Episode 107 - the King of France

Welcome! It's been far too long, but since we kept you waiting we've come back with an extra-short episode. Just because we love you! Enjoy as Kieran, Socar, and Patrick are back, with listener questions (well, one, at least), and some general banter. Oh, and news about Socar's upcoming art technique book.

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain107.mp3

Subscribe to the Ninja Mountain Podcast on iTunes or our next episode will be longer. MUCH longer.

Fantasy Art Drawing Skills

Episode 75 - This place is bugged!

While Jeremy is away at Gen Con, we have a return visit by the long lost Ninja Kieran Yanner! Kieran, Socar and MC Patrick answer some listener questions and spend way too much time talking about various bugs. It's a strange and beautiful exploration into the minds of three human illustrators, none of whom has the slightest idea of the horrors that await them...

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain075.mp3

Subscribe now on iTunes. That is all.

Other great podcasts can be found on the Visual Artist Podcast Network!

And, Patrick says: Starkweather: Immortal is now available for pre-order on Amazon.com!



The date listed has been pushed back another month, but we have it on good authority that it will probably be out in just another 2 weeks or so!

Ninja Mountain Episode #25 - Three Way Split.

Its a big one this week as three seperate Ninja Teams assemble to deliver a triple whammy in a joyously confused magazine format. First up we have Anne Stokes and Socar Myles discussing the topic of being an awesome female fantasy artist in what can appear at a glance to be a male dominated world.

Next up its convention talk with Patrick McEvoy, Ralph Horsley and Jeremy McHugh - get the fat ole skinny on what to do at your next convention attendance! Whether selling prints or selling your soul to every art director you can lay hands on, this crack team discuss it all.

Lastly Andy Hepworth, Ralph Horsley and Jon Hodgson discuss the work and influence of truly awesome historical and fantasy artist Angus MacBride.



http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain025.mp3

Subscribe on iTunes for free!


Show Notes:

Angus McBride: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_McBride
Moar McBride: http://www.lookandlearn.com/blog/?p=77
McBride's work in Look and Learn: http://www.lookandlearn.com/cgi-bin/if.cgi?img=0&search=Angus+McBride&cat=all&bool=phrase
Characters of Middle Earth on Scribd.com (which we only recommend when a book is waaaaaaay out of print): http://www.scribd.com/doc/12510173/Angus-McBrides-Characters-of-MiddleEarth


NB:
I'm going to go out on a limb here and predict that since this is the first time I've been let loose in the itunes/feedburner control room on NM I probably did something wrong in making the show work. So bear with us if the magic doesn't happen first time. --Jon

Update - Holy cow, it would appear to have worked! Who would have thought it possible?

Ninja Mountain Episode #21 - From Boom to Bust and Back

Has the economy affected the illustration business, and how? What are the Ninjas doing about it? And could the current downturn possibly put an end to a new Golden Age of Illustration that we didn't even realize we were in? Socar, Jon, Patrick and Jeremy talk it over. Also - more of your calls and questions! Join us, aren't you?

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain021.mp3

Subscribe for free on iTunes, or Socar will beat up a pimp!

Show Notes

Chandra Free

Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines

The (UK) Association of Illustrators Pricing Survey

Don't forget to call in with your thoughts, questions, comments and unbridled praise! Just call Jon.Hodgson on Skype and let us know what you're thinking.

Ninja Mountain Podcast #17 - Barely legal internet action

All the aspects of Internet relations, web behavior and our online personae are discussed in this episode, with Andy, Socar, Patrick, Jon and Jeremy. How do we approach this big wide world of web? Well, you may hear something new and perhaps even entertaining as we tackle a subject as huge as Cyberspace itself!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain017.mp3

Subscribe for free on iTunes!

Show Notes:

Pulp Art: Original Cover Paintings for the Great American Pulp Magazines

Ninja Mountain Podcast #16 - A bargain at half the price

This week it's question and answer with the panel as they wrestle some thorny beasts provided by Jon's Facebook friends and rpg.net! "What brushes do you use in Photoshop?","can you give me email addresses of your favourite clients?", and "will you do me some work pro bono?" are all questions which will not be answered. Instead Ralph discusses shooting day for night, Jeremy shoots a man in Reno just to watch him die, Socar brings sexy back, and Jon edits the whole show to make himself seem much funnier than he actually is. As ever.

Actual questions covered: Bulk pricing? How many revisions? Why art? What music do you work to?

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain016.mp3

Become part of the iTunes Army!!

Show notes to follow.

*Hey Kids! Check out Patrick's blog post today for the background and history of the Mountain: Ninja Mountain, the awful, terrible truth.

Ninja Mountain Podcast #15 - Cue the music!

In what is quite possibly our wackiest episode ever, Socar, Jeremy, Jon and Patrick attempt to discuss several important and weighty topics while trying not to laugh too much. Where do we see ourselves in the future, and how will we make it happen? What areas do we need to work on artistically and why? Can we manage to stay on topic for more than a minute at a stretch and why not? All these questions and more will probably remain unanswered in this senses-shattering FIFTEENTH episode!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain015.mp3

I tunes, You Tunes, we all scream for iTunes!


Show Notes

Ramen Home Page
Potted Meat food products (The one Patrick mentioned didn't have a brand name on it...)
Socar's goal
Scott Purdy's GOBLINOIDS!

** Quality Assurance note! There were some sound issues around 50 minutes in on this episode, where Socar was dropped out. We've been working on that and a fix will be up soon. So if you have the version where you can't hear some of the dialog, try re-loading after 8:30 Pacific time May 8. Thanks!

Ninja Mountain Podcast #14 - doing it in style

Hello all you artist-listening people! We're a little bit late this week, but we think it will be worth the wait, as Jeremy and Patrick are joined by South American Ninja Sam Araya and returning Ninja Anne Stokes. Our discussion concentrates on the care and feeding of your personal style. Can you work on it, and if so how? Can you change it around for different jobs, or do you want to? Also, we touch on the topic of the most important or memorable critiques we've received. Interesting stuff all around!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain014.mp3


Or find us here on iTunes!

Show Notes

Sam Araya
http://paintagram.blogspot.com/
Alla Prima: Everything I Know About Painting, by Richard Schmid
Joel-Peter Witkin
Fantasy Art Techniques of Tim Hildebrandt


Spyder3 pro

** We apologize for the slightly baddish sound quality here and there this time out. Skype was not our friend this day! We think that if you stick it out through the sound issues you'll have almost as much fun as we did.
-Patrick

Ninja Mountain Podcast #13 - Ninjapocalypse NOW!!

In the above image we see Patrick editing the podcast.

Welcome to a very special episode of Ninja Mountain, as we introduce long-time Ninja Mountaineer Socar Myles! First up, Andy, Jeremy, Patrick and Jon talk about the things that have influenced their art outside of other art - mostly movies and literature. (We'll admit there's not a lot of hard-hitting educational content in this one, but at least we had fun...) Next, Jeremy and Patrick join Socar in a discussion about illustration, commissions, world travel, pen nibs, and anything else they happened to stumble across in the course of their conversation. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain013.mp3

And inevitably, iTunes!


NB: Right near the end of this cast there are a couple of skype IM "pings". You're not going mad if you hear them and get totally confused by the fact you're not actually being pinged. One day the whole panel will WEAR SOME DAMN HEADPHONES OMG!




Show Notes:
Socar Myles - gorblimey.com

Melissa Findley
Jan off of rpgnet
Casablanca
Citizen Kane
7th Voyage of Sinbad
Zardoz

Socar in Spectrum - medium: "blow": The Rat Queen's Wedding Party

Skeleton fight!!

Ninja Mountain Podcast #12 - Effortless efforts

Jon, Jeremy, Andy and Patrick talk about the effort put into illustrations, and how the time and money equation ties in to things. This leads into the practicalities of doing a good job on time, and somehow leads to a discussion on the fine art of the critique. Oh, who are we kidding - we're just all over the map this week. But it's a fun discussion, so please join us!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain012.mp3

Or subscribe for free on iTunes!

Show notes to be filled as interest warrants:

Ninja Mountain Podcast #8 - Ninja Army ATTACK!!

This week we present an unstoppable ninja army so huge, so utterly without hope of containment, that we split it into three parts! Joining Jeremy, Patrick, Jon, Andy and Kieran, we also introduce Anne Stokes, Ralph Horsley, and Mattias Snygg. The first segment features Anne, Jeremy, Patrick and Kieran. The second part brings us Ralph, Andy, Jon and Jeremy, and the third is a one-on-one with Jon and Mr. Snygg. Enjoy the bounty!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain008.mp3

Or do what the cooool kids do - iTunes!


Show Notes:
http://mattiassnygg.com/
http://www.annestokes.com/
http://www.ralphhorsley.co.uk/

Armor links
http://www.bestarmour.com/
http://www.mac-armour.cz/index_en.htm
http://www.armstreet.com/
http://steel-mastery.com/index.php?&model=cat_page&category_id=17

The Medieval Soldier: 15th Century Campaign Life Recreated in Colour Photographs

Ninja Mountain Podcast #7 - A guest!

On our latest artistic excursion, Jeremy, Kieran and Patrick welcome a special guest, illustrator and designer Von Glitschka. We talk about style and how to develop it, style and how to market yours, style and when to use one... well, you get the idea! Also some talk about comics, portfolios and silly names.

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain007.mp3

Or use the magical iTunes!

Show Notes:
glitschka.com
Freelance Switch!
The Mysterious fantasy artist that Von mentions...

The Art Of P. Craig Russell
Adobe Illustrator

Twitter is omnipresent:
Von Glitschka
Patrick McEvoy
Scott Johnson
Jeremy McHugh

Ninja Mountain Podcast #6 - Photo Ref & Marvel talk

Jon is gone for a couple of weeks, but in his stead we've recruited two - yes TWO - alternate Ninjas for duty. Let's have a big round of applause for Kieran Yanner and Scott Johnson!


http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain006.mp3

Or get it on iTunes!

This week's topics include photo reference, a bit of illustration history, freelancers on contract, a new book review, and some discussion about Scott and Patrick's work for Marvel (in broad terms so no one has to be killed for saying too much!)

Even though Jon was out this week, he did provide some new sounds and closing music - please enjoy!

John Howe Fantasy Art Workshop
Norman Rockwell official site
sketchup.google.com
www.daz3d.com

Scott Johnson - scottjohnsonart.com/
Kieran Yanner - kieranyanner.com/

Here are some examples of Scott's Marvel art:
Spider-Man
Marvel Montage
Marvel Universe panorama

Are you following us on Twitter?
Patrick McEvoy
Scott Johnson
Jeremy McHugh

See you next week!

Ninja Mountain Podcast #2 - Getting Freelance Work

Bigger and bolder than strictly necessary - it's Ninja Mountain's second podcast! Ever!!

http://www.megaflowgraphics.com/NinjaMountain/NinjaMountain002.mp3

Get it via iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewPodcast?id=303923176

This week, Andy Hepworth joins Jon, Jer, and Patrick, as the ninjas discuss portfolios, getting work, convention networking, and even a bit of art talk as they debate the merits of ArtRage, the digital painting program.

Thanks for all the comments, both here and on the various art forums we've been linking from. We really appreciate hearing from you and love getting ideas for future shows. Keep those posts coming, kids!


Show Notes
http://www.artrage.com/
http://www.andyhepworth.com/profile.php
Snygg's CA thread in which he disgusts us with his powers: http://www.conceptart.org/forums/showthread.php?t=146262
Torstein Nordstrand, incredible artist, artrage skeptic!
Illodeli.com
Hope Street Studios, Glasgow
Irene Gallo's blog

Art and networking sites we mentioned in this episode:
http://www.dave-co.com/gutterzombie/
http://www.conceptart.org/
http://www.epilogue.net
http://forum.rpg.net/index.php
http://www.deviantart.com/
http://www.illustrationfriday.com/
http://www.linkedin.com


Web design:
Strangeegg.com
tigertech.net
wordpress.com


Here's Glasgow!

The wonderblog of Jon Hodgson, friend him and inflate his giant head even further:
jonhodgson.livejournal.com

Join the Ninja Mountain Facebook Legion!: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ninja-Mountain-Podcast/47504284999

Music/sounds:
Opening and Ninja Mountain stings by Jon
Short Music Interlude by SlingshotVenus (find them on iTunes - this excerpt was from the song "Eunuchorn")
Closing music, "Born on a Mountain in the Summertime" by Jon and Matt

.