It’s always best to create content based on your own life experiences
In my opinion, Instagram is the best place to find and connect with creative individuals who share your passion for art. @kavanthekid is an amazing photographer and digital artist that has his own unique style in his edits.
With more than 1 billion users on Instagram, it can be hard to find talent that stands out of the pack, so leave it up to @launchdsigns to do the digging, so that we can showcase extraordinary talent like @kavanthekid. Here are his answers to our questions, setback, absorb, and maybe learn something, he definitely deserves a spot on ‘The Creative Ones’ section of our website.
How long have you been using Adobe Photoshop to edit?
I started photography back in 2014, so almost 6 years.
How did you get into digital arts?
I got involved in Digital Arts as an extension to my photography. I would want to build certain types of imagery and finding those landscapes or setups would sometimes prove difficult. But being able to create that digitally became appealing because I could essentially create any world I wanted.
What inspires you to create?
All the imagery I have been creating since January of this year is inspired by past events in my life, experiences and perspectives, and my outlook on modern societal culture. Mixed in with a surreal aesthetic to culminate.
Who are some of the creative artists on Instagram that inspires you?
This is a tough question as there are SO MANY. Every day I stumble across another immaculate artist on Instagram. I truly believe we are in a new artistic renaissance. Some of my favorite artists that I discovered via Instagram would be Miles Johnston, Kevin M (@demographick), and Pawel Kuczynski (@pawel_kuczynski1).
With Instagram being so saturated with talent right now, how are you able to stay unique and fresh?
I think what works for me to stay fresh is that even though there is so much talent on Instagram. I try not to replicate anything I’ve seen. My focus is always on creating content based on my own life and adding a surreal twist to it. The most important thing for me when I am creating is to represent my own thoughts and feelings. For me, my work is deeply connected to my soul. I sometimes joke that my work is my soul. Like Voldemort, I place a little piece of me in each image.
How do you educate yourself and keep learning?
For me, education is key. How I go about continuing to learn new things is pretty simple. If I don’t know how to do something that I want to achieve. I head to the University of YouTube and start watching every tutorial that is available on the topic and I will test it out multiple times before implementing it onto the piece that I want to create.
In your opinion, what makes a good photoshop composite?
For me, a good photoshop composite is made from proper lighting, shading, depth and using a good rule of thirds.
What is the one thing you wish you knew when you started editing using Photoshop?
Hmm. This is a tough question.
My dumb answer would be, everything haha. But honestly, the best thing I think to know when you are first starting is the proper canvas set up. Knowing the basic tools of photoshop and what they can do for you and lastly the selective color tool. It is without question my favorite tool to use.
Do you use Adobe Lightroom? If so for what specific purpose?
I do use Adobe Lightroom for any lighting fixes. Usually, when I am building a composite, I will start in Photoshop and create the first build. I then send it to Lightroom to get all of the lighting matched and corrected and then back to photoshop to do coloring and final looks.
Take us through your workflow from beginning a project to posting it on Instagram?
It’s pretty simple in the big picture. Usually, I start by conceptualizing an idea. Following that, I begin to gather all the necessary props and things that I need to make the photo. Then it’s on to executing the photoshoot. Editing and then uploading to Instagram. Since I am in the process of creating my book and each image I am releasing this year will be part of my book, I only post once a week on either Tuesday or Wednesday in the morning. When 2019 ends I will have posted 50 images this year as the book will include all 50 images plus 10 images that I will never, ever release online.
What do you hope to achieve from posting on Instagram? Are you just posting for the fun of editing or are you hoping to use your Instagram gallery as a portfolio for bigger opportunities?
I post on Instagram for both the fun of editing and to create an online gallery that features my work. Instagram has lead my career to having bigger opportunities and I hope it continues to work that way so I can expand on my career and hopefully one day be able to travel the world teaching my photography style to others.
I know from experience that photoshop files many layers can take up lots of space on a computers hard drive, How do you back up your original work?
This is a funny question. My answer. Hard drives on hard drives on hard drives 😉 I think I own about 6 GDrives that are all 4TB a piece and I have almost filled them all. About to add drive #7. I also back up my work on my dropbox as well.
How important is getting likes and comments vs just posting as an artistic expression?
For me, it’s all artistic expression. Don’t get me wrong, likes and comments are cool and it makes me happy to see that people can relate to my work but photography has always been my escape. My way to deal with depression and when the world feels like it’s swallowing you up. It’s my outlet. So when I post, it’s really just sharing something that is pretty personal to me and whatever the interaction ends up accompanying that post is what it is.
If there wasn’t an Instagram, where would you showcase your work?
Facebook, Flickr, Viewbug haha pretty much all other social media networks. But if there was no social media or the internet. I’d probably print off a bunch of my pieces and post them up all over the city. I live in Los Angeles, so it would probably be a mix of street art and galleries. That may still be something I end up doing in the future 😉
Have you gotten any financial opportunities because of Instagram?
Oh yea. I mean Instagram in a way funds my career. I sell my prints through Instagram and in 2017 and 2018 I had a photography show called PhotoForge that I will be bringing back in 2020. Right now for the year of 2019 I have been working on my first ever Photography Book titled “Stay Inside & Don’t Let the Dreams Out.”
Do you think that Instagram has helped or hurt digital artists?
Oh helped without question. I think Instagram has given so many artists the opportunity to work for themselves. Instagram birthed the online influencer. Gave them a platform to partner with business, show their work and become a business themselves through their art. I think Instagram is a wonderful tool if used correctly and responsibly.
What State/Country do you live in?
I live in Los Angeles, California. The United States of America.
Is there anything else that you would like your followers to know about you?
Just that I have my first ever published photography book coming out. It will include 60 photos, ten that can only be seen in the book, short stories, personal quotes, and a lot of other little goodies. The book is my most personal collection of work and I can’t tell you how excited to release it. The book is titled “Stay Inside & Don’t Let the Dreams out” and it releases January 2020.
