Michael Vincent Manalo has been sharing photo manipulation techniques for us here in Photoshop Tutorials. In this interview, get to know more about the man behind tutorials such as Dark and Eerie Photo Manipulation Scene and Floating Island Scene Similar to James Cameron's Avatar. This talented digital mixed media artist has an impeccable style that captures and creates surreal images of freedom, love and nostalgia. Read on and be captivated by his work.

Can you tell us more about yourself? Have you always been interested in art?

I'm 24 and ever since I was a kid, I loved to draw (usually superheroes and Japanese anime :P) but I have always been a frustrated painter, I never really knew how to paint! I didn't graduate from any art school nor did I have any formal training in art whatsoever but I did try to research and study on my own.

Where do you usually find inspiration?

I usually find my inspiration from the nostalgic and sentimental feelings I feel every now and then.

How have you evolved as an artist?

Throughout these years, I have evolved from being stuck inside a box to being free in expressing what is inside of me and being able to conquer the fear of "what if the people wouldn't like it".

What project or activity makes you want to rise up in the morning or keeps you up at night?

I would usually do that to most of my projects since I think I'm a workaholic. I love art and I would wake up in the morning to check my email and if there's nothing new, I'd continue my project. :)

Do you have any creative rituals to help you come up with a concept?

Sometimes, I just look at stock images or if I really couldn't think of anything, I'd look at artworks of other artists and try to derive something from it.

Can you tell us more about your work process? How does a concept come to life?

A concept comes to life magically after experimenting on the things that I see on my canvas or from the stock images.

Why surrealism? What made you explore this genre?

Surrealism is one of those genres that make a person think deeply. Its also one of those genres that make me express my feeling and thoughts more.

What are your recent projects? Can you tell us more about it?

Lately, I have been commissioned to do a lot of artworks for musicians such as Sadistik and The Orphan-The Poet. Book commissions for publishing companies in Germany (Guter Punkt) and Scotland (Birlinn Ltd.) For my upcoming project - I will be in Poland for a residency in the Bielska Gallery in Bielsko-Biala to create a public art project with the theme of "Beyond the time"; a representation of Bielsko's history.