Hello, give us some information about the man behind Moxica.
Hello Wishbone!
So my name is Jérôme LORIN, i am 25 years old. I live in France in the region called "Pays de la Loire" which is particulary famous for its good wines :o) Apart from computer gfx, i am a big fan of cinema. It is a good summary.
How did you pick your handle ?
The reason is simple, it comes from the movie "1492" directed by Ridley SCOTT. I think it is a real name originally.
There is an anecdote about it: Scorpik told me that if you wrote "moxica" phonetically, it gave "mocz i kal" in polish (motshikau) and the translation could be "urine and shit"! I assume it completely :o)
LOL, in what groups are you in? who are the members?
I belong to 3 different groups (in a more and less active way), here they are in the chronological order:
- Department 22 (Cortex, Kalmindo, Seg, Sreg) on Amiga originally,
- HCL (Bonnie, Danube, Diabolo, Kalmindo & Tbf),
- Move (Anhk, Colas, Dj, Logone, MrT, Okean, sAcRi, Shaan & Silent Breed).
[Take a look at Scenecity]
How and when did you discover the strange thing called "demoscene" ?
I first saw demos at a friend's. They were "Vision Megademo IV" and "Rebels demo". It was pure Amiga style at the time: different screens in trackload with real music! I was really impressed and i was taken aback that a computer could do that! If my memory is good, it was around 1991... Then i started to read reports about demos-parties in magazines, i was a real fan! Much later, i got in touch with demomakers on the net. Then i went to a french party called "Saturne 3" where i presented my first gfx. I have a very good memory of this party.
btw, are you a regular partyvisitor?
I try to go to several parties per year but it isn't easy... I participated to: Saturn 3, 4 & 5, volcanic 4 & 5, LTP 2 & 3, Wired 98. The next will be surely the LTP4.
It's a good average !
Do you start your graphician career with your entry in the scene ?
No, as soon as i bought my Amiga 500 i started to use Dpaint III (64 colours in half-write mode!) between two shoot'em-up.
It was great at the time. To speak the truth, i started computer gfx on a Thomson TO9D but it was more than limited...
Have you got some archives for us ? :)
No, I burned all archives :O)
:( Which software do you use for drawing ?
As far as the 8 bits is concerned, i still use Brilliance (on A1200), which i regard as one of the best bitmap softwares. For the true color, i use both Aura and Painter on my pc. I don't really like using Photoshop, i can't get used to it...
Where do you get the inspiration from ?
From pictures or movies most of the time... A texture or a colour can also trigger ideas. I don't have any favorite painters or photographers.
Really ? any graphicians influenced you ?
I don't have names that I come the mind indeed. Even though one cannot speak of influence, I appreciate the works of Leonard De Vinci.
How long does it take to draw a good picture for you ?
It's quite difficult to estimate it. It depends from the drawing itself, but i would say the picture is "almost" finished after at least 10 to 15 hours. But i am slow...
When drawing, do you have a perfect vision in your mind or do you draw more freely ?
No, it's very rare for me to have a definite and complete idea. First of all, i draw one or several key-elements of the gfx and the rest depends from my mood and my ideas at the time i'm drawing.
What are the most important aspects of making a great image ?
I don't think there is a recipe :o) But a good contrast, good colours (even if a black & white gfx can be better than a color one) and a good framing are good ingredients among others. It's completely subjective and it depends on personal tastes.
What do you find the most difficult to draw ?
To my mind, the human bodies are the most difficult to draw because a simple detail will attract the eye if it's badly placed and it will spoil the picture. Hairs are difficult too... as well as the choice of colours which is always delicate.
Please describe in steps how do you create an image.
I sometimes make a rough drawing on paper, just to see if the different elements are well placed. Otherwise, i directly start on the screen beginning with simple shapes. For the bitmap, i always create my palette beforehand.
Do you use any special techniques ? Please describe which drawing tools and techniques do you use mostly.
Actually, i got used a spray in "shade" mode which enables me to have more colours and to have a semblance of relief quickly. We can see that the result is very coarse on the screenshot1 for the time being! Then i spread and balance the colours with the smear (2). I smooth the picture to eleminate the indesirable pixels and i start again until i have reached the result i wanted (3). It looks like modelling a little bit in a way, you see ?
 |
Well... I never consider that according to this point of view, but why not?
Which of your own images do you consider as the best one ?
It's difficult to choose, i don't really have a prefed one, apart from "Land of Tunhuang 2" maybe. I wore away my mouse to be satisfied with the rocks and the clouds. |
What do you think about todays demoscene?
It's obvious that the demoscene has changed. It mostly comes from the fact that the machines have greatly improved technically. The craftwork spirit of the demo that could be made with Amiga, Atari, C64... isn't the same today. The machines were driven into a corner and that was astonishing. On the other hand, demos have become accessible to more people thanks to the net.
Do you think it's a good thing for the demoscene ? Some people would prefer that the scene keeps underground ?
Of course internet is a good media, that would be ridiculous to partition the demoscene solely to demomakers.
And what do you think about newcomers who get screwed up when they look for some help close to the old sceners ?
That to say besides that this old sceners have a mind surely more that limited and an excessive pride... Have you got names? :o)
Nope, i just heard some complaints :)
What do you prefer, New School or Old School?
My heart favours the Old School. Ah, nostalgia! :o) Demos look like games now. Here is a good proof: we are allowed to use 15Mo .exe in parties. The demos may be exclusively on DVD with a choice of languages and subtitled songs in a few years :o))
How long are you planning to stay in the scene?
I don't know... Like all the others on the scene, i think my interest will diminish because of my job and family, etc... It will reduce little by little.
You draw some pics with your friends of #pixelfr. Describe the way you work together.
This French channel is a very friendly and that fools around most the time. Throw an eye to the numerous gfxcompos on http://pixelfr.planet-d.net, that will give you a preview.
For cooperation-drawings, we draw generally background and/or forms or different elements; nothing of good innovating, isn't it :O) It's interesting to have 2 gfx style in one pic.
Are you interested in 3D gfx ?
Yes and it would be necessary that I get there seriously!
What do you think about redrawing ?
It's a big debate for some, honestly, i don't care. I draw for pleasure... I don't hide that several of my pics are either copied already inspired of photos existing. Put aside the originality of the drawing, is this good or pain, I don't know...
Recent demos prefered ?
Experimental by wipe (no accelerated!!) & a kick ass intro 64 Ko : heaven 7 (from the M&S 2000).
What are your projects for the nearest future?
In the immediate, there is the Scenecity's mag by Move, one pic in progress with Anhk otherwise I work recently with Eclipse on the software's development.
Here's the end, would you like to say Hello to anyone?
Particular hello to Department22, Move, Hcl, Eclipse & all people whom I know. (A big thank you also to Arnaud for the translation).
Any final words?
"This is the end, tadadada..." :o)
Email : moxica@planet-d.net
Homepage : http://moxica.planet-d.net
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