cause and nothing illegal. As long as its not for profit or for sale purposes, then its ok. Please ask me first so I know about it. You could email me at (maidatw@mayarey.com) to get my permission. You could link my site to any sites you like, provided they are not pornographic sites. I will create banners and logos soon. Everything I have are copyrighted. Therefore, you would need my permission to use any of them.

Are your paintings for sale? If so, where can I buy them. Right now, I am still working on how to get my work recognized. The only ones that are not for sale are the ones I used the models to create the artwork. If you are interested, I could ask the model/s. Maybe we could work something out so both parties could benefit. My price is not high at all. I paint because I love painting and not because I want the money. The watercolor paintings are for sale but a lot of the digital ones need permission to be sold. I haven't labeled my work to let people know which ones are for sale. I'm in the process of doing that soon. For now, you could email me at maidatw@mayarey.com and let me know which one you are interested in and I would be willing to work something out.

Do you accept commission work? Yes I do. The only thing with it is, I need my freedom to create the paintings. You could let me know what you are looking for and I could give you a sample of what I have in mind to create the painting. I would let you know if I could honestly do the work or not.

What is Mayarey? Mayarey is my pen name. I've used it in any work I do. Its a combination of the nickname my daddy used to call me and the first three letters of my last name.

How long does it take you to finish a painting? That all depends on the details the painting requires. I do this part time since I do have a full time job. I do most of the work on my pieces during the weekends. Generally, it takes me half the day to finish a painting if it doesn't have too much details.

I'd like to thank you in advance for any comments, advice or questions you have for me. Please email me at maidatw@mayarey.com if you have any questions, need information or concerns. God Bless!