Colors Gallery, meet ShadowPikaboo
@ShadowPikaboo is an artist well known for drawing flashy, highly detailed creatures designs, hosting many events for their friends and for having one of the largest colors profiles with a gallery featuring over one thousand works! Let's all sit in their shadow for a bit as we get to know them!
What's your origin story? When did your art journey begin?
"Hopefully I don't get to long winded for you, I'll try to keep things short but no promises! Welp it begins!""
"As most, not all but most artists will say 'I been drawing every sense I can remember' and I'm no different! but maybe the reason why is?"
"A lot of my early memories were of my mom and grandma giving me scraps of paper to doodle on, my family didn't have a lot of money but some form of paper was available and pencils with the events we were in."
"My family was always doing something if it was involving our Church or Boy Scouts with my brother, been stuck at my parents work place or just some family event going on, often time there were events that the atmospheres were much more momentous or serious about them, and been a small energetic child sitting still and being quiet was challenging, so one of the ways to occupy me was in art."
"At first my mom would ask or show me how to draw simple things, shapes and stick figure animals, it was a learning experience and she made it fun, which was good because she couldn't always sit with me but with a pencil and something to draw on I could occupy myself."
"I would learn much in those quiet times of drawing, mom and other family members would often talk about the great creator, the living God who made the universe, I would look at the world around in awe knowing that God an artist to and that he made a lot of real cool and beautiful things, God has always been my greatest inspiration."
"Art would become more then just a pass time for me however, it was a form of communication for me, I couldn't read or write for the longest time, but that didn't stop me! I draw a picture! If mom was naming off a shopping list I be drawing out what items were needed and so on. I would also draw to help remind me of something, if it was an event, circumstance going on, or just story stuff, I would use art as a form of files for my memory seen I wasn't able to write it down."
"From an early age art would become my friend and sanctuary to, despite how active my family was in things I didn't have many if any friends as a child."
"Don't get me wrong, I had plenty of family members growing up with and I'm close to many of my cousins, I adore my older brother and sister but as far as other kids my age that were not blood related I didn't have any but there was a part of me that wanted a friend like that and so I would talk with God a lot about that and when I did that I would draw too. I do believe that God gave me one wild imagination as a child to help get me though a lot of things, there was many hardship and things no child should have to go throu"gh but I was never alone, I could pick up a pencil and paper and go on adventures!
"I had make believe friends and would go with them in my imagination to place out of this world."
"Even with the bad times, there was so much good too! The memories of drawing at Grandma and Grandpa's house, there was this BIG box, well it seemed big to me at the age of 5 but it was a special box, you could draw on any paper that was in that box! Granted most of it had stuff written on it already or pieces cutting out cuz it was a Scrap Box but paper was precious back then and the rule was you had to draw on as much of the paper as possible before you could get a new one. It really helped me appreciate the value of small things and to make the more of what you got."
"I had a pretty wild childhood, I miss those days!"
"There honestly to much to cover in just the first 5 to 7 years of my life, but it was the stepping stone to were I am today. I do thank God for how saturated my childhood was with art, I might not had a lot but God give me all I needed."
How did you come up with your closed species like #SPnightmare , #SPDreamer and #SPVaseterm ?
"Each one has their own origin stories on how I came up with them."
"The Vaseterm in some ways came first before the Dreamers and Nightmares.
"The first Vaseterm Is Victoria, I wanted a black unicorn character with white hair, back then I thought that be pretty cool and unique as I only seen white unicorns ( my internet access was limited or didn't exist yet ) but there was a problem, horses were my sisters thing so I was off limits in making any or she get upset with me, but I found a loophole!"
"Some time passes and one of my cousins introduced me to a game called 'Sonic Rush'. It was the first Sonic game I actually got to play and I was hooked! I was a pretty big Sonic fan at the time, it's one of the few franchises I've made fan character for and
funny enough Victoria was originally a Sonic fan oc, back in 2005+ and my sister didn't take notice because Victoria was a fan character and not a normal horse character."
"So she end up being one of my favorites to most draw character for a few years. As time passed my sister moved out of the house and I slowly started to branch out. I now could try drawing horse and human characters with my sister getting mad at me for drawing the things she claimed as her things.
"It was then I began to make Victoria into her own character for my world and story and with that her species the Vaseterm came to be. I always loved Clydesdales and work horses, they were big and strong and not only that they had fluffy feet! Thankfully they were one of the few horses I could get away with liking as my sister favorite more sleek and fast horses."
"Even though I was a tomboy I still like some girly things like Gemstones and other shiny things. I wasn't to much into jewelry myself and didn't like wearing it but I could admire it. I'm not sure what really inspired my love for shiny things but I always been draw to them so I tend to slap them on most my species and the Vaseterm were no different!"
"The name Vaseterm was inspired by 'Vast' because they can see great things in visions and 'Term' which means a limited period of time, term also means a word or phrase used to describe a thing or to express a concept, especially in a particular kind of language or branch of study' which fits how I wanted the Vaseterm to use their magic by using words."
"The Vaseterm didn't get deeply established until I started to share my world on colors with the Role play Soledormir Keys or Skeys for short."
"Unfortunately yet again things about the species were heavily influenced by the opinions of others. Their powers and abilities got blown way out of proportion, it what made them popular but not what I wanted for them, however now that Skey the RP is done I'm able to work on getting the Vaseterm back on track with a new story, it's one that has a mixture of my original concepts with something of Skey but with a new fresh start, so the Vaseterm are still a work in progress even after all these years."
"A Deam is a wish the heart makes~"
"The Dreamer were a Concept in my head for many years before the first picture was made, I knew what I wanted even as a teen, I wanted something that would hold onto and protect the innocence of a child, it why a Dreamer can change to so many different forms just like a child can pretend and imagine themselves to be many different things, they had strong moral and integrity values that were inspired by my Christian beliefs, the Dreamer became the Guardians and Shepherds of my Universe, with the ability to see the heart of others and the truth so they could help them, the Dreamer would be bright and colorful to help paint a world that had become dark without light, there my species of hope and overcoming adversity."
"However the Dreamers didn't get a face until 3/22/2012 with Dreamcatcher. I had been struggling with the worst art block of my life that last almost 2 years. It happened after some harsh criticism I got with my first art show while the show itself was a wonderful experience. Many of my family and friends showed up to support me but that kinda was the problem. My father was jealous and because I only sold one picture and he used that scold me about fantasy art and saying it will get me nowhere in life and I couldn't draw things from my imagination again."
"The thing was I didn't do the show to sell anything. I didn't have any price on any on my artworks because I didn't want to sell any of my pictures. These were my babies as my mom would say, but I was told the lady was the mayor's wife so I felt obligated in selling her the picture of 2 kit foxes I done for the theme of the event. Even though I sold something when I had no intention to it wasn't enough so with those harsh words I stopped drawing all together."
"If I couldn't draw something from my imagination and love then what could I do? Art was dead to me. I wanted to draw but it felt like a poison in my soul that lasted roughly 2 years."
"However one day I had some leftover paint from a project and I'm not one to waste so I took a spare canvas and began to let my imagination take shape with colors of red, blue, yellow and green.
I didn't hear my fathers voice in my head, I wasn't thinking about a project or anything but moving the paint, and with that Dreamcatcher the first Dreamer was born. The dark days of art block were over! I finally let go and forgive my father and let myself believe that God can use my imagination for something other then money or fame."
"It's why whenever I'm in a rut with my art I look back at my darkness time and remember the promise I made, that I never let art block hold me like that again, and to remember that yet again God can bring colors to a life without one, it's why out of all my species the Dreamers hold the most meaning and why they are a symbol of Hope and imagination."
The Nightmares..."
"The Nightmares were made after the Dreamers, unlike Dreamers who are good the Nightmares are evil and symbolize plagiary, deception, manipulation and art block."
"Malice the first Nightmare is one of my less favorite characters along with the Nightmare species as a whole. All Nightmares have black to them to symbolize art block and the feeling of darkness and despair, they lack the bright colors that a Dreamer being stripped of their imagination but they still have resemblance to the Dreamer they ones were."
"The theme of a Nightmare is that sometimes people you love and trust don't always have good hearts.... That a friend or family member you ones knew as one way can become something completely different if they let sin rule their life. they may have the same voices or look the same but there not the same person anymore and what left tarnishes who they were."
"This is why the Nightmares are meant to be one of my deadliest species in my universe because they go after a person's heart by using someone that persons loved ones."
"I could honestly go on and about the Origins and inspirations of things like Dreamer being inspired by deer and why they have pearls, to the Nightmares chains and much more, those who know me well know almost everything has some form of story or meaning behind it."
I don't know but something tells me you really like drawing fantasy creatures like dragons/wyverns. It's just a hunch though.
"You are correct! I always loved fantasy creatures! My first love started as dinosaurs but then I discovered dragons! I mean it's like a dinosaur with wings and can breathe fire! What's not cool about that?! Over the years go though swing of drawing other fantasy characters just by mixing things together but I always come back to dragons."
How did you come up with your style? What 're your influences/inspirations? You seem to combine realism with more exaggerated aspects of art( larger eyes, more vibrant colors etc)?
"The inspiration for my style I can only say is from admiring God's creation for the realism part and watching cartoons as a kid for the other part. I also just love bright and colorful things."
Talent vs Hardwork?
"I believe in both. Some people are just naturally good at something as others have to work harder to do something. What matters is if a persons character is in what they do, is their heart in it? Why do they pursue art?"
What's the origin behind your user name? Do you like to hide in the shadows?
"Haha my username name!"
"ShadowPikaboo, we have to go waaaay back to around the year 2000 when a game called Halo was released for the Xbox. My gamer tag was originally just Pikaboo, I was a HUGE fan of pokemon back then so a name like Pikachu was fitting( and it was easy to turn on my Gameboy to look up how to spell Pikachu with the pokedex) the Boo part was because it was cute and welllll.... because I had a thing about jumping around corners and killing my family members and friends in PvP so it was a saying ' Pikaboo I kill you~' and it stuck.
"Later when online became a thing my dad helped me make my online name, unfortunately Pikaboo had already been taken so I was at a loss. That had been my gamer name for roughly 7 years?!!"
What was a kid to do? I didn't know how to spell many things and what would I spell anyway? I was at a lost, so my dad took the control and slapped Shadow on Pikaboo.
"At first it upset me because I didn't get a choice in the matter and my dad put 'Shadow' on all his gamer names so it felt like it wasn't even mine at first, but I got over myself and eventually made the name my own. Now I'm used to people calling me Shadow more then Pikaboo, and any other name but ShadowPikaboo just wouldn't be the same!"
"But yeah that's how I got my name so in away I did like to hide in the shadows in Halo!"
How does Colors benefit your workflow? Do you use any other mediums or software?
"Color become a big game Game Changer as a young adult, all my life I had hauled around backpack with papers and pencils everywhere I went, I rarely left home without something to draw on, but when I got colors on my 3DS I didn't need to bring so much stuff with me, I could be sitting in the car, waiting in a room, out on a hike and pull out my trusty little 3DS, it's why in my first year on colors I posted over 1000 pictures. I draw a lot already but colors made it more convenient and fun. Now these days I'm down to 1 3DS out of the 6 I had. Half of them I only got to draw on."
"I still love to draw on the 3DS but I knew the time of them was sad enough was coming to it end."
"One of my cousins keep pushing for me to upgrade so he took matter in his own hands and gifted me with my first pc! Which I use to this day, Frank might be a hand me down but he is a special pc."
"I had heard Clip Studio Paint was similar in use to the feel of things and so I got that. It took me awhile to adjust but I've come to like it.I still will find myself coming back to my 3DS though."
"Of late I been playing around on the switch again but it still a bit to big to fit in my purse let alone my pocket."
"Because I don't have a have any other digital device that I can take on the go with me the amount of art I'm able to do has dropped to only a few pictures in a month if I'm lucky. I am looking into something that pocket size to take on the go. Hopefully with that I could draw more again."
You've been using Colors for a while. How did you discover our humble Gallery and how do you like the community? Any features or QoL changes you would like to see?
"I came across colors by accident. I had discovered that the 3DS had a online store and was browsing through it. I had heard of an art game but it was kinda expensive but it didn't hurt to look into but in doing the search colorslive also popped up."
"It looked simple enough and was in my price range so I got it! It did take me a few months to make an account and start showing my art online. Online stuff was still new to me other than playing Halo and Destiny, but I never did anything with my art online before."
"I was both nervous and excited! Never before had I been around so many artists but the community hooked me right away! Almost everyone was kind and nice! There was things going on everywhere! Draw to adopts, art trades, contests, egg adoption, raffles, RP! And nothing cost money, it was just honest fun and people doing what they loved, and with that there was always so much to do and see!"
"Over the years many of the people from then have moved on, but new people have come too. It's why I still trying to stick around. I remember when I was new and it took some people to go out of there way to make colors my home, and in some way I want to still honor the ways of the old.It's why I did my best to hold contests and events for a time."
"No other site I been to has had a feeling like colors. When I started on other platforms the people tend to be greedy or untrusting. Few want to do art trades and even fewer trust to put effort in unless money is involved."
'It's why I still tell people that Colors Live is my favorite art site! It's where I met my first and now best friends on and many more."
"Colors Live has come a long way since I started in 2016. I think 2 of my favorite updates were when colors became more mobile friendly as someone who really on her phone just to spell most things it was a life saver! The 2nd one was being able to see a full gallery, having half your gallery hidden when you reached over 1000 pictures was a bit scary at first so I'm thankful I can look back on my old art work even though it really old cringy."
"I guess if I had a wish for Colors Live it be able to post art I've done from other apps or just be able to use my tablet."
Colors art you're most proud of?
The picture I'm most proud of would have to be this one
Warrior of Light by ShadowPikaboo
"This is one of the reasons why my friends give me the nickname Flashy Death because I make artistic death they say!"
Favorite Colors and non-Colors artist?
My favorite color artist would have to be:
@LillyLightstar
@Fluffy_inc
@GalaxyTheWolf
@Krazy Katt111
@fuu-min
@Lady Ama
@BloodHybrid
@FadingGlory
@Kjumper
@Acchan
@PoodleKingdom
@Alkaline
@Uruwen
Artist not on colors would be:
BulkaaOga (DA)
7kamich7 ( DA)
ReklawKC ( DA)
Ghost778 (TH)
Snowshells (TH) or Snowshell_sketches ( Ig)
XenozXlll (DA)
Drakanecia ( DA)
Osiris.osi ( Ig)
Akassis ( DA)
SereneHearts ( DA)
Rittik-Designs ( DA)
Grimlai ( DA)
YuiChi-tyan ( DA)
Ookamina ( DA)
Ankalt ( DA)
The-Day-of-Shadow (DA)
LifStrange (DA)
Melixion (DA)
There's a lot more but I'll stop!
Top 3 Favorite Colors artworks?
Top 3 favorite colors art work, it was a hard one to just do 3
The Watcher, The Guardian, and The King by Fluffy_inc
dreamcatcher by Lady Ama
Koi Pond by Kjumper
Do you have any art goals? Habits besides art?
"The biggest art goal or wish is that I want to visit hospitals and draw pictures for those being treated there and the people who visit and care for them or just people in need. I want my art to bring color and hope to those who many be struggling to find it themselves, like what God help me with."
"I want my art to mean something more then myself."
Anyone you want to shout-out? Doesn't need to be a friend, follower, or favorite artists.
"Well some shoutouts would be too my mom, dad, brother, and sister, all my other family who help me on my artistic journey, like Kevin, Jeff, Jenny, Kim, Konnie, Geoffrey, Taylor
to my best friends @LillyLightstar, @Fluffy_inc, @GalaxyTheWolf, @KrazyKatt111 and all my other friends! To Kathy Bell, Professor Halk and April! And so many more amazing people God put in my life! And most of all a shout out to God! Thank you for this incredible artist journey!"
That wraps up our interview with @ShadowPikaboo . It was pleasurie interviewing you and we at The Colors Team thank you for being so awesome! Don't be shy about checking them out, Colors Gallery!
Check the interview with our previous artist of the week @Hailsss here below:
http://colorslive.com/page/Meet-Hailsss
For those who may need a reminder
The Artist of the week will be posted every Friday so be sure to tune in! Prior to that, the artist may be contacted via email or other means at least a week or more in advance so be sure to check your emails( and spam) so you don't miss out on a chance to be featured. If you don't reply within 48 hours another artist may be chosen to be featured for that week instead and you will be in a future artist of the week update.
The announcement of who is the upcoming featured artist will be announced at least 2-3 days in advance or eariler so look out for that too! If you would like for any of your questions or comments to be featured in an upcoming interview please check out colorslive.com/discord and visit the official artist of the week channel to submit questions/commentary for a chance for those to be answered before Friday.
You can suggest a new artist for artist of the week on the forum post on my gallery or by posting with the #heyzyik tag.
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Stay creative!
Zyik & The Colors Team
