Publishing, Commercial and Art Usage

Are you available for commission?
Yes, although I currently have very limited availability so please provide me with an overview of the job and the Ts&Cs I'll let you know straight away whether I can take it on

Are you interested in submitting existing work for publication?
I certainly could be, depending on the publication of course

Do you do spec work, or commissions for non-guaranteed payment?
No

Would you rather lick piss off a thistle than do spec work?
Yes

Can I use your art on my site?
Email me with your site URL and a list of the images you want to use. If all looks well I'll likely say yes, as long as you include my name and a working link back to my site next to every image

What would cause you to say "No" to my using your images on my site?
If you're a raving lunatic who intends to use them to illustrate an appallingly-written pornographic poem allegedly based around a satire of Middle Eastern politics. Yes, that actually happened.

Can I use your art for avatars?
If you like. There's no need to ask as long as the resized version is under 150 x 150 pixels

Can I change your images in any way, like spatter them with rainbows, fairies and gay unicorns?
I'd appreciate it if you didn't

Do you sell prints?
Not right now, although I am considering it

Methods

What software do you use?
Painter X.1

Mac or PC?
I use a PC (dual core, 4Gb) at the moment, with 20.1" NEC monitor

What tablet do you use?
Wacom Intuos3 A4

What brushes do you use?
I normally design my own. I tend to use "real oil" brushes mainly, with a few others for fine detail and spatter. I use pressure sensitivity on all brushes so that I can control the amount and consistency of "paint" without continually swapping between brushes

How long do you spend on an image?
Between 7 and 40 hours, depending on the complexity and the intended usage

Do you use photos in your work?
I sometimes reference from photos, especially when painting anatomy and clothing. I don't include any photos in the painting itself, however

Advice

What do I need to become a digital painter?
A computer, a tablet, painting software, a decent monitor, perseverance, dedication, a thick skin and a spark of raw talent

Do you have any tips for digital painters just starting out?
It's not long since I was in that position My advice is to keep at it, always finish your pieces and always put them up for critique. Take heed of what other artists tell you and spend time examining their work. Don't copy others and develop your own style. Never give up and practice whenever you can.

What are the best sites to post my art?
For help and advice try the forums at Epilogue and ConceptArt, and possibly those at GFXArtist too. For quality exposure submit to the Epilogue galleries, the ConceptArt finished work forums or get a CGSociety page and submit to it through the CGTalk forums. GFXArtist has some decent galleries too. My personal advice would be to avoid sites such as DeviantArt and Elfwood else your brain will crumble into twee fairy dust.

Is formal tutoring essential to become a digital artist?
It's not essential (I don't have any) although I suspect quality schooling could prove very useful, especially if you're serious about art. Beyond that, I'm not qualified to comment

General

Do you have any tutorials?
Sorry, I'm not much of a tutorials guy. I do occasionally do them for magazines and I'll sometimes post notifications of these in the News section.

How long have you been doing art?
I started off messing about with Bryce in 2002 and progressed to digital painting a year later

Do you have a traditional art background?
Nope, not at all, unless you count drawing dinosaurs when I was nine

Are you a full-time artist / illustrator?
Not at present. I have a day job that's totally challenging and interesting. Pffff....

Who are your favourite artists?
Keith Parkinson, Phil Hale, Frank Frazetta, David Curtis, Rodney Matthews, Jim Burns, Craig Mullins, Boris Vallejo, Julie Bell, Justin Sweet, Cos Koniotis, Mattias Snygg, Jon Foster, Dave Palumbo, Matthew Stawicki, Jacek Yerka, Donato Giancola, Scott Fischer, JP Targete and many others

Can I email you and ask you more questions?
Sure

Will you reply?
Very unlikely

Why is that?
Most people don't even say thanks when I've spent time replying with advice so now I don't bother at all. Life's too short.

Are bald guys better lovers?
Yes