Aedel Fakhrie Interview

1) So first off thanks for doing this interview, I only came across your instagram page recently but your collaborations with other artists like dobu.haishen blew me away. How exactly do you go about creating the collaborations with different artists? Do you do the line work and let them render it? Do you feel like you have learned a lot from doing these collaborations with artists that you wouldn't have otherwise?

So yeah, mr.Dobu asked me to do a collaboration, well am so stoked bcoz I really luv his demon mask design. Well, mostly I paint or draw some parts or objects then combine it with collaboration mate. For example, when I work with Dobu I asked him to give me the demon robot mask, then I did his body and gesture, so I am trying to bring this mask into a character. People don't need to know what he is or what he does we jus created the images with the title DAEMON OPERATOR. The rest is up to the people what they want to imagine. Few things I'm aware is I am trying to raise Cool, Anger , Violence, Invincible into this character.

Here's another example when I did a collaboration with @elfandiary . He drew the girl and I did the background. First thing before we did anything, we talked about the concept and what we are gonna to show to the people. Girl and robot is always good combination LOL. But we prefer doing it by not showing anything sensual. Yeah, I was trying to make epic scene behind this cool pilot girl. Just in case if you haven't seeing the collaboration piece with @elfandiary, here it is:

So if you asking more technical, ummm I don't do that way..like giving the line art and render etc. More like combining more than one drawing/painting syle.
And yesss! I have learned a lot of things, that's the positive things about doing collaborations with another artist, it's challenging actually! :)

2) It looks like you have a bunch of Bunker 15 A diecut stickers and art on your instagram is this something you sell online? Where can people but some of the diecuts you have on your instagram and what is Bunker15A?

Bunker15A is a brand actually LOL. I've made it since I started to sell my first t-shirts this last year. I really hope it will grow and bring my art into merchandise that people can buy or wear it. Yeah those stickers actually are for freebies and giveaways. So, those stickers not for sale right now but I have a plan to start selling die-cut sticker packs with all bots or mechs I've designed, hopefully at May and not only stickers I hope.

3) What do you do for a full time job and what is your art education background? Can you name a few projects you have been apart of and where we might check them out?

Well I just resigned from the office last year, as of June lol. My background is Graphic design and I was work in advertising agency and multimedia company, but now I'm full freelance concept artist and illustrator. 

For illustration and concept art, I've just done few projects since November till now, but some of them I can't publish yet ( resin kit toy company and indie game dev) and the rest of them some illustration for advertising which is not that appealing for me :P.

I recently attended a Star Wars event where Disney Indonesia and Pacific Place Mall had a project to invite 5 artist to draw on StormTrooper helmets. You can check out my contribution below:

4) I think what grabbed my attention the most about your art is your line work, they look super clean and precise but they have a feel like they are very loose and sketchy. How did you develop this "style" did you spend a lot of time copying line work from master artists? How would you recommend someone go about developing a line similar to yours?

Honestly, I feel my line art feels like a crap haha.I need more practice and yeah, exactly! What I do is eyeballing Kim Jung Gi , Katsuya Terada and Otomo Katsuhiro art! If you see their art details, they are all different but slightly look similar, how amount details they put on their art, the ideas, crazy! Those masters art are excellent study materials I say.

Because of it, I step back and learning basic drawing, like perspectives,anatomy, knowledge about material such as machines,animals, human etc. Until now I've only been grinding on the basics. Perspective is hard! Lighting is hard! Everything is really hard haha, but I love it :).

5) So when you say you eyeball Kim Jung Gi , Katsuya Terada and Otomo Katsuhiro are you directly copying their work or do you aim to just keep their work as reference for your own. For example if you are drawing a robot you might not look at a robot these guys drew but instead more how they did their line work and applying it to your own drawing?

At first I'm trying to copying their art, piece by piece, but later on I found that what is really important is I'm absorbing their illustration composition and yes just like you said, you are right about it! I'm applying it into my own drawing style.

6) Do you keep up a regular study schedule today and if so what does your day to day look like? How many hours a day do you work?

Yup! Mostly I spent no more than 5-6 hours a day for work (commission). The rest of it I use it for practice basic drawing, maximum 2-3 hours a day or watching movies and another fun stuff. It's important because ideas and insights comes from that things I believe.

7) Your art seems to be very sci fi specific was there any specific movie or anime that sent you in the direction you are in today to becoming an artist? Any games or movies you would recommend for inspiration or that you found inspiring?

Oh maaan, yesss! I grew up with comic books, robots, and arcade (it's called DING DONG in here lol ). Hell yea! Back to 90's with the Robocop series, Back to the Future, Mazinkaezer, Voltus, and basically anything with robots. But then I'm more selective, since I watch Ghost In The Shell back at 1996 or 97 If I still remember, got that VCD anime-ova from a friend which changing my taste, a lot!

Since then I read the manga version, not long from that, I watched BLADE RUNNER! I was thinking this movie was made in 90's but when I found out it came out in 1982 my mind was blown.
Thanks to the internet ten years later since I discovered Syd Mead. He is Sci-fi's prophet haha.

Umm, for scifi genre, I would say, All movies made by Neil Blookamp and WETA gangs is deserve to watch! Elysium, District 9... etc.

8) Ghost in the Shell was a big inspiration to me too and I'm not even much of an anime guy. What do you think about the live action movie adaption they are doing? I think its cool to see that the story will have more mass appeal for the west.

At first I was really worried the life-action movie will be sucks, just like Dragon Ball LOL , but then when I saw the trailer, behind the scenes and team who handle the movie, then I have a hope this version will be great. But, just in case, let's not put high expectation into this up coming movie haha, especially for the story, there's may something changed or something like that, so yeah :).

9) What are some books or movies that you are checking out now? Any that you would recommend for people to check out?

Well currently I'm studying about my own country which have lots of tribes in the old times, so there's a book called "Traditional Weapons of the Indonesian Archipelago" that I'm really dig in. I kno it's not relate with sci-fi haha, but at least I have more knowledge of ancient weapons function that I may can be use in the future. As for the movies, currently I'm re-watching Akira Kurosawa movie collection, learning his composition, especially dramatic shots.

10) Who are some of the artists you admire today that you have taken inspiration from? Is there any artists that you would like to give a shout out to?

One guy, that blown my mind when I see his art back at 2005-2006 on DeviantArt. He is Kai Lim a.k.a Ukitakmuki a.k.a @divesignal (on IG). This dude made me trying hard to be like him hahaaha. Damn...

11) Finally what is the best way for people to keep up with your work? When can we expect more Bunker15A news?

Ahaha, currently, my IG account (theaedel) is the most update from the other link to my art, at least every 2-3 days I'm posting something new haha as for Bunkr15A, right now I'm about to focus on Bunker15A, still making details as part of the plan to make my own merchandise shop. I will make new account with Bunker15A name and of course I will let people know from my current IG account.
You can also follow me on tumblr.
Thank you also Wesley! Much appreciated this interview :)

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