#long story short; collab event /j

[shoutmonishere]

Name: Amory Gavin

Age: 30

Pronouns: They/Them

Height: 6'2"

Info: Amory is an Elite Knight of Kanterbury Kingdom.

Their exceptional swordsmanship along with their strong affinity with dark element magic makes them nothing short of formidable to face off with, which eventually led them to acquiring the nickname "The Shadow Warden" amongst their colleagues.

Although they may appear grim and ruthless to many outsiders and newer Guardians, they are anything but- a gentle giant, essentially.

They are kindhearted but stern, often looking like they carry patience of a saint, but when it's stretched way too thin, be prepared to meet the Warden's signature blade, Black Thorn— or getting the meanest side eye and somewhat passive aggressive comments.

However, following the collapse of Kanterbury along with all out invasion from an unknown enemy, Amory and the Princess of said kingdom had been tasked to sought out the 13 Champions from across the globe to stop these unknown invaders.

It was going relatively good until....

Well...

Complications came their way and landed them somewhere entirely different.

Appearance:

You can find them under the ♠️[The Shadow Warden]♠️ tag

[jadethest0ne]

35! Go for it! ✨

Oh right, for this ask game! I had nearly forgotten about it XD

35. Ramble about any fic-related thing you want! 

If there was one fic-related thing I’d want to ramble about it’d be specifically being a comic artist, and the different things I experienced going from the Pokemon fandom to the RotTMNT fandom as a comic artist.

I spent 5 years creating a Pokemon comic called “Liberty”, based on a nuzlocke playthrough of Pokemon Soul Silver (basically pokemon on hard-mode with permadeath involved for those of you who don’t know what a nuzlocke is). Meanwhile, it’s been just over a year since my first foray into creating comics for the Rise fandom.

The Similarities

The Disparity between Fanart and Fanfiction

Being a comic artist is odd sometimes because I basically do both fanart and fanficiton at the same time. I can understand and vibe with what a lot of both fanartists and fanfiction writers go through and deal with. This is why I feel like I can answer a lot of these fanfiction questions despite a good chunk of my story-telling being visual.

I am also aware of the disparity between fanart often getting a lot more eyes and attention than fanfiction. Deciding to write a piece of fanfiction instead of draw it out in comic format is often a calculated choice on my part, because writing prose takes more energy from me and often gets less rewards via views and interaction from readers. But despite it taking more energy, it takes less overall time for me to write something out than draw the same story, so I often factor that in when deciding which medium to create a story in.

I feel bad that a lot of fanfiction writers don’t get the attention that they deserve because of this disparity, so may I remind readers to please please PLEASE support your fanfiction creators and interact with their work! It seriously means a lot to them! Even a little message or a reblog will do! The main similarity between these two fandoms is this disparity, and I think it’d be awesome if we could get the number of interactions between fanart/fancomics and fanfiction to be more equal.

The Differences

I’m more popular as a Rise artist?

So, as I said, I spent 5 years making a Pokemon comic and 1 year creating a bunch of Rise comics. And yet I think I got more (or at least the same number of) viewers on my Rise comics in that one year than on my Pokemon comics in 5 years. I certainly got a similar number of followers, despite the differences in time. One of the main reasons for this is likely due to the social media platforms I posted on. I posted “Liberty” on deviantart and on the Pokemon Nuzlocke forums, the latter being particularly niche. As for my Rise comics and artwork, I branched out to other sites including here on Tumblr, Instagram, AO3, and Twitter (though insta got fewer comics due to the image size restrictions). The number and popularity of the sites I posted Rise artwork to are more than deviantart and that is likely a big reason. The other reasons for my increase in popularity may be for some of the other differences...

There aren’t that many comic artists in the TMNT fandom

I could probably name only a handful of consistent comic creators in, not only the Rise fandom, but in the TMNT fandom. And I mean the long-running, over-arching story type of comic creators. There aren’t that many of us. There are tons of artists and fanfic writers out there, yes, but very few that combine the two.

Meanwhile the Pokemon community has TONS. Especially the nuzlocke community. Heck, the Pokemon nuzlocke community started and was named because of a popular comic detailing the events of the creator’s nuzlocke challenge playthrough of Pokemon Emerald. You get a little bit more lost in the crowd amongst so many other comic artists in the Pokemon community, but at the same time have more people to learn from and relate to in that way.

My involvement with the Fandoms has been different

There’s been a lot of collaboration and working together among creators within each respective fandom. I feel like personally, a lot of my collabs with Rise creators has been a lot more direct and more personal than the kind of things I did in the Pokemon fandom.

For example, in the Pokemon comic fandom, it was really common to cameo each others’ characters in your comic, or include each others’ comics or characters in memes. This wasn’t always a planned thing, though we would ask each other for permission. I joined a Pokemon comic discord, but most of my interactions there and on other platforms involved brainstorming help. Not only that, but sometimes the community was a bit more competitive as well. For instance the Nuzlocke Forums would hold an “extravaganza” every year where folks voted on various categories to vote for the best nuzlocke (I won “Best Pokemon” and “Most improved” in 2018 :3 ).

Meanwhile with the Rise fandom, I did more things like art trades, collaborative art pieces, and zine work. These were a lot more direct and planned out and involved a bit more trust and interaction with other artists. I also became close friends with the folks in the discords that I joined as part of a Rise server, beyond just “fellow creator”.

As a result, I found myself doing a lot more serious artwork and even created other fics for the Rise fandom beyond just my comics, while when it came to Pokemon I stuck mainly to my “Liberty” art/comics.

More eyes, less interaction and visa versa

Again, this could be mainly a differences in what social media I’m using, but a big difference I found between readers of my work is that I got A LOT more people commenting on my Pokemon comic than on my Rise comics. I may be getting more views on my TMNT comics, but boy did I get more interaction with my Pokemon comics. I would get at least 5 people leaving these in-depth analysis or guesses of what would happen on each page for my Pokemon comic, not to mention the dozens of other reactions I would get in the comments. And despite that comic being on hiatus for a year, I still get some comments on it!

So, unless I know the commenter personally, I feel a little less involved with my readership with my Rise comics than my Pokemon one. Which is a little sad. I do appreciate you all who appreciate my work, but I feel like I appreciate you from afar and can only go “awww” at the things y’all leave in the notes or on the anonymous asks I get, instead of being able to thank you more directly.

Rise readers are a bit less patient

I get lots more people asking me “when the next page is coming” on my Rise comics and fics much more often than on my Pokemon comic. This virtually never happened with my Pokemon comic. Granted, I was way more consistent with “Liberty” and it had a set schedule, whereas my Rise comics/fanfics never have. But still.

I really DO NOT like those kinds of asks/comments. Please do not ask me when the next one is coming out. It makes me feel stressed and ashamed and pressured, which can create negative feelings around my work and make me less likely to finish them. I get that you’re excited, and that’s cool. But literally no one likes those kinds of comments.

For perspective, “Liberty”, my Pokemon comic, has been on hiatus for nearly a year and I’ve gotten maybe two comments to that effect, and they were newer readers who weren’t around at the time that I announced my hiatus and the reasons thereof. My “Liberty” readers have been so patient with me (bless them), and I feel a real loyalty to that kind of readership. I don’t know when, yet, but I really want to get back to “Liberty” someday, not just for myself or that story that I lovingly crafted, but also for them.

Pokemon was a hobby, Rise is a passion

Likely due to the fact that I have made a lot of close friends within the Rise community, and the fact that it has helped me immensely through this really tough year, I feel so much closer with the Rise creator community. Pokemon was a thing that I did for fun as a side hobby. My TMNT related comics and art have pushed me so much further in my art, gotten me involved in various projects, gotten me into creating animations, holy heck was I sucked into this fandom in such a short amount of time, and I love it so much.

I have been a fan of Pokemon since I was a kid, and I never thought I’d find a piece of media that would capture my attention and adoration as much. I think at a point when I was shifting from the Pokemon to the Rise fandom I said something along the lines of “I feel like I’m cheating on Pokemon with Rise”/j but it’s kinda true, haha!

In the end, both fandoms and the people in them mean a lot to me, and I’ve grown a lot from them as an artist and a person. I will be forever grateful to the other creators, readers, artists, writers, friends, collaborators, etc in both.

Thank you all very much!

[rbeatz]

A Beautiful Tragedy: An Interview with Conrad Clifton

I met Conrad Clifton at an event and like most new producers I meet at these events, I immediately checked out his music when I got home. I was impressed by the versatility in his beats and eclectic nature to his sound. There were elements of hip-hop, trap, indie, latin, and dream synth oriented electronic music that had me dubbing his sound certainly as unique. I couldn’t quite put my finger on a specific genre, and at the same time, I couldn’t stop listening. When I normally hear someone who makes “beats,” I’m waiting for a top line (aka vocals) to help the track add another layer; however, Conrad’s beats stand alone and that need for a vocal element doesn’t necessarily exist. Although he has some vocalists on certain tracks.

Conrad Clifton has been praised by various publications. He is an Independent Music Award Winner for BEST DANCE/ELECTRONICA EP. He was dubbed one of the Top 10 Standout Act at SXSW 2017 by Culture Trip. He performed at Billboard Hot 100 Festival in 2015 and has continued to work with artists and other producers in the industry. His sound production and arrangement narrative are super professional, and he does a lot of his acts LIVE. This is NEXT LEVEL if you ask me.

His newest album, Infinity Pool, was released this spring. I listen to this album while I work, while I clean my house, and I’ll throw it on in the background if I have a bunch of people over. It’s the perfect ambiance music, and I’ve heard through the grape vine that his live act really takes his music to the next level.

I had the pleasure of interviewing Conrad Clifton. You know the drill, click the Spotify embed below and read his full interview below to get the FULL Conrad Clifton experience.

INTERVIEW:

Where are you from and how has that shaped the musician you are today?

I grew up in the Midwest, where everything I listened to was also influenced different genres. I mainly listened to hip-hop, but being in the middle of the country, rap didn’t really have it’s own distinct sound, so we pulled heavily from the East Coast sound as well as West Coast and Dirty South. I came up listening to a lot of Wu-Tang, Nas, Snoop, Dr. Dre, OutKast and UGK. Hip-hop and the samples being used in their productions really exposed me to all different genres of music, so from that, I started studying songs from jazz, soul, indie rock and experimental electronic music. It wasn’t till much later that I got into dance music and started seeing how all these sounds and vibes fit together, or (more importantly) how they could fit together.

What instruments did you play when you were younger?

I studied piano for a few years when I was a kid. My parents got me lessons, but I had too much energy and would’ve rather been outside playing basketball or doing anything else that was actually fun, haha. So I didn’t stick with it, unfortunately. I retained just enough to be creative, now. Can’t really read music anymore. I just play by ear.

Are there an instruments that you currently wish you COULD play?

I’ve always wished that I could play the drums. Percussion really, really speaks to me. You can hear that in my music, I love the creative possibilities of what you can build with only percussion-like sounds.

Tell us the story of how you started creating music on your computer?

I use to play around with rap when I was really young, rapping to songs on the radio or rap instrumentals, but eventually I decided I really wanted to try to write lyrics and make songs. That’s what made me start producing; the necessity of original music to make songs to. I started using really lightweight programs like MTV Generator & Hip Hop eJay, where you just drag and drop samples into place on a timeline. I’ve come a loooong way since those days, thankfully. I graduated to hardware samplers, and then heavyweight DAWs like Cakewalk, Nuendo, Cubase, and ultimately ProTools. Now, I do all my work in Ableton.

What was your favorite studio moment when producing your latest album, Beautiful Tragedy?

Wow, I’m not sure. Probably when I was able to finesse my field recording Roll Call into a percussive transition going into Prince of Crown Heights. I actually recorded the sounds of the West Indian Day Parade, around the corner from my apartment. Then I layered up those live sounds with some tribal percussion that I use throughout POCH. It’s so important for an album to be more than just a collection of songs. It should breath. Like there should be moments, you know? That whole transition from track 1 through track 3 really gave the album a unique feel.

What do you like to do when you’re simply hanging out – aside from music?

I’m pretty heavy into movies. Thrillers and Sci-Fi mainly. And of course, that’s where you hear the most interesting and creative sound design and score. So even there, I can’t get away from it, haha. I’m determined to make music for movies some day. S/O to RZA and Trent Reznor.

Who are your musical influences?

I’m really influenced by “1-of-1” artists and producers, which is what I hope to become. Like, there’s only one Timbaland. Nobody could innovate the sound of a genre the way he did. There’s only one Four Tet, Flying Lotus, Hudson Mohawke, Thom Yorke or J Dilla. So it’s hard to be different. It would be much easier for me to go out and emulate the lit trap artist, or the most pop sounding future bass producer, and win. But that’s short-term thinking. Long-term it makes more sense to be genuine to your creativity and passion.

Who is one of your favorite acts right now to watch live?

Instrumentally, I’d say Bonobo. I love the way he makes use of the players in his band, and all of the sections of his music where he’ll bring in a full choir, or whatever’s necessary to fulfill his vision sonically. In terms of overall music and creative sound design, I love seeing Four Tet or Hudson Mohawke. The way they compose and deliver the music in a live format, and the music itself, really gets to me.

Who has been one of your favorite artists to collab with?

I’ve been working with some really amazing artists that everyone needs to hear. I plan on putting more music out with them in 2018. As far as more established artists, I really loved working with Yelawolf. We did a lot of work together in the past, and to see him become so successful has been really dope. He’s always been a true artist.

What are some of your favorite venues to play and why?

Soundpieces at Monarch in San Francisco was really dope. The sound system was incredible, and the crowd was one of the best I’ve ever experienced. So much love and good vibes from the people there. Also, the main room at Flash in DC was super lit for pretty much the same reasons: the sound system bangs, and the people were dope. In NYC, Rough Trade and Knitting Factory are really good too.

Have you played at any festivals?

Yes! Looking forward to doing more. Billboard Hot 100 Fest was sick, I actually got to watch Lil Wayne’s show from backstage. This year, SXSW was amazing. I got to do a showcase that included some of my favorite artists, like San Holo, Sweater Beats, Chrome Sparks and a lot more. I really loved NXNE in Toronto, as well.

What DAW do you use and why?

I’ve used so many over the years, but now, I do everything in Ableton, composing, mixing, mastering, and performing. It’s the best thing I’ve found that allows you to creatively make different pieces of music, and randomly trial-and-error how pieces fit together like a puzzle. It’s really freeing to be able to work that way, verses lining all your pieces up on a linear timeline, and building song sections that way. It’s also really fun to perform with, triggering audio clips, and throwing in sound effects on the fly.

Do you have a typical music production process? If yes, can you explain it?

Since I’m influenced by so many genres, it’s hard for me to just pick what type of song I want to make before starting on a track, so I don’t fight that. I usually just start by searching for a sound element or virtual instrument that inspires some feeling. After that, I follow it down a rabbit hole, in a way. Depending on what vibe I’m getting from the initial sounds I used and chord progression, I can start to hear/feel how the drums should sound, and I’ll adjust the tempo before starting to add percussion sounds. From there, it’s a whole building process, all driven by feeling. I just go were it takes me, and I never force it. I can’t even complete a song, unless I’m in love with it and feel like I could listen to it over and over.

What is your favorite MIDI Controller or instrument to produce with right now?

In addition to a few other keyboards, I use the Ableton Push 2 when producing and performing. It’s definitely my favorite piece of gear. The tech is deep, and it makes everything easier. I don’t even need to look at my laptop screen when I’m performing, and my sessions are really involved, so that says a lot.

What is one of your favorite or go-to VST Plugin?

I use Native Instruments Komplete, which is more of a collection of VSTs, but it’s definitely a go-to. So many options to choose from to spark ideas.

Do you have a key production tip for our young producers out there?

I’d encourage young producers to take a class on audio mixing, or take lessons from someone who knows. Sooner or later you’ll realize how important it is for you to be able to manipulate the sound spectrum, and be able to bring all your ideas to life. Plus, it’s great to not need someone else in order to finish your own song.

What food do you eat the most?

I’m vegan, so mostly fresh vegetables, big salads, and thick hearty soups.

What is next for Conrad Clifton?

Well Beautiful Tragedy came out this spring, and I released the Nitemare remixes in the summer, but I’m ready to put out some more new music. So I’m currently finishing a follow up to the album. It’ll have a crazy remix of  Time on it, plus some really vibey new originals, and a surprise VIP mix. Beautiful Tragedy was such a strong overall project, and I just want to continue where it leaves off, like a stream of consciousness in a way. You’ll understand when you hear this new EP. Can’t wait to share it!

from rBeatz Radio http://ift.tt/2yIX8RE