Interview with Linda Huber of ~Imaginee on Deviant Art

"No Idea" by Linda Huber

If I were to tell you that the above picture is a graphite pencil drawing and not a photograph, your jaw will probably drop as low as mine did. It dropped, didn't? C'mon, I know--admit it. :)

Linda Huber, the artist (aka ~imaginee)

I have been following Linda Huber on DA for over a year now. This week I had the honor of interviewing her to find out a little more about the amazing woman behind these drawings.

"No Idea" has always been one of my favorites on DA. The technical skill, the abstract and beautifully balanced composition, and the joy and patience (35 hours! whoa!) put into this piece is breath-taking.

"The meaning behind ‘No Idea’ is simple," Linda said. "Since the bulb is broken, to me it represents 'no idea' as opposed to a working bulb." 

Linda chose to draw this light-bulb to give herself a challenge. "I wanted to expand my horizons and draw as realistic as my pencils would allow," she said. "Drawing glass and metal was a challenge and one that I knew I would grow from. It was a heck of a lot of fun too!" She said the hardest thing about this piece was "trying to keep a very light, even touch" on the bulb "so that it would have that translucent look." From the shine on the glass to the incredible detail of the bulb's inner workings, this is truly a masterpiece.

The 16 x 20 original is sold, but you can still purchase prints of the drawing on her website for $28.

"From This Day Forward"

"I have loved to draw from the very first memories of my life," Linda said. Her four siblings do not draw; it was her dad, who does draw, that encouraged her and gave her a love of the art.



Linda loves commissions and prefers to work from detailed photographs with good contrast.

"First thoughts [when I get a commission] are I hope it's a good one," she said, "meaning great references and interesting subject. Second thoughts are I can't wait to start. I love to work and love to draw so it's always great to get a commission."

Often she will work from several photographs and the person or object itself so that she can get to know her subject really well and find details that might not have been apparent at first glance.

"Bello"

For Linda, the details are everything. “I work about an inch an hour on detailed areas,” she said.

"For realism, you should never skip over any individual details," she advised, "details such as that perfect balance of light and shadow to define the shape of one's face, unique flickers of light in each eye, hair texture (including eyelashes and eyebrows) and even pores in the skin."

Patience is key. Linda's drawings take anywhere from twenty to eighty hours each to complete, but to her, the effort is worth it. "Details make the piece come alive,” she said.

"Vulnerable" by Linda Huber

Her favorite place to sit while drawing is the sofa in front of the tv. But, she says, "I'm very focused when drawing so it really doesn't mater where I draw as long as it's a comfortable seat."

"D r i n k"

Sometimes she uses a mirror or even turns a reference photo upside down to get a different perspective.

"I don't know where I came up with using a mirror," she said, "I'm sure it was something I heard from another [artist]. Turning the reference and drawing upside down was something I started to do many years ago to check my work for mistakes--I could see them much faster that way. I soon realized I could also see the shapes I needed to render much easier so I started to draw in this fashion and still do .. this technique forces me to focus more intently on [the] details. It's so relaxing and so natural for me to draw in such a blind state."

"Liv Tyler"

But sometimes, even between many reference photos she does not have all the details she needs. So she goes searching for other photos of similar items (hair on a man's arm, for example). She also draws upon her memories from over forty years of drawing experience.

"Droplet"

"Inspiration comes from everywhere and everything," she added. "I look at life around me and want to draw too many things to name."

 

"The President and Chertoff"

Linda has been on DeviantArt.com for over six years now and she loves it. "Each day is like visiting a fantastic art gallery," she said. "I have gained much inspiration from many of the artists at DA!" She especially appreciates the rich diversity of art on the site and also the easy upload system. One of Linda's favorite artists is Armin Mersmann. "He is the best artist I know of," she said, "and a huge inspiration!"

"Relaxing"

In addition to the graphite drawings Linda has also dabbled in photography and painting. She loves photography and has "been photographing everything around me for most of my life." Painting, however, "was never a great love." Drawing has and always will be her greatest passion. "From time to time I think about doing a painting," she added, "and who knows, I just may."

"Long-Guylan Sound"

Linda doesn't spend ALL her time drawing, though. She writes poetry. She loves to travel in the family's RV with her husband, and their beautiful property is a sanctuary for them both.

John and Linda in their RV

Linda's beautiful home and pond in upstate NY

"Sweet Morning Mist"
 
I walk upon scented
grass drenched in dew
behind me a trail
of shadow steps lay...

A distant sound of
morning dove sings on
while barn swallows
swoop and quietly play...

Above the reflecting
tranquil water
dawn's coolness turns
the air a placid gray...

As soft misty vapors
silently rise to greet
the new breath of this
sweet spring day.

~poem by Linda Huber (2002)

"One of my favorite places to be is in my yard on a warm summer day," she said. "When [my sons] were little they would swim in the pond. It's a half acre wide and 14 feet deep in the center and it's kinda like having a large pool!" The pond is filled with fish; bass have replaced trout over the years, which her younger son, Shawn, used to catch for dinner.

"Our pond has many leaves dancing around the edges of the water," she said. "It's such a pretty time of year ... it's a very inspirational place to live."

 

"The Wedding Day"

Linda is currently working on a series of drawings entitled "Body Language". (Her newest drawing, of an eye, will be posted to DA today, so look for it!) She hopes one day to be in an art show and to teach art lessons from her home. Her art is her passion and she loves spending hours and hours on any particular drawing. Why?

"It's a strong feeling of enjoyment," she said, "of looking forward to seeing the results of your life-long passion. It's there with each piece and it's what drives me always."


~with many, many thanks to Linda for sharing with us her heart and time.