360BEYOND:A JOURNEY INTO CREATIVITY and THOUGHT

Book Cover Designs for Authors & Publishers!

2011-12-20T07:45:00.001-10:00

Heavy Inspiration: Dedication To Heavy D.

2011-11-09T18:48:00.000-10:00

”I want to be as free as the spirits of those who left.”– Common / Be (Intro)

Dwight Arrington Myers aka Heavy D. Hip Hopartist, producer actor has passed away but he has left a legacy of creativity,talent and positivity. In an artistic culture, in a society where the negativeor rather the abrasiveness of life is replayed, remixed, reviewed &regurgitated daily, there are not many artists who’s resume, who’s lifereflects such abundance of positivity. All one has to do, is read the tweets orcomments, listen to the words of those that Heavy D., the artist and maninspired. Kind and gracious words pour from the mouths of those that new him,as a person beyond just the confines of a recording artist. Of course, the manhimself thanks to social media was able to tell the world in his own words.Describing himself, his Twitter bio spoke volumes: I have relentlessoptimism. Here are some of his thoughts/quotes from his Twitter accountat http://twitter.com/#!/heavyd :

“Never stop believing. Magic is just science we don'tunderstand. Every original idea was considered insanity at first.”

“Back in the USA.. I love my life.. Only because I alwayshave!!! BLESS UP!”

"Tribulation produces perseverance, perseverancebuilds character, character builds hope"

“I've learned that everyone wants to live on top of themountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you're climbing it.”

“No problem can stand the assault of sustained thinking.”

"When I win is not when I need a pat on the back.It's when I lose and I can hardly stand that I need you to praise me."

“Never give up!!!”

"Living one day at a time,enjoying one moment at atime and accepting hardships as the pathway to peace"

"We are all faced with a series of greatopportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations"

“REACH...”

"Everyone is capable of Greatness....most peoplechoose not to accept that fact..."

And there are many more at http://twitter.com/#!/heavyd.

Unafraid of his talent, through hard work, respect and bytapping into his creative potential, he paved a way for his dreams and manyothers. Incredible are hiscontributions to Hip Hop, to entertainment, to the world; from the boys on theblock that grew up singing We Got Our Own Thang to the girls that he hadNuttin’ But Love for. He made great art and gave us, including me greatmemories.

What happens when you take control of your life, yourthoughts, your actions, tap into your potential and breathe positivity intoevery aspect of your life?

Yes, you find your success but you also leave indelibleimpressions.

You inspire others.

That’s a legacy.

Sometimes life gets stressful and rough but its in thosetimes when things get too heavy, we need hope to get us through the day. Find what motivates you, what brings youease and what uplifts you and then manifest your destiny. What your legacy willbe is entirely up to you. Your life is power. Your life is magic. Give itmeaning.

“BE INSPIRED” – Heavy D. / November 8^th2011

R.I.P. Dwight Arrington Myers (May 24, 1967 – November 8, 2011)

Spirituality In Creativity

2011-10-31T16:46:00.000-10:00

"In the beginning God created the heaven and theearth…” The Bible/King James Version.

The previous statement is one of many examples of thecreation story that exists in many cultures throughout the world. What some ofthese stories have in common is the creation of something or someone. Creation. The first true power can bedefined as creativity.

Spirituality is a personal journey to experienceconnectivity or oneness with the world, nature, the unseen systems of life andpeople. By being open to newpossibilities, even those that are strange to us, we can find a greaterunderstanding and appreciation for most things or events in our life. Spirituality guides one to seek knowledgeabout the importance of what we encounter everyday, and hopefully makes uswiser to the fact that we have an important role to play, not only in our livesbut others. We are not living apart buta part of a greater whole.

As an artist, and I can only speak for myself, my creativityis spiritual and spirituality is creativity. In my last post, Silence In Creativity, in regards I stated, “Self-centeredin silence to find your unique voice and thoughts, to subdue immediate externalnoises and influences; to hear the gentle persuasion of new ideas and images tostimulate the imagination.”

When Igo there, go inward to that ‘zone’, I focus or meditate and I can feel myselfopen up, even as I detach myself in some respects, from the outside world. Thethoughts that elude me, appear. Concepts and ideas begin to form a much clearer picture thanbefore.

I can go on and on, but the point is I must create, expressand share with others what I’ve done and what I know. I find that whatever’s going on, going wrong or falling apart;creating brings me a certain level of peace and helps me recharge to deal withconflicts or just plain stress. Failing to create, failing to connect with thatinner power of bringing order out of chaos, only makes me more despondent orstressed out. As one of many remedies I have for dealing with stress; the actof creating in some way, ranks up there with plain R&R (rest &relaxation).

My creativity also brings me closer to those around me;whether its sharing what I’ve done, or assisting another in their creativeendeavors, it connects me to those of a common spirit. Going to church is greatfor some, but put me at the African Festival Of The Arts, or brainstorming witha fellowship of artists or communing with a group as we do the knowledge aboutlife in general and that feeling of connectivity that oneness increasestenfold.

Art connects strangers from a thousands miles away, ituplifts the lonely and gives hope to the crestfallen; that creativity is apower far greater than the creator, it expands to reach beyond the artists’imagination. Chicago artist, Kat ‘O Conner of TerraMysterium wrote in her post “What Is Spiritual Art?” ….that All art canbe considered spiritual, as it is a reflection of the artist, her nature, andthe Divinity of her nature. That Divinity is a path that we all, in someway walk. Sure, we may have differentmethods and beliefs but we all share an invisible thread of humanity. As an artist, I hope that my art reflectswho I am and who I hope to become. One that is closer to God, united with theUniverse bonded in unison with those around me. Creativity strengthens me;create the world in 6 or 7 days? Not me but hopefully my creative energy andpowers will strengthen, enlighten and entertain those who come in contact witheach image or concept I create.

Amen.

Hotep.

Peace.

Stay Creative.

- Pharaoh

NOIZ: The Arts, Culture & Entertainment Blast OCT. 28

2011-10-28T04:43:00.000-10:00

TheBlack Ensemble Theater Cultural Center will have its grand opening celebration on November 18, 2011 at 4450 N. Clark St. The new building willhouse 2 stage theaters and plenty of more space. Be sure to check out http://www.blackensembletheater.org/

HipHop acts hit the stage: MindlessBehavior, Diggy, New Boyz, Jacob Lattimore, Hamilton Park, OMG Girls Fri., Oct. 28, 7 p.m.at the Arie Crown Theater/McCormickPlace 2301 S. Lake Shore Dr. Call 312-791-6000

EdgarAllen Poe Readings, Saturday, October 29, at 5pm & 8pm at Clarke HouseMuseum 1827 S. Indiana Actors fromLifeline Theatre perform Poe’s works. $25

Bornfrom the Shrek Movie franchise, check out this weekend the release of Puss In Boots.Starring the furry furball cat played by Antonio Banderas, as he rides throughhis next adventure. It should be fun for the whole family. Check your localmovie theaters for times and schedules.

If you have any upcoming events, be sure to send your information to 360beyond@gmail.com with all of the details.

Silence In Creativity

2011-10-26T17:08:00.000-10:00

Silence.

Where does silence belong in the phenomena ofcreativity? I believe creativity findsand forces the Creator or Artist to be at a level of introspection that can’tbe attained through conversation or public interaction. One must be at rest, not sleep, thoughinspiration can come from slumber but ultimately, you have to be….still.

Self-centered in silence to find your unique voice andthoughts, to subdue immediate external noises and influences; to hear thegentle persuasion of new ideas and images to stimulate the imagination.

The writer, Leo Babauta,wrote the post No. 1 Habit of Highly Creative People on the blog, ZenHabits states, “Creativity flourishes insolitude. With quiet, you can hear your thoughts, you can reach deep withinyourself, you can focus.” He goes on further in the post to say, “Thebest art is created in solitude, for good reason: it’s only when we are alonethat we can reach into ourselves and find truth, beauty, soul. “

Also, on the post Babautaexplores the insights of other artists/writers, on their habits and similarview of silence or solitude and the impact that it has in their lives andendeavors. It’s a great read be sure to check it out.

I definitely concur with the need of silence or time alone.Today, with so many interruptions; parental responsibilities, work, technologyand the list goes on; the window of opportunity for private time for oneselfcan be very limited. To balance out the daily requirements for all thingsimportant in our lives, as an artist, you must decide when to sacrifice andtolerate the angry stares of loved ones, the missed chances catching a movie orsports event to devote to your craft. Its your talent and your dream and yourlife, so you must understand no one, and I mean NO ONE will truly appreciateyour moments alone more than you do.

Uninterrupted time alone, your imagination and a medium onwhich to work and manifest your ideas, is an equation that is a prerequisitecan only add up to a creative masterpiece.

So find a corner,

get silent and

Stay Creative.

-Pharaoh

NOIZ: The Arts, Culture & Entertainment Blast

2011-09-17T06:29:00.000-10:00

The 13^th Annual World Music Festivalis 8 days full of great music & culture from more than 30 countries. Theperformances are spread throughout Chicago in 20 plus venues. See www.worldmusicfestivalchicago.orgfor advanced ticket info and program details.

************** *********** ***************** ********************

The "Ritual's" Showcase Featuring Yahdna,Armen Rah & Awthntik at the Le Fluer de Lis (the oldNegro League Café) on 301 E 43rd St. (Prairie) Chicago, Illinois. Spoken word, music food & fun. Tickets are$10, doors open at 8pm-12am TICKETS$10

*********************** ************************ ************

Chicagoborn & Grammy Award Winning Hip-Hop artist & actor, Common has dropped his memoir, OneDay It’ll All Make Sense. A soulful and insightful book, Commoneffortlessly weaves thought-provoking and entertaining commentary about hisearly years, his Mother, manhood, Fatherhood and his ideas/philosophies.Engaging, the book represents the coming of a Blackman in America and how bigdreams can actually become reality, through a strong foundation of love, hardwork, dedication and humility. It’s a triumphant for American literature and atreasure for readers who make the perfect choice to purchase the book here or catch Common Tues, September 20 at DePaul University Bookstore for a booksigning. 312-362-8792 for info.

***************** ************************** **************************

The UniverSoul Circus is back in Chicago,IL September 21 - October 16 in Washington Park. This is a very exciting andintimate event packed with tigers, trick dogs, powerful aerialists, elephants,contortionists, dance music and more. It is a sight to behold with guaranteedfun for the entire family. There are two shows a day and tickets are very affordable.Go to www.universalsoulcircus.comfor info.

****************** ********************* *******************************

Checkout the play, SPUNK which consistsof three tales by Zora Neale Hurston at the Court Theatre at the University ofChicago, 5535 S. Ellis. Call 773-753-4472 for more info. FREE parking!

*********** ************** ************************

Released in 2011, STREET TEAM is created by a collective of artists & writers; Joseph Currie, Stanley Weaver Jr., Shawn Alleyne, James Mason, Charlie Goubile & Koran Curtis. This All-Star collaboration highlights the talents of independent creators in a major way! It’s not just a comic book project; it’s amovement surrounding Street Team. There’s posters, the comic book of course anda video game. What? That’s right, a video game for the pc that helps go beyondthe comic; professionally done and packaged, but back to the comic book.

Street Team #0 weighs in at 28 pages of fullcolor with a price tag of $5. Itfeatures a roster of different and exciting looking vigilante characters;Stalker, Tiger, Aaron, Blackbird & Dodger who decide to work together as ateam as one menace, Oguun a deadly psychopath forms his own villainouscoalition of bad guys.

Will thedifferent personalities and individual styles mesh well as Street Team?

Will thecombined threat of each of the heroes’ chief villains bring down each of theircities?

Theanswers won’t be found here in this premiere offering but sets up great dramaand action aspects to be explored and fleshed out for future issues. What ISinside Street Team #0? Let’s beginwith the cover that looks more like a poster for a soon to be released movie. It is a collage of the various heroes inmotion with an ominous pair of eyes hovering above them, complete withcreator/production credits ala movie style at the bottom. Complete with the tag “We Own The Streets”,Street Team’s call to action, you are ready to jump right inside.

The format for the story panels are done inlandscape with great artwork and sharp dialogue and captions; no filler wordsor images here, everything serves the purpose of defining the world and pacing ofthe story. Without giving every detailaway, know that the few opening pages are full of real-life possibilities ofterror and it grips your attention from the jump (the beginning) with heartpounding excitement and ends with great character introductions that leave youwanting and salivating for Issue #1, #2 until the end of the adventure.

Whileother publishing attempts re-vamp theircreative properties, the (I’ll call them the Street Team Collective) haveassembled and formed as a creative force to be recognized and respected;Independent to win it. Grab this ifyou’re looking for fresh, quality comic book to add to your collection. Purchaseit here. You should own Street Team #0: We Own The Streets. ******

Creator’sFacebook: http://www.facebook.com/thealmightystreetteam

***************** ***************************** *************************

Bandits by LM Preston is an adventure / sci-fi novel about the main character,Daniel & his family caught in a dangerous journey of escaping his Father’skiller; they’re looking for a powerful treasure that Daniel’s Father had in hispossession. However, Daniel, using allof the training by his Father, is determined to save the universe from thetreacherous villains while avoiding other dangerous situations.

The bookis filled with great world building elements describing very unique planets,characters and creatures. Some of the interaction between characters maybe, alittle too much for younger readers, but ultimately, Bandits was a good read. Pick it up here and experience it for yourself. ****

Author site: www.lmpreston.com

*************** ********************** *********

Releasedin 2010, The HORSEMEN: Book of Olorun Issue One by Jiba MoleiAnderson published by Griot Enterprises is about the continuation of the newsaga & mythology that Jiba started in early 2000.

Back-story: The Gods invited Man into friendship and community. Mortal descendentsempowered by worshipping Orishas eventually began to rule Man, they are calledDeitis. The Orisha (Gods) sought to protect mortals and took the shape of manand defeated the Deitis. However, 8 of the Deitis remained to cause havoc butthe power of the Orishas were born in 7 to fight the Deitis. One of the 7 wasShango.

Thisbook picks up 5 years after, the hero Shango destroys Nigeria, the source ofthe new mythology releasing the seed of divinity that sparks an evolution ofpower among mortals causing a war between humanity and the gods called Deitis.

In The HORSEMEN: Book of Olorun Issue One, this history is told through the mind& words of the daughter of Asase, the Goddess of Life and it is a greatone-shot allowing the reader to learn about the universe that Jiba has written.Full of the color images of unique characters and unique African storylines,this is a must for the reader and comic book collector needing refreshingliterature. Buy it here. *****

Author site: www.griotenterprises.com

Rating System:

*Hot Garbage **Stale Bread ***3 Day-Old Soup ****Decent Satisfaction *****Good Meal ******Great Taste *******Supreme Flavor

A Walk Down Artist Alley @Wizard World Chicago Comic Con

2011-08-15T07:31:00.001-10:00

I descended on The WIZARD WORLDCHICAGO COMIC COM 2011, at the Donald E. Stephens Convention Center this past weekend. This four day event was a spectacle of creativity from the creators, their creations to the fans who love them. Yeah! Am I a Fanboy? Naw, not to the extreme of some (you will never see me dressed up as a character) but I have loved comic books since age 7 (much like my son). I am a lover of books, a writer of sci-fi stories (with a few projects on the way) and I love the comic art!! I used to draw and I imagine that if I had continued to hone that skill, I’d be almost if not just as good as the artists out there. Needless to say, that is the first reason for my attending comic cons, the love of the art, to connect with the artists themselves and lastly, unlike some to see the famous actors/actresses.

I begin my travels walking past the rows of constructed artistry. The beginning point is the autograph area where icons like Lou Ferrigno (The Incredible Hulk), Bruce Campbell (Army Of Darkness, Evil Dead) Ray Park (Darth Maul/Star Wars) Alaina Huffman (Stargate Universe) and others meet & greet their fans.

Next on the journey takes me through the Exhibitor’s Area where larger and smaller publishing companies display their latest comic book / graphic novel projects for public consumption and promotion, as well as comic book stores from all over with their extremely discounted price on graphic novels (a perfect time to increase one’s library of comic literature).

Up and until now, I’ve been snapping digital photos for my wife’s project, Chicago Radio (who’s with me) and trying to keep my son under moderate parental control as he gawks, screams and points at anything remotely interesting. (And let’s face it. It’s a large colorful, loud comic book convention, so everything is interesting). Passing fellow Con-goers, some dressing as outrageous characters and creatures, trying to mimic the very book covers of their favorite icons we finally make our way to Artist Alley.

Artist Alley is choked full of immensely creative artists, legendary and independent, that exhibit their art pieces for immediate sale; posters, sketchbooks and commissions, where you can ask for a specially illustrated comic piece for a price. From cartoonish to very realistically stylized images, one of the thoughts that likely run through your head is, “How did they get to be so good?”
The answer can be found in the idea of “Do what you love, and love what you do.”

It’s obvious that each artist has an undying passion for their art.

Shawn Alleyne & C.Pharaoh

Some of the highlights for me were Shawn Alleyne (Pyroglyphics Studios) with his unique gritty and kinetic flavor, Jason Seiler with his unique caricatures, J.A. Sanderlin book author of Europa (Tate Publishing), , Bryan ‘Kaiser’ Tillman sequential artist, Yorli Huff, TerryHuddleston, Nnedi Okorafor, (Award Winning Author) with her new book Who FearsDeath (DAW Books), Jim Cheung, Humberto Ramos, Art Baltarzar, Craig Cermak, Jeff Balke and Robert Atkins (Tsunami Studios).

J.A. Sanderlin

Bryan 'Kaiser' Tillman

Yorli Huff

Humberto Ramos

Terry Huddleston

Bill Sienkiewicz

If you are not familiar with any of the artists here, due click on their names and find their works. Who knows, you might become a fan and begin your own collection of comic books, graphic novels etc. That is if you haven’t already :).

C.Pharaoh

http://www.360beyond.blogspot.com/

http://www.360beyond.com/

www.facebook.com/NKOSIpublishing

www.linkedin.com/cedpharaoh

Looking Up #1

2011-07-18T07:53:00.000-10:00

Creative Thoughts II

2011-05-28T06:13:00.001-10:00

The Fearless Create Opportunities,

The Fearful run from Them.

Creative Thoughts

2011-05-25T04:35:00.000-10:00

ALL I WANT TO DO IS CREATE.

The Shawn Alleyne Interview - The 360BEYOND Show

2011-05-13T16:59:00.000-10:00

Happy Friday and here is another installment of The 360BEYOND Show, where I interview some of my favorite artists.This time is SHAWN ALLEYNE from Philly and this Brother is a talented illustrator and creator whose talents I've enlisted as well to bring some of my ideas to life. Let's get it on.....

ARTISTIC/DEVELOPMENT

As it relates to your earliest memory as an artist, did Art choose you or did you choose Art? Explain.

That's tough one..I'm not sure. I've always loved drawing, but I'm not too sure how much I believe in "destiny". I believe even if you're talented in a certain skill you still have to choose to pursue that course. What if I had grown up in a family of coal-miners, you know? Maybe a combo of the two is the best answer.

What were your earliest inspirations and influences that introduced you to art/comics/writing?

My dad gets the most credit for this. My earliest comic memory is of him showing me how to draw Daredevil, who to this day is one of my favorite characters. Then my mom, seeing my interest, fostered it. My other influences from young were different cultural mythologies, Enid Blyton books, and those early Marvel guys-- particularly John Byrnes, Walt Simonson and Art Adams.

And who are your influences now and what about them are inspiring?

I'm still a big comic book guy so a lot of the superstars of today influence me- guys like Travis Charest, Bart Sears, Eric Battle and more. My influences also range and include people from the late great Frank Frazetta, to Masamune Shirow, to graffiti artist Phetus. Writers such as Alan Moore, Peter David and Stephen King. What's so inspirational about these artists is the fact they have such distinct styles. I want to leave that sort of impression.

Of the influences that are artists, do you admire them as a fan or do you really study their style/expression?

Both. I think that goes hand in hand actually. Besides that though, I want to mention I'm inspired and influenced everyday by everything I see. If it's hot, I try to pull from that. It can be an "unknown" artist, a puddle, a movie, or anything that sparks my imagination.

How important is it to study your art?

Without question the only way an artist can get better. And being self-taught I have to go a little extra than others.

What are some books that are on your personal shelf?

Right now I have 3 sections: one for reference books-- like "Perspective! For Comic Book Artists" by David Chelsea, and "Drawing The Human Body" by Giovanni Civardi. The second section is for Artbooks-- like "Capcom Design Works" and "Guilty Gear". The third section is for my manga and graphic novels-- stuff like "D Grey Man" by Katsura Hoshino, "Shaman Warrior" by Park Joong-Ki, and Battle Chasers by Joe Mad. I'm more of a single issue and anime man though so my collections' not that huge.

Are there any titles that you are currently reading?

I'm a little behind on books right now, but usually anything by Peter David and Warren Ellis are sure things, X-Factor and X-Men:Xenogenesis respectively. Scalped is good, as well as Thunderbolts and this new book Halcyon.

When not doing commissions for clients or working on your personal projects, how do you keep your skills sharp? For example, but not limited to: Advanced Art/Writing Classes, Doodling? Exercise?

On occasion I'm asked to teach kids comic book illustration, and I tell you, there's nothing like having to teach someone something to really drive home basic technique. I run a comic book network group called Xion where we hold monthly drawing challenges that emphasis working outside one's comfort zone. Exercises like speed challenges, character design challenges, etc, so I jump in on those. I also recently started a daily sketchblog.

Self-expression and self-identity are closely related, if you have a nickname or unique name what does it mean to you and to others? And does that name reflect in anyway how you approach your art?

The pen name I used to use on message boards was M.D Geist, a name I took from a popular anime. Geist was the name of the character and the initials "M.D" stood for Most Dangerous. I loved it cause this guy was such a bad-ass and did things his way I wanted to reflect that. Now I just use it for my music personae. With art I want people to know the name Shawn Alleyne, who I really am. I came up with the name Pyroglyphics for my "studio". It roughly translates to "Hot Images", which is what I try to capture in my art.

WORK/STYLE

Give us a description of your Creative Lab or Studio where you work and how is the environment a co-creator or partner in ultimately what you create?

It's a pretty basic set-up: I have my art table with lightbox; my comic book collection to the left; my reference books and inspirational sketchbooks to the right; posters up of things I love like The Matrix; and most important, my music collection and radio. My Studio is my sanctum and that's why I can't do any real work in coffee shops and such like other people. I need to be immersed in my world-I'm too easily distracted. lol

If Art can save the world, then that makes the Artist a Superhero; and every Hero needs theme music. Name the song or songs that you listen to for inspiration as you create?

Right now my little brother-in-law makes some of the best beats out there. He's got one called The Matrix that's tailor made for me. When I do go for lyrics normally any album from the Wu-Tang or Canibus gets me going. There's a female MC called Eternia that's been getting me hype recently too.

What techniques & tools do you employ to bring ideas to life?

I'm straight up old school: a simple pencil and paper with some inks are all I use for now. As far as techniques goes? Sweat, prayers, luck and repetition. Lol

How would you describe your style or artistic technique?

I'm not sure, I just try to do the best job I can and let people put their own title on it. I've heard some people tell me my style is "gritty new age urban comic book styling". Whatever the hell that means. lol

It's been said that the difference between a professional and amateur/hobbyist is that a professional gets paid for what they do more often than not. What was the tipping point where you transitioned from being a hobbyist to a professional?

For me it's been such a gradual process I can't say there's been one particular instance, it's been more of a series of events. I guess the most major tipping point was the year I lost my 9 to 5 and decided to jump into the art game fully. I still have a ways to go in my professional career though.

In the beginning, what was the most challenging aspect of working freelance?

I would say treating it like a business. It's hard to make that transition from just drawing for fun to worrying about deadlines, invoices, client's feelings, and of course, getting paid what you're worth. Then there's dealing with the constant fear of "where's my next gig coming from?" There's no more safety net of a cushy office gig paycheck, there's a lot more at stake when you're basically working for yourself.

How have you changed since, as they say, 'Going Hard' doing your art for pay?

I've become a little more steadfast in my resolve. As more people seem to like what I do, I try to stand my ground in regards to my fees, while still trying to be reasonable. You come to realize that some people will try to get over on you if you let them, so you have to stay focused.

What types of commissioned projects do you prefer to work on and why?

The type where the client asks: "what do YOU want to do?" I find I do my best work when the client allows me to put my spin on a project.

Do you have set commission rates or are they negotiable on a project by project basis?

I try to keep pretty set rates, but they have been known to vary slightly based on the project and the client. My clients often times come from varied financial situations, and I try to take that into account based on what they want.

What really stimulates your imagination to the point where your ideas pour from your subconscious onto the paper and you look up when the flood is over and you're like WOW!

Did I create that? Give me an example of what that piece of art may have been.

The thing that gets me stimulated is when I see something so new and fresh, so original and beautiful you can't help but say to yourself: "Self..you need to cut loose." One particular piece of art that stemmed from a bout of that was a fan-pic I did of a friend's character called Pyschosis. >>>>>>

Describe one gratifying moment, where a client was extremely satisfied with what you had created and how it had impacted them?

One moment was with Eric Cooper when I drew a poster for his character Knight Seeker. He loved it so much he used it for the cover revamp to his novel, then for business, then for other promotional items. It was just supposed to be a convention poster but it's taken on a life of its own. Seeing someone like your art so much they want to use it to represent their flagship character is really moving.

SOUL/ART

In terms of personal projects, what is the Flagship creative project for your company and how did you come up with the idea for the concept?

I have so many ideas that the Flagship keeps changing, but I'm currently developing a character by the name of Aizan, a female hip-hop-urban-vigilante-ninja type. The idea came after watching "The Sword of The Stranger" and having one of those inspirational overloads you asked about earlier. I set out determined to develop a character that would go against the norm of comic book super-heroines, as well as provide me with an outlet for the kind of stories I wanted to tell.

What are some of the most immediate follow-up projects?

My personal projects are on the back-burner as I kick out work for my clients. There's a project called Surian Seed I'm excited about.

Tell us about Surian Seed.

Surian Seed is the creation of Raheem Manders, a writer of African descent who approached my with the story a few years ago. He came with a story and some concept art from another artist, with the request for me to re-vamp the characters. I did, and as I got deeper into the world, and as me and Raheem became friends, I was able to share some comic knowledge as well as story elements to the concept.

Without giving too much away, the story centers around a group of siblings who are all superheroes. Unbeknown to them, they have a secret origin tied into an alien race that is now coming to conquer Earth. And of course our heroes must fight them. It's going to have a mix of sci-fi, martial arts, social commentary and modern day super-heroics. As far as the pics I sent, Jayden is one of the siblings and she is the common sense of the team. She's not your average female superhero either, she can whup butt with the best of the guys. Jayden has telekinetics and telepathy.

Cinderblock is the muscle, with an extra heat generating ability. There's a nice twist on his origin as well.

I'm doing the chapter art for a great fantasy novel; but the first major thing to come out I'm excited about is going to be the Street Team project I'm involved with. We'll have a comic, game, and tons of other tie-in merchandise.

Writer's Note: Since this interview, the initial phase of the Street Team project which Shawn Alleyne collaborates with a host of talented illustrators & writers is completed and can be purchased here >> Street Team and you can donate to the Street Team Video Game!

Now back to the intervew:

Talk about the difficulties of being an independent artist and the hurdles you've overcome to produce and publish your own works.

As I mentioned before, one of the hardest things about being an independent artist is not having that steady financial backing from a large corporation. Everything you want to do you have to finance yourself.

If you had to choose which medium of expression to use for your stories / images which would it be- comic book, graphic novel, animation or movie?

All...I know that's cheating. Lol If I can't have all, probably animation. I feel you have more freedom with that.

Here's a fun question. Name a mainstream project/character or an independent project and/or character that you'd love to work on or revamp and what would you do to put your twist on it?

I would love to get my hands on The New Warriors. I've loved those characters from the first time I saw them. My twist on them would be the most obvious, emphasis the "New" in the name. Have them be almost anti-superhero-- with no tights, a firmer stance to the world's problems, a large rotating cast depending on the situation-- the example of what a 21st century hero can really be.

For the independent artist, as one who does commissions and/or personal projects, how has technology affected the way you are able to do business or make progress on your art? For example, but not limited to: Finding Clients? Artistic Collaboration? Getting work done?

Wow, I don't know where to start. Being able to send an email with an invoice and have someone put money into your account almost instantly has come in handy on many an occasion. Lol. Having the ability to advertise yourself to potentially millions of people via the tons of sites designed to network and showcase your skills has helped level the playing field a lot. The lack of overhead and the resulting savings can really aid a new business. Finding clients anywhere in the world. There's no getting around it, technology shapes our world.

About Merchandise, what types of products are you hoping to create or produce in the future?

Right now I'm working on a possible clothing line with a local Philadelphia designer. But really I want to do it all: statues, clothing, toys, anything. As long as the products are fantastic and justified. Nothing worse than sloppy merchandise done for the sake of a dollar with no creativity or purpose to it.

Here are two questions about event presentations, conferences, fairs etc.

What are the conferences that are on your yearly schedule to attend?

Safe bets are usually MegaCon, Wizard New York and Philly, and the New York Comic Con. I always try to fit in whatever ones I can though.

What advice do you give to aspiring artists of all mediums about the importance of events and how do you prepare to maximize your potential at these fairs?

The biggest piece of advice I can give to an artist is to be honest with yourself. If you know in your heart your product may not be ready not the best, or you hate people, or you don't HAVE any product, don't go to the shows. Also, start with the small cons and work your way up. These events are great for many reasons though: 1) acquiring new clients 2) learning how to work under pressure 3) learning how to deal with people 4) seeing firsthand what people like or don't like 5) expanding your fan base 6) networking with fellow creators. And the best way to maximize your potential at these shows is simple: be friendly and draw pretty stuff. Just takes practice.

Artsentience (To recall details of what, when and where you were when you created the art piece.)

The image of Pyroglyphics Book Cover. Tell me about this image, who/what it is, what it means and take us back to the situations, feelings and times you experienced during its creation..

This piece's origins go back to 2003-2005, when I wanted to create business cards for my humble "studio". I've always loved Shaolin kung-fu flicks (I even studied Shaolin Mantis for a few years) and wanted to came up with a mascot that resembled a mystical Shaolin warrior. I even called my studio "Shaolin Studios". It didn't stick but I kept the little mascot guy. So flash forward a few years later when I enter an art contest where you had to come up with a "hybrid creature". I came up with this character that represented the five elements of life: man, animal, bird, nature and energy. The character ended up looking a lot like my old mystic Shaolin guy, so I thought; why not combine the two and use him as my new mascot? The character seemed to spark some interest, then took on a life of its' own in my head. So now I'm planning on drawing a whole race of the little guy.

Also, ZioNkosi 3(from DA) & Knight Seeker Book 2 & Hero's Diary:Verdict Color

Zionkosi was fun as hell. This was a character design for a client that forced me to push my creativity further. I was tasked with incorporating African themes into a sci-fi character, and anytime I get to mold those two elements together it's a treat.

With the Knight Seeker cover I was at a place in my life where things were beginning to "fit". This was the first time I was asked to be the cover artist for a book, and it was a huge honor. After that I went on to do 3 move novel covers. So that opened the door.

The Hero's Diary poster was a personal statement I wanted to make with my art. I did a version of it years ago, and looking back on the original piece I was really ashamed of what I was looking at. When the time came to do some new promotional art for Hero's Diary, I wanted to re-do the piece and challenge myself. As I looked at the pieces side by side I saw the new one was miles apart from what I had originally done. I feel it's one of the most accurate signs of my growth as an artist.

LIFE/EXPRESSION

On the idea of Art Imitates Life or Life Imitates Art, is the role of Art in human existence a catalyst for behavior and community building or is Art a mirror to reflect the world of what was and what is?

It's a chicken and egg situation. Art and Life follow each other in a continuous loop of creativity like the Infinity sign.

Due to budget cuts for schools, classes and after-school programs, primarily in black and Latino communities, the youth are not getting exposed or are exposed to very little physical education and the arts. How important do you feel the arts are to the lives of the youth?

I can honestly say that if our kids lose the love of the arts, our society as a whole will crumble. The future will be a bleak, lawless land devoid of creativity and productive expression. It's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about the Comic Book Design course I teach to young Black and Latino kids.

Whether it's the concept of Six Degrees of Separation or Its A Small World, the culture or communities we belong to are smaller than outsiders know. To bridge the gap between yourself and your peers, do you belong to any artist groups or forums, if so which ones?

Yup. Penciljack, Blacksuperhero.com, Devinatart, facebook, Myspace and Drawstick. The one I'm most proud of though, is my self-started comic book networking group Xion. You can find it at www.meetup.com/xiongroup and www.thexionnetwork.com

Now to bridge the gap between your art and the public at large, give the name and address of your sites and forums where people can see your creativity and how people can get in contact with you for commissions and/or to follow your work?

www.pyroglyphics.webs.com

www.shawnah-lean.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/shawnalleyne1

www.pyroglyphics1.deviantart.com

I can also be reached at pyroglyphics1@comcast.net

What impact would you like your art to make on the world?

I would like to get to the point where people talk about my work long after I'm dust.

What are your favorite quotes or philosophies of life that help you improve as a person or artist?

"Excellence is never just given to man, it is awarded for hard work."- I forgot who said it but I think it's very true.

Is there anything else that you want the readers to know, feel free to elaborate?

I just want to thank everyone who made it this far in the interview. Lol I also want to thank everyone who has stood by me, friends and family. Thanks to you Nubian for the interview. Most importantly, I want to thank everyone who ever put me down, critiqued me, or doubted me. It truly made me stronger. And I mean that sincerely.

That's it for now. If you or any visual artists or writers would be interested in an interview, be sure to contact me via one of the links below:
Be sure to connect with me on:
360BEYOND on Twitter

360BEYOND Facebook

NKOSI Publishing Facebook

360BEYOND@gmail.com

Stay Creative,

Pharaoh

The William Satterwhite Interview - The 360BEYOND Show

2011-04-04T06:27:00.000-10:00

Here is my second interview of some of my favorite artists. WILLIAM SATTERWHITE is his name and he is a designer and internet consultant as well as an artist and comic book creator. I must also say he is an accomplished web-comic publisher, more on that later but for now. Ladies and Gents here we go...

ARTISTIC/DEVELOPMENT

As it relates to your earliest memory as an artist, did Art choose you or did you choose Art? Explain.

The art definitely chose me, I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember. I can’t even remember when I first started drawing to be honest.

What were your earliest inspirations and influences that introduced you to art/comics/writing?

I got into comics in the early 90’s, right around when the future Image guys were starting to make a name for themselves at Marvel with Todd McFarlane and Erik Larsen on Spider-Man, Jim Lee and Whilce Portacio on X-Men, Mark Silvestri on Wolverine and Rob Liefeld on New Mutants/X-Force- those were the comics that hooked me and made me want to do comics, the work those guys were doing at that time was so amazing. Of course, later on when they went to form Image it was an inspiration to see that the creators could actually do their own thing- back then I didn’t quite understand all the dynamics involved but I could understand that when Spider-Man could pass from Todd McFarlane’s hands to Erik Larsen’s then to Mark Bagley’s, I kind of understood that creators were basically disposable to the companies who owned my favorite superheroes. That’s something that has always stuck with me.

And who are your influences now and what about them are inspiring?

As I’ve grown older over the years my tastes have kind of gone old school and I’ve become more of a fan of more old school artists- I’ve always had an appreciation for a lot of the legends like Jack Kirby, John Romita Sr, Steve Ditko and John Buscema but when I was a kid it was mostly like just a “respect your elders” kind of thing I guess, I was so into the glossy and over-styled Image era stuff that was just so flashy. As I’ve outgrown that phase and learned more about the actual craft of comic art, I’ve become an actual fan of the “classics” and others from the Golden and Silver Age- Wally Wood and a lot of the other EC artists, Lou Fine, Alex Raymond, C.C. Beck, Jerry Robinson and more. When I was younger I would look at the old school art and think it was boring and wonder where all the cool details and lines and stuff like that was but now I understand that stuff is all secondary to the actual craft of the drawing.

Of the influences that are artists, do you admire them as a fan or do you really study their style/expression?

Both really but I suppose I’m more of a fan, it’s always kind of exciting when I come across some “new” piece by one of those old school artists that I’ve never seen before and just geek out.

How important is it to study your art/writing?

It’s very important but at some point I think doing is more important than just studying. I think a lot of would be creators spend too much of their time studying the craft to the point where they don’t take the step of actually doing something for fear of messing up, they fear failure too much. The problem with this is that the best way to ensure you can succeed at anything is to fail at it initially as failure serves as inspiration for improvement if you really want it.

What are some books that are on your personal shelf?

I’m a big military history buff so outside of graphic novels and TPBs, my bookshelf is mostly WW2 and Civil War books.

Are there any titles that you are currently reading? I haven’t really bought monthly comics on a regular basis for a long time, I was an early adopter to the “Wait for the trade collection” concept. Part of it is not having a comic shop close by, for the last 10 years or so, I’ve been kind of stuck in a no man’s land where the nearest comic shops require road trips. If I happen to pass by a comic shop on some other journey I’ll run in and pick up something that looks like it might be easy to get into like the first part of a storyline or something but for the most I just order TPBs off of Amazon.com if a story catches my eye and seems to have been well-received. Yeah, I’m one of those guys whose helping put comic shops out of business :).

When not doing commissions for clients or working on your personal projects, how do you keep your skills sharp? For example, but not limited to: Advanced Art/Writing Classes, Doodling? Exercise?

This is one area where I really struggle, I don’t really give myself enough free time to do anything like that, if I’m not working on the webcomic or a design project, I’m working on marketing and promotion. I guess if you consider my role as both a publisher/owner as well as artist, you could consider all the time I spend on Google and various blogs as things to hone my skills in marketing and things like that.

Self-expression and self-identity are closely related, if you have a nickname or unique name what does it mean to you and to others? And does that name reflect in anyway how you approach your art?

My trivia friends like to call me Rainman just because of all the otherwise worthless historical facts I have floating in my head that I can recall at a moment’s notice, I guess this comes into play when I include little minutae in the comic that I assume fans will pick up on but probably don’t- I guess I take it for granted that everyone pays attention to every little detail of everything they read, that’s just the history geek in me.

WORK/STYLE

Give us a description of your Creative Lab or Studio where you work and how is the environment a co-creator or partner in ultimately what you create?

I work in a pretty cramped space so it kind of helps keep me at my desk, I don’t have too much room to get up and walk around much or anything like that. I have a dual monitor setup with my laptop and the monitor for my old desktop, it works really well for multi-tasking and doing two things at one.

If Art can save the world, then that makes the Artist a Superhero; and every Hero needs theme music. Name the song or songs that you listen to for inspiration as you create?

Kanye West has long been a favorite, mostly because I relate to a lot of his music on a personal level. Last Call off of College Dropout is particularly inspirational, just following along as he tells his story. Drake is really cool too, I really like this song Closer To My Dreams off one of his mixtapes. I’ve just recently (literally within the last few days as I type this) got into Childish Gambino a/k/a comedian Donald Glover, if anyone out there doesn’t know, he’s a crazy good rapper on top of his comedy and acting. It might just be because it’s new to me but I’ve gotten a lot of energy just feeding off of all his music I’ve download (check his music out at http://www.childishgambino.blogspot.com, he’s got two mixtapes and an album up there). Just like with Kanye, I just feel a real personal connection to a lot of his lyrics and his wordplay. I also like to listen to a lot of Jay Z, I just get lost in his flow.

What techniques & tools do you employ to bring ideas to life? Within the last year I’ve made the switch to complete digital creation, I draw and color everything in Adobe Photoshop with a Wacom Intous3 tablet and letter the comic in Illustrator.

How would you describe your style or artistic technique?

I try to keep things simple nowadays, perhaps too simple sometimes

Its been said that the difference between a professional and amateur/hobbyist is that a professional gets paid for what they do more often than not. What was the tipping point where you transitioned from being a hobbyist to a professional?

I think that’s pretty much the best definition, reaching a point where someone is willing to give you the validation of paying for your services/work and you yourself are willing to accept the responsibility that comes from that. For me, I started my design business about 5 years ago once I became confident that my skills could benefit others and that I could reasonably meet a customer’s expectations.

In the beginning, what was the most challenging aspect of working freelance?

Customer service, it still is to this day. It’s hard to remember that the customer doesn’t know what’s going on in your head and in your world when they’re there and you’re here doing your thing, you actually have to communicate to the client what’s going on.

How have you changed since, as they say, ‘Going Hard’ doing your art for pay?

I’ve learned from some early mistakes in taking on too much at one time if I can avoid it. There are still some times when I get caught with too much going on but I generally try to avoid those situations because I now know better.

What types of commissioned projects do you prefer to work on and why?

I like to have as much control as possible, I generally prefer a client giving me an idea of what they want, any tings that they absolutely want and then just getting out of my way.

Do you have set commission rates or are they negotiable on a project by project basis?

A combination of both, I use set rates to serve as a starting point and then making adjustments for the particular project and all that goes into it.

What really stimulates your imagination to the point where your ideas pour from your subconscious onto the paper and you look up when the flood is over and you’re like WOW!

Did I create that? Give me an example of what that piece of art may have been.

Trying new things or introducing new characters/concepts. The first two completely digital pages I did for Stealth, it was such a new experience I just went at it and ended up producing what I think are two of the best pages I’ve ever done-

http://stealthcomic.com/2010/04/02/03-09/

http://stealthcomic.com/2010/04/09/03-10/

Describe one gratifying moment, where a client was extremely satisfied with what you had created and how it had impacted them?

It wasn’t even a job at that point but still in the consultation stage, but I once stayed on the phone with a client for about an hour and a half just explaining everything she wanted to know and giving her all the information she needed to make an informed decision before she actually hired me (or anyone for that matter, she could have easily went elsewhere). She was extremely grateful I took the time to answer all of her questions and more.

SOUL/ART In terms of personal projects, what is the Flagship creative project for your company and how did you come up with the idea for the concept? Feel free to elaborate to any detail you wish.Stealth is basically my take on the classic teen hero/vigilante idea, a bit darker than one might expect from a typical teen hero book but light at times as well. It stars a high school senior named Allen White who gains amazing powers after an accident that should have taken his life and follows along as he does the whole balancing life as a superhero vs being a regular kid thing- I’ll freely admit upfront that in terms of the basic core concept, the comic isn’t trying to treading any new ground and has never been intended to do so. Instead, I’ve always put more of an emphasis on the actual stories and the characters- things might feel familiar on the surface but I want the readers to dig deeper.

Who are some of the other creative artists/partners, if any, that assist or have assisted you in the creation of your product/project? Dave Amorando, creator of his own webcomic Lightning Man (http://lightningman.backpagecomics.com) has been a good buddy, we had a Stealth/Lightning Man crossover story that he ended up doing most of the work on and I can always count on him giving a good word of encouragement. I’ve had a couple of guest pages by Julian Herring (Merkuri3000 from Herotalk) and Jamar Logan and some folks have hooked me up with pinups- Kris Mosby, blackstar123, James Mason (Mase) and Julian again among others. That more than anything is a boost just in terms of inspiration to know that other people out there want to draw my character. I don’t think people really understand that doing a webcomic is a different animal than a print comic- with a print comic a creator doesn’t need to receive any kind of feedback because the only feedback he needs is you putting your money down for the book. It’s the exact opposite with a webcomic, I’m not asking people to pay anything (unless they want to buy a poster or book) so I rely on any kind of feedback as a fuel to keep things going. I can look at webstats all day long but that doesn’t tell me how people are feeling about what I’m doing.

If you could bring your project to the big screen, who would be some of the actors and roles you’d like them to play?

Right now I’m wondering if a 28-year old Donald Glover could indeed reasonably pass as a high school senior so I can start a #Donald4Stealth campaign. On a more realistic tip, Tristan Wilds from 90210 would probably be my top choice right now. One of the things that’s always bothered me as I’ve done Stealth over the years is the relative lack of young black actors who could play in a Stealth movie. I actually put together a cast for a hypothetical Stealth movie about a year and a half ago- http://stealthcomic.com/2009/08/21/stealth-casting-call/, I’ll have to think further about an updated version.

What are some of the most immediate follow-up projects?

I have a couple of things in the initial planning stages but for the most part, I probably only have time for Stealth for the foreseeable future.

Talk about the difficulties of being an entrepreneur/independent artist and the hurdles you’ve overcome to produce and publish your own works.

The biggest difficulty is time, for the most part I’ve had a regular 9-to-5 job at the same time so it’s hard juggling projects when you only really have half your time available.

If you had to choose which medium of expression to use for your stories / images which would it be comic book, graphic novel or animation or movie?

Television. I like to give Stealth kind of a soap opera-type feel as opposed to being “just” a superhero comic and I think it would really work best in an episodic format played out over a long season with a large overall story arc that plays out over the long run with smaller individual stories told throughout.

Here’s a fun question. Name a mainstream project/character or an independent project and/or character that you’d love to work on or revamp and what would you do to put your twist on it?

The Question, I’d like to take the character back to his true Ditko roots as a guardian of truth and reason. I’ve actually created my own vision of that kind of character but having gotten around to any stories yet. Captain Atom would be another Ditko, again going back to the basics of the original character.

Everything I do is on my computer, from the art itself to marketing online. I think it’s vitality important for artists, especially independent artists, to maximize technology and all the tools that are available to them

About Merchandise, what types of products are you hoping to create or produce in the future?

I have a couple of posters available at http://www.cafepress.com/stealth1, I putting together a trading card set as well, hopefully I can finally get that finished to put out this summer.

Here are two questions about event presentations, conferences, fairs etc.

What are the conferences that are on your yearly schedule to attend?

This is the main area I’ve dropped the ball on, I’ve never attended a comic convention as a creator. I’m hoping to get around to Onyxcon (http://www.onyxcon.com/) this year and would definitely like that to be a regular event along with Dragon Con.

What advice do you give to aspiring artists of all mediums about the importance of events and how do you prepare to maximize your potential at these fairs?

It’s definitely important to get out there and push your product.

Artsentience (To recall details of what, when and where you were when you created the art piece.)

Stealth. Tell me about this concept, who/what it is, what it means to you and take us back to the situations, feelings and times you experienced during its creation..

I first came up with the concept that eventually became Stealth shortly after graduating high school myself but it was really different back then, I just had Allen finding kind of a symbionic alien battlesuit and becoming a superhero just because (what else are you going to do with a symbiotic battlesuit). The major characters, Allen and Ashley, were there but the actual hero concept was different, I still have the original comic and have thought about putting it online just to show where Stealth originally came from but it’s pretty bad. I re-worked it around the time I started college and had the first “issue” (back then I planned on actually publishing it…somehow) done around 1999 and went online with it in 2001 after seeing a couple of guys doing online comics (we didn’t call them “webcomics” back then J), notably Jamar Logan and his comic Demon Universe along with Jimmie Westley and his Tribal Science. All along, my basic idea was just to do a modern teen superhero comic that combined elements of conventional superhero comics with the kind of teen shows that were so popular back then like Buffy and Dawson’s Creek and stuff like that.

LIFE/EXPRESSION
On the idea of Art Imitates Life or Life Imitates Art, is the role of Art in human existence a catalyst for behavior and community building or is Art a mirror to reflect the world of what was and what is?

Art is a reflection of what is/was but in doing so, art does act as a catalyst for change in showing where change needs to come and serving as an inspiration.

I think the arts are very important, especially for young kids. Ideally, I’d like to see artists encouraged to open up their studios and workspaces to allow kids to actually experience things firsthand. Not to get political (as much as I love discussing politicsJ) but I think the entire educational system needs be completely overhauled to emphasize a system of apprenticeship where professional artists (or doctors or lawyers or whoever) can take kids in and let them learn and experience things directly from their hands.

Whether it’s the concept of Six Degrees of Separation or Its A Small World, the culture or communities we belong to are smaller than outsiders know. To bridge the gap between yourself and your peers, do you belong to any artist groups or forums, if so which ones?

Not really, just Herotalk nowadays. I used to frequent a lot of the Yahoo Groups like Blacks Comics and Emeyesee but Herotalk has pretty much taken over. I used to be a regular at each of the various incarnations of Brian Michael Bendis’ Jinxworld boards but gradually lost interest as a lot of the older posters faded away and more (and more and more and more…) newer fans came in- I generally prefer smaller, more tightly knit communities over larger ones.

Stealth webcomic- http://www.stealthcomic.com

Business site- http://www.williamsatterwhite.info

Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/williamsatterwhite

Twitter- http://twitter.com/w_satterwhite

LinkedIn- http://www.linkedin.com/in/williamsatterwhite

Stealth fanpage- http://www.facebook.com/Stealthcomic

Personal blog- http://wsatterwhite.tumblr.com

What impact would you like your art to make on the world?

I just want somebody somewhere to enjoy what I’m doing. If I can know that something I’ve done puts a smile on someone’s face or makes them say “that’s pretty cool!”, I’m happy.

What are your favorite quotes or philosophies of life that help you improve as a person or artist?

"One man with courage makes a majority"- Andrew Jackson

Is there anything else that you want the readers to know, feel free to elaborate.

To all the creators out there, create something. Don’t just think about it or talk about it, go out there and actually do it!

MY WIFE'S LATEST BLOG ENTRY

2011-03-18T15:38:00.000-10:00

I'm back again for a second post of the day. This one belongs to my beautify wife, Nicole. She calls it Networking Socials .

C2E2 - Black Comix Panel at Chicago comic book convention

2011-03-18T06:47:00.000-10:00

CLICK THE IMAGE

I wrote a blog entry for Chicago Radio about the event!

When the Thrill is Gone

2011-03-08T04:24:00.000-10:00

Walter Mosely is back at it again! His latest book, "When The Thrill Is Gone." is out today! Go grab it if you're a fan, I'm sure you will become one.

When the Thrill is Gone

The Charlie 'FAB' Goubile Interview / The 360BEYOND Show

2011-03-05T09:06:00.001-10:00

Here is the first of many interviews of some of my favorites artists. I became acquainted with CHARLIE ' FAB' GOUBILE's work on a site called BSH. His style is very animation ready and I can't wait to see his work expand on t.v., movies and the web.

ARTISTIC/DEVELOPMENT

What were your earliest inspirations and influences that introduced you to art/comics/writing?

Before I got into comics I was really into cartoons and Japanese monster movies. I didn’t get into comic books until middle school.

And who are your influences now and what about them are inspiring?

Illustrators such as Jason Pearson, Brian Stelfreeze and Alberto Ruiz, guys who really have dynamic angels in their line work really influence me.

Of the influences that are artists, do you admire them as a fan or do you really study their style/expression?

I’m always reverse engineering the work of people I admire, to see how I can apply it to my own technique.

How important is it to study your art?

Its very important for me to do the science behind my art and find out what works and why.

What are some books that are on your personal shelf?

Well, my bookshelf is broken down into 2 categories, art books and graphic novels. The art section includes anime art books, human anatomy and photography books. The graphic novels includes books such as Pride of Baghdad, Old Man Logan, Kingdom Come and my personal favorite The Dark Knight Returns.

Are there any titles that you are currently reading?

My schedule is bananas, so I rarely get a chance to read anything. Last year I tried to start reading regular books, mainly the classic books every human being should read in their lifetime, but that did not go along as plan. The Art of War has been bouncing around in my backpack for months now… lol.

When not doing commissions for clients or working on your personal projects, how do you keep your skills sharp? For example, but not limited to: Advanced Art/Writing Classes, Doodling? Exercise?

I recently really started to do reference studies in my personal sketch book, I download pictures from online of models, animals etc., its cheaper than doing live drawing courses. It helps me to analyze the natural shape and movement of living things.

Self-expression and self-identity are closely related, if you have a nickname or unique name what does it mean to you and to others? And does that name reflect in anyway how you approach your art?

“Fab” was my alias when I was rapping back in the day. There was a point in my life where I had to decide weather I wanted to pursue a career in music or art, I choose art because I had been doing it longer. I decided to keep the name just because I thought it was kind of cool, and it also reminds me of a graffiti tag, and I draw allot of inspiration from graffiti as far as line and shape structure.

WORK/STYLE

Give us a description of your Creative Lab or Studio where you work and how is the environment a co-creator or partner in ultimately what you create?

I basically claimed the extra room above the garage as my lab. It’s a pretty big room so even with my drafting desk, computer desk and bookcase it still looks empty. I really don’t spend allot of time in my lab because I have a 9 to 5, so I do most of my drawing at my Job… maybe I shouldn’t have said that lol.

If Art can save the world, then that makes the Artist a Superhero; and every Hero needs theme music. Name the song or songs that you listen to for inspiration as you create?

Whenever I draw I always have hip hop instrumentals playing in the background. Some of my favorite producers are J-Dilla, 9^th Wonder, Khrysis, Madlib, Pete Rock and Black Milk to name a few.

What techniques & tools do you employ to bring ideas to life? I use non-photo blue pencils, regular lead pencils, micron tech pens, black sharpies, kneaded eraser and clear grid ruler.

How would you describe your style or artistic technique?

I use a kinetic style of art, slightly exaggerating natural shapes, curves and movement. I use many of the same dynamic line structure as wild style graffiti, which is a big influence for my work.

I think its safe to say if you can pay your bills with your artwork, you are a pro.

In the beginning, what was the most challenging aspect of working freelance?

Definitely balancing my family life with my artistic life is the most challenging, I don’t think I’ll ever get the hang of it.

How have you changed since, as they say, ‘Going Hard’ doing your art for pay?

Since there has been an slight increase of money coming in from my artwork, I have streamlined my production process to try to cut down on time.

What types of commissioned projects do you prefer to work on and why?

I like high paying commission projects….lol. I really like working on projects that are new and innovative, projects that don’t just look cool but have meaning behind it, projects that people can relate to on an emotional level.

Do you have set commission rates or are they negotiable on a project by project basis?

I’ve tried to set a standard rate for commission work, but it didn’t work, it all depends on the circumstances.

What really stimulates your imagination to the point where your ideas pour from your subconscious onto the paper and you look up when the flood is over and you’re like WOW!

Did I create that? Give me an example of what that piece of art may have been.

If I’m really in the mood to draw and the environment is right, then I just get into the zone. A lot of times I find myself nodding my head and just getting into the groove of the music I got playing in the background. If my chi is really high I come up with some really ill work. A good example of this would be the “Krane Style” pinup I did for the Urban Shogun contest. It was like 4 in the morning and the house was dead quiet. I went into the lab, put on my headphones and was jamming out to some Pete Rock. It was magical.

Describe one gratifying moment, where a client was extremely satisfied with what you had created and how it had impacted them?

Can’t really tell you about that one, the project is still in development and I signed a confidentiality form, but it was very gratifying.

SOUL/ART

In terms of personal projects, what is the Flagship creative project for your company and how did you come up with the idea for the concept?

Blackbird was my first real publication. It was an idea I had back in high school of an urban ninja type hero that I just dusted off and modified.

What are some of the most immediate follow-up projects?

Allot of things have changed for me since the completion of the Blackbird graphic novel and I had to readjust my plans and project for the future, but I got some very exciting stuff in the works.

Talk about the difficulties of being an independent artist and the hurdles you’ve overcome to produce and publish your own works.

As I said earlier, balancing of family and artwork is a hurdle I have yet to overcome.

If you had to choose which medium of expression to use for your stories / images which would it be comic book, graphic novel or animation or movie?

Definitely animation.

Here’s a fun question. Name a mainstream project/character or an independent project and/or character that you’d love to work on or revamp and what would you do to put your twist on it?

Oh I like this question. I have 2, first would be Transformers, I’ve always been a fan since the 1980s animated movie, I actually have a pretty cool idea for a story. The second would be a Batman story, he is my favorite hero, can’t tell you what I would change because I might do some fan fiction one day.

As far as commissions, I get 99% of my work online, from big time to small projects. It is very important to get your work online so the right people can see it. Another way technology has effected my work is through artistic software such as Photoshop. I do all my work with pencil and/or pens, scan and import the picture into Photoshop where I do digital coloring. The digital coloring really takes your work to another level and the possibilities are endless.

About Merchandise, what types of products are you hoping to create or produce in the future?

I am definitely keeping merchandising in mind when it comes to my future projects, everything from toys to clothing and more.

Here are two questions about event presentations, conferences, fairs etc.

What are the conferences that are on your yearly schedule to attend?

I am notorious for not attending any conventions. My family life and my 9-5 often conflict with me being a regular at the cons; plus it’s just not economically smart for me to purchase a table at conventions at this point in my career. When my artwork starts paying the bills, most definitely.

What advice do you give to aspiring artists of all mediums about the importance of events and how do you prepare to maximize your potential at these fairs?

Just be smart with your money, you don’t have to buy a table/booth. I would just hit the floor with a bag of my products, not to sell to fans, but to give away to possible investors or people with clout within the industry.

Artsentience (To recall details of what, when and where you were when you created the art piece.)

The image of BrotherMan.

Tell me about this image, who/what it is, what it means and take us back to the situations, feelings and times you experienced during its creation..

I drew this picture shortly after reading the throwback Brotherman comic books I had purchased from Dawud at ECBACC 08. I had been hearing about the Brotherman comic for a while in the underground scene and was blown away when I finally got a chance to read the books. Dawud is definitely a pioneer in the hip hop, animation and comic book fusion style that so many artist use now.

Also, The Mass Appeal bookcover

The Mass Appeal sketchbook cover you see was not my first choice actually. I was going to have a tough looking (but cute) girl in a school uniform holding a katana, but I saw that Khary Randalph had done a similar picture, so I decided to do a graffiti writer girl.

Life started first, and art was inspired by life, but every since then there has been a continuous loop of art and life imitating and influencing each other.

When you cut art programs out of schools, you get bad movies, bad albums etc. Art is vital to our survival, that’s why in every disaster movie where the world is going to end and a small group of people are being put together to be placed in a fallout bunker to survive the apocalypse, they always include an artist.

I’m all over the internet: Facebook, Deviantart, Blacksuperhero.com forums and my blog of course.

Charliefabgoubile.blogspot.com

Charlie-fab.deviantart.com

Facebook.com/charliefabgouble

Twitter: fabuccino

What impact would you like your art to make on the world?

A positive one.

What are your favorite quotes or philosophies of life that help you improve as a person or artist?

“Be water, my friend” –Bruce Lee

Is there anything else that you want the readers to know, feel free to elaborate.

Whatever you do, keep it FUNKY!

YEAH, so that's the first interview down. Thanks FAB for taking the time. I really appreciate it.

PEACE!

MEDIA EXPOSURE

2010-12-13T12:29:00.000-10:00

CHICAGORADIO interviewed me and here is the link CHICAGORADIO.

UPDATED SITE

2010-12-06T08:40:00.000-10:00

The updated site 360BEYOND is finally done. A few more links to make live but they point to my personal projects. Here is my latest e-marketing plugger. Check it out.

2010-11-05T12:46:00.000-10:00

This art piece was done by Charlie 'FAB' Goubile! Check for his art over at The Fab Cave! Every Friday, he has Fab Friday Sketch where he takes requests for FREE sketches of ideas.

Drop your requests at charliefabgoubile@gmail.com

Thanks again, FAB!!!

New Writing-Chicago Radio Portrait Of An Artist

2010-10-28T08:23:00.001-10:00

Peace,
Here are new links to the music reviews that I did:
Kenya
Turtel Onli
TreeHouse Flavor
Killanoize

Its not as many that I wanted to do for Chicago Artist Month but hey, as they say, life sometimes gets in the way! Good news is that I've received some great feedback and I will plan to do more next month for CHICAGO RADIO and also of course here under 360FAVES. So be on the look out!

Peace, Power & Prosperity!
Pharaoh

CHICAGO RADIO NEWS DROP

2010-10-14T03:29:00.001-10:00

PEACE!
Check out the Chicago Radio news drop with information about Da Black Age of Comics. http://chir.ps/81v

Living In da Black Age II Covers

2010-10-09T14:46:00.000-10:00

DA BLACK AGE

The Joes always get it right!!!! Art Stars everywhere!!!!!!! During this 'BLACK AGE XIII" things will pop. The DuSable Museum leads in with a special presentation for the late female pioneer Jackie Ormes. Oct. 15th at Graham Crackers Comic book superstore Eric Battle L.A. Banks , N. Steven Harris, and Ashley Woods along with John Jennings will be doing a lunch hour signing courtesy of Onli Studios. Then Black Age Central is scheduled for a test run as the world's first Black Age store with the Friends of the Blackstone Library. The convention will be the day of Oct. 16th. Featuring Afua Richardson , Arie Monroe, Yaounde Olu and many more. We will have the producers of the DC Capital City Hip Hop Soul Festival Moon and Maceo in attendance with our theme of Celebrating Sustahs of the Black Age. Larry Stroman will be there too John Jennings will be doing a signing for Black Comix at the DuSable Museum. www.dusablemuseum.org Etc. Etc. Indie today: Black Age Forever!!!!! (Reprinted Post from Turtel Onli off of the BlackSuperHero.com/HeroTalk Forum

Another post for CHICAGO ARTIST MONTH>>TREEHOUSE FLAVOR-Artist Review

2010-10-06T06:49:00.000-10:00

Here is another Chicago Artist review of a hip hop group, TreeHouse Flavor on CHICAGO RADIO BLOG !!!!!
Keep things moving with the creativity with my writing.
Here is the Link:

PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST / CHICAGO ARTIST MONTH REVIEW

PEACE, POWER & PROSPERITY!
Pharaoh

For CHICAGO ARTIST MONTH>> KILLANOIZE - Artist Review

2010-10-04T07:12:00.000-10:00

This month you can catch some of my writing on CHICAGO RADIO BLOG reviewing/highlighting Chicago Artists!!!!! Here is the Link:
PORTRAIT OF AN ARTIST for CHICAGO ARTIST MONTH

CHICAGO RADIO live at C2E2 for the Black Comix panel. Part 1

2010-04-30T06:07:00.001-10:00

Here is a video I did recently. Its done in several parts and I still need to upload 5 more to youtube. Its for CHICAGO RADIO, a media/communications internet radio station with my wifey. Let me know what you think. This panel was at C2E2 (Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo) earlier this month in Chicago.

READING IS FUNDEMENTAL!!!

2010-04-29T05:05:00.000-10:00

This is a great story of community activism and how one concerned, compassionate and motivated individual can make a great impact on the lives of the youth! She deserves much respect for what she's done to teach and educate the future leaders...can you say the same?!

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

BLACKCOMIX

2010-04-15T14:38:00.001-10:00

It’s time for a Black Super Hero!
Truth be told, its always been time.
From the pages of history; written and unwritten to the achievements and gifts given to the world; celebrated and otherwise ignored – there has always been heroes. Ah but for Black superheroes, you maybe familiar with some but trust me, there are many, many more! This weekend starting tomorrow, C2E2 is in town. The Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo (C2E2) is in town at The Lakeside Center in The McCormick Place to highlight industry professionals and their unique comic artwork. Black Comix, a creative movement headed by art and comic creators Damian Duffy and John Jennings have a panel at C2E2 called
BLACK COMIX: AFRICAN AMERICAN INDEPENDENT COMICS, ART & CULTURE, and will take place in room E352 on Saturday, April 17 from 5:15PM – 6:15PM. On a mission to educate and entertain on the art, culture, vibrancy of a growing surge of talent, the panel and their discussion will help spread the word about overlooked Black comics and their creators. The panel is scheduled to include; comics scholar Stanford Carpenter and comics creators Ashley A. Woods (Millennia War), Jiba Anderson (The Horsemen), and Turtel Onli (Malcolm-10, Sustah Girl).
Yes, of course you’ve heard of Superman, Wonder Woman, Spiderman and Batman but come out and learn about Ogun, Hannah, Dziva Jones, Malcolm-10 and others.

Peace, Power & Prosperity To All The Creators!

360FAVES =>> CHICAGO RADIO - THE VOICE OF THE WEB

2010-04-13T08:32:00.005-10:00

CHICAGO RADIO BLOG

Ok, ok..sure I have something to do with this blog. I write article copy every blue moon and help update it but it it’s a growing project. Chicago Radio Wordpress is the blog to Chicago Radio a media/communication project that’s the brain baby of Nicole Cabell (shouts and love wifey!). With a diverse communications background from human resources, training, public speaking, voice-overs and radio broadcast, Nicole felt the need to use the internet and its resources to develop her own vehicle of communication. Guess what? It’s a success!

Past shows range from important world events like the Haiti Crisis, entertainment by interviewing opera star Nicole Cabell (no kidding) and Doodlebug from Hip Hop group, Digable Planets and issues like #StopChicagoYouthKillings. Chicago Radio is becoming a major media vehicle from local to global. Chicago Radio: The Voice Of The Web or to paraphrase a Chicago Radio follower Catch Reck / #crecks on Twitter- Chicago Radio Information, Entertainment and everything in between!

You can check for previous podcasts on www.chicagoradiolive.com and for a more extensive listing and future broadcasts on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chicagoradio.

Stay tuned when I spotlight another Favorite!

Peace.

C2E2 Here I Come!!

2010-04-12T16:28:00.001-10:00

Cool Blast!! Its been awhile, too many years since I've been to a comic book convention!!! I will be at C2E2 starting this Friday through Sunday!!

Cool Blast, Part II!! I will be there as Media through CHICAGO RADIO, my wifey's project that I collab on!! It should be cool to catch the creative works and network. I will post pictures here and on CHICAGO RADIO'S BLOG

another promo design

2010-02-24T16:47:00.003-10:00

My wife, Nicole Cabell is doing another great interview tomorrow! http://www.blogtalkradio.com/chicagoradio
Chicago Radio
So I created a promo for the show!!

design update

2010-01-30T20:23:00.007-10:00

It's been awhile..yet again!
I just did a quick e-promo for my lovely wife's CHICAGO RADIO project! She's doing BIG things and I am very proud of her!!!! From fund-raising for Haiti or showcasing interesting people, she's creating quality product everytime!! Love you!!! Keep doing YOU!

This time she's interviewing a very talented illustrator - MSHINDO I. KUUMBA!!
This is will be a very entertaining interview!!!
You can listen here:
Or catch her on Twitter.

HELP FOR HAITI!

2010-01-15T05:45:00.004-10:00

PEACE! Happy New Year to Everyone!

By now, help has begun to arrive and provide support for the country Haiti and its People!
We can do what we can here in the U.S.
Check for this article and audio report here:
http://nicolecabell.wordpress.com/

If you can, provide support, give your prayers and pass the info on!
PEACE!

THINKING A MASTERPLAN

2009-06-17T10:39:00.000-10:00

Gathering my jumble thoughts
and scattered memories
to piece together the next element of design
for my website.

PROJECT UPDATES

2009-06-08T05:37:00.003-10:00

I completed a logo for CHICAGO RADIO and I'm finishing a promo video for AURA TANGO, that will be up on my new site soon!

TIME/ESSENCE

2009-03-17T08:00:00.002-10:00

So many creative thoughts and ideas, so little resources; money, support & time.

I'm on the paper chase for more finance and in this economy; easier wished than achieved.
Regardless,everyday is another 24 hours to keep my visions and ambitions alive and well.
In preparation for the latest release of my site, which this time I tend to keep for awhile (being an artistic, I always wanna change something), I've expanded my web presence to include a myspace, two deviantArt accounts ( 360 & Nubian7, a twitter account and a few more blogs I will drop later.
WHY? Two reasons. 1) To further express my creativity in a number of unique ways that may capture the attention of those in the public domain besides friends and family.
2) Internet marketing is vast and very necessary for the promotion of projects, products and such with the intention to sell projects to those other than friends & family.
For me, I don't blog for the sake of blogging or twitter for the sake of twittering. There's still too much to do...time is of the essence and besides I've got to spend time with my wife and son and those friends and family!
PEACE!

CURRENT PROJECT - LLOYD HALSELL

2009-03-17T07:31:00.006-10:00

I am working with this artist to promote their jazz music from the Web Marketing standpoint. Check his site -
. Its new and will be updated, in the meantime listen to two samples of his tunes. The services I'm providing are cd layout, plugger/flyer design and overall creating a road map of marketing for him.

EXPANDING THE USAGE OF INTERNET TOOLS

2009-03-16T13:40:00.004-10:00

I've returned after a hiatus of sorts. I'm remixing www.360BEYOND.com, my site and my wife has me twittering or tweeting? For those not in the know, its a short-hand social networking site that allows you to send short blurbs about whatever. Now I suppose people join these things (blogger, myspace, etc) for all sorts of reasons but I view them as marketing/promotional tools to leave breadcrumbs, if you will, back to my main site. So follow me here, follow me there ( http://twitter.com/360beyond ) or myspace ( http://www.myspace.com/360BEYOND ).

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME...

2007-07-31T09:11:00.000-10:00

...since the last time I've dropped anything..
let's see..
on the personal my wife and I have finally taken care of some real estate business. It was a pain to say the least but hopefully will be worth the agony...
...wifey has a new gig
..my son is growing and expanding his knowledge, he will soon be back in a school that nurtures him in the manner he needs..

On the Creative..
...my site www.360BEYOND.com is finally launched! There are some aspects I need to implement but the site is here!
Go check for it, www.360BEYOND.com. Let me know what you think...buy some services etc (hint)
...I'm still working on 360BEYOND in-house projects, my sci-fi novel to be published through NUBIAN7Publishing, will have some great artwork from the likes of MDGEIST(the ILLPEN), MSHINDO I (Natural Mystic), STANDINGO (the Great) and others. I've to decide if it will be a collection within the novel or separate book (this publishing thing ain't cheap). Anyway, that's all for now.

in parting...

I CAN'T TEACH MY SON TO CHASE HIS DREAMS...IF I DON'T GO FOR MINE!

PEACE!

2007-03-03T19:40:00.000-10:00

Speaking of Queen, this was a logo I created for her show. It was a jazz-talk show. She hosted it for more than 3 years on the radio

QUEENSHOT

2007-03-03T19:34:00.000-10:00

Candid shot of my Queen.

The Meaning of...

2007-03-03T18:29:00.000-10:00

People have asked me what does 360BEYOND mean. I call it an artistic entity, more than a slick business name. It represents where I want to go. Like I said in About Me, I've had different manifestations. Some were Lyons Den and Eclipse. 360BEYOND was inspired by a cartoon. I said it..a cartoon. It was called Beast Wars, which was based on the old Transformers cartoons. Instead of turning into cars or machines, these Beasts would change into a stronger image of themselves by yelling "I AM TRANSFORMED!" I AM TRANSFORMED! For some reason, it sounded like an affirmation and declaration of self development and improvement. I felt that to Transform you had to understand where you were in your life 360degrees and then go beyond to reach your potential. Hence, 360BEYOND. In business, I say to clients, that my services will help them go "360 and beyond" towards their goals.

So there you have it. Inspired by a cartoon. Who knew?

..a little late but always on time!

2007-03-02T08:15:00.000-10:00

First off, all praises due to the universal force of nature GOD, respect and libations to all the known and unknown ancestors, special acknowledgements to my holy trinity-the Elders who raised and sacrificed for me. I exist as the sum total of those that came before me..
Incredible amounts of love to my queen for putting up with me and for being the mother to my Legacy, my son.

It's taken a minute for me to get into this blogging thing. Of course, I've read them and responded, however my own wasn't necessarily a desire. However, there now is a need. Soon my website, www.360BEYOND.com will go live and the blog will help promote my services and concepts.

Respect due to my wife, Mahogany for really getting into blogging with wnlo.blogspot.com and my cousin Ski for sincererefinement.blogspot.com & schottstyles.blogspot.com. You keep doing your thing and now I'm about to do mine!