[Narutomania's Interview Thread] DarkDays

[Avalantis]

I'm so sorry that you had to miss out on an interview in March. Anyone who has been following a bit of my posts, knows why. The next 4 to 5 interviews will be organized by your beloved mod ~acadia, untill I get a constant interwebs connection again.

However, do not think I have not heeded your needs. For you have also mentioned a few of your preferences on Interviewees. So this month I bring you one of them:

Enter The World of The DarkDays

warning *lotsa reading material*

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Avalantis:
- Could you tell us a little about yourself?

DarkDays:
Sure, well my rl name is Ryan, you can guess the last name, and I'm 18 currently attending high school in Toronto, Canada. (I was inspected. If I were small orpuny or sickley or misshapen, I would be discarded)
Was born in China and raised in Japan, moved to Canada about 8-9 years ago (so yes, I know Japanese, forgetting most of it tho)
Avalantis:
lol kawaii ^_^ ;p
DarkDays:
>.>
Avalantis:
:3
DarkDays:
otakuu
Avalantis:
don't talk dirty to me D<
DarkDays:
my bad =P

- How did your artistic journey start?

Awrighty, well it all started in Japan. I was taking a bunch of lessons like swimming and piano and some other stuff including (of course) art lessons every weekend. Now, I wasn't really inspired by art or anything back then, just thought it was fun. Our works were actually framed and presented in a gallery, which I attended for two years.

After moving to Canada (zomgfobb) I pretty much stopped all the lessons - everything except art. Had apri vate tutor, two of them, for about 4-5 years. I stopped everything after highschool started but, art's still my best subject. =]

Ok, so I initially started graphic art about 4 years ago, before highschool started, at a summer camp for Photoshop/Illustrator/Flash. It lasted for about 2 and a half weeks. I posted a flash movie I made in the camp on newgrounds, but I never really did anything afterwards untill the summer of grade 9. As with probably most of you, I started going on forums and stuff (Naruto was teh shizzle). I believe it was somewhere called "naruto kun oxidation".. dunno, you can google it if you want.

Anyways, someone posted a "cool" sig, uber filtered up and stuff - I thought it was soo kewel. So then I started making my own. Started reading tutorials here and there, and made a bunch of 'em. Aaaand ever since, I've kept with it and, well I'm not that great, but I like what I do lol. Also, I applied for 2D Graphics Design at an Art School for next year, just got my acceptance. =]

"Someone posted a "cool" sig, uber filtered up and stuff - I thought it was soo kewel."

- How exactly did you find out about NM?

Guess

I mean.. if u googled natuto kun oxidation, search for narutomania in their forums, coz I'm quite sure someone directed us to it. Well, least I think that's what happend, I can't really remember.. maybe I just searched naruto on google and NM came up, and somehow I ended up in the forums. And this was quite a while ago, with the orangeish Itachi banner and the yellow and black phbb forums. (Speaking of which, I miss that homepage with the clouds...). First thing I looked for was the graphics section. It was preeety big so I kept coming back. I had a good friend back in the oxidation forum, he never came and I kind of lost in touch with him... him and I were like pushing eachother with our graphics (although noobishly, but was all good =P).
Eventually the old place died and I went solely on NM. Anyway, I don't post much now, but back then i was a pretty big spammer, one of those who THRIVED on post counts lol. I remember Set, TDK and the others having 3-4k(?) posts, and I was so eagered to surpass their post count... only before I could manage to do it, we moved to vbulletin X_x. I was close though =|. I think I was pretty annoying back then. You know, one of the forum noobs. =/
Avalantis:
lol forum noob
DarkDays:
yep =S
Avalantis:
I would have loved to see your kind of annoying.
DarkDays:
I posted in everything and went way off topic lol

- When you started making graphics, did a lot of people support and help you, as in giving comments critiques and supplying knowledge (programs/tutorials/etc)?

Fosho, back then everyone helped each other out. I think TDK and Silent Chaos were the only ones being aggressive. =S Them and Set, Lucid, Ceyx(9,623,123th name), and I think Misc were like the best of the bunch (Probably missed a few others.. sry).
Most people were just starting out like me. I used to post a new thread like four times a week; lots of feedback, LOTS of encouragement. If it weren't for that, I would probably have just stopped doing gfx all together. Most of what I learned still came from tuts and just playing around with PS. I remember entering a tournament and went against TDK the first round. Got the first two points and then got raped lol.

Now if some new guy posted his work, he'd probably wanna go emo after seeing some of the comments we give.. =\


- What do you think of Narutomania?

Chaotic Neutral.. Errrr, well I'm not really engaged anymore. Lots of people left and the new gang seems to be in their own realm =S. I used to go all the way around the forums but now I mainly stick to the artsie and grafik sexion. (Well, I do need to mod the place =P) I still visit the forum like 500 times a day though. =]

But overall, and historically, an awesome place. Not as gigantuous as NF but more active then most other forums. Good balance. Good people - fun people, rather, fun and lasting. Good media as well, although I don't dl much from NM, it's all about the forums. Kakashi is awesome too. I remember the guessing game where he posted a pic with like 8 other people at a party and we were eliminating them one by one.. hehe.

Nonetheless, I still enjoy the place quite a lot.


- What kind of comments did you get in the beginning, and what kind of comments do you get now when you post at NM?

Generally, now that I think about it, they're not much different. Some would like it, others would comment n critique, and a few would dislike it.
Evidently, this would be the case for most people...
Anyway, back then people seemed to care a bit more. They'd tell you what they liked, what they didn't and what I should change. I would actually revise and stuff. Like I said, most people were starting out when I came here, so everyone were in the same boat. Now... people still do care, some would give a good critique and other would give a nice comment or dislike. Difference would be a bit more spam and like 2 words of comment. Maybe I'm just bad at remembering stuff...

On the other hand, I used to post dumb comments and acted all pro and stuff whilst still a noob. =3


- Do you also go to other forums and if so, what forum would you recommend other artists here at NM?

Yes, a badminton and a game forum, lol. Doesn't help graphics tho.. at all. Anyway, I'll recommend tagmonkey like everyone else, they seem to be one of the few who knows what's what. Professionally, probably CGTalk. Good stuff, inspiring as hell.
Avalantis:
yea
DarkDays:
omagad a piece of rice on ma screen
DarkDays:
ok gone >.>

"LOTS of encouragement. If it weren't for that, I would probably have just stopped doing gfx all together."

- Talking about inspiring, what does inspire you?

Good question...
Well, anything really. Everyday objects and events, society, music, movies, the media. In therms of other people's artwork, imaginative work, surreal work, fantasy, abstract, classic stuff, photrealistic, contemporary/urban. Lots of stuff from Escher or Dali.
Anything and everything. Nothing should hinder what you are inspired by.


- Are you content with your current level of skill? Are there specific areas you want to improve in?

Nevar. Every time I see something I like, or some amazing piece, I think of how much I really suck. Oh, how impotent and naive I am. However, I have a virus called laziness so I never invest any time to improve... Most of the time I'm busy with school but meh.

I want to improve in everything. I still want to do colouring, 3D stuff, pixel art(*cough), anime, vectors, program skins, icons, photography, architecture, advertisement and a whole bunch more. I have about 8 WIPs and probably 7 of them will never be done. Not just graphics either, I still want to do some more watercolouring, acrylics, pastel and maybe some oil. If anything, I want to improve my time management...


- Is there a certain level of skill you want to achieve in the future?

lol well I kinda want to be those (group of) people who make amazing shizzle around the world but no one really know who you are.. Maybe that was a bit weird. I'm actually thinking of going into game development; Anything where I can be freely creative, express my imagination and these somehow coming to life for all to see. But who knows, the future is spontaneous and fate is arbitrary, I could end up doing plumbing for all I know. Ima hope I get that bachelor of Design or IT...


- What technique do you usually use?

For a tag, choosing the right stock is key. I would often imagine what would go best with this stock, or what this specific stock could yield overall. Then I start doing random brushing/smudging/erasing around the stock. Then comes the fun part; adjustment layers. All sorts of 'em. Makes a world of difference just after a couple. Then I just go back and see which layer needs expanding or deleting. Finally the typo.. but often those layers are just hidden.

Larger pieces originally come from an idea - any idea. My rose one came form wanting to do a rose. Nothing big or mind explosive... Then I start making some shapes to accommodate the idea. Eventually new ideas would flow in and I just adjust until everything fits in place. Every idea is still intact. The rose, simplicity, the warm colours, the red thing.. and finally the "RGB" - all came up with while making the pedals.


- What program(s) do you use?

Photoshop CS...

Sometimes GoLive or Dreamweaver.

Used to use ImageReady, Illustrator, Flash MX/8 and C4D.

Also tried InDesign, Maya, ZBrush, Open Canvas, Art Rage, Terragen, Bryce, err Gmip, Paint.. Stuff like that.

"Anything and everything. Nothing should hinder what you are inspired by."


Avalantis:
To come to an end, would you like to give our readers and aspiring artists any sort of message or advise?

Darkdays:
Yeah, don't let any discouragements.. er, discourage you. If you like doing art or doing graphics, then just keep going with it. Also, have fun. If ur not having fun making tags or lps or traditionally painting or anything for that matter, it's not gonna be something you'll want to keep doing... Death on the battlefield is the greatest glory you can achieve in ur life. =3


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Work of DD can be found on his DeviantArt gallery: DarkDays on deviantART


DD uses the following program and is able to answer questions about them:
Adobe Photoshop CS, GoLive, Dreamweaver. Used to use ImageReady, Illustrator, Flash MX/8 and C4D.

LPs:
http://www.deviantart.com/deviation/20134634/


*see DA for bigger better quality*

TAGs:










DarkDays also has a website: http://www.clearful.net


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For more questions about GFX I refer you to the Tutorial section here:
http://www.narutomania.com/forums/graphics-tutorials/
Esp. the New Help Thread might be the thing for you! (compare it with the homework thread in the General Section)

Other interviews:
[Narutomania's Interview Thread] ~acadia
[Narutomania's Interview Thread] Cycliodbeta
[Narutomania's Interview Thread] .ceyx
[Narutomania's Interview Thread] Fenox
[Narutomania's Interview Thread] X2thaU

[Farre]

DD...dont see him offen but I've seen some of his work before truly amazing

intressting read thx again ava.

[Bungle]

http://www.clearful.net/images/galle...fuldeepart.png

didnt know he was THIS good.

[Swatje]

I love the artwork. The interview, I started it... But it's late, ill finish it tomorrow

[fieldy3000]

"(I was inspected. If I were small orpuny or sickley or misshapen, I would be discarded)"

hahahahaha
good interview. DD is pretty l33t...

[Epoxy]

Been waiting on a interview of Wang. Good shit Aif and Wang.

Originally Posted by DD

DarkDays:
otakuu

That is a such DD's phrase gets brought up every msn convo. lol

[~acadia]

Great interview Ava. DD was a great choice -- a real veteran member is always inspiring =]

Who to interview next... hmmm...

[Epoxy]

LONG LIVE WANG

[Atem]

Finally, you interviewed DD. lol
Loved this interview the most. I always loved DD's work even before I joined NM. <3

[LMP]

lol oh man, I remember when I first got PM'd DD on NF for a tag... I think I'm still wearing that tag there right now lol.

I want to get into game development too, but I want to be a scenario writer, would be so cool if we ended up working together one day in some company MIRITE

i've checked out your paintings and stuff on your site a couple of times to see if you ever updated.... good stuff, you should post them on NM too.

YOU SHOULD POST MORE PERIOD. Though none of us liberty-random-seed people really post outside of SeeD these days except me lol.

[poony]

Originally Posted by LMP

YOU SHOULD POST MORE PERIOD. Though none of us liberty-random-seed people really post outside of SeeD these days except me lol.

you barely post too.


nice interview

lol @ wang =P

[kam]

Originally Posted by LMP

YOU SHOULD POST MORE PERIOD. Though none of us liberty-random-seed people really post outside of SeeD these days except me lol.

Lol truth. elitist anyone XD

DD...acting pro my ASS. Your so modest and it makes me feel like an ass.

Still love your work though Your fundamentals = perfect.

[Avalantis]

Originally Posted by kam

Lol truth. elitist anyone XD

I would call it lazy.

:|

[Urban]

mr.Wang D:

impressive works
I hate being lazy too =o

[Century Slayer]

Yeaaaaaaaa, good interview.

The LPs are nice and DD's tags have had their own style to 'em.

[Boogybro]

http://img76.imageshack.us/img76/4529/dd1ht6.png
I've always been a big fan of that piece.
Actually, I'd go as far as to say you may have had a part in me wanting to get into vectoring and stuff. You surely don't put yourself out there enough for a person with that much talent.

Good interview, Ava.

[DarkDays]

Originally Posted by Farre

DD...dont see him offen but I've seen some of his work before truly amazing

intressting read thx again ava.

Yeah i don't post much lol

Originally Posted by Bungle

http://www.clearful.net/images/galle...fulde