Up Close & Personal with Esthi

[Zindy]

Can you tell us a bit about yourself?

Well, I’m 21 years old and my full name is Esther Charlotte Bender, but I don’t like my name ^^ I have 2 brothers and 1 sister and for a year and a half now, I’m in love=) I’m a student in English and Philosophy for becoming a teacher and I’m in my fifth semester now. Additionally I’m a trainer for gymnastics and train two groups of girls I love to draw, to dance, to read and to have fun with my lovely friends! Also I’m addicted to Coca-Cola, Hello-Kitty and I loooove hash browns (Rösti in German^^) I think medicine, psychology and biology, so everything related to one’s own body, is more than interesting.

How did you find the ZindyZone Foums?

Joane sent me the link once and that’s how I found this forum and also Zindys beautiful art

How long have you been doing art and what got you started?

I’ve been drawing and crafting ever since I can hold a pencil or a scissor^^ Later at the age of maybe 13 I started painting with acrylic and that’s when I really started drawing. With Graphite and colored pencils I actually started just a year ago in November 2010, because I wanted to draw a great portrait for my best friend.

What medium/materials do you like to work with the most?

Hmmmm, I’d say graphite pencils are my favorites, but colored pencils and acrylic paints are really close behind =)

What's your favourite motive and why?

Portraits in general, especially the eyes, because I love how only a face can show sooo much emotions and can tell a whole story without using one word.

What are your favourite pieces of yours?

‘Eye’
with this painting I tried to use acrylic like my graphite pencils and added much more shading and detail, which worked out quite well I think (despite the lashes I always ruin them^^) The reference was just a random make-up commercial I found on the internet.

‘Language of Love’
It’s my boyfriend and me when we took some random pictures while fooling around^^ But I fell in love with this one because I think there are so much emotions showing, real emotions of lovers and not some fake ones like from some model-shooting or something.

‘Marilyn Monroe’
With this one I attempted to use the minimal-style that Ileana uses in perfection!! (That’s where I took the reference from I adore her work!) Plus one of my dearest and oldest friends loooves Marilyn and I drew it for her as a Christmas present =)

‘Nature’s gift’
This is a picture of lovely Lea, one of ma gymnastics girls. She just looks so stunning and sweet and innocent in this photo that I had to draw her. She was so happy about it that I gave her the original and now it’s decorating her wall.
‘Little Red Riding Hood’
I love the expression in her face! The model is an actress who had some photos taken by a photographer on DA (where I got the reference from) The emotions in her face were perfectly fitting to my idea of Little Red Riding Hood in the forest being afraid of the bad wolf in the background.

Where do you find your inspiration?

Oh, that’s hard to say…. When I see a person or a photograph I often get a current urge to draw this special motive I see. Sometimes I think about a specific emotion, feeling or situation that I want to portrait in some way and make out my own motive. My drawings often carry my life or situations I have to cope with nut not too often, mostly it’s just things or people I find really beautiful and stunning.

What is your favourite season and does it influence your work?

Of all seasons I love summer the most!!! And maybe a bit of autumn , too, because I love brown and red colors also in my clothing^^ But I really hate winter due to me being a driver and it’s always so time-consuming to get my car free of snow and ice, plus it’s super cold outside Hm, but I can’t really tell whether you find summer in my drawings or not…Well, I don’t think about summer while drawing, but I think the colors I use are always bright and shining.

Do you have any new projects/artwork we can look forward to?

Yes, I have. I’m planning on doing a big picture to hang on my wall. Something that shows my struggle of illness that I cope with for 4 years now and I already have a few ideas how to do it, but I’m missing time ^^

What are your goals for the future?

I want to become a great teacher, be healthy and just happy!

Is there anything you'd like to say to everyone at the forums?

I want to say thank you for all the support and advice you always give me! I think I wouldn’t improve without your help

[Esthi]

thank you so much Zindy

[Joane]

Hello lovely!
I still really really love the drawing of Lea, her face and expression are very magical! I'm also super curious about your new project, that "big" picture you were speaking of.

And the photo of you is just so adorable <3

[Esthi]

hey dear thanks a lot
yes, that one will be really big, I already bought the paper and a fitting frame, but still didn't have the tim to start ^^ Hopefully I can draw it in april, before the next semester starts. The main idea is something like Good vs Evil , but I'm still a bit undetermined wether the Good will win or the Evil, as well as about the medium (either pencils or acrylics)^^
<3

[Joane]

Oooh I should you should really go for acrylics- you can add so much more layers and the colours will be much more intense. You rock the acrylics!

[Zindy]

I love the photo of you as well, very sweet Interview posted a little early as I am away for 10 days.

[Moldova]

Loved reading your interview, Esthi!
And I do hope you do another acrylic painting! ♥ I think you'll be an excellent teacher too!

[Esthi]

Joane - yes, I think I will do so .. and maybe mix them with water-colors, I don't know yet^^ But I'm having the urge to mix some mediums

Zindy - thank you dear

Maria - thanks for reading and thank you very much for the compliments x) <3

[Cold Shiva]

It is interesting to read this Eshter... to me it seems you're a person that takes life as it comes. I do share that same thing wanna express myself, having ideas and don't have the nominal time. But still, I'm very interested how it would look like... so take your time . Hopefully your illness (what that might be I dare not to ask) does let you the time and energy to draw.

[Esthi]

thanks for reading Mike
I'm very outspoken concerning this illness because it's a part of me now and if someone asks I'm answering It's just very difficult to explain^^ even the doctors aren't sure but in general you can tell it's kind of a chronical fatigue (CFS). normally with CFS, the blood-test-results are okay but mine aren't ^^ but the symptoms are the same, so if someone's interested in medicine(like I am ), there's always something in the internet about CFS

at the end of march and the beginning of april, I will have some time without any study-requirements and stuff So that's when I want to start my project-painting

love,
esther <3