3DTotal: You have had a lot of success with your artwork “Memories Lost”. What do you think is the key to the success of this piece? Hoang: I think when an artwork moves you, emotionally or mentally, it leaves an impression. It is all about how the viewer perceives the image and what they take away from it. Sometimes, certain elements can trigger a “thing” from their past or their present. In this particular piece, the subject matter is something that we all can relate to. This painting deals with memories of the past, which could be anything; love, loss, pain, happiness, time, distant memories, etc 3DTotal: What artwork most recently has moved you emotionally, and why?

Hoang: “Girl with a Pearl Earring”, by Johannes Vermeer. That picture still gets me every time. The look in her eyes leaves me with such awe and sadness. It’s as if she wants to tell you something, but can't. To me, the eyes hold so many emotions that one can tell or sense something by looking at them. 3DTotal: There is a beautiful canvas texture which can be seen in some of your artworks, for example “Memories Lost”, “Hard Boiled to the Max”, “Eternal Sorrow”, etc. Can you talk us through the secret of how you create this? Hoang: There aren’t really any secrets about my processes. Mostly, the subject matter dictates how I approach a painting. For example, “Hardboiled” was a throw-back to the days of ‘Pulp’ magazine. I wanted to create something that resembled those days,

using the same layout and over-the-top descriptions, and so I wanted the background to reflect that. I used multiple texture layers to achieve this. I usually paint the picture first, then add layers to enhance the painting, but mostly it’s a process of trial and error. 3DTotal: Please can you tell us a little about your book, “Hard Boiled to the Max Sketchbook”? Hoang: The book is mainly for myself. It was a chance for me to compile all of the work that I had been working on for many years. I have so many stories and ideas that I wanted to do, but I

lack the discipline to finish them all. Mostly, it’s an opportunity to sharpen my skills. I spend most of my days creating 3D works and, when I

have some free time, I like to keep up with my 2D. You can read more about the making of the book on my blog which can be viewed here.

3DTotal: Now that you have compiled all of your past artworks in your book, what is your next personal project? Hoang: Volume 2! I have so many works that it would take at least four volumes to complete, and that’s only the stuff worth printing (the rest is crap). But what I really want to do is to work on my painting and

concentrate on subject matters that appeal to me. I’m only averaging 2 to 3 personal paintings a year and am hoping to increase that. I usually work on 3 or 4 different paintings at any given time and it depends on my mood or inspiration as to what dictates which paintings get finished. That’s great, I wish you the very best of luck with Volume 2 of your book, and for the future. I will leave you to continue discovering the world with your sons – I am sure they have lots more to teach you.

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