This week’s artist’s spotlight focuses on AJ Moore, who does a little bit of everything.
The Artist’s Spotlight is a Hypable weekly feature that will focus on someone who has caught our attention for fandom-related art, whether it be drawings, songs, crafts, or more! Every week you can expect a new talented artist we think you should be aware of!
Hypable: Tell us a little bit about yourself.
AJ: I’m an artist in many aspects of the word. It has always been a passion of mine.
What first interested you in art?
I first became interested in art as early as I can remember, mostly from cartoons, coloring books, and toys.
Art can be cathartic for both the artist and the audience. What does art mean to you?
To me, art is how I live. It’s hard to put into words, actually, but art just always has been a part of me and without it I would be a different person.
You have a really varying style — from hyper realistic to fun and cartoony. How did that come about?
My ‘varying’ style has come about from all of the different artistic endeavors I have perused and people that I’ve met along the way. I’ve been an animator (2D & 3D), a caricaturist, a portrait artist, a children’s book illustrator, a character designer, a storyboard artist and much more. So with all of those opportunities, it caused me to adapt, learn, and want to push my skill as far as I could.
You also do a lot more than painting! What else are you involved in?
Besides painting I am into dancing, acting, modeling, photography, and on rare occasions… singing.
What are some of your favorite characters to draw, and why?
I love to draw characters with fun shapes, like cartoon characters like Looney Tunes and any animal-styled characters.
What are some of the biggest challenges you face as an artist?
The biggest challenge I face as an artist is being respected. I understand how stereotypes work and why they exist, but I spend as much time convincing people that I am the artist as I do creating the art. I hear all kinds of things from people, some of which I wouldn’t even repeat.
| “I love to draw characters with fun shapes like cartoon characters, like Looney Tunes and any animal-styled characters.” |
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Which artists have inspired you the most?
One artist that inspired me was my late friend and mentor Rust Mills. You may know his works like American Tale, Animaniacs, Pinky and the Brain, Garfield & Friends, and more.
What advice would you give to other artists?
Advice for artists: don’t be lazy, fight back against the distractions, the fears, and the doubts. Draw all the time and love what you do.
What’s your ultimate goal as an artist?
I want to leave behind something for people all over to enjoy and hopefully inspire millions more.
You can find AJ Moore all over the internet! Check out the website and store for his company GudFit, and find his art and books on Etsy and DeviantART.
You can follow him on Facebook, and also stay on top of his other stories, Dorse and Doose (pictured below) and The Super Newts, both of which are awesomely-illustrated children’s books.
If you want more places to follow AJ, you can also find him on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Tumblr.
