The staff of Jurassic Pack recently spoke with Gordian Neumann aka Critikill, who has recently found an own group called Sweet 16 (S16).
The well-known german graphician Gordian Neumann aka Critikill was formerly a member of the demo groups Brainstorm, Farbrausch, Madwizards and some others. He`s been active on various computer platforms since 1997, with only a short break. His latest prank is a group of his own, consisting only of graphic artists. But let him tell us more about that himself.
by Lars „Ghandy“ of Nukleus
In 1990 not brave enough to take part in the demoscene
Ghandy: You’ve been active in one piece since 1997, if I see it correctly. How did you get into the scene?
Critikill: Not really, I started to get interested into the Amiga scene about 1990 shortly after I got my first Amiga 500. My first pixel tryout started back in 1990 with Dpaint 3 but I never was courageous enough to join a group back in the days or release something.
My first pixel work was send out on a disk to the Amiga Joker gallery. The Amiga Joker was a famous Magazine for Amiga. In 1997 I visited my first demoparty „Mekka Symposium„. And started to work for groups like Real, Teklords, Yakuza and some later for Farbrausch.
Motivated by friendship and the special spirit of the scene
Ghandy: What has motivated you to stay in it all these years?
Critikill: After Breakpoint 2004 I made a demoscene break to concentrate more on work. When Axel of Brainstorm asked me about 2007 if I would like to join Brainstorm I said yes and got more active again. I started to work and contribute to some PC productions. The cohesion and mood within the scene and the spirit of demoscene catched me again.
Ghandy: You were involved in several productions of Farbrausch. How come there is nothing more from them except from Bero? Do the members only concentrate on their jobs and families nowadays?
Critikill: Don’t know. FR was formed after Elite Group and I just supported two or three small earlier productions in the beginning. I never really was in the circle of FR. I have been more a quiet member there.
Critikill has fallen in love with Deluxe Paint
Ghandy: On which computer platform do you prefer to work and why? Do you prefer a lot of restrictions like with 8-bit computers or as much leeway as possible like with the PC?
Critikill: Since my studies as Communication Designer in 1999-2003 I prefer to work on a Mac. I never felt in love with 8 Bit which depends on the fact, that I started with my first Amiga 500 in 1989 and I loved Dpaint :-)
Critikill: „I never warmed to the C64“
Ghandy: You have obviously never published anything on the C64, how come? Is the connection to that scene missing, or what’s the reason?
Critikill: I never warmed to the C64 and I have not emotional connection, so I never had the reason to dive into this special and separated scene.
My heart has always beaten for Amiga and still does. I don’t like to hear SIDs, I am not a fan of the C64 palette and double pixels. Visual expressions means to me that I also have the possibility to choose colours that match my pixel theme and support the pixel artwork. Just to do an artwork or demo just because of restrictions isn’t the way I go.
Ghandy: How come you didn’t leave the scene, unlike many other graphic artists? Maybe because you are active on several platforms? Or was it a matter of friendship?
Critikill: I only left for short periods 5 years, 10 years and always found back because of friendship. The scene community always was great.
And after every comeback I discovered new interesting things. Pushing pixels for 16 bit home computers for example I really rediscovered and started new in 2020, when covid started. I had time in home office and got deeper into the pixel scene because of the weekly compose at pixeljoint.com. From this moment on the pixels have grabbed me again.
Interested in typography and urban art
Ghandy: Which graphic artists from inside or outside the scene have you been inspired by over the years? Who are your role models from in and outside the demoscene?
Critikill: Inside: Made, Cougar, Cyclone, Facet, Prowler and many many more. Outside the scene: too many to count. A lot of writers and graffiti artist, designers and painters from different sections. I also had much love for typography and urban art.
Ghandy: You also work professionally as a graphic designer, did your time in the scene help you with that? What exactly do you do for a living, please tell us.
Critikill: I don’t design as often as in the past. nowadays, I’m mostly working as creative director in an AD Agency doing concept, brand design and advertising.
I orchestrate a team doing concept, storytelling, text and art. If time allows I work on several freelance projects like the Basel Film Music Festival together with Axel/BRS who is the initiator of the event.
Sweet 16 is a pure art group
Ghandy: What is your new group „Sweet 16“ all about? How did it come to be founded, what was your motivation? Who are all the members? Will there be demos etc. from you at some point?
Critikill: I founded it with Jade during corona to have an exchange about…
Jade and I came up with the idea that it would be nice to form a pixel art group, we thought that 16 bit platforms and 16 colours would be a nice theme for the name. Also we were all about 16 years old at the time when we got into the demoscene. So the name SWEET16 (S16) was born.
The exchange, the collaboration and the community is a great possibility to push each other. At the moment we count „Nytrik“, „Vasyl“, „Kenet“, „Jade“, and me (Critikill) as members. Of course we hope that more will follow. There will be no demos from us but we are working on a slideshow and some collaborations for sure!
Ghandy: You have often worked together with Jade, how did the cooperation come about? Does the Atari scene appeal to you? Is it so much different from the Amiga scene?
Critikill: My heart beats for Amiga – I have grown up with this lovely Homecomputer since I was 12. But through jade I dived a little bit more into the Ataris Scene and because of the SWEET16 connection we exchanged a lot. Since I find 16 colours very appealing, I decided to participate at some Atari demoscene events.
Critikill: „My heart beats for the Amiga“
On the other hand Jade has also discovered the Amiga for himself and has played some Amiga artworks. The scene itself isn’t really different.
Ghandy: You were actively involved in the PC demo „Aquaverse“ by Calodox & Rebels, which recently won the first place at the demo party Evoke. How did the new generation of Rebels come about? Who of the original old members is still active? (Btw.: I was part of the previous generation as you might know).
Critikill: I joined Rebels very late. I don’t know who of the old members is still really active. Mhh.. I think at the moment about 10 members are active and create new things here and there. I hope we will expand the Amiga section further to be able to conjure up some more fine OCS releases in the future. But it’s going on!
Ghandy: You’re married, where will you be in 10 years? Will you then still paint for the demo scene or enjoy your time instead together with your wife and children?
Critikill: I think within the next 10 years I will certainly make demoscene breaks again. My big love and me like to discover the world and travel.
But probably in 10 years there will still be something to see from me, because creativity and demoscene is firmly coupled with me.
Ghandy: Thank you very much for your detailed answers and of course for the brilliant artwork you have given JP in the past months. Take care!
