We are going to be trying to do more of these, because they are quite a bit of fun. So keep an eye out!
Check our victim's DA page here!
And for more ATG action, go here!
fetchbeer: Hey there Niki!
lunarapologist: Howdy!
Niki: hey guys :D
fetchbeer: Did I confuse the timezones too badly?
Argembarger: hello niki!
Niki: Maybe a lil :P
Niki: Hey Argem :D
fetchbeer: Thanks for joining us today Niki!
Niki: My pleasure
Argembarger: We're glad you agreed to be our next contestant
Argembarger: Fabulous prizes may or may not be up for grabs
Arcum: I guess it would also depend on what you consider Fabulous...
Niki: Well you guys did blindfold me...I mean anytime guys :D
Argembarger: So here's a generic first question: how long have you been at the arts?
Niki: How long have I been drawing? Well thats a big embarrassing.Lets see, I've been drawing for around 4-5 years now? I'm not really sure. The first 4 years I was drawing only animeish art (my favorite artist is Hyung-tae Kim, the way that guy draws...it just amazing!) Then I started drawing more cartoony stuff.
Niki: Woah wall of text
Argembarger: we like walls of text
Argembarger: are you totally self-taught, then?
Niki: I've been mostly self-taught, and I get a bit of help from my sister. The art schools in Bulgaria are a bit...lame. The teachers don't even know what photoshop is. The thing they teach actually ruins artists. It's really sad.
Argembarger: whoa, that sounds pretty unfortunate :(
fetchbeer: Wow, no photoshop! That is pretty behind the times...
Argembarger: Glad you haven't been ruined, at least :_:
Niki: I it was pure luck
Arcum: My college art class teachers didnt even know how to turn on a computer so I am not unfamiliar with this
fetchbeer: What's the general state of pony fandom in Bulgaria? Are there many bronies around over there?
Niki: There are a few here and there. I was cosplaying last sunday in one of those con thingies. So I made a big poster with Derpy on it ,ran around a bit with it. Most of the people just smiled and walked away
Argembarger: I guess they just can't handle the awesome :P
Niki: Only two stopped for a lil chat :D
fetchbeer: It's those eyes! They bore into your soul!
Argembarger: How long did it take you to start drawing ponies after you watched the show? And could you link us to your first-ever pony? :D
Niki: Well I am a artsy person, so drawing what I like was only natural, after the first episode I liked ponies (a lot)
Niki: About the first drawing
Niki: Oh boy
Niki: This is one of my first pony drawings
fetchbeer: Is that a sonic flowerboom?
Niki: Something like that
Niki: I have no idea what I was thinking when making that drawing
Niki: It was done for the ATG btw xD
Argembarger: For comparison, what picture would you say you are most proud of?
Niki: Hmm that's a tough one. Each day I make new drawings that I like more than the last. If I have to choose I guess I would pick my ATG week 13 drawing. It kinda set the mood of how i was feeling when making it :D
Argembarger: this one?
Niki: Oh yes, I just love my sketchy drawings
Argembarger: me too! They almost seem to be moving, sometimes
Niki: I love drawing sketches, I make tons a day
Niki: From ponies to humans
Niki: aliens and other animals
Argembarger: Your cleaner stuff is very nice too, very shiny, almost like plastic
Argembarger: in a good way :P
fetchbeer: Was she drawn in muro like so many of your ponies?
Niki: No Fetchbeer, my muro drawings are only for when I leave a comment. Everything else is done in photoshop.
Arcum: Drawing on the muro is hard
Niki: That muro thing was a bit silly but it was good practice for my tablet
fetchbeer: I'm always surprised at the level of quality you can get out of that silly muro program, I can't get anything to look like anything in it.
Arcum: Yeah my drawings look like a 3 year old finger paints with the muro :P
Niki: I try to draw only with my tablet these days
Argembarger: What tablet do you use?
Niki: Lets see I think its Wacom Graphire 3 (saphire, thats a cool name). Don't worry guys, I can't get that silly muro to work right as well
Niki: I totally did not look it up
Argembarger: what do you consider your strengths and weaknesses as an artist to be?
Niki: I always find it hard to make the line art. I can sketch okayish and I can color a bit. When I try to make the line art my hands stop working or something. They just won't listen and I get a really silly line art, that I can't really work with. That is why I started coloring my sketches directly (I still try to give them a nice line art but fail xD)
Argembarger: I think it's a pretty nice style though :)
Arcum: It does bring more of a stylized look to it
Niki: Yeah but I will never make it as a character design/ story board artist with silly sketches xD
Argembarger: Is that your goal?
Niki: Yeah, I love making drawing of silly characters and stories with them.
Niki: When i was little i used to draw weird lil comics
Argembarger: Do you want to join a particular group or project, or start something of your own?
Niki: I know I still have a lot to learn till I can go pro (work as a artist in a studio) so for now the plan would be to get as much experience as I can. I am even making my portfolio for a local game firm. They are looking for artists at the moment (I know I won't get called for a interview but I guy can dream!) So I am working hard to get in there. It the start of my master plan :P
Argembarger: Good luck! Sounds exciting :D
Niki: Thanks!
fetchbeer: You never know, thy might just call you up :)
Arcum: Is there anything or anyone that really inspires you?
Niki: Well everyone at the ATG inspire me. There are so many young and good artists in that group. Its really such a joy to look at all the drawing they make. I also get my inspiration from cartoons/animes, comics/ mangas and just about anything that has drawings in them. I just love to look at good art :D
fetchbeer: We're just happy to give everyone a theme to do each week! We so enjoy seeing everyones take on it ourselves.
fetchbeer: I find myself inspired every time I flip through what we've received.
Niki: Yeah, each time I take a look at all the drawing I just grab my tablet and start drawing
Niki: So many wonderful ideas
Niki: and so many different styles
fetchbeer: Do you have a favorite pony to draw?
Niki: To draw? I guess that would be Pinkie Pie. Her hair is so much fun to draw and you can make all sorts of funny drawings with her.
fetchbeer: Oh, so you just draw Pinkie Pie then, she does lend herself to silliness quite well, Is another pony your actual favorite?
Niki: I do draw too many Pinkies but my favorite will always be Twilight Sparkle. Right from the first three episodes I kinda could feel the connection between the two of us (silly I know!) I was kinda the same as her, only I was drawing a lot, not reading, also I use sarcasm (maybe a bit too much but who doesn't) and we all know sarcastic Twilight is awesome.
Niki: Plus I sleep with my Twilight toy next to me in bed. Did I just type that?
Niki: You guys will delete that last part from the interview right?
Argembarger: nope
Argembarger: dot a-v-i
fetchbeer: :)
fetchbeer: we think it's adorable to sleep with little twilight :)
Argembarger: Is it hard for you to come up with ideas? Do you usually have a good idea in your head when you go to start drawing, or do you sort of form it as you sketch?
Niki: Well that depends on what I'm drawing and for who. That’s the best part of the ATG, the ideas come to you. Almost every time i see the week's theme I get an idea of what I will draw. Then that idea goes through a lot of changes. If I'm drawing for myself I just doodle till I get an idea of what I will draw, usually takes a few sketches to get there. Most of the fun stuff comes when I do my morning warm up drawings (you know like a warm up before exercise).
Argembarger: warm up drawings... haha, good idea, time to steal it :P
Niki: I usually get some interesting results then, when my brain is still asleep xD
fetchbeer: sleep drawing would provide interesting results I would think.
Niki: I make more mistakes than I would like but I can show you one of those if you guys want
fetchbeer: please do
Argembarger: sure!
Arcum: That would be interesting
Niki: Wish I had time to fix it up a bit but here goes.
The more I look at it the more mistakes i find.
Niki: Discord Twilight, all broken up
Niki: Because her friends left her
Argembarger: I kinda like it :D
Argembarger: but it's always good to be your own critic
Arcum: I like it
fetchbeer: that is a pretty awesome sketch.
Niki: I guess for a warm up its okay.
fetchbeer: Do you have a favorite piece you'd like to show off with the interview?
Niki: I still can't believe I made that Cheerilee drawing all those years ago May 2011 xD
fetchbeer: he he
Arcum: lol
Niki: Favorite no, but I made a antro (is that how you spell it) sketch of twilight yesterday for you guys and i never got the chance to show it xD
fetchbeer: show us then!
Arcum: We have time
Niki: But maybe thats a good thing as I see I messed up on the hands a bit.Oopsie
Niki: this is actually my first time drawing a human with my tablet
fetchbeer: we all confuse anatomy here
Niki: not just anatomy, I messed up the pose, legs head, neck...did I get anything right? xD
Arcum: Its all better than what I can do :P
Niki: Sometimes i miss my animeish drawing days
Argembarger: you got the horn right
Niki: awww yeah
fetchbeer: she looks pretty good to me :) I wouldn't mind seeing her finished.
Niki: I really should
Niki: But that means I have to redo the whole thing xD
fetchbeer: :p
fetchbeer: It's about time that we wrap this up, so that you can get back to your Saturday night, but we have one more question.
fetchbeer: Do you have any advice that you would give to other aspiring artists?
Niki: I think I'll keep it simple.
Niki: Guys don't be afraid to fall, falling is part of the learning process. ;)
fetchbeer: That it is, and being afraid of failure makes you afraid to progress :)
Niki: Indeed
fetchbeer: Thanks for coming by to chat with us Niki!
Argembarger: yeah, thanks a lot! hope it went well for you :D
Niki: It was fun! (and a bit embarrassing :P)
fetchbeer: I hope not to embarrassing :)
Niki: Not really but I wish I could have shown you guys some of my better stuff lol
Arcum: I enjoyed what you showed
