THE CONVENTION COLLECTIVE:Thank you for joining us in the Spotlight, Ryan! How did you get into art and why did you want to become an artist?
Ryan Kincaid: I’ve always drawn. I cant remember a time I wasn’t drawing. Cartoons, comics, anything that sparked my imagination.
TCC: What was the first work you completed, where you stepped back and thought, “Yes, y’know what, I can do this for a living!”?
Ryan: It wasn’t a piece in general. It was a motivation to do what others say couldn’t be done. I heard a ton of people tell me all my life that I couldn’t just draw. I simply never gave up.
TCC: Which artists inspire you? And they don’t have to be in the medium you work in, either…
Ryan: Tons of artists. The list is enormous. J. Scott Campbell is one of my greatest influences, not just his art, but his drive to create a thriving business from multiple outlets. Same with the Toddfather (Todd McFarlane). Comics, toys, movies, you name it, he’s been involved.
TCC: Can you tell us your greatest fan moment, interacting with a personal hero of yours where you may have gone a little weak at the knees?
Ryan: I’m still a fan boy at heart. I’m lucky enough to call some of my idols colleagues and friends. I’ve met my heroes and luckily, they are beyond awesome in real life.
TCC: What is your favorite fandom? Who is your favorite comic book character/movie/tv character?
Ryan: Comics? I mean, its such a large fandom, it includes lots of things i love. Too many characters from too many fandoms to choose from. That would be a long list.
TCC: Outside of the ones you create for a living, what characters/stories do you like drawing the most in your spare time?
Ryan: I love drawing X-Men and Spider-Man characters. They are just a lot of fun.
TCC: What’s your working routine? Do you work regular set hours and days, keeping certain days free for personal time, or do you find you create any time the muse takes you?
Ryan: I never stop. Hahaha. its my strength and weakness. I wake up and work. Doesn’t matter if its the business side, editorial side, or drawing side of the business. I will stop when I do things with friends or family. If I’m just home doing nothing, I’m probably working.
TCC: When you’re creating, what do you use for background noise? Some artists use music or podcasts, some use a TV show that they just can listen to in the background. What do you use?
Ryan: I listen to music of all genres or watch shows I’ve seen a thousand times. Just depends on the day and time.
TCC: What was the first comic con that you remember attending? And, indeed, what was the last?
Ryan: The first one i remember going to was Wizard World Anaheim. No clue what year it was. The last one i went to was in Florida. The Infinity Toy and Comic Show. Awesome people.
TCC: What’s your favourite element of a comic convention? And which bits could you easily leave behind?
Ryan: I love the interaction with people and fans, new and old. I love if I can be a part of something that makes some body’s day just that more special. I could always leave the drama behind. Buts that a longer story for a different day.
TCC: At a convention, when you’re not behind your table or doing the things you have to do at a con, which corner of the show would we find you in?
Ryan: I’m always shopping around. Finding books i lost over time, getting new books that are awesome. I’m always poking around artist alley looking for new talent or someone knew that I can have work on any one of our current projects.
TCC: With the lack of conventions, a lot of artists are taking commissions online and mailing them out to people – is this something you’re doing?
Ryan: Commissions give me anxiety. Hoping its right for the buyer. Hoping they like it, and I didn’t take too long. I am involved in a lot of groups and see what can happen to your name if anyone is unhappy, It’s posted and spreads lightning fast. Instead of constant commissions, I play different games with people. I have a board of characters I shoot Nerf darts at and draw the characters it hits and auction them off. I also do things like art flips. Just fun stuff.
TCC: A lot of creatives are also taking to crowdfunding – such as Kickstarter and Indiegogo – to generate income from their work. What’re your thoughts on that?
Ryan: Kickstarter is great. I run a few campaigns here and there and do a lot of work for others that run them as well.
TCC: What projects have you recently finished? What are you working on at the moment, what projects are coming up that you can talk about?
Ryan: I’m doing a series of exclusives for Sourcepoint Press that you can only get through me or retailers I work with. I’m always working on a multitude of covers at one time. Currently, I am working on 3 IPs of my own. Persuasion Chapter 3, Con Artists, and a secret one.
TCC: How do you stay connected with fans? Do you use a mailing list or newsletters, are you active on social media?
Ryan: I’m easy to get in contact with. I am online Facebook Live at least once a week through my fan page RyanMKincaidArt. You can also find me on Instagram or my own website that links them all
TCC: Where can people see an example of your art online and find out about your rates?
Ryan: My website has all the answers: ryanmkincaid.com
TCC: Thanks, Ryan, for your time!
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