Jana Schirmer

The Berlin-based artist has recently turned to portrait art, in an effort to find her true style

After facing problems at school and dropping out at 15, Jana Schirmer devoted all her time into her painting. “Art felt like the only thing that was left for me,” she says.

Jana’s art is beautiful and light, semi-realistic but with overtones of manga. “I used to draw and paint manga during my teenage years, and it’s very hard to get rid of these ‘trained mistakes’ that comes with a specific style,” she says.

Style and a place in the industry are subjects that leave Jana confounded. Most of her clients are based in fantasy art, but it’s not a style she truly enjoys. “I don’t care about the fantasy genre, unless it’s dark fantasy. But what art you do and what you’re interested in aren’t always on the same page anyway.”

That said, Jana loves the feeling of being part of a wider community of artists and art lovers. “It’s great to meet the people behind beautiful artwork. For instance, the last time I went to a workshop I met an artist friend for the first time, after knowing her online for more than 10 years. It’s amazing how the community can connect people.”

Outside of her commissioned work, Jana has begun exploring portrait painting, “I love portraits that are made up with a bunch of loose brushstrokes,” she says, adding that many portraits often feel too tightly painted. “It’s liberating to just paint from blobs of colour that I throw on one single layer.” But Jana’s still learning: “I’m still looking for my language as an artist – so far I feel more like a craftsman.”

www.janaschi.deviantart.com

Artist tip

ORGANISE YOUR LAYERS

“Always try to keep layers organised, because then it's a lot easier to make changes.”