Kozmik: How long have you been in the scene?

Virago: Too long )))

Kozmik: About...And how old are you know?

Virago: Err...Gee...It's starting to look like an interview...(Short one though )) ...Anyways... 23

Kozmik: And you do gfx right, what year did you submit your first compo entry?

Virago: Err.. 98 ..

Kozmik: What would you say your style is (does it compare to any earlier styles), if not have you been at least influenced, and if so by whom?

Virago: Oh shit .. now it's getting difficult ) I have no specific style, but I like pictures that look painted (on canvas) or pixeled, and not too realistic (take a picture if you want realistic things )...And I like stuff from Rembrandt, Michelangelo etc... Not influenced by scene gfxians...

Kozmik: So would you say you are first a graphist and then a scener, unlike maybe most gfx artists in the scene who grew up with deluxe paint for example?

Virago: I started drawing on paper (like a lot of scene gfxians), and had some studies in drawing/oilpainting/calligraphy...But I started pixeling on C64 as soon as I learned English and understood the program

Kozmik: Why do you think that even though you started with limited capacities (inherent to the C64), you grew up to have a "painter" style instead of designer style (like most oldschool guys)?

Virago: Probably because I kept on drawing and painting on canvas more then I pixeled on C64, I just enjoyed it a lot more then pixeling (pixeling with a joystick is not something I'd recommend ) (...) That's why I don't enter compo's that often Because it's all scanning & smudging... I entered once long ago.

Kozmik: What compo entry was that, which party, which year, what result, and where you happily surprised about the result or not?

Virago: Compo entry was called "don't let the world turn grey" (I think), party was bizarre 98, year was 98, result was first, and I was rather surprised, since Acryl was in that compo as well... but that was the only known gfxian as well (7 entries in total or something like that).

Kozmik: What do you think about the "naked woman" issue in GFX democomps (you do like Danny, right?)

Virago: Danny is a good friend of mine, but I don't like drawing naked women myself, never did it, never will do it either...But Danny's pictures just look good (and I know they're not scans, I've seen him at work ) just not my style.

Kozmik: Do you see sceners are outcasts or people who stand out (alluding to your favourite movie "Braveheart" ?

Virago: You've read my ojuice entry I guess? ))...No...Sceners are not outcasts...Well...Maybe a bit in a way, because they're working on pretty new things, digital art etc...I guess they stand out in a way, doing some great stuff, but not outcasts...

Kozmik: Btw... download pixel winner of Bizarre98 at: ftp://ftp.scene.org/pub/parties/1998/bizarre98/gfx/b98gfx4.zip

Virago: Ah...You found it?...Cool



Kozmik: But regardless whether you submit an entry or not, you like to attend demoparties (9 listed). What do you get from it?

Virago: I go there to meet people and friends...Not to enter a compo or to win anything...

Kozmik: Can you tell me about Level-D and it's main driving forces (ideals etc...)?

Virago: Eell...Level-D is a musicgroup, doing new age/ambient/chill and those kinda styles...We don't really have any driving forces, we just wanted to be a different group that the rest of the music groups.. all people in Level-D are good friends however, and I met quite a lot of them in real life as well now...We don't have a dictatorship or anything, just a bunch of friends releasing something now and then (nice line )

Kozmik: What's your view on the money getting to the scene (like Audiophonik to which 2 of Level-D artits participated to), do you see that coming for graphists too some day?

Virago: I have no problem if (ex-)sceners want to make a job out of their hobby, nothing wrong with that...A lot of scene gfxians work for games companies etc...

Kozmik: Rob Winter is also Manager Director of Level-D records, do you ever disagree on the paths to take and if so what would be your advice to other groups about group management?

Virago: I never had any problems with Rob or Johanne for that matter... Sometimes our opinions about things are different, but that's normal, and we always work it out without fights...A group based on friendship is a good thing, we never even kicked someone out of Level-D That's impossible.. our members live all over the world

Kozmik: So friendship always comes first. Was/is it like that in Nostalgia also?

Virago: All people in nostalgia were good friends of mine when I joined them yes...Worked on some projects with them before...

Kozmik: Is keeping the planet "clean" one of your prerogatives (just saw your Biz98 entry...)?

Virago: Yep...I love nature...And Jenny

Kozmik: What is the most hurting thing somebody portraying himself from the scene has ever told you (without mentionning his/her name)?

Virago: Stealing something and releasing it under his/her own name I guess.

Kozmik: What does "Level-D" mean? Where did you get the idea of such name for your demogroup?

Virago: Ehm...Well...Level-d isn't a demogroup, and I didn't come up with the name...However, someone told me it comes from X-files, where there's supposedly a "level-d" which is the level where all alien experiments are done etc...

Kozmik: If Someone wanted to make friends with you at a demoparty, what would be 1) the worst and 2) best sentence to say to you?

Virago: The best : "hi", the worst "you rule" Of course, nobody would say "you rule" to me anyways )) Rephrase : nobody would say "you rule" to me and mean it anyways )) (note:Danny_TBL then screams Virago YOU RULLLEEEEEEEEEEE friend!)

Kozmik: About Fix-ups (pre-arranged results at demoparties), are they a myth, are you aware of any, and if so which demoparty which year?

Virago: I don't think there are pre-arranged results, but there definately is bad compo organising...Stupid preselections, and people voting who didn't even see/hear the productions...Big names win, even if their entry sucks.

Kozmik: Most demoparties ORG ask you to give up your rights/copyrights so they can distribute the party entries. Where do you draw the line as giving up these rights? And do you have a better/more fair idea on how the ORGS ought to handle such rights?

Virago: They can do whatever they want with the entries, as long as they don't sell them I guess. and there is no better/more fair way to do it, without going to official copyright organisations, and basically they don't care much about digital art (yet)...

Kozmik: Are you aware of digital signatures for graphists? Does it work well (and if so what is the best program for you)?

Virago: It doesn't really work well, and scene gfx are often copies from beaty magazines or something, so it's hard to put your own copyrights on those, even in you've redrawn the picture, or perhaps only parts of it...Copyrights is a delicate matter, and actually needs some studying to fully understand it.

Kozmik: Occasionaly on IRC you might run into a person who disagrees with you and might start typing things like "F* you gay asshole!" - To your knowledge what is the average age of sceners in 2000?

Virago: The average age is different per country I think.. in Holland for example the average age is pretty low, yet in France it's somewhat higher.. so it's hard to give an average age...For Dutch standards I'm an old scener, and i'm only 23, so

Kozmik: What are the best graphic ressource you know of (tutorials/examples/help etc...)?

Virago: I don't know...I sometimes look at gfxzone, but mostly I like watching at real, painted art... possibly I'm old fashioned or something...I also don't really like the designs of the demo "moral hard candy" for example... I like details, yet not overly detailed and too realistic...But gfxzone and some friends (Danny, Made, Assa, 3daddict, etc...) are my 'resources'...

Kozmik: If you could go back in time, what would you like to change regarding your work/involvement in the demoscene (as advice for starters)?

Virago: I would probably have choosen a 100% graphical education instead of car mechanics and basic computer informatics

Kozmik: If you had one single advice to give to 1) 2d-program authors, and 2) 3d-program authors, what would these be?

Virago: To 2d program authors I have no comments, I've been using photoshop for a loooooong time, and it's just great, and gfx2 is great for pixel work...And 3d program authors...Well...Get rid of the damn bugs! (especially kinetix)

Kozmik: If you had to choose between spending your life in the moutains or on the seaside, which would it be?

Virago: Oh...Easy choice, mountains, definately!

Kozmik: What are your plans for the future (as far as your demoscene art involvement goes)?

Virago: Well...I'm moving to Norway pretty soon, after that I'll probably need some time to get settled there, but I'm just gonna continue scene work until i don't enjoy it anymore, or have no time for it anymore (but i always manage to find some time, so ) I'll probably be around for quite a while longer.

Kozmik: When you draw on computer and you know you are on to something worth pursuing because the results on the screen already please you do you get excited like a rush and if so what state of mind do you switch into?

Virago: Well...All my gfx start out on paper (except for webdesigns and 3d work)...Then I scan the paper sketch, and ask some opinions...If people like it, I'll continue...I don't like to/can't judge my own work.

Kozmik: Do you sometimes work so long on a graphic that you actually get fed up with it, and if so, do you have any remedy to that (as help to other graphic artists) - what is the SHORTEST and LONGEST period you have worked on an entry?

Virago: I have it all the time, and my remedy is to just let it rest for a while and start a new picture...I draw very slow, mainly because I like details, and that painting like style, which is hard to draw with a mouse (no, I don't have a wacom tablet or anything, just a simple mouse )...Shortest period I've spent on a picture is 30 minutes (30 minute compo at #pixel), longest time about 150-175 hours over a period of 8 years, (started as oilpainting).

Kozmik: Who has really helped you (who do you wish to thank)?

Virago: Depending on with what they helped me with, I'd like to thank Danny and Made a lot, Orion, Slackjaw and Nogsf for helping out with Level-D really well, everyone in Level-D of course, Lluvia, Dr.yes, Flan, Ps, Shodan, Sparcus, Therew, Jal, Druid, ehm...Louie, Lowlife, gfxtwins, and all other scene-friends I've ever met...And of course the sweetest girl I know, Jenny (non-scene) for inspiration with her poems

Kozmik: What do you think is your best quality (and your worst)?

Virago: I think i'm pretty good at organising, yet I always organise too much at the same time.

Kozmik: Finally, what do you think is the demoscene's best quality (and its worst)?

Virago: Best quality is the friendship between people from different ages/cultures/countries, worst quality is probably the rivalry between group which gets out of hand sometimes.

Kozmik: How can people contact you if they wish to know more about Level-D?

Virago: By email would be the easiest way I guess : -email-

Kozmik: Anything else you'd like to add?

Virago: nope..

Kozmik: Ok then it's a wrap! Thank you Virago and good luck with Level-D and Nostalgia!

Interview performed by Kozmik