DWITT (US)

DWITT (US)

Even if I was already really fan of his art, I discovered, thanx to this interview, why Dwitt was so successful with his posters. It is just because he perfectly understand what the client need. If you are familiar with the blog, you might have noticed this "horses oil painting" question I always ask, and, even if I already had good answers to this one, David is the first one who suggest he should better go for a unicorn instead of the horse, meaning he perfectly understood my idea :) …

Hello, of course as every Crewk interview, first question: what are we listening to when we come to visit you?

A: Bob Dylan 'The Times They Are A Changin'"


Can you tell us more about yourself, who are you, where are you from, what do you do?

A: I am a full time freelance artist living in Saint Paul Minnesota. I draw comics, posters, and all sorts of illustrations for a wide range of clients, including the occasional fine art piece for the heck of it.

When did you start drawing?

A: My first cartoon was drawn when I was around 4. It was a skunk wearing a gas mask hanging out by an onion.

Did you follow any course or did you improve by drawing in the margins of your schoolbooks?

A: I did a lot of drawing in the margins in addition to going to Bemidji State University to get a Bachelor of Fine Arts in painting and drawing with a minor in Art History.

Today are you living from your art, or do you do something else for a living ?

A: I've been entirely self-employed by my art for over 7 years.

Are you collaborating with magazines/fanzines, regularly?

A: I am doing a bi-weekly food review comic strip for the online food magazine Heavy Table (http://www.heavytable.com/). That's the only regular gig, but I am happy to work for any publication if they ask me to do some work for them.

Where does your influence come from? Is there any artists/graphists you particularly like, what are your influences?

A: comic books have been a huge influence on me, particularly the work of Will Eisner and Jack Davis. I try to draw like them every day.

What are the principal steps in your work ?

A: I start with a bunch of very rough sketches that would only make sense to me, then I build up a pencil drawing using the rough sketches as a guide, and then I starting inking it with a brush.

Do you do everything by hand or on computer?

A: I have been doing everything by hand. I plan on learning some more about using the computer with my work this year, but I'll still create all of the artwork by hand, and then using the computer will apply it to a wider variety of applications.

How long does it take you to do a poster?

A: If I were able to work non-stop on a poster, from the beginning sketches to the final printed product without interruption or distraction, I could probably do it in one full day. But it usually takes two or more.

You have a very distinctive style, are you doing only what you feel like or if tomorrow somebody asks you an oil painting with horses running out of water with a sunset backdrop, is it a problem or are you up for it ?

A: I'll take on a difficult or strange project if I think I can learn something from it. If I don't think it would be fun at all, I'll pass on it. I pride myself on being able to mimic other styles, so I'd probably create that oil painting you described if instead of a horse it was a unicorn.

For which band have you already worked for?

A: that is a really long list.

For which band would you love to work?

A: I'd love to do some work for Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, or Bob Dylan.

Do you choose the artists yourself?

A: That's pretty rare. I am usually the one that is chosen by them.

What is the most difficult part in designing a poster ?

A: Trying to make something that looks like the band sounds.

Do you think you are part of a "Graphic Scene", if so who else ?

A: there are a lot of printers and artists in the Twin Cities area. The folks I talk to most are Aesthetic Apparatus, Amy Jo, and Landland, but usually we're all too busy with our own work to do much hanging out, we all just happen to be creating work in the same geographic area.

A bit of self-promotion, take advantage of it, it's free, where can we see your work , on the web or in real life?

A: http://www.dwitt.com/ is my main website. I also have a comic strip blog at http://www.dwittdailys.blogspot.com/ . In real life... occasional t-shirts, coffee shop bulletin boards, liquor store windows, framed pictures in bars and restaurants, newspapers...

The best praise you received lately?

A: someone sent me a picture of a tattoo they got on their arm which was my Last Words portrait of Frida Kahlo. Having your work permanently on someone's body is extremely high praise.

What can we wish you for the future?
 
A: Good health and a lot more work