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Interview with...
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JMH: How long have you been drawing comics?
NK: I have been drawing since I can remember, but I started drawing comics when I was in middle school when I found a couple Real Ghostbusters and TMNT comic books in our local grocery store. That was back when you could find comic books at just about any place that had a magazine rack.
JMH: Tell CBI about yourself?
NK: I currently live in Rochester Minnesota with my wife and two cats. I have two jobs, one at a grocery store and the other at a pet food store. Although these don't sound like the greatest jobs in the world they provide me with the free time that I need to work on my true passion comic books.
JMH: Have you drawn other characters or only your own properties?
NK: I have worked on several projects over the past few years. The first was called Downs and it was about a blind woman who could see with her mind. http://tonygoins.com/downs/webcomics/bear1.html
The second was caller Monster Plus a story of a mummified Frankenstein vampire zombie werewolf possessed by the ghost of a witch doctor. http://www.actionagecomics.com/comics/MonsterPlus01/pages/MonsterPlus0100.htm
The next one is currently being worked on and is called Swords of the Dead. It is about a town that is suffering from a plague of zombie martial artists.
I will also be working on a mini web comic that will be posted on my website Nathankroll.com soon.
JMH: What sources do you use for a cover image?
NK: I will use sources for backgrounds or weapons. Guns and cars are not something that I am entirely interested in so I may need a little help with. People and faces are something that I will never tire of drawing, but I will still look at tons of pictures to get ideas or just improve.
JMH: How do you focus when drawing?
NK: I usually listen to music or podcasts. Something that will not take up to much of my attention. No television, though. Too distracting.
JMH: What other mediums or genres have you drawn for?
NK: I mostly draw comics but it's always good to try to expand. Recently I took a class at the local community college were I did all sorts of different projects on the computer including recreating random photos, recreating existing works of art, and photo collage. I learned a lot from each project and had lots of fun doing them. You can check out the finished projects at my website.
JMH: What types of technology do you use to draw?
NK: Right now I mostly use Photoshop or Manga Studio. I have a graphics tablet, a Wacom intuos PTZ-630, with pressure sensitive pen. I also like to just grab a sketchbook and a pencil every so often.
JMH: Where were you born and raised?
NK: I was born in a small town in northeastern Wisconsin called New London. This booming metropolis had a population just over 7000 and one of the biggest St. Patrick's Day parades around.
JMH: Do you have any formal art training?
NK: I have taken a couple classes here and there. I just finished a semester at the Rochester Community and Technical College, but most of my knowledge comes from books and critiques. I have taken lots of work to comic conventions were I have received some of the best feedback and advice. One of the most memorable would be when I was able to sit in on a class at a Texas comic convention that was taught by Michael Turner.
JMH: Who are your artistic influences?
NK: This changes from day to day, but right now I have been looking at lots of Jim Lee and Adam Hughes, not that you could tell by looking at any of my work.
JMH: How did you break into drawing comic books?
NK: I answered some ads on Digitalwebbing.com. Met some cool people and did some fun projects.
JMH: Do you read any of the new comic books that are being published today?
NK: I still read Batman and the X-men every so often.
JMH: Can you talk more about the mini web comic that will be posted on your website Nathankroll.com soon. What is the name of the project? Does the story carry a message? what are the characters like?
NK: As for the mini comic on my website, I do not have a title for it at this time. I do know that it will be more on the humorous side or at least that is how I hope people perceive it. Although I can for sure tell you that it will have plenty of misspelled words and bad grammar... maybe I should look into getting an editor.
JMH: What was the first comic book you ever read?
NK: The Real Ghostbusters (Now Comics) issue #2. I collected them all after that, but it was decades later until I would actually read issue #1.
JMH: Print vs. Digital. Your thoughts…
NK: About a year ago I would have said print, but the digital work I have done blows it outta the water. Save a tree, digital all the way.
JMH: What is Swords of the Dead?
NK: The Facebook site describes it as... "A Martial Artist and his band of misfit fighters are hired by a Beautiful Mystery Woman to destroy Ninja Zombies that have invaded her town." ...and I would have to agree. Ninjas, zombies, and beautiful women, what more could you ask for?
JMH: Talk about Mike Rickaby from Perilous Adventures. What is it like working with him?
NK: Mike is a talented artist, a great writer, and an all around awesome guy. Well, yeah, I never actually met him, but he was cool over the phone. But seriously hope to actually meet him face to face at a con or something.
JMH: What project are you currently working on at now?
NK: Currently I am working on a new web comic called Let's Just Be Foes. It's gonna be weird as hell... I hope. There are two pages posted at Nathankroll.com and it has a tiger and a very under-dresses woman. Check it out.
JMH: What future projects do you have in the works?
NK: More Swords Of The Dead and Lets' Just Be Foes. I also have a comic strip I am working on for my place of work. The strip is called Zack and Zahara and I am working on posting it on Nathankroll.com.
JMH: Do you have any words for aspiring artists?
NK: Always strive to be better, but don't let it stop you from accomplishing something. We all start somewhere.
JMH: Anything else you’d like to mention that we haven’t talked about yet?
NK: Check out my website. I won't plug the name again but I will give you a hint... my first and last name with dot com at the end.
JMH: Nathan, great talking to you. CBI appreciates your time. All the best!
NK: Thank you.
Discovery Nathan Kroll's comics here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/151693/The-Internauts-1a
NK: I have been drawing since I can remember, but I started drawing comics when I was in middle school when I found a couple Real Ghostbusters and TMNT comic books in our local grocery store. That was back when you could find comic books at just about any place that had a magazine rack.
JMH: Tell CBI about yourself?
NK: I currently live in Rochester Minnesota with my wife and two cats. I have two jobs, one at a grocery store and the other at a pet food store. Although these don't sound like the greatest jobs in the world they provide me with the free time that I need to work on my true passion comic books.
JMH: Have you drawn other characters or only your own properties?
NK: I have worked on several projects over the past few years. The first was called Downs and it was about a blind woman who could see with her mind. http://tonygoins.com/downs/webcomics/bear1.html
The second was caller Monster Plus a story of a mummified Frankenstein vampire zombie werewolf possessed by the ghost of a witch doctor. http://www.actionagecomics.com/comics/MonsterPlus01/pages/MonsterPlus0100.htm
The next one is currently being worked on and is called Swords of the Dead. It is about a town that is suffering from a plague of zombie martial artists.
I will also be working on a mini web comic that will be posted on my website Nathankroll.com soon.
JMH: What sources do you use for a cover image?
NK: I will use sources for backgrounds or weapons. Guns and cars are not something that I am entirely interested in so I may need a little help with. People and faces are something that I will never tire of drawing, but I will still look at tons of pictures to get ideas or just improve.
JMH: How do you focus when drawing?
NK: I usually listen to music or podcasts. Something that will not take up to much of my attention. No television, though. Too distracting.
JMH: What other mediums or genres have you drawn for?
NK: I mostly draw comics but it's always good to try to expand. Recently I took a class at the local community college were I did all sorts of different projects on the computer including recreating random photos, recreating existing works of art, and photo collage. I learned a lot from each project and had lots of fun doing them. You can check out the finished projects at my website.
JMH: What types of technology do you use to draw?
NK: Right now I mostly use Photoshop or Manga Studio. I have a graphics tablet, a Wacom intuos PTZ-630, with pressure sensitive pen. I also like to just grab a sketchbook and a pencil every so often.
JMH: Where were you born and raised?
NK: I was born in a small town in northeastern Wisconsin called New London. This booming metropolis had a population just over 7000 and one of the biggest St. Patrick's Day parades around.
JMH: Do you have any formal art training?
NK: I have taken a couple classes here and there. I just finished a semester at the Rochester Community and Technical College, but most of my knowledge comes from books and critiques. I have taken lots of work to comic conventions were I have received some of the best feedback and advice. One of the most memorable would be when I was able to sit in on a class at a Texas comic convention that was taught by Michael Turner.
JMH: Who are your artistic influences?
NK: This changes from day to day, but right now I have been looking at lots of Jim Lee and Adam Hughes, not that you could tell by looking at any of my work.
JMH: How did you break into drawing comic books?
NK: I answered some ads on Digitalwebbing.com. Met some cool people and did some fun projects.
JMH: Do you read any of the new comic books that are being published today?
NK: I still read Batman and the X-men every so often.
JMH: Can you talk more about the mini web comic that will be posted on your website Nathankroll.com soon. What is the name of the project? Does the story carry a message? what are the characters like?
NK: As for the mini comic on my website, I do not have a title for it at this time. I do know that it will be more on the humorous side or at least that is how I hope people perceive it. Although I can for sure tell you that it will have plenty of misspelled words and bad grammar... maybe I should look into getting an editor.
JMH: What was the first comic book you ever read?
NK: The Real Ghostbusters (Now Comics) issue #2. I collected them all after that, but it was decades later until I would actually read issue #1.
JMH: Print vs. Digital. Your thoughts…
NK: About a year ago I would have said print, but the digital work I have done blows it outta the water. Save a tree, digital all the way.
JMH: What is Swords of the Dead?
NK: The Facebook site describes it as... "A Martial Artist and his band of misfit fighters are hired by a Beautiful Mystery Woman to destroy Ninja Zombies that have invaded her town." ...and I would have to agree. Ninjas, zombies, and beautiful women, what more could you ask for?
JMH: Talk about Mike Rickaby from Perilous Adventures. What is it like working with him?
NK: Mike is a talented artist, a great writer, and an all around awesome guy. Well, yeah, I never actually met him, but he was cool over the phone. But seriously hope to actually meet him face to face at a con or something.
JMH: What project are you currently working on at now?
NK: Currently I am working on a new web comic called Let's Just Be Foes. It's gonna be weird as hell... I hope. There are two pages posted at Nathankroll.com and it has a tiger and a very under-dresses woman. Check it out.
JMH: What future projects do you have in the works?
NK: More Swords Of The Dead and Lets' Just Be Foes. I also have a comic strip I am working on for my place of work. The strip is called Zack and Zahara and I am working on posting it on Nathankroll.com.
JMH: Do you have any words for aspiring artists?
NK: Always strive to be better, but don't let it stop you from accomplishing something. We all start somewhere.
JMH: Anything else you’d like to mention that we haven’t talked about yet?
NK: Check out my website. I won't plug the name again but I will give you a hint... my first and last name with dot com at the end.
JMH: Nathan, great talking to you. CBI appreciates your time. All the best!
NK: Thank you.
Discovery Nathan Kroll's comics here:
www.drivethrucomics.com/product/151693/The-Internauts-1a
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