I met Otis while competing against him in the 2009 Cut&Paste Chicago event. He was my pick for winning it after I was eliminated in the first round. His work is so unique and refreshing. Bold, strong lines and character & hand-typography designs that are unexpected and whimsical. Check out more of his work ///here///
Tell us a little about yourself and what steps you took to get here.
Well, although I now reside in Chicago, I was born and raised in Tampa, FL. I think moving up here right out of high school is one of the more visible steps I’ve taken toward becoming a better artist. Something about a harsh and sudden change that stimulates my creativity, I guess I can say that the gradual change of just living life has brought me to where I am today.
Walk us through your process from idea to implementation.
I usually begin any project with a loose sketchfest, meaning I just doodle around until some shape or line or smudge on the page gives me an idea and then I try to build on that idea by drawing more refined sketches until that idea has a very strong concept. Once the concept is there I try to make it dance. Give it a silly title or mustache, something that takes your mind off the idea and focusses it on the energy of the idea…the playtime. I rarely ever use pencil or erase…I like the unplanned lines that get in the way, they remind me of old ideas…and they give my drawings foundation. And when I’m in the digital world I flip flop, my execution becomes about a search for precision and perfection. Something about all the ones and zeros floating around.
What’s your go-to source of inspiration outside of art or music?
Movie trailers. Hands down. I wish I could just watch them all day, one after the other. When I get in slumps or bored with a train of thought I just flip on a few trailers and I’m always given a different perspective on things.
What are some of your influences as to your style?
Hand drawn typography, screen printed posters, anime, Swiss / German design.
Words to live by?
“I’m guided by a force my greater than luck.” – Lucas, EMPIRE RECORDS
What blogs or magazines do you turn to for creative inspiration?
OKAYGREAT.COM , BEHANCE.NET , COMPUTERARTS.CO.UK , BLOG.YIMMYAYO.COM , MAESTROKNOWS.COM , JOHNNYCUPCAKES.COM , JAMESJEAN.COM
What’s your personal favorite piece of yours? What’s its story?
My favorite piece of mine is actually a piece that I haven’t had in my possession in a long time. Back in 2004, I was working a lot more in abstract paintings than illustration. Though I still drew on the side, I was more fixated on finding wood and painting on it when I could. During this time I came across a bunch of abandoned tabletops in alleys, one in particular was the perfect semi rounded rectangle with just the right amount of character. I dragged it home and stared at it for weeks, conjuring up the magic to paint on such a perfect specimen. I eventually thought of a starting point and the painting began. It turned out to be such a beautiful painting that a friend of mine wanted to hang it in her house…a tabletop! So she did. She’s even moved and rehung it. Anyhow, it’s my favorite.
What’s your all-time favorite piece of art or design? (*not created by you)
That’s a very difficult question. Immediately a few came to mind, but I guess there is one that overrides the rest. In 2007, James Jean was commissioned by Prada to do some work, amongst those pieces he created a wallpaper with dimensions of 17 x 200 ft. That wallpaper is the most beautiful, stylistic display of illustration I have ever scene. Here is a link: http://lunaspace.files.wordpress.com/2008/07/pradawallpaper.jpg
What’s your current creative obsession?
Installation and sculpture work. Somehow my style is bending into real life and I’m obsessed with manipulating it into very large sculptures. Stay tuned.
We can’t wait to see your sculpture work man! Sure to be sick!
-the AG-
