This week we have interviewed group member/artist Diesel Laws

1. Could you tell us a little bit about yourself and your equipment?

I am an artist in many senses of the word, currently focusing on T-Shirt designs but also involved in Music Production, Website Development and other artistic endeavours. I am a non-stop designer (no really), always working towards these areas. I am so passionate about designing that I literally only sleep for about 3-4 hours each night, while the rest of the time I am glued to my computer. I still work a full time job, but as soon as the day finishes I am on the computer – sometimes I am so involved I forget to eat dinner!

The computer and Internet have changed my life and allowed me to pursue things that I have dreamed about for so long. There rarely is a day where I don’t yearn to create something new. For the most part, my creativity is converted through the computer with Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator, specifically taking advantage of the Pen Tool, which has positively changed my work flow in such a short amount of time.

I try to get every idea out of my head and put it on the page in the shortest amount of time possible. I do this to keep the flow and passion in the design, and also to develop my interpretation skills as quickly as possible. But you can never overlook the power of the hand drawn design. I develop a lot of my ideas on pen/paper and then scan them in and use them as a guide layer.

2. What first inspired your interest in art? What continues to inspire you?

I think my first inspiration came from the impact of simple logos. Blink 182’s ‘Pill-Type’ logo inspired me as it was very simple, but memorable. I was only about 15 or so when I saw this and it stayed with me for a while. Also, I had no idea what I wanted to ‘be’ in life. In school they try to push you into a career, but my heart wasn’t in anything. I was confused for a long time and so I chose something ‘fun’ to study – Film and Television.

I had always been a doodler and I drew a few cool images back in school. I think over time it developed subconsciously to where I am at now. If they had told me back then there was a possible career out of art, where if you ‘make it’ you can control your own life and run your own business, I think I would have chosen that course!
I am continuously inspired by the power of inspiration. This may sound a bit odd, but motivation is something I thrive on, and in this world, it is heavily needed. I may just be a designer, but in the many constant areas I have been focusing on, I have noticed my ‘non-creative’ friends turning their hands to things they have long forgotten. To watch that fire ignite knowing that you helped light it, is gold to me.

3. What type of art do you enjoy the most and why?

I really enjoy vibrant and creative cartoon street art that either has humour, character elements or both. I have a business mind also, so the art that I love is usually found in skate stores, music stores and festivals on either a display stand, wall splash and concert/band posters. Alien creatures, oversized heads and fluoro colours usually dominate the art I love.
I love this style of design because it is always fresh and ‘feel-good’ even if the image itself is of disgusting creatures. I also love branding and cartoon characters have been used for decades to freshen up a company and keep it youthful.

4. Where is the most spectacular place you’ve ever been?

Great question. I would have to say the Internet. I know it’s not really a proper answer, but I haven’t travelled that much yet! Seriously though, I have probably talked to thousands more international people on the internet than I ever will in my lifetime. I can also get virtual tours, photos, stories and discussions with a click of the button about anywhere/anything in the world. When you think about it – that’s pretty spectacular!

5. What are your dreams, goals and aspirations as an artist?

I could be here forever talking about my dreams and aspirations but the main things circle around answering question #4 better and having a life where I don’t have to worry about where the next meal is coming from. Once I have a solid financial base I intend to focus on becoming a motivational speaker, releasing music cd’s ( www.fixdmusic.com ), designing for big name bands and brands, setting up programs to help unknown artists get recognized, writing books, travelling and the list goes on.

One of the main areas I want to focus on is explaining to people this bold quote – To an artist, ideas, hope, creativity, passion and dedication can be lost but not purchased, so they are just as valuable as food and water.

6. What has been your greatest accomplishment as an artist up to the present date?

It is really hard to choose one thing as an accomplishment for me as I feel I am developing every day at such a rapid rate. Finding redbubble.com has really helped me keep the creativity alive and in doing so, moving me forward in my design skills everyday. I have sold many shirts to people around the world through this website, and I am very thankful for it.

7. Do you have an inspirational message you would like to share with other artists?

Dear brilliant artists (Yes, that’s you),
Religious and Scientific beliefs aside, we don’t know exactly why we are on this Earth or how we Began, and we don’t know for sure where we go in the End…so grab hold of your dreams, aspirations and passion and paint the bit in the Middle called Life.
There are many more things I could speak about, but the message is clear, Create, Live and Be.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you to the All About Your Best Work Team and in particular Brendan Schoon for inviting me to be the featured member.
If anyone has any questions or you would just like to chat, please Bubblemail me and or add me to your watchlist

Congrats!!!

Thank you steve, thank you Linda and Ushna!