Artist Name: Ricky Fang
What do you consider yourself? Artist, illustrator, painter, designer, other?
Just an artist.
What kinds of work do you currently do or what kinds of projects have you done in the past?
I mainly dabble in drawing cartoon characters, pinups, and comics. But I’ve also created logos, animations, and videos in the past as well. As of now I just draw whatever that comes out of my head along with title cards that I do for Youtuber Brandon Tenold.
Could you talk about how you got into art or doing what you do today? What’s your story? What made you want to pursue this path? Were there any challenges you had along the way?
I got into art at an early age all thanks to my uncles. When they weren’t playing video games, they would do drawing sessions and I would join in. We drew lots of things like super heroes, robots, monsters, animals, and cartoon characters. As my uncles got older they started drawing less and less until they stopped. However since I had so much time on my hands I kept drawing and my family encouraged me to keep at my talent.
Did you attended art school or majored/minored in Art or Design in college? If so, what were your experiences with it and did you think it helped you become a better artist? If you did not attended college or attended but did not majored in anything art-related, what helped pushed you to pursue art or improve your craft?
I majored in Visual Performing Arts. Majority of the classes I took didn’t really focus on drawing, but I learned a lot about graphic design and video production. Since I do a lot of digital art, I was able to apply my knowlege about graphic art into my works. However the one drawing class that I will never forget was life drawing. That class alone was the most fun I had and it helped improved my anatomy and drawing process.
How do you balance art with work and life? How do you make time for art?
Balancing art with work and life is tough. I’m always up after midnight doing artwork due to the little time I have on week days. Weekends are better days for art, however I still use those days to go out with friends/family as well. The best thing to do is to just manage your time wisely when doing activities. Also you should avoid laying down in bed while scrolling through social media.
Do you make money from your art? If so, how?
I make money from my art typically by offering commission work and exhibiting at comic conventions.
Where do you get your ideas from?
I get my ideas from my main sources of inspiritaions: comics, cartoons, and video games. Other times I can be inspired by other artist like friends or ones I look up to. Also a lot of my inspiration that I get for my comics come from real life events.
What kinds of tools do you use to make your work or what is your typical artistic process like?
My main tools I use are a pencil and paper along with a computer, tablet, and Adobe Suite (mainly Photoshop and Illustrator). Sometimes I use pens and markers. My typical process is sketching with pencil and paper, scan it into the computer, and then use Photoshop or Illustrator to make it digital.
Are there any artists you look up to or find inspiring?
There are many artists along with friends that I look up to and there’s probably too many to count. But here’s a few: Martin Abel, Reiq, Akira Toriyama, Bruce Timm, Joe Mad, Sean Galloway.
Do you have any favorite books, apps, movies, resources, or art tools that you recommend?
I recommend checking out Proko on Youtube since they provide great videos on breaking down anatomy and figure drawing.
Is there any advice you would like to give to young artists or people just starting out?
I’d say the best advice is “Don’t think”. It sounds odd but basically let your mind be free from “perfection” and just let your mind create things. When you think too much you start stressing about things not “looking right”. That ends up leading to frustration and hate towards your art. I still struggle to do this myself, but it was one of the best advice told to me by another artist.
Is there anybody you would like to collaborate with or work for? Could be a person, another artist, or company.
It’s a dream to work for any big name company in the media. Disney, Pixar, Marvel, DC, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Blizzard, and the list can go on and on.
What is your ultimate dream project or something you’ll like to accomplish in your lifetime (could be art or non-art related)?
The ultimate dream project (and probably would never happen) would be to create an animated cartoon series that follows a story of mine that has been in development hell since I was in highschool!
Are there any current projects that you’re working on or in the near future that you want to tell us about?
I don’t really have any project as of now since I just draw whatever that comes into my head. However some day I do want to make a book that is a collection of my doodles and comics.
What is the best way to get a hold of you or view or purchase your work?
https://www.instagram.com/hooksnfangs/?hl=en
https://twitter.com/hooksnfangs
https://www.deviantart.com/hooksnfangs
DUACHAKA HER 