CS.MONEY Blog returns with a fresh series of interviews with skin creators! This time, The Gallery Case skin creators are in the spotlight.
Today we welcome m03h, the creator of the unusual and fun AK-47 The Outsiders. This skin depicts a gang of Ts on a bus surrounded by CTs. In this interview, m03h shares about his life before diving deep into skins (spoiler: he worked as a secret buyer in a sex shop), what happened after his first skin made it into a CS:GO case, how the Capillary Series changed everything, how long it can take to get a skin into the game, what the future holds for skins, and why the new charms are pretty cool. He’ll also provide a detailed guide for aspiring skin creators in the end!
About AK-47 The Outsiders and the Wand Some Skins Series?
AK-47 The Outsiders has become one of the most popular skins from The Gallery Case and The Armory Update overall. Its unusual composition and storyline draw players in, allowing them to spend quite some time examining it. m03h talked about the skin and its unique easy-going style.
“This is the first drawn skin from my ‘Wand Some Skins?’ Collection. The lines are sloppy and the text contains grammatical mistakes, as if drawn by a school kid. It all started with the bus. Then I thought to fill it with T-side Agents and draw CTs around it. I used to draw such pictures back in school. At that time, you didn’t think about composition, perspective, anatomy, etc., you just drew what you liked. For me, this style is like a meditation; my hand draws on its own while my mind rests.“
In addition to The Outsiders, m03h has a whole bunch of skins in the Workshop that thematically and atmospherically continue the idea. They look great, and given Valve’s tendency to pick several skins from the same collections, there’s a good chance some of them will make it into the game.
M03h believes there’s a realy chance for more Wand Some Skins? items to get into the game:
“It often happens that Valve accepts several skins from the same collections. If that happens, I’ll be very happy. Playing with skins that you’ve created is one of the best perks of my profession.”
Also, he told about hidden references on AK-47 The Outsiders: “There is a poop on the fore-end of the skin, in the sandbox. It was planted by those same outsiders from the bus. And also, I hid my nickname on the skin, but it’s unlikely to be seen in the game.”
M03h talks about his career as an artist, his inspirations and past
M03h says he’s not a professional artist, more like a self-taught one. Before getting into skins, he worked in various places, “from agronomist to secret buyer in a sex shop.” However, his love for CS helped him find the way:
“I’ve been playing CS since about 2002. I’ve always been aware of what was going with the game. Moreover, I’ve spent many years creating maps, including many popular ones for zombie mods. Since around 2016, I’ve fully dedicated myself to drawing skins. I learned all the programs and tools from scratch by myself. After my first skin got accepted into the Glove Case, it turned into my dream job!
“But, as in all fields, if you don’t genuinely love what you do, you’re unlikely to succeed. I know people who spent more than five years before their work was finally accepted into the game. However, there are also exceptions like guys who make it into a case within just a couple of months.”
The Glove Case was released in November 2016, and since then, m03h has come a long way. First, the unusual Nova Gila, then three skins from the Capillary series, and then…
“My last skin added to the game was AWP Capillary, almost five years ago. I consider these years a quest for self-discovery; it was a time of procrastination, burnouts, wandering in a maze of dead ends. But now I clearly see my goals. I do what I truly love.
“There’s a simple truth that took me a long time to realize: Draw what you yourself like, what brings you real joy. Don’t try to please developers, players, or fellow Workshop creators. Only after that will you avoid searching for some mythical spark, and your work will progress at a furious pace.”
“Which skin are you most proud of?” I asked m03h.
“Definitely from my new collection, but which one? Usually, after I draw a new skin, I start to like it more than the previous ones. [laughs] But if I have to name specific favorites, it would be Dual Berettas Agent Medium Rare and M4A1-S ROUTE GG.”
The Future of Skins, the Skinmaking Community, and More
With the The Armory Update, Valve also introduced charms, which were met with mixed reactions from players: some loved them, while others were annoyed by the perceived loss of FPS. However, m03h is not worried about the future of skins, recalling the initial skepticism regarding gloves in CS.
“I remember when gloves were first released, the entire CS Community met this innovation with skepticism. However, now gloves are as classic an item as knives. I think charms will follow the same path.
“My entire collection, including AK-47, is perfect for stickers and keychains because these skins feature many storylines and characters, plus there are many cartoonish stickers in the game that fit perfectly into the overall picture. By the way, I’ve already crafted my AK and attached a ‘That’s Bananas’ charm.”
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Speaking of other artists and skin creators, I asked m03h about getting along with them and overall about this unique community. His reply was full of positivity:
“I have many friends among skin creators; some of them have become family. We chat every day, have calls, and sometimes even meet up in real life.
“We also gather almost every evening with friends from the Workshop. Estavos (creator of MP7 Mischief), UAD6 (SCAR-20 Fragments), Hatson_tm (UMP-45 Oscillator), Andrey (a RUST skin creator). And we play CS2. Right now, we’re around 17,000 in MMR.”
When asked about his favourite CS2 skins overall and best skin creators in the game, m03h named two.
“It’s hard to name just a single one. For me, all of Teo’s (creator of AWP The Prince) skins are the best in the game. I also really enjoy EGO DEATH’s (creator of Galil AR Chatterbox) skins.”
Also, I asked m03h about thematic cases. He said he’s into esports a lot and would love to see a related skin case once.
“I love following the pro scene, so it would be cool to see a case with skins honoring famous players. Like an AWP Monesy with a dollar bill in the scope. Money see, you get it? [laughs] Or an AWP Zywoo, with various animals in cages depicted on the body. Like Zoo, a zoo.”
Tips for Beginners and How Valve Selects Skins
What should a beginner skin creator do? How to get into the Workshop? What should you focus on? What is the entry threshold? m03h offered several tips for those who want to start their journey in skin creation, starting with the most important:
“If you came here just to make a quick buck, you might as well buy a lottery ticket. But if you truly love skins and drawing, welcome. Depending on your talent, it can take anywhere from a few months to several years to make it into a case.”
- Study all the skins accepted into the game to avoid wasting time on already implemented ideas.
- Don’t follow trends; create what you love. Some people draw graffiti, others are into sci-fi, some enjoy drawing anime waifus. There’s room for everyone.
- If you set a goal, pursue it. But if you spend most of the time on other activities (online games, Reels, etc.), go Google what a dopamine pit is.
- Find like-minded individuals; it’s easier to conquer this peak together.
- Consistency is key; draw every day for at least 10 minutes. Even if you don’t feel like it, tell yourself: “Okay, I’ll draw for 10 minutes and that’s all.” Usually, those 10 minutes turn into hours.
- Very important! Do physical activities as constant sitting work can harm your body in a couple of years!
- Don’t pay attention to the Workshop Ratings. Unfortunately, the Workshop isn’t what it used to be. Ordinary players no longer come and vote; only artists remain. And they see you as competition. You’ll get dislikes, and they may even drown your skin using bots. Fortunately, Valve reviews the entire Workshop, not just the top-rated items. For instance, my accepted AK-47 had only 59% positive ratings, even though seven years ago it could have easily scored 95%.
- Don’t stop making skins. Each case is selected from fresh skins. If you disappear for a year, usually no one will remember you.
Lastly, I asked m03h if he had any theories on how Valve picks skins.
“I think there’s a certain case line that developers adhere to. If you look at the latest content, there’s a trend towards something childlike, humorous, and creative. Then they scroll through the Workshop pages from the last six months and select what they liked that fits the chosen direction. And then it’s all about luck.”
AK-47 The Outsiders, along with all other skins from The Gallery Case, is already available for purchase on CS.MONEY! Come in, and buy any skin you want at low prices!
