The Amazing Shawn Conn

Meet Shawn Conn, the extraordinary artist who created the cover for my first supernatural suspense thriller novel, Darkness Roams.  I first discovered the fellow New Yorker on FaceBook.  His amazing drawings and tattoos caught my attention and I was pleased to see how the book cover for my novel went from the imaginary stage to reality. 

Here’s what has to be one of the best interviews I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing.  Please enjoy your time with the gifted, Shawn Conn.

1. Shawn, what inspired you to cultivate your extraordinary talent for art?  

I've been drawing and painting for as long as I can remember and I've been drawn to the more fantastic side of art for about as long. I used to spend hours creating entire worlds and civilizations on pages and pages of paper. As I got older, I used to love watching old horror movies with my dad, late Saturday nights and my mother fostered a love of reading fantasy and horror. Magazines such as Heavy Metal, Famous Monsters of Filmland and eventually Fangoria became huge sources of inspiration. All of these influences, coupled with my own innate sense of the macabre lead me to the path of dark art.  

 

2. Please give us a brief glimpse into the making of the cover of Darkness Roams.

As soon as I had read the excerpt from Darkness Roams, that I was provided for reference I almost immediately had the image as it appears on the cover, come to mind. The description of the scene was so vivid in detail, that the concept was pretty much an easy jump. The most fun, was in creating the dark angel character as he was in mid ecstasy, drawing out the soul of his hapless victim. I was given general guidelines as to what the character looked like, but allowed to pretty much create him as I saw fit. That allowed me to really explore the depths of my own Catholic background and push the boundaries of what an angel is presumed to look like and how they interact with their environment. The overall composition of the cover was another big consideration for me. In all of my work, I really try to use the layout and perspective of a piece to help convey the overall feeling of the scene. In this case I took a slightly skewed angle from above, giving the viewer the feeling of floating above the scene. I also made sure that the wings of the dark angel went off the canvas, helping to reinforce the idea that he's much bigger than the mere mortal in front of him.

 

3. What advice would you give youngsters out there who would love to do what you do?

Practice. You should always be drawing, no matter what your discipline is. Get a sketchbook and always have it with you. Fill the pages with sketches and ideas, as they come to you and draw from life, as well. Figure drawing and being able to draw environments are crucial to becoming a successful illustrator. Especially if someone plans on entering the realm of fantasy art. Whether you plan on attending art school, or not, get a good foundation of basic art skills. The time I spent at art school laid the groundwork for the type of artist I would become and the style I would eventually adopt. There are also, literally thousands of tutorials and video tutorials on the internet covering every aspect of art and technique one could imagine. Never stop learning and always practice your art. 

And learn something of art history, both of the genre you wish to create for and of general art, as well. The knowledge of the masters that have come before us is as an invaluable necessity as your paintbrush, or pencil. Without a clear understanding of where we, as artists have come from, it's impossible to have an understanding of where you're going. 

Make sure you surround yourself with inspiration for your art. I have dozens of macabre toys lining the walls and shelves of my studio, as well as inspiring art and scores of art books. I read every second I get and I watch movies whenever I have the opportunity to sit down for one. Visit art galleries, check out artist's websites and immerse yourself in the genre of art you wish to pursue. 

My last piece of advice would be to never give up. Grow a thick skin, because you're going to get rejected. It happens to all artists, writers, musicians, actors, etc. Especially in the beginning of your career. When you get a rejection, look at it as a challenge to become better. Even now when I don't get a particular job, or sometimes don't even hear back from a prospective client, I let it become an impetus for creating better art. A kind of "I'll show you what I can do" attitude. 

 

4. What are you currently working on?

At this moment, I have several book covers in various stages of completion, I'm working on a really cool t-shirt design for a killer haunted house in Kansas. I have an ongoing relationship with Harcos Labs, a company who produces novelty foods and energy drinks and am helping to design labeling for their new zombie products. I'm, also a senior graphic designer for a fledgling horror film company, Horror Machine. And somewhere in there I'm trying to squeeze in some work on a couple of personal projects of my own. A pin-up book and my graphic novel.

Thank you Shawn for the amazing interview! Here's where you can find more of Shawn Conn's amazing work. 

Website: http://atomicdeadguy.com

Merchandise: http://www.redbubble.com/people/shantyshawn

Deviant Art Page: http://shantyshawn.deviantart.com/

© Copyright Shawn Conn 2012. All rights reserved.

Shawn Conn has granted Knight Chills non-exclusive rights to display this work.

© Copyright Nomar Knight 2012. All rights reserved.

A Knight Chills Interview.

Deception and the Fallen by Oscuro, Suicide King

Deception and the Fallen by Oscuro, Suicide King

“Man’s mind is so formed that it is far more susceptible to falsehood than to truth.” ~Erasmus, Desiderius.

Throughout the beginning of the formation of man, humans were like sponges that easily soaked in concepts that involved manual imitation.  However, certain cognitive concepts took time to sink in and yet there are certain truths which have been distorted throughout time.  One such concept that has been confused by man has to do with defining what is a FALLEN. 

To understand what is a fallen, you must first eliminate the falsehood that fallen angels are demons.  Demons were a subspecies created by the grandest of fallen angels in his bid to build a powerful army to defeat the creator.  History is accurate with the claim that there was some dissention among angels.  The one I call the prince, has been blessed with a superior intelligence, incredible oratory skill, and over time, has become quite adept at finding loopholes in the creator’s rigid structure.  Some angels made a choice that I had thought was impossible.  Some angels chose to sever ties with the creator.  Those angels had no idea that upon separating from the creator of light, their wings would become as dark as night.

 

I too am a fallen, but not by choice.  My brother, known to all as the angel of death, and known to a precious few as Draven, convinced the creator that since I had failed to make a choice, then by omission, I had chosen the side of darkness.  Not one hundred percent convinced, Father decided to banish me to a part of hell called Oblivion so that I could serve an exhausting, yet necessary function.  I am the dark angel of suicide, forever destined to punish those humans who willfully sever their ties to the creator. 

Now, I hope I made the distinction between demon and fallen angel clearer, but I’m compelled to address the confusion directly.  All angels have a choice to fall, meaning they may freely decide to fall from the heights of heaven and land on the material world, relinquishing their angelic identity.  A free-fall from a grand species to another requires great sacrifice or stupidity, depending on the angel’s point of view.  Since angels are from another dimension, we are not always privy to human sensations while we’re in their domain.  However, when we roam in the third dimension, we are not governed by the laws of physics, and in essence, are immortal.  So when one of us decides to fall from heaven, we decide to become completely human for the duration of our stay on Earth.  Note, that our time as humans is finite meaning that we become mortal, and in most cases, rather ordinary. 

As I alluded earlier, demons are a direct result of all that is wrong with humans.  Both demons and angels are capable of possession.  Difference being, angels possess for the creator’s purpose and only for a brief moment.  An extended possession would require the use of a human surrogate who must grant permission.  Demons possess confused, weak souls for purely selfish reasons.  Demons do not ask for permission since they enjoy inflicting pain, and displaying power over others.  They’re thieves who attempt to wreak havoc on the human population.  Demons are no match for the strongest of angels, the archangels. 

“From all my time observing humans, I noticed how they enjoyed bending the truth more so than spinning lies. Deceit is in their nature since they spend most of their waking hours convincing themselves of falsehoods.” ~ Oscuro, Darkness Roams.

You will find the above quote in Nomar Knight’s account of my story, Darkness Roams.  Darkness is what my name means.  Anyway, I have observed humans since their creation.  Over time, I noticed how fear played a vital role.  Those fragile creatures have managed to construct defensive mechanisms when coping with fear and have thus become experts at self deception.  The added element of deception has made human society more entertaining than any of us could have ever imagined. 

As a result, the prince thoroughly enjoys observing mankind.  He boasts that he is a fan of man.  Of course he is, since he believes their souls possess the key to defeating the creator.  Thus, the battle between light versus dark has lasted far too long.  Countless casualties on all sides, light, dark, human, and angelic have reached atrocious numbers.  The time of reckoning will soon be upon us.  But before it changes everything, read my account of what happens to souls who shun the light.  Read Darkness Roams this summer.  Discover how this dark angel must live with darkness, yet be used by the righteous.  In essence, I am a punisher of evil, an enforcer of truth. 

Until next time, I am Oscuro, Suicide King, and ruler of Oblivion.  If you see me roaming in your area, hope that I’m not there for you.

Crazy Love

When love is not madness, it is not love. ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Interrupting my thoughts she said, “I’m crazy about you.” Ebony hair hung over her right eyebrow. “This love is intoxicating. I almost can’t breathe.”

As we rose to our feet and sauntered to a tree, Krystal hugged her bag describing what we had as suffocated love. Leaves sprinkled the scene with red, brown and yellow, some floating on our sneakers. – Excerpt from my story Suffocated Love published at Lit Fest Magazine

I do believe there’s a fine line between love and insanity. Obsession is one of my favorite forces that drives a good story line forward. I don’t believe in doing things half way. If you’re going to do something, give it your all. I suppose when you look at falling in love, in the beginning you may see things through rose colored glasses. We may easily overlook our mate’s imperfections, whether physical or mental, potentially opening up a window into deep trouble.

To truly know what’s inside the mind of our lover is to explore with open eyes all they have to offer. Sometimes we get caught up in the euphoria that is love and we risk drowning in a sea of surprises. As we all know, surprises are like coins, each side may represent something wonderful or painful. Imagine if a lover reveals an obsession which latches on to a terrible secret. Imagine if she will go through amazing lengths to answer some of the most intriguing mysteries of life and without your consent, drags you into a world where darkness animates terror into a heart-pounding reality for which escape is impossible.

Join me as two young lovers’ journey into a realm never before seen by man. Through Krystal’s lover, Alex, we discover just how far love transcends the limits of mortality and its intoxicating power which can reach beyond the intricacies of reality. Read this love scene from a dark angel's point of view in my book, Darkness Roams, here, and swim in the madness that is love.



Nomar Knight