Interview with FAS and Teaser!!

OK people, here's a crappy little teaser 
of an excellent design by FAS.

No worries though, the full reveal 
will be coming soon.

For now, wet your appetite 
on a great interview with FAS himself.

Hi FAS.  Thanks for taking the time to do this interview. I just want to ask you a few invasive questions, hope you don't mind.


1. So let's start in the beginning. When did you decide you wanted to be a working artist?  What was your first paying gig and do you have a favorite piece you've done thus far?


Been painting as an ''Artist'' for about 3 years and before that I really wasent into art as a making a living of it or doing it on the professional side. But That all changed due to free time I had recovering from a shoulder injurie in 2002 while in Puerto Rico I pick up sketching and graffiti again. It was Hard to find Paint Supplies on the island so browseing ebay for paint and nyfat/german caps/tips I stumbled upon micheal lau figures as well kidrobot fatcaps. Been painting ever since.

Have always been into art from a young age and was always the one called for doing posters/school play dioramas. I was no Leonardo Da Vinci but I could get down. I spent most of my teens working, downhill mountain biking, dirt jumping, fixing cars so I did not think much about art. I felt I could have made a career of the biking sport but do to injuries/dislocations I had to put it to an end in 2002. I am still active in the scene and support it, but I dont get down like I used to.

If I would have known I could do with art as I'm doing today I would have pushed harder to explode my skills years ago. But it was a diffrent time and when I was in highschool art was not like today or my interest and internet really changed all that, it did for everyone with information as well this designer art movment where any artist big or small can make it you just have to put in work and not worry about what others are doing.

I think that's the problem with people today, worried about the other guy. Just do you and draw the way you want to draw and not the way people want you to draw! That is the quickest way you will obtain your own identity, look at what's out there but put your own twist on it and you will have something to offer. Even if people say there is competition outhere and me, I don't see it as that, art always finds a home, competiton is for people with somthing to lose, and I don't have nothing to lose, haha.


2. Your work appears to be heavily influenced by comics. Do you collect any titles? If so, what is your favorite?

Yup I love the style, I am trying to build hopefully my own style so I can be the next Adam Huges or Steven Sanchez haha, we all have dreams! Just love how some of these guys can take a simple character as Batman add their style and each one looks diffrent. As for comics I don't buy comics anymore and when I did buy them its was for the art not the story. Some of my favorites are Witchblade, Danger Girl, Spawn, Gen 13 to name a few.

3. What other sources influence the work you do?  And who is your favorite customizer (outside of the Most Wanted group please)?

''Bee'' A.K.A Bart riviera was a close friend that past away 3 years ago he did comic work/tattoo and he had a crazy style! As well J.scott Cambell, Adam Huges ,Talent Caldwell, to name a few.

4. Could you give us a quick run-down on your process, without giving all your secrets away?  Like what materials and mediums you use?


I have no ''formal training'' all self taught, so I cant tell you all the mumbo jumbo about art. I just paint/draw straight up and take it day by day trying out what I can on my free time.

I am not stuck on one particular thing and want to be able to do it all. Like a one man army as I am still evolving as an astist and my taste change I want to work with everything so I see what I enjoy doing the most. That goes for charatcer design, sculpting, tattoos, book covers etc. Also to keep people interested in my work I try to keep what I call my style going but reason why I have influence of Graffiti, Comic, Pin-ups, Cartoons is so Ican grab a little of every crowd.

I also use all kinds of paints as Liquitex, Golden, Winsor and Newton and thin them down with matte medium and Anitas Craft Acrylic (white).

5. Do you listen to music while you work and who really gets you in the zone?

I listen to all kinds of music when I paint but not all the time, I usually enjoy the sounds of my beautiful niece nagging voice, lol but I love her, she is like a daughter but Rap, Hiphop, Counrty, R&B you know whatever sounds good.

6. What would you like your collectors to know about you that they may not already know?


My Full name is Fernando Alex Soto. 'FAS' are the initials to my name, never really been called by Fernando, not even by family, its always been Alex or FAS. Hell I dont look like a Fernando! And I just tunred 25yr old as well.

I was rasied in East Nyc brooklyn/Queens had a typical life for a kid from that area, been through and seen it all, most people couldn't walk in my shoes (real talk) but hey, that's the life I've lived and would not take anything back!

The main logo I add in all my work is a graffiti style 'A' which stands for Alex. Most would think my logo would be the ''F'' since it comes first but its the way I wanted it. I like to take that simple 'A' leter and turn it into so many diffrent kinds of characters (as frog below)

My cartoon lettering are graffiti inspired, as I wanted to be diffrent from the rest and came up with the idea of having orignal characters/animals based off my lettering. Same thing goes with my skull character, everyone does skulls but have you seen one like mine? Proably not and don't forget the ladies, I just like women who doesn't? So I paint them.

7. What can we expect to see from FAS in the coming months?  Anything big on the horizon? And for anyone wanting to collect your work, are you open for commission?  Where can they hunt you down?

Oil painting, sculpting etc, on those certian techniques so I could bring them into my work for some new magic. No classes or workshops just tuts or whatever I find online. I can't afford to waste time, well not necessarily waste time since I will learn but I'm busy with work, family and hobbies I can't take time to do that kind of thing. On my own I can do it my way my time and build my style.

Right now commissions are 50/50 unless someone contacts me out of nowhere and I'm free we could work it out. If I have time I won't mind but I am at a point were I'd rather worry about my work than doing commssions or being over whelmed since I have a busy scheduale and when it comes down to painting I would like to take the time I put aside for my art or with personal work/ideas then trying to finish a deadline for a commission.

I will put out what I have for sale just be on the lookout. I usually have commission into people hands withn 2 weeks never longer.


Got some production work comming , MAYBE figure scuplts if time lets me.

 Check me at  www.fasnyc.blogspot.com and  http://www.flickr.com/photos/fasnyc/

Thanks again for your time FAS.  We're all really looking forward to seeing what you have in store for the Most Wanted Series 2.


That's it folks.  Look forward to the full reveal in the next few days.