Unleashing the Power of Pencil Drawing in an Interview with byous.art

Introducing byous.art, a master of the graphite world whose skilled hand brings life to the blank canvas of paper. With each stroke of the pencil, he weaves intricate stories, captures fleeting moments, and evokes profound emotions. His artistry transcends mere lines and shadows, imbuing each creation with depth, texture, and soul.

Drawing inspiration from the world, byous.art explores a diverse range of themes and subjects, each rendered with a unique blend of realism and imagination. Through the meticulous craftsmanship and unwavering dedication,he invites viewers to a journey into the intricate worlds, where every stroke tells a story and every shade whispers a secret.

Join byous.art on a visual odyssey through the wonders of pencil drawing, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the mundane is transformed into magic.

Can you share a bit about yourself and how you first ventured into the world of pencil drawing? 

I grew up in a small town in Indiana with really not much else to do at the time. I think that's one reason, I had so much time to draw and practice without distractions. My dad and older brother both drew and had their pencil drawings on the wall as I was growing up and I feel like that was one of the first inspirations for me to draw. 

And I've always felt like words alone were so confining and could never fully express the ideas that I wanted to get out. 

What drew you to pencil as your primary artistic medium?

I've always resonated with the fundamental qualities of graphite and of black and white work. The simplest method of merely communicating an idea. I feel like refining the image down to that emphasizes the power of a single concept or idea, and how pivotal even a single thought can be in someone's life.

Personally, I'm pretty utilitarian in that I like refining things down to nothing but what really matters, which kind of feels backwards for art, since so much of art is all about decoration and distractions. But I like the ironic balance of it, and the union of opposites that it creates.

Walk us through your typical creative process when starting a new pencil drawing. Do you have any specific rituals or routines? 

I don't have a single method that I use every time. I've tried to find a single go-to method, but I've found that as soon as the method becomes predictable, so does the art. And that kinda sucks the life out of my work. 

But sometimes, I'll see cracks in the sidewalk that inspire an image, sometimes it's from a dream or a spontaneous thought, sometimes I'll just scribble shapes and see what I find in it. 

Often if I find a new band or song, that can definitely inspire new work. And it could be my Aspergers, but a lot of times, the absence of distractions can be more inspiring than being flooded with potential inspirations. 

With that in mind, a sensory deprivation tank would 100% be one of the most inspiring places I could think of.

ByousArt has a distinctive style. How would you describe your artistic style in pencil drawing, and what elements contribute to its uniqueness?
 

Definitely surreal. Maybe ironic or impractical, and a tiny bit eerie at times, but with a loaded potential. I don't usually like to limit it, but the style usually just comes out on its own. 

I do like to lean into the impractical side of it, because I feel like it's the impractical things that often make life worth it, like art, music, games, love, mystery and humor. A break from, and a balance to, all of the obligatory things in life.

Are there artists or specific artworks that inspire your pencil drawing? How have they influenced your own style? 

MC Escher, Bernini, Dali, Magritte, B.K. Taylor & Frank Frazetta were probably some of the bigger influences. Magritte is probably one of my favorites because of how amazingly simple, yet powerful and memorable his pieces are. 

Many with such a subtle, almost cold, kind of dry humor. They were all big influences when I was younger. 

But as I got older, I typically try to get most of my inspiration from non-art sources to keep it as original, and as detached from any specific trend or time period as I can. I want it to be as relevant, or irrelevant, 1000 years from now as it is today. 

Every artist faces challenges. What challenges do you encounter in your pencil drawing, and how do you overcome them? 

Probably the biggest one is getting a solid idea down without overthinking it. It's usually a matter of clearing my head, or often finding a new band or music actually makes a big difference.

Have you experimented with different materials to achieve specific effects in your artwork? 

Sometimes I like to combine oil paint with graphite if the piece needs some color. I love the earthy and organic combination of those 2 mediums, if you do it right, they can work well together. 

Your drawing conveys a message. How do you ensure that your audience grasps the intended meaning? 

If anything, it's about the inescapable ubiquity of meaning. I don't think I could avoid finding or creating meaning in anything. Most of the time I try to avoid getting any specific or intended meaning into my work, which can be a challenge for an over-thinker.

But getting an idea down on paper, before I overthink it, is usually the goal. 

To me, when it has an intended meaning, it feels more like "graphic design" than art. I like the idea of the viewer being able to attach whatever meaning a piece has for them personally, or to just leave it as a perpetual mystery. 

It makes the work like a Rorschach inkblot. People have told me what some of my pieces mean to them personally, and it's often refreshing because a lot of times, it's an idea or perspective that I've never even thought of before. I like leaving the door open to that. 

How do you envision the evolution of ByousArt's pencil drawing style in the future?

I'd love to work on a much bigger scale and to spend more time on each piece, and to get back into sculpting. 

For aspiring pencil drawing artists, what advice would you offer based on your own experiences?

Just keep at it. There will always be more to learn, more subjects, more animals or characters to study and add to your visual vocabulary. Just have fun with it and draw what interests you but don't be afraid of a new challenge. I think just loving the process makes all the difference.

To see more amazing masterpieces of byous.art visit here.

Also, please give a read to Cosmo Odyssey in psychedelic style: A journey through the stars & galaxies.