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Ft. Gina, Watercolor Artist of GC Artwork
95 Plays9 days ago
It's been a while since we've had an interview, but this one was worth the wait because Gina's watercolor artwork is absolutely incredible!! Literally we spent half of the interview just scrolling through her art in awe. We talk with Gina about her artistic process and inspirations, how she got into using watercolor and expanding her craft, her exciting upcoming coaster trip, and seriously just go look at her Instagram page and see for yourself.
Also - a few minor podcast tweaks, Bryant's ridiculous Sabrina Carpenter trivia revealed, a Coaster Madness update, and Allison did a whoopsie and now has a trip report.
Go support Gina!!
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gcartwork/
Etsy Store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/GCArtWork
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Transcript
Introduction and Podcast Beginnings
00:00:00
Speaker
You are listening to the Inverted Creative Podcast. I'm Allison. I'm Brian. And I'm Jen.
00:00:16
Speaker
You know, I've been texting with with Jen and Allison the last few weeks. And obviously, we're only 12 episodes in. We're still a very new podcast. And I think we agree. 90% of what we're doing, I think we're like yeah, we're doing a pretty good job.
00:00:31
Speaker
We do not know how to start these freaking episodes. we We're always like, so Allison, do you have a line ready? And you're like, im not really. I'm like, oh, I got nothing either.
00:00:44
Speaker
Jen's just like, you know, talent at Dorney Park. And then we're back at square one. How do we start these episodes? So you're saying that your idea for how to start the episode today is to complain about how we don't know how to start our episodes.
00:00:55
Speaker
I thought it was a pretty creative idea. works for me. I'm just here for the ride. If you tell me to start, I'm just going start talking. Shocker. I think that's the first time you've ever said I'm just here for the ride, which is like a famous Jen-ism.
00:01:08
Speaker
Yeah, I'm just for the ride, guys. I just talk. like I've actually been re-listening to some of our original episodes, and I'm like, man, we don't suck as bad as I thought we did.
00:01:21
Speaker
No, I think... I wouldn't have been me. It's mostly I critique myself, but... Oh, we're always hardest on ourselves. Yeah. I'm like, I'm talking too much. I'm too loud. I'm interrupting too many people.
00:01:33
Speaker
But, you know, when you have four voices on, I guess it's inevitable. Yeah. um Side note, I have been um redoing some of the original episode artwork as well and making them look prettier to match our current style that I really like.
00:01:48
Speaker
That's true. You have. So go back and look at all the new arts, new artwork for the episodes. And then you guys will have no idea, but I actually re-recorded my intro part of the ah podcast intro that was not in the audio that I just played, but I did re-record myself and it should be in this episode.
Special Guest: Gina from GC Artwork
00:02:06
Speaker
That's really random, I know. oh You didn't even tell us that. Yeah. will Maybe we wanted to record it. I mean, we could we can do that. but No, just like literally every time I hear that intro and I'm like, my microphone like popped when I said podcast and it bothered me every single time I listened to it.
00:02:22
Speaker
So like, great, I'm going to rerecord this just for me. No, that's fair. I think it ah think it has helped, though. Obviously, all three of us knew each other you know pretty well beforehand.
00:02:33
Speaker
We weren't just meeting each other for the first time. That would have been awkward as hell.
00:02:38
Speaker
Yeah.
00:02:40
Speaker
Yeah, it definitely, I think, makes it a lot better that we knew each other and we were a bit more. Oh, yeah. Yeah. And it definitely helps once we get going with either, you know, a guest as we have today. Very excited. we're go Later on, going to have Gina from GC Artwork, who is known for some insanely incredible, amazing watercolor um pictures of some of your favorite roller coasters.
00:03:03
Speaker
So excited. Yeah. Like, I've literally been hyping this episode up in my head all week since we got her, like, booked for this. I'm like, I'm excited. Ahsoka is beyond excited. Ahsoka is also excited.
00:03:15
Speaker
Yeah, she said heck yeah! ah So let's first go over the most ridiculous question I have or probably ever will ask in the trivia department. Yeah.
00:03:28
Speaker
During the ah Coaster Madness recap, I decided to have some fun and drop a bunch of Sabrina Carpenter song titles throughout that podcast. Why? i don't know. ah And I'm not even like, I only know a few of her songs, but I'm like, well, she's a popular artist.
00:03:46
Speaker
Let's just have fun with it. I know nothing. I don't know. Jen knows way more than I do. She's the one that actually, when we were driving at King's Island, put on her whole discography.
00:03:57
Speaker
I did because, oh, so good. So good. So I'm going to quickly read off the 15 songs, and that's all I was looking for is 15 Sabrina Carpenter songs.
00:04:10
Speaker
That was the answer. Throughout that podcast, I said, coincidence, nonsense, busy woman, Juno. I was referring to Juno, Alaska. The actual song is J-U-N-O.
00:04:23
Speaker
Good Graces, Taste, Opposite, Please, Please, Please, Couldn't Make It Any Harder, Feather, Read Your Mind, Bad Reviews, Already Over, Vicious, and of course, Espresso.
00:04:40
Speaker
Man, even going with the emails I can't send. yeah, yeah. I even tried to throw, how can I get emails I can't send into the podcast, but...
00:04:52
Speaker
I still like once you had mentioned that you were dropping the ear you did drop the song titles and my mind was completely blown at that and then I was thinking back to like he did make a really weird comparison about feathers that I mentioned it makes sense now that was by far the least subtle of them I remember during the recording and I had no idea this was happening either like I didn't process it and I remember when you said feather and I was like that was an odd thing to say I think straight up said that's an odd comparison, Bryant, but okay. And when I said I'm going to have an espresso, even though you probably both know I don't drink coffee.
00:05:27
Speaker
um I just blocked that detail out of my mind because that's insane. Like there are some of them looking back. I'm like, I remember you saying that and like would not have known in the least.
00:05:39
Speaker
like I fit them in pretty well. One, I was like, when you were talking about how you were behind in the ah art for Coaster Madness, like, you're going be a busy woman in the few months or weeks. remember that one. Saying something about, like, it's already over, i think was one. Yeah, like a matchup.
00:05:52
Speaker
Yeah, like a matchup. Nathaniel was like, please, please, please don't tell me you're going to take Magnum over Tyga.
00:05:58
Speaker
Anyway. It was just so subtle and well done. Busy woman. That one was, like, just released, too, when you... To be fair, I just like looked up all right short and sweet, track list, emails I can't send, track list.
00:06:12
Speaker
I literally had them up the whole podcast. I love that. Ridiculous. Incredible. Speaking of Coaster Band, it's a quick update. By the time you're listening to this, it'll be when?
00:06:24
Speaker
What date is next Monday? Is that the 24th? You would think I would know these things. I think it's the 24th. ah Yes, 24. There we go. so that'll be the end. The second round is ending today.
00:06:36
Speaker
At the time of recording, we've only had two, three second round matchups. Not a lot of drama except for the one going on right now between Hagrid's and El Toro. ah It's very, very close.
00:06:48
Speaker
So I'm intrigued to see what happens. I'm glad there's finally something close because there have not been a lot of close matchups so far. A lot of blowouts, which I guess yeah signifies the really good coasters from the just very good coasters.
00:07:04
Speaker
But yeah, that's Coaster Madness updates. We're getting down. We're kind of getting down to the nitty gritty next. it might be. Over. Yeah, next time you hear us, tournament will be over, actually. so Make sure you keep voting on my Twitter, Coaster365, and my Instagram, Coaster underscore 365, because some guy, I just can't get that handle, even though he's never posted in his life. I believe his name is Carl.
00:07:31
Speaker
I don't like you, Carl. Wow. Wow, aggressive. ah then I do remember, I think two weeks ago, I said that I was a very behind on ah graphics, and I think I was only like two days ahead or whatever of the schedule.
00:07:47
Speaker
Pleased to report that changed a few days later, and I finished the entire second round graphics before the second round even started. As I told you, you would. I knew I had complete faith in you. You always crush it. i did not have complete faith in me, but you know.
00:08:01
Speaker
The thing about you, and I kind of have this energy as well, is like we can both procrastinate. But once you like start, sometimes you just go to town and you finish in like one night.
00:08:14
Speaker
yeah To be fair, losing like four hours of my work when my computer fully crashed because I had too much open at one time. That was a not ideal and kind of set me back a little bit. But we overcome.
00:08:27
Speaker
We do. Yeah.
00:08:29
Speaker
And for those wondering if you care about my injury. We care. My soft cast, excuse me, has officially come off. I am now in a walking boot.
00:08:41
Speaker
um I actually had my first physical therapy appointment today. um Everything looks good so far. Minimal pain. and It's definitely very... so Ow. like i I literally just tried to like lift my foot up a little bit.
00:08:54
Speaker
It's very stiff.
00:08:57
Speaker
and Impact. ah Starting to move it like up and down, left to right. So the foot the foot's moving. and Yay. So just a matter of a strengthening, getting regaining strength in both my foot and like my calf muscles as the tendon heals.
00:09:13
Speaker
And then hopefully there'll be a lot of walking boots until probably May. And then hopefully May is when we start walking in shoes again. Let's go. Here we go. It's all Taylor Bybee's fault.
00:09:26
Speaker
but i yeah
00:09:28
Speaker
I know he felt bad, and I hate that I keep bringing it up because it's obviously not his fault. It's more the humor of Taylor isn't an athlete, and he was the one that suggested an athletic competition. And now i'm like, here I am the athlete.
00:09:45
Speaker
And he's like, let's see enthusiasts get crushed. And the athlete's the one that got crushed.
00:09:53
Speaker
Of course. ah I'm just always glad to hear that you're on the mend. Hopefully we'll hear more of that progress every week. every tir However often we record.
00:10:06
Speaker
Exciting. So now my least favorite part of the podcast, at least until June, May or June, trip updates. Where'd you guys go? so um I was not planning to actually do this trip. I think I vaguely mentioned it last time where i'm like, oh, we might go to Atlanta this weekend. But I had to also text a friend. I'm like, yeah, I don't think we're going to Atlanta this weekend.
00:10:30
Speaker
Well, we went to Atlanta last weekend. I think 36 hours before we left is when we decided that we were officially going. And because we are stupid, stupid people, we left...
00:10:44
Speaker
was it friday at midnight we left cincinnati and picked up our friend matt and literally drove through the night down to atlanta all eight hours of it had breakfast in atlanta and then went to six flags over georgia um so mostly we did go for gold rusher georgia gold rusher opening day fun little ride Like this, it doesn't spin a lot yet. I don't think it spins as much as it's supposed to. And there's a few different like things I've heard as to why it's not spinning, but you get some good airtime on that thing.
00:11:18
Speaker
And it goes like shockingly high up those spikes. um and So we were able to meet up with ah Taylor and Sarah. um John Mike was here there. It was actually pretty decent crew. We had like nine of us, I think at one point.
00:11:30
Speaker
um So we had a good group. All got to hang out together.
00:11:35
Speaker
Trying to think what all we did. So the classic ah Monster Mansion photo. Yes, we actually did that first. We did that first. um They've put a lot of work into their art into Monster Mansion.
00:11:46
Speaker
Like they've done a lot of refreshing on it. Like boats are repainted. um the dark section of it was there's like new lighting in it and they put like a subwoofer in it and there was like some cool effects that are working now.
00:11:58
Speaker
um Fresh coat of paint on a lot of the ride. It looked really good. Nice. If you ride over Georgia at all, please go ride Monster Mansion. It is a gem in the Six Flags Park collection. I want that ride so bad.
00:12:11
Speaker
Have you not been on it yet? No, I've never been to Six Flags. I was going to say, like I don't like park shame or coaster shame, but I feel like that's your most inexcusable park that you haven't gone to yet.
00:12:22
Speaker
Just the amount of driving to Florida that you do. Yeah, but it's in Atlanta. Not the way? it'll hours to my trip. no it's it'll add like a couple hours to my trip worth it so is like i'm going to over georgia couple hours uh added to the trip well you've been to fun spot right yeah but we only had um timing yeah we only have like an hour or two okay i think we were there for like two hours all together so um in order to get to orlando at a decent time we were we only had like two hours we had to pick a park and and also we had the dogs
00:12:58
Speaker
That's the other thing. When I'm driving through, I always have the dog. Yeah. so I'm pretty sure that's like your only major park in the East you haven't done, right?
00:13:08
Speaker
You've done virginia the Virginia parks. You've done Carowinds. Florida. Ohio. i mean, I kind of need Dollywood. Are we counting that as the East I mean, you've been there. I know you need to do more there. I've been there, but i I haven't really done that park very much.
00:13:24
Speaker
yeah Then, yeah, Six Flags over Georgia. um Six Flags America I need. i said major parks. Yeah. What else are we considering major? i don Yeah, I think that might be it.
00:13:37
Speaker
yeah
00:13:40
Speaker
Wild Adventures. I don't have that one. I don't have Dutch Wonderland either. That's actually bad. yeah the fridge right there Yeah. It's like 50 bucks, though. I don't want to pay that. Yeah, fair.
00:13:53
Speaker
Although, maybe if you get a new Hershen pass, you can you can get to Dutch Wonderland. You know what's kind of wild? I'm going to have a pass to Europa Park before I ever have a pass to anything that includes Dutch Wonderland.
00:14:10
Speaker
I actually respect that a lot. Let's go!
00:14:17
Speaker
But Allison, a good trip. I'm sure Goliath's still the best hyper and in the world. and It's the best hyper in Georgia. I'm sure. paint paint For what it's worth, the new um paint colors on Goliath.
00:14:31
Speaker
Wow, it just started raining, I think. um The new paint colors on Goliath, they do look really nice. They do, yeah. It's so different. like It changes just how that whole entry entry into the park. Oh, speaking entry into the park, they changed up their front entrance because they...
00:14:46
Speaker
like They moved it to the side. like If you haven't been to over Georgia, like the front gate is like up against like the main road that you drive into. and so Anytime right before park opening, it was this lines like spilling out and trying not to get into the road. and It was a mess. so They moved the entrance area to the side a little bit.
00:15:04
Speaker
and and It was very temporary last year, but they put a lot of work into it. and It looks a lot better now. and It definitely flows a lot better for the most part. You still have like this weird like alley that you go through to turn and get into like the main midway of the park again. but
00:15:21
Speaker
That's good to see. because that yeah I've always thought that had the potential to be a top three Six Flags park. I love the layout. I think it has actually a very underrated rollercoaster collection. um And I think now the way Great Adventure is going down, which I think that was always seen as the top three with Magic Mountain and Fiesta.
00:15:40
Speaker
I almost want to say Georgia has already left them. So we got to spend some time talking to the general manager a couple times because he was out and about in the park the whole time we were there. Like we ran into a multiple times around the park, which is so awesome to see.
00:15:54
Speaker
And he was just talking about all the refreshes that are being put into the park. Like they're doing a lot of work on DJ's diner, which is like the diner right in front of Daredevil Dive. Obviously, all the work on Monster Mansion. They brought back a bunch of effects in the Batman station.
00:16:07
Speaker
and that all looks fantastic. They're putting so much work into that park. That's awesome. And I would love to have him on the podcast at some point as well. He was so nice. Hell yeah, absolutely. And before Great America fans come at me, I like Over Georgia but over Great America.
00:16:21
Speaker
So, sorry.
00:16:24
Speaker
I just kind of got jaded by Over Georgia being my home park for 20 years. That's fair. I just kind of got over it. And now I have Kings Island as a home park, which I feel is an upgrade. It's an upgrade. Yeah, Kings Island is really good.
00:16:39
Speaker
People crap on Kings Island all the time, but I love it. No. So chill.
00:16:45
Speaker
I said it was the best Cedar Fair Park. Controversially. That's true. I don't know how I feel about that. by yeah You're also a Cedar Point fangirl. Am I?
00:16:57
Speaker
Would you consider me a Cedar Point? Not to like Laurel's level. but I'm a talented Dorney Park fangirl, but I don't know if I would say... Yeah, I guess that's true. I guess that's true.
00:17:08
Speaker
Cedar Fair fangirl. That's like my that's really like the only big Cedar Fair park I frequent. Yeah. Do you have any other updates from your side, Jen?
00:17:20
Speaker
Oh, from my side? um I don't think i cool i guess not updates of what I've done, but updates for what is coming.
00:17:33
Speaker
um On top of Disneyland Paris coming, we did just this like figure out Osiris, Parka Streaks, who's also going to be on our list of attendants.
00:17:47
Speaker
And I'm really trying to go to that park with the chicken coaster. Really. i my God. We have to time off. Like I'm really trying to go to the chicken park, the coaster park. I hope you do.
00:17:59
Speaker
Yeah, joe Joey's laughing. He's like, ah if you can pick like one park near my home, like here's the list of the parks. like Which one do you want to go to? And he gives me like a list of ones.
00:18:10
Speaker
And I'm like, the one with chicken coaster. And he's like, it's a terrible park. and now he's i' like And I'm like, no. I don't know. Sarah and Taylor. so they and That was like one of their low-key favorite parks of the whole their whole trip that year.
00:18:21
Speaker
I think when he says that, he means more like... out of the parks near him it's probably like my dumbest choice okay however i'm not here for i'm not here for like the good choices want the fun choices like the chicken coaster to me is way more appealing than like come on like expedition g-force holiday park or something Yeah, Expedition G-Force is on the list. like I literally have to choose between Chicken Coaster and Expedition G-Force. I'm definitely making the dumb choice.
00:18:57
Speaker
However, we expect anything else? like Absolutely not. he didn't didn't he's He's the one that said G-Force was overrated. So do the Chicken Coaster.
00:19:10
Speaker
There's another option too with an invert.
00:19:13
Speaker
A B&M invert? In Germany? Yeah, it's a raptor clone. Monster, maybe? in France, a walligator. Oh, maybe it is in France. because he Yeah, that's definitely in France.
00:19:27
Speaker
Okay. so Yeah, that is a raptor clone. A raptor clone, yeah. Like, I'm pretty sure Black Mom is the only invert in Germany. Yeah. Right? Am I crazy? but We very easily could go into France, so that checks out.
00:19:41
Speaker
That's true. No, that's bugging me. That's the only invert in Germany, right? Help me. I think so. okay um Jen would know better than any of us, honestly. i don't know where the inverts are. I just know their names. just know their names. slate to talent Yeah, that's fair. Okay, anyway.
00:19:59
Speaker
but Yeah, that and I think that I have a potential date on the book for Efteling. I'm of that one. That one's like my biggest bucket list coaster. Maybe end of June? well but Actually, I don't know where I'm going.
00:20:15
Speaker
Hope. well Actually, I might tease like start teasing where I'm going since I'm stuck on a couch until May.
00:20:25
Speaker
F Ling.
00:20:30
Speaker
That's something we should do is just like a summer trip reveal for both of us or something. Yeah, I like that idea. Jen is apparently still planning her, so. Yeah, mine's, like, I have to work on my trip, though. Like, it's, it doesn't, it doesn't stick. It's just a very different trip. Like, you guys are going on coaster trips and I'm going on, like,
00:20:51
Speaker
Like I'll be working a lot of the trip and just like doing stuff when I can. So very different trip. I won't get nearly as much done as you guys. um See, for me, I'm the opposite. I feel like all my trips to Europe have either not been for coasters, like before I was an enthusiast, or just really quick, like three, four day shots and then sightseeing or coming home immediately.
00:21:14
Speaker
Taylor Swift. It is nice though. I love my work from home job. As long as I get like, as long as I have a good spot to work, which when you have ADHD, working somewhere that's chaotic is incredible.
00:21:27
Speaker
So um as long as you Wi-Fi and a good place to work, work from anywhere. It's fantastic. I love it.
00:21:37
Speaker
I'm literally like looking at the calendar, like what are my trips coming up and when I can, when I'm going to talk about them, we might be doing something stupid next weekend. Very. often Right. I know.
00:21:48
Speaker
Very to be determined. um But then we have a. I can guess. Maybe. Can you? That one was hinted to me. Is it? Yeah, I did. in Is it at a park that recently had a major loss?
00:22:01
Speaker
Yes. Yeah. Okay. We might be going to New Jersey. Again, we have tossed the idea around. it is not confirmed as of now. For Flash, but that doesn't even look that good. I could be wrong, but I'm just anti Great Adventure for a little bit.
00:22:16
Speaker
I'm my next big trip is coming up in two and a half weeks or so. So that one I'll actually have a lot to talk about because that's like a legit trip. Where are you going in two and a half weeks? Oh, I know where you're going. Yeah.
00:22:29
Speaker
And um I booked my one thing that I'm super excited for. That's my birthday present to myself. Very nice. And i thought yeah your birthday's in like technically hold on, hold on. What? ah The next episode will be after your birthday. So technically, happy early birthday, Allison.
00:22:45
Speaker
Oh, thank you. I know it's like a week from now, but. Heck yeah. Happy birthday. Thank you'll join the You'll join me in the 36 club for like four Why do you have to make that public? like We've said our ages before. Come on.
00:22:59
Speaker
Here's the thing. I can say it because I'm older than you. That's true.
00:23:04
Speaker
But yeah, so I will be doing a very fun trip in first weekend of April. So I will have much to report after that. Very nice. I'm very jealous because that's still one area that I need to hit. ah yeah Oh, wait, maybe.
00:23:19
Speaker
No, I don't. I don't know. I thought I thought it clicked. It didn't click. I don't know. Didn't not click. I've literally posted about it on my Instagram, at least part of it. I have no thoughts right now.
00:23:31
Speaker
Okay. Fair enough. it's That's probably a good time to get to our interview. Yeah. you know No thoughts. Just, just interview. And let's let's just be upfront. We, uh, because she is from the UK, uh, we did record her first, so she wasn't up too late.
00:23:48
Speaker
So we are talking, we're literally talking to you from the future. And we can tell you that, uh, Yeah, very rarely we get to talk about like how the interview went before it happened.
00:24:00
Speaker
And we can tell you that Gina is amazing and you're going to really enjoy this interview. Yes. So yes, let's go ahead and welcome Gina to the Inverted Creative Podcast. That was time travel music.
00:24:12
Speaker
Hi, Gina. Welcome. Thank you so much for having me on. Of course. Our first British accent. Let's go. Officially professional. first international guest. That's exciting.
00:24:24
Speaker
Um, so Gina is a fantastic artist that I've been following on Instagram, I think for a few years now. i' Absolutely obsessed with your style. um I do it like, i I'm just going to start off and say, like do you do commissions so I can buy one and get it tattooed? Because I'm literally just like that obsessed with your art.
00:24:43
Speaker
I actually used to. I'm still not debating. I'm debating bringing them back. But I've got so much going on with uni at the moment. That's my biggest issue. so I get that. um Yeah, that's something i I totally want to do. I love the watercolor style.
00:24:58
Speaker
um But I guess kind of to first get into this, how did you get into roller coasters? like Tell us about some of your story and where you live and how you got into this crazy hobby. Well, I'm obviously based in the UK.
00:25:11
Speaker
um I'm from Staffordshire and I'm not too far from Alton Towers, ironically, but um I actually used to hate theme parks. You wouldn't think it now, but um I went to Blackpool Pleasure Beach when i was about five with my dad and we did the avalanche and I just remember absolutely hating it like I just did not like anything about it didn't help that my dad like restrained me so I couldn't breathe because he was so terrified but um yeah I think it was about 2019 no 2018 just after Wicker Man opened was my first ever visit to Alton Towers with some friends
00:25:46
Speaker
And then I decided for the 2019 season to actually get season pass. But it wasn't until 2020, the first lockdown for COVID. They actually thought, you know, I actually really miss theme parks, which is then what led to me making my art.
00:26:00
Speaker
Of course, you you kind of realize it during lockdown. That's when everything's closed. Suddenly can't write anything.
Gina's Roller Coaster Journey
00:26:08
Speaker
I can definitely relate to because I didn't become an enthusiast until 29 years old And I had a legit like fear of roller coasters.
00:26:17
Speaker
you know Wooden roller coasters are too rough. The steel coasters are too high. I don't like going upside down. and one day it just hits you, doesn't it? It just hits you like out of nowhere. where yeah And then you're just obsessed. the Changes your life out of nowhere.
00:26:29
Speaker
For real. Yeah. and Do you keep like a top five list of coasters that you've been on? They're all UK coasters at the moment, but I imagine that will drastically change in June.
00:26:42
Speaker
ah My top coast has got to be Nemesis Reborn, especially after what they've done to refurbish it. It's so good in every way. um Smiler for sentimental reasons. um Hyperia as well. It's one of the best we've got in the UK ride experience-wise.
00:26:57
Speaker
um Probably I'd say Wicker Man and Stealth after that. Okay. We're all pretty different rides. cool. yeah I can't wait to go ride all of those very soon. I'll be honest, if ah if I had to make like a top five UK bucket list, that those might be the five.
00:27:15
Speaker
Yeah, pretty much. It's fun for different reasons. Absolutely. Yeah, Nemesis Reborn is like my, I think that might be like my biggest bucket list um invert now that I've gotten on Black Mamba.
00:27:29
Speaker
I'm curious, when you went to Blackpool that first time, did you ride big one? No, I was only five. So I think the only reason I did Avalanche is because just scraped the hype. Oh, okay.
00:27:40
Speaker
I wasn't sure. because i've What are your thoughts on Big One? I haven't heard too many good things about it. actually really like Big One. My most controversial opinion is I actually prefer Big One to Icon, which most UK enthusiasts hate me for. Respect?
00:27:55
Speaker
It's quite rough. ah Even the new, really tracked bits are known for their roughness. So I'd go prepared and not take a wheel seat. Very nice. Well, not not to spoil some of your travels, but think you'll get another shot at a pretty big arrow ah in the US.
00:28:16
Speaker
I'm so excited to get out, honestly. I need June to hurry up. I can relate. I can very much relate. and it sounds like you're going to go to some good parks, too. Yeah, they've been on the bucket list a while.
00:28:29
Speaker
Yeah. and say like What are some of your bucket list parks and coasters? I mean, not even just in the US, but just wherever. Ironically, my main bucket list coaster, it kind of got blown up last month. So Dakar was the one. And literally this whole trip was planned around King Dakar.
00:28:46
Speaker
Oh, no. Five years. so I was like, I will get on King Dakar. Booked everything. So ready. And then i was like, no, that's not happening anymore. So I'd have to say Falcon's flight now when that opens.
00:29:01
Speaker
You've got a good 20 years to get on it with my look before I'll be able to go out there. So if you want to go in the next 20 years, it won't get demolished. So you'll be fine. So we hope.
00:29:12
Speaker
Yeah, we can pray. But it does look so good, though.
00:29:19
Speaker
That's rough. Oh, man. couldn't imagine. I know. I'm, like, so sad. want to, like... But, however, will say grew up with King Nika, but, like, and it was really cool, tallest coaster and everything, but I threw a five.
00:29:33
Speaker
I threw a five. Oh, that's... I'm definitely getting on that in June. I'm so excited. Yeah, like, I... It does stink that... Yeah, it was planned around Kingda Ka.
00:29:45
Speaker
but I think for me was because I loved st stealth so much. It's one of the few coasters where I've actually like sat on it and stared down the launch. was like, this is amazing kind of thing. So was like, let's magnify that.
00:29:58
Speaker
Yeah. up put Hopefully Top Thrill is open for you. Fingers crossed. Oh, yeah. I like that better than Ka anyway. i so I guess worst, worst case, Red Force isn't too far from you.
00:30:11
Speaker
Yeah, very true. doing, I know you mentioned Jersey, New York. Are you doing are you hitting PA? Not too sure, honestly. I need to make a proper list. We're doing that many parks.
00:30:25
Speaker
It's definitely not the scale of those, but ah really good hydraulic launch at Hershey Park. Storm Runner has, ah that one's a really good hydraulic launch. It's one favorite ones.
00:30:38
Speaker
You at least get that. Yeah, very true, yeah.
00:30:44
Speaker
We're just going to piece together all the other the things you can get in the States that aren't. Just put together some launch coasters, especially hydraulics. I love hydraulics. Yes, oh my god, nothing like it. And we're slowly losing them, unfortunately. yeah Yeah, we've got Rita and Stealth just hanging on.
00:31:02
Speaker
ah Yeah, and I think this year is in the plans. I think 2026 is if I had to guess when my big UK coaster trip will be, it'll be then. Well, if you haven't ever written towers andt want any advice, you know where I am. Absolutely. Yeah. Oh, for sure.
00:31:18
Speaker
Yeah. That's obviously clearly number one. Yeah. you know on the list I mean, ah now Hyperia Thorpe's back in the scene, but it's still, you you hear yeah UK coasters. Alton Towers is immediately the first one that comes up.
00:31:30
Speaker
It's so iconic of a place. It's not just the theme park either. There's so much history there. You didn't go on opening day, did you? Yes, I did. Were you a part of the... The toxicator thing. that it was actually ironic because I went to the toilets that morning by Curse, which is like the next area over from Forbidden Valley.
00:31:52
Speaker
and I was like, there's something wrong with the toilets. They weren't locked. Oh no. But they just weren't flushing, right? Because like automatic toilets. And i was like, every single toilet, there's almost like 20 toilets in a row. And I was like, this isn't normal. And the staff were there. So i was like, well, they clearly know. So I just left after that.
00:32:12
Speaker
But um then what happened later, obviously, there was a massive sewage blockage somewhere. So i was like, that that's great. Oh, my. That's like noticing like a small fire in the corner of a room and then like, eh.
00:32:25
Speaker
It won't be that bad. And then you come back an hour later, like, oh Five hours later, and there's literally burst everywhere. was like, oh my gosh. gee Yeah, that was a crazy story.
00:32:36
Speaker
Yeah. I didn't know I was cracking it. Even when we saw it, we're like, that's not just happened. yeah Especially, what's what's the name of the ride called? toxic Toxicator. Toxicator, yeah. It's deemed to be Nemesis as like saliva. They're like extracting that, the phalanx. I was like, it didn't age very well. I don't think the saliva, it'll be saliva going forward. No, i think they might have mixed up the word.
Gina's Art Process and Inspirations
00:33:05
Speaker
Well, anyway, getting back to your art, which if you haven't seen, guys, go I'm going to plug your Instagram right now, GC Artwork. Thank you. That's correct. Just scroll down, and you'll mind your mind will be blown. like These are so unbelievably amazing.
00:33:23
Speaker
As somebody that, to draw a bird, I'll still just do a V. look that's That's my expertise in art. These drawings are just insane.
00:33:34
Speaker
So um how long have you been doing this? And like, when did you decide to focus on roller coasters specifically? Well, I've always drawn as long as I can actually remember. I can't think of a time where even if it was like scribbling, obviously at that age, I've just always done it.
00:33:49
Speaker
And my family's kind of had a natural talent for it as well. So I've grown up a lot around my cousin. She used to do a lot of art. And I remember we used like draw dogs and that all the time. And so dogs for me have naturally been one of my interests.
00:34:02
Speaker
So I've just always used to draw dogs until lockdown, as I mentioned before. And I was like, really want to draw something different, which is when I drew the smiler because I was missing it so much. i was like, why not?
00:34:14
Speaker
And it kind of just took off from there by coincidence, really. Yeah.
00:34:20
Speaker
Yeah, they are. So Allison shared like an old reel that you did like in 2021. Just like your process and how you do them. And like, I'll be honest, the first 15 seconds where you just splash the paint on, it looks like a mess.
00:34:36
Speaker
And then you turn it into magic. Very much to trust the process. Unbelievable. Yeah.
00:34:44
Speaker
Yeah, some of them, I start them and I think there's no way this is going to turn out right. But then you get to the end of the piece and it's one of the best I've actually done. You've got to trust the process sometimes. I was noticing you have like a little like tournament going like ah on your stories.
00:35:00
Speaker
Yeah. And I'm like, ah they're all good. like I guess I'll take that one. but but but I've got friends as well on the console. Can you just rig it so I can get the one I want next? And like, well, that wouldn't be very fair. Yeah.
00:35:13
Speaker
think I went with your Wicker Man one. because Yeah, that's just one today. so Literally fire. soon We'll have one.
00:35:25
Speaker
yeah i so i' am like Yeah, I'm in awe by all of these. Sorry, I got distracted actually looking at some of these. I was looking at them earlier and I was like, they're so good. And then you guys are talking to them and I'm talking about them. And I'm like, I need to look at them while we're talking about it.
00:35:39
Speaker
Thank you. I literally don't know which one is my favorite. I can't decide either if it's any help. I love the colours in the Air Force one one. I remember seeing it earlier like um when I was like looking through and I was like, man, this looks so good.
00:35:55
Speaker
But the colours just pop so well. It looks so good. always find it really hard as well when it's a ride I've not seen in person because you have to try and look at so many reference images to get the lightness.
00:36:07
Speaker
like ah but even that that You made Cheetah Hunt like awesome for the first time ever. It's the first time Cheetah Hunt's ever been good. It looks really cool of a train though. So I'm like, in my head, it's really good.
00:36:19
Speaker
Someone who's never been on it. It's a really good like baby first invert inversion coaster. like It's a really good one for that. i kind of imagine it to be icon level.
00:36:34
Speaker
like I've obviously never been out to the States, but that's just how I imagine the UK equivalent. Yeah, it's pretty chill. It's really pretty. the i don't know. i like it more than most, but it's still very ah relaxing for sure.
00:36:49
Speaker
ah For a launch, you know, into intimate launch coaster anyway. Yeah. So um I know you mentioned, so I'm... um I didn't read through our listener questions, but I know you mentioned that um it's a little harder for you when you haven't seen the coaster in person. You have to look at reference photos um a little bit more.
00:37:08
Speaker
How do you approach... um the artwork coming from a coaster you've seen versus a coaster you haven't? like but how How do you approach them differently? Normally I'll watch POVs. I find it's the best way to start out because it gives you a rough idea of if it's like a thrill coaster, if it's more family thrill, just an idea because you then get the idea of that the forces being used on it.
00:37:32
Speaker
um And then the most important thing is making sure if it's got an up-to-date train or not because if you use the reference of an old train, people are gonna know you've used an old reference. So I fall into that trap a few times.
00:37:43
Speaker
But think it's mostly just looking at different angles, perspectives, and just piecing them together and finding a good reference image to focus the main image on.
00:37:56
Speaker
Okay, that makes sense. I like that you go into the POVs too and take that into account. That's a pretty cool. That's not something that I would think to do That's very unique. Are we going to see an influx of US coasters after your trip?
00:38:10
Speaker
ah Probably. I did think about doing a load before I went to take with me, but i was just like, I try and do UK one, a US one, and then an international one and stagger them. So everyone kind of gets what they want that way.
00:38:23
Speaker
I love that. When I did my... tweets back in the day that's how i used to do this i used to do like america europe international i swear to god i can say then yeah you gotta you gotta spread the love a little bit don't know i'm more of ah a i'm more of a one subject type of person like talent attorney park that's all good when i started off i just did all the towers
00:38:49
Speaker
i'm more of a like single track mind and then never let's go for three years listen You have Voltron now, Jen. It's fine. And she has a Voltron print.
00:39:02
Speaker
Yeah, Voltron. But Voltron is... It's Europa Park as a whole. So tell an attorney park in Europa Park. I need to get to Europa Park. I'm having to go for Christmas. Oh my gosh. That was like... i The moment I stepped into that place, I was like, I have to come back for Christmas. And I was like, this isn't ah even a... like that's It's not even up for discussion I'm going. It was incredible.
00:39:23
Speaker
Except I lost my glasses. at fantasia land my first day so i couldn't see everything but it's fine we're gonna not turn this into another europa and fantasia land podcast as we do every single time sorry that we end up talking poor brian so um i mean the My physical therapist today, I know we already discussed my injury, but when I brought up the Europe trip again, she almost kind of laughed and said, you'll be fine for my Europe trip in June. So that was amazing.
00:40:03
Speaker
That's like the first like confirmed, like you'll be okay from an actual professional. So yeah, your rope is happening. Yes. You're up apart. Let's
00:40:14
Speaker
You love your Opa park. We do.
00:40:18
Speaker
So Jen, I know you're asking your own question, but I think you're still due for asking the printed questions. Yeah, sorry. I went a little off script here. No, we love it. um It came to me. um Okay, so how did you start on your watercolor style?
00:40:34
Speaker
Okay. um It was, again, linking back to COVID here. I just finished my GCSEs, which are like end of high school. So I'd be 16 in like UK high school, so sorry, UK schooling terms.
00:40:49
Speaker
um And I remember we have to pick like an artist basically for our final art GCSE. And my friend who sat next to me chose an artist. Can't remember her name now. It was um Lucinda something, but she does like watercolours and inks.
00:41:03
Speaker
And I was like, that would be quite fun to do, but Smiler, because why not? And it's actually what led me, because I had some spare ink watercolors, to then put the two together. And then I posted it on social media and everyone loved it. So it just started from there.
00:41:20
Speaker
So like which came first, the watercolors for the coasters or coasters as watercolors, if that makes sense? Like which drove the other one more? I think I just kind of had the idea at the same time.
00:41:33
Speaker
was like that, but with a roller coaster. So I suppose watercolors with roller coaster. like I think that question didn't make sense when I said it, but I'm glad you kind of figured out. I somehow got there.
00:41:49
Speaker
Yeah. Cause that was, that was from um our friend Alex. He had asked what inspired you to use watercolors as a medium to express your love for roller coasters. And I think it's just a style that we don't see very often. Like um there's a lot of coaster artists out there.
00:42:01
Speaker
yeah Your watercolor style has just always really stood out for me. I've just always liked vibrant colors as well. So, and coasters are very colorful typically. So it works well.
00:42:13
Speaker
It's like when I started the ah Inverted Creative Studio and um just, I made the colors pink and orange because there was a quote that I loved. um and Also because of Paramore, that was half the reason I did pink and orange, but.
00:42:25
Speaker
um there's a quote that's um because she chooses to see the world in bright, bold colors. So it makes me think of that. like that's really nice i like I love bright colors. I say, as I wear all black, I always say it too. And then I wear pastels and earth tones and that's it.
00:42:45
Speaker
I don't wear much color. I'm too emo for that. um So can you kind of take us through your entire process from like, whenever you get, the idea for whatever, you know, coast you're going to do next, the whole process from inspiration to when it hits your Etsy store.
00:43:02
Speaker
Which, by the way, she has an Etsy store. Go buy her prints. Thank you. We will post that link for sure. Yes. Thank you. um To be fair, actually use Captain Coaster a lot of the time to get a ranking of what people like the most. And obviously things fluctuate on there all the time, so it actively changes. But I find about six roller coasters I normally want to start with that I've not done or want to redo.
00:43:27
Speaker
um And then mostly going on Instagram to just find reference images. And I normally find a photographer and ask if I can use their um images for id like inspiration to then draw it out.
00:43:40
Speaker
Once I've either got ah that okayed or if I can't find one, I'll sometimes resort to Google images, but I try not to. um and then take the image, put it into Photoshop. Sometimes I'll merge different bits together to create like an overall image.
00:43:56
Speaker
to work from and then I'll normally graphite transfer it as it saves time and drawing it out individually because that would probably take me a whole day realistically to get coaster track precise.
00:44:07
Speaker
um Then it's drawn out onto watercolor paper, then throw paint at it basically in the nicest way possible, just aggressively throw paint. ah Let that dry.
00:44:19
Speaker
And then it's just going in with Pro markers and fineliner till it's a place I'm happy with and scanning it in. And then boating.
00:44:29
Speaker
So is the voting on your Instagram for like, which one is going to be available in your store? Oh, okay. so ok um I want to do like a new print. If I decided I'd like a position for printing a new print or poster or whatever I decided to go with, um I'll put them all onto to my Instagram. Everything that's not already been printed. And ah i normally use a random generator. So it's going against a different coaster each time.
00:44:53
Speaker
um And then whatever gets through to the final is then printed. Awesome. Now, one question I had before I even looked at our list, and again, i am the worst artist of all time, so I see those watercolors. I'm like, this must have taken her...
00:45:10
Speaker
a month and then I see you're posting like every three to four days. I'm like, what? So how long would this is also from our friend Gary? yeah So how much time does one piece take from beginning to end?
00:45:22
Speaker
Very good question, because my high period piece, for example, I did that in less than a day easily. ah It was very minimal detail, but some of my pieces have taken me days to get through because I kind of stagger when I do them. I just work when I want to work because otherwise I just burn out.
00:45:39
Speaker
But sure yeah, Hyperia is probably the quickest one I've done. And then something like Smiler or any of the wooden coasters, they can take me days. Now, when you say days, is this like you're doing it all day or you have like blocks?
00:45:53
Speaker
like I just kind of block it out. Sometimes I work all day if I'm in the mood and I've not got much going on. Again, uni is a big issue, sadly. ah Yeah, it's more I'll just do it in blocks and slot them in where I can. And normally I try and get them out as quick as I can. Other days, it's like it can take me weeks.
Artistic Evolution and Challenges
00:46:12
Speaker
that That's impressive, my god. ah The detail on these are just insane. Thank you. Of course. I'm looking at the Hyperion one right now, too. It looks like flames are coming out behind It's so cool.
00:46:25
Speaker
Sometimes watercolor works in my favours over time. It just doesn't play ball. Man, the Twisted Colossus one, the Karnan one. I'm sorry. I'm not. I know. We're like sitting here. and All of us are just going all just staring at the art as a well. It's like, guys, we have the artist here.
00:46:44
Speaker
Wildcats Revenge one is amazing. Okay. Anyway. Anyway. um Have there been any notice notice notable changes in your style throughout the years? like Definitely.
00:46:56
Speaker
i think the most iconic one would be, so when I first started back in 2020, about 2023, I used to lose no like markers whatsoever. It was all watercolor and ink.
00:47:08
Speaker
Whereas 2024, I kind of like lost my obsession with it around 2023. But 2024, I was like, I'm going to somehow find a way to add more detail, which is when I brought in some markers, which I'd had for ages and hadn't used.
00:47:21
Speaker
And it was just so successful. I just never looked back really. So it's got a lot more detail than they used to
00:47:30
Speaker
Okay. And was that just one like, it was literally just as simple as one day you saw the markers? Yeah. Just a fluke. and was like fine I that. I'm just going to change my art style today.
00:47:41
Speaker
Yeah. Ponder and Velocicoaster were the two where thought, well, might just try them. See how it goes. Yeah. right, now I've got to scroll back to find Velocicoaster. Yeah, think that was but early 2024, so it's a good way down.
00:47:54
Speaker
I also absolutely love when either you or or I guess somebody else actually goes to the park and physically holds your picture up against the actual coaster, and it just flows so incredibly. Like, I love the Hyperia one.
00:48:09
Speaker
It's fun trying to find where the photo was taken as well as trying to position it in the right place. Right. like so You said you haven't been to Europa, but I think someone did it for Voltron. Yeah, I had a friend. It was actually the guy who gave me the reference photo. He went out, so I'd sent him out a print as a thank you, and he took it off to me, which was lovely.
00:48:27
Speaker
Oh, that's incredible. oh I didn't realize you've done a King's Island one. Racer. Yeah, that was one of my old ones. Yeah, i'm I'm in the depths right now. yeah
00:48:39
Speaker
I just came across the Ride to Happiness one.
00:48:44
Speaker
That is insane. and That one is so wild. How long did that one take? I can't remember It was that long ago. But I'll give a little spoiler alert. that I am currently in the process of redoing that one.
00:48:56
Speaker
Really? Yeah. Oh my goodness. The detail on this and the color is... it is insane. Thank you.
00:49:09
Speaker
Oh, the blue fire one. We're all just literally like geeking out over your just more't even interview i came across the Kingdakaw one posted January 31st, 2024. Oh, no.
00:49:23
Speaker
I'm so sorry. it's it would have been a nice dream to have got there, but you know, things happen. ah ah I got it printed now at least. Everyone was like, oh, we want them now that it's been demolished. It kind of worked to my favour in the end. Yeah.
00:49:45
Speaker
So what has been the most challenging part of like the watercolor style and evolving it to include the pens as well? I think the most difficult thing I have to deal with is probably wooden coasters.
00:49:59
Speaker
like Okay, I can see that. Vendetta against them. I've kind of got used to them now, but there used to be a point where just hated them. um The other one, you ah don't know why, but specifically B&M trains. Doesn't matter the type.
00:50:12
Speaker
I don't know what it is. i think it's because they're quite simplistic looking, but they also have a lot of detail. So if you don't get the details, it just looks too simplistic. Plus the row is shaking, so it must be hard. Yeah.
00:50:24
Speaker
Only recently. The new ones.
00:50:28
Speaker
And then other than You got to stay still. I need to hold still. B&M's just like, nah, we can't do that. It's blurry because it's constantly shaking. Yeah. But ah yeah, the other one would have to be s and S40 spins because you can not get a good angle of that train. Yeah.
00:50:44
Speaker
Oh, yeah. They have to be so hard to do. They're just... Yeah. What about... Sorry. like Sorry. No, you're fine. This is... um I think I saw Eugenica on there.
00:50:56
Speaker
How difficult or easy was Eugenica to do? Because I feel like if 43 spins are really hard, or free spins, then that's also probably hard. Yeah, Eugenica was very hard.
00:51:09
Speaker
Like, very. How long do you think... I'm going to continue to ask how long pieces took. That's fine. I'm trying to think, honestly. Again, it was one I did quite a while back, but...
00:51:22
Speaker
i Because but with Ejan Ike, I originally did a bigger piece, but i cropped it down because I thought it looked better. But I guess without counting breaks, about four hours, I want to say, if we're just enjoying nonstop.
00:51:34
Speaker
I feel like that's crazy. i feel I look at that and I feel like it would take like weeks. Yeah. It does have the the level of detail and that train is insane. I've got the pro with it that thanks the watercolor and markers are normally pretty easy to get the color down quick.
00:51:49
Speaker
It doesn't take too long fortunately and the fine line is the detail part so that's not too bad. Okay. Have you ever had any drawings where just like it wasn't working for you and you had to stop and just either not finish it or maybe come back to it later taro i know i just recently posted but the original el taro i did i hated it like this was like a year ago i did it i was like i'm not doing that coaster again the train and it's such a good coaster it looks so good but the train i cannot it's so simple looking that it's hard to get the details on it yeah
00:52:28
Speaker
You should have done the train that looked like the Kia. Yeah. The Kia wrap on it. think the original one I did actually was. The Kia wraps on those trains were so funny.
00:52:44
Speaker
Yeah, they make me laugh. But I could see that. It looks like, I feel like the wooden coasters make sense that they... The support structure is interesting, to say the least.
00:52:56
Speaker
Yeah. um RMCs, anything like that. Nightmare. But they're good fun. They're a good challenge. Yeah. That makes sense for sure. Now, I mean, if you don't want to spoil anything, totally fair.
00:53:09
Speaker
But do you have some upcoming coasters so down the pipeline? Yeah. So I mentioned my happiness. That's currently, most of my next six are redos of previous coasters. I'll say that much.
00:53:22
Speaker
and So I've given away the European one, the UK one, I'll say, well, there's only two of them, but it's ah it's a 10 looper. So you can pick between either two of those.
00:53:33
Speaker
um And then I'm trying to think of a sort way to tease the third. It's an RMC, I'll say that much. I like it. I'm a fan of the T's.
00:53:44
Speaker
yeah People that know me. ah Oh, yeah. No, it's engaging. do you ever think you would do like a defunct coaster? I think I've got a few on the list, actually.
00:53:55
Speaker
I can't think of an example, but there are some. I used to have done corkscrew from towers and black hole a good few years ago. So they're definitely not off the chart.
00:54:07
Speaker
Very cool.
00:54:09
Speaker
So people love their nostalgia, so i don't know if that would be, especially with the way coasters are coming down recently. Yeah. yeah
00:54:19
Speaker
I just keep stopping on the Millennium Force one. There's something about it. just the perfect blend of the watercolor and the pens. You already have a Millennium Force tattoo. You don't need another one. know, okay.
00:54:33
Speaker
Maybe I do the Millennium Force one to match. Who says there's too many rollercoaster tattoos? Go, see it, yolo.
00:54:45
Speaker
I'm actually trying to think like if I would do Velocicoaster or Taryn for my next coaster tattoo. You have to do Taryn. You can't just like copy Jen. Yeah, come on. I'm like the VelociCoaster tattoo. You're the girl the VelociCoaster tattoo, I know.
00:54:59
Speaker
but yeah However, um G Prodigy posted someone else's new VelociCoaster tattoo that is sick. I didn't see that. Okay, i gotta go look that up now too. look It's sick. The artist, whoever did that tattoo and designed it, incredible.
00:55:12
Speaker
I loved it. It's like, man. but This might be a ah different question. Now, i um I have zero tattoos. I have no plan of getting tattoos. Is that something you you interested in, Gina? Like, in maybe, like, one of your own designs? Is that a weird question?
00:55:27
Speaker
actually not opposed to a tattoo, but I just can't see them on myself, if that makes sense. Okay. Like, I don't mind tattoos. There's some tattoos out that I love, but I just can't see myself with one. same with piercings.
00:55:39
Speaker
I don't know if that was, like, an egotistical thing for artists. Like, do you put your own work on your own body? I think as artists as well, a lot of us, we see the flaws in our own work because we know what we want it to be.
00:55:52
Speaker
But if I'm looking at another artist's work, I'm not going to see that flaw because that's what's there kind of thing. And I'm not breathing in mine. So I think to a degree, especially once your art styles developed, you probably look back and think, what did I make?
00:56:07
Speaker
yeah That's an interesting perspective. i but I can totally see that. like I like try to design my own tattoos, but then I'm like, no, I don't think I'm going to do that. yeah I don't think I do my own when I think about it. yeah cause like Once it's on you, then you'd be like, oh, wait, I don't like that one part.
00:56:24
Speaker
yeah and Then you can't do anything about it. It's just stuck there forever. You can blame the tattoo artist, if anything. but Yeah. Fair.
00:56:36
Speaker
Yeah. um Come back. This is kind of more like the questions we were just talking about. um Out of all of your pieces that you have, that you've already done or that are in the pipeline that you're working on, do you have like a standout favorite piece?
00:56:54
Speaker
I don't have an exact favorite. I get asked this regularly. There's so many i like I like or dislike for different reasons and some of the ones I dislike are loved by other people. um But probably biased of me to say, I'd have to go with Nemesis or Smiler.
00:57:10
Speaker
Okay. I just love the coloring on them. so That makes sense. Yeah.
00:57:18
Speaker
How hard was it to get the veins on Nemesis Reborn done? Sometimes when I'm drawing, it just comes to me on how to do it. And it was one of those situations where I just drew it. And I was like, that's fine. If I don't think about it, it's often fine. If I think about it, I'll overthink it and then I'll ruin it.
00:57:35
Speaker
It's really weird, but that's just how it happens sometimes. I totally understand that.
00:57:41
Speaker
I need to get one of the Nemesis prints at some point. I'm kind of waiting until like after my UK trip to really...
Future Aspirations and Projects
00:57:47
Speaker
go to town on the Etsy shop um as I inevitably will. But also I named my cat after Nemesis. So I kind of need to get the Nemesis one. Your cat's named after Talon. Get the heck out of here. Next question for Jen. When are you going to be doing Talon at Dorney Park?
00:58:03
Speaker
Yeah. yeah That's actually the most important question of the podcast.
00:58:09
Speaker
When is Talon at Dorney Park?
00:58:14
Speaker
I actually don't know where I'm next to be back in America, so it's a very good question because I would like to know too. I was about to say the silence is speaking volumes here. i was trying to think, because like am I doing was like, no, I don't think I am.
00:58:26
Speaker
No, it's probably It would be yeah an odd one to do. and Unless Jen literally custom ordered Yeah, Dorney is just like doorrney is a pretty small park, so if you're coming from UK and doing a big trip like that, it is
00:58:45
Speaker
yeah It is like one of the least i think popular spots. However, has an Intamin first generation freefall, so if you're not going for Town and Dirty Park, you should be going for one of the only first generation freefalls left.
00:58:58
Speaker
I'll make a note. Make a note, guys. And you'll be terrified because they are janky and they are scary. I rode it with Brian and he was like, this is the first time I've been scared for to ride something in years.
00:59:14
Speaker
She's not lying. It was pretty terrifying. Yeah, they're in the rattly cage, and he's like, actually, I'm scared. And it's one of those rides where I don't care how many times you ride it, like there's always going to be a little bit of like, what am I doing here?
00:59:26
Speaker
Oh, yeah, I'm terrified every single time. This is going to fall I actually did not do the one at Nagashima. They have one there, too. just Well, the issue was is that I was filming my vlog, and that park has 13 coasters, and they were open for like...
00:59:42
Speaker
seven hours or something like that and it rained so it was just a matter of oh wait i did not know that information i'm judging you so hard i would lose every coaster credit for a first generation free fall like i would give up all 13 credits all 13 all 13 and i only wrote eight see you didn't even complete the 13 that shows you how limited well like two of them are closed But that just shows how limited to time I had. So you should have went and rode one of the only like five first generation free falls left.
01:00:16
Speaker
Maybe I'm just loyal to Dorney Park and and that's the only one I ride. the only one I need. I don't know if we can be friends anymore. Nice spin. Anyway, I think we have one more question of our own list.
01:00:29
Speaker
um Do you have any, we we may have already hinted at it before. um do you have any bucket list coasters, any white whales that you're like, Ooh, one day need to get that one. I should be getting two of them this year, at least. So that's, that's helpful. But, um, okay.
01:00:44
Speaker
Falcon's flight, as I mentioned before, which will be a long way in the future. Um, steel vengeance and top thrill too. I'm hoping to get this year. Fingers crossed. They're the two I'm really bothered about at the moment.
01:00:56
Speaker
Um, and then probably Zadra and Iungwazi. Don't blame me there. Now, are those- Lots of boots is an honorable mention as well. As it should be. As all three of us would agree. The one thing we agree on.
01:01:09
Speaker
Yeah. What about like to paint? Like, is there any like, or are those ones you'd like to paint as well? Like, and down the line or Yeah, I think I've drawn most of them. You've drawn a few, I think. Yeah. yeah Falcons fly. Obviously, I'll wait till nearer the time when there's better reference images. But other than that, I think I've drawn them all. But knowing me, I'll draw them all again. So-
01:01:33
Speaker
when yeah Whenever you do go to Energylandia and you go ride Zadra, you have to look for a plaque outside the entrance that says Coaster 365 on it. Yeah, so like, yeah I'm currently doing it now. Every year I run like a but tournament, kind of like you're doing on your stories.
01:01:49
Speaker
I run a huge rollercoaster tournament, 64 coasters. And three years ago, Zadra won. yeah. And... Energylandia just got word of it and put a plaque outside the entrance that says Coaster Madness Champion. and i'm like That's amazing. It's the most absurd, amazing thing that will probably ever happen to me in coasters anyway. sorry I'll keep an eye out. yeah it's you really You literally can't miss it.
01:02:15
Speaker
It's right in the entrance.
01:02:19
Speaker
I can confirm it is there. I have seen it with my own eyes.
01:02:24
Speaker
I had another question in my head, but I couldn't figure it out in time. All right. So um we did post, obviously, um we did get quite a few listener questions. We worked on a few already. um But the first one is from our friend Timothy.
01:02:38
Speaker
So what typically kickstarts your inspiration for what ride to do next? Is it just whatever... captain coaster again you know to kind of go through see what's popular and then i'll be like oh that one looks kind of cool search up on instagram see what there is if there's anything that inspires me and goes from there really so we have a really interesting ah question from rambo almost one that i feel like we should have given you time to think of this answer he says picture this you get the opportunity to do a mural on a building at a park
01:03:11
Speaker
What park would you most want to do that or for a ride and any type of theming for that mural?
01:03:20
Speaker
I'd have to go Alton Towers because I'm extremely biased and got to go to my home park, obviously. um i think, I don't know I'd want to specifically do. i mean, I love what Thought Park did with their mural near um Nemesis Inferno, where it's like retro kind of themed.
01:03:36
Speaker
ah So probably something like that relating to their coasters would be my dream mural.
01:03:44
Speaker
like Kind of in line with that, do you think you'd ever do like a theme park like landscape? Or is that too, like, zoomed out for what you do? Oh, the whole skyline would be awesome. Yeah.
01:03:54
Speaker
I would love to do a skyline. Again, the biggest problem is if there's a Warden coaster. Right now, Fort Park would be fine. ah I ever get a Warden coaster, that might be a problem in the future.
01:04:06
Speaker
So if we do a skyline of Cedar Point, then they only have one small wooden coaster that's too like too short to include anyway. So it's fine. We'll just cover up Steel Vengeance. We'll start in Stampa. We'll start in Stampa. I mean, Iron Gwazi has that structure. but I remember once I got commissioned to draw Steel Vengeance from quite far away, and I was like, I cannot do I will have no free time left this year.
01:04:30
Speaker
My sanity would just go insane. like
01:04:35
Speaker
That sounds like it would be miserable. It would literally be miserable.
Personal Influences and Artistic Style
01:04:43
Speaker
like I'll happily draw you the train or a close-up shot, that's fine, it's just not the entire coaster.
01:04:55
Speaker
So another one from Sarah is I say another one another comment from Sarah that didn't fix anything that I said before I'm really bad at this um she asked um how did you learn to draw is it just something you kind of picked up one day just think I've always had I've just always been drawing really my family's always like my mum's always been into drawing my cousin as well so it's just kind of been around me from a young age and just kept going umm Do you study art at uni or is it?
01:05:27
Speaker
um I currently study animation so it's linked. It's not strictly art but it's still a former creative I guess so to a degree yes. Would you ever consider doing coasters in more of like an animated style?
01:05:41
Speaker
I have actually considered this. I have got an idea currently regarding Nemesis but it's not anything definite yet. and It'll probably be after uni I start that idea. This is a fun little project.
01:05:54
Speaker
That could be cool like mix of styles, like trying to mix like more animated style with the watercolor. Yeah, it'd definitely be interesting to try.
01:06:07
Speaker
Yeah, that makes sense. Ahsoka has moved on from barking to crying, so I apologize. um Next we have Ethan. um He said, I looked at your page for the first time and you have some incredible artwork. I noticed that with your drawings you surround the coaster track with splotches of different colors.
01:06:27
Speaker
How do you determine which color pack um palette you're going to use for each coaster? I nearly always try and keep it the closest color I can to the actual coaster scheme.
01:06:38
Speaker
Sometimes if it's greens or blues, it can be hard to get the exact green or blue because I'm limited with my watercolors. But I normally try and keep the colors to the like specific areas as well. So for example, stealth, try and keep the reds to the train, blues to the lower part of the top hat, and then obviously whites, grays at the top of the top hat.
01:07:02
Speaker
Okay, that makes sense. They all pop. They all pop. They do. Yeah. yeah Does it ever take you a while to like find the right shade or like try one shade and you feel like you messed up the whole drawing and then you have to start over or anything like that?
01:07:20
Speaker
To be fair, normally they kind of work out okay. and With the markers, I normally just like scribble until I find like the shade I'm after. I've got like a big set of them that I've recently bought.
01:07:31
Speaker
So that massively helped. But the ink watercolors, I normally just try and match or if it's like really noticeable difference, I'll normally pull it up in Photoshop at the end and just like tweak it so it doesn't look too ah like opposing.
01:07:47
Speaker
I'm just i'm scrolling through Instagram again. I stopped at the Shambhala. I know. We literally just keep... We're, like, talking, and as you're talking about, like, if you talk about a specific one, I feel like we're all going to look for it, and then just getting distracted.
01:08:02
Speaker
I'm always finding a different one that i like. I see Leviathan. Canada's Wonderland, which I was not expecting that one, and it's fire. As always. Yeah. We do have ah one last question here from Kim and Dex.
01:08:16
Speaker
um And I apologize if we've kind of already hinted at this, but um which artwork of yours would you say was the most challenging? Hmm. I'd probably currently say El Toro because that's the one I just did that really wound me up.
01:08:30
Speaker
But I think probably Asianaica, something like that, was one of the other difficult ones. Anything along those lines where there's specific amounts of detail, but not always the easiest to draw it in.
01:08:45
Speaker
I very much respect that if it's just a challenging terrain, you're not like, I'll just make that... not as good. You really stick to like this needs to be as high quality as possible regardless of the challenge. which I will admit I've had a few where they've just ended up in the bin. i was like, we'll come back to that another day.
01:09:02
Speaker
Right now, it's it's not working. It's not happening. the The two Tatis one, have you guys seen that one yet? Oh my god. I don't know where it is on here.
01:09:14
Speaker
I'm stuck on like... She has the whole front like figure guy with the antler helmet.
01:09:23
Speaker
Wait a minute. I remember when was. May 30th, 2024. Oh, yeah, that was it. I knew it was sometime last year. yeah They're so good.
01:09:33
Speaker
Oh, I see. Oh, yeah, that's sick. I promise we're not just being an ad right now. We're literally all marveling just at how amazing these are.
01:09:45
Speaker
Literally, that's half the podcast. Oh, my God, that's so pretty. I love the angle on the Wicked Twister one, too.
01:09:53
Speaker
I lost track of Tutatis. don't even know where it is.
01:10:00
Speaker
Well, Gina, you are a sweetheart. um Insanely talented. is like Clearly, as as we keep going over your Instagram. Thank you so much. We will absolutely be posting a link to both your Instagram and your Etsy.
01:10:16
Speaker
Because I think a lot more people need to see yeah this artwork. It's definitely one of the best I've ever seen in this whole community that I've been in.
Conclusion and Reflections
01:10:25
Speaker
Thank you. I massively appreciate it.
01:10:28
Speaker
Yeah, your your artwork has just really stuck out in my head since like I first saw it. And so like when we're kind of thinking of people to get on the podcast, I'm like, I know who I want to contact. Like literally one of the first people.
01:10:39
Speaker
Because like this is just kind of the epitome of what we want out of this podcast. Just like finding unique creative voices that people wouldn't normally think of when they think about coasters and creativity.
01:10:54
Speaker
I'm very honored to be invited on, so thank you. You're welcome. And you said this was your first ever podcast. Yeah. You were amazing. Thank you. We're not just trying to hype you up ah feel' like one and that is ah feel like just in general, British people are just so much better at public speaking than Americans.
01:11:14
Speaker
think we just fake it. I think we're just really good at pretending we're not panicking internally, but we are. Every single British person I know hates public speaking, so I think we just hide it.
01:11:27
Speaker
And so do I. Why did I start a podcast? just I was shocked when you said, you want to start a podcast? I'm like, you? Excuse me? Because I know you were the first person I knew that I wanted to ask to do the podcast with me. so no Wow, not me. I know. Well, Jen was just like, ah, charity case. We'll get it on, I guess.
01:11:47
Speaker
Jen was the perfect addition. Charity case! with that listen like I love Allison and we could pull it off but it would definitely have been a lot more boring if we did not Jen.
01:12:00
Speaker
I'm just here for a random rants. My dog's screaming. but look And the occasional F-bomb that I have to edit out. And the occasional curse words that I have edit out. Do you guys have any ah final thoughts or questions for Gina?
01:12:18
Speaker
I do not. No, you just just, like, in general, like, I think it's come across in the podcast. You seem just like an awesome person in general, I think. Thank you. The three of us all share. We'd love to meet you one day at a park, for for sure.
01:12:30
Speaker
Well, when I'm in America, unfortunately, obviously, our holidays clash. But if not, you're over at Alton Towers, drop me a message. I'm nearly always there. I basically live there.
01:12:41
Speaker
Well, it's taken me 20 years to get to Alton Towers for the first time, so ah see you in 2045. Yeah. yeah I'm knowing I'll be in America again that time. I'll probably be able to go to Orlando or something.
01:12:57
Speaker
no um Hopefully I'll be able to get to meet up with you when you're at King's Island. That'd be really cool. That'd be really nice. yeah Hey, maybe that's like the first week where I'm like, hey, I can walk again.
01:13:08
Speaker
Screw I'm just going to go somewhere. Let's go to King's Island. You've got a few months, yeah. Like, let's go somewhere. screw Let's go to King's Island. That's 11-hour drive, brother.
01:13:20
Speaker
Yeah, because I've never randomly just gone to King's Island ah over a ah weekend. oh Ironically, that will be, like the last, like, pure amusement park that I've been to was King's Island in October.
01:13:35
Speaker
Wow. So it's going to be, like, over six months between... park visits, not including like Iron Shark. That's crazy. Yeah. That's actually really wild.
01:13:46
Speaker
Yeah. It's little depressing, but it'll feel, it'll feel that much sweeter when it happens. And then everyone will all be traveling. That's when all our our big trips are. So june June's going to be a big month for all of us, I think.
01:13:57
Speaker
Yeah, for sure. Yeah.
01:14:02
Speaker
Gina, any last plugs or hype-ups for yourself that you want to shout out to the world? I think you've covered everything, so a massive thank you for having me on. I'm really grateful. Thank you for joining us.
01:14:12
Speaker
I know, especially with the time difference, I was like, ooh, hopefully she's on the... I'm nearly always awake at midnight, so... Although the, the, you don't change your time until like next week or a few weeks.
01:14:24
Speaker
I think it's two weeks away. I'm pretty sure. We got you in that rare. It's only a four hour difference. ah Yeah. Section of the year. So it worked out. I didn't know it was a thing till like the other day. was like, Oh, I didn't know. It's five hours, isn't it?
01:14:37
Speaker
So
01:14:41
Speaker
I totally knew that when I messaged you. Yeah. um joining us now We usually record like a little bit later. like Right around now is when we usually start recording. so Yeah.
01:14:52
Speaker
Worked out well. Yes. ah Thank you, Gina. You're the best. How's it you? as a year Nah, nah. Yeah, you are, Bryant. Not any of us. um Do you want to go ahead into your trivia question, Bryant? Yeah, we should do a trivia question. and I would say in honor of Gina, we should have a rollercoaster trivia question about the United Kingdom.
01:15:15
Speaker
It's going to be more straightforward. I feel like I've gone off the rails with my questions the last few times. ah So this is a lot more standard, and the question will be, what? So I want to actually give a little tribute to the Ultimate at Lightwater Valley. Did you ever get to ride that, Gina?
01:15:30
Speaker
No, I've not been to Lightwater Valley. That was always been a weird bucket list coaster for me before I went to Funkt because it was this since I think it was the second longest coaster in the world over 7000 feet.
01:15:42
Speaker
I used to call it like the Hobbiton roller coaster because it was just in the middle of a field. It almost looked like a mountain coaster in these extremely slow lift hills. It looked awesome, but it was easily the longest roller coaster in the United Kingdom.
01:15:55
Speaker
um That ah designation is now to big one. Big one is the new longest coaster in the United Kingdom. All that in saying, what is the second longest roller coaster in the United Kingdom currently?
01:16:10
Speaker
So if you want to send us your answers, you can. If you just want to answer in your head, you can do that as well. But what is the second longest roller coaster in the United Kingdom? I can see the wheels turning in her head.
01:16:24
Speaker
I'm trying to think. I don't even think I genuinely know.
01:16:30
Speaker
bri Brian's good at s stumping people for sure. It's like I went to Blackpool last week for a behind the scenes tour and they were just asking questions. was like, I have no idea.
01:16:41
Speaker
no, I genuinely don't think I know. I didn't think it would be something like Odyssey, but I have no idea. and Okay. Yeah.
01:16:52
Speaker
You'd be surprised though, the amount of people that like, we have a couple of people that will message like at 6 a.m. Like they know, like we drop at 6 a.m. m Or what are we drop? We're 6 a.m., right?
01:17:03
Speaker
Yeah, 6 a.m. I was going to say, I wake up to the messages. Sometimes it's 6 a.m. and I have a text message when I wake up that's like, this is the answer to trivia. I'm like, bro, that episode's been out for 30 minutes.
01:17:14
Speaker
It's a two-hour episode and you're 30 minutes in. How do you know? It's
01:17:21
Speaker
impressive. We love our loyal listeners. Yeah. Alright, well I think that brings us to the end of the episode.
01:17:32
Speaker
Any final words from anybody? Hashtag whatever. so I do that more than a hashtag think inverted. Just hashtag whatever. But also hashtag think Yes, hashtag think inverted and we will see y'all next time. Bye guys.
01:17:50
Speaker
Bye. my