First Impressions
Iryna Khymych
The artist talks fantasy inspirations and industry life
Where did you grow up and how has this inf luenced your art?
Until I was 14 years old I grew up in a small town in western Ukraine called Irshava. I’ve been creating art since second grade and have always been fascinated with the human figure and portraiture. I remember art teachers telling me that I needed to know how to draw and paint other things besides people.
However, my real love of fantasy art wasn’t born until I watched The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring in 2002 and discovered Donato Giancola’s work. It was there and then that I knew what I wanted to paint for the rest of my life: fantasy art.
What, outside of art, has most inf luenced your work throughout the years?