Interview with the 3rd place winner of Derby 198
The interview with the second of our first-time printed artists this weekend: MidgeRock.
Shirt.Woot Stats? (first derby / shirts bought / shirts printed)
162 (Cryptozoology Redux) / 6 / 1. One and only one.
What are your tools of choice?
Pencil and paper and Gimp.
What is your typical process for going about a design?
Well to get ready I put on "It's Raining Men" by the Weather Girls and then put on a huge dance number with lights and fog machine and... sorry that's my process for going out on Friday night. Um... sorry. If I'm designing for the Woot Derby I usually look at the theme and then kick around ideas until one hits me and then I start sketching out ideas. Once I'm settled, I scan and start working in Gimp: usually getting my line work refined; then move on to colors. Recently I've been playing more with textures and shading using varied brushes going back and forth between erasing and coloring with varied opacity then halftoning the final layers.
What design or art experience do you have outside the derby?
I studied graphic art and studio art in college for 4 years and had been working in webcomics for 5-7 years until I put that on a shelf due to time constraints and needing additional help.
Which artists or designers inspire you?
I'm a comic book geek from way back and have always been influence by their art style. Sam Keith, Mike Mignolia, and Frank Miller are big influences.
Would you like to do art/design full-time? If so, what is your dream job?
Heck yeah! Would love to be a comic artist working steady on a comic but would be happy in any full time illustrative gig.
Any plans to ever sell your designs using a print-to-order shop like SpreadShirt or CafePress?
I actually have a store at
RedBubble.
What advice do you have for new derby artists?
Figure out why you're doing this. "Just for fun" loses its luster after a while. Also, don't just design for the Derby. Think about the bigger picture. Ask yourself, "if this design doesn't get picked up here, where else could I sub it after Woot's 60 day hold?"
Do you have a website or portfolio you'd like people to see?
Apart from my RedBubble store you can become a fan and follow my work on
Facebook. SOME OLD AND NEW DESIGNS ARE GOING TO PRINT LATER THIS MONTH!
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