Q&A with Illustrator Dusty Moore

From the Noodle to the Page
The Making of Minion: The Shudagon Trilogy

I find visual art to be my main influence. With story telling through literature, unless poetic, the foundation is laid allowing for boundaries. In visual art, the mind is free to roam and interpret however the mind allows. For Minion, I wanted to include illustrations that could prepare the reader's mind in a way that would break down the prefabricated filters that may exist. Its no secret, the story is pretty over-the-top and any ingredient that I could add to the chaos, will only make for a more epic experience.

Through he grapevine, I heard one of my co-workers was an artist and currently working on a comic book. I approached Dusty Moore with my desire to have illustrations in a novel I was producing. I threw him a copy. After a short time, he got back to me with a few questions. "What is going on in your head?" he asked.



Justin: What is it about art that maintains your interest?

Dusty: Hell, how do I sum this up? In a word I would say "creativity" then I would throw in "freedom" and then...."growth."
I can take this back pretty far.... like when I was 3or 4 I was glued to early Warner Bros. cartoons and I'm still inspired by them. My father was buying me The Savage Sword of Conan, Mad, and Cracked Magazine in the early eighties when I was 10 and they were a major influence; I still read them today. I'd say the comics were my first introduction to art, and specifically fantasy art; where anything you can dream up is possible whether it's written word, ink on paper, actors working their magic or the various combinations thereof. I was always doodling G.I.Joe and skateboarders and anything I could come up with.
Looking back on that I realize the value in the freedom to do it yourself with no authoritative judge limiting your insight during the process. The ability to take a piece of cloth, some pigments from the earth and bring a painting into being that you alone made... good or bad. For me the creative process is where the rush takes place. Pushing an idea right into the corner of your choosing, developing to your little hearts desire (or deadline's desire). And I have to mention my constant need to learn. Whether I've conquered a particular technique or am just beginning to tinker with it, improvement and personal evolution are very important. These are some of the things that keep me interested in art.
But I gotta throw in that I am seeking creative collaboration more and more. So what may be developing here is a sense of community between artists where exploration is encouraged, growth is mandatory, and egos are minimal. Where people work together with whatever they can bring to the bar, where they make something fulfilling to explore, finish out, and then move on to the next project.

Justin: What turned you on to the project?

Dusty: Really it was just another creator asking me if I was interested in making something new. You hadn't even seen my work but you were interested regardless. And then, when I was reading the book and creating visual images in my mind I was very impressed with your imagination. I like reading authors like Mike Mignola, Clive Barker, Robert E. Howard, Lovecraft, and Herbert to name a few and the style and pace of Minion kept me wanting to read more. I was in after I read the Prologue and first chapter.

Justin: Can you pinpoint an influence or inspiration for each of the illustrations?

Dusty: For the Minion series of drawings I deliberately chose a few of my favorite artists to pay tribute. They have provided me tons of inspiration. So, the first three drawings of the book are directly related to some of my favorite works. The last drawing, though, of Minion, is my own and your creation.
For Zepar, I was inspired by Andreas Vesalius, the 16th century anatomist and his publication De Humani Corporis Fabrica (this is my subtle nod to Ospi, a pivitol character in Minion). In this book lay illustrations from artists who had worked under the famed painter Titian. Many of which are of grossly flayed human corpses that were displayed and used for anatomical study. Vesalius himself flayed the corpses, the artists only illustrated them. A bit like you and myself if you will....

Moloch.... this is a character resonates in my imagination. He is a truly demonic and twisted individual. I wanted to illustrate his moment just before the sacrifice... and the comic artist Simon Bisley was the main inspiration for my drawing. And after you looked at my rough sketches you mentioned the old man from poltergeist. Then I combined Captain Howdy from The Exorcist with old man Poltergeist and the scene was set. Gotta love collaboration.
Glasya-Labolas...... this was the most challenging drawing. Justin, your description to me was something kinda like this......."i want it to be a person or something that's got so much evil inside that IT RIPS ITSELF IN TWO......." So I ran with that. I researched my favorite Italian sculptor Gian Lorenzo Bernini and "quickly" came up with the monstrosity that lives on Minion's pages.

Justin: What do you think is in store for the rest of the Minion series?

Obviously there are two more books coming out. And I have heard you utter the words "graphic novel.".........So I'd say, whatever ol' Treece has got in his noggin has got to manifest itself somehow.....I just hope I have the chance to illustrate it.


More on the making of Minion later.....

Get your copy here: MINION

From the Noodle to the Paper: The Making of Minion: The Shudagon Trilogy

Yesterday was a pivotal point in my life. I released the first edition to a novel trilogy that I have been working on, either physically or mentally, for nearly 5 years. It seems like such a long time, given that I've met authors that write books in two months. What can I say? I have a pace.

The idea started when I was writing another novel (Return, a modern romantic adventure). If I remember correctly, I wanted to make a vigilante with inhuman abilities, but have those abilities manifest themselves by spiritual means, rather than have an alien offer powers or make up a biological experiment in some science lab. Like many do during times of exploration, I went to The Bible for answers, and answers I did receive.

But I needed a title. I was almost like I couldn't actually sit down and write this massive story line out until I had a name for it. I took an old Nine Inch Nail track and called the story "The Collector". I was never happy with the label, but at least it got me in the chair.

Outlines after outlines after outlines. I knew how the story started and how it ended. But everything in between was scattered about in my mind and wrangling these thoughts was enormously trying. I tried just going for it and hoping the pages would make sense. No bueno. I spent hours in my cabin at sea trying to fit the pieces together. All the while, the voice in my head (I call him Phillip) was saying to me, "Your title sucks".

And Phillip was right. It took one night with Jack Daniels, a Thesaurus, an amazing, beautiful, vocalist girlfriend, and a MacBook Pro to pinpoint the perfect title. We dissected the story down to what was most important - the lead character. We then called him out for who he is: a servant, a slave, a errand boy. Dr. Kayden Archer is MINION.

Having that title put my butt in the seat.

More on the making of Minion - The Shudagon Trilogy soon...

Get your copy here:

Minion @ Amazon.com