3 posts tagged “dok a”

I have been  very fortunate to track down the one of the great custom toy designers and lets not leave out talented contemporary artists of today, Doktor A.  With a very unique style that is always extremely recognizeable, I could not pass up the chance to interview him.  I hope you'll enjoy picking the brains of the apparently "mad" Doktor A with me!

sandman:  I usually start ask those I interview to tell me a little about themselves, but you're a pretty well known artist today..  So I ask instead, What makes Dok A tick?   Whats behind your drive to draw and paint such awesomely nightmarish designs on custom toys and your art alike?

Dok A:  Are they Nightmarish? I hope my work doesn't induce bad dreams in anyone. I don't intend to do things which are scary. Some of the subject matter is a little darker in tone I suppose but it's rarely any worse than the average Harry Potter movie. For the custom toys I just like to draw out the characters I see within the shape of the toy anyway. I think more of my creations are mischievous in character rather than nasty.

Crepuscular

They may give you a little nip to make you jump but it's unlikely they would really hurt you.. What makes me tick? Hmm! Well I get excited about all sorts of different thing. I like historical imagery, especially the slightly eccentric Victorian sort of stuff. Anything overly decorated but functional, things today are on the whole quite bland I find. (Maybe that's what I am doing with the toy customs, taking a trendy but ultimately bland, minimalist form and cramming in some details.) Thats not to say I don't appreciate good design, just that I would probably prefer something thate doesn't work so well but looks interesting. I love anything with fantastical imagery. Weather that's films or comics, books or paintings. I love seeing whats in other people's heads as opposed to what's around us on a daily basis. And I like to subvert and re-imagine what I experience on a daily basis too. I am not sure that answered your question...

sandman:  After reading your bio on your page Spookypop, I have to say I understand so well how it feels to have an imporant influence in your life say you'll never make money doing art..  Can you tell me what has brought you this far in spite of a world that doesn't always embrace creativity?  What made you stick with it?

Dok A:  I have a very short attention span. I get bored easily so I move onto something else. I tend to have a lot of different things on the go at one time and jump about between them. And creatively I move from one field to another to another just to keep the interest up.

CerealKillers

I like a challenge and when I have done the same thing for too long I get too familiar with how its done so i step it up a notch or do something I dont know how to do. It means i now have a very wide skill-set and thus I am unemployable in a traditional sense.. That is to say, most employers today wouldn't know what to do with me as I am not easily fitted into one bracket. So freelancing is great as I get to do a bunch of different things for different people.

sandman:  Do you have a process that you go into to get into your flow.. find your inspirations for your designs or ideas?

Dok A:  I dont usually start on a project right away. I will make initial notes or pull together images which I think will me useful reference. But then I will let it percolate in the back of my head for a while. I often have breakthrough a-ha moments in dreams quite often actually "seeing" the final piece within a dream. So I then know what it is I have to make it look like. Then its just hammering away at it until I am happy..

sandman:  Do you have any specific artists or pieces that have influenced you strongly and made you the artist you are today?

Dok A:  Gosh a huge list of great artists and illustrators have had an influence on me. But I guess it's easier for other people to draw comparisons than site them myself. Though I do think Lee Brown Coye and Arthur Rackham would be two I would site..

Nautilus

The list would mostly be of fantasy illustrators I should think, Nirasawa, Brom, Woodfuff that sort of crowd. Recently I have been very much enjoying Greg Simkins, Liz McGrath, Kathie Olivas and Jeff Soto's work. I think it was probably the films of Ray Harryhausen that had the biggest influence on me from an aesthetical point of view though.

sandman:  Now this is an offbeat statement and question but I imagine you listening to very dramatic classical music while creating your elaborate customs and art, at least at times.  Am I correct?  What kind of mood music do you like?

Dok A:  I actually listen to very little music whilst I work. I will often have a movie on the DVD in the background instead. I think I watch movies the way other people listen to albums. I can happily put a film on repeat and let it tick over whilst I work. Most times I know whats happening on the screen just from the audio so I dont need to sit and watch it.. I do listen to movie soundtracks too. Lord of the Rings has been a recent favorite. I do enjoy music. The Tiger Lilies, Janet Klein, Creature Feature and Doctor Steel are currently on my playlist but I actually find music a bit annoying whilst working.

sandman:  I love one of your latest creations, one you've made for Vinyl Elements, the Hand-Cranked Maiden.  Can you give us a bit of the background on this design and if there is one,  the story behind her?

HandCranked

Dok A:  That was a tricky piece as it's such a small figure to work on. I prefer the larger toys these days as there is more to get your teeth into. And more surface area to actually properly paint on. This was simply an exercise in surface finish really. I cut into the body to define the panels and added lines of rivets in a suitable scale for the figure. I also like the idea of the ears as dials.. This was my start point into this character. She is standing waiting the time she will be wound up by the gear handle on her stomach. Her arms are too short to reach it herself.. She needs another person to give her life..

sandman:   You obviously are a master at many mediums.  It shows throughout all of your work, your versatility.  Of all the paints and sculpting materials you've used up to now, do you have any favorites and what are they?

Dok A:  I find I enjoy sculpting the most. I can get into a very zen like space when I am sculpting and the hours can just fly by..

Pennywise

Though the current toy scene allows a little sculpting here and there people still prefer the bulk use of a production toy rather than a brand new sculpt.. Its a challenge and a hindrance at the same time.. I expect in the future I will do more character sculpting and less toy customising..

sandman:  How long would you say a typical project might take you?

Dok A:  There is no typical project. A toy piece can take anything from three days to several weeks, there are so many variable factors involved.

sandman:  Can you reveal any tips to your fellow customizers out there on creating great designs?

Dok A:  Just go with your gut feelings on what you think will work.. If it doesnt work out then play with it till it starts happening for you.. Reuse ideas which have worked well in the past but always try and build on them. Even if it is only a little each time.. Push them in different directions a bit and see what happens.

sandman:  I don't know if others are curious, but I know I am.  Would you ever be willing to reveal any of your secrets on a tutorial for the web?

Dok A:  I did a walk-through blog once when I painted a skate deck.. But I dont think it was very exciting.. I am not that sure how many people really want to know how something is made.. I never show work in progress shots of my pieces..

Mina

I just think things look a too chaotic until they are finished. I can see what's going on with them because I know the final point I am aiming for, but to others they would just look a mess..

sandman:  One other thing I'm curious about, what do you have in the works right now?

Dok A:  Lots of stuff.. Various toy design concepts, a couple of series of paintings that I am planning on doing soon, and a heap of custom toy commissions. And at the same time I am renovating a Victorian house I recently bought with my wife. I am sure i will go off on tangents and start other unrelated projects inspired by whatever I come across in the meantime and I think that a good way to work. Follow ones instinct and do what you find exciting... Then it never feels like its work.

sandman:  I'd lke to thank the Doktor for the time he's taken out of his very busy (lets not leave out very creative) schedule.  It's been a pleasure to be able to pick his brain a bit about who he is and what he does.  I hope you've all enjoyed this short interview with one of the custom toy masters today!

I hope you all enjoyed the interview. It was long overdue and I apologize to those that saw my "coming soon" sign awhile ago.. If you're interested in seeing more of Dok's stuff, check out SpookyPop.

Okay, Dok A never lets you down when it comes to putting out superbly crafted masterpieces in custom toy form.  This latest find that I came across on Vinyl Abuse above all is one of his very best I've seen!  I say that in part because as a toy, I am NOT particularly fond of the Snorse, but with Dok A's strokes on it.. I've just become a fan.. LOL.  To be able to do that takes true skill.. :-D  Bravo Dok!

DokASnorseScene.jpg

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