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Teknidermy Magazine - Issue 2 , Vol. 1
January/February, 2001

Focus on Female Skinners: Interview with Tananda

Tek:   First Tananda I would like to say Thank you for sharing a little bit of yourself with the readers of Teknidermy, and I’m sure this will be a refreshing interview for our readers to be able to see some insight on behalf of the Female skinners.  

Tananda:  Thank you for asking me. It is an honor to be included in your project.  

Tek: What made you desire to begin making graphics and in turn making skins for skin able Applications?  

Tananda: I have always been interested in art. I used to draw cartoons from pictures in my books when I was only 3. One time I got really creative and used my mom’s make-up to paint a mural in the hallway. When I got a computer, it was only natural for me to get into digital art. It wasn't until a good friend turned me onto ICQ Plus that I even knew there was another way of changing the look of your desktop besides themes. Finally I had a purpose to my designs and after the first skin, I was hooked.

Tek: How long have you been Designing and making skins for applications?  

Tananda:  I’ve been designing skins for close to a year and a half now.  

Tek: What are the programs you yourself are currently using to design and create your graphics in?  

Tananda: I use Photoshop exclusively for my graphics. I find it too confusing to jump around different image editors. I can do just about anything I come up with in photoshop.

Tek: Do you have one Favorite one of choice you use more frequently than the others?  

Tananda: I started out using paintshop pro. I really liked it until I tried photoshop. After a time or two using it, I just can't make myself go back. I feel more comfortable doing graphics in photoshop.  

Tek: What would you suggest to other people who are interested in learning how to design and develop skins for applications?  

Tananda: I would suggest for someone who wants to get into skinning, to be aware of what people like.  Study other artists such as Steve Moss, Bakerstreet, and Treetog. See how they fit form with function. And most of all set a standard for yourself and stick to it.  

Tek: Do you have a background history of education in graphics and art or was this something you learned yourself upon stumbling across skin able applications?  

Tananda: I studied art in high school. By my senior year all of my classes with the exception of two were in art. I am diversified in my mediums thanks to a really great art teacher, Ed Miller. I can do ceramics and sculpture, painting, ink drawing, chalks... well just about anything you can think of, I've experimented with. I also studied under Sid Larson for a semester in Columbia College here in Missouri. He is one of the leading experts on Thomas Hart Benton. There I learned figure drawing and advance perspective. As far as computer graphics, I am completely self-taught. It has been my favorite medium to date.  

Tek: Can you tell us a little about who Tananda really is?

Tananda: I'm a bit of a recluse. I don't really socialize much on the computer or in real life. I just don't have the time or emotional energy for it. That doesn't mean that I don't like to help people when they send me emails or messages through ICQ however. It's just that with three small boys, a loving and supportive husband, two dogs and a cat, I don't have much left over for anyone else. My driving force is to create. It doesn't matter what medium I use, as long as I can beautify something.


Tek: Tananda was nice enough to take the time out of her busy schedule to make the readers of Teknidermy an exclusive icq plus skin called "Moonstone" here is a screenshot of it and by clicking on it you can download it from here as well...
Feel free to drop by her web site at http://tananda.quadrent.net/

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