camberdraws - Tumblr blog

[camberdraws]

okay wait hold up my brain like broke when I saw your art???!??!!!??!!!! Your work is SO FREAKING COOL ?!??!! The skill! The passion!!! LOVE the subject matter Ahhhhh I love how your brain works alskjfgh your art - like - UGH so good

Omg 😭this is one of the nicest messages I've ever recieved about my work... thank you so much!!!!!!!

[camberdraws]

I'm currently painting a very cute, slithery lad 👀

[camberdraws]

Creator Spotlight: @camberdraws

Hello! My name is Camber (any pronouns), and I’m a mixed media illustrator located in the southwestern United States. I love drawing everything, but I have a special interest in depicting strange creatures and environments, often accompanied by abstract imagery and mark-making. Professionally, I’ve worked creating concept art and 2D assets for museum exhibits, but currently, I am engaged full-time as a software developer and make standalone illustrations in my free time. I’ve been posting art on Tumblr since I was a teenager, and the site has been very welcoming towards my work to this very day!

Check out Camber’s interview below!

Did you originally have a background in art? If not, how did you start?

I’ve had an interest in drawing since I was barely sentient, but at thirteen years old I decided to become “serious” about art. I was all about reading tutorials and doing a ton of studies. I would tote my heavy instructional art books to school every single day (my poor back!) Despite all this, I decided to forgo art school in favor of a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science at my local college. Alongside my major, I received a minor in Art Studio with a specialization in fine art, which totally changed my views on creating artwork and drastically changed my style.

How has your style developed over the years?

As mentioned previously, my style did a 180 after I studied under some very skilled fine art professors! As a kid, my drawings were very realism-heavy and inspired by video game concept art. I mostly worked digitally, too. During college, I was thrown for a loop when we were instructed to do strange things like, for example, make a bunch of marks on paper using pastel, WITHOUT looking, and then turn said marks into a finished piece of art! I quickly and deeply fell in love with abstract work, and especially appreciated images that are not easily parsed by the viewer. Since then, I’ve made it my goal to combine abstract mark-making with more representational subject matter.

What is one habit you find yourself doing a lot as an artist?

Hmmm, one habit I really enjoy as an artist is strictly tracking the amount of time I spend drawing! I currently work a full-time job wholly unrelated to art, so I have to be careful with my time if I want to spend enough hours drawing each week. I created a spreadsheet that allows you to enter the amount of minutes you’ve drawn each day and calculate how much drawing time you still need to reach your weekly goal (I aim for 20 hours a week.) Having such a clear, numbers-based objective keeps me motivated to work like nothing else!

Over the years as an artist, what were your biggest inspirations behind your creativity?

I know this is a common inspiration, but Hayao Miyazaki’s work has been rewiring my neurons since I was a child. Seemingly all of my artistic interests can be summed up by the movie Princess Mononoke: it has strange/abstract creature designs, a strong focus on nature and environmental storytelling, and a mix of dark and hopeful themes. Additionally, I’ve been deeply inspired by video game series such as Zelda, Okami, Pikmin, and Dark Souls. But arguably, none of these have influenced me more than Pokemon! I’ve been drawing Pokemon since I could barely hold a pencil, and I haven’t stopped since! I believe my love of designing creatures originated with my endless deluge of Pokemon fanart during my childhood.

What is a medium that you have always been intrigued by but would never use yourself?

I’ve always been fascinated by 3D mediums and am so tempted to try them out! Whether that’s 3D models created digitally or sculptures made from clay, I profoundly admire artists who have this skill. Oftentimes, it feels like I don’t have time to delve into a totally different artistic paradigm. However, I feel very strongly that learning new skills can enrich your current work. I should take that advice and someday give 3D mediums a shot!

What is a recent creative project that you are proud of?

I am in the process of creating an art book (a dream of mine!) and have been executing smaller drawings of concepts I find interesting from both a visual and storytelling standpoint. A recent drawing for said book is that of a snail made of ink with an ink bottle as a shell, and it went absolutely viral! I’ve never had an experience like this as an artist before and it has been spectacular! I was able to open a shop using my newly acquired art printer and sell many prints of my snail. Creating something original, directly stemming from my interests, and having that resonate with so many people has been unreal. I couldn’t ask for more as an artist!

What advice would you give to younger you about making art that’s personal or truthful to your own experiences?

I would tell my younger self to chill out and experiment more! I was so caught up in the idea that I needed to have a realistic style to be considered “good.” I also believed that technical skill was the only measure of how worthy my art was. That’s not to say technical skill doesn’t matter, but I now firmly believe the creativity and voice of your ideas far outweigh the skill of execution in terms of importance. Technical skills should elevate ideas, not the other way around. Once I began to revel in strange ideas and stories for my work, depicted oftentimes in odd styles or mediums, I truly found my voice as an artist.

Who on Tumblr inspires you and why?

My peers here on Tumblr inspire me more than anything! Sharing my work with contemporaries and giving each other support brings me joy like no other, and keeps me motivated to continue creating. I wouldn’t be where I am today without them! @beetlestench, @theogm-art, @trustyalt, @ratwednesday, @phantom-nisnow, @svltart, @mintdrawz, @mothhh-hh, @jupiterweathers, @thesewispsofsmoke, @picoffee, @fetchiko, @kaisei-ink, and @pine-niidles just to name only a few!

Thanks for stopping by, Camber! If you haven’t seen their Meet the Artist piece, check it out here. For more of Camber’s work, follow their Tumblr, @camberdraws!

[camberdraws]

This turtle has a bit more than algae growing on its shell

[camberdraws]

Meet the Artist: @camberdraws

Hello! My name is Camber (any pronouns), and I’m a mixed media illustrator located in the southwestern United States. I love drawing everything, but I have a special interest in depicting strange creatures and environments, often accompanied by abstract imagery and mark-making. Professionally, I’ve worked creating concept art and 2D assets for museum exhibits, but currently, I am engaged full-time as a software developer and make standalone illustrations in my free time. I’ve been posting art on Tumblr since I was a teenager, and the site has been very welcoming towards my work to this very day!

Pleased to meet you, Camber! Below are some art pieces they have picked out for you all.

For more of Camber’s work, check out their Tumblr, @camberdraws!

[camberdraws]

fish!

[camberdraws]

Hello there! My partner doesn't have Tumblr, so they wanted me to tell you that you're one of their favorite artists and they'd love to see your process :)

Oh my gosh thank you, I am honored!! I'll have to keep notes on my process and make a writeup. The way I work is a mess so I bet it'll be fun to behold

[camberdraws]

Cue me saying "I like turtles" approximately 1000 times while drawing this

[camberdraws]

This is not a question but your "he is ourple" comment on the ourple pikmin post has been stuck in my head for days and I love it! He IS so ourple!!

HAHAHA my husband got so annoyed at me saying "he is ourple" all day while drawing it!! The brainworms are real

[camberdraws]

Do you do commisions?

Hi!! I don't have comms open right now but I'd love to potentially open some in the future!

[camberdraws]

he is ourple

[camberdraws]

hi! I love your art and I was wondering if it’s ever okay to use it as pfp as long as I state where it’s from? hope you have a good day :)))

Of course!! Thank you for asking! ☺

[camberdraws]

You notice something strange happening in the art store across the street...

[camberdraws]

HI I JUST WANTED TO SAY THAT YOUR ART IS SO BEAUTIFUL!!

OMG thank you very much.... you are too kind!! ❤️

[camberdraws]

I love your sink (ink snail)! It's so colorful!

Thank you so much!! The snink loves you back 🖤

[camberdraws]

This snail is getting YEETED

[camberdraws]

Hey ya'll!! A few people asked for prints of this so I decided to put my fancy new printer to work and open a shop! International shipping supported! You can get the print here: https://camberdraws.bigcartel.com/product/snail-ink-snink-print

The ink bottle lying on your desk... begins to crawl away..???