She's the one responsible for all of these wonderful works:
Tell us a little bit about yourself!
My name is Shar and I'm from Newcastle Upon Tyne in the UK. I'm a freelance Vector Artist/Illustrator and been into vector art for nearly 10 years now.
How did you get into your chosen media?
It was a natural progresssion... I got into vexel art and then into vector. It was a bit of an obsession, creating something out of the layering of shapes.
What was made you start writing tutorials?
When I was a teenager, I wanted to grow up to be a teacher. However I was told by my careers advisor that due to my poor English grades, I should look into something else. So I've always had that desire to teach in some respects. When I had my own website many many years ago, I used to have quick tutorials on Paintshop Pro and I noticed that it brought in a lot of attention and visitors. So it was a win win situation, I got to teach and I got more attention to my work.
What do your tutorials provide information wise to a reader?
The tutorials I write these days are specifically aimed to Adobe Illustrator users, creating illustrations and sometimes the odd typography effect. I tend to write them for beginners to intermediate users, but they can often be complex illustrations. So I explain every step of the way.
What motivated you set up your tutorials in your particular format?
My casual tutorials, I just kind of go with the flow and they are usually aimed at a specific person who's asked me a question on how to do something. However my professional tutorials, there is a pretty common format. It originally came from pointers by VectorTuts+. Sean Hodge the editor of VectorTuts+ has been very helpful in getting my style of writing more refined and more professional.
Do your tutorials reflect how you create artwork as an artist?
My tutorials reflect how to use specific tools in different ways. You see a lot of tutorials with the tools being used in a set way, however I like to push them and show the viewer what they could create with the tools. The tutorials I do, do show specifically how to create an illustration however the point of them is more to show what potential the tools have.
How do you feel about "copying a tutorial”?
You have to learn some how and it's a given that if you write a detailed tutorial on how to create something, you can have the image you've created duplicated by others. I have no problem with this, infact it's a compliment. The point of them is more how to use the tools in a creative manner in future projects, but sometimes you have to follow a tutorial to create the same image to see the potential in the tools. So I have no problem at all with people duplicating the image I've shown them how to create!
Have you used tutorials yourself?
I never used to follow tutorials, however now that I write them in a professional capacity, I tend to read them a lot more. There are tutorials out there which help you learn a quick tip or two and sometimes you realise it's capable of creating something you never thought it would. I'm not ashamed to say I've learn't a great deal from other tutorial writers and have used the tips they've given, given it a different spin and encorporated it in my own tutorials. Again, it's about showing potential in a tool and using it in future projects... knowledge is power!
What do you hope people take from your tutorials?
I hope they get introduced to new benefits and creative uses of tools they may not have given attention to or have only used them in a specific manner.
Do you think tutorials are a necessity to developing as an artist? Why or why not?
I think tutorials can help speed the learning curve up for artists, but they aren't the be all and end all. Some people can naturally pick up a piece of software and know how to use it through instincts, some can't. Learning a new piece of software by following tutorials can help your development a great deal and can help refine the talent you have.
What advice or words do you have for readers out there?
There are many websites out there which will pay for you to create tutorials, it's finding the niche and bringing to the talent what experience and style you have. First build up a portfolio of tutorials in a variety of writing styles or even screen casts, so editors can see what you can do and then go for it! The worst an editor can do is say no. Knowledge is power but it's also something that pays and has done for me for nearly 2 years now! If you're really interested in teaching others, then it will be easy to get into. Don't try to teach if you have no passion for it.
Thank you so much, Shar!
I was her first DD!