Fanartist Focus: Hill_

Interviews by Fans
Title:	Fanartist Focus #6 - Hill_
Interviewer:	MrsRittenrotten for Twinspiration
Interviewee:	Hill_
Date(s):	19 June 2007
Medium:	Online
Fandom(s):	Harry Potter
External Links:	Fanartist Focus #6 - Hill_!, Archived version
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Hill_ was interviewed in 2007 for the sixth in the Fanartist Focus interview series at Twinspiration, a Harry Potter LiveJournal community for James/Oliver and Fred/George twincest.

Introduction

Welcome, twinfans, to this month's installment of "Fanartist Focus", where we get to explore various internet fanartists' artistic approaches toward and treatments of the Weasley twins. This month, we are very privileged to present the fabulous creations of the lovely hill_!

hill_ is as well known in the HP fanart arena as one can get, as she is not only very active in various HP fanart communities, but also has a very large portfolio of HP fanart. Her prolific output includes many, if not all, of the HP characters, and her work usually features her signature endearing sense of humour as well as her distinctive artistic style. Anyone who is at all familiar with HP fanartists will recognize hill_'s work immediately. Whether it is her attention to intricate background detail and surface texture in her lineart, her vividly fluid utilization of watercolor, or her painstakingly diligent depiction of Weasley freckles, her work is instantly recognizable, and universally popular.

Today we will concentrate on her twincesty works as well as some of her other studies of the twins, including het, slash and gen. But regardless of the subject matter approach, it's obvious one can always enjoy her vision of Fred and George. Her Weasley twins are gorgeous hardbodies with elongated blue eyes always full of expression, and all her twin-centric works are so full of animation and narrative they practically vibrate with erotic mischief.

So, without further exposition, petquality [mrsrittenrotten] is proud to present hill_!

Excerpts

How did you first get interested in doing fanart in general and slash/twincest art specifically?

I stumbled onto slash by accident, early in 2004. I started reading a lot of Star Wars slash, and then I found the HP fandom. At first, I was like "Snape/Harry? Ewwwwwwwwwww." But then they really grew on me, as did other pairings. I frequented the Potter Slash Archive a LOT, and that's where I saw lots of HP fanart, for the first time. I'll never forget how I felt when I saw work by flimsy and sherant... it made me want to do it too!

I think I drew my first twincest piece in 2005. It was requested by someone who wanted "goth twins".

Your style of painting freckles is legendary, and one of my favorite things about your Weasley works! But is there nothing in particular about Fred and George's personalities, relationship, or interaction with each other that you wanted to depict in any of your pieces? Canon or otherwise?

I'm sorry to say I haven't drawn enough of the twins to show their personalities as such. But I'll try to do so in future pieces. I'd like to capture their mischievious, fun-loving natures if possible. Probably best done in a comic; I really love doing comics!

As one of the mods of several different fanart communities, in your opinion, why is it that the Weasley twins aren't as popular as subject matter in either canon, slash, het or twincest art, within in the HP fanart realm?

It's hard to know why exactly. Maybe because their characters weren't as well developed in the books as Harry, etc? Actually, I think we know a bit more about the twins than we do about Snape, but people like enigmas, it seems.

I think people often think of Fred and George as this unsplittable team, so they may not fit into a slash or het story, unless you're going to include both of them. I know I've always thought of them that way, and it took SilentAuror's fic "Something New" for me to see one of the twins on his own. I also read another fic called "Cartography of Fire" by Thevina, on the Restricted Section website that was George/Remus, and most enjoyable.

I personally loved the idea of Fred/George "together" from the start. It just took me a bit of nerve to draw it. lol

Your piece entitled "Brotherly Love" is quite breathtaking, in more ways than one! I must admit it's my particular favorite, not only because of the hot subject matter and well-drawn figures, but the deft way you handle such a complicated composition. It's quite an achievement to have a foursome happening in which the physical characteristics of each brother is still readily identifiable. One can tell who each Weasley is, even up-side-down! Was that piece particularly difficult? And is it based on any fic?

Thank you! It was a challenge to draw too... the bed ended up being enormous! I was very inspired by a fic by the same name by eeyore9990. It's posted in the Daily Deviant community on LJ. [Linked here, everybody! NC17 Bill/Charlie/Fred/George goodness!]