"Who are you and whaddaya do?"
I'm a full-time production artist and part-time illustrator living in Minnesota with my girlfriend Jess Hickman and her two cat-brats:

I'm also a Lucasfilm-approved Star Wars Sketch Card Artist, and you can see my work in Topps' Star Wars: Episode III Revenge of the Sith trading card set.

"Will you draw me a picture?"
Depending on if I have time, I will do commissions. Email me and ask about it - let me know what you have in mind (just don't hate me if I have to turn you down). The best & quickest way to get an original drawing from me is to buy one of my personal sketch cards, which are available in the "Sketch Card" section of my site. Otherwise, I'm planning on setting up a "Commission Info" section soon, so keep an eye out for that. Note: please don't ask for art trades or freebies. I got bills to pay! :)

"I saw some of your 'Wraith' and 'Drekodinn' stuff -- What's that all about?"
Well, "Wraith" is a fantasy series I created several years ago and finally brought to life in 2004 with the help of a bunch of other up-and-coming artists that I know both online and in person. As of right now, there are art collections, novellas, and more, and they're available to the public right over here. For awhile I planned to continue the saga in the form of a webcomic (named after the world on which "Wraith" takes place: Drekodinn) and so I developed Drekodinn.Net. However, life got busy with paying jobs and the project was once again forced to wait for its moment to shine. I'll be announcing something in the near future regarding its return, but for now all I can say is: Keep your eye on the website!

"What kind of movies do you like?"
I'm a movie geek. Some of my favorites are the Star Wars Saga, the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Conan the Barbarian, Braveheart, Aliens, Unbreakable, Kill Bill 1 & 2, Clint Eastwood westerns, Donnie Darko, Willow, The Big Lebowski, Heat, Dawn of the Dead (both versions), Sideways. That's just a few of 'em. Oh, and I loved Batman Begins and War of the Worlds.

"What TV shows do you watch?"
Right now my favorite shows are Lost and Battlestar Galactica. I'm also a Sopranos addict, and I like Scrubs, Arrested Development, and a few others. I don't watch too much TV. Lost and Battlestar Galactica are the big ones.

"What kind of music do you listen to?"
Mostly movie soundtracks (I know, I'm a nerd), but I also listen to Radiohead, Audioslave, A Perfect Circle, Alice In Chains, Stone Temple Pilots, Nirvana, Nine Inch Nails, Fiona Apple, Foo Fighters, Tenacious D, Faith No More, The Doors, Beck... I'm sure there are more, but those are the ones that come to mind. I have a pretty wide range of musical tastes. But yeah, when I'm being creative I like to listen to movie soundtracks. Lately the big ones are the Lord of the Ringstrilogy and Batman Begins soundtracks.

"Do you have any favorite artists, or artists who inspired you?"
I grew up on comic books, so I have a number of comic heroes: Jim Lee, Chris Bachalo, Dan Brereton, Wendy & Richard Pini, Mike Mignola, Art Adams, Jim Cheung, Jason Pearson, J. Scott Campbell, Alan Davis, Frank Quitely, John Romita Jr., Paul Pope, Marc Silvestri, Mark Texiera, Bruce Timm, Joe Madureira, Adam Warren, Skottie Young -- That's just a few. The list goes on and on. I was also heavily influenced by a number of '80s/'90s D&D artists, such as Larry Elmore and Clyde Caldwell, and even a few of the current genre stars, like Todd Lockwood. Last but not least, I'm lucky enough to have some incredibly talented friends, and they inspire me regularly. I wouldn't dare name them, for fear of forgetting one or two, but if you're really curious you can go check out my links page.

"Can I put one of your images on my site, or use it in an icon?"
I know by now that anything posted online is subject to online abuse, and that sucks. It's a shame that more people don't respect artists and their rights. That said, you can put my images on your site or make icons out of them, just so long as you give me credit and (if possible) link to my website. I don't mind people showing off my art, as long as they're not taking credit for it, or not giving credit at all, or (worst case scenario) making money off it. Please, if you're going to use my art, let me know -- Send me an email. I'm a nice guy, I probably won't mind. But if I find my artwork somewhere where it shouldn't be and I'm not being credited, I'll (A) get extremely ticked off, and (B) take whatever steps are necessary. Be respectful.

"Do you have any advice, tips, or tutorials for beginning artists?"
I don't really have time to write up any tutorials right now, but if you want some advice, here it is: Draw a lot, use reference, and don't be afraid to mess up. I know that's kind of generic, but it's true. Everyone wants to be that artist who can whip up a masterpiece each and every time, but it just doesn't happen. Don't be overly sensitive. Just keep drawing, keep improving, and have fun with it. And finally, network!!! Meet new people, join art forums, create a website! The internet can do wonders for your artwork and your career, believe me. Also, there's a book out now called "Wizard Basic Training: Vol. 1: How To Draw" - It's got a lot of great stuff in it if you're looking for tips or inspiration :)

"Can I email you?"
You sure can. Here's my address: grantgould @ hotmail.com