Exclusive Interview - Gear of Skin Wars [#TheReturn Day Five]

Skin Wars was definitely my favorite show for this summer. They had a lot of talent and just enough drama to keep the show going. One of the most crucial part to this season's success had to be Gear. Whether you thought he was crazy talented or crazy hot, there was no denying Gear was a star in his own right. Recently I was privileged enough to be able to sit down with Gear and discuss his career and his time on the show.

 

 


 Skin Wars was all about body painting, a form of art that isn't exactly well known. How did you find your way into this field?

It started off with my first job airbrushing t-shirts in the mall while I was in seventh grade. I really innocently, or maybe not so innocently, got into body painting when this high school bikini volleyball team wanted their bikini's airbrushed. In the most professional seventh grade manner I could, I told them it would be better if they wore them while I painted them to get the curves right.  Some of them were on board. After thinking it over I wondered why I even need the bikinis at all. Why not go straight up against the skin? After that the rest is history. I kind of stumbled onto it.

You are a hard person to get hold of. What has been keeping you busy?

Body painting is just one of the many things I do. I do creature design for the video game industry. I've been working photoshop since, what, mid 90s? I do a lot of concept design. I've been a graffiti artist since age nine. I spent a lot of years ditching cops, hiding in bushes, but now I get paid to do it. I'm also in fine art galleries with oil and acrylic art.   Right now what I focus on the most are large scale graffiti applications. I'm talking like 125 feet long. I'm also coming out with my own line of graffiti paint called GBX3. I have a kind of dangerous hobby of riding street bikes.

Wait a second. You are getting your own paint line?

I'm working on this paint line with two companies, Spray Max, which is the corporate side, and House of Color which is the cool kids on the block. The two are getting together and using me as the poster child for the new project. Its a mesh of cool and corporate. I'll be flying the flag and leading the way. I'll be doing a UV color kit, too.

Obviously Gear isn't your real name. Why did you choose that as your pseudonym?

Well Gear is derived from the term "gear head" which is my dad's whole life. He works on hot rods and engines. Growing up around that I heard that term a lot, especially when I started doing graffiti.

We've already heard from Nicole on her unique take on the audition process for Skin Wars. What was your experience like?

They had been talking to me for about three and a half years. They called me a long time ago because someone involved with the show was someone I knew. They'd pitched my name to the producers. After they saw my work they were like "This guy's got a cool personality, he's got the talent. Let's get him on board." They talked to me back and forth. Finally a long time later they told me that they had a preliminary competition they wanted me to be a part of. They got me down to LA, gave me a psyche test, which I have no idea how I passed, and they sent us back. The next day, which was my birthday, they brought us back to see who was going to make the cut.

One of the things everyone loves about Gear is the sound effects. How did this become your 'thing'?

I don't know. I guess being a graffiti artists there is a kind of way you talk or describe a mood or vibe of the style you're going for. Something like "ch-ch-cht ch-ch-cht" is a little more sharp and edgy. It's like you are abstractly conveying a feeling or look that can't be put into words. So what are you going to do? You're going to use sound effects. I've always done that, or as long as I can remember anyway. After a while, with some friends who talk in sound effects, after a while we start talking just in sound effects. We know what we are talking about, but everyone else thinks we are on LSD.

Looking back at the challenges, is there anything you would have changed artistically?

Other than being familiar with the product, due to some of the contestants being just strictly body painters, not much. If I'd had more experience with the product I think I would have technically done some things a little different. For the most part, I think I found a good medium between what the challenge was and what my style is. I think it was a pretty fair ball game all the way through.

Other than Natalie, who we'll come back to later, were you close to anybody in the house?

I was definitely friends with everyone at the house. They could have hyped up the friendships with anybody. I had an equal amount of respect for everyone there. Behind the scenes everyone was pretty much cool with each other. Other than Mythica flipping out and sort of alienating herself from the group, overall we were relatively harmonious.

Obviously we saw highlights of you and Natalie due to the big paint off, but up until that episode we didn't see you two interact much. What was it that bonded the two of you?

Other than hanging out and drawing with her, nothing really went on behind the scenes that they could have played up. We're both Scorpios, both talented and passionate in what we do. We are similar and it was enough for a friendship and to bond us.

Do you guys keep in touch?

Every once in a while. I don't get to talk to her often. I try and keep up with her online or text. I do talk to Felle a lot. Dutch calls me for technical advise, believe it or not. I talk to Nicole once in a while.

They filmed a lot of things in the house that didn't make the cut of the show, like Shannon's cooking --

Oh my god! Shannon's cooking! I remember one time before one of the eliminations I declared Shannon the cook of the house and that she was the VIP. Everyone protect Shannon. Make sure she doesn't get sent home. We called her Momma Shannon. A total sweetheart.

What was your favorite unaired house moment?

We were all up on the roof talking about our dreams and goals and what we would do if we won. It was great. The way it was all set up was great. It was a deep and intimate talk. It was a touching moment for all of us.

I totally called that they were going to bring back four of you guys -- and you were one of them. How did they get you back on such short notice?

I got eliminated and went to my hotel. The producers said that I would be called back. They gave me back all my stuff, and they told me not to leave LA. They told me to stay on standby and that they would bring me back. I didn't officially get let go until after that.

The show has got you a lot of fans. Has this upped your body painting jobs?

I got signed on to a high end gallery from them seeing me on the show. Other than that has it done a lot for me as a body painter? Maybe not. Has it done a lot for me as of jobs and fanbase? Absolutely. I am slammed right now. I actually forgot to eat today.

What advice do you have for artists revving up to be on season two?

My biggest advice is no matter what it is or how taxing the challenges are, be true to yourself. Stay true to your style and art form and do not let anything cloud from your goal. Paint as fast as you can and as accurate as you can. Know your time and practice. Give yourself challenges before you get on the show. Do your homework. 

For more info on Gear, such as how to contact him for commissions, check out his official Facebook page.