REDLINE: GrungeWerX has been an active member here for a really long time. Since 2003, in fact. In this time, he's posted a ton of work. In doing a board search for his threads just in the Fan Art project area alone, we weren't able to go all the way back to his oldest threads because he had shared so many things! He has posted over
one hundred and twenty pieces of artwork since the beginning of 2006! Tim isn't just about posting his artwork, though, even today he is still actively seeking constructive criticisms to help expand his abilities and his horizons, something many don't do after so long. These are just some of the qualities Tim expounds that we strive for as Radicons.
Two things really stand out for me when it comes to his artwork. The first is the cohesiveness of his overall presentation. The whole scene really flows together- the backgrounds, the perspectives, the interaction of the various characters in his many group shots.
The second would be the increase in his quality of work over time. You can really tell that he strives to improve on everything he does, and that he takes all those constructive criticisms to heart! One of the images attached to this article is a piece that he did back in 2004. It's a really cool piece, but at the same time, you can tell a pretty good difference between that one, and say, his "Down Time" piece, which is also shown in this article, which was done much more recently.
Another prime reason that Tim has been chosen to be in the spotlight this time around is his humble nature and open, friendly attitude. It'd be a perfect world if everyone were this way, but obviously we don't live in a perfect world. Tim is always happen to respond to communication from others, whether it be questions, suggestions, or anything really. He's always willing to help out other members to grow and hone their craft just the same as he strives to do. This is the kind of example we all should look towards!
Tim, although it's late in coming, I'm quite proud to stand you up as this month's Featured Radicon!
Superquad7: GrungeWerX has always been one of my favorite
TF illustrators. About midstream into getting back into TFs, I started seeing his work. Also being a fan of anime, it's easy to see why I'm such a fan. It's obvious that GrungeWerX is a fan of
G1, and I'd say that once you throw all of that into a pot, you've got a recipe for successful artwork; these are some of the things that hardly begin to describe the excellence GrungeWerX achieves with each piece of his.
Beyond that, GrungeWerX actively contributes to the
TF community continually. He is widely known for his many commissioned pieces here. Some of his artwork I was first exposed to were pieces commissioned by fellow member and photo guru,
alphie. She constantly was describing her characters to me, and [also as an artist] I began visualizing them in my head as well. Once she started showing me in progress work that GrungeWerX illustrated, it was as if he took the best possible that I could imagine and cranked up the awesome meter! One of the coolest things about his work is that this happens with each piece!
Much like many of the kit-bashing artists here in Radicons, GrungeWerX has continued to plug away posting project threads over the rich history of Radicons. He has been very humble accepting criticism from others, as well as maintaining positivity in each of his posts. GrungeWerX has never been afraid to try new things, and constantly posts for others to give him feedback to help him grow as an artist.
On top of all of this, GrungeWerX is a really cool guy. I've had the pleasure to talk to him on many occasions, and he always welcomed making a new, genuine friendship. He and I share many of the same worldviews as well, so our common bonds are beyond simply liking TFs and striving to make good art.
GrungeWerX, I'm looking forward to Radicons making many people aware of you and your artwork, and I'll be blessed to learn more about an old friend. We're truly honored with all that you share, and thanks for continually being a shining example of what it truly means to be a Radicon!
GrungeWerX- The Mystery Man Revealed! -More news at 11, Tom BMGFX: I can remember when GrungeWerX first started posting artwork on TFW2005. Back then you could see potential in his work, and really he is a symbol of what happens when you are persistent in creating work to develop your own style. Now-a-days, I can see a piece of his work and know instantly that it is his, which is great because his line art style and coloring methods definitely stand out against the crowd while not being overly complex.
Another area that probably gets overlooked in his work is the way he draws backgrounds. Many of his submissions are brought together by a well fitting background that always seem to compliment the rest of the drawing perfectly.
For anyone trying to develop their own style as an artist, GrungeWerX is a prime example how setting an objective and putting in the time to create a lot of work to achieve it is possible.
autobotx23: One of the great things about the fan art forum being added into the Radicons is that exposes me to art forms and artists that I'm not normally familiar with. How cool, that I was exposed to GrungeWerX art! Original, to say the least, and his own style is inventive and unique.
Just like in the Customs section, a lot of times we see familiar characters many times, but it's the own artist unique vision that sets them apart. GrungeWerX , is one of those artists. Enjoy your spotlight, bro, well deserved!
ALPHAMAGNUS: GrungeWerX's art is reminds me of Anime Cover art, adding the Transformer brand only makes the pot that much sweeter. Dynamic poses are much better than the "profile pic" sketches that are more commonly seen. Having character interaction greatly improves conception of attitude and over all mood.
To me, his Original characters outshine any of his
G1 work, particularly the femmebots. Nothing pleases me more to see an original character that seamlessly fits in, as if it was part of the
G1 cast.
Congratulations GrungeWerX, now if only someone would kit-bash your "Berserkers" into toys
Alternators Bumblebee (Who needs to be a finished drawing when you look this good?)
The Interview R: Tell us a little about yourself.
GrungeWerX: Hmmmm. I'm just an average guy who likes to laugh and enjoy the more positive aspects of life. I enjoy watching movies, writing, drawing and visualizing how I will make my first million and someday make it to Japan! LOL I'm a proud father of two beautiful children, Tristan and Akane (Yes, like from Ranma 1/2! We loved the anime, but the meaning is even more beautiful). I have a full time job at a great company working in the mortgage industry, helping new home buyers get counseling before purchasing a home to counter predatory lenders. It's a job that I can go home and feel like I contributed to the economy in a positive way. Other than that, I'm not really all that complex, just simple minded, enjoying nature, God, and helping people in any way I can.
R: What got you into the art of coloring and sketching? Why do you like drawing and coloring? How long have you been into this?
GrungeWerX: I've been drawing since before I can remember, as early as 2nd grade. When I was a kid, my father was hard on me about my studies and was critical of my art. He never really supported it. So I always hid my art and was afraid to show it around, thinking my dad might find out. But there was one teacher in 5th grade that I will never forget. I wish I knew her name, but she was over my day care and she always praised my work and encouraged me to draw. She always made me feel like my art was the greatest she'd ever seen and she even gave me little art projects to do for her class. She encouraged me to enter the school drawing competitions. I won two contests in elementary school and it really gave me confidence that I had talent. I really feel that she was this angel that was sent to keep me on the path of my gift and not be ashamed of it.
R: How did you get to your level of illustrating? Did you have any formal training and/or previous experience in your background? What have been some useful resources for your artwork that you suspect others are unaware of?
GrungeWerX: I have no formal training. I took an art class in high school, but it was just to get an easy A, lol. I can't really say I learned anything from it at all. But who knows, maybe all those squares and circles I shaded helped with shadow theory. I think I got to where my skill level is through hard work and just consistently drawing. I consider myself a life student, so I'm learning from anything and everything in sight. I think most people don't realize how many resources are actually available to them out there. I believe an artist is unable to improve beyond certain levels because, in a sense, they are unwilling to “bend themselves” and break out of certain molds. Sometimes they get arrogant and think they've reached an apex. Sometimes it's the opposite and they are lazy and unwilling to do the rudimentary work in drawing. I was one of those lazy people just a few years ago! I only drew what I wanted, but doing commissions really helped me to break through that restrictive barrier. Of course, some artists just become uninspired. To those people, I say try to remember what you loved the most about art and go back to that place in your mind.
R: What are some of your short-term goals as an artist? What is your ultimate goal as a artist?
GrungeWerX: Short term? Complete all my commission work and take a short break to refresh my mind before starting to work on personal things. But I love doing art for people, so commissions is a hard habit to break. Nothing beats the feeling you get when a customer is satisfied with your work. It's even better when you can surpass their expectations. It's just exhilarating. My ultimate goal is to see how far it can take me. Motion picture is my highest interest, so to be able to incorporate my art and designs in animation, 3D , games, or film would be the ultimate achievement.
R: Do you have a dream project, and if so, what is it?
GrungeWerX: I have multiple! My first dream project is to publish a 100 page graphic novel called Transformers: Advent of the Sha'ar, co-written by my brother and me. It's in the anime style and is a prequel to the 1986 animated movie. Beyond that, it's my greatest goal to be heavily involved in animation, video game and film design. I'd love to have my designs animated by major Japanese animation studios like Gonzo, Madhouse and Production I.G.. I'm a big fan of high-budget anime, so I always strive to reflect that professionalism in my work. Whether I'm there or not is another question, LOL. I'd love to work with some of the more professional quality video game studios out there, like Ubisoft, for example. As far as film, just seeing one of my designs make it to film would blow me away. Big dreams, but why not dream big, right?
R: What other hobbies do you have, if any?
GrungeWerX: I enjoy screenplay writing. It's been my dream to break into the film industry as a writer and ultimately as a director. Directing is another one of my personal loves. I've shot short films with friends and I love bringing that vision to life. I've not had the opportunity to enter any competitions, although I was offered a co-directing job for a competition a few months ago, but had to decline due to scheduling issues. I also enjoy movies, music and of course WOMEN, which are the ultimate hobby! LOL I'm a big fan of foreign films...my brother has a collection of probably over 200 Chinese films! I'm a subtitle reading guru!
R: Do you have any advice for up-and-coming artists?
GrungeWerX: Plenty. First of all, take criticism well. But always look at it subjectively because there are a lot of haters out there. You have to find that balance between constructive criticism and personal preference. But there are basic understandings about art that we should all learn to understand, whether we apply it or not. I understand that many people are big fans of style, but I don't believe unique style can be fabricated. It is an extension of your artistic voice and will come naturally with time. Use reference whenever possible. It teaches you so much. Study anything and everything visual. I used to sit outside of my apartment at night and study how the street lights would light up one portion of the complex in warm colors and the areas lacking light would be cool colors. Simple things like that can help a lot. Read books, watch television, movies, animation, anything can teach you about art. Never be afraid to jump out of yourself and your established style; you don't want to back yourself into a niche. And above all, keep drawing. You can't grow if you don't practice. Draw what you like, and also draw what you hate. When you can overcome your weaknesses, they will turn into your strengths. When I was younger, I hated drawing hands. So I forced myself to draw them all the time. Now hands are one of the things people like about my art. I turned that weakness into a strength. Always remember that growing in art is synonymous with personal growth, at least the way I see it.
A cool piece from back in 2004- I love that two of the three characters in it go on to become REDLINE! 
R: What is your inspiration for your projects? What influences your character choices?
GrungeWerX: Film, video games, animation, art, all of it. I'm not afraid to draw inspiration from anything and everything out there. There's no room for ego in this game. Artists sometimes think they'll be the one to reinvent the wheel. Forget about that. Just design an awesome car and people will be happy!
R: Who are some of your favorite artists/customizers and inspirations?
GrungeWerX: Oh, man, we could be here all day with this one. Lesean Thomas of Boondocks and Cannonbusters fame. He is a big inspiration. His work on Cannonbusters inspired my Advent of the Sha'ar project. He's also well rounded and is just all around awesome. I love his dynamic style and we are both fans of anime. Some of my favorite artists and artistic inspiration are Kazuto Nakazawa, Yutaka Minowa, Hakua Ugetsu, Yoshiaki Kawajiri, Shinichiro Watanabe, Masami Obari, Yasuomi Umetsu, Hyung Tae Kim, Cardin, Elsevilla, Saejinoh, Alvin Lee, J Scott Campbell, Joe Madureira, Makoto Ono aka Makotron, Ashley Wood, Adi Granov, Arnold Tsang, Joe Ng and the whole Udon Crew, Adam Warren and a slew of others in a list too long to mention.
R: How long does it typically take you to complete a project from start to finish?
GrungeWerX: It varies. Between 1-3 hours for line art, 2-3 hours for inks and 3+ hours for coloring. Coloring can take days depending upon what I'm going for and how difficult the piece is. I used to be faster with coloring sequentials, about 4 pages a day. Now, I can easily spend an entire day coloring a single page, but I think that's because of the higher quality level.
R: Which TF is your favorite and why? Favorite TF character? Favorite series? Favorite toy (non-custom)? [Answers do not need be the same for each question]
GrungeWerX: Optimus Prime, bar none. He was like a role model for me as a kid and reminded me of the finer aspects of my father. He was unwilling to waver in his convictions and beliefs. Favorite series would have to be Generation One, but I thought Beast Wars was an excellent show, much better written obviously. I don't collect toys, so I really can't answer that question, hehe.
R: What was your first project that you did? Any memorable stories to share?
GrungeWerX: I drew a comic book in high school called the Shadow with a classmate named Franklin Carrington, who is a musician now. I then did four issues of a street drama called Silk, which taught me a lot about sequentials and page composition (which back then were horrible by the way). I made copies of the comic and passed them around my school. I'll never forget one day I was working at Taco Bell and this carload of students came up to the drive thru. One of the passengers yelled out, “Hey, aren't you the artist of that comic Silk? Dude, that comic was awesome.” My first “fan” experience, lol. Working on the Transformers Animated Adaptation for IDW with Josh Burcham was a lot of fun and gave me my first taste of deadlines. It was also probably the first time I colored work that wasn't my own. I remember Don Figueroa was really impressed with how I colored his Unicron.
R: What are your favorite movies//TV shows?
GrungeWerX: I rarely, if ever watch television. I can go a month without television easily. Mostly because my full time job and art responsibilities leave virtually no free time. However, I can always squeeze in a movie here and there. I recently enjoyed Ong Bank 2, which I think is one of the greatest martial arts films I've seen in years. Ip Man was an excellent film. Of course, I'll watch anything directed by Michael Man, Martin Scorcese, Stephen Spielberg, Peter Jackson, Guillermo Del Toro...this list can quickly get out of hand so I'll stop here.
R: What do you consider your strengths as a artist are? Weaknesses?
GrungeWerX: I think my strengths are in character design and being able to be dynamic and showing different perspectives. I like art to pop out, so I've studied the artists that I've considered to be masters of the form. Of course, my work is immediately noticed for the coloring. However, I still consider myself to be in the early stages of my development as an artist. My weaknesses are architecture, like buildings for example. I've devoted myself to overcoming this obstacle in the future. I feel that the only way to beat it is to dive headlong into it. Once I get a handle on architecture, I will feel a lot more comfortable in my abilities as an artist.
R: How would you describe your work environment? (For example, do you like to have certain music going while illustrating or do you have certain things set up that immediately inspire you?)
GrungeWerX: I have a dual monitor setup with 17 inch CRTs. Tools of the trade are an Intuos 3 wacom tablet 6x8 and Photoshop CS. I like my work environment clean and neat and I always listen to music when drawing. I change the genre of music to match how I'm feeling or for what is needed. For example, when I've been coloring for several hours, I might put on some techno or something upbeat to get me going until I can finish. When I'm nearly finished, I'll put on my favorite soundtrack to celebrate as I finish up. I don't really have any physical visual inspiration around me, like toys or models, so it's always mental.
R: What are your favorite things about the process of illustrating? Pet peeves?
GrungeWerX: I love sketching with my Wacom tablet, ten times more than using pencil and paper, which I basically don't use anymore. It's made sketching tons of fun because of cleanliness and consistency of the lines. It's like having a perfectly sharpened pencil that never gets dull. Pet peeves would be inking and some of the intermediary stages of coloring.
GrungeWerX's work area (MAN, Tim's such a tease!) R: How do you incorporate other elements outside of Transformers into your work?
GrungeWerX: For backgrounds, I study matte paintings in movies and landscapes in anime and try to incorporate that quality in my work. I also study film and animation for lighting techniques and special effects inspiration.
R: What are things you look for as “cool” in a toy? Describe what you like/dislike in certain Transformer toys.
GrungeWerX: I don't collect toys, but I like great articulation and meticulous design work. I'd prefer to see more details in the faces of Transformers too. And more femmebots! That Energon Arcee toy was pretty cool.
R: What do your non-TransFan friends say about your work?
GrungeWerX: They're pretty supportive, but are constantly telling me I should be creating my own characters and stories LOL. But they love the characters I design and think I have a lot of talent, which is very encouraging.
R: How has the new movie affected your art?
GrungeWerX: In the realm of Transformers, it has given me more confidence to deviate from the traditional look fans are accustomed to. While I'm aware that some people don't necessarily like the movie style, there are many that have reacted positively with an open mind. Some have even breathed a sigh of relief because they've been looking for something different for a while now. All of it has encouraged me to step away from the established status quo, and to not be afraid to be creative for fear that people won't receive it.
R: What artwork do you do outside of Transformers illustrating?
GrungeWerX: I draw just about anything and everything. I'm anxious to resume working on human designs in the future, as well as aliens, monsters, weapons, appliances, whatever inspires me.
R: What non-TF artwork heavily influences your illustrating work and why?
GrungeWerX: Joe Mad encourages me to start using heavy lines in my work again.. Lesean Thomas to make it pop and look dynamic. Manga inspires me to make my lineart more complex and not be afraid to be super detailed. Movies and anime sourcebooks inspire me to take great pride and time in my creations and not be afraid to go the extra mile creative wise.
R: What has been the most influential movie for you and why?
GrungeWerX: The Lord of the Rings trilogy, because of the sheer volume of artistic influence on every aspect of the film.
R: If you like to read, what are some of your favorite books and why? How does this impact your artwork?
n/a
R: When you listen to music, what do you like to listen to and why? How does this impact your artwork?
GrungeWerX: I listen to rock, metal, symphonic, orchestral, trance, techno and just about anything that's relaxing or inspiring. Music affects my mood and translates into my art as well. The more eclectic music guarantees I'll get crazy with my lineart. Relaxing music will inspire a more subdued approach.
R: What do you want people to most remember you for and why?
GrungeWerX: I want to be remembered as a kind, giving and compassionate human being and a loving father.
R: What toys besides TFs do you enjoy and why?
n/a
R: Boxers or briefs?
GrungeWerX: Boxers.
R: What trends do you see in your own work and what do others tend to say about your artwork?
GrungeWerX: Many notice that it's mostly cel shaded and would like to see a different coloring style from time to time. I'm still working on that, lol. I'd like to branch out and develop coloring styles not unlike those of artists like Hyung Tae Kim, Udon, Adi Granov, Ashley Wood, Ugetsu Hakua and a few others I can't remember right now.
R: How has making Transformers art impacted your life uniquely?
GrungeWerX: Creating Transformers art has been the single greatest artistic experience in my life. I've met so many people throughout the fandom, gained new friends and even acquired a few fans. It has connected me to many diverse aspects of the business and I've met people through commissions that I might have never met through any other means. It has helped me to grow artistically, probably much faster than I would have on my own because of the numerous personal requests I've received over the years. It has taught me discipline, creativity, patience, criticism and has allowed me to purchase the tools I needed to take my talent to the next level. I am eternally grateful for all the fans that have supported my artwork and especially those who have commissioned me throughout the years. Thanks so much guys!
GrungeWerX's custom character, Breakout- formerly known as Blackout. (darn you Bay!) REDLINE – You’ve been a member of our Fan Art community for a long, long time. One could even say you’ve become one of our “mainstays”. Six months ago, you saw the Fan Art forum brought in under the Radicons umbrella and given an expansion to help grow the community, and one aspect of this is tutorials to help new-comers be able to learn new techniques and ideas to help them expand upon their skills. Have you ever (or would you) consider making a tutorial(s) to help the new guys out? Anything from a follow-along to techniques you employ would be extremely helpful to some new or up-and-coming artist!
GrungeWerX: I would love to create tutorials to help aspiring artists learn new techniques. I'm always willing to share ideas and suggestions.
A lot of your custom-characters are Femmebots. Have you worked up any kind of fiction for this whole “faction” of Transformers, or do you simply like to draw them from a disappointment in the lack of Femmebots in the Transformers mythos?
GrungeWerX: Ooooh, I like this question. A lot of the femmebots I've created have been by the fans for the fans. However, I do have a small collection of my own personal femmebots, like Burnout, who is probably one of my most popular femmebot characters. When she was first created, I envisioned her as a playmate to Cliffjumper and Bumblebee. I never would have expected the reaction I got from Transfans. That prompted me to make her 'deluxe' sized and carve out her design more. As far as a fiction for them, I've always envisioned a completely separate Transformers series with a cast composed of mostly femmebots. New leader, new villains, new setting and story. A complete deviation of what has been done before. Picture that
G1 episode “The Search for Alpha Trion”, with all the femmebots being led by Alpha Trion. Then imagine a team of all new femmebots with equally interesting personalities, modern alt modes, a squad leader and a new batch of Decepticon baddies. It would be totally self contained with occasional interactions with the regular cast members.
Superquad7 – Your artwork excels in all areas, but I think the most significant area your work shines is your coloring. Aside from the questions we've already asked you, what particular advice could you give to those who color as well? What are some things you have in mind when you add shadows/light sourcing and such? Are there any particular tutorials that you greatly benefited from that you could point Radicons to?
GrungeWerX: I would suggest that anyone looking to be a great colorist should first acquire the best tools. Photoshop and Painter are two great coloring programs and are compatible with each other. If you can't afford them, Google around and get something that's comparable. Above that, I would suggest studying your favorite works of art and try to emulate those coloring effects in your own work as often as possible until your preferred techniques become second nature. Study books on color theory. Google around for tutorials. Study, study, study. Once you have an understanding of how color works, you can implement what you've learned in almost any medium and you'll become proficient at it. Never be satisfied with one coloring style. Try them all, you'll be more well rounded and that will ensure you getting hired by a company if that's your goal. I take into consideration the light source when I'm adding shadows and I try to be consistent with it. I'm getting better at it, but I still have much to learn. When I first started coloring, I remember a tutorial online called Polykarbon that really gave me a lot of knowledge on coloring techniques. I read a couple more tutorials, but I can't remember offhand what they were called. They were pretty basic as I was just starting out. Start with the basics. And above all, try numerous techniques with your software because a lot of the coloring techniques I use come from an understanding of the software. The more capable you are, the greater work you can do and you'll find your possibilities limitless.
I really enjoy a lot of the characters you create yourself. Could you describe your own approach to doing this and the things you feel you do to make your characters unique while fitting in the TF Universe?
GrungeWerX: When I'm working on commissions, I try to get a feel for the personality the creator is trying to convey with the character. I then try to visualize what physical characteristics would stand out the most in their design. More recently, I've tried to imagine them with the physicality of a human and sort of reverse engineer them into the Cybertronian equivalent. When designing my own characters, I'm less concerned about the character's personalities and instead imagine greatly exaggerated caricatures of machines and just have at it. Most of my character design work has been in the cel shaded style, so I just keep the animated cartoons in mind and try to maintain that aesthetic while still bringing something new to the table visually.
What are your likes and dislikes in TF designs? What do you want to see in TF artwork and animation that you see not currently being done?
GrungeWerX: I think the live action movie empowered artists to challenge the way Transformers look and are received. I've always liked the toys and prior designs, but I think that the movie sort of ripped the ceiling off the status quo and freed us to be more creative and diverse in design. So, I'd like to see Transformers artwork take that freedom and evolve beyond what we've experienced before. I plan on taking some of those liberties myself in future designs. Whether or not it'll be well received is another matter altogether. I don't really have any dislikes in the current
TF designs.
autobotx23 - As a graphic artist and a painter, I like viewing works in various artistic fields. other than your fan Art, what else do you enjoy viewing/doing?
GrungeWerX: I enjoy viewing anime for their slick style. One would think that with such a plethora of anime out there that they'd have reached a creative brick wall by now, but I still see them upping the ante in their stylization. I also greatly admire cinematography and enjoy seeing concept art for various movies and video games. I love movies most of all, both domestic and foreign, especially Asian films. They bring a nice deviation from the traditional Hollywood formula. Writing is another passion of mine and I hope to one day option a screenplay.
Has the growing fan base to Transformers since the movie release and the upcoming sequel brought you additional attention to your work? How do you deal with that?
GrungeWerX: I think that if I were drawing the movie style then that would definitely be a factor. As of right now, I can't be sure. I think word of mouth more than anything has brought more attention to my work.
ALPHAMAGNUS - It's obvious G1 is your inspiration, but have you done any art from any other series? Even other shows like He-Man or Thundercats?
GrungeWerX: I might have unknowingly been commissioned to do a character intended for a non-
G1 series, but I can't be sure. I know that I've done designs for
G1 and Beast Wars type characters. I've been planning on doing artwork from Thundercats, He-Man, G.I. Joe and Silverhawks for some time. Whenever I finally have some free time, I'll give it a go, starting with Thundercats! I can't wait to draw Mumm-Ra and Lion-O.
Have you ever done a drawing of Prime jumping and shooting, like in the "Autobot city battle" in the G1 movie? If not , consider this a formal request.
GrungeWerX: LOL! No, I haven't, but don't worry, I've got something equally as awesome planned for Advent of the Sha'ar! There's also some promo art coming soon that depicts Prime airborne, so I hope you'll like it.
BMGFX - What advice do you have for an artist who wishes to develop their own personal "style"?
GrungeWerX: I don't think style can be forced, but is a bi-product of artistic expression, like a visual fingerprint of an artist's “mind's eye”. However, if you have a particular look that you're aiming for, then keep drawing and drawing until you get there. It's hard not to be influenced by an another artist's work, so I think you should also spend some time drawing with no other artist's work around.
What trends in fan art have you enjoyed seeing the most?
GrungeWerX: I like seeing new artists and the different styles they bring. King Starscream was a great designer and he could really make those characters look like they could be made into toys. Josh Burcham always had a gritty style. Beamer and his work was always great. Then there's Makotron, Joe Ng, Unicron WMD, 1DB, all of those artists and many more contributed diverse styles to the forums and I used to love seeing them when I first started posting art years ago. I'm not too familiar these days when many artists because I rarely have free time to peruse the forums. But the stuff I've seen here and there is amazing! Gauge0001 has a great handle on the Transformers Animated style and there are some other great artists whose names I haven't gotten familiar with.
Are there any subjects or styles you wish you would see less of?
GrungeWerX: Not really. I love diversity, so I say bring it on!
What is in your arsenal of art creating tools?
GrungeWerX: I use a 6x8 Intuos 3 Wacom tablet, Photoshop CS and dual monitors to create the madness.
While commission work can take away time from personal projects, is there anything you would like to do at the moment but haven't had time for?
GrungeWerX: I'd love to go to Japan, actually watch TV for a change, take a trip out of town, go sightseeing, snowboarding, camping, and of course, more SLEEP!
I would mention that Twin Twist sucks, but this was GrungeWerX's first digital piece of art! 
GrungeWerX's Threads Meltdown - Beserker #3 Me Grimlock Want See Facebook! Femme of War (Deaddrift) The Tumbler (COMPLETED) Screwloose - Meet the Mech that Killed Burnout Tumbler - Maniacal Mech Supreme Stormwing - Beserker #2 Sidestreet - Original Character Paranoid - Commission (Red Alert) Desert Christmas - Commission (Jazz and Bumblebee) Hold Still Ya Glitch - Commission (Sideswipe/Ratchet) Heat - Commission (Sunstreaker and Tracks) Impractical Jokes - Commission (Chance and Hyperdrive) Battleground - Commission (sunstreaker, megatron and starchaser0 A Game of TetraGammaCon - Commission War Stories - Commission "UPGRADE" Commission - Tracks/Bumblebee Predator's Diorama: Megatron and Silverose Sonar - Original Fan Character Wipeout - Fan Character Nighthawk - Fan Character Springshift - Fan Character Mezma Commission Dead Drift (Original Character) Burnout Profile/Bio Revealed Death By Drowing Instruments of Persuasion Showtime-Bumblebee and Bluestreak Just a Hair - Bumblebee and Cliffjumper Mischief Makers - Bumblebee, Sideswipe and Prowl Stars at Dusk - Bumblebee and Beachcomber Ascension - Part One Dreadnought - Commission Airlift - Movie Design Blade Runner-Original Character Trickshift Dynabreaker - ORIGINAL CHARACTER Swish - Original Character Fembot Flamboyance Novacula - Movie Design 
OMG, It's Boombox! And he's taking names! Dash and Shellshocker - Original Characters Nightstalker - Commission Megatron's Family of Doom - Commission Rapture - Commission Circuit Breaker - Commission Guns....LOTS of Guns... CB - Original Character Shatter Howl - Original Character Tyrannus - Original Character Conquest - Commission Red Alert and Finch "Who's your DADDY?" Breakout - Kiss My Metallikato Poppin' Protoforms Foundation - Commission Thundertrax - Commission Borebit - Commission Starscream "Dreamer" Fembot Seekers, triple changers and More Endariel and Darkscream Commissions Flamestrike Alt Mode - Commission Vixen - Commission Flamestrike, Syphon and Hyperdrive Commission Dump Sunstriker - Commission Breakout Blackstar _Commission "Down Time" - Commission Marked for Death Optimus Prime - Advent Teaser Acid Aid Driftbot Sidewinder - Movie Style Design Dawn Sideways Remix Damocles (Original Character) Stormwing Redux Eniac Silhouette (Original Character) Stratosphera Advent of the Sha'ar villain Revealed! 
GrungeWerX's Advent of the Sha'ar- SQ7's favorite piece by him, and considering how strong RL's ties are to the 'cons, him liking it too should speak volumes! Tracks and Jazz Vertigo - Original Character "Miami Heat" TF: Advent of the Sha'ar Getting Junk'D LockJaw (Original Character) New Lost Episodes Screenshot The Original is Back! Sibling Rivalries Wreckage Original Character Slag Em All!!! I still FUNCTION!!! New character (Sideways) New Characters Frag Tumbler Prowl Nightwise and Jolene BULLETPROOF (clean and sexy) Behold...Galvatron Devcon is Back! Wings of Change (Solar Flare and Mirage) Do androids dream of electronic..boobies? Episode #78: "Gladiator" Episode #75: "Papatron" TF: The Lost Episodes Giveaway Meet Channel! Discord/Stormrunner--Two Transformers in One! Gridlock (original character) Rattlelatch (original character) Burnout X from TF: Race Wars Episode 69: "SOS Magnus" A cute fembot named Bantam! Episode 86: Persuasion What is Track's secret? G1 Prime Unmasked in cartoon A Message from Prime So you say you like fembots? Burnout v4.0 Color Test Sketch "Upgrade" Glaze ( A Tribute to a Fembot) Snapshot Box Art Death Walks By...(fan commission) GWX's Original Anime Funk Lunch With CrumpleZone (A special thank you) 
Commission done by Tim for board member alphie of her characters Beltline, Sonicblaze, and Echo (is she EVER going to finish that story?) GrungeWerX's Galleries 
Twin Twist by GrungeWerX
Boombox Commission by GrungeWerX
Alternators Bumblebee by GrungeWerX
Down Time by GrungeWerX
Advent of the Sha'ar by GrungeWerX
See? Such a tease! 
