Andy Hepworth has redesigned and updated his website. Comic pages that were shown briefly in teaser format in Imagine FX 3 are up o the Comic page, as well as Exalted 2nd Edition work and some odds and ends. Enjoy!
www.andyhepworth.com
Monday, April 03, 2006
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Araya:The Interviewing
Now then! Its interview time once more. And this month we are blessed with a chance to chat to the mighty Sam Araya!
Hey Sam. How are you?
Sleepless but good. I still cant beat Geese Howard on "King of the Fighters: Neo Wave" tho, damn that "Repuken".
Where do you live these days?
South America, Paraguay, its small, green and hot as hell, but the rent its cheap...
So what's on your monitor/drawing board/ in the dark room RIGHT NOW?
I'm finishing a cover for a CD, its 99% painting so its taking me forever to make it work, its for a Hardcore Straight-Edge band called "Eye of Judgment", real nice guys and always a pleasure to work for em. I'm doing something for a certain black metal band too (yeah, they are both on the monitor! Hardcore and Black metal living toghether!) but thats top secret I think.
So, your work is scary good and pretty individual. How do you first start a piece? What's stage zero?
Hey thanks, but you know? I dont think I'm that individual or good, and thats its starting to irk me, I mean, I must be an individual! just like all my friends! heheh.
Stage zero should be the concept, that's the meat in the hook, and that's the hard part, its not because it needs to be clinically detailed ( I think I managed to alienate myself from the idea that a picture should be EXACTLY like the image I got in my mind), its because I need something that lends itself through vast extrapolation. After that its just fooling around with materials and the computer.
We gather you like heavy metal music? WHY? lol
Why on earth would you think of that? heh.
Its funny cause the other day I was talking about that with someone, incidentally we where talking about why we like metal in a Krisium gig, dude! Krisium equals total devastation, they really ripped the place apart! but back on track, I like metal because it has the coolest t-shirts, obviously! and you can sing about Burning Goats Heads or about Satan, or Burning Satan, so its all about the diversity, right? hehehe.
You also exhibit in galleries? How does that compare with illustrating books and cd covers?
At first I was heavily on the idea that galleries were fucking bullshit, and I have to admit, to a certain extend its true. I'm not going to rip another one on the subject of being postmodernist or something equally boring. I'm going to say, thats its a wonderful experience seeing someone reacting to your work, talking about, engaging on the picture, its like all the work you do feels complete, because you finally see totally hot chicks digging your stuff. So it boils down to inmediate gratification, something one rarely gets on the normal illustration business.
How do you make your work so frightening? Seriously, some of your stuff really gives me the creeps! Do you work at it, or are you naturally really frightening?
I have some pretty vivid nightmares from time to time, and suffer from chronic insomnia, I guess that kicks in when it comes to terror, tragic isnt? thing is, If Im so familiar with the sense of dread, then what the hell I do? I try to understand the nature of the things that disturb me, I try to distill em to ideas that I can actually like. I cant paint something that Im scared of, do I? by working on it, you start to remove layers, you begin to glimpse the true nature of what its moving you to act like a chicken, and then comes it comes and bites you in the face, you can absorb this knowledge and use it to make money.
Okay, people like to use the word cathartic, but I don't think its all about getting my troubles out of the open, its about having fun, Im sorry, but I cant possibly cope with the idea that I'm drawing zombies in order to overcome the traumatic loss of my transformer toys.
Yeah, I work on it, it fascinates me to no end, I love horror, in all formats, except real life, heh.
Who's your favourite artist? You can say why as well if you like!
Oh yeah, my favourite artist, it changes every week, right now its George Higham, his sculptures are beautifull and his whole works stands for what I want to achieve someday, its decadent, gothic, fantastic, multimedia and somewhat sexy, if you look at it from the right angle.
Got any snappy one liners for up-and-coming artists?
Quit it if you are still cranking the same shit after 6 years. Start counting now...
What's the plan for 2006?
Back to basics! life drawing classes! Oil painting! and surely, things will happen, eventually, I started also a blog for a you spanish readers at: http://paintagram.blogspot.com and I'm saving to visit you all on Gen Con, but you know what they say about best laid plans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to Sam for taking time to to chat! It was a good one I think!
Here's some links that may be of use on an Araya Intarweb Odyssey:
Sam's Online Folio
Sam's site in development
White Wolf Online
George Higham
Ninja Mountain
Hey Sam. How are you?
Sleepless but good. I still cant beat Geese Howard on "King of the Fighters: Neo Wave" tho, damn that "Repuken".
Where do you live these days?
South America, Paraguay, its small, green and hot as hell, but the rent its cheap...
So what's on your monitor/drawing board/ in the dark room RIGHT NOW?
I'm finishing a cover for a CD, its 99% painting so its taking me forever to make it work, its for a Hardcore Straight-Edge band called "Eye of Judgment", real nice guys and always a pleasure to work for em. I'm doing something for a certain black metal band too (yeah, they are both on the monitor! Hardcore and Black metal living toghether!) but thats top secret I think.
So, your work is scary good and pretty individual. How do you first start a piece? What's stage zero?
Hey thanks, but you know? I dont think I'm that individual or good, and thats its starting to irk me, I mean, I must be an individual! just like all my friends! heheh.
Stage zero should be the concept, that's the meat in the hook, and that's the hard part, its not because it needs to be clinically detailed ( I think I managed to alienate myself from the idea that a picture should be EXACTLY like the image I got in my mind), its because I need something that lends itself through vast extrapolation. After that its just fooling around with materials and the computer.
We gather you like heavy metal music? WHY? lol
Why on earth would you think of that? heh.
Its funny cause the other day I was talking about that with someone, incidentally we where talking about why we like metal in a Krisium gig, dude! Krisium equals total devastation, they really ripped the place apart! but back on track, I like metal because it has the coolest t-shirts, obviously! and you can sing about Burning Goats Heads or about Satan, or Burning Satan, so its all about the diversity, right? hehehe.
You also exhibit in galleries? How does that compare with illustrating books and cd covers?
At first I was heavily on the idea that galleries were fucking bullshit, and I have to admit, to a certain extend its true. I'm not going to rip another one on the subject of being postmodernist or something equally boring. I'm going to say, thats its a wonderful experience seeing someone reacting to your work, talking about, engaging on the picture, its like all the work you do feels complete, because you finally see totally hot chicks digging your stuff. So it boils down to inmediate gratification, something one rarely gets on the normal illustration business.
How do you make your work so frightening? Seriously, some of your stuff really gives me the creeps! Do you work at it, or are you naturally really frightening?
I have some pretty vivid nightmares from time to time, and suffer from chronic insomnia, I guess that kicks in when it comes to terror, tragic isnt? thing is, If Im so familiar with the sense of dread, then what the hell I do? I try to understand the nature of the things that disturb me, I try to distill em to ideas that I can actually like. I cant paint something that Im scared of, do I? by working on it, you start to remove layers, you begin to glimpse the true nature of what its moving you to act like a chicken, and then comes it comes and bites you in the face, you can absorb this knowledge and use it to make money.
Okay, people like to use the word cathartic, but I don't think its all about getting my troubles out of the open, its about having fun, Im sorry, but I cant possibly cope with the idea that I'm drawing zombies in order to overcome the traumatic loss of my transformer toys.
Yeah, I work on it, it fascinates me to no end, I love horror, in all formats, except real life, heh.
Who's your favourite artist? You can say why as well if you like!
Oh yeah, my favourite artist, it changes every week, right now its George Higham, his sculptures are beautifull and his whole works stands for what I want to achieve someday, its decadent, gothic, fantastic, multimedia and somewhat sexy, if you look at it from the right angle.
Got any snappy one liners for up-and-coming artists?
Quit it if you are still cranking the same shit after 6 years. Start counting now...
What's the plan for 2006?
Back to basics! life drawing classes! Oil painting! and surely, things will happen, eventually, I started also a blog for a you spanish readers at: http://paintagram.blogspot.com and I'm saving to visit you all on Gen Con, but you know what they say about best laid plans.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to Sam for taking time to to chat! It was a good one I think!
Here's some links that may be of use on an Araya Intarweb Odyssey:
Sam's Online Folio
Sam's site in development
White Wolf Online
George Higham
Ninja Mountain
Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Interview: Matt Dixon
Starting off '06 we're trying to find the time to get some interviews of our members up on the blog to offer a little bit of a peek info what they are upto, and where they are coming from.
The first "lucky" victim is Matt Dixon!
Hey Matt. How are you?
Hi, Jon. I’m well, thanks.
So, Heavy Metal magazine are about to print some of your work! Tell us a bit about that - how did that come about?
I wish there was an interesting story to weave around my first appearance in such an iconic publication, but I’m afraid there isn’t; I sent Kevin Eastman some of my work, and he asked if he could feature me in the mag! If only it was always that simple, eh?
Can you say anything about the work? What sort of things are seeing print?
It’s a gallery feature, so there’s no new work involved. I haven’t actually seen what’s been published yet, but I understand it’s four pages of paintings accompanied by a short bio.
Heavy Metal is reknowned certainly in the States, as focusing on a European-style of work. Would you agree with that, and do you think you have Euro Style? Do you like Euro Style? What the heck is Euro Style?
Perhaps someone stateside would have a better insight into that question than I. In the context of comics, I think perhaps us Europeans ( and this applies far more to continental Europe than the UK ) have traditionally been more experimental. Maybe this comes from a more diverse market in Europe, which seems to favour narrative rather than character driven stories? I don’t really see a clearly defined ‘Euro Style’ as far as the art goes, however.
Mam Tor Publishing are also printing your first sequentials! That's some esteemed company to be printed in! At the risk of repeating a question can you tell us anything about how that came about?
Much the same as with Heavy Metal. Mam Tor, and the Event Horizon anthology which features my work, is the brain child of veteran comic artist Liam Sharp, aimed at publishing work which is created for the love of the medium. Liam saw my work, and asked if I’d like to contribute. I was nervous at the idea of producing my first sequential work, but the process was extremely satisfying, not least because of the encouragement and support offered by Liam and the rest of the Mam Tor family. I really can’t speak highly enough of those guys. What they’re trying to accomplish over there deserves all the support they can get.
(c)2006 Matt Dixon
You're very prolific! Do you have a strong work ethic?
I don’t really think too much about it, Jon. Painting pictures is what I enjoy most, so I tend to do it as much as I can..!
You work at a computer games company right? So what does that job entail?
It varies considerably from day to day and project to project. It’s a great industry to bein from that point of view. I have a lead position, so the one constant in my working life is a fair dollop of meetings and email action, but the rest of the time is taken up with creative duties of one kind or another which offsets that ‘work’ aspect nicely. Most recently, I’ve been working on environment concept art for our current project. Ordinarily, this would concentrate largely on the way things look in a particular location and establishing some ‘rules’ that should help create a coherent visual design. However, as the project in question is a movie license which has a well-defined look already in place, I’m concentrating my efforts more on the lighting scheme, location layouts and key dramatic events.
What do you like most - drawing or painting?
Painting. Lines and I don'’t get on too well.
Do you have a definite process when you make work, or are you more of a "make it up as I go kinda guy?"
I have a process in as much as I approach each picture in pretty much the same way these days – sketch, values, underpainting, rendering, finish – but it’s a very organic process and I’m happier reacting to what’s happening on the canvas ( screen ) rather than following a plan laid out before I start work, so things are constantly changing while I work.
Who's your favourite artist?
What a question! I’ll spare you the tedious ramble listing all the major figures in illustration in the last century; if I had to pick just one artist, I’d have to go for Norman Rockwell.
Go on, give us a one liner piece of pithy advice for upcoming artists!
Don’t waste your precious time with trivial distractions like the internet, TV or friends – GET DRAWING!
(c)2006 Matt Dixon
What's the plan for 2006? Any more sequentials?
Maybe. I’m very busy right now with commissioned work but I have a few personal projects which are long overdue for attention, so I’m hoping to spend some time with those later in the year.
=================================================
Thanks to Matt for taking the time out to have a chat! Here's some useful links where you can see more of his work, and check out some of his publishers:
Matt's Homepage
Matt's Award winning "Master and Servant"
Mam Tor Publishing
Heavy Metal
Norman Rockwell Museum
The first "lucky" victim is Matt Dixon!
Hey Matt. How are you?
Hi, Jon. I’m well, thanks.
So, Heavy Metal magazine are about to print some of your work! Tell us a bit about that - how did that come about?
I wish there was an interesting story to weave around my first appearance in such an iconic publication, but I’m afraid there isn’t; I sent Kevin Eastman some of my work, and he asked if he could feature me in the mag! If only it was always that simple, eh?
Can you say anything about the work? What sort of things are seeing print?
It’s a gallery feature, so there’s no new work involved. I haven’t actually seen what’s been published yet, but I understand it’s four pages of paintings accompanied by a short bio.
Heavy Metal is reknowned certainly in the States, as focusing on a European-style of work. Would you agree with that, and do you think you have Euro Style? Do you like Euro Style? What the heck is Euro Style?
Perhaps someone stateside would have a better insight into that question than I. In the context of comics, I think perhaps us Europeans ( and this applies far more to continental Europe than the UK ) have traditionally been more experimental. Maybe this comes from a more diverse market in Europe, which seems to favour narrative rather than character driven stories? I don’t really see a clearly defined ‘Euro Style’ as far as the art goes, however.
Mam Tor Publishing are also printing your first sequentials! That's some esteemed company to be printed in! At the risk of repeating a question can you tell us anything about how that came about?
Much the same as with Heavy Metal. Mam Tor, and the Event Horizon anthology which features my work, is the brain child of veteran comic artist Liam Sharp, aimed at publishing work which is created for the love of the medium. Liam saw my work, and asked if I’d like to contribute. I was nervous at the idea of producing my first sequential work, but the process was extremely satisfying, not least because of the encouragement and support offered by Liam and the rest of the Mam Tor family. I really can’t speak highly enough of those guys. What they’re trying to accomplish over there deserves all the support they can get.
(c)2006 Matt Dixon
You're very prolific! Do you have a strong work ethic?
I don’t really think too much about it, Jon. Painting pictures is what I enjoy most, so I tend to do it as much as I can..!
You work at a computer games company right? So what does that job entail?
It varies considerably from day to day and project to project. It’s a great industry to bein from that point of view. I have a lead position, so the one constant in my working life is a fair dollop of meetings and email action, but the rest of the time is taken up with creative duties of one kind or another which offsets that ‘work’ aspect nicely. Most recently, I’ve been working on environment concept art for our current project. Ordinarily, this would concentrate largely on the way things look in a particular location and establishing some ‘rules’ that should help create a coherent visual design. However, as the project in question is a movie license which has a well-defined look already in place, I’m concentrating my efforts more on the lighting scheme, location layouts and key dramatic events.
What do you like most - drawing or painting?
Painting. Lines and I don'’t get on too well.
Do you have a definite process when you make work, or are you more of a "make it up as I go kinda guy?"
I have a process in as much as I approach each picture in pretty much the same way these days – sketch, values, underpainting, rendering, finish – but it’s a very organic process and I’m happier reacting to what’s happening on the canvas ( screen ) rather than following a plan laid out before I start work, so things are constantly changing while I work.
Who's your favourite artist?
What a question! I’ll spare you the tedious ramble listing all the major figures in illustration in the last century; if I had to pick just one artist, I’d have to go for Norman Rockwell.
Go on, give us a one liner piece of pithy advice for upcoming artists!
Don’t waste your precious time with trivial distractions like the internet, TV or friends – GET DRAWING!
(c)2006 Matt Dixon
What's the plan for 2006? Any more sequentials?
Maybe. I’m very busy right now with commissioned work but I have a few personal projects which are long overdue for attention, so I’m hoping to spend some time with those later in the year.
=================================================
Thanks to Matt for taking the time out to have a chat! Here's some useful links where you can see more of his work, and check out some of his publishers:
Matt's Homepage
Matt's Award winning "Master and Servant"
Mam Tor Publishing
Heavy Metal
Norman Rockwell Museum
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Jon Hodgson News (Dec 05)
Hey Hey. A month has past, and so here I am again!
Painting is progressing like pulling teeth today, so what better way to take a breather than by updating my Ninja Mountain News for the month of December?
Big news this month is starting work on Eberron for Wizards of the Coast. Its a very cool setting, and I'm enjoying getting my teeth into the sketches! Can't really say very much without the explosive collar they make me wear going off. Its been really cool and a great relief to be asked to do a second job for WoC. Its hard to explain to anyone who isn't working in this particular field, but it's been something I've always wanted to do, and to get one shot at the gig and never to be asked again would have been... disappointing in the extreme? Just like when you start out in illustration its easy to concentrate on getting a foot in the door, getting the first gig. When in fact the second one is the hard one, the important one! (In my own humble estimation of course!)
Also in the pipe line this month are internal art for Warhammer Historical's "Alamo" for Legends of the Old West. It's always cool to work with the LotoW team, as we bounce off each other quite nicely, and the guys are nicely visually oriented. It was an ambitious project from the outset in terms of production values, and its one of my personal career highs in many ways. Even if most people I run into don't necessarily know an awful lot about it. The research for Alamo has been made a lot easier by my ole Dad having a huge interest in the old west. His spectacular collection of Time Life books on the period has been thoroughly plundered!
Vlad Internals are also still in production for Warhammer Historical too. Just getting to a stage where I'm happy to start sending them in.
What else? I did a couple of Sabertooth cards super-fast earlier in the month, and another cover for AFMBE, which I'm applying finishing touches to.
Some internal art for the WFRP2 Skaven book are also on the computer as I speak. Its a very, very busy month! I'm spending a bit too long on them, but since I played the original game as a teenager I have a lot of time for it! And skaven have always been a personal fave monster.
Oh I fitted in a cover for a kid's board game too.
Painting is progressing like pulling teeth today, so what better way to take a breather than by updating my Ninja Mountain News for the month of December?
Big news this month is starting work on Eberron for Wizards of the Coast. Its a very cool setting, and I'm enjoying getting my teeth into the sketches! Can't really say very much without the explosive collar they make me wear going off. Its been really cool and a great relief to be asked to do a second job for WoC. Its hard to explain to anyone who isn't working in this particular field, but it's been something I've always wanted to do, and to get one shot at the gig and never to be asked again would have been... disappointing in the extreme? Just like when you start out in illustration its easy to concentrate on getting a foot in the door, getting the first gig. When in fact the second one is the hard one, the important one! (In my own humble estimation of course!)
Also in the pipe line this month are internal art for Warhammer Historical's "Alamo" for Legends of the Old West. It's always cool to work with the LotoW team, as we bounce off each other quite nicely, and the guys are nicely visually oriented. It was an ambitious project from the outset in terms of production values, and its one of my personal career highs in many ways. Even if most people I run into don't necessarily know an awful lot about it. The research for Alamo has been made a lot easier by my ole Dad having a huge interest in the old west. His spectacular collection of Time Life books on the period has been thoroughly plundered!
Vlad Internals are also still in production for Warhammer Historical too. Just getting to a stage where I'm happy to start sending them in.
What else? I did a couple of Sabertooth cards super-fast earlier in the month, and another cover for AFMBE, which I'm applying finishing touches to.
Some internal art for the WFRP2 Skaven book are also on the computer as I speak. Its a very, very busy month! I'm spending a bit too long on them, but since I played the original game as a teenager I have a lot of time for it! And skaven have always been a personal fave monster.
Oh I fitted in a cover for a kid's board game too.
Friday, December 09, 2005
The Snygg Corben Project
Ninja Mountain member Mattias Snygg has been investgating the work of Richard Corben! And he's written it all up here:
"Corben and Me"
The results are extremely entertaining as well as informative! There's plenty of examples of Corben's work along with some great studies from Mattias.
NB: As befitting a study of the work of an artist such as Corben, this project should be considered as material suitable only for grown ups. There's some strong images of nudity and some equally strong language.
"Corben and Me"
The results are extremely entertaining as well as informative! There's plenty of examples of Corben's work along with some great studies from Mattias.
NB: As befitting a study of the work of an artist such as Corben, this project should be considered as material suitable only for grown ups. There's some strong images of nudity and some equally strong language.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
A Change for Purdy E Mail
My email address has changed, for all of those that are interested the new address is purdyart@googlemail.com .
Thanks all! :)
Scott.
Wednesday, November 16, 2005
Scott Purdy News
Well I'm about to start working on another set of Warhammer Roleplaying Game artwork for Green Ronin and Black Industries and I'm really excited about being a part of this particular project, Children of the Horned Rat: A Guide to Skaven... Who wouldn't love drawing Skaven eh?! :)
I'm also working on a small project for an up-and-coming RPG company... more on that soon!
Andrew from Steam Power Publishing has contacted me recently to work on their Etherscope supplement, more on that soon, too!
My work is featured, alongside Eric Lofgren in Malhavoc Press' Arcana Evolved: Spell Treasury, available next month.
JAGS has just released it's JAGS Wonderland RPG featuring Scott's, Eric's and Ralph's artwork
JAGS has just released it's JAGS Wonderland RPG featuring Scott's, Eric's and Ralph's artwork
Another up and coming release featuring my work is Realms of Scorcery, a WFRP supplement, also featuring an amazing cover by Ralph Horsley.
Visit Sean K Reynolds site to see our latest colaboration on Monster of the Month here: http://www.seankreynolds.com/skrg/free/motm/motm5_pusmother.html
Visit my website too, where I've had a bit of an overhaul and added more colour artwork!: www.scottpurdy.net
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Jon Hodgson News
Well now. Dispatches from Jon World Number One:
I'm off to Newcastle (UK) this Sunday the 13th of November to do a signing for my friends at Travelling Man. There's a Legend of the Five Rings CCG tournament on too, so I expect signing cards will be the order of the day! Hopefully some print sales too.
I'm off to Newcastle (UK) this Sunday the 13th of November to do a signing for my friends at Travelling Man. There's a Legend of the Five Rings CCG tournament on too, so I expect signing cards will be the order of the day! Hopefully some print sales too.
As mentioned on the NM front page, I've just finished my first batch of work for Wizards of the Coast, for a D&D supplement. Which I have to say I enjoyed enormously - I wish I could share some of the work, but I can't just yet! There's definitely no free rides - the higher the profile of the work the more "right" is has to be, so it was pretty hard work - though the pressure came from myself! The art directors at WotC are nothing but pleasant to work with! Fingers crossed for a repeat performance...
This last week also saw me send in a cover for Mongoose's Conan line, and a cover for a new Eden Studios book:All Tomorrow's Zombies Exciting stuff! Zombies and Conan are hard to beat enjoyment-wise.
Looking forward I have just embarked on sketches for internal art for Warhammer Historical's "Vlad the Impaler and the Ottomans". This is the first non-ancients era book I've done for them, so its a steep learning curve on the historical research. The cover art is in the bag, the first one for the core line that I've done. I hope it can live up to the previous covers!
Lately I've squeezed in a little experimental personal work, and you can have a wee sneak preview here: Sketchbook
Well that's about it from me for now. Maybe see you in Newcastle!
Jon
Thursday, November 03, 2005
Welcome
Welcome to the Ninja Mountain Blog!
Ninja Mountain is a loose collective of artists working in the fields of fantasy and science fiction. Our site can be found at: www.ninjamountain.net
Our members:
Sam Araya
Chris Dien
Matt Dixon
Andy Hepworth
Jon Hodgson
Ralph Horsley
Rafal Hrynkiewicz
Scott Johnson
Eric Lofgren
Patrick McEvoy
Jeremy McHugh
Socar Myles
Torstein Nordstrand
Scott Purdy
James Ryman
Mattias Snygg
Anne Stokes
Grey Thornberry
Kieran Yanner
In this blog expect to find the latest member news and gossip, along with the occasional tutorial and opinion piece from the world of fantastical illustration.
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