F.A.D #49 Donovan Santiago – Gaming the Cartoony Stuff: “I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t fun.”
Animator, illustrator, cartoonist, and gamer Donovan Santiago is a cup floweth over kind of artist. A refreshingly positive outlook in personality and in work, he reminds us that work can be fun.
S.L.A.M: It seems you’ve done a variety of things with a focus around cartoon art. You’ve taught, animated, and you seem to draw incessantly. What do you tell people you do? How do you describe it?
DONOVAN: Well, the first thing people ask after you tell them you are an Artist is, “Oh, what kind of Art do you do?” and I reply, “Ummmmm… I like to do it all, I do what’s fun in that moment but mostly Cartoony stuff.”
S.L.A.M: Do you have a background in this area? What has been the path to where you are right now? And would you do anything different? If so, what? And why?
DONOVAN: Originally I drew to entertain myself. I was born in the Philippines and didn’t have too many toys to start off with when I lived with my Artistic Father, but so long as I had a crayon and a piece of paper, I had everything I needed to create my little worlds. Beyond that after moving to the U.S. to be with my Mom, I absorbed a lot of T.V. and Cartoons which further fueled my imagination. My Dad who stayed in the Philippines eventually became an Animator for Hanna Barbera over seas and although I didn’t grow up with him, I grew up with his Art. he’d mail me crazy random character sheets and other things he drew from Johnny Quest to Dick Dastardly getting his nuts chomped by a lobster. Awesome shit that brought these characters further to life in my young mind.
S.L.A.M: When looking at your individual style, it’s almost an East meets West with a twist of a joint and a little Bob Newhart. Yet, there is a universal appeal or sweetness to it. To what do you attribute this? And why?
DONOVAN: Well I used to be a painter of light until Dr. Switzer told me to’ “STOP IT!”. But really I pulled my styles from what I enjoyed, both American Cartoons and Japanimation, Comics, Horror Flicks and Godzilla. I always tried drawing in different styles out of a combination of Boredom and Adventure. To this day, the more variety in my work the better but always with a cartoony twist.
S.L.A.M: Speaking of joints, what sort of topics do you like to discuss at parties? Anything specific? What do you avoid and why?
DONOVAN: I feel like I can flow into whatever topic is rolling around a party comfortably. I only avoid talking about politics and the weather for the same reason, they are both powerful forces I feel I have no control of. And I’d much rather talk about Video Games, movies or some such funny internet junk-food.
S.L.A.M: What or who have you been under the influence of, or inspired by?
DONOVAN: Under the influence of and inspired by Terri Lloyd, I have it tattooed on my ass like a Cabbage Patch Kid. She introduced me to many many of those awesome Japanese Imports and Artists that were beyond the Library of my small town at the time before the internet. I think I’ve more than made up for that missing internet browsing time though. Aside from yourself, Dali for his perspective, Michelangelo for his diversity, Disney for his empire and my father. I was inspired for a long time by street pharmacists but once it was my job to push a bunch of little colored squares and make them look like something, those little colored squares would bleed into each other. I couldn’t have that. So I keep my dome razor sharp these days.
S.L.A.M: Aside from the more esoteric inspiration stuff, what motivates you? What really gets your juices flowing? What gets you out of bed in the morning or late afternoon and moving toward the wacom or art supplies?
DONOVAN: Other great art inspires me, I know I joked about Kinkade earlier but I wish I could create light like that! Everything from seeing my little girls crayon scribbled ghosts to gorgeous graffiti that will just vanish like a sunset. Music inspires me a lot, I always have drawing music on and my pace can be dictated by my playlist. Just like my taste in eye candy my ear candy must come in assorted flavors and always be market fresh!
There is art all around us, I’m like a sponge, I soak it all in and when my brain is full I ring it out and start again.
S.L.A.M: What are you doing when you aren’t creating visuals?
DONOVAN: When I’m not creating visuals I am enjoying visuals haha! I enjoy my family, I play, I fly kites and savor every bite of my wife’s cooking, which is inspiring in itself. Then nap.
S.L.A.M: If you could have your dream job, what would it be? Do you see yourself achieving this? Why?
DONOVAN: I feel like I’ve already had a lot of dream jobs. There’s always a silver lining, some sparkle more than others. I’ve been blessed enough to do design work on video games like, ” Spongebob Square Pants, Fists of Foam” and Cartoons like, “Code Monkeys” for G4. Basically do what I love and be able to live by it. But I even loved working at a Borders Books soaking up all the reference, and spent many moons at one of my first jobs working at an Arcade/Minigolf fun center. It was all more good than bad.
S.L.A.M: What are you working on right now? Can you say or are you under non-disclosure?
DONOVAN: My current projects are under NDA. Just know that I wouldn’t do it if it wasn’t fun. If you don’t enjoy what you’re doing, what’s the point? But always working on my own art when there is breathing room.
S.L.A.M: : What do you want people to take away from your work?
DONOVAN: I only hope someone will be as inspired by my work as I have been by so many others on a daily basis and that all that doodling and daydreaming in class didn’t go to waste.
S.L.A.M: What’s next for you?
DONOVAN: I’ll probably have a snack. Then back to the drawing board.
S.L.A.M: Where can people visit your work?
DONOVAN: I’ve been too swamped update but…
http://donovansantiago.blogspot.com/
http://g4tv.com/codemonkeys/index.html
http://www.myspace.com/ideamagnet
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:( I don’t know if he’s gay. Either way it didn’t work. Mania.
