FA+
Shop
Paper memories.
9 years ago
Well I just got quite the trip down memory lane.
Not too long ago, someone was advertising some sketch pads found in a storage locker that apparently was owned by Ned Griffin, also known as "Pilot". A PM and texting conversation later and I find that this person does indeed have a significant number of sketchpads clearly in their style, some of the pieces I recognized from his work online, other pieces were new, but clearly in their style.
I bought up the collection and it arrived today. Over 50 pounds, I had to open the box outside and carry the books in a few at a time due to my back.
Now for those who don't know who I am talking about, Ned/Pilot was a furry artist in the late 1990s with a cute style and who produced cute pinups of mainly cat and deer girls. In the year 2000, they just dropped off the planet, with no update or news about why. I have heard rumors, but nothing concrete.
This of course was back before FA. As time went on, most of the sites that hosted his work were either hacked or went offline. All that is left online is a fraction of the work they produced.
http://www.transfur.com/Users/pilot
That link is basically the entirety of their work that has survived the last 15+ years. Everything else has been lost and is nowhere to be found.
Nowhere online that is...
Back in the year 2000 I was a young lurker in the fandom, intrigued by the ideas and possibilities, but also creepped out by the wierdoes. (A problem that persists as I think we all can agree.) Dialup was still the standard way for connecting to the internet, so bandwidth was a precious commodity. I would use a scanner/bulk downloader to grab the galleries. I was back then, as now, bad at organizing, yet terrified of loosing something important. Thus I would never throw anything away.
Fast forward to 2016 and I come across a Journal asking if anyone knows where to get copies of Pilots work. Their name awakening memories from years ago, their work, their disappearance from the fandom,... and the archive of galleries I had made way back then. Could those pieces still be in my rats nest of data?
Yes they could.
Well, the person who was looking for Pilots work had spent nearly a decade searching and now finally had a copy of what they had remembered from so long ago.
Getting back to the present, today I thumbed through all of the sketchbooks. Of all of his work that was colored digitally, I found almost all of the inked originals. Of the inked pieces, I also found most of those as well. I didn't find all of the pencil sketches that had been posted. I did find a LOT of stuff that was never posted online. I found a lot of practice drawings, trying different things or simply getting better at what they already knew.
As I thumbed through sketchbook after sketchbook, I started becoming sad and depressed. I was seeing Ned Griffin through these sketchbooks. I saw someone who had worked hard to develop the skill and style they had. Someone who was working on expanding into new areas and new styles. Someone who had so much potential. Only for it to stop suddenly and with no explanation back around 2000.
I type this up with the sketchbooks packed safely away, wondering whatever happened to them. As I said earlier, I have heard rumors, but nothing concrete. I wonder if they are still around. If so, what have they been up to? Did they stop drawing altogether? If so that would be tragic.
I'd love to re-post their work online, perhaps under a separate artist appreciation account, but of course that is against the ToS on FA without the artists permission.
If anyone would like a copy of their work I saved back in 2000 that I have, let me know and I can email you. Way back then everything was in relatively low resolution and so is easy to email today.
If anyone knows how to get in touch with them, please let me know via note. I would love to get in touch with them.
Just such a trip down memory lane today. Lots of happy memories, but also lots of sad ones for an artist who had so much potential.
Not too long ago, someone was advertising some sketch pads found in a storage locker that apparently was owned by Ned Griffin, also known as "Pilot". A PM and texting conversation later and I find that this person does indeed have a significant number of sketchpads clearly in their style, some of the pieces I recognized from his work online, other pieces were new, but clearly in their style.
I bought up the collection and it arrived today. Over 50 pounds, I had to open the box outside and carry the books in a few at a time due to my back.
Now for those who don't know who I am talking about, Ned/Pilot was a furry artist in the late 1990s with a cute style and who produced cute pinups of mainly cat and deer girls. In the year 2000, they just dropped off the planet, with no update or news about why. I have heard rumors, but nothing concrete.
This of course was back before FA. As time went on, most of the sites that hosted his work were either hacked or went offline. All that is left online is a fraction of the work they produced.
http://www.transfur.com/Users/pilot
That link is basically the entirety of their work that has survived the last 15+ years. Everything else has been lost and is nowhere to be found.
Nowhere online that is...
Back in the year 2000 I was a young lurker in the fandom, intrigued by the ideas and possibilities, but also creepped out by the wierdoes. (A problem that persists as I think we all can agree.) Dialup was still the standard way for connecting to the internet, so bandwidth was a precious commodity. I would use a scanner/bulk downloader to grab the galleries. I was back then, as now, bad at organizing, yet terrified of loosing something important. Thus I would never throw anything away.
Fast forward to 2016 and I come across a Journal asking if anyone knows where to get copies of Pilots work. Their name awakening memories from years ago, their work, their disappearance from the fandom,... and the archive of galleries I had made way back then. Could those pieces still be in my rats nest of data?
Yes they could.
Well, the person who was looking for Pilots work had spent nearly a decade searching and now finally had a copy of what they had remembered from so long ago.
Getting back to the present, today I thumbed through all of the sketchbooks. Of all of his work that was colored digitally, I found almost all of the inked originals. Of the inked pieces, I also found most of those as well. I didn't find all of the pencil sketches that had been posted. I did find a LOT of stuff that was never posted online. I found a lot of practice drawings, trying different things or simply getting better at what they already knew.
As I thumbed through sketchbook after sketchbook, I started becoming sad and depressed. I was seeing Ned Griffin through these sketchbooks. I saw someone who had worked hard to develop the skill and style they had. Someone who was working on expanding into new areas and new styles. Someone who had so much potential. Only for it to stop suddenly and with no explanation back around 2000.
I type this up with the sketchbooks packed safely away, wondering whatever happened to them. As I said earlier, I have heard rumors, but nothing concrete. I wonder if they are still around. If so, what have they been up to? Did they stop drawing altogether? If so that would be tragic.
I'd love to re-post their work online, perhaps under a separate artist appreciation account, but of course that is against the ToS on FA without the artists permission.
If anyone would like a copy of their work I saved back in 2000 that I have, let me know and I can email you. Way back then everything was in relatively low resolution and so is easy to email today.
If anyone knows how to get in touch with them, please let me know via note. I would love to get in touch with them.
Just such a trip down memory lane today. Lots of happy memories, but also lots of sad ones for an artist who had so much potential.
Avulpanther
~avulpanther
Truly an amazing artist with such a beautiful style. One of the first artists I got into when, as a young'un, I discovered there was TF/furry art on the interweb. I too wonder about the "what might have been." :(
skacoon
~skacoon
Holy smokes! I know Pilot for sure! Same here on one of the artists that I discovered TF/furry art with on the web. Crazy!
Forefox
~forefox
I remember Pilot back then when transfur was still hosting sites and was the go to for me when it comes to TF artwork. I'd love to go down memory line seeing what you have of Pilot's.
vritrax
~vritrax
Pilot was one of the first few artists i followed for their TF work, and I got to say started my interest in TF from the first place! Nice to see others from that era that still show interest in their stuff!
