Hey guys, this is arukun14, aka Tim of the Team Epic Gamers and the Epic Gamers group on deviantART. Today I’ll be bringing you the first in a series of features that highlight talented fan-artists in the Epic Community and their amazing artwork. Hopefully they’ll have some tips and helpful comments for you, as well!

Our first feature is an interview with  MyFantasiWorld, aka Stephanie, founder of the popular GearsofWarClub on deviantART, and an amazing line artist.

Tim: I noticed you have several Gears pieces. Could you tell me how you got into drawing them?

Stephanie: Well, at first, when I was introduced to the game with the help of my stepfather, I never was interested in what Gears of War was, as I was with war and science fiction games. However, when the second one released, I noticed how expanded the franchise became:  from its character development to its dynamic storyline. This is where I began to draw fan art based around Gears of War. Not only has it been my only favorite game that has come so far (enough to make my father say that I’m practically married to it since I play Gears of War 3 more than any other game), but it has inspired me to draw differently. That inspiration led my art study to focus in realism and sci-fi creation. It was probably the beautifully detailing backgrounds and the uniquely designed characters that had attracted me. Ah, who am I kidding? I just loved everything in the Gears of War franchise! It’s just fun to doodle Baird making a funny face or Marcus and Anya sharing a moment together. It’s just what an artistic fan would like to do if they love Gears of War.

T: Your line art is clean and well-thought out. Can you describe your process?

S: A lot of the people who appreciate my line art think it is probably hard to accomplish. However, that’s not true. Actually, to get the lines the way you want them to appear takes some time to master, because it all comes down to how you handle creating your lines– whether they be thick, thin, or both. In my case, I go with both, since my style accounts for creating an interesting visual to the line art itself.

So before I forget, here is the process I take to create my line art:

The only materials I need are 11 X 8.5 in. copy paper, a pencil or led pencil, a good eraser, and a lot of patience. (Yes, patience is the best tool you can have.) Now, the way I start off is by sketching a small, rough sketch. Once I’m satisfied, I get another paper and draw a light sketch of it but in a larger scale. Then I slightly darken the lines I want to use to create the picture. After that process is done, I use my eraser, or kneaded eraser which I prefer to use, to clean off the mess around the main lines. After it’s all cleaned up, I use the same pencil and darken the lines more while paying attention to detail and thickness pattern. And voila! It gets scanned onto the computer, cleaned up a bit with Photoshop’s tools, and then finally uploaded to DeviantArt.

T: Do you draw traditionally? Digitally? A combination of both?

S: I draw traditionally all the time. I used to draw everything digitally when I got my first computer years ago, but I got fed up. I use pencils or lead pencils and nothing more. However, I’m still in the process of learning other traditional mediums, such as inks, pastels, and oil paints (which is what I’m currently learning at my college). As for digitally, I only stick to using it as an asset to paint my drawings. I might go further to explore other possible ways to use it, such as creating speed paints, look-alike canvas painting, etc., but for now, traditional is where it’s at!

T: So, what do you do on deviantART? I heard you have a group called the GearsofWarClub.

S: I go back and forth to upload new pieces of my artwork or clean out the tons of messages I have stacked in my inbox. I try to contribute most of my time on deviantART for the sake of those artists who appreciate and follow my work. I actually have fans who are inspired by my work and hope to draw just like me. It’s very heartwarming, really.

Ah yes, the GearsOfWarClub. I made a big deal to create a Gears of War club on deviantART, because I had tried to find a club where I could show off my undying appreciation of the game through my fanart. I hardly found any  groups that kept up with the new things coming out for the franchise, so I made my own club to bring artists together who love the franchise. When it started to grow, it somewhat became like an official fanclub site where you can find artwork, official news, art contests, official videos, fanfictions, and a whole lot of other things you never expected. I even have a section where you can share your gamertag so the members of the community can join you on Xbox Live. Ever since then, it has almost became a source for all the members of this club to find out what is coming up and what activities they can participate in. I enjoy managing this club of mine, with the help of the administrators of course, as much as I enjoy seeing these artists being recognized as not just artists but as game fans.

T: How long have you played Gears of War?

S: I’ve played Gears of War for at least 4 years, counting this one. The first and second years were just playing mostly campaign and versus modes with my brother, because I never knew what Xbox Live was about. However, when I decided to get the new maps for Gears of War 2 for my brother, I found out I needed to create an Xbox Live account to get them. This led me to recognize the foundation, and I’ve been playing non-stop online with other people with just Gears of War 2 then later on Gears of War 3. Now as of today, I practically glue myself to the couch in front of the large screen TV for hours and hours playing Gears of War 3. It’s the only game I play online now.

T: Have any tips for artists among the community?

S: Oh, so many of them! But the most important one is to get out there and practice, practice, practice! Yeah, I’m sure lots of artists say that, but it’s all so true. If you really want to become an artist, a painter, a concept designer, a graphic designer, or anything that falls under the art category, you have to give it your best. If you feel like sometimes your art isn’t as good as many others, don’t believe it. Take some small steps by researching famous artists from the past or present and follow their work. Creativity has to start somewhere. And if you think you can’t draw just like they do, then don’t feel discouraged. You don’t have to draw like them. Everyone has their own form of creativity. The only way you can make something you can call your own is by doing what you want to do. Take your time and don’t rush, because practicing is the key to improving. It will not perfect your skills but it will master them. So for all the artists out there, there is a phrase that my father still points out that encourages me to keep on improving: “You are great at what you do, but you can do better.”

That goes the same for you Tim, and thanks for interviewing me. I appreciate it.

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Be sure to catch more awesome work at the Epic Gamers group on deviantART!