Ep.12: On finding your unique style with Robb Mommaerts

Robb Mommaerts is an illustrator living and working in the frigid state of Wisconsin and works remotely for Cryptozoic Entertainment. Since a young age, his favorite thing to do was draw. He specializes in drawing comic books, children’s books, game art, and character design. When not attempting to put the strange daydreams in his head to paper, he and his wife are trying to keep up with two children and a dog. Along with Forge Publishing, he soon will be releasing a Kickstarter campaign for his first art book “Ink Tank”.

Art Side of Life Newsletter

Get in touch with Robb

Website: robbvision.com
Tumblr Portfolio: robbmommaerts
Instagram: robbmommaerts

Key Takeaways

“Always stay true to yourself. Try to find a method in your art that you enjoy and feel comfortable doing. It shouldn’t feel like a chore”

Robb’s childhood smelled like pine needles. He grew up a lot of time outside in nature and he was always pretending, roleplaying Star Wars, or Dinosaurs explorer. He loved animals and used to build tree forts
He had a hard time deciding what to do in regards to art. Things were harder to find than they are now because he grew up before the internet. He would have to go to the guidance office at his high school, or library to research universities … he looked at art schools – MIAD – Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design and Minneapolis Institute of Art and Design.They were quite expensive and he didn’t have a lot of confidence, he was afraid he would get lost in the shuffle because he was a cartoonist and he wasn’t a big city person …
After school, he was offered a job in design agency Arketype and spent there 10 years. During that whole time he freelanced in illustration and one of his clients offered him a position, it was Cryptozoic, where he has been for 6 years now
The most difficult part of his art career was finding his own unique style so people recognize it’s his work, like Dr. Seuss. He always struggled with building his own brand …
His kids are his biggest inspiration. They don’t have a shield up yet, they don’t worry about embarrassing himself by doing weird, random stuff …

Resources mentioned

Note: some of the resources below may be affiliate links, meaning I get paid a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you use that link to make a purchase.

Childhood inspiration: Stories and characters by Hanna Barbera (Tom & Jerry, Scooby-Doo, Flintstones)
University Robb went to: University of Wisconsin Whitewater
Arketype – advertising agency where Robb spent 10 years
Cryptozoic Entertainment – producer of tabletop games and collectibles where Robb has been working remotely for past 6 years
Artists Robb admires – Jack Davis, Jim Henson, Mike Mignola, Frank Frazetta
Art tools:
Art shop: Dick Blick – best art supplies at the best discounts
Event where you can meet Robb: Chicago Comic Convention – C2E2
Book(s):
- For more information about Robb’s upcoming book Ink Tank – forgepublishing.com
- Then | Now: Childhood revisited – childhood art from professional artists THEN and NOW!
- Any book with art by Jack Davis
- Books by Julia Dweck