Linda Wan
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| Name: | Linda Wan |
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| Fandoms: | Star Trek: TOS, Star Trek: TNG, Star Trek: VOY |
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Linda Wan is a fanartist, writer, vidder, and zine editor.
She is a Philon Award winner, as well as the winner of several STIFfies.
From Scribbling Women: Artists Talk Back
Do you feel comfortable drawing erotic art?: Linda also feels ambivalent about the erotic stuff. She writes, “Well, I’ve kinda skirted that. Closest I came to this was the piece I call ‘Cuddle.’ I think Kirk’s balls were hanging out. I don’t know. I think I haven’t done more because I haven’t found a good pose that I would want to draw. Legs in the air or over the shoulders doesn’t look very sexy to me.”
Do you draw from your mind’s eye or do you use some kind of source material?: Linda used source material but not slavishly, she explains. “I draw freehand. I look at the pic and draw just looking at it. I don’t do it blind. You have to be a very good and skillful artist to draw without photo references. Suzan is a good example of someone who started out with photo references but eventually got to the point where she could do without them and her illos look great: perspectives, lightings, and proportion are perfect all the time. I have seen some artists who draw blind and the results are pretty comical and they never improve because they don’t use source references.” As for sources Linda uses: “Lots of erotic calendars. They have some of the best poses! And screencaps from the Star Trek DVDs for the head shots. I don’t have the skill to keep proportions, perspectives, and lighting right without source materials. That is something very hard to do.”
Were you conscious of the difficulties of reproduction which choosing a medium?: For Linda the challenge was not so much medium as size, she writes. “I tend to draw big, like 12 inches by 16 inches, so size was an issue and the final result has always come out cropped when I submit it to a zine.”
From Scribbling Women: Editors Talk Back
Linda has strong memories of seeing K/S art early on, in fact it was the cover of a zine that converted her! Her meeting with K/S art went something like this: “‘Ohmigod, what the bleep.’ Slam zine down and walk away, come back, look again ‘maybe.’ It was a Naked Times at Worldcon ‘93. I don’t know who the artist was. That was a shocking introduction, and I’ve been converted to the dark side ever since.” So it was no real surprise that Linda never considered having a text only zine. She writes, “I love artwork of various media for K/S. Good artwork should be reproduced to best advantage, showing all the tonal gradations...er...keeping expense in mind of course. It’s not that expensive anymore to print artwork because of scanners, personal printers and color copiers so you can reproduce art fairly inexpensively, not cheaply, but fairly inexpensively. But when I decided to publish a zine my major thought was ‘I hope I get some art. I don’t have time to draw any to supplement the zine.’”
Linda may be a new editor but she too has high standards, although she is willing to be more forgiving with new artists. She explains “I will take art as long as it looks like Kirk and Spock. If it’s from newbie, I would take the artwork even if it isn’t very good because I want to nurture the person’s enthusiasm and skills. Nowadays with so many good K/S artists, it is hard for someone who isn’t as good to get their stuff published. I do draw the line if a submitted picture doesn’t look like K&S and it looks like the person made no effort. Then I won’t take it.” Both Jenna and Linda will take erotic art and CGAs.
“I believe it can be both erotic and something more subtle. Art is very subjective and everyone has a different take on what they see. What can be arousing to one person would only just enhance the story to another.”
“I really like the look of my first zine. It feels great to see something that took so long to come to fruition and to finally have the tangible goods in your hands.”
Comments on Her Art
Regarding her art in Beyond Dreams:
WANT A BITE? By Linda Wan [nominated for a 1999 STIFfie Award]-- Linda is one of my favorites of the new K/S artists. I’ve seen some of her other work as well and you will be in for a treat when these are published. Her work gets better and better and this piece is absolutely adorable. I mean that totally even though I am known to not be a K/S domestic aficionado. (Kirk and Spock housekeeping! Aaargh! Run for the hills!) So even though this portrays Kirk and Spock in domestic tranquility, I think it’s fun and creative. And just what is that that Spock is taking a bite of, anyway? I love the neat touches in this scene—like the tiny Vulcan symbol on Spock’s pajama bottoms and on the oven. I think that’s the oven. Or maybe it’s really the replicator. That’s more like it! Seriously, I really appreciate the completeness of this artwork—and that isn’t easy to do. [1]
["The Kiss" by Linda Wan]: For those of us who work with graphics one of the hardest image to successfully project is the kiss. For something that is a simple, yet dramatic, act between two people this is certainly a challenge to all artists. The results of such endeavors may produce unusual pictures of gapping mouths that are devouring lips while the faces project a feeling of agony rather than euphoria. Therefore, it is refreshing to see a work such as Linda Wan's "The Kiss."A pencil drawing, "The Kiss", has clean, clear lines. Shadowing is not overdone. Though the proportion is a bit off with Spock's head, Kirk is PERFECT, especially for the odd angle. The expressions on both Kirk and Spock certainly convey a feeling of utter devotion. Though the focal point is the kiss itself, I would be remiss to not mention Kirk's hand on Spock's shoulder in the lower right corner. Beautifully done with shading you could swear that if you touched it you would feel skin.
Thank you, Linda, for a beautiful glimpse into the K/S world. And thank you, Jenna and Dusky, for allowing such artists as Linda the format in which to share their talent. [2]
["The Kiss" by Linda Wan]: This is just lovely, and is, in my opinion, quite the best piece Linda has done to date. Kirk and Spock are captured in that moment when their lips are a bare millimeter apart, within a heartbeat of a passionate kiss. They both appear very young and exceptionally beautiful. I love the tilt of Kirk’s head, the way Spock’s fingers rest on Kirk’s hair. There is such feeling, such sweetness, and yet such passion evident here that you actually expect them to complete this embrace as you are watching!There is only one thing I would change. The top of Spock’s head remains unfinished. I would love to have this on a T-shirt, but it would look a bit strange as it stands. Perhaps the artist would consider amending it and making prints available?
Whatever you decide, Linda, I thank you for drawing “The Kiss.” The more I look at it, the more it touches me. [3]
["The Kiss" by Linda Wan]: I simply must chime in here and repeat and augment what others have said about “The Kiss” by Linda Wan.Susan is absolutely correct—the angle of Kirk’s head is perfect and she and I know very well how difficult that kind of angle is to reproduce. And I agree with Carolyn that the top of Spock’s head is missing—I know it’s a close-up, but shading at least needs to be there. But, hey! Who am I to quibble with such beautiful artwork? I adore the feeling in this and the manner in which it was drawn. And I, also, love Kirk’s hand on Spock’s shoulder. I must comment, too, on the quality of reproductions in Beyond Dreams zines. I know very well how much time, effort and expense goes into the artwork. It shows. I especially adore the heavy paper.
If someone hasn’t bought this one, someone should. [4]
Zines
Sample Gallery
inside art from issue #4, "A Winter Holiday" by Linda Wan -- " Perhaps Jim Kirk has finally lured Spock back to Iowa to share one of those cold Christmas holidays he remembers so fondly. They are both outside, Spock seated with Jim on his lap. Spock looks to be pretty well bundled up against the cold...all but those elegant ears. The textures of the heavy clothing, leather (synth- leather, I should say), snow and bare branches are all done very well. I can feel the cold as well as the loving heat from his bondmate that keeps Spock warm. [5]
cover of Beyond Dreams #3, Linda Wan. A fan comments on the art for issue #3 from The K/S Press #63: "Spock is looking down on Kirk, who is bare-chested. Spock's right hand is placed on the back of Kirk's neck, and his left arm is wrapped around Kirk. Kirk, in turn, has both of his arms wrapped around Spock's left arm. There's something about the way Spock's right hand seems to be stroking Kirk's neck, and the little half smile on Kirk's face, that again conveys great affection, love, and tenderness."
inside art from Legacy #3, "Kirk's Confession" by Linda Wan -- "Kirk‘s Confession by Linda Wan is a lovely drawing of a side view of Spock looking at Kirk (with really pretty hair), his expression is tortured and strong at the same time. Support, love and trust is conveyed with the expressions of this art. Again, how do artists do this??? [6]
