As an artist, it seems like the landscape is ever-changing from simply the tools, to the aesthetic. I intend to be an artist that never wants to stop learning, and as such, I find more and more interesting artists every day. Each artist has a unique insight and point of view, no matter the experience level. New views help open my mind and teach me there are many ways to utilize my skills and I hope that sharing our stories will help others in the same way. I believe there are many paths on an artistic journey, and each interview will help to show the stories of the artists that tread them.

Today we'll be interviewing Eric Summers.

As far as what keeps me going, I’ve never even considered quitting. Art is in my very bones, so even when I have those inevitable “OMG I suck everyone is better than me why am I even bothering” moments—like all of us do—giving up isn’t even an option. I guess I’m what you’d call a professional hobbyist, since I make money from my art, but it’s not my primary income. I’ve been a graphic designer since late high school, so that helps pay the bills while I draw my widdle butt off every night after work. I consider myself lucky in that I work in a field that allows a lot of creativity during the day, but also exercises a different set of “brain muscles” than illustration. I find that both disciplines feed into each other really well and reinforce each other against burnout.

Kaminski: It seems like you and I are kindred spirits in that way - that we both pretty much make every waking (non-working) hour about art and also maintain a day job as a graphic designer. It's interesting that we both seem to want out, but life has a funny way of dividing our time. Ahh such is life, amirite?
You talk a bit about your influences, but I have to ask, what got you your start into this creative insanity? In that vein, were you formally educated or did you simply dive off the deep end?


Summers: When I was around 8 or 9, I saw a panel in a comic book that I just thought was really cool. It was a small panel of G-Force, an obscure DC character. I don’t even remember who the artist was, but I liked it so much that I copied it on to an 11x14 sheet and hung it in my room. Everyone thought it was so cool (it wasn’t) and I was such a great artist (I wasn’t) for my age. But I had the bug after that. Shortly after, I picked up an issue of ElfQuest, by Wendy and Richard Pini, and was absolutely blown away by Wendy’s art. I spent years copying her pictures and making my own characters within her universe. To this day, I still carry influences from her work, when I’m not using photo ref. So yeah, comics really planted the idea in my head that people could actually make a career out of drawing elves and superheroes and such. In my teens I discovered the awesome art of the Dragonlance/Forgotten Realms crew, and fell in love with artists like Larry Elmore, Clyde Caldwell, Keith Parkinson, etc. That’s the beauty of this industry, you never stop finding stuff to inspire you.

Some of my earliest memories are of drawing characters from movies and cartoons I used to love in the early ‘80s (WHEN DINOSAURS ROAMED THE LANDS)...

I had exactly one art lesson during my school years. I was extremely unlucky in that I was the one kid in our school absolutely dying to take art lessons, but there wasn’t even a class available. Eventually there was one added to my junior high, but I was unable to take it as it was meant to be filled by incoming sixth graders as part of a new state requirement that they have art class. The exact same thing happened in high school when I was a senior. So I only had one formal art lesson before I graduated and decided I was going to Savannah College of Art & Design. I spent two years there, but it was an uphill battle. I’d never had any fundamentals (or honestly even knew I should have had them), so I was way behind my classmates in terms of skill level. I’m colorblind, so several of the life drawing and painting teachers said I should get into another career. Between that and a few personal factors, I eventually decided to leave SCAD and come home. I spent some time trying to start up my own comic (holy crap it was terrible) and finally chose to go back to college and get my design degree. But I never stopped drawing.

Kaminski: Good god, it sounds like you had a hell-of-a-time-of-it initially. I think most people would have jumped ship, so I can only commend you on your tenacity! I think that your desire to make a go of it on your own really shows though. It shows in your work that your choice of media shuffles as you see fit. Do you find that versatility helpful? And, related to that, do you have a favorite? Why?


Summers: I don’t know that I actually have a favorite, but it definitely doesn’t hurt to be disciplined in several media. Like I said earlier, I’ve been a comic geek my whole life, so I’ve always adored pen and ink line drawing. I’ve recently been exploring line art in combination with Copic grays and colored pencil, and I’m really happy with how that’s going so far. My color blindness has always been an impediment as far as traditional media goes, so when I got my first computer and Wacom tablet in my mid-20s it opened up new worlds to me. I no longer had to worry about mixing and matching colors by eye, so I buckled down and memorized the color wheel and, with the help of my then-girlfriend (now wife of 15 years, yay!) I set up my own custom palettes for skin tones, warm/cools, etc. Nowadays I just use standard PS palettes, but without that help early on, I’d still be lost when it comes to painting. Even so, I still tend to paint by value rather than hue.

Kaminski: In my experience the cost is also a huge factor of why I can or can't use a media at regular intervals. I know that might be a silly statement to quite a few people, but there it is. So digital helps quite a bit in that regard as there is a hefty up-front cost, but no recurring.

Switching gears: A majority of your work seems to focus on dark fantasy; do you actively pursue work towards that end? Do you have any suggestions to feed folks toward finding work using that style of art?


Summers: Honestly, I’m the most wishy-washy guy you’ll come across in terms of what I like to paint. I love doing portraits, so a lot of client work comes from that, although I don’t want to make a business model out of it. I tend toward fantasy because that’s what I grew up with, but I also really like doing sci-fi pieces, stuff with dark humor, etc. I’m pretty much up for drawing whatever comes my way. I think the weirdest thing I’ve had to paint in the last few years is a Frankenduck made up of lots of different duck parts hahah. That was for a really fun short story by Walter Blair. I wish I had a bunch of wisdom to impart to readers, but the only thing I can say is to really paint what you love. I try to stay relatively impartial about my art, but if you’re enjoying yourself and drawing the things you love most, that will show through your work to the viewers. Try and find an area/niche/genre where your work might fit, and then start emailing those art directors.

Kaminski: When I was back in art school, we were instructed make a contact list of "ONE-HUNDRED" companies that you'd love to work for - find the ADs name, the companies website, e-mail, etc. This might sound like a daunting task to some people, but it starts to get your foot in the door, even if they don't respond. I'd suggest it as a good exercise in temperance when you're first starting out. That is to say that your advice about searching your niche is pretty damn important. Your voice is ultimately what will sell YOU. I think some artists forget this small tidbit.

It's this small bit of advice that seemed to be the hardest bulb for people to burn. Speaking of lighting: your sense of lighting is impeccable, do you have any suggestions on how fellow artists can improve their own approach to lighting a scene effectively? Also: Do you have any recommendations on artists to study or books to use for reference on that subject? (that was an awesomely bad segue!)

Summers: Thank you!!! That’s kind of amazing to hear, because lighting is one of the things I always struggle with. I can definitely recommend doing color and lighting comps before you start your final painting. You save SO much time and energy when all that gets worked out in the early stages. And you’ll save yourself some huge headaches. Don’t be scared to take a step back and USE REFERENCE. Build a little diorama for your environment. Make a little Sculpey maquette for your character’s face. Use a 3D model. Use photography with similar lighting. Do whatever it takes to get the image out of your head and onto the page. Contrary to what a lot of amateurs (and sadly some professionals) would have you think, there is no cheating in art. A lot of my posing choices are done with a $20 super-articulated Spider-Man toy that I got at Wal-Mart.

As far as instructional material, I’ve spent a ridiculous amount of money on Gumroad tutorials, Art-of books, How-to books and the like. The must-haves, in my opinion, are Framed Ink by Marcos Mateu-Mestre, Color & Light by James Gurney, and How to Draw Comics the Marvel Way by Stan Lee and John Buscema. To me, those absolutely nail—in varying degrees—the fundamental and practical applications of setting up lighting for a character or scene.

Kaminski: I LOVE that you make it a point to talk about the fact that there is no cheating in art. While I was in art school people would even try to accuse everyone else of cheating - which I found utterly hilarious.

You'd have this strange competition between the illustrators and the painters / experimental artists, where the point was more the idea and not the reference gathering or accuracy of the piece. I think there's a time and place, of course, for experimental pieces, and this isn't to bash on people doing abstract pieces. As the age-old saying goes, you have to know how to do it right, before you can break it. If you have to use a straight-up trace to get your structure right, in my opinion, who cares as long as you can make it your own in the end.  Whenever this topic comes up, I will always have to reference Howard Lyon's amazing post on using reference effectively.

I always have to ask, but are you currently pursuing any projects that you'd like to promote? 

Summers: I do have a personal project entitled Riders on the Storm that I’ve been working on, but it’s currently on hold while I yet again re-assess how I want to set it up. If anyone wants to see some of the development work on it, they can visit my website www.thatsummersguy.com. I have a page under Other Works dedicated to the concepts and development thus far. The first story for Riders is done, I just keep bouncing back and forth on whether I want to have more prose or go full-blast and do an art book.

Kaminski: Do you do any conventions or art shows? If so: What's your take on being behind a table (or exposed in a gallery setting)? If not, what stops you from doing so (I ask because your work seems rife for conventions)?

Summers: My one foray into exhibiting at a convention was at Spectrum Fantastic Art Live, which in hindsight was a poor choice for me personally. I don’t have much of a name, nor a body of high-profile work to draw an audience, so I was way out of my depth amongst the absolute top-tier fantasy and sci-fi illustrators in the world. BUT! I did have a great time, so it sort of leads into your next question...

Kaminski: What are goals do you have set for yourself in the immediate future? Long term?


Summers: My goal for 2019 is to start hitting the convention circuit, at least in the Southeast where I live. I’m only a couple hours away from shows like Memphis Comicon, DragonCon, and so on, so I REALLY want to start tabling and getting my work out to the public in a more open setting. To that end, I’ve been studying a lot of stuff from One Fantastic Week. They’re a gold mine of information on best practices for setting up for conventions.

Long term goals are pretty general, but I’d really love to get into cover art for some of the big boys. Orbit, Tor, etc. Card art is a big draw as well, but I’m still trying to find a spot where my style would fit. Wizards of the Coast is sort of the end-all-be-all for lots of artists, but I lean toward a slightly more stylized approach than that, so I’d love to get a foot in the door with Smite, or WoW, League of Legends… just gotta keep pushing!

Kaminski: That's so funny that our goals are so in line with each other. Don't worry, in the future we'll be bitter rivals! (hahaha!)

To wind down, what's the best piece of advice you've ever received OR what's the best piece of advice you can give to established or upcoming artists?

Summers: I mentioned it earlier, but the best piece of advice I ever got was this: Draw what you love. Don’t worry about chasing trends or changing your art to fit a certain house style (although there are some exceptions if your work is really close to begin with). Trends change. It’s a huge market, and a huge world out there, so make the best art you can and then hunt down a place for it. Yes, I said hunt. Generally speaking, the work isn’t going to come to you, so get out there and get yourself to the work. Always keep learning. And get those pencils scratching!!!

Kaminski: Thank you so much for your time, Eric! It's always great to hear from fellow artists, especially one so local to me. Keep it up!

As an artist, it seems like the landscape is ever-changing from simply the tools, to the aesthetic. I intend to be an artist that never wants to stop learning, and as such, I find more and more interesting artists every day. Each artist has a unique insight and point of view, no matter the experience level. New views help open my mind and teach me there are many ways to utilize my skills and I hope that sharing our stories will help others in the same way. I believe there are many paths on an artistic journey, and each interview will help to show the stories of the artists that tread them.

Today we'll be interviewing special guests Jessica Fong and Mark Biundo from Lonely Egg Studios.

Kaminski: My first question is typically the same, but here goes: What made you pursue art? Is it something that you always saw yourself pursuing? What KEEPS you pursuing it?



Kaminski: It's interesting that you talk about flip-flopping about an art career. I flipped all over the place, but mainly within the art track. Sure, there are days where the simple... "IS THIS REALLY A THING?!" pop up, but all-in-all I always tell myself - hell it's a train I can't get off of now, might as well keep on going.
I thought if I wasn't going to do art at one point that I would do something in math... and then statistics kicked my ass left and right.

Fong: Haha, it was hard for me to define what I 'wanted' at the time. I had family, friends, peers, colleagues, etc. growing that all had different ideas of what they think I wanted and what makes you 'successful.'

Kaminski: It's interesting how easy it is to fall in that trap. "Being defined by those around you." OR "Letting others dictate what makes you, you."
Hell, I've been guilty of it myself.
Your art seems to have a tinge of both cyberpunk and the macabre. Was this something that happened naturally or is there a story or piece that inspired this leap? In that vein, are these both genres that you've always found yourself drawn to?

Fong: When I was young I was drawn to subjects that I felt kinship to or felt like extensions of what I was feeling: the lost belongings in the winding gnarly woods by my house, the lone fish swimming upstream in the creek, the rotten things taken over by flowers in the backyard. Then, my father played Blade Runner, Ghost in the Shell, and Alien for me as a kid and those almost certainly solidified the aesthetics I use now. I had an abusive mother, and the mutated and winding cityscapes with no end or beginning paired with troubled characters trying to survive and understand their place and find answers in them.... it just clicked. This is exactly how I felt all the time and now I had a means / a way to visualize it. It might seem corny, but it was groundbreaking for me.


Kaminski: Do you have any formal training as an artist or is it something you evolved naturally? If so, what was your experience in school like? If not, do you feel like your experience in the industry has kicked your ass into gear to excel in the way you have?

Fong: It's both, I drew on my own all the way up till high school where I took art classes. My teacher, David Hevel (he's such a gift) had me skip the intro art classes so I could take part in AP art for college credit. Then, I went on to major in studio art at Cal Poly Polytechnic State University. The art department there has traditional curriculum: focuses on art theory, traditional tools, art history, and self expression in preparation for a career as a studio/gallery artist. I loved all of it and sucked it up like a sponge, but I was also learning and yearning to be involved in digital visual development. One of the reasons I chose Cal Poly was partially due to my parents' desire for a buffer to switch majors if art didn't work out; the school has an excellent engineering department. This actually ironically aided in my goals to be involved with visual design as most of my friends in college ended up being programmers and engineers passionate about game dev. I asked professors if I could tailor assignments towards my own personal projects, started a Concept Art Club, and joined the Cal Poly Game Development Club. After I graduated, my partner Mark Biundo was still working towards his B.S. in Computer Game Design at UC Santa Cruz and I moved in with him till he finished. I learned from his peers and professors and volunteered my art services to the students' final game projects for several years. So I do have formal training in art, but I also was self driven to forge paths.

Kaminski: Switching gears: Do you do conventions quite often?

Fong: I’ve sold at conventions 2-3 times a year for 10+ years and attend/volunteer at others. I sell at California and Bay Area cons to support local run cons and artists, but am open to going out of state if funds allow in the future! There are incredible artists I've met like Bordin Marsinkul from Hyperbooster Studio who make much of their living from conventions. With my current business and goals, it's just not possible for me to do back to back conventions. With every convention we're able to attend there's weeks of planning, budget spreadsheets, restocking with suppliers, inventory logging, and of course the up front costs to account for. Selling at conventions now is a great way for the studio to connect with the community and fans while also giving a boost to funds and visibility for projects and personal art. I love conventions and they have a special place in my heart, they're pretty much where I started showing my work publicly!

Kaminski: My school actually got my start in conventions with these small programs at local museums like "Illustrators take over the Brooks". I had no idea what I was getting myself into... did your school get you out into the world that way or were you left to your own devices? Do you have any tales of your first con adventures?

Fong: I remember programs like that! I was in high school when I was introduced to the local con Fanime through my peer group and thought it would be fun to attend and share a hotel room with friends. I was intrigued when I saw they had an artist alley and my high school teacher and friends supported my interest in showcasing and selling there. I had no idea what it really entailed to sell at a con and my first table was... dinky, haha! I didn't have a display, had a simple red table cloth, and my few prints from Kinko's were just placed wherever on the table, but attendees and other artists there still appreciated the art anyway. They were positive, supportive, and helpful; it was a community that I didn't know existed around me.

Kaminski: This one is kind of an obvious, but leading question: What's your experience been like thus far in the game industry? And also - is Lonely Egg your first experience in a managerial position for games and/or is this your first experience on the game development track?


Fong: I can only really speak from my experiences with indie game projects: it's been one heck of a roller coaster and I don't see it stopping anytime soon. I feel the way indie games are treated, viewed, and established needs more time to mature. Passionate people are in indie games, but there needs to be more systemic efforts towards supporting the arts, lowering obstacles from a small business stand point, and education geared towards how to be a empathetic problem solver/critical thinker. Many projects I've been a part of have voices that I feel are important for the growing industry to hear and pursue, but fail often due to things I would consider are holding back the industry's longevity and innovation; and it ranges from elitism, cliques, lack of soft skills, legal/financial obstacles, bullying, pressures of perfection, etc. I'm humbled by the mistakes and peers I've learned from on the projects I've had the honor of being a part of, it lights a fire under my butt to continue forward. There's work to be done.
Lonely Egg I would consider my first real experience in an owner/manager position, to clarify: 'real' as in my partner and I are taking on the risk and personal investment along with the responsibilities. I was in art direction and asset management for short periods on other indie games, but the projects were mostly managed and owned by someone else. There's a pressure like no other when everything so far has culminated to this point, we're shaping our own brand to the public, and aiming to have it fulfill the personal visions and missions we have.

I think there's more room for creativity as a programmer than non programmers realize, even in non game development roles. Programming is basically defining a logic problem, breaking it down into smaller pieces, and then building those pieces one at a time to bring the full solution together.

Biundo: Prior to Lonely Egg, I was a part of a college team, we worked on a narrative game called Project Perfect Citizen.  It didn't have a particular hierarchy in terms of management, it was just very collaborative.  At my day job I work at a very small startup, so it's pretty self driven and it's given me a lot of practice at organizing and sequencing what needs to be done.
Lonely Egg is my first official job in the games industry though.
I love the idea of collaboration in a studio environment, which is what would appeal to me if I worked there. Being solo can get quite lonely by comparison.

Kaminski: Do you have any projects (personal or otherwise) that you'd like to promote?


Fong: Yeah! My partner (Mark Biundo) and I are co-founders of Lonely Egg Studio and our first game is In the Keeper's Shadow, an intimate dystopian surreal hand-painted adventure game where Emi, a young, inquisitive girl journeys to unearth secrets amidst the crumbling, war-torn city sheís called home. We recently put out the press kit on the site, an art teaser video, and we're planning to start dev Twitch streams soon as things ramp up. In the Keeper's Shadow is a retelling the Keeper and the Girl work (like Game of Thrones from Song of Ice and Fire) that included artwork, story, and game notes I worked on mostly privately for the last 11+ years.


With In the Keeper's Shadow, this is the first time ALL personal and Keeper and the Girl materials have been scanned and made available. One of them being the original comprehensive 'game design document' which is around 30 pages of tiny handwritten notes from an independent course back in college. That was a painnnnn to make sense of for our writers, but worth it. Those were private/personal notes that had ....some painful memories that only a few people ever saw.

Kaminski: Has it been a scary ride?
I’ve never really worked in interactive games myself - cards, and RPGs haven't been too bad.

Biundo: Well, our experience is pretty atypical, as we're kind of on the fringes of the indie scene. We do get a lot of support and love, but from a pretty small portion of the actual industry.

Kaminski: The biggest battle is actually creating the product, which it looks like is well underway (or complete?). So you all have half the battle already done.

Fong: Marketing is a whole different beast that you'll get knocked out! I highly recommend twitter, InstaGram blasts, and also We love all those games! Edith Finch has been a great narrative reference for us.
I would like there to be a more widespread interest and appreciation for creators in games. blasts.
Games, Anime, Sci-Fi and Fantasy as well as Art cons would be a good bet to throw some flyers around as well. Especially once you start the kickstarter / funding drive.

The game is turning the the inner world that aided me through adversity into a cathartic release for friends and family to see our past build something positive. The older world and game notes/sketches were private, the ramblings and expressions of a younger me. It wasn't until this year that all of my Keeper and the Girl work were made available, scanned, and transcribed for our writers. The scariest part were the obstacles I would face revolving a project of this nature.
I love imagery with themes of legacy, the old talking to the new, what is consequently left behind, and how we personally internalize what it all means. The game touches on it.
Games are amazing in that regard. Seeing your work through still pictures and words, I've been limited to how connected I feel to the characters/my personas. I'm thrilled and a little scared to play and experience them in a way I haven't before.



Kaminski: See, the thing with Lonely Egg that I can see, even before you told me, that there's not only a passion, but also that it's about a much bigger issue.
Take a look at all of the what I would call timeless games in terms of themes and they all live to tell a message.
Shadow of the Colossus : Selflessness, Sacrifice, a moral for loneliness and depression.
Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee : The need for escape.
EarthBound is the need for stable relationships and the importance of them.
The fact that you're making games with a message is super appealing to me. Add to that the fact that I immediately bonded with the artwork.

Fong: Yes! I believe that telling people's real inner realities is a big step in advocacy
It connects you to the themes and the characters, thus connecting you to the creator.
I played the Beginner's Guide not that long ago. I really recommend it.
I guess Getting Over It also got a lot of recent recognition for it's existential commentary.

Kaminski: Yeah, and then even bigger themes would be in things like BioShock, Prey, Dishonored, Portal, What Remains of Edith Finch, etc.
Hell, even Night in the Woods was about growth.

But all of this ties back around to the issue at hand, that stories such as these are meant to potentially show bigger messages that (hopefully) stick with people and outlive their direct experience.
Basically that we still remember fondly after-the-fact.

Fong: We love all those games! Edith Finch has been a great narrative reference for us.
I would like there to be a more widespread interest and appreciation for creators in games

Kaminski: I actually think we're about to REALLY get into that because of the peak of graphics.
Narrative and story will take a complete forefront to the glitz.
And (hopefully) humans will start to become more concerned with actually getting an experience rather than a simple *BANG* *BANG*.
(Not to dissuade people that enjoy those games, because let’s face it, I enjoy a run-n-gun from time-to-time, myself)

Fong: Back in my studio art academics we were taught that an artwork doesn't stop at the edges of the canvas. The frame, the location it's in, the materials, the artist, the process are all part of the "artwork"
That's how you support the longevity for the work and the artist.

Kaminski: Now you're speaking my language (until you get into the WARHOLIAN HELL)
"WHAT'S IT MEAN?!" <BULLSHIT'S WAY THROUGH SOME HIDDEN AS HELL MEANING>

Fong: I guess that's different then what I mean. This is actually a great way to combat clones in the long term. By supporting an individual, you create less worth in clone work. And for meaning, an artist can gave as little or as much meaning they want to put in, it's interesting to know, but if I'm a functioning normal viewer, I'll take away my own meaning, too, without judging the creator's intentions.

It's kind of a humbling experience.

I get to see a fragment of someone's vision, but I know that I can't know everything about the artist's life to truly know everything about the work or what it took to get this piece here in front of me. It adds a bit of mystery that I get to fill in.

Kaminski: The fact that it's under the guise of pseudo-cutesy makes it all the better to me. Like for example how EarthBound and Little Nightmares were 'sort-of' cutesy, but dealing with some REALLY heavy stuff.


Fong: I love that play on opposites! It's life man, a push and pull between opposing things. For me childhood had its downs/dark times sure, but I was still a kid. Kids enjoy the little things and find the craziest stuff funny.

Kaminski: What would you recommend for a creative to start off with to get their name into the industry? Any specific things to study, themes, etc.? In that vein, do you have any recommendations for places to get a foot-in-the-door so to speak?
And for you specifically, Mark, what does creativity in the industry mean to you? Being a programmer and all, you are literally bringing life to pixels.

Biundo: There's no one size fits all route for breaking into the industry.  Generally, if you find what you love doing, do it a whole lot, and try to show people what you've done, you're on the right track.
I think there's more room for creativity as a programmer than non programmers realize, even in non game development roles.
Programming is basically defining a logic problem, breaking it down into smaller pieces, and then building those pieces one at a time to bring the full solution together.
Pretty frequently, as you're undergoing that process, you'll come across one of two things: you can't do it the way you originally intended, or you can actually do something more/better.
In the former case, the creativity comes into play in finding a way to either route around the problem, or assisting with design to find a solution that achieves the design goals while being technically feasible.
In the latter, you can end up providing your designers with new tools to play with that afford them opportunities they hadn't thought of.



Fong: For me it was being open minded and adaptive. The industry and life change constantly, so much you can not account for. I recently did a podcast episode with Iva from Art Side of Life and I brought up the GDC talk "Everything I Said Was Wrong: Why Indie Is Different Now," I recommend watching it because they comment on how there isn't one path and things done now may not work the next day. If you ask around, people have journeys all over the board as to how they got to where they are now.  Whether it's an interview, making a game, selling a product, having a portfolio, going to art school, etc, it all ends with you taking it in and making a choice. Nothing will happen if you do nothing.
I also ask myself and re-evaluate what things mean to me constantly.

• What does it mean to have my name in the industry? 
• Who is the industry? My family? My peers? The global market?
• What is the foot-in-the-door? Going to school? Studying and practicing it? Making a game? Winning an award? Starting your own studio?
• What to study? What would help me now? 
• What do I find interesting and important? 

Haha, it's a lot of problem solving and questions for myself to work through. For me I feel like these things are hard to act on if I don't know how they're defined for myself. And it might take years of experimentation and mistakes to get a even a light grasp on it. These are not easy questions.

Kaminski: Do you have any questions for me?

Fong: Yeah! Do you have an idea of what success in the arts or industry entails for you?
And curious if there was an epiphany moment for you that shaped it?

Kaminski: Success: Firstly, of course, I think that it's important for everyone to have their own idea of what success means to them, individually. In one regard, I think that having financial stability from creativity is a big part of success, but success also means having the ability to share everything that I've learned with the folks that ask - and them actually take it to heart and to succeed on their own. So I guess in my own way, success is all about longevity. Having the ability to pass down knowledge and people actually appreciate it.
My epiphany moment started a bit before I started actively doing art. When I was back in high school, I continually admired art and people that create. I continually asked myself, "What kind of artist would I be if I could do art?"
Fast forward some time later, and quite a bit of dabbling and things - to a point where I was working what I would consider a dead-end job. I discovered conceptart.org and it's forums and realized that this is actually a thing that people do. It got my hand and mind moving way before I even knew what I was actually doing. I think that website was ultimately, my epiphany moment. I haven't really stopped drawing since then.

Fong: I agree with you, people finding their own sense of success. I remember conceptart.org, I didn't use it much though, it had wonderful sketchbooks in the forums!
It's nice to see that you asked those questions of yourself early in high school. Too often I find students who just do what they're told or can't think for themselves, they're just not really pushed to ask existential questions like that.

Kaminski: Thanks for asking - I don’t typically get asked questions for interviews, so this was more-or-less and experiment that I will continue moving forward.

The final two questions are typically the same: what goals do you have for the immediate? And long term?


Fong: Immediate goals: I would like to finish In the Keeper's Shadow and build foundations for the studio to enjoy it with family before the chance to meaningfully share dwindles away.

Biundo: My immediate goals are mainly to finish this project, developing experience as a team and hopefully a reputation along the way.

Fong: There is another game on the back burner till In the Keeper's Shadow is finished that is a letter to my father. In addition, we'd like to grow our participation in charities and organizations supporting children education and health.
Long term goals: Mark and I would like the studio to become financially stable enough to give back to charities and mentor/help other developers publish their personal projects while continuing to create our own IP.

Biundo: My long term goals would be that I'd like to explore more personal narrative games, hopefully sourcing from our different team members, as well as some less personal more "just for fun" type games, particularly RPGs.

Kaminski: The final question is pretty straight forward: What's the best piece of advice you've received OR what's some advice you could give fellow artists?


Fong: I can't speak for anyone reading what's the best course of action for whatever they may be going through, but I've found that learning to be more of a critical thinker and problem solver are skills worth building. Also, it's okay to make mistakes,  it comes with the territory of doing. But how you handle hardship and treat others in the process shapes and tells a lot about who you are.

Kaminski: Thanks you two, for taking the time to be a part of the interview series! I can't thank you enough!

As an artist, it seems like the landscape is ever-changing from simply the tools, to the aesthetic. I intend to be an artist that never wants to stop learning, and as such, I find more and more interesting artists every day. Each artist has a unique insight and point of view, no matter the experience level. New views help open my mind and teach me there are many ways to utilize my skills and I hope that sharing our stories will help others in the same way. I believe there are many paths on an artistic journey, and each interview will help to show the stories of the artists that tread them.

Today we'll be interviewing Miranda Meeks.

Meeks: I’ve always wanted to be an artist. I was constantly drawing when I was little. It’s just something I’ve always had a strong desire for. I decided to major in it at school and that’s when it became a concrete goal and what started me down this career path.

Kaminski: Interesting! Lately there seems to be a push away from the traditional path of art school and things, so it's pretty cool to see you venture through university.

I know that schooling definitely had an effect on my style and things and it makes me wonder if the same thing might've happened to you as well. I have to ask, what ultimately led to your decision to pursue dark fantasy, potentially even horror, in particular? Is that a genre that you've always enjoyed or did you find your love for it come along after a certain amount of time battling the canvas? Ultimately - what created Miranda's voice?

Meeks: Pursuing an undertone of darkness wasn't actually done on purpose, at least in the beginning. Looking back, I was always attracted to darker things. I loved snakes and monsters when I was younger. I’m inspired by Tim Burton, Alfred Hitchcock, movies and books that have that underlying vein of darkness or creepiness. At the same time, I do not want any viewer to feel deeply unsettled or disturbed when looking at my art, so it’s never a prominent theme. I love balancing it with aspects of beauty and ethereality. My goal is for a viewer to feel drawn to the image to discover the different layers of mystery, not to feel overwhelmed with negative feelings.

Kaminski: I also see that you have some formal education in the arts. Can you tell us a little about what your experience in art school was? Were there any huge pivotal moments that happened during your stint that still stick with you to this day?

Meeks: I went to Brigham Young University, with an emphasis in illustration. I learned so much during my time there. The typography class and the figure drawing class had a huge impact on my artistic perspective. I learned about the importance of presentation and good design. I also learned a lot during my editorial illustration and digital painting 2 courses; mostly about the process of thinking critically and metaphorically with your work. My time at BYU was an essential part of who I am today and I am very grateful for the opportunity I had to learn there. I don’t think that art school is essential for every artist, but I definitely think it was for me.

Kaminski: I can certainly relate to the art school necessity. I might've evolved as an artist without it, but I can definitely say that it would have been a much longer process. Art school, if nothing else, taught me temperance and discipline. Deadlines are constantly thrown at you from all directions while in art school, so if you can't meet a deadline after-the-fact, you definitely did school wrong!

When you first started pursuing art as more than a hobby, what kinds of tactics did you use to initially find work? Do you have any suggestions to throw at potential readers about how to maintain clients?

Meeks: When I first started pursuing freelance, I emailed art directors a few times and sent out one postcard. Emails worked while the postcard didn't. I feel that postcards CAN work if you are consistent with them, without being pushy. Honestly, I wholeheartedly believe that the best tactic to get work is to keep making new work and putting it out there for the world to see. Doing this persistently not only improves your craft, but is a form of advertising in and of itself. Pretty soon, the art directors are coming to you, and you're getting dream clients and dream jobs. It's definitely not a short-term solution, but it's worked wonderfully for the long haul.

Kaminski: It's so interesting that we tried some of the same tactics, especially initially. Related to getting into the the field: What's some advice you can give to working in the book cover industry? What is it like working with larger clients such as TOR and Subterranean Press, among many others?

Meeks: My advice for getting into book covers is based on two things: one, actually go to a bookstore and look at all the covers. Take pictures of the ones you really like. This is a great way to make sure your art is relevant for covers, as well as gaining inspiration into ways you can improve your craft. Another thing is when you make personal pieces, practice creating them as if they were book covers, i.e. format them to the standard 6:9 ratio, leave some space for type at the top or bottom, etc. This will train your brain to think about how to solve these unique design problems that come with covers.

My advice for getting into book covers is based on two things: one, actually go to a bookstore and look at all the covers. 

As for working with larger clients, it's an absolute dream. The art directors are wonderful at communicating, and I try and make their job easy by presenting my ideas and the reasoning behind them, ultimately with the understanding that they're the client and it's my job to make them look good. The larger publishers really are some of my favorites clients.

Kaminski: WOW! You're in both Spectrum (multiple times) and you've been nominated for a Chesley! How very prolific! Do you have any advice on getting into either of those publications? Was it easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy ... or difficult-difficult-lemon-difficult?

Meeks: Haha, I definitely would say it's difficult-difficult-lemon-difficult! I feel incredibly fortunate for both my Spectrum entries and the Chesley nominations. It feels like largely, each situation was out of my hands. Luckily, my work tends to fit the Spectrum "look" pretty ideally, I think that's been a major factor. I haven't ever catered my portfolio to design it to fit, it just so happens that it does, if that makes sense. So my biggest actionable advice would be that if you feel like your work can fit within that aesthetic, then try submitting a few pieces each year. Look through the pages and see what kind of images have been accepted. Try to be objective about your work, but give it a shot and submit, since you'll never know unless you submit them in the first place.

Kaminski: Yeah! I know what you mean, catering your portfolio is always a daunting task. And then there's the fear of, 'what if I submitted the wrong pieces', or even 'what if I submitted too many, and one of them is the disqualifying factor'. It can be a very stressful experience to submit to anything, annual and jobs, alike. Speaking of submissions, do you do conventions or gallery shows? And if so - with either - what kinds of experiences have you had? Do you have any horror or absolute joy stories related to either?

Meeks: I have done one convention and multiple group gallery shows. Being last year was my first convention, I had a lot of upfront expenses, including stocking prints, banners, tablecloths, etc. Fortunately, I don't have any horror stories for my experience at the convention, though someone did accidentally leave their wallet at my table and I was stressed the whole time until he came back for it, haha. It was three days of exhaustion but also of absolute joy, of being able to connect with other people who appreciated the stories I tell through my work. For galleries, the main expense is physical paint, canvas, and framing and shipping the piece to the gallery. I will never forget the first time one of my paintings sold, that felt amazing.

Kaminski: I can 100% relate to conventions being an absolute joy. Most people gauge their joy on merely how much money is made from the convention. SURE you have to keep track of expenses, but everyone should always remember that they're like working vacations. You get to get out of the studio and actually experience people, places, things. It's exhausting, but at the same time, an absolute joy, to me at least.

With your first convention under your belt, I bet you're itching to do more. Speaking of the future, what goals do you have set for yourself in the immediate? And long term?

Meeks: My goals for the short-term include refining my portfolio and possibly trying out more conventions as a way to supplement my income. Long term, I would love to make an art book at some point, though I am only fleshing out the details currently, I'm really excited about it and can't wait to make my ideas come to fruition.

Kaminski: OMG! You have to make an art book! I adore art books of all kinds. It's probably a bit of a terrible addiction I have, buying and pouring over art books.

And finally, What's the best piece of advice you can give to fellow artists OR what's the best piece you've received thus far?

[...] it's OK to not have everything in your portfolio. 

Meeks: My best piece of advice I've received was that it's OK to not have everything in your portfolio. It took an enormous weight off my shoulders, realizing that I don't HAVE to have a creature design, or an environment, or robots or whatever, in my portfolio. It's important to practice and continue to hone your skills, but if you dread the idea of drawing crowds, there's nothing that says you HAVE to put a crowd scene on your website. That way, you only get to work on images you love. I know some artists are happy drawing whatever, but for me, my happiness is very contingent upon subject matter and whether or not I find that subject matter appealing, so this advice has always really resonated with me.

Kaminski: THANKS for being a part of the interview series, Miranda! I have to say, I think your work is incredible, and I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

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Thank you all for reading, I hope you enjoyed this interview with Miranda Meeks.

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You can view this interview, and many more, HERE.

You can find view more of Miranda's work at her WEBSITE:

http://mirandameeks.com/

If you would like to be a part of my interview series, simply fill out the contact form HERE and I'll get back with you as soon as possible!

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THANKS FOR READING, AND UNTIL NEXT TIME!