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Artist Spotlight featuring... |
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Official Award  
Joined:
2005/10/21 23:05
From Mammoth Mountain
Posts: 5502
Level : 53; EXP : 33
HP : 261 / 1308
MP : 1834 / 72955
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Heromorph's Artist Spotlight featuring...  I have been told I am funny, friendly, abrasive, a "Big personality", I am terrible about talking about myself though.
I spend most of my time painting/researching, I travel often and have friends all over the country.
I'm a bit obsessed with research and details.
 Lady Heromorph: You've been busy making quite a name for yourself in the recent times with commissions, your own website, deviantArt Gallery, and work for Tae'vern Tees (www.taverentees.com).
Congrats on doing officially licensed illustration work for Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time!
Beautiful stuff you're doing there!
Why don't you tell us what other great stuff you've been up to? Ariel B (ReddEra): I want to add to the list of credits you’ve got that I did two book covers (“Damselle in Distress” by Kiley Kellermeyer and “Wandering Stars : Book one of the Elfwatcher series” by J. H. Moore), was published with Tor books (WoT Companion) and worked on a fantasy TV pilot called Dorkcore (http://dawnrunner.com/dorkcore/).
I also got to do Commercial Storyboarding for Dawnrunner Productions.
Those are my big credits right now. Lady Heromorph: I guess those are big credits! Congrats again! So how did you get started in the art scene anyway? Ariel B (ReddEra): Well, I come from a family of artists. I’ve always been supported in my ventures towards art and I’ve always drawn obsessively.
As a weird nerdy artist with access to the internet I looked for places for me to share my art freely. I clung to places like DeviantArt and Heromorph, where I could grow and learn with other artists as well as make friends.
Eventually I started getting commission requests. I spent my extra time studying about how to be a professional artist, what to charge, what successful artists paint and how they market themselves.
Then I kept putting myself out there until companies started reaching out.
It’s an ever evolving process. Lady Heromorph: Your name has come up a few times since I'd last seen you here.
As you know, it's mostly photo manipers, 3D renderers and illustrators at heromorph so a good question I've heard from all 3 groups is "anyone know a good tutorial on painting hair?"
I always point to your tutorial on the subject!
I personally thank you as I learned a lot from it and have often pointed others to it as well as it's one of the best tutorials I've seen on the subject.
Had you written many prior to this?
It really seemed like you knew not just what you were talking about but how to teach it as well. Ariel B (ReddEra): I have done a few tutorials here and there including video speed paints. I used to do private tutoring on the side.
Growing up surrounded by artists I learned to have patience, give and take a critique.
So that’s all it really took to learn to teach. I’ve been asked to start up teaching again, so I’ve added it to my Patreon rewards.
In the Five Dollar pack I do WIPS with notes, in the Twenty-Five Dollar pack I do tutorials, at the Fifty Dollar level I do video tutorials and at the Three Hundred Dollar level I do Private tutoring once a month with a feedback session at the end of the month.
It’s an experiment for me but I try to help out my fans as I can and make a living. Lady Heromorph: While often enough, I see people's work progress here over the years, I was seeing noticeable improvement in yours in just a few months! But over the years, it's stunning to look back now!
Can you talk a little about those early days?
I noticed you started out doing photomanips here. Ariel B (ReddEra): Sure! I’ve always loved Photomanips /Composite art.
I find them just pure fun. As I grew I found that it was easier to make the photo’s look like a painting then to try to make my painting look photographic.
In playing with that I learned how to become a more realistic painter without manipulation (starting as a drawing).
I have never had a big social life and spent a lot of time drawing and growing haha too much some would say.
I am trying that social life thing out now.
I deeply believe on always finding a way to improve, as a person and as an artist.
I have to remind myself to be kind to myself sometimes, constant improvement often means being too harsh on yourself. I think a lot of artists forget that. Lady Heromorph: Could you tell me a bit more about some of your favorite images posted at Heromorph? Ariel B (ReddEra): Well I really liked the “Phoenix Fire”... ...that one was a manipulation that I painted over.
I of course love “Princess Serenity”. I’ve got a new Sailor Moon piece up now, I think I’ll always paint Sailor Moon art. “Sirens on the Rocks” is also a Composite.
It is composed of 20 images that I got permission from the stock artists to use and then I painted over them. It was for a final project for my Photoshop class in my freshmen year of college.
“Batman V.S The Joker” is a painting I did for a friend’s Office as a thank you for his help.
There are things I would fix about it now, such as Batman’s face, I’ve never liked it on that one. His pose is off too but my main focus on this image was to get better at painting rain.
Which I am proud of the outcome of that as well as the Jokers face. I tend to have a strong love/hate relationship with my work. Lady Heromorph: What can you tell me about this next piece? Ariel B (ReddEra): One of the things I do when I’m watching shows on my computer is take screen captures of scenes I find inspiring.
I have a folder full of them and when I want to practice painting but don’t have any ideas I’ll pick something from that folder. It’s a good way to practice realism.
That painting came from that. I really like Daenerys, she and I are very similar, kind and strong, hardened by life, haha short and pretty.
I think we’re the same height.
So I really wanted to paint her showing her strength, as well as accurately showing her purple eyes which are not in the show but are in the books.
I’m a bit of a stickler when it comes to books and I love subtle symbolism, so I wanted to focus on the character represented by fire, standing in a blizzard on the Wall.
You know, “Fire and Ice” there’s a scene where she is dreaming/prophesizing and there it was, Dany at the Wall.
So I took a picture and painted it later that day. I’ve painted her a few times. Lady Heromorph: Do you still do commissions?
How might interested parties contact you? Any other info in regards to commissions you'd like to share? Ariel B (ReddEra): I do and I happen to be open for them right now.
The best way to contact me is at ab@@artistarielburgess.com. Yes, I do portraits, fantasy scenes, original characters, book covers, album covers, interior book illustrations, convention posters, storyboards, character designs, pin-ups and more.
As you posted before my commission album at DA is a good representation of that.
My prices depend on the type and size of commissions.
They range from $100 for sketches up to $2000 for Storyboards.
My most popular requests are portraits and book illustrations, those tend to range from $300 - $500.
I tend to take a day to two weeks depending on the piece.
I’ve been craving to do some pin-up art. Lady Heromorph: You have a remarkable sense of light and color in your art.
Is that something you've specifically been working on or something you just kind of picked up along the way? Ariel B (ReddEra): It’s a bit of both and also an obsession.
It’s what usually attracts me to something. I’m a lighting and color freak.
I feel like I’ve only scratched the surface.
The best advice I could give about any type of art is don’t assume you know what something looks like, look at it and don’t let yourself be lazy.
Remember in doing that to also focus on the emotion you want to convey.
For instance when I’m painting characters from books I make a composite of actors and stock photo’s then I think about the characters personality.
I’ll draw from the image but add in quirks about the character, like a twinge to the smile or a sparkle of mischief in the eye.
So lighting and color works the same, it conveys mood and art for me is all about making the viewer feel something.
A bright and glowing painting will make you feel light and airy while a dark and ominous painting is powerful.
I tend to like the contrast, hope in the dark sort of thing. Lady Heromorph: So how are you creating the current stuff? Is it traditional painting, digital or a combination? Ariel B (ReddEra): Everything I do right now is digital.
I often sketch on paper, especially for big projects.
To get composition down or play with an idea.
For the WoT calendar images I did three large thumbnails and then my final lines became sort of the best of three.
I tend to stick to digital though, I have a small space and it makes no mess.
It’s easy for me when I’m feeling inspired just to sit down and go instead of setting up like I would for traditional art.
But I learned traditionally, up until I was fifteen then moved primarily to digital when I was nineteen.
I would like to get back to painting traditionally though and try to incorporate digital on top.
I think that would be fun. Lady Heromorph: I see that you've got a couple of Wheel of Time galleries over there.
One being fan art and the other being Official art.
Did the first lead to the second?
Could you tell us a little about your art based on Robert Jordan's series and how it led to work for Ta'veren Tees and the official card series and other official licensed work for the series? Ariel B (ReddEra): Yes! I started as a fan of The Wheel of Time and loved looking at fan art for it.
I felt that there just wasn’t enough of it so I started making my own.
Eventually I was asked by a fan to make a personal card deck for him of characters, as I posted these as I painted and started getting a following.
Then came a Facebook page to get more fan help and eventually Ta’veren Tees reached out to me about making an Official pack.
I finished the fan pack, sent that off, signed on with the Officials and moved on to the big deck of 54 cards 64 characters, I also went back over the old cards and fixed those up.
I’ve been making official Wheel of Time art since.
When I do WoT art it must be approved by Bandersnatch’s three members and Ta’veren Tees four members then I try to get a fan consensus and help. I can’t thank them enough.
Additionally I go to JordanCon every year and sell prints, limited edition gallery art and do signings.
It’s a blast and I’m proud to call the WoT community my family.
I miss the JordanCon community all year long. Through it I’ve met all of my best friends and my partner. Lady Heromorph: You also recently started a Paetron campaign with a wide range of ways to support your work and some pretty cool awards for contributions.
I signed up myself recently.
That November pic that is my current desktop wallpaper... it's an awesome painting!
Could you talk a little toward the types of contributions, prizes awarded based on amount and where one might go to find out further info and sign up if interested? Ariel B (ReddEra): Of course! Through my Patreon I try to provide all kinds of special rewards in any level.
On the lower levels I have Monthly Wallpapers, exclusive teasers and comics, special thanks and sketches, polls, WIPs and high resolution original art.
Mid-level Rewards include ALL of my Photoshop Brushes and Patterns, artwork I’m doing before it gets published, image progression tutorials, A personal sketch for one Patron a month.
Upper level Rewards are Video tutorials, a monthly google hangout a limited edition print (a 6 month interval), a personal quality sketch, 1 on 1 google chat, and private tutoring at the top level. *Each Patron gets access to every level below theirs.
For example the $5 dollar patrons get access to the 3$ and 1$ prizes too. Find out more and see what I’m up to here: www.patreon.com/arielburgess. Lady Heromorph: Do you have any con appearances coming up? Ariel B (ReddEra): Yes, I will be at the 2017 JordanCon on April 23rd to the 25th in Atlanta Georgia. My hope is that if my Patreon takes off I can make more conventions including making it to next year’s DragonCon, also in Atlanta Georgia. Lady Heromorph: Thank you for taking the time for this interview, Red. Keep up the great work and we all miss you at Heromorph! Stop back anytime! Ariel B (ReddEra): Absolutely! Thank you for reaching out to me and wanting to know about my work.
It is really cool to share my experiences with a community that is so special to me. I hope I can help some more artists out there just like they help me. (Shout out to Jinky and her husband David, I’m very lucky to have gotten to stay in touch with them).
Of course, you all are often on my mind and I’ve been realizing I need to come back and post more art and be a part of the Heromorph community again.
You guys rock!
To see Ariel B (ReddEra)'s Heromorph art gallery Click HereTo see Ariel B (ReddEra)'s Paetron Page Click HereTo see Ariel B (ReddEra)'s Artist Facebook Page Click HereBe sure to tune in next time, folks, and I will have a new Spotlight on another talented Artist. See ya'll then! 
Posted on: 5 12 16 11:27 am
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_________________
I am not a real user  I was just created that way.
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Artist Spotlight featuring... |
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Official Award Joined:
2005/10/21 23:05
From Mammoth Mountain
Posts: 5502
Level : 53; EXP : 33
HP : 261 / 1308
MP : 1834 / 72955
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Heromorph's Artist Spotlight featuring...  I've appeared as a featured model in FHM Philippines twice (once wth my sister!), and have also appeared in Femme Fatales, Mirror, Play, Wizard, and two calendars.
I am creator/writer/artist/main character/cover model for BANZAI GIRL
Lady Heromorph: For this month's spotlight, we'll be interviewing the lovely and talented Jinky Coronado. Thanks for the interview, Jinky. Jinky Coronado: I'm happy for the chance to chat. I don't do these interviews often, so fire away!  Lady Heromorph: I've been looking forward to this. Yours is probably the coolest resume I've ever heard: model, writer, artist and star of your own comic! It doesn't get any better than that! Jinky Coronado: Movie or TV star would be nice! I'd love too do a comedy like I Love Lucy! The closest I've come is a couple of local TV commercials. Lady Heromorph: ...and my, you've been busy! Much to get to here, with all those great books and side projects you've been working on! The examples you're showing are from several projects past, present, and future. Jinky Coronado: The first is, of course, BANZAI GIRL, a character named after myself battling Filipino monsters of myth in her very fetching schoolgirl uniform. Of course, we have a very strict dress code around here, so her skirt is approved Heromorph length! My BANZAI GIRL series is a free streaming comic on the PowFolio app, and is featured at banzaigirl.keenspot.com.
And My BANZAI GIRL first graphic novel is on Amazon in hardcover and softcover ~ Banzai Girl Volume 1: By Dreams Betrayed (Banzai Girl Tp).
The interesting part is, although folks haven't seen a new BANZAI GIRL story from me in a few years, I'm working on one RIGHT NOW. As soon as it's finished, I'll launch that second graphic novel on Kickstarter. I hope Heromorph fans will support me.
The second is best-selling author Sherrilyn Kenyon's DARK-HUNTERS. I'm working on adult coloring book illustrations, T-shirts, and posters for that series for Dabel Brothers ~ https://store.dabelbrothers.com/collections.
That third one, with Jinky painting herself, is one of many dozens of pieces I did for a BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS Adult coloring book that was supposed to get publicity from a small publisher that didn't happen. So look for me to Kickstart that soon, too.
The fourth one is a layout by me, finishes by Mel Joy San Juan, for an upcoming comic book series called VIXENS OF VALOR. Expect to see that one in Summer 2018. There's even a beautiful model ready to slip into that costume for Con appearances!
The last of those five images was from DANGEROUS SECRETS. As you're aware, I drew a bunch of issues of the sexy X-Files-type EXPOSURE comic book -- also on PowFolio and exposure.keenspot.com and on Amazon. At one point, we decided to turn the characters into schoolgirls to see what would happen. We didn't pursue it because we just continued the regular EXPOSURE series, instead. But you never know...! Lady Heromorph: I find it really interesting the way you've managed to get your modeling work and comic work to compliment each other. Could you tell a little bit about your modeling work? Jinky Coronado: Except for some TV spots, I haven't been in front of the cameras much lately. I do like being behind the camera a lot, though!
Some years ago, after I'd won a dozen beauty pageants in my native Philippines, I was an FHM Philippines model twice, was on a bunch of magazine covers, and had two calendars devoted to me. That was pretty nice. Of course, it helped my BANZAI GIRL series that I was able to be both cover model and appear in costume signing my books. Lady Heromorph: In addition to such a beautiful appearance, you appear to be remarkably talented with a pencil too! Your work is exceptional and you draw some of the sexiest heroines I've ever seen! I was stunned after asking if you'd had a different inker on one image and it turned out to be a demonstration of your versatility and skill because you don't use an inker. You then posted some raw pencils that demonstrated linework so tight, an inker would be completely unnecessary. Jinky Coronado: A lot of people think my work is inked, until they actually look at the original art.
I actually have both Larry Tuazon and my brother Pejee to thank. When I'm too busy -- or lazy! -- to do finished pencils, Larry Tuazon helps me tighten it all up.
Then my brother Pejee Calanog scans the original art and does some magic in Photoshop with cleanup and contrasts and levels, and makes our work better than I'd expect it could look.
Pejee is an actor and male model in Manila, by the way....it kind of runs in the family! Lady Heromorph: Tell us a little about the process of what goes into the finished piece. Jinky Coronado: That one was pretty simple. I did the layout you see there on tracing paper. All the thinking, the expressions and body language and character performance, is worked out in the layout stage. Sometimes i'll do a bunch of variations on tracing paper with arms and legs and expressions all different and pieces of figures taped together. Then I draw the whole thing on illustration paper -- sometimes on 11" x 17" size, sometimes smaller. This was is about 9" x 14".
I work on a big, heavy art table that I bought in Brazil, a massive light table with a glass surface and great lighting beneath it. It's exactly the same type of light table that Mike Deodato and Will Conrad have used for many years. So as I pencil tightly over my detailed layouts, I pretend as though I'm inking. Since I can't handle a pen and brush for anything except calligraphy, I do a pencil style with all the rendering looking like ink.
Then I scan it at high-resolution, email it to my brother who does all the cleanup and finessing, then send it to Katrina Mae Hao for coloring. We'll talk over her first pass and tinker until we're both happy with the results. Lady Heromorph: So how did you get started in comics? Jinky Coronado: Back in '99 or 2000, I attended David Campiti's Creating Comics Seminar in Manila. It was free, they even served free meals, and I was one of 84 artists who attended, along with Bong Dazo and Stephen Segovia, both of whom went on to become pretty big names in comics. I learned a lot but went back every time Glass House Graphics had a Seminar there. It's funny that, much later, I became both a figure model and a teacher at those.
When I moved to the USA, Glass House helped me pitch BANZAI GIRL, which sold to Sirius Comics. In the years that passed, I worked for Arcana, Zenescope, Random House, Red Giant Entertainment, and more. Lady Heromorph: Mag Cabot's Avalon High books have had a high profile, even landing a Disney film adaptation. You got to work on the Avalon High comic adaptation! Tell us a little about that experience. Jinky Coronado: It was a pretty stretched-out experience, drawing three manga-format graphic novels over, I think, a two-year period.
It was for Random House, so everything was professional and on-time.
I never met Meg Cabot, but I think we chatted once on the phone.
I keep waiting for my AVALON HIGH to be collected and re-published as one big book, but so far that's not happened yet.
I know there's that AVALON HIGH TV movie out there, but I've not yet managed to see it. Lady Heromorph: I've noticed some great images you'd posted from Sherrilyn Kenyon's DARK-HUNTER series a while ago. Could you be considering another novel series adaptation? Jinky Coronado: You know, I like working for Dabel Brothers a whole lot. Les Dabel is a really nice guy, and his brother Ernst has probably the most cultured, soothing voice I've ever heard. They have a loyal team.
Their new DARK-HUNTER series ACHERON is being drawn by Mel Joy San Juan, who is drawing it beautifully and has a real knack for that type of project. Her men are so beautiful. She's also drawing about half of their DARK- HUNTERS adult coloring book material but can't possibly do it all, so I've jumped in to do some images. If Dabels would like me to draw a DARK-HUNTERS project and we can get the schedules to work, I'd be happy to. I'm not as fast as Mel Joy, though. She's a real talent. Lady Heromorph: So you're best known for your own creation, Banzai Girl. I know you have many fans here at HM, thanks to all those great Banzai Girl images you've shared with us here. Your stories, the characters and art are really terrific! I love Banzai Girl. What a great book! Action, fun, humor, fantasy, sci-fi... this book's got it all! ... and the art and colors are just amazing too! Tell us a little about it. How did you come up with this idea? Jinky Coronado: When I started on it, David was saying, "Write what you know!" All the guys in his Seminars were doing stuff for Marvel and DC super-heroes, but I didn't know a lot about those. I was a huge fan of native Filipino comics, chiefly anthology stories. So I was, quite literally, an Asian schoolgirl writing about an Asian schoolgirl. Gradually, it went from a silly thing about me and my friends and my family to my character battling the Filipino monster of myth that we all grew up on. Lady Heromorph: There're some great characters in this series. Tell us about the some of those colorful characters from Banzai Girl's World(s). Jinky Coronado: For American readers, I tried to make everything -- including the environment -- a character. I was drawing pretty authentic areas in Manila and Iloilo, and people who live in the Philippines recognize the buildings, the jeepneys, the tricycles, the foods.My "Rogues Gallery" was pretty much all the Filipino legends. Lady Heromorph: I really like the Filipino flavor to the work, which even includes some creatures from Filipino folklore. Could you elaborate a little about that? Jinky Coronado: I had everything from old, old trees that seemed to be possessed to the Kapre`, a giant cigar-smoking man-monster that lived in one. I had the Snakeman that, stories had it, lived beneath the Robinson Mall. I had the Manananggal, a Filipino vampire that splits at its waist and consumes unborn babies from the mother's womb. I had the Duwende and a whole lot more. Lady Heromorph: You can go check out Banzai Girl for yourself here: http://banzaigirl.keenspot.com
You also have another comic series that I've been greatly enjoying, Exposure. I'm sure . Tell us a little more about Shawna and Lisa. You can read their adventures and buy the collected editions here: http://exposure.keenspot.com Jinky Coronado: EXPOSURE began back around 1999 or 2000 as a series at Image Comics, written by David Campiti and drawn by the late, great Al Rio. I loved his art, so fun, so sexy! They stopped working on it around 2002, but they brought it back on Keenspot some years later, to see if they could bring in a whole new audience. It worked! Al Rio was too busy to draw a revival but, after he saw what I did with the DANGEROUS SECRETS pitch to try to do the characters as teens, he thought i'd be right to handle a refreshed, new version picking up where he left off. He did some new art, and al this work got collected into a trade and hardcover. Then I picked up doing as many story pages as he did -- a whole second volume of stories.
The story is about Lisa Shannon and Shawna Diaz, childhood friends separated by tragedy who reconnect as adults. Lisa has a sensitivity to the supernatural, and Shawna is a cop when the reunite, and they soon band together "to reveal what lies beyond the truth," as the story goes. Very much like X-Files type stories but a lot more fun and, it seems, a lot more reason to put the girls in tiny clothes. I've enjoyed it. Lady Heromorph: And we've been seeing previews from Pandora's Blogs. I understand that series is scheduled for release this year! I'm really looking forward to it based on what we've seen. Could you tell us more about plans for this series? Jinky Coronado: PANDORA'S BLOGS was created by David Campiti, and I designed the characters around some neighbor friends. I'm using a very different art style. It's at once more realistic and simpler! More realistic because the faces are all based on real people, despite my keeping the style very clean and open.
A teenager named Pandora Sargent, a very social media savvy girl, moves into a Florida town and could swear she sees monsters. She discovers the monsters are indeed real -- but they are normal people suffering genuine, debilitating diseases. A Doctor Bethany Pike has a specialty clinic in town to treat these illnesses. But it seems like they're only becoming more like the monsters of legend! Her social media posts unspool the tale as it unfolds, and other reading her blogs tell their part of the tale, and it all gets told in Rashamon fashion. Very clever and kind of exciting. So far, I've drawn four stories for the publisher, Red Giant Entertainment. The first story has appeared in a preview book, but I haven't been told the release schedule. Lady Heromorph: I've really been enjoying the recent Vixens of Valor posts as well. I'm hoping we'll be seeing more soon. Any news on this project? It looks to have enormous potential. Jinky Coronado: VIXENS OF VALOR is created by a very sweet man named Marc Heller; I'm not allowed to tell much about it other than it will probably come out from his new company Alchemy Comics, in Las Vegas. But it's probably at least a year from being released. We're still doing designs on it, which he's allowed me to share with my fans on Heromorph. Lady Heromorph: There was also a coloring book project. I just loved the samples I'd seen posted at Heromorph! Is this project still in the works? Jinky Coronado: YES! That's the BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS adult coloring books project I mentioned a little while ago. I've decided just this moment that, since I have close to a hundred drawings for it, I'll release it in two volumes. I think I'll call the first one COLOR ME PRETTY, and the second one will use that BEAUTIFUL DREAMERS title. I think I'll try to Kickstart them both. You heard it here first, folks! Lady Heromorph: We're celebrating your Heromorph Artist Spotlight by having a "Color Me Jinky" challenge this month where we'll be asking our membership to color your work. I'm looking forward to seeing the submissions.
Color Me Jinky
Color Me Jinky Take any line art from Jinky's gallery posted at Heromorph and color it in your own style. Click here to join & follow the competition. Challenge Ended Jinky Coronado: Wow! That would be wonderful! Remind me to look and see if I have any images you haven't seen! Lady Heromorph: Any other upcoming new projects up we should know about (or I forgot to mention)? Jinky Coronado: Look for Kickstarters for BANZAI GIRL Volume 2 and the adult coloring books later this year.
Aside from those, there is one other interesting thing. Are you familiar with the YouTube star Markiplier? There's a MARKIPLIER comic book coming out later this year, a four-issue mini-series, and in the second or their issue Markiplier crosses over into the world of PANDORA'S BLOGS, and I drew that story. It should be out this summer. Lady Heromorph: Thank you for the interview, Jinky. So many of us really look forward to your images and posts. It's been a real pleasure and I can't wait to see the rest of what you have in store for us this year! Jinky Coronado: Hugs to everybody!!
Lady Heromorph: For more information about Jinky and her projects, please visit the following links: To visit Jinky Coronado's Heromorph art gallery Click HereTo visit Jinky Coronado's Banzai Girl Facebook Page Click HereBe sure to tune in next time, folks, and I will have a new Spotlight on another talented Artist. See ya'll then!
Posted on: 1 03 17 05:01 pm
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_________________
I am not a real user I was just created that way.
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Artist Spotlight featuring... |
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Official Award Joined:
2005/10/21 23:05
From Mammoth Mountain
Posts: 5502
Level : 53; EXP : 33
HP : 261 / 1308
MP : 1834 / 72955
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Heromorph's Artist Spotlight featuring...
 "Hate on me but you can't deny skill." (Ill mind of Hopsin 4)
- X - "You can find better and you can find cheaper but not both at the same time." (Todd Grosser)
 Lady Heromorph: For this month's artist spotlight, we have the talented and always prolific Obsidian, the winner of the 2017
Heromorph Smackdown!
I thought you did a terrific job, really expanding on the challenges and storylines and illustrating that with some great pages!
Wow, looking at it all together here, you really produced a lot of art and story for that challenge!
Obsidian's Story Pages from 2017 Heromorph Smackdown
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 3 4 5 6 7
Well, to keep it simple enough for beginners, let's start at the beginning. So when did you get interested in creating characters and storylines? Tell us a little bit about those early day. (ya know, waay back... like 2D times!!)
Obsidian: OMG That seems like so long ago. I became interested in drawing way back in 1977... (No I'm no spring chicken ).
My favorite comics were Spider-Man, Captain Marvel (Mar-Vell), and Nova. But I didn't get into creating my own characters till around 1986, and that first 9 years was just me drawing for fun. I spent the 80's and most of the 90's really honing my 2d talents, and in 1989 I came up with the idea for "Panterra" of course back then he was all in white and was an arctic guy (Courtesy of GI Joe's influence).
Some of Obsidian's images of his original character, Panterra
I thought I wanted to be a comic book artist, I hadn't even begun to see what I could create yet.
In the latter part of that same year I joined the US Army and while in advanced individualized training (AIT For short) I discovered some soldiers who played... Advanced Dungeons and Dragons 1st edition.
I heard all the same rumors everyone did in the 80's like people who played were crazy and that they were possibly devil worshipers but let me tell you... OMG it was so much fun!
The freedom of choice and the comradery as very addictive and honestly the game was open ended and everything is done on the fly. It beats even the best video game today if you have a good GM.
That's where I scratched the surface of my creative abilities and really started to take off.
 Obsidian's version of the TSR logo. TSR is the gaming company which
created Dungeons and Dragons.
I really admire him.
Lady Heromorph: Yeah, McFarlane and a few of those other guys who started Image Comics really got paid!
So at some point, it seems it became very apparent to you that 3D would be your primary medium. Could you tell a little about how that came about and some of the advantages you feel 3D has over other mediums.
Obsidian: I stumbled on to 3D back in 2011, and I fell in love.
I had a lot of trouble with it at first being a complete stranger to the terminology and not understanding the limits of the technology. The primary advantage now is that I only have to design a character one time and never again if I don't want to.
Once it's saved it's saved, then whenever I need that character in a scene I just build the scene and plop the little bugger right in....
I do have a nasty habit of overloading scenes with superfluous models that most folks won't even see. I love really being able to feel the life in the worlds I create and 2D drawings are just so limited in that respect, at least that's my personal feeling.
The best part is I can view my characters from every conceivable angle and not have crumple the paper and restart if I make a mistake.
Lady Heromorph: Haha, yeah, 3D is definitely much easier on wasting paper.
I certainly understand why you love the 3D stuff. Of course, one of the things that brings a great many of us here is a fondness for those Marvel and DC superheroes.
So who's your favorite Marvel/DC superhero?
Obsidian: The Spider and the Bat respectively. I love Spider-Man ever since that first campy cartoon in the 70's I loved his power set and his struggles...
and later I related to how he worried about things I worried about.
A few of Obsidian's Spiderman images
Batman though... I hated the Adam West Batman show...as a child...it was just soooooooo corny and my tastes even as a child were way too mature for that.
The comics Batman though...that guy was tough, a real hard ass, and smart...soooo smart. I really admired the way they put brawn and brains in the same package.
No powers sure but he can put the whole Justice League down if needed.
Some of Obsidian's Batmans
That last Batman image I did really made me happy, the cowl was a static mesh I converted (I can do stuff like that now) and worked way better than the ones by my friends Hal001, and Isikol.
I could go for days about my other favorites but those two always stand out for me.
Lady Heromorph: Now you've done your fair share of Marvel/DC superheroes yourself.
Tell us about a few of your own favorite images of them among your work. In addition to THEIR characters, you've done plenty of YOUR own original supers too!
Could you point out to us a few of your favorites and maybe tell us why?
Obsidian: I love all of my Spider-Man images and I was stoked when I learned he was gonna be featured in the Smackdown that was so much fun.
A couple of Obsidian's bonus smackdown images featuring Drunken Spiderman.
The Family El is one of my favorite fanboy pieces featuring Superman and his 2 cousins.
Interesting side note: I found out why Powergirl's boobs are so big, the artist at the time felt like he was being ignored by the company so he kept drawing her chest bigger and bigger until someone spoke up. I guess he was right.
I have a fondness for Superman, and the image of him vs Black Adam was pretty epic for me.
What I really enjoy in my IP characters is accuracy...
The Doctor Strange image I created was a real challenge and required some extra work but was pretty spot on in his design.
Lady Heromorph: Yours is one of the most expansive cosmos full of characters I've ever seen.
Magic and science blend easily in your worlds populated by mythical beasts and people, epic heroes, gods, angels, demons, aliens, superheroes and villains and influenced by alternate dimensions, quantum events, time travel (OK, possibly a quantum event but I thought worthy of separate mention), and unimaginable twists.
Jeez, where to start??!!
As a creator of worlds, which images represent your favorite environments?
Obsidian: Oh wow...That universe actually has it's own folder separate from all of my other art.
There is an Image called "The Island of California" and it represents Earth, as a peaceful utopia or at least close enough.
Heigara 5 is another good representation
but this universe has many worlds at many different stages of technological development so there is no real One defining image.
I would however, like fans to know this universe is set far into our future.
A few of Obsidian's other worlds.
Lady Heromorph: Creatures! You've created your share of those too! Which do
you like best?
Obsidian: Dude are you serious?! OMG what a hard question to answer...
Dragons! I'd have to say I love dragons, and predictably Elves, they're the very definition of Fantasy in an otherwise Sci-Fi world.
Some of Obsidian's Dragons...
...and a selection of his Elves.
I love the concept of dragons and how much can be done with them. As for any others...
I love anything that's challenging.
Lady Heromorph: How about aliens? A brief description of which and why.
Obsidian: The Namae are my favorite, an analog of Anime characters/people and like any good anime come from all kinds of different concepts/worlds.
I love the Lunari, so much so that I put one on Obsidian's ship Shadawar (aka Shadow), is based on my long passed German Shepard Shadow... I miss him.
Each of my aliens and monsters have to fit logically into the worlds they inhabit and I draw on a lot of different sources and inspirations to create them and to keep them as original as possible in a world where originality is all but gone.
A glimpse at the variety of creatures who inhabit Obsidian's Worlds
Lady Heromorph: I understand you're available for commissions as well.
Could you give us some info about that? Could you show us a couple of commission pieces so folks can see the treat they're in for?
Obsidian: I create commission pieces for folks who write, role-play, or sometimes for commercial pieces.
I love those kinds of pieces because they usually force me to think outside the box. Often they are very challenging and really make me get creative.
I'll have to attach a couple of pieces as I usually don't keep a bunch of them handy but you'll have to display them at a much lower resolution.
A small sampling of Obsidian's commercial work...
Keep in mind I have several clients who require permission for me to share their images but I have a few I can share.
There's also a ton of individual pieces I've done for friends.
I don't charge a lot for my images... I start at $50.00, and the more complex the image the pricier it gets.
My biggest payday was a series of images for a private card game designer, who paid $1500.00, and it took 6 months. It took that long because of communication issues and unavoidable life drama on both ends.
Lady Heromorph: Thanks for sharing your thoughts and work, Obsidian.
To see Obsidian's Heromorph art gallery Click HereTo see Obsidian's Personal Facebook Page Click HereBe sure to tune in next time, folks, and I will have a new Spotlight on another talented Artist. See ya'll then!
Posted on: 8 04 18 03:20 am
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I am not a real user I was just created that way.
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Artist Spotlight featuring... |
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Official Award Joined:
2005/10/21 23:05
From Mammoth Mountain
Posts: 5502
Level : 53; EXP : 33
HP : 261 / 1308
MP : 1834 / 72955
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Heromorph's Artist Spotlight featuring...
 "The art of Life in painted screens or graphites made.
Copyrighted comics and the most various caricatures.
This is my art. This is Time for Art!" (Wanderline Freitas)
 Lady Heromorph: For this month's Artist Spotlight, we have the multi-talented, imaginative and prolific WLine, who cames from the sunny lands of Brazil!
Ok! Let’s start this… Tell us a little bit about you. Introduce yourself to the Heromorph Community.
WLine: Hello. I’m Wanderline Freitas, an artist, illustrator and Brazilian caricaturist.
Lady Heromorph: I know you have some published comic stories, both on paper and online. Do you have a favorite one?
WLine: I really like my novel Amigos, Amantes, Amores (Friends, Lovers, Loves), published in 2010 that I also released online, among other works from me, at my blog: Hora de Ler HQ Warning: Contains Adult Content!
Lady Heromorph: What about a favorite character? And why?
WLine: My favorite character is Eni Gimá (something like R. Iddler, get it?), I believe that’s because he is the first character I created back in 1996. I talk in detail about his creation in this video:
It’s funny stories about a clumsy detective and he is also my character with more stories, 3 published so far and a lot more already finished.
Lady Heromorph: How long have you drawn/written comics?
WLine: I’ve been drawing comic stories since 1997. I had one of my characters, WinBlack, published in 2007 in the Brazilian comic book Brado Retumbante. You can find some of his short stories by clicking the following image:
Lady Heromorph: Do you have any kind of training in drawing/ art/ writing?
WLine: No. I am what we call around here, a self-taught person. I used to say that my teachers were the comic books, because of them I started to draw and wanted to tell my own stories.
Lady Heromorph: I know that comics are not your only passion, art-wise…
You’re the man with like seven instruments, you draw, you sculpt, you write, you have your own Youtube Channel...
Is there anything you can’t do?
Some of WLine's works in diferent medium/styles
WLine: I like this question. I often say that I don’t want to know everything but I always want to learn something.
I’m restless and I like to create stuff, and I can’t work on only one thing related to art because to me, everything is art so I’m always trying new things and learning in the process.
Lady Heromorph: What tools do you normally use? Notepad? Computer? The old pencil and paper?
WLine: Usually, I start with the pencil and paper. Then I decide if that piece of art (no matter if its a new comic story or an illustration, a caricature, or a cartoon…) will look better to finish freehand the traditional way or if I scan it and give it the digital treatment.
Lady Heromorph: What you think about this digital era we live in where almost everything can be done with a computer? Drawing, color, etc...
WLine: I think it’s cool that some art can be done with digital tools, like comics. The only downside I see is that the original from that art is lost forever, I mean, that art is just a digital file that can be printed and replicated into a bunch of new originals.
Lady Heromorph: Do you still recall the first comic you read? What are you favorite characters?
WLine: I do. It was a Spiderman comic that my mother bought me in the early 80s.
That was when I started reading and collecting everything I could get my hands on: Turma da Mônica ( a Brazilian children's comic, very famous around here), Spiderman, Batman, Tex and Ken Parker (Italian westerns).
I still like those characters these days and I keep buying them but now I only keep the ones with stories I like. The rest, I pass them along (the space on the shelf is getting smaller… ).
The only comic book I still buy to keep and collect is Julia Kendall, Adventures of a Criminologist by Giancarlo Berardi. She is physically inspired by Audrey Hepburn, one of my favorite actresses, you know? 
Lady Heromorph: What about movies? Do you have any favorites?
WLine: A lot! I’m a huge fan of cinema but I’m only going to mention some movies from before Netflix with their huge selection to choose from…
So, my favorites: Os Trapalhões (Brazilian comedy group similar to the Marx Bros), Once Upon a Time in the West, Unforgiven, The Outsiders, The Terminator, Conan the Barbarian, and finally Batman by Tim Burton.
Some of WLine's works movie inspired
Lady Heromorph: What about artists you admire? From the comics or any other medium: Book author, sculptor, whatever…
Do you have anyone that inspire you?
WLine: Frank Miller, Will Eisner, Ivo Milazzo, Eduardo Rizzo, Mike Mignola, Alan Moore, Frank Cho, the brazilians Fábio Moon and Gabriel Bá, Gustavo Duarte, Gabriel Anfrade Jr., Wendell Cavalcanti (who recently got hired to draw The Phantom)...
All of these I admire their art and inspire me.
Lady Heromorph: Do you have any advice to beginners at learning art or comics or any other kind of art?
WLine: Observe, sketch, create, don’t copy and try to make something with your art that nobody else does, I mean, find that trait that makes your style unique, because the market has already enough similar styles.
Speaking about the course we are going through during the learning, I really like a phrase credited to the artist Hokusai that says:
From the age of six I had a mania for drawing the shapes of things. When I was fifty I had published a universe of designs. but all I have done before the age of seventy is not worth bothering with. At seventy five I'll have learned something of the pattern of nature, of animals, of plants, of trees, birds, fish and insects. When I am eighty you will see real progress. At ninety I shall have cut my way deeply into the mystery of life itself. At a hundred I shall be a marvelous artist. At a hundred and ten everything I create; a dot, a line, will jump to life as never before.”
Hokusai (1760-1849)
andreas.com
Katsushika Hokusai and Japanese Art
Lady Heromorph: To end this little chat, do you take commissions? I mean, do you accept work from anywhere in the world? Like, if a Heromorphian from the States wants a personalized drawing from you… Is that something you consider? And if that is possible, how can they contact you?
WLine: Yes, it’s possible. My email is wanderlinefreitassuckit@gmail.com.
Lady Heromorph: Thanks for sharing your time and work with us, WLine. 
Be sure to tune in next time, folks, and I will have a new Spotlight on another talented Artist. See ya'll then!
Posted on: 5 10 19 05:50 am
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