For Roy The Art, the road to success may not have been very long, but it was definitely intense. Being attracted to art for years, he massively developed his skills in a pretty short period of time, with a special focus on femininity. It took a lot of hard work combined with crazy talent to bring multiple art series to life, each one better than the last. Read below and explore the mystical world of Roy The Art.
How did you become an artist?
Previously, I worked mainly as a Fitness Instructor. I taught subjects like Body Balance, Body Combat, and Pop Dance. During a casual coffee session with a friend, I was shown how to use Procreate. I was curious as to what it would be like to use the tool and I started tinkering. That friend gave me an iPad with the hope that I would be great. My first pictures of 2018 were squiggly and childish. After that, I went to Australia to settle down. While waiting for a new job, I drew every day as a habit. When Covid-19 hit at the beginning of 2020, I lost my job and had no other way to earn some extra income. In July 2020, I started to dig into drawing more intently and presented series on themed topics. At that time, I also opened a small Etsy shop and was very fortunate to have everyone’s support. I did not attend any school, nor did I have the opportunity to approach art from a young age in my country. I simply felt that the pictures were beautiful and wanted to draw something of my own, a character that I thought of in my head and would transform into various styles. When the first one or two characters were born, even though the drawings were still childish, I realized that the most important things were the novelty and ideas behind the characters, and the drawing technique itself could certainly be improved later.
Where do you get your inspiration from?
Usually, I get inspiration from fashion and pretty girls on social media channels. In addition, since I started to draw fan-art sets, I have also been inspired by the stories of those characters. I read or review the movies and stories of these characters, from which I get inspired to compose and renew an image in a way that few people have thought of before.
How do you create your characters?
To create an original character, I often think about the theme and the feelings that I have for them. Usually, I will write a description of the character first and then create their shape and color scheme and choose the background if possible. My original characters can be inspired by some elements in nature such as plants and flowers, and when choosing a theme, I will have to read many different materials to understand the style and the exact requirements for that topic. For example, when drawing witches, I must find out what paraphernalia they usually use, the terminology in the wizarding world, and popular styles today. I usually mix some pre-existing elements with what’s in my head. I’ve always been curious to see what it would look like if a character had extra wings, extra horns, or held some strange but interesting item. A character can be drawn very quickly if I have an idea in mind, but sometimes it takes a few days when I feel unsatisfied and have to redraw repeatedly until it pleases my eyes.
Where does your mystical/witchy vibe come from?
The story of the witch collection began with a random drawing for my birthday in July 2020. At that time, I drew a Cancer girl decked with flowers. And, by a happy chance, a lot of viewers accepted that first picture and recommended I continue drawing other zodiac signs. In order to better understand the witch style, I often go through the pages of fantasy and witchcraft to learn more about the story and history of witches.
Which of your series is your favorite and why?
The Greek Goddesses and Zodiac Warriors series are by far my two favorite collections. not only because of the time it took to complete the sets but also because of the investment in content in each drawing. The two collections were based on elements of Greek mythology, so I had to read many reference materials to get the character details right. The two sets of figures have different uses of color and varying styles. Both series have given me a lot of great inspiration.
Do you have any other passions?
Yes. I love yoga and love coaching sports. Honestly, before 2019, I never thought I could be an artist. I also love to dance and used to be a dance instructor when I was in Vietnam.
If you could pick one artist (living or dead) to have coffee with – who would it be?
It is so hard to answer this question, as I have so many names in my head. If I could only pick one, I would choose Leonardo da Vinci, the Italian Renaissance artist who created the Mona Lisa, the Last Supper, and the Lady with an Ermine. His drawing and observation skills truly made him unique and special, as he successfully added liveliness to every portrait. What I have learned from him is his way of writing down and sketching so many of his observations before starting to work on his drawings. I do believe that this is an effective scientific approach towards developing ideas and understanding how we can see the world surrounding us.
Do you think it’s easy to be an artist these days? Why/why not?
I think any profession requires certain criteria of expertise and in order to do the work of an artist, in addition to the ability to perceive beauty, the artist also needs to learn many skills in using tools. Technology can make it easier for artists to reach audiences everywhere, but that doesn’t mean the artist’s job is easy. In addition to always having to reinvent themselves, constantly coming up with ideas and content for their work, artists also have to learn how to manage time and create interaction with stakeholders.
You have a lot of followers on Instagram. How did you get that far and do you have any tips for beginners?
I was also a beginner like you when I only had a few followers. I think the most important thing when doing media on Instagram is the quality of the content of the posts. First, you need to determine the direction of your Instagram channel. Try to post regularly and consistently and improve the content according to the tastes of the viewers. Increase user engagement by replying to them, drawing requests, or running events to support other artists. In addition to regularly drawing to practice and hone your skills, you should also ask others to give feedback and comments to improve the areas that are not so good yet.
Instagram: @roytheart_
