Special

By: Maniac E
Date: March 29, 2012

Interview with digital artist Daniel "Devilish" Johnsson

Daniel Johnsson is the type of guy that sticks with old values but inserted into a new jacket. We had the chance to get in a one on one interview about his unique digital work and his further career as a digital artist specialized in horror and cd album covers.

Hi Daniel, Can you give a little introduction about yourself? Who you are and what you want to accomplish with your digital art in the future.

Hey there Edwin!, Well I’m just a regular guy with a huge passion for horror and horror movies. My name is Daniel "Devilish" Johnsson. And I’m born and raised here in the cold plains of Sweden... What I want to accomplish in the future?, That is a tough one, I haven’t been thinking that much of the future to be honest. I paint mostly for fun, it was just some months ago that I realized I actually could make some cash with it. but I will keep painting and hopefully one day I can pay my bills through painting. I have also just start my new business here in Sweden called "Shop From Beyond" were I’m selling horror and horror movie related stuff and merchandise such as clothing, books, magazines, VHS and so on. so now I have a lot of work to do, and I’m looking forward to it all..

What attracted you to the horror genre?

As I said before I have always been a fan of horror movies, I think it started when I was a kid, wandering around in the video shop looking on all the awesome painted cover art and such, they all looked so badass and I just wanted to see them all, of course I couldn’t though I was too young but I had some cousins just a couple of hundred meters from my home that were older than me, so I sneaked over to their house and watched a lot of crap whit them when my parents didn’t know about it. I guess it went on from there. I’ve been collecting tapes and discs for many many years now and I won’t stop....ever!

Why did you start (re)-creating movie posters?

Movie posters is the best of two worlds, movies and art put together, I mean, I love to paint, and I love horror movies so why not paint movie posters.

What is the movie that inspires you most for your work?

There is to many of them, but I’m a sucker for American 80s horror and I think that’s what inspire me the most. cheesy flicks whit a lot of blood, babes and humor.

Are there any (digital) artists you look up to for inspiration?

To be honest I get most of my inspiration from traditional painters and I try to keep a retro feeling to my paintings as well, I don’t like it when it looks to digitally. but of course there is a lot of talented digitally artists as well.

Which production were you must proud of?

I finished up a City Of The Living Dead poster some weeks ago that turned out really good in my opinion. other favorites are the new cover I did for blood Mortized and Mordants "black evil master" release, to name a few.

You also do covers for cd’s can you name any bands you worked for?

Well yeah, I have already named blood Mortized and Mordant. but I also worked for Mausoleum, Skeletal Spectre, Entrails, Malfeitor, Torture division, Wooden Stake, Pustulation, Decrepitaph and a lot of other cool bands mostly in the metal genre.

I’ve noticed that you entered the Dracula 3D competition on facebook, could you tell us a bit why?

I found that competition on Facebook by a coincident and as a big fan of Dario Argento I had to enter, it would be a huge thing for me if I would win and get my art on an Argento movie. it looks like i have one of the few painted entry’s so far. I’m very stoked to hear what they have to say about my art.

What would be you’re ultimate goal?

The ultimate goal, I have always wanted to paint a cover for a big magazine like Fangoria, Rue Morgue, Famous Monsters etc, so maybe to have my art put on one of those covers, that would be awesome. but otherwise I don’t know..

Do you have any other big projects coming up?

Right now I’m kind of busy with my new business, working on a web shop and so on, but I have some freelance work going on also. new pieces for Cadaverize, the Gardnerz, Deamonicus, entrails and so on. I’m also working on some stuff for a Swedish horror label called dark entertainment so I got a lot to do right now. but hey! that’s a good thing I guess..hehe

I personally would like to thank Daniel for this quick interview with us. Make sure you guys also visit his webpages:

Daniel’s personal WordPress

Shop from beyond (active later in April)