[dodds]

It's so good to see this forum still alive and active after all these years!
I'm an old member from around 2000 and thought I'd drop back in to show you guys where I've ended up after learning to much from this forum and what I'm doing these days.

After all the encouragement and improvement in my work this forum and it's members helped me achieve, I ended up setting up my own studio and have been working for myself as a freelance illustrator for the last 15 years now, which has to be the best and most enjoyable way to earn an income I've ever experienced. I often feel guilty sending out those invoices as it doesn't feel like I've really "earned" the money.

Over the years I've had the opportunity to work on HEAPS of varied and fun projects and in a lot of different styles - the city I live in isn't huge so I found I needed to become a bit of a style-chamelion to keep enough work rolling in stay in business. Here's a link to my current portfolio if you're interested in seeing what I've been doing and I've attached a fairly recent personal piece below. (I know it's not perfect, but it was fun to do)

While programs, hardware and popular artwork styles have changed a lot over the years the fundamental lessons I learned here about lighting, composition and structure have always served me well and I don't think I would have achieved everything I have without this forum, so thank you to Dhabih, Mullins, Sumaleth, FlushGarden, Loki and all the other members who made this place such a great place to share art and learn.

It's also been a great place to meet like minds and make new friends - many of which have developed into long lasting real life friendships & connections with great artists I never would have otherwise met.

If any artists on here want to add me on Facebook or Instagram please feel free - it's where I post most of my work these days:
Facebook link
Instagram link

(PS my original forum profile was "rdgraffix" but I can't seem to log into that now as it's either an inactive account or is linked to an old work email address - can anyone help?)


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Rowan Dodds
Inksplat Studios

Real-ink™ Digital Brushes Project

[Sumaleth]

Hey, it's good to see you back with a catchup post! There's some really great work on your website too.

Sijun is still running but it's quiet these days. There's only a few people still posting here now.

I didn't know you were in Adelaide. I imagine you have the market largely to yourself there.

It's amazing to see where all the old Sijuners have ended up.

-Rowan/Sumaleth
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Art Links Archive -- Artists and Tutorials

[dodds]

Thanks Sumaleth - it’s great to hear from you too, and I appreciate your comments on my work. Yours is looking top-notch too!

You’d think I’d have the run of little old Adelaide but surprisingly there are probably hundreds of professional artists of one sort or another holed away here. Personally I love that as there are always creative people and workshops/groups to catch up with when I need inspiration, feedback or just need to get out of the studio for a bit and talk custom brushes.

You’re based in Melbourne right? We should catch up some time when we’re in each other’s stomping ground. I’ve shot you a FB invite so we can keep in touch easier.

Who else still posts here from the old days? And where have some of the old names ended up? It would be great to hear their success stories.

I know Rinaldo is now writing and illustrating his own successful graphic novels for the French market as well as teaching the next generation of digital artists at CDW (Concept Design Workshops) here in Adelaide, and another ex-Adelaide-Siguner (who’s forum name slips my mind) has had his career has take off in computer games, taking him around the world as Creative Director on PC, Console and iOS games.

Damn, time goes fast doesn’t it?

- the other Rowan
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Rowan Dodds
Inksplat Studios

Real-ink™ Digital Brushes Project

[[Shizo]]

Uhh... most of your success is due to my trolling, I'm sure of it.

[Sumaleth]

Shizo: of course.

dodds:

Yes, I suppose it could get a bit boring if there weren't plenty of like-minded people around you. Though I work around the edges of the videogame industry here and I swear that half of them have come from Adelaide.

One of them, who started up a new game studio here in the last year, was an old Sijuner; Ken Wong, who you might have been thinking of? He was lead designer on a popular mobile game called Monument Valley a couple of years back, working in England for a game/design studio, before deciding to start his own adventure here in Melbourne.

I see CaptainFlushGarden's work around film and game projects as concept artist. The same with Dr.Zulu aka another name that I can't think of right now.

Bobby Chiu started his own art teaching website called schoolism.com and it has been hugely successful. Craig Mullins is one of the teachers there!

Craig has just continued to put his stamp on every project he touches.

And there are dozens more.

Rowan v1.0
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Art Links Archive -- Artists and Tutorials