Saturday 10 December 2011

Interview with Invidlord

Well hello there. Argembarger here.

I, uh,

I'm just going to leave this here and pretend like it didn't take us two months to finally get around to getting this ready.

Apologies, Invidlord! Thanks for being such a sport.

We've come up with much more efficient ways of getting these interviews processed, so hopefully now that we are rebooting the Interviews, they will go up when we SAY they will go up.

Anyway, I'll get out of the way and let you all see the Duke Nukem Forever of interviews (but hopefully it won't be disappointing like actual Duke Nukem Forever was)

-Argembarger


fetchbeer: Alright
fetchbeer: Lets get this show started!
Arcum: Woo!
Invidlord: Whoo! Okay then
fetchbeer: Everypony ready?
Arcum: whats a pony?
Invidlord: As ready as I'll ever be.
Invidlord: Delicious
fetchbeer: We seem to be short a few ponies, so let us know If we are missing some awesome questions you want to answer!
fetchbeer: let me find my notes real quick
Invidlord: Okay, even if that implies that I thought of what I wanted to talk about beforehand...
fetchbeer: heh, I thought it implied that we were hopelessly scatterbrained
fetchbeer: So how did you become involved with My Little Pony?
Invidlord: It's a pretty mundane story, I read a ton of webcomics, and at some point, started seeing a number of them linking to the videos on youtube,
Invidlord: I sat down one night and watched the series premiere, parts 1 and 2, and went to bed thinking 'well, that was neat I guess'. Then the next night I just found myself pulling up the youtube site again and watching more
Invidlord: Absolutely no going back from that point.
fetchbeer: I think that's how a lot of us got started. Watch a few videos and you get hooked.
Arcum: It seems that point of no return catches up to us all pretty quickly
fetchbeer: So after you started watching ponies, how long did it take you to start drawing them?
Invidlord: I was already a huge animation fan, so seeing a few authors who's work I read regulary comment on it at a good show, combined with the beautiful animation, it wasn't hard to draw me in
Invidlord: Well, there was one photoshopped image I did as a side joke, but the actual drawing didn't start until Phoe ran the initial ATG.
Invidlord: I hadn't really done any real art in years, most of the digital work I did was in the form of game templates and layout design, then I read the ATG posts and had just download GIMP to move away from a crappy photo-editing program I was using.
Invidlord: I kind of put two and two together and decided that drawing ponies was the perfect way to teach myself the program. I don't think I had any intention of even submitting it initially
fetchbeer: That is a pretty good plan. So what prodded you to submit in the end?
Invidlord: I think it was just the raw positivity driving the fandom. I looked around, I lurked really, I never really posted stuff on boards, and saw so many ponies saying such positive stuff, I just got the courage up and submitted.
Invidlord: My initial e-mail to Phoe was still something like 2 paragraphs of apologizing for the poor quality, and begging her not to submit the image if it wasn't good enough
Invidlord: I was really self-concious about my art, mostly about putting it out in the public eye
Arcum: hehe I think we all kind of start out that way
fetchbeer: So what was this first pony you were apologizing for? mind showing us?
Invidlord: The first ATG submission? It's buried deep down on my DA page,
Artist Training Grounds Day 1

fetchbeer: that is a pretty good pony for a first try.
Invidlord: There's another, more terrifying image buried in scraps which isn't even a proper drawing, but a clumsy shop-job and line tracing. This was the only piece I made pre-ATG
My Little 

Invader

fetchbeer: wut...
Invidlord: Yeah, that thing is horrifying to me now.

Arcum: Well then I can definetly say I would have never thought I would see something like that in my lifetime
Invidlord: Sorry for submitting you to that
fetchbeer: well, that at least explains that horrible color scheme pony that keeps showing up
Arcum: No its fine I find it kinda funny
fetchbeer: she's an alien spy!
Invidlord: That image may accurately represent the exact moment my mind just completely broke and I went full Brony
Arcum: Haha
Arcum: So that was your turning point
fetchbeer: ok... must recover from invader zim pony.. and think of next question...

Arcum: Have you tried anything other than doing digital art?
Invidlord: To varying degrees of success... I've found myself doing a lot more pencil/paper drawings in the last few months since I started with the digital art, but I'm never terribly happy with how they turn out, and I lack the scanning equipment to ever put them up online in good quality
Invidlord: I doodle a lot of ponies on my notes at meetings at work though, and on all of my various RPG character sheets they're everywhere.
fetchbeer: Awesome. What do others think of your pony doodles, or do you keep them hidden?
Invidlord: I'm pretty open about being a Brony, at work I just get weird looks. The circle of friends I hang out with is mixed, I've gotten 1 full-fledged convert, one who I believe is in denial, 2 which just shrug and say whatever, and only one who is actively opposed to ponies.
fetchbeer: Not a bad ratio really.
Invidlord: I'm still working on it... the hater's going to convert, he just doesn't know it yet.
fetchbeer: No one can resist all that love and tolerance
lunarapologist: So, I've actually been wanting to know, since I saw you were big into Star Wars - does your name have anything to do with the Imperial-Class Star Destroyer the Invidious; or was it chosen based on the adjective? Or something else entirely?
Invidlord: Something else entirely (unfortanetly, saying it references Invidious is awesome!) It's a now ancient reference to the Americanized Anime Robotech. The alien race in the third series was called the Invid. I made this user name for my first geocities webpage long long ago, and stuck with it ever since. It's got history, I can't part with it
lunarapologist: Oh, duh
lunarapologist: I should have thought of that
lunarapologist: Been a long time since I've watched Robotech, though
Invidlord: I first watched it on Saturday Morning Anime on the Sci-Fi channel, that should date me
lunarapologist: haha, I remember that
lunarapologist: So, are there any other cartoons/anime that you watch aside from FiM?
Invidlord: I watch quite a bit, I catch Clone Wars when I can, it's decent enough to watch, and Adventure Time is fun. Probably my other favorite after FiM would be The Venture Brothers.
lunarapologist: Go Team Venture!
fetchbeer: Wasn't there a ponyized venture brothers intor the other week?

Invidlord: Going back further, there's The Tick, Batman the Animated Series, Futurama, I really liked Transformers Animated... probably a bunch more. For anime, you can't beat Cowboy Bebop and Trigun, and Fullmetal Alchemist is fun too
Invidlord: Yeah, a PMV someone did of the opening :D
lunarapologist: I must have missed that!
lunarapologist: I need to find that now :)
Arcum: Yeah its on EQD Lunar
lunarapologist: Sweet
lunarapologist: Anyway!
Invidlord: Oh, and I neglected Invader Zim from that animation list. That one was amazing, and the first show I was ever involved in the fandom of
fetchbeer: I think I only ever heard of that one after it was cancelled
Invidlord: A friend of mine built a huge fansite, the equivalent of Equestria Daily for Invader Zim (though no where near as many hits). I think the site is completely gone now, but he had me run a blog on the site, totally in character within the universe.
fetchbeer: interesting
Invidlord: It's my comparison point of fandoms. I still have every remix song done of Invader Zim by the fan community... it's 11 songs, compared to my overflowing pony song folder.
lunarapologist: This fandom is pretty prodigious, it's true
lunarapologist: So, since you've been involved in other fandoms, what do you draw when it's NOT pony?
lunarapologist: (If you do!)
Invidlord: Not much... Ponies actually reignited my love of drawing. I went through quite a long time where I didn't really think my work was any good, and so I just wasn't producing anything. I make a lot of photoshopped templates for my various RPG stuff, especially template stuff for the Star Wars RPG I run, resulting in the occassional spam of Star Wars images on my DA account, but I don't tend to draw the images I use for thos
lunarapologist: I see!
Invidlord: I do have the recent 'stained glass windows' which I did for a story hook for my Star Wars game, but it just resulted in me doing ponies in the same style.

In Glass 3 - 

Rarity

fetchbeer: those are pretty cool ponies
lunarapologist: They are indeed!

Arcum: What/Who inspires you do draw what you draw?
Invidlord: Hmmm... actually have to think on that. I draw a lot of inspiration from this group honestly. I started drawing because I wanted to push something back into this uber-creative community, and I've kept doing it because it's been so much fun. Not just fun to draw, but fun to read the reactions everypony has to them, through comments and what not.
Invidlord: I get blown away by the work other ponies in this group do, both for quality and quantity, there's always some new and fun idea being put up in the gallery, and I've seen some really incredibly beautiful, emotional, silly, and everything in between images come across.
Invidlord: So, I guess I just get inspired to add my own unique little brand of insanity into that stew, and hope some others can draw the same from my work that I draw from so many others.
Arcum: So give back what you got from the community
Invidlord: Yeah, that's a much shorter and less rambling way to say it, I suppose :D
Arcum: hehe
Arcum: IS there anyone in paticular that you look up to in the community?
Invidlord: I think the biggest one for me has got to be egophiliac. That pony really knows how to tug at the heart strings, every single time. I think her comics were the reason I fell in love the Celestia/Luna/Twilight character relationship.
Invidlord: (I don't think she ever puts Twilight in her comics... she really should, Twilight is best pony!)
fetchbeer: I think everypony is jelly of ego though
Arcum: *cough* Lunar & Kits *cough*
lunarapologist: But yeah, I'm always astonished at how Ego brings the d'aww every time
lunarapologist: haha
Invidlord: KP- ShadowSquirrel is another, they did all those fabulous 3-D pony character models, and has recently been doing some digital art that blows my mind.
fetchbeer: oh my, the dawww is strong with that one
Invidlord: And I admire the heck out of everyone in the music community, EurobeatBrony and SenatorMyth and JackleApp, and too many others to list! I'm completely musically inept.
Arcum: Im pretty ignorent about the music part of the community as well
Arcum: Well unfortunately this is all the time I have for
fetchbeer: laters Arcum
Arcum: I need to go stain the deck have fun guys
lunarapologist: Dang, now I have to come up with more questions!
lunarapologist: Later, Arcum
Invidlord: Take it easy!
fetchbeer: I think a few more questions and then we'll be done.
lunarapologist: Sounds good

fetchbeer: I can't believe we haven't asked this one!
fetchbeer: But who is your favorite pony?
lunarapologist: LE GASP
lunarapologist: How could we?
Invidlord: Umm, I don't know, I'll have to think abouTWILIGHT SPARKLE
fetchbeer: he he he
Invidlord: *ahem* I mean, Twilight Sparkle.
fetchbeer: what is it that makes you like her?
Invidlord: Just her whole attitude, I find it most easy to identify with her character over any other pony, she's the geek, a bit of a misfit, not really socially skilled. For whatever reason, I see a lot of myself in her.
Invidlord: Despite this, all of my friends who are into the show point out that once I am comfortable in a situation and get over my various anxieties, I become Pinkie Pie.
fetchbeer: As soon as you get comfortable you want to start a party?
Invidlord: So they claim. I think it's the fact that I'm quiet and uncomfortable around people or situations I don't know, and always feel super awkward. Once I'm comfortable, I won't shut up. And I have been known to break into song.
fetchbeer: You do sound like you go all Pinkie Pie!
fetchbeer: Do you have a piece of art that you've done that is your favorite so far?
Invidlord: I think http://invidlord.deviantart.com/gallery/30490208?offset=24#/d46d5rx is my favorite. I love winter, so the setting was fun, I love Twilight, and I feel like I just got everything right on that image.
ATG Week 7 Just a Little Chill
fetchbeer: Thats just adorable!
lunarapologist: Agreed! :)
Invidlord: See, how can you not love Twilight?
fetchbeer: Yep
fetchbeer: Twilight is best pony!
lunarapologist: Eeyup!
fetchbeer: One last question. Do you have any words of encouragement for any aspiring artists out there?
Invidlord: The only difficult question is who is second best pony? That one I still struggle with
fetchbeer: maybe everypony else is second best?
lunarapologist: I have no idea!
Invidlord: Well, for anyone out there who is on the fence about submitting a piece, or doesn't think they're good enough, the hardest part of the whole process is getting past that block. You will never know unless you just put your work out there. Submitting my original piece was one of the hardest things I think I've ever done, but everything past that has been such a joy, I can't imagine not doing it now.
fetchbeer: Take that one step over the precipice and you'll never turn back!
lunarapologist: :)
Invidlord: Yep! It's a scary first step, but absolutely worth the effort!
fetchbeer: That it is
Invidlord: It's almost like a story I once heard about friendship being difficult, but worth the work it requires... I can't remember what show that's from.
lunarapologist: Hmmm, I'd think I'd have heard of it
lunarapologist: Nah, can't think of anything ;)
Invidlord: No? Well shoot.
lunarapologist: haha
fetchbeer: Thanks for taking the time to talk to us!
lunarapologist: Yes, thank you!
Invidlord: My pleasure!
Invidlord: Oh, and this just in: The answer is that Twilight Sparkle is also second best pony. The rest are third best. Sorry girls!
fetchbeer: rofl
lunarapologist: :P
Invidlord: Well, if that's all you need from me, I will gracefully bow down, and go get some food. Then I'll probably be back later to hang out in the main room.
lunarapologist: Sounds good - and thanks again!
Invidlord: Not a problem, thank you! All the usual encouragement to you and all the other admins, keep up the great work!
Invidlord: :D

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