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Mentorship

Q: How do you pronounce your last name (Aït-Kaci)? Where is it from?

AH-EET-KAH-SEE. It’s Algerian.

Q: Where did your nickname “Chira” come from?

It’s the nickname I gave myself when I was an 11-year-old clicking around the internet. It stuck.

Q: Can I repost your work?

No. Please be considerate and link back to any of my hubs should you want to share my work. The only exception is for press articles and review purposes (in which case, you'd be obligated to link back to my hubs!).

Q: Do you mind if I use your art for reference?

I don't mind being used for personal studies, but when publically displayed please be considerate and source if heavily used for reference.

Q: Would you be willing to look at my art and tell me what you think?

Sorry, I don’t do critiques.

Q: What art programs/tools do you use?

I use a 8x6” Wacom Intuos 3 tablet, I draw primarily in openCanvas 4.06E Plus, and color in Adobe Photoshop CS3/CS5. I tend to use the default brush settings available in both of these programs, but occasionally use Kyle T. Webster’s brushes on specific projects!

Q: Is there a benefit to openCanvas? Don’t see a lot of people using it. Why not Sai, or something else?

The version of OC I use is super old and very clunky. I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else, actually. The reason I use it is because it’s clunky and inefficient! It doesn’t let me do anything easily besides draw, so I’m forced to center on my own skills and I have to really go out of my way to, say, use the select tool or transform – which is why I like using it.

Q: Do you work in animation?

Nope. Never have. Not even a little bit.

Q: Did you go to art school?

I had three months of animation (just long enough to draw my bouncing ball!) before I dropped out, and that’s about the beginning and end of my art studies. Ironically, I have a history of immediately dropping out of any art curriculum I’ve attempted to take. I’m self-taught and I try my best to not let that be a weakness.

Q: I have a question that isn't answered in this FAQ?

Contact me! I'll do my best to answer!