Meet Nika! Known as ‘Spider999now,’ she is a 19-year-old artist and fandom member from Slovenia.
Describe yourself in three words.
Socially awkward. Overthinking. Nature lover.
How long have you been drawing?
I’ve been drawing since I was a little girl. I’m actually pretty sure I spent most of my time in daycare doing just that – I have a box full of drawings to prove it! Besides that, I have an older sister who was also really into drawing, so I pushed myself to keep up with her. It was 2011 when I got into watching anime, that I started doing it more seriously. I would redraw screencaps, and I have a ton of sketchbooks full of anime characters, mostly Naruto. Besides that, seeing thousands of other artists on the internet gave me the will to try harder and get better. Getting into fandoms like Supernatural and Teen Wolf only strengthened my passion for drawing since, being a fan myself, I knew how art can brighten someone’s day. After I graduate from Secondary School of Design, I intend to enroll at the Academy of Fine Arts for Illustration, so I’m not thinking of quitting drawing anytime soon.
What kind of medium or equipment do you like to use when you draw?
My favorite is digital art – shocking, I know [laughs]. After I got my Wacom tablet around four years ago, I stopped sketching in my sketchbooks as often, which I now regret because I’m not as good as with a pen or any other traditional form of art style as I used to be, or would be if I hadn’t abandoned it. Though I have managed to grow as a digital artist in these four years of using my Wacom tablet, so at least something good came out of it! The program I use is Paint Tool SAI. I should learn how to use Photoshop, but I’m a bit too lazy to do that.
How did you get involved in the Shadowhunters fandom?
Well, to be honest, I have only been in this fandom for two to three months now. And the crazy thing is that I can’t really recall how it happened. It was probably because of Tumblr or Twitter. All I remember is that I have been in the Malec fandom before I was in the Shadowhunters fandom! It took me two weeks of shipping Malec to finally get interested in watching the show and I’m happy I did because I fell in love with not just Malec, but the other characters and the story as well! I do remember seeing The Mortal Instruments books in stores years back, but I never read them.
I do remember the day when the “Malec” episode aired; my Twitter blew up with posts of them! They were everywhere, but I was too busy shipping Sterek at the time to take a moment and check them out. It took my brain a whole year to realize how perfect they are. That’s how slow my brain works!
Who is your favorite character to draw and why?
Magnus. He is it for me, and has been from the very beginning. I just love everything about him: his personality, the way he moves, the way he talks, his clothes and hairstyle. I was never really into make-up before, but he pulls it off perfectly. Just, YES! I really want to get better at drawing him. I also love to draw Alec: extremely tall, dark, and handsome dork. Yes, please! The rune on his neck being my favorite part to draw. I hope I get the chance, a.k.a time, to draw more of the other characters in the future as well!
What ships do you ship, and why you love them so much?
One word: Malec. They are the reason why I started watching the show and am answering these questions right now. The dynamic they have is rare to find. Magnus, a warlock who has been hurt hundreds of times because he loves too much, but never receives the love he deserves and had locked his heart away for centuries, falls in love with Alec, a Shadowhunter, and helps him come out of his shell and live life full of the love he deserves. They basically saved each other. What’s not to love? Plus, for a change, the showrunners aren’t just queer-baiting but are actually acknowledging and writing a story for them. They actually talk about their problems and support each other and have a healthy relationship. I’m here for that! Also, I’m a sucker for their height difference. I do also love the idea of Sizzy. They were so cute in the alternate universe!
What has been the best part of your fandom experience so far?
Since I have only been in this fandom for less than three months, I don’t really have a whole lot of stories to share. But I do have to say how blown away I am by the kindness and acceptance of this fandom! Everybody supports each other and are happy to welcome new members to the family. There’s also a bunch of amazing fanartists, fanfic writers, video editors, manip and gif-makers, etc. in this fandom, which is a big plus!
Also, a big shout-out to the cast. We couldn’t ask for a better group of people. I love how they try their best to stay in contact with the fans. Plus, Isaiah’s Twitter is gold! His “Monday Meme” posts brighten my week and make waiting for the next season much more bearable. Again, thank you all for being awesome and accepting me into this big family! I’ll try my best to shower you with my art!
Like what you see? You can follow Nika on Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram!
