Interview with Graphic Arts

I show you the above image for a reason: a couple of weeks ago, the group moderator, mimobase, of Graphics Arts on Redbubble sent me a request for an interview, that's quite an honor, and definitely a first for me! I talked about my work Energetic Baby No.88 (as you see on the top!) in my interview, which goes as follows:

GA | Interview

This weeks GA interview is with a digital artist from Taiwan – Mitrm

Tell us a little bit about yourself and your artistic background?
I’m just another ordinary guy who claims that being a self-trained artist is something admirable and enviable.
Seriously, that’s not true, I’m just another lad who enjoys making digital graphics ‘cause he never had (or rather, gave himself) a chance to do something beyond his imagination and capability. I always love making stuff since I was a little kid. I enjoy the whole process of creativeness, from the first sparkle of an crazy idea to the very end – good or bad – and most of time, it’s the process, challenge and the experience that help me progress and give me the sense of fulfillment. About an year ago I started learning graphic design programs by sheer chance, after a few embarrassing attempts in the beginning (we all have been there!), I know better where my comfort zone is so I can fool some into believing I’m really good.

What is the inspiration behind your works?
You, but it’s not YOU. Without hardly any artist background, I need to see a lot of artwork to get inspired, to know that’s the trend, what others have done and what else could I achieve. So I carefully avoid the most powerful works I have seen, but borrow (if not steal) the strong impression they give me or the key element and blend it into my own work. At times the softwares inspire me as well. You know a slight change of a variable can make a whole lot of difference when it comes to making digital arts. It can be an obstacle but that’s what sharpens my vision as well: only through constant work I can keep focusing on ME, who is actually being creative and “creating” but making graphics that already exist in the setting of the programs.

What is your personal favourite of all your works on redbubble today and why, and if you will explain a little on how it was created?
I would say it’s Energetic Baby No.88 , which obviously wasn’t one of those that I spent the most time and labour on but I love it nevertheless. It’s one of my most catchy and cheerful works though (at least the work fits the title), and you can see plenty of my other babes are the implicit imitators of it. Basically it’s all about circles, which create the funky and pleasing pattern, and the cute, ragged polka dots that bring extra movement along with fresh palette and the shades. The strategy is quite simple, but it proves that through some basic elements one can create a good graphic/visual work, even for an amateur like me.
By the way, the most funny comment I got on this work is “it’s warm and homey, maybe because it reminds me of place settings at a table.”

Which other redbubble artist do you admire?
Mel Brackstone , LostBoy1 , Paul Ruiz and artstruggle .

Tell us what are you doing in your free time?
Reading, writing, baby-sitting, walking my dog, playing tennis and breathing.