Frequently Asked Questions

A: Currently, I am a "one-man studio" focused on building the lore and the core collection of Titans. I prioritize my peace and my creative spark over commercial goals. If that changes in the future, I will announce it on my social links, but it won’t be happening for the foreseeable future

To protect my creative process and manage my chronic health conditions, I am not accepting commissions, custom requests, or professional engagements for the foreseeable future. This project is a personal sanctuary dedicated to my mental health journey and artistic growth.

While I have a great respect for the energy of conventions, I do not attend or sell at events. My work is not created for commercial sale or mass production; it is a therapeutic exploration of my own mythology. Additionally, the physical demands of "touring" work—lifting, carrying, and traveling—are simply not compatible with my health requirements. It is impossible. Gaia is a sanctuary, not a shop.

At this stage, there are no plans for a physical exhibition. Creating these pieces is a deeply personal process that requires a great deal of my limited physical energy. Between the logistics of transporting large-scale sculptures and managing my chronic health conditions, my focus remains entirely on the creative work itself within my own studio. I prefer to share the world of Gaia digitally, where it can be seen without the physical strain of a traditional gallery setting.

I strive for complete originality. While I grew up loving Batman, Superman, Spiderman, Godzilla, StarFleet, Battlestar Gallactica, and many more and even practiced by drawing comics from my early teens up until my 20s, a turning point at age 21 led me on a mission to find my own "voice." I don't draw popular franchises or intellectual property; I dive deep into my own world. My work is a raw reflection of my life experiences, my imagination, and my drive to create something that hasn't been seen before.

I have always been captivated by the "alternative universes" found in Greek and Japanese mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. These stories make you wonder if such fantastical creatures could have once existed among us. I’m fascinated by events that seem too unreal to be true—they set my imagination alight and drive the exploration of my own world, Gaia.

A painting is a marathon, not a sprint. It begins with deep research and layers of preparatory drawings. Depending on the size and complexity, a single piece can take weeks or even months of focus to finalize. Because I strive for a high level of detail and "finish," I only move to the canvas when the vision is fully matured.

My sculptures are the result of years of world-building. The physical construction is a slow, meticulous process that requires balancing technical structure with the "soul" of the creature. Because I work in harmony with my health and energy levels, I do not rush. A single Titan can take months to emerge from the clay, as I am constantly refining and striving to make each piece better than the last.

I view my sketchbooks as a writer views a notebook—they are for capturing the rawness of an idea the moment it strikes. I use a three-stage process: messy sketches to catch the spark, a second stage for tidying, and a third for refinement. While I plan to produce more paintings and inked pieces, I prioritize the "raw" energy of sketching. Painting is a much longer, more demanding process of research and planning that I only undertake when the idea truly demands it.

"Pretty" is subjective. While I have a deep appreciation for children’s book illustrations and "cute" aesthetics—and have even explored them in the past—my passion lies in the deeper, more atmospheric side of storytelling. I am drawn to the original, darker roots of folk tales and legends before they were "watered down." To me, there is a profound beauty in the shadows, the grit, and the complexity of a creature. I’m less interested in the "pink and fluffy" and more interested in the raw, ancient, and mysterious. Gaia is a world of substance and survival, and the art reflects that intensity.

For the clay, I use a few different kinds depending on what i’m doing really.

So, ‘Super Sculpey’ is actually a brand name. The clay itself is a Polymer Clay which can be baked in a conventional home oven. It’s very soft, smooth and easy to use. It’s not sticky, pasty, or messy and has very little odour. However it can be a little too soft which makes it very easy to damage. Since it’s so soft, it can be a little frustrating to achieve tiny details, because it’s so bouncy. But, creating little details is absolutely possible of course, it just means that you need a gentle touch.

Another type of clay I use is an Epoxy putty. The products I use are Milliput and Apoxie Sculpt. Both are excellent. They both have three hours sculpting time. So, when you first kneed it together, it is very sticky and seemingly impossible to use. But the thing is, it changes consistency, as it’s setting hard over a three-hour period. It does take getting used to though, so patience and perseverance is key. When its cured and hardened, it can be carved really nicely. It doesn't chip at all. It can also be sanded down so smoothly it feels like glass. It produces very fine dust though, so ventilation, a vacuum, a mask and goggles is an absolute must.

The third type I use is called, ‘Das Clay,’ which is the messiest, pastiest stuff I’ve ever used. I’ve used it on and off for years. It dries quickly on the outside, and remains damp on the inside, and takes a while to dry. It dries like cardboard. If you use too much water on it, it goes mushy. So when using a spray bottle, it covers just the right amount to allow to to sculpt with. If you don’t use water, it cracks. So it’s frustrating. There are artists who have adapted to it very well, and it has it’s uses. It’s cheap and available. It just takes some getting used to. Because it dries and cracks so easily, I take advantage of that and use heat on it to create textures some times.

Monster Clay is perhaps the most satisfying clay to use, Because it’s just so smooth, and has great consistency and isn’t very pasty at all (unless of course, you melt it too much.) Speaking which, yes! It’s meltable using heat. You can pour it into a mould! It’s excellent for detailing, also, I think one of the best clays to use. It comes in different hardness's and is a much preferred choice to many sculptors. You can also use alcohol to smooth out rough textures and heat of any kind. It is also excellent for mould making. The only thing is, it doesn’t set hard. So it may not be for everyone.

Chavant NSP is another oil based clay which is very popular amongst sculptors. The only difference between this one and Monster Clay is that Chavant is much more pastier and stickier. I still find it to be an excellent medium and a top choice.

I also use many different tools, loop tools all varying in sizes for many different uses, raking, carving, you name it. I also use dental tools, for making shapes, texturing, smoothing and polishing. I also use armature wire, aluminium wire in different thicknesses, and aluminium foil for bulking out an armature.

You don’t need lots of money to do what I do. You don’t need a whole expensive kit begin with.

You want to know what my first sculpting tools were? A broken whisk and a blunt cutlery knife. I even met someone online once, who made action figures using a tooth pick.

To draw something, you can use any pencil and any kind of paint. Even the cheapest paints ever, will still do the job.

Essentially, drawing and painting is, ‘mark making.’ So let that sink in for a minute. Some people use Coffee to paint with.

I think I was about three years old. My mom told me that I drew a detailed picture of a car when I was at nursery school!

For as long as I can remember, I loved drawing so much. Although i would say that painting came a little later in life, when i was about 15 years old.

Since my teacher was utterly useless, I used to practice using black Quink ink first. I would take photocopies of my work and ink them. Then I would start using colours.

I had really crap art teachers at secondary school. I self taught myself so much.

Until I started college, I was introduced to new things. I was taught to experiment a lot with materials. It felt a little like being at infants school again. Messing around with materials.

I remember sat in the kitchen with my mom when I was 6 years old. She had this big lump of ceramic clay. She said she went to pottery class, and gave me some to try. I made a giant snail, and really loved it. I was amazed how much control I had over it. I didn’t make anything else for some time, and then when I was around 11 or 12 years old, I bought some Plasticine. I made these Animal Samurai figures. I even made Origami Kimonos for them.

So, on and off through my life I made stuff at home and loved it. Although illustration was always my priority, I still had a deep love for sculpture.

A big influence was the creatures i saw in movies. I loved them so much. I wanted to make my own.

I also used to look at gift shop windows, where they would display beautiful Dragons and Fantasy figures.

Whilst there’s no strict rules to use reference, as an artist I think it’s imperative to get to know whatever subject it is that you’re looking to create. Whatever that subject may be, you want to get it right. Sure, you can make it up if you want! But It may not be relatable or readable, thus leaving the viewer confused.

Lets say, you can’t make up human anatomy. It’s important to study it, and get to know it. I know it sounds boring and hard work, but believe me when I say you’ll benefit from it.

So yes, if you’re really serious about wanting to go all out and create, then I think it’s important to keep a reference folder on your device, full of images that inspire you. You don’t need me to advise you… you already know where to look! Google image search, Tumblr and Pinterest are excellent of course. Pinterest is perhaps my favourite of course. It’s like a modern day scrap book!

In addition to the above, if you’re old skool like me, collect books. They don’t have to be brand new either! You can get them second hand. I got a good collection over the years, some of them were bought brand new, on sale, or second hand.

Or, keep a scrapbook. When you see something interesting, stick it in a book!

The "Gaia" Master Library:

1. Anatomy & Structural Foundations

How to Draw Comics The Marvel Way — Stan Lee & John Buscema

Animal Anatomy for Artists — Eliot Goldfinger (The definitive guide)

Anatomy for the Artist — Sarah Simblet (Beautiful photographic overlays)

Anatomy for the Artist — Stephen Rogers Peck (The classic structural "Bible")

Morpho: Anatomy for Artists — Michel Lauricella

Morpho: Simplified Forms — Michel Lauricella

Morpho: Muscled Bodies — Michel Lauricella

Anatomy of Animals — Ernest E. Thompson

The Art of Animal Drawing — Ken Hultgren

L’Anatomie Pour Les Sculpteurs — Uldis Zarins & Sandis Kondrats

Figure Drawing for Fashion Design — Drudi Paci

Dynamic Figure Drawing — Burne Hogarth

2. Specialized Reference (Hands, Feet & Face)

Morpho: Hands and Feet — Michel Lauricella

Facial Expressions — Mark Simon (Essential for character emotion)

The Art of Movement — Ken Browar & Deborah Ory

The Male and Female Figure in Motion — Eadweard Muybridge

3. Sculpting, Model Making & Special Effects

Clay Sculpting with the Shiflett Brothers - 3Dtotal

Modelling and Sculpting Animals — Edouard Lanteri (The analogue masterclass)

Modeling the Figure in Clay — Bruno Lucchesi & Margit Malmstrom

Beginner's Guide to Sculpting Characters in Clay — 3dtotal

Pop Sculpture — Tim Bruckner, Zach Oat, Ruben Procopio

Special Makeup Effects for Stage and Screen — Todd Debreceni

The Encyclopedia of Modelmaking Techniques — Christopher Payne

Cracking Animation — The Aardman (Peter Lord & Brian Sibley)

4. Nature, Paleontology & The Animal Kingdom

The Unfeathered Bird — Katrina van Grouw (Incredible for wing structure)

Skulls: An Exploration of Alan Dudley’s Collection — Simon Winchester

Evolution in Action — Jean-Baptiste de Panafieu

DK Animal: The Definitive Visual Guide

Alligators & Crocodiles — John Behler & Colin Ivor

Snakes & Reptiles — Barbara Taylor & Mark O'Shea

5. History, Armor & Cultural Inspiration

Arms & Armour — Eyewitness Guides

The Book of the Samurai — Stephen R. Turnbull

Victorian Life in Photographs — (Thames & Hudson)

The Steampunk Gazette — (Various)

The Art of Steampunk — Art Donovan

Myths and Legends: An Illustrated Treasury

A Short History of Costume & Armour — Francis Kelly & Randolph Schwabe

I do not take on any commissions or custom work. To manage my health and keep my 'Slow Art' process sustainable, I have to dedicate 100% of my creative energy to the evolution of the World of Gaia. Thank you for understanding!

I am always incredibly honoured and deeply humbled when someone wants to wear my art permanently. You are welcome to use my designs for personal tattoos! All I ask in return is that you tag or credit The World of Gaia if you share photos of the finished piece online. Please note that my work is for personal use only and cannot be used for any commercial purposes or by tattoo artists for their own flash sheets.