In this series, we’ll look deeper into some of the projects on Behance.net that were especially admired in our community. This time, we spoke to Alberto Seveos, an illustrator and digital designer living on an Italian island. His “Disastro Ecologico,” was hugely popular on Behance, and left dozens of commenters wondering “how’d he do it?” Here, Seveso dishes on his process & inspiration. (hint: they’re high-speed photos of ink flowing through water). They’re also available as wallpapers to download here.

What was your inspiration for this project?
I remember that I saw something  similar a long time ago, and I felt impressed by the high-speed photography I saw in it. It makes me think about the power we have to stop time in just a “click”. In the last few years, I’ve just tried to have a personal approach to this technique, developing this project in a very personal way.

Can you describe your process in creating this project?
The process is actually quite easy, all you need to do is pour varnish (ink) into water. Well, I must admit that it’s not quite that easy, because I spent a lot of time building the setup & equipment that I now use to shoot varnish into the water  – it’s still a work in progress.

Most of the time I can catch something beautiful just by chance but, of course, it’s very important to find the right light. I think the hardest part is finding the perfect balance between the varnish and water, and finding the perfect technique to pour them into the tank so that they come out beautifully.

Did you expect it to be as popular as it’s been on The Behance Network?
To be honest, No! I didn’t expect it to be so popular because It’s not the first time that someone’s used the technique of high speed photography.

Did you go through many versions and iterations before coming up with these final pieces?
Of course, before I reached this outcome, I did a lot of experiments. I didn’t follow any tutorial, so I spent a lot of time trying to come up something unique. As I said before, the experimental phase is very important..

I love that you added “poetry” as a creative field. Can you tell us about including this, and what you hope viewers will take away from this piece?
I added it in the poetry field because these photos give the idea of lightness and tranquility and they are hypnotic, like a poem is. Looking at these photos, someone could spend hours just searching details, discovering something new each time, new details and new feelings. I thought the experience of viewing these was like reading a poem because it can change everytime.

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In this series, we’ll look deeper into some of the projects on Behance.net that were especially admired in our community. This time, we spoke to Ruslan Khansanov, a graphic designer & digital artist living in Russia. His “liquid typography” – animated letters that come to life and fade away before your eyes – has captivated the Behance community. Click here to see the type in motion!

What was your inspiration for this project?
Inspiration came from a wine logo I was designing. For this logo I drew the letter “D”. I used different tools and materials. Finally I settled on ink and brush. I wanted to achieve the spreading effect, as if on a bottle of wine that had been sitting on the sea’s floor for more than a century, and the letters on the label flowed, forming patterns. For this, I drew with ink on wet paper. I had some interesting options, but nothing too interesting or lively. When I washed the brush in the bathroom from the remnants of the ink, I began to draw the letter “D” on the wet sink surface. The letter literally come to life – fine black lines instantly flowed overgrown with gray patterns like coral and then disappeared like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly and then dying.

Can you describe your process in creating this project?
In one hand, I had a brush with the ink and in the other hand I had a camera to catch the most opportune moment. I got better results when the letters washed away under the stream of water. For each letter, I took about 50 shots. Afterwards, I processed each frame in Photoshop and then animated it. I was especially impressed by how the ink spots were dancing exposed to water, a bizarre dance of life, between birth and death.

Did anything interesting happen as a result of the success of this project?
Yes, there were a lot of nice letters, blog posts and several book publications. The best part is communication. It is a pleasure to talk with designers and artists from around the world. This is a great opportunity for joint projects.

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In this series, we’ll look deeper into some of the projects on Behance.net that were especially admired in our community. This time, we spoke with Nathan Spotts, a freelance photographer in California who studied at San Francisco’s Academy of Art. In his project “Unrealistic Scenes,” he created stunning images of scenes that are “not-quite real, but that almost could be.”

What was your inspiration for this project?
Science Fiction and astronomy! I’ve been a rabid sci-fi fan ever since I could read, and the visuals in many sci-fi films have been groundbreaking and breathtaking. I wanted to bring that feeling of out-of-this-world awe to my photography. At the same time, these images are also a representation of what exists above us. I’ve noticed that people don’t look up very often, but I am one that does.

Can you describe your process in creating this project?
First is the concepting phase, fleshing out the idea. Finding locations and photographing them is the next step, which often can take some time due to travel and weather. Editing and development takes place in Lightroom, and then the photos are moved to Photoshop for compositing. Blending of the sky, ocean, and stars is done with adjustment layers and masks. Once the photos are blended, some global adjustments and retouching is done for finishing touches. Each image in the project tends to get more complicated not just visually, but in the layer stack as well, so the project is also a way for me to push myself technically and conceptually.

Did anything interesting happen as a result of the success of this project? (fans contacting you, job opportunities, blogs picking it up, etc).
Only the launching of my actual art career! Job opportunities, reps, magazines, galleries, and many other people have taken an interest in my work as a result of the popularity of the project. My thanks goes out to the people who helped make it happen!

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