I've really had to give this a lot of thought. Throughout my career I have done many interviews with publications worldwide. I have written many bio's on myself, and I've had friends do it for me as well. I have been interviewed on several TV and radio shows, but I have never written about why, how or the highs and lows. So, let me start with who I really am.
Everyone knows me as Nick Rose, but my real name is William Johns. For a few years as I trained under Master Daniel Horne and I used my real name. I felt that for my training I should use my real name, I don't know why, but I did. That was a decision I regretted making later. For a living, most of my life I have been a floor installer. My stepfather started me working when I was around 10 years old, and at 51 I still install floors here and there to help make ends meet. I was never one of the "Golden" boys that was able to afford to go to a name art school. The best I could do was a local community college after I got out of the army, and the truth is, if you ever hope to make a living working in publishing as an artist, you will need some formal training. Without it, the best you can hope for is to work in small press, which I did for over 25 years.
I am by no means trying to discourage any artist out there, but I am being straight with you and letting you know what it will take if this is your dream. I do believe in dreams and most of my dreams have come true or coming true. But I did have help.
I honestly believe that I was not born an artist. I didn't even start drawing until I was in the army. At that point, I wanted to draw Spiderman or comic's. Spiderman was my hero when I was a young , and still is. I do hope that one day I can find the time to do some paintings of my hero, and maybe even get paid to do it. But as an artist, I do a lot of things just out of love. I really want to do some illustrations from "The Dark Knight" which is, without a doubt, my all time favorite movie.
But my biggest love has always been Horror, closely followed by Fantasy and Science Fiction. The first Science Fiction movie I can ever remember seeing is "The Day the Earth Stood Still" I was 6 years old and it was on a Monday,. I remember it very clearly because it was the day that President Kennedy was assassinated. I remember they let us out of school early, and they didn't tell us why. I really didn't understand what had happened but everyone was very upset or in tears. But that night, on "The Best Of Hollywood" they played the movie, and that changed me forever.
From there I found out about "Shock Theater" which came on at 11 pm on Saturday night, and I would sneak back up from bed after the parents went to bed to watch it. To this day, I love to stay up late after I have worked all day and watch a old classic before I go to bed. I love the "B" and 'C" movies just as much. I have a huge collection of DVD"s and 75% of them are these type of movies.
As I said before, I didn't start drawing until I was around 20, and once I was out of the army, I discovered Frank Frazetta, another life changing experience for me. I quickly lost interest in doing comic work and wanted to learn how to paint. So for years I would go to work laying carpet each day and coming home and painting until I fell asleep. This when on for many years. In 1980 I got my first piece published in a fanzine called "Stellar Gas' published by James Van Hise. A legend in his time. For you old timers you might remember his other publication, RBCC or the "Rocket Blaster Comic Collector" In its time, it was the bomb. I still have some issues that I pick up every once and a while. They bring back such wonderful memories. A lot of very talented people started their careers there.
That same year I did my first paying publishing gig for an old comic artist by the name of Gene Day. He printed a fanzine out of Canada and paid me 10 bucks each for 3 illustrations I did for his magazine. I can't remember the name of his magazine, but I sure do remember the influence the man had on me. He taught me a good bit of things, including being helpful to others.
It was around this time that I meet Clyde Caldwell. This was before he became one of the Legends of TSR, which now is Wizards of the Coast. His career was just starting to take off and we had become close friends. The man became another powerful influence in forming the artist I would become. I even modeled for some of the work he was doing for Heavy Metal magazine at the time. He was doing a John Carter series for them, and yes, with great pride, I was the model for John Carter, as well as a few monsters. lol (I've always been a huge Edgar Rice Burroughs fan, and The John Carter of Mars series was probably my favorite. Tarzan and Carson of Venus were close behind. Now to me, if I ever got the chance to do ANY Burroughs book cover, that would be a huge dream come true for me.) But then Clyde got the offer to work for TSR, and off to Wisconsin he took his family. In those days, it was hard to stay in touch, and in time we lost touch. But I will never forget the things the man did for me and the friendship we shared.
A few years after that my commercial art days started, and with a big bang. It seemed I could do no wrong. Every door I opened, there was work waiting for me, and commercial work can pay some serious bills. At that time I lived in Charlotte NC, my hometown, and was lucky enough to work for clients like the Carolina Panthers, The Charlotte Hornets (Now the New Orleans Hornets) the Charlotte Checkers, Sea World, The Carolina Lighthouse Assc., Quay Publications out of London England and even a Civil War museum out of Virginia. I even sent out some slide samples to Dragon Magazine, and they paid and published one of my early paintings in #203, well at least half of the painting. But I still have a copy of the check and the letter they wrote me.
But then two things happened. One was the internet and computers and the other was that I just wanted to paint things like horror. With the dawning of the computer age for the average person, I was one of the ones that just didn't get it. I just couldn't grasp how awesome the internet would truly be. The thought of doing art and doing business on a computer just seemed ridiculous. An although I was making money hand over fist, I started hated doing art, and tried to find any reason I could not to do it. So I quit. That was 1994, and I mean, I quit. I packed up all my art stuff and put it all in storage.
I was frustrated more than I could deal with. The only way to make a living doing what I loved was doing things I hated. I felt like a whore. So, I just gave up and turned into a drunk. This went on for 6 years, I didn't care if I lived or died, but the answer was there right in front of me, I was just to blind to see it. But in 2000 a young friend started teaching me about computers, and I did my first search, and guess what, it was for Clyde Caldwell. I found his website, and all this wonderful info about him. Interviews, everything, and after 6 drunk years, it finally dawned on me. The internet was the answer. I started looking for publishers and was amazed at how many there were out there. 1000's of them.
So, I started painting again and that was hard. After 6 years of doing nothing, I was very rusty. It took me at least a year to get my skills back up to where they were when I quit. But during this time I was learning all I could about the computer . I bought a scanner and started building a website. I started sending out samples to lots of different publishers and got a huge, positive response from small press publishers, and before long they had me working like a madman. Some of more favorite ones where Black Petals, Outer Darkness, Hadrosaur Tales to name a few. I even got a few paying gigs from gaming companies, the most notable at that time was 1000 kingdoms. I designed some figurines for them.
I started attending conventions all over the south as a guest. It was an amazing time for me. But another life changing thing happen at Shivacon in Roanoke Va in 2001. It was there that I meet one of my all time favorite artist, Master Daniel Horne. Because of him, I am where I am now doing nothing but dream jobs, getting paid and truly loving life. We got to know each other over the next few years, and in 2005 he offered to train me, to teach me everything I needed to know to be a professional. For 3 years I worked my buns off learning everything the man could teach me. I don't think at first Daniel realized that I had no formal training, but once he did, he sent me to Todd Lockwood to teach me the basics that every artist needs to know, but unless some one teaches you, you just can't figure it out on your own.
Training under Todd was intense to say the least. One of the first things he told me was that I had no business painting yet, I still had to learn how to draw. I'm not ashamed to tell you that I was in tears. After all those years, one of the very best illustrators in the world, ever, told me I didn't know how to draw, among other things. But you have to understand, Todd is a very busy man, for him to even help me was a miracle in itself. So, I got to work and did every single thing he told me to do. He even had me go downtown 2 days a week and do nothing but draw buildings from every angle possible. The man is amazing and a wonderful teacher, and I will be grateful to him till the end of time.
During all of this with Todd, Daniel had me doing assignment after assignment. He wanted me to start painting in oils. I had painted in acrylics my whole career, so making a switch like that scared me half to death. He had me painting everything from just rocks to just flowers. He was teaching me about how to paint textures and everything was painted in black and white. It was getting to the point that my brain was overloaded in a big way. I am still learning some of the things that he taught me, and my training Won't be complete until I go and spend 2 weeks with him, painting by his side, so he can show me more"Master" things in person. I hope to do this soon, this year maybe.
During all the training Daniel and his family became family to me, and he has brought me into his world on different levels. For instance, most all the artist that I have admired through the years, bought their books, prints, ect and now my friends. I am accepted in places that I could not have walked before. My number one model is Movie Star and one of my best friends, Suzi Lorraine. I try to use her image in any painting that involves a woman. I have the privilege of working with some of the very best creative people alive. Daniel choosing to train me was the biggest blessing in my life, outside of Cheryl who is the love of my life.
So now, we are here. I am working with movie studio's, music companies, publishers and on and on. There is no lack of paying work and I do my best to do it all. I feel like my career has just started and I am excited to see what I am going to do in the future. Every assignment is just an act of love and each morning I am thrilled to get up and get busy. Every day I see more and more of what Todd and Daniel taught me. I am even doing art on the computer now, and I love it. Cheryl recently bought me a Imac and I am working so much more efficient. I can do a painting in 3 days now, compared to the 3 weeks in oils.
Now we come to the wisdom part. I guess this could apply to everyone, but it is intended for young artist out there. If you want to paint what you love, then do whatever it takes (legally) to put yourself through a good art school, or go to workshops. Most pro's do them a couple times a year. Learn all you can about art. Study everything, and I mean everything. If you want to be an Illustrator, you have to learn to draw everything there is out there. Only then can you draw and paint the things you can't find pictures for. An yes, always use reference material for your work whenever possible. Learn to paint digitally as well. This will help you with deadlines and making a better living. Publishers don't pay as much as they use to, so you have to turn out more work to make ends meet. I highly recommend Corel Painter. It's not cheating like using programs like Bryce and Poser. You do all the work, it just gives you the tools to do it faster, cheaper and the results are awesome. Buy a Imac, get rid of the PC. There is no comparison, and you want your work to say quality, not just getting by. If you can't afford it, then get a second job. It's that important.
Other things to remember. Your only as good as your word and commitments. Never, ever miss a deadline. Work with morals. If you are use to stabbing people in the back to get what you want, your career will only go so far, and that's not far. Hard work, dedication and patience will make your dreams come true. Accept no substitute, because there is not one.
I will be glad to offer advice to anyone that writes to me at wickedkittystudio@yahoo.com Thank you all for taking the interest in me to take the time to read this. Peace and Blessings.
