AMS was one of the first HeroMachine users to really take the "widescreen" mode of laying out an illustration by the throat. I remember opening his UGO Forums archive and just being blown away with the almost Hollywood-like dramatic effects he uses.
With that in mind I asked him to share a little more about himself, and I'm glad I did; he's a neat guy. It is kind of freaking me out a little bit how many people who use this thing are 30-40 year old men, but I think we're going to have to hold AMS down until he grows a goatee to ensure he fits the mold properly. Also, if there's someone active in the community who you'd like to know more about, please nominate them in the comments. After giving ams props, of course!
And now, the man himself:
- Online name used in HeroMachine environs: ams
- A photo (or drawing) of you in "real life":
- Real name: Andrew
- Real city/state/country: Ottawa, Canada
- Real job:
- Real age:39
- Gender: All man last time I checked.
- Married/single: Married with children.
- Online archive of your creations (if any): http://forums.ugo.com/showthread.php?t=41709 (and I know "characters" is spelled incorrectly)
- The best piece of HeroMachine art you've created: I'm partial to this pic of "SENTINEL":
- Favorite all-time geeky movie if any: Star Wars, which I get to re-live all over again through my sons. The toys are so much better today!
- Favorite all-time geeky book if any: Don't read many novels.
- Favorite all-time geeky TV show if any: Was way into "LOST", Star Trek and I'm an advid fan of all superhero animated projects. (The older the better!)
- Favorite all-time comic book character if any: Green Lantern, JSA and Teen Titans (Wolfman/Perez!)
- If you could have one super-heroic power in real life, you'd choose: Immortality, I always want to see how things end.
- In your leisure time you like to: Mountain climb, drive fast cars, go on safari, sailing, oh wait.....that's the most interesting guy in the Dos Equis commercials. I read comics, play guitar and run.
- Character design turn-ons (things you love to see that make for a good design): Anatomy is one of the biggest things I will look for.
- Character design turn-offs (things you hate to see that make for a bad design): Anatomy again. If the body does not look natural to me it throws off the entire pic.
- Best tip for a HeroMachine newbie: Practice your anatomy!! Proportion, proportion, proportion. You don't have to be Rembrandt to see if the body you have created is right. If you are making your character pose, look at yourself posing in a mirror to see if if it looks natural. Don't sacrifice anatomy for an accessory item. If it doesn't fit, find something else. Never erase an incompleted pic. If something is not going right and I get fustrated, I will save what I've got and go back to it another time. Draw or doodle what you are going to create before you start. I'm not saying draw out the whole idea on paper, just gesture (scribble) something for a guideline to follow. You can get amazing ideas from doodled stickmen. And lastly, spell your thread correctly!!!
- Any personal message you'd like to share with the HeroMachine community about Geek Life: To be "Geek" these days is an accepted way of life. Be sure to thank all your geek fathers/mothers, geek uncles/aunts or whomever led you down the geek path for trailblazing all that is geek today. We battle hard for our geek rights and have the wedgie scars to prove it. Stand tall, fellow geeks, this is our time to shine!
