Interview
Chris Limeres
Chris Limeres was born and raised in Alaska and currently lives in Denver, Colorado. As a child, Chris spent lots of time outdoors, away from most technology, and tried to make the most of the world around him.
Chris is a digital artist who focuses on pop culture with a sci-fi twist, with surreal space elements and saturated colors. Much of his artwork is an evolution for him. He’s detail-oriented, so he implements a lot of texture and attention into his work.
Chris pushed his art designs onto clothes using heat press technology, and he’s currently managing a clothing shop. Chris’ goal is to push more movement, composition, and immersion into his art.
What is your background and how did you start your journey in the art world?
“In elementary school, drawing made me feel powerful. It pulled me away from all the chaos of the world, leaving me focused and determined. Art wasn’t just a hobby to pass the time; it felt necessary to me. I viewed it as an escape — a way to elevate my life and find inner peace.
Being surrounded by nature played a big role at the start of my art journey. As an adult, my voyage into ingenuity was pushed even further. I became more exposed to technology when I moved out of state into a whole new city. At first, I felt lost. Even after I’d settled in, the tools and resources I’d grown accustomed to weren't present anymore. I would sketch on drawing pads and whatever else I could get my hands on, until I reinvented my style and launched a social media page.
It wasn't until after I had a little school experience that I realized I would rather be self-made than tied to a big-name company. That was the birth of my business idea, Limey Limerez. To me, it was a way out of the rat race, an escape, a chance to hopefully create a legacy.”
What does your work aim to say? Does it comment on any current social or political issues?
“My artwork leans away from politics because of its divisive nature. I tend to make art for an audience that wants an escape or desires a sense of immersion. My work focuses on pop culture icons in space backgrounds or dreamlike environments, usually in movement. It varies because I love to focus on emotions and human subjects in relation to their backgrounds.
My work aims to say that our existence is ethereal. We are more than just a number in the system; we have potential within ourselves. My artwork is based on different cultures, representing the evolution of people and places.
One piece that really answers this idea of the importance of existence is my illustration titled ‘Legendary Live Eternally’. It’s based on a song by Tupac Shakur called Legendary. The line reads, ‘You can still see my prophecy, legendary live eternally’. It represents his human spirit’s strength. His soul is eternal, like the words spoken into his music. He had a profound effect on the creative industry after his unfortunate death.
The illustration shows him as a galactic being with angel wings and a halo. Together with the planetary systems in the background, they symbolize his ascent to the heavens. Earth is at the center, holding two revolvers, which have a flower sprouting from the gun barrel. This represents how there is still an aspect of craftsmanship and beauty in the tools of destruction.”
Which current art world trends are you following?
“I haven’t followed that many trends in the past. Recently, however, I started to notice a lot of nature art in my Explore feed on multiple social media platforms, even in ads. Then it got specific to only floral art, and I was really interested in what traditional and digital artists were doing with it.
Another trend I’m following is psychedelic art. People have been making looped animations that show a certain pattern or object in space. It’s insane what is being created in the art world.
Something else I really enjoy that’s starting to become big online is portrait process videos. It reels me in just by watching the colors blend and fuse into each other. Many digital artists in particular are creating dimension by fitting layered backgrounds behind these portraits, which provides more intensity to the composition.”
Do you plan your work in advance, or is it improvisation?
“A lot of my work is improvised. I’ll plan an idea that captivates me and will keep me busy, challenge me, and educate me. I tend to lose determination with bigger projects. Instead, I like to multitask with numerous art assignments to keep myself busy. I rough-sketch, sketch, and color whenever I can.
Planning in advance is essential for freelance or client work. With detail-oriented work, I always need an overview; a way to see things through. But with free-based work, I almost always improvise. I get unlimited ideas and potential to work with when I’m improvising. It gives me relief to not always be on someone else’s clock. However, I like to do a little bit of both. I like change, but routines are important because they work.”
“Limey Limerez is built upon the goal of breaking down creative barriers, and providing audiences with more than just a pretty flashy design to awe viewers.
It's also about crafting a narrative, and giving insight into the culture that the images are based on. Icons tell stories, and through my graphics, these icons come to life on clothes and paper.”
What process, materials, techniques, etc., do you use to create your artwork?
“My process leans on conceptual rough sketches. I don’t make outlines or grids, but instead go right into sketching an idea, face, or structure. I don’t want to feel intimidated by it because then I’ll overthink it.
I use software such as Photoshop and Procreate. I switched from using plug-in drawing tablets to an iPad Pro, which is when Procreate became my main operation for production. As for my techniques, I tend to use a lot of soft airbrushes combined with oil paint kits. This helps me have more access to customization in the long run. The more I have at my disposal, the more I can play around with. I go on this epic journey of discovery to form a visually appealing image and make it pop.
Another technique is using a photo reference, then deleting it partway through to see if I can complete the image. In the past, I would shy away from this. But once I jumped in, things changed. I had more work to do, but I felt disciplined. I felt an energy surge in me. The more pieces I produced, the more I wanted to master those techniques. In the end, it made me feel satisfied.”
What does your art mean to you?
“Art is everywhere. The summary of our existence is art. Ancient civilizations documented their history through interpretive drawings. They used visual narratives to lead, inspire, educate, and teach. We've been taught that art occurs only in classrooms, shows, and galleries, but art is in fact omnipresent and never-ending, kind of like the seasons.
When we look at the lines outlining an object, they act as a definitive surrounding barrier. Similarly, art is an ethereal characteristic that outlines both the people and the universe itself. It creates form. From the ground up, art is sacred. Many say we are flesh and blood, but we are also a mixture of color and form. The world around us is perfectly constructed like a masterful composition. There’s so much mystery to it that keeps us wanting more, seeking that inner beauty of the mountains, seas, valleys, and animals. Art is the journey to uncover this mysticism and beauty. Art is human nature.”
What is your favorite artwork and why?
“My favorite artwork is probably by Ralph Bakshi, an American illustrator and animator who reigned supreme during the 1970s and 1990s. His art style stands out in many of his animations in films like Lord of the Rings, Fritz the Cat, Cool World, and Wizards. I love his vibrant contour line quality and illustrated backdrops. They captivate any viewer, especially the color vibrancy found in a lot of his facial expression animation scenes. In the Lord of the Rings animation sequence in the mines of Moria, the flames and shadows he draws are astonishing, like something out of a dream.
Some of my favorite artwork is also by Danluvisiart, a popular artist in the digital world. He’s known for his LMS series, which focuses on bounty hunters and cyberpunk technology. His work is visceral and lifelike because of his brush strokes and attention to detail. He strongly captures emotion in his work, enhanced by his lighting and shadow placement. His art serves as a big source of motivation for me.”
Have you had any noteworthy exhibitions you'd like to share?
“I’d like to get my pieces submitted to a gallery one day. It all feels so competitive at times, but that’s part of the process.
Beyond that, I’d like to have looped animations of my work projected on a giant monitor at a concert. When an artist is performing, you've got to set the bar high in order to exhibit. My end goal for the exhibition is to have a screen wall installation alongside prints.”
