#shynobi

J.Moy and Shynobi, of Drunken Fists, put out a new music video for their latest single "Time Don't Wait." The 2 MCs get some vocals from Oriana but looks like she couldn't make the filming. Simple video showing their everyday "non-music" lives as the 2 Canadians get busy on their daily grind and laying down their bars on the mic (and paper!).

With the release of all these singles this past year you have to wonder...when's the album coming out???

Drunken Fist lyricist, Shynobi steps into the booth to lay down some bars over Non-Phixion - 4 W's. Its plain dope and definitely digging all the mma references haha.

Canadian group, Drunken Fists, returns again and this time with a video accompanying their song, "Kiss the Ring." The video keeps it simple, having J. Moy and Shynobi laying down their bars in black and white. So when can we get a full mixtape/album???

Artist Interviews: Shynobi Wendy: Can you tell me about yourself? Shynobi: My name is Sean, I'm 19, and I was born, raised, and am currently living in central Alberta, Canada with my family. I took a one year course in communication design, but I'm currently working full time so I can have enough money to move to and continue my studies in Vancouver. Wendy: Are you looking forward to going to Vancouver? What are you plans there? Shynobi: Going to Vancouver is going to be a pretty big event in my life, considering that I've never moved before. But it will definitely be a nice, warm, clean place to go to university. I'm going to be soooo poor though. Here's hoping that the high living prices will be worth it.

Wendy: What is it like to live in Canada? Shynobi: I can't tell you what living in Canada is like, because it's so diverse. It really depends on where in Canada you live (west coast, the plains, mid-eastern, east coast). In Alberta, we have nice summers, but very cold winters, and I'm OK with that. I'm not much of a fan of some of the "redneck-ish" character, however. Wendy: Ah, the rednecks, I live in the midst of their home nest. Are they anything like the ones from Tennessee (the type of redneck you'd usually see depicted in movies)? Shynobi: Hah, no, not to that extent. It's not that easy to distinguish the redneck Canadians between the regular ones. It's more about the general country atmosphere (country music, rodeos, mass conservatism) that's not my cup of tea. Wendy: What drew you to art, particularly digital art? Shynobi: I honestly had very little interest in art as a child. I liked to doodle a lot, but what kid doesn't like to doodle? I was, however, extremely fascinated by computers. I learnt how to use my family's first computer on my own, and this process of toying around with programs and computers (that continues on to this day) led me to various applications like GameMaker, 3D Studio Max, FL Studio (music production), and of course, Photoshop. After experimenting in Photoshop, I figured that I could use it to make forum signatures at my friend's forum. Like many others these days, I began to take signatures further by expanding to a larger format. Wendy: Can you show me some of your earliest signatures? Shynobi: Wow, that pretty much sums up my obsession with ninjas. Wendy: Why are you obsessed with ninjas? Shynobi: I used to play Revenge of Shinobi for the Sega Genesis when I was a kid, and it was an awesome game. Maybe that's why? Wendy: Is Revenge of Shinobi where you got your user name? Shynobi: It sure is. Wendy: What is your dream job after you graduate? Shynobi: A successful designer. Maybe the creative director of my own established design studio. I'd rather not be specific, because ultimately, my goal is to design, and to be successful. Wendy: How did you find PR, and why did you decide to become an active part of the community? Shynobi: Google. No really. I was looking for renders to use in my signatures at my friend's forum (was called GamerzHeaven), and found PR. After downloading several renders, I decided to just join the forum, hoping to meet other signature designers. Wendy: How does it feel to be a staff member? Shynobi: It definitely feels like a duty. I feel guilty when I let members down, but I get a feeling of gratification when I help members out. Unfortunately I've been slipping away from this duty, but I still wish the best for the site and its community. Wendy: What sort of changes do you think Planetrenders should make due to the current trends in graphics? Shynobi: I haven't been that active lately in the graphics area of PR, so it's difficult to suggest any kind of change. From what I have seen, though, the current trends have been pretty static for last year or so. Members who enjoy making signatures continue to do so, and members who are interested in a larger format have the option to progress in that way. I think the changes PR currently needs will just be created naturally by the members. Wendy: What inspires you? Shynobi: Of course I'm inspired by those who influence me, like other artists and designers, such as Alex Varanese and Grzegorz Domaradzki. My first and strongest inspiration, however, is the former studio, The Designers Republic. Their designs have a huge influence on my work, sometimes aesthetically, and sometimes conceptually. On a deeper scale, however, I'm inspired technology and its effects on mankind, as well as the existence of a separate reality. Wendy: Can you tell me more about The Designers Republic and why it was such an inspiration? Shynobi: I used to constantly play a game called WipEout XL for my Playstation, and I loved its aesthetics and interface. A bit of research led me to tDR, the studio that designed not only WipEout's art, but also covers to albums I owned and loved. This created a sense of relationship between me and tDR, and introduced me to the existence of graphic design. I couldn't help but be intrigued by their commentary on modern society and consumerism, and their aggressive tech style (which has been losing popularity the past few years) has made a lasting impression on my taste in design. Wendy: What's WipEout XL? And why did it inspire you, can you give me some images for examples? Shynobi: WipEout XL (aka WipEout 2097) was a sci-fi racing game for the Playstation, where you pilot extremely fast, armed, anti-gravity vehicles. Really, everything about the game inspired me. The cyber-punk setting, the shape of the vehicles, the electronic music, and most of all, the aesthetics designed by tDR. tDR's work on this game really opened my eyes to design. They even managed to create complete brands and logos for each team. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0Xkikk6IRI&feature=player_embedded Wendy: What was your proudest moment as an artist? Shynobi: It's hard to pinpoint one moment, because I always feel proudest when I complete my latest artwork. But the one moment that had the greatest effect on my pride as an artist was the day my first shirt design, Maelstrom Cyanide, was printed at Design By Humans. Wendy: How did it feel to get your shirt printed? Shynobi: When I saw the e-mail in my inbox, I really felt euphoric. It made me realize my potential to make money off of my art. I'd like to say that I was surprised (and I'll probably come off a cocky by not doing so), but I had almost 100% expected it to print, ever since I had begun designing Maelstrom Cyanide. Wendy: What inspired Maelstrom Cyanide? Shynobi: If you can see similarities between it and the cover for Massive Attack's album "Collected", it's no coincidence. I was amazed by the album art and I wanted to translate it in my own personal way on to a shirt. Wendy: Any tips for future shirt designers? Shynobi: Always remember your medium. You're not designing a poster, or a wallpaper. You're designing a shirt, so you need to ask yourself "Would I wear this with pride?", "Who would wear this in public?", and "Is it worth printing?" A lot of shirt designs I've seen have been well executed, but I would feel silly wearing it. Don't be influenced by other shirt designs and art, but also fashion and the shirts themselves. Wendy: Any suggestions for artists who are starting out in general? Shynobi: Don't try to force your style in your art. Your style develops on its own. You can search for inspiration, but influence comes to you. Also, artist blocks are an illusion. If you're physically capable of creating something, you can, so do it. Wendy: What is your favorite piece of art you've made? Shynobi: That's a very tough question to answer. I'm usually most attached to my latest art, but I'm always charmed by my earlier art, despite my lower skill level at the time I made it. If I had to choose one, though, it would be Under the Water. Wendy: Why do you love Under the Water, what draws you back to that piece? Shynobi: I'm not too sure. Maybe it's the fact that it's stylistically different from what I usually do. Maybe it's its asymmetrical composition or its combination of vector and textures. It just appeals to me. Wendy: Who is your favorite artist and why? Shynobi: As of now, Alex Varanese is my favorite artist. He manages to flawlessly combine four of my favorite things: Geometry, technology, typography, and red. Wendy: Can you show me some of your favorite pieces by Alex Varanese? Shynobi: