I'm so late to this, but figured I might do it anyway. Only because there's so much I've mapped out and world-built around Aidan, I might as well share it.
Tagged by Cold-Creature
1. Who is your favourite OC? Haha, I'll be boring and say Aidan from BFOI. Over the years, I've attempted to make him less Mary-Sue-ish, and for whatever reason, he's able to hold my interest in OCTs better than other characters that I've come up with. I'd have over 100 OCs waiting in the wings though. Another one of my favourites was another Poke'mon OC from about 6 years ago. His name was Ghede Nimbo, and he was based off voodoo Ghedes and psychopomps from Haitian myth. I researched deep about it all too. I designed and drew his whole family and gave them Poke'mon matching their themes. (There was at least a dozen of them!) Maybe one day I'll be able to rework it all into something usable! XD
2. If you could improve in some aspect of your art/style- what would it be? Oh god, there's so much... Immediately striking a cord with me though, is the transition to digital. I'm still a strictly draw in pencil, ink, scan and colour in photoshop guy. My job and the industry in general, really means I need to adapt quick and catch-up...
3. Who’s your favourite artist (other than yourself *wink*)? XD Hm... I won't list any DA artists here sorry. But of recent memory, I've always loved the work that Atsushi Okubo did with Soul Eater. It's such a fun style, and my favourite part about drawing is the character design, something that Okubo is fantastic at! Just look at some of these Manga covers! I've grown up with (probably like a lot of people) with Ken Sugimori's work on Poke'mon too.
4. What hobbies do you have other than drawing/painting? I've played soccer since I was 5, and I've been the Captain of my team now for the last couple of years, so I do a lot of training and running to stay fit. (I just finished a 10km run tonight between work and coming home.) In fact, I do a lot of endurance running in general, competing in fun runs, Spartan/obstacle races, etc... I've also been a chef for the last 10 years of my life, so I love to cook!!! <3
5. What’s your favourite animated movie? Disney: Lilo & Stitch, CGI: Toy Story 3, Anime: Spirited Away.
6. What’s your favourite fandom to draw/be apart of? I think 100% of my gallery is Poke'mon lol. I will work on posting more varied stuff in the future though!
7. Do you collect anything? If so- what? I've never thrown out a drawing that I've ever drawn, so I suppose my drawings? I just hoard them away forever XD. I also have a sizeable collection of Yugioh cards, other than that, not really!
8. What’s your favourite comics, manga, or book series? Fullmetal Alchemist, Deltora Quest and Harry Potter.
9. What’s your dream job? To be a character designer, storyboard artist, and concept designer.
10. If you had all the money you’d ever need, what would you do with it? Make my dream come true and get my own cartoon tv series created. Mostly by creating my own studio to make it, or pitching my idea to Netflix or something and paying them to create it XD
Secondly was
1. What is your favourite part of making art and why? Concepts. Either through actual character themselves, or their attitude, their clothing, their story arc, it's all gotta be thought out and considered. Painting a landscape of a tree? Why's it got a broken branch? Who tied a tyre swing to it? What initials are scratched into it's surface? Everything has got to have a thought-out concept. I have 100 thoughts of concepts a minute about any given thing XD
2. What book (or if you don't read much, movie/comic/game/show/other media) would you highly recommend people read(watch, etc.) and what makes it special? I'm going to steer away from anime/manga for a sec. I work for the channel FX, and one of our latest shows to come out is called 'Legion'. It's fantastic! Definitely hunt it down if you haven't already started watching it.
3. What aspect of your art are you most proud of right now, at this very moment? In regards to character development, I'm very aware these days upon drawing a character, if it looks completely new or fresh compared to anything else that I've ever seen. Sure, it might borrow influence from, say, something I saw 3 years ago and subconsciously remember, but when I draw a figure, in that pose, in those colours, I can think, 'Yep, that's new.'
4. What, not who (but you can answer that too if you want), inspires your creativity? I wish I could give you an answer, because it seems to trigger itself. Funny I'm asked that now, because I'm currently in a bit of a creative slump. Which happens from time-to-time with anyone, but I usually get it for about a month once a year, where I feel lost with my art. In those periods, I've learnt, not to force art, and let it return naturally.
5. What are your favourite themes in characters/stories? This was way too tough for me to answer! I could write an entire essay in response to this, so I'll round it off with... er... themes that allow me to see a little of myself in the character/story.
6. If money or obligations weren't an issue, where is somewhere you would really like to visit? I've always wanted to go to Japan. Or a big trek around Australia. Oh no! South America would be so cool!!! Machu Picchu, Peru, yes! Um. If money wasn't an issue... everywhere!
7. What is a big art/creative goal you would like to accomplish? Build a portfolio of art and animation that isn't Poke'mon to help get my dream job.
8. Do you have any OCs that mean something really special to you? It's such a cheesy answer, but they're all special to me. Oh god, what a silly answer XD
9. Tell us about a passion project you are working on right now. Is it related to question 7? Ooh. Well... I've got about 4 large-scale projects in the works now. My favourite is one I'm calling the 'Fae Train'. A young boy named Escher needs the help of the Fae Train, to travel across country to rescue the stolen souls of his two grandparents. Unfortunately for Escher, the conductor of the Fae Train is a selfish and mean-spirited Yowie named Zin, who has inherited the responsibilities of the Fae Train from his now-deceased father against his will. Not only do the two have to get accustomed to the various passengers and faefolk aboard the train, but deal with the grander responsibilities that owning the Fae Train involves. And all the while fighting off Trolls, Imps and Witches.
10. What is some advice you would like to tell to younger artists/creators? Again, funny I'm asked that. Because word-for-word this is what I sent in a note just a week ago to another DA artist:
"I just figure, if I do art that I like, and draw what makes me happy, it doesn't matter if people know me or my art or not. And if a drawing I do, or a story I tell, reaches just a small handful of people, then that's a small handful more than I thought it would. And that makes me happy."
Added the optional ones I answered over on 's journal.
1. What's your biggest pet peeve? Bad drivers. I get badddd Road rage. Easily. And nearly everyday. Most Aussies are laidback and friendly. Except behind the wheel of a car. We're all swearing, shouting anger-sacks.
2. Name your top 3 songs at the moment. www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLV2O3… , www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZdsmL… , www.youtube.com/watch?v=jKmDaG… , www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYQyZF… (I did 4 because I couldn't decide.)
3. What's a color combination that YOU really like? Purple and yellow.
4. Tell me your best joke. Two fish are in a tank, and one turns to the other and says, "Right, how do we drive this thing?"
5. Who's a character that you have a crush on? If you don't have a crush on any character, wtf. Fine. Tell me your favorite character then (from any book/tv show/game/whatever). Hm, I don't know. Moana? Oh no! Jasmine! Always Jasmine!
6. Oh no! Your hand is sticky and you just touched the thing that's directly to your left. What is stuck to your hand? My pencil and pad because I'm left-handed...
7. Shark diving, bungee jumping, or sky diving? I've done the last two twice each, so I should say Shark Diving. But I'll say sky diving, because I looooovvvve it!
8. What's your favorite pokemon? Breloom
9. What's the background right now of your phone (both home and lock screen). My pug Cosmo on both screens.
10. There's a clear dumpster in a crowded public area. You can see that it has the thing you've always wanted at the bottom. Do you go dumpster diving in this crowded area to get that thing you've always wanted? Oh god yes! I have no shame! >: D
Phew, finished. That was a huge wall of text! Congrats if you read all that! I probably wouldn't have LOL
I don't normally answer those, but I'm glad I did that one. I don't like tagging other people either, so anyone reading this, please feel free to answer the questions as comments below! I'd love to read them!
1. Do you have a favourite colour? And if so, do you find you favour that colour when creating art?
2. What kind of art is unappealing to you?
3. One about storytelling; What was a major shock to you in a story? It could be a book/movie/game/comic
4. Hobbies!!! I want to know what you do outside of art?
5. Name your favourite character. Name your favourite OC. What do they have in common?
6. What are 3 words that best describe you?
7. What are 3 words that best describe your art?
8. What is one thing you wish you were better at?
9. Is there a certain part of your artmaking process that you dislike?
10. Beginning/Middle/End! Which part of the story is the easiest and the hardest to create for you and why?