About Artist
Hello, My name is G.R. O'Neil. I'm a husband, father, and an artist. Since the early age of 4 years old I have been drawing. I would draw pictures and cartoons everywhere before I could even write my own name. That included my grandmother's TV guides and my mother's college textbooks. Let's just say that made quite an impression.
Although my love of art began when I was young, it was in my teen years that my passion for graphic novels and comics books really took off. My cousin Anthony graciously shared his vast comic book collection with me . A strong appreciation for the hero comics genre grew from there, reading titles for hours at a time.
As I tore through all the amazing classic universes, each book was like watching a movie. The stories touched on so many important themes and they opened my mind to issues and ideas about the world and about myself. It was then that I realized my passion and my path. I so wanted to be part of that kind of universe and affect change. It occurred to me that every comic book fan must feel the same way. I decided to create my own universe from my imagination and then share that world with others. From teenage years to adult life I’ve enjoyed drawing comics heroes thwarting the actions of sinister villains and developing my universe and it's diverse inhabitants.
While studying towards a B.A. in Fine Art from The University of California, I continued developing my vision and perspective as an artist. I work with many mediums including bronze casting, oil painting, water colors, drawing and photography. What emerged for me as an artist during that time was my personal interest in mixing photographed and line drawn graphic images. I explored those combining of the two mediums extensively and further developed my own style.
While attending college with my wife, raising her two younger brothers, and holding down a job at the same time; Time and it's limitations became a continuous theme in my work. Those limitations and the vast possibilities of "New Media" began my exploration of sharing my work on the web. My first true endeavor into the realm of "New Media" was with my final thesis project before graduation, creating an online art show. It was the beginning of looking at a new way of sharing content with a larger wider audience and was one more step for me towards the fruition of Internal Hero.
During the next few years I worked and then attended a masters program in leadership where I explored the voice of art in leadership and more specifically through the voice of Hip Hop in popular culture. After completing my M.A. in Leadership I tended to my family obligations and worked on refining my character universe. Once my son was born in 2010 I decided it was time to once again to focus on my artistic vision to share all it entailed with him. I began to build and create Internal Hero. The Web Comic "Internal Hero Presents" and the Create a Character process at internalhero.com are my ways of expressing my creative vision and included others in this comic universe.
Creativity is not only part of me, but my desire and need to create is who I am. My family and that creative force are what define me, as a man , a husband and father and as an artist. Internal Hero is a culmination of all these aspects of myself and of my desire to affect the world and touch the lives of other people.
Internal Hero was created for many reasons. One, being a way I could create a graphic arts business allowing flexibility and the balance needed to care for my family. Two, to breath life into a universe I had been creating internally for many years. Three, to give others an opportunity to step into the pages of comics themselves.
I thank God everyday for the blessings of my family and the opportunity and ability to share my vision.
Thank you for taking the time to read this and for your interests in my work.
G.R. O'Neil/Retrospect360
About Internal Hero
The adventures of Internal Hero characters can be read at the webcomic “Internal Hero Presents”. InternalHero.com is a comics hero art service where, in 5 easy steps, anyone can be drawn as a comics hero/heroine in action packed art! Anyone can discover their Internal Hero ™ starring in their own comic book action pages and hero themed art! Drawn with their choices of powers, hero and villain appearances, etc.
Originally conceived as a physical mail to order operation broader possibilities within e-commerce proved to be much more exciting. With the accessibility of the internet I realized that my enjoyment for drawing people as comics heroes/heroines could be shared in a unique and exciting way. With a cast of characters cultivated with attention and care it became clear to me the unconventional purpose for their creation. The concept for Internal Hero was born.
Over three years in the making, InternalHero.com is literally your comics universe in that anyone can become a part of it, and discover their Internal Hero.
G.R. O'Neil - artist
General Inquiries
questions@internalhero.com
Submit photos for art orders only:
photos@internalhero.com
