Hello and welcome to the Immeritus Fandom Blacklight! This feature puts the Blacklight on the giants of the Harry Potter fandom. These are the people who have written the best fanfics, created superior fanart and composed the finest fanpoetry—and we're finding out more about what makes them tick. In our interviews, we ask for their views on the Harry Potter books and the fandom and learn what inspires their creativity. We're interested in their methods of working and their favourite characters. And then, we ask a few more questions!

For the uninitiated, we would like to introduce you to Lizardspots, fanartist extraordinaire. She is a 20 year old Snape-o-phile, from England. So for those of you who are new to Immeritus, to those that think that there is no way to be on a site that loves Sirius, and still love the Potions Master, we hereby present evidence #10228654 that it is indeed possible. Anyway, please read all about this fantastic artist and about what she thinks of this wonderful whirlwind we love to call the HP Fandom.

I: Which (real-life) authors and/or artists do you most admire?
LZ: You know, I have absolutely no idea! I'm not an art student in the traditional sense so I'm a complete dunce when it comes to fine art. When I began drawing as a child, I had designs on becoming an animator, so Disney was a huge inspiration. I guess I really like Edward Gorey's work, because whimsy and morbid humour are two of my favourite things. :)

I: Have they inspired your own style in any way?
LZ: No, not really - my style has been largely influenced by fanartists.

I: What advice would you give to novices wanting to start drawing?
LZ: Just jump straight in and draw! You'll never learn unless you practice. :D And look at lots of art - you'll be surprised how much you can pick up just by looking at other people's work.

I: Why did you read your first Harry Potter book?
LZ: I'd already been involved in other fandoms, but then my friend at school began writing Harry Potter fanfiction and so I was prodded and whinged at until I read the books so I'd understand the context of her fic. :P I never knew how utterly hooked I'd become....

I: Which is your favourite HP book and why?
LZ: I'd have to say either Prisoner of Azkaban or Goblet of Fire. I just love the plot twists!

I: What do you like most about the Harry Potter series? What do you like the least?
LZ: It's a honeypot of inspiration, both art-wise and fic-wise - there's just so much to explore! None of the characters are boring or two-dimensional, and the magic is very imaginative - I especially love the tie-ins into the Muggle world. Never have I been so emotionally invested in the outcome of a book series before - I fear for my sanity come book 7!

I: What do you like the least?
LZ: I have to say the romantic sideplots have never interested me. It's also a shame that all aspects of the world Rowling has created can't be explored through the books, especially the impact of magical spells on things like crime and international relations.

I: Who's your favourite canon character to read about and why?
LZ: Snape. He's by far the most interesting and ambiguous character in the books, and I can't wait to see what Rowling does with his character in Book 7.

I: What would you most like to see in the final book?
LZ: I couldn't possibly say - as a dedicated Snape fangirl, I'd love to see him being redeemed, or at least his motivations being explained. I would also love to see more about the Marauder Era. And a huge battle scene at the end with Voldemort, now that would be fun. :D

I: What would you say to someone who referred to the HP books as childrens' books?
LZ: Well, I see the books as being for children as well as adults. It's an enjoyable, easy-to-read story with interesting characters which children can appreciate, but there is also a wealth of subtle hints and symbolic references that adults can appreciate as well.

I: How do you view the gender divide in the HP series? Do you find the female characters as engaging, well-rounded and strong as the male characters? If not, why not?
LZ: There are only a few interesting female characters, but that's to be expected - the story is told from a single teenaged boy's point of view. I'd love to see some parts in Book 7 written from a different POV, like "Spinner's End" in HBP. That was grand!

I: When did you first discover the HP fandom and fanfics/fanart/poetry?
LZ: I'd been into other fandoms before, starting from when I was 15. My introduction to the books was through fandom, actually - my friend at school wanted me to read the books so I could understand the context of her fanfic. :P I read fanfic voraciously and wrote a few tiny little fics myself, then by pure chance I stumbled across Artistic Alley (Fiction Alley's art site), and from there I discovered the amazing artwork of Glockgal and Marta. They really inspired me to have a go at fanart myself.

I: How would you say your work has improved since you first started out in the fandom and how instrumental has feedback been to that?
LZ: I'd say it's improved quite a bit! Fanart has been my only thorough exploration of art, I'd never truly been inspired to draw very much beyond silly cartoons for my friends during class. The fanartists I've met through fandom have helped me immeasurably to improve, and to *want* to improve. Through their very kindly given feedback and constructive criticism, I've learned so much. Fandom has been my art school. :D

I: Are there any topics which you think are taboo or out of bounds for the HP fandom? Are there any subjects that you personally would not address in your fanwork? Would you censor your work depending on who you thought your audience would be?
LZ: In all honesty, I'd say the HP fandom is the *least* censored fandom out there! One person's taboo is another person's passion - there's no subject matter I've come across that is universally unaccepted. I'd like to think I am a diverse artist, and there are many subjects I'd like to explore in my art; there certainly isn't anything I'd *refuse* to have a go at. And I'm of the school of thought that censorship of any kind is stupid - I never censor my work, and it always makes me feel a little frustrated when I see other pieces of artwork with censors on them. Why hide anything? :D

I: What genres have you worked in? Are there any genres you would avoid and if so, why?
LZ: I'm primarily a slash fan, so the vast majority of my work is male/male. I draw a variety of pairings, innocent as well as more explicit art. I'd say my art is mostly of a light-hearted, romantic nature, though there have been a couple of darker-toned angsty pieces. There's also the odd bout of silly humour. :D I avoid drawing darker, horrific art - it's just not my cup of tea, and I don't think my style is particularly suited to that sort of genre. Other artists tackle those genres far better than I ever could. :D

I: Have you noticed a bias towards male slash in the HP fandom? If so, has this affected the kind of work you've produced (e.g. by making you less likely to write about/draw het or femmeslash)? What are your thoughts on the reasons for a mainly female fandom writing/depicting a lot of male slash?
LZ: Well, I entered the HP fandom with a "100% slasher" mentality. I was all about the m/m, and it's only until recently that I've strayed into the het and femmeslash sides of fandom. So I've hardly been aware of a bias toward m/m slash in relation to m/f or f/f, because slash is all I've ever been involved with! I have noticed that the few times I've posted het, f/f or gen artwork, I get less feedback - but I think that's because the people who know about me in fandom are mostly slashers, since that was the audience I was interested in targetting, back in the day. :D I'm sure the HP fandom is ginormous enough to cater to all kinds of pairings.

My thoughts on mostly female fandoms drawing male slash? I couldn't possibly speak for other fandomers, but I draw slash because that's what I like! I find the male body to be a beautiful thing to draw, and two together is just that much more interesting. :P

I: Do you keep your fandom life separate from your 'real' life e.g. do friends and family know that you write? Why do you think so many people keep that divide - is fandom something people are ashamed of, in your opinion?
LZ: I keep my "true" (i.e. slashy) fandom life as separate as I possibly can from my "real life" friends, bar the carefully selected few. I also have many friends in real life that I met through fandom. I don't think fandom is something to be ashamed of - my friends know that I'm a crazy Harry Potter fan and I've shown them my more innocent works. The reason I keep my art hidden is because of the sexually explicit subject matter - I'm not ready to reveal that type of work to my real life friends, it's far too personal.

I: Who are your favourite fanartists/authors/poets?
LZ: Argh, what a question! Umm... I guess my favourite writers are Cluegirl and Fabula Rasa - I'd read anything of theirs, regardless of pairing or genre. :D As for favourite artist, I couldn't possibly choose - there are just too many artists, all with such individual, beautiful styles, and they're incomparable to one another.

I: What do you like best about the fandom?
LZ: All the friends I've made, the wonderful sense of community, getting to know all these people who are as crazy-obsessive as I am. :D

I: What prompted you to start creating your own fanworks?
LZ: I wanted to share my glee! I'd never been particularly interested in writing or drawing original work, but along came fandom and suddenly I was inundated with ideas! My first contribution to HP was fanfiction, and then when I discovered this wonderful thing called fanart, I gave up writing and jumped straight in, pencil at the ready. :D

I: What preparation do you have to do to create your fanworks? How essential is it to muse on canon characters and storylines before putting forward your interpretation?
LZ: I try to imagine a scenario before I start drawing. I think: How did the characters get where they are? What motivations do they have? What do they feel for each other, and hence how would they be posed? What type of person are they, and so what would they be wearing? Strangely enough, I imagine this scenario not in a visual form, but... in fanfic form, in my head! When I get down to drawing, I focus on a single aspect of that scenario, something that I can get a strong image of in my head; the expression on someone's face, some item in the foreground, the body position etc. It's like a stepping-stone that I can begin with and then gradually build a picture around.

I: How would you describe your approach to writing? Do you sit down and plot out an entire story before writing, write in stages as scenes develop, or just sit and write, for example?
LZ: My approach is rather hap-hazard. I begin with a small section of the drawing, something that I can imagine very clearly in my head - usually something that I feel embodies the tone of the picture, be it dark, magical, sexy, funny, romantic, sad etc. I then work around that single focus, adding the additional parts of the picture, embellishing the details, filling in the background bit by bit as ideas come to me. I can never visualise an entire picture as I want it to appear on paper. Same goes for colouring - on rare occassions, I have a colour scheme in mind, depending on what tone I'm going for in the picture, But generally, it's a rather spur of the moment decision when I've just finished the lineart and think, "Right, now what?" :D

I: Who's your favourite canon character to write about/draw and why?
LZ: Snape! Awfully predictable for a Snape fangirl, but the challenge of drawing an ugly yet sexually appealing man is great fun. :D

I: Of all your work, which is your favourite piece and why?
LZ: A Spell For My Enemies, which is a picture of a young Severus Snape experimenting on animals as he creates his "Sectum Sempra" spell. I rarely draw dark-themed art, and yet I love reading about that aspect of Snape in fanfiction. This idea suddenly popped into my head, because I can see Snape being a rather single-minded and ruthless scientist (he'd have to be, he's a Potions Master!) and he'd have no qualms about torturing animals when creating his own spells. With this picture, the image of the mouse's head in the bottom right corner was my focus, with the mouse's dead bleeding eye looking blankly at the audience while Snape loomed over with his blood-spattered apron, contrasting with all the innocent-looking academic books surrounding him. :D

I: You've used a wide variety of mediums including ink, pencil, watercolours and a graphics tablet. How does your prompt affect the medium you choose? Do you prefer working with a particular medium?
LZ: My favourite medium is the graphics tablet. It's just so easy and versatile, and you can always undo! I can't count the number of times I've used traditional mediums and mentally thought "Undo" before realising that I can't. :P I find it very helpful to use the tablet when drawing difficult anatomy, because it's so easy to cut bits out, rresize, erase and redraw without making a big mess. Even when I plan to draw with pencil/ink/watercolour, I will do a rough draft with a tablet, print out the rough, then trace that onto a piece of paper ready for inking/painting.

I rarely use traditional mediums for art that isn't commissioned, which is a shame, but I'm just too fond of the easy-to-use tablet. :) Of all traditional mediums, I love using ink the most. I'm very pedantic about inking, and I love hatching in lots of minute little details with a tiny-nibbed fountain pen. :D

I: You've collaborated with other artists and authors on many occasions. What did you enjoy most about working with others? Did any of the collaborations encourage you to try something new e.g. a different style or working method? How has your usual audience responded to your collaborative works?
LZ: Collaborations are so much fun. :D They're a chance to try pairings I don't draw very often or have never drawn before, like Remus/Lucius, Sirius/Snape and James/Harry. Fic/art collabs remind me of days gone by when I was posting my first pieces of art online that were inspired by fanfics. :D And art collabs are interesting, style-wise - to incorporate your style and someone else's style together, and yet keeping the artwork looking whole and complete. And it's just a barrel of laughs, working closely with another person on a fanwork! Much squee and joy is involved. :D Audience response has been very good for collabs, which is a relief and a pleasure. :D

I: Looking through your portfolio of work there are many pictures featuring cross-dressing. Is this a particular kink of yours or is it just something that gets requested a lot?
LZ: I used to enjoy drawing cross-dressing a lot! It was requested quite often, but I also loved drawing it myself. The challenge of drawing a boy in a dress, and still make it look like a *boy* and still make him look *attractive*, now that's fun. :D My fic-reading preferences have changed though, and consequently so have my kinks; I haven't drawn cross-dressing in a while, but I still enjoy cross-dressing and androgyny from an aesthetic point of view... I should get back to it. :D

I: You've drawn many different characters and pairings. Which character or pairing did you find most difficult to capture and why? Do you have a favourite pairing to draw?
LZ: I find it tricky to draw Draco, because I haven't decided whether he's attractive or not. :D But once I settle on a character design, that will hopefully be resolved. The characters I find difficult are those that I haven't drawn very often, hence I'm not quite certain what their features look like. Bit of a catch-22. :D I also find it a little difficult to draw pairings that I myself am not particularly interested in - I can't quite imagine the character dynamic, and that affects how well I draw them. My favourite pairing to draw is Snape/Harry, which is also my pairing of choice when reading fic. The contrast of a tall, rough-edged masculine man with a delicately-boned, shorter young man - and both with black hair - it makes for a very pretty dynamic. :) Sirius/Harry is lovely too (for similar reasons), though I've only drawn it a couple of times.

I: One of your most commented on pieces was of a suicidal Draco. What do you think affected people so much about this work? What was your inspiration for it? Do you have a backstory for the Draco in this picture or did it just appear as an unexplained snapshot in your mind?
LZ: Ah, this is one of my (very rare) dark-themed pictures. :) When drawing that picture, I had a very distinct scenario in mind. Draco has joined the Deatheaters, eager to prove his worth and gain power independent of his father. Only to discover that his father has effectively bargained him away as a slave to the Deatheaters so that Lucius can still stay amongst Voldemort's Inner Circle. After enduring various and sundry humiliating attentions from Deatheaters, Draco decides to kill himself. In this picture, I showed him just after he's written a note to his father saying "See you in hell" and taken a bottle of poison. I made his skin a little greyish and discoloured, as though he's just died.

So! Yes, this had a very involved backstory to it. Terribly angsty. :D But I didn't imagine all that backstory until I was in the middle of drawing. My main focus was the blank, soulless look on Draco's face with that "See you in hell" note next to him, and as I drew in extra parts of the picture, this story gradually formed in my mind. I think the people looking at this picture liked the possibility to interpret the scene themselves, and to add in their own backstory, and to wail at the ever-so-tragic end of Draco's short life.

I: An excursion out of the HP fandom for you in July resulted in a very popular Pirates Of The Caribbean picture. Which fandoms other than HP do you enjoy working in? Do you have a favourite non-HP picture?
LZ: Pirates of the Caribbean is my shiny new fandom of the moment. :D I also love (but am not currently active in) the House, M.D. and Stargate:SG-1 fandoms. My current favourite non-HP pics are in the Pirates fandom, since they're most recently drawn. :D

I:  Finally, complete the following question: Sirius is ______.
LZ: Sirius is a character I haven't given much thought to, but I've slowly warmed to him during my time in fandom. Maybe I should go find some fics now... :D

So that concludes our interview with Lizard! We hope you've enjoyed reading it as much as we did! If we piqued your interest, you can find Lizardspot's website here (currently down for revamping) and her livejournal here. Please pay attention to warnings and ratings as both contain adult content. If you want to comment on the interview please follow this link.