Digital ARTIST: LinShuttr

LinShuttr: I first sketch everything out, then I photograph it using a high end camera and paint it in Photoshop. If illustrator is needed I’ll use illustrator.

NH: Do you remember your early drawings?  If so, what were they?

LinShuttr: My early drawings, as early as 12 or 11 years old, they were wrestlers and dragon ball z. My brother Paris and I figured out a way to manually outline the drawings. We would print out the picture outline the paper on both sides and the ink would transfer over to a clean paper where we would then add the detail.

As a child I drew a lot of things, just alot. In High School I began carrying around this binder where I would put characters in funny situations. I remember my first one was a soldier caught up in the middle of a bunch of snipers. These drawings were so crude and unpolished now that I look back at them, I thought I was Picasso.

I was terrible at drawing realistic, so yea I loved my cartoons. I was the guy drawing teachers in class passing the art around having people laugh.

At times I wish I would have embraced my artistic skill earlier, so I could have been a bit more polished going into college. I entered AIP seeing kids who were years and years ahead of me when it came to drawing skills and art knowledge, but I guess it all worked out accordingly.

Put these people in comical situations, or just make them look funny. Then I may drop a jewel by doing a piece based on an iconic black figured in history. People love when I create a visual peace accompanied by a poem.

My supporters love when I write poems, they really do. I get such a great response from writing. I want to shoot a few poem pieces in NYC. I’m good friends with two guy and girl photographic/video art teams, so its not like it cant be done.

LinShuttr: The work for Wale was cool. He and his people are cool just the way they handled everything.

They would hit me up and ask for something to get done and I would neglect everything to get it done. I knew it would help me gain followers. That’s just not something that happens everyday.

There was a few Covers they sent back sooooooo many times and then there were others that Wale posted before his right hand man could tell me if it was okay or not.

I got a lot more respect for him though, just because a few times he reached out just 1 on 1 and not through the gentleman who usually emailed me when my services were needed. Then he shouted me out which helped me gain followers, which resulted in more prints being sold, and more popularity.

I’m never the one to gush over somebody and hang on for dare life to popular people, so until I get another email saying ” We need this done…”, I’ll continue to work as I always have. That’s the problem, people get noticed and get lazy. They think because they’re now zero degrees of separation from someone that can essentially change your life that its time to get lazy and kick back. My productivity has doubled since then. I procrastinate less and I’m a lot more serious when dealing with people.

Thanks a lot to that MMG camp not only for the opportunity, but for the music and just adding to the culture that I grew up on.

NH: What has being an artist taught you?

LinShuttr: Being an artist taught me how to work and make money on my own and I’m still learning. I didn’t become an artist until I graduated college.

In school I considered myself to be a fish being judge on his ability to climb. I can’t say I was unhappy, but in my heart my  field of study just wasn’t for me.

My gut feeling told me this all the time. I never want to shrink in the back of a class during a critique or avoid the teacher, because my project was terrible, again. I’ll never let someone talk down to me, because they feel as if their art skills are more superior than mine were, again. This is stuff that I endured in my last year and a half in school. It was my realization of this really isn’t for me, but I ran the race for that long the least I could do was cross the finish line.

As an artist everyday is survival. You have to create content to sell, plus you always have to out work other artist. You have to stay relevant whether you’re dropping old art, revamped art, or create new art.

You have to produce and create content. I feel like if anything that’s what I’m good at. I can outwork you. I’m such a good worker when it comes to regular jobs, so I decided to transfer that drive over toward my art.

Regardless of what people say, my large library of art speaks for itself. I have folders upon folders of stuff, sometimes I get so lost looking for files, because it’s just so much.

NH: Do you have any advice for other artists that haven’t found their niche?

LinShuttr: Do what attracts you or just try art you’re curious about.

Before I began doing digital art I use to always see students making these amazing portraits of people on the computer and I would always look over their shoulder.

I eventually purchased a Wacom tablet and didn’t use it for a year. I wasn’t confident in my skills at all. Mentally I wasn’t on top of my game yet, as far as empowering myself as an artist.

NH: Any new projects coming up?

LinShuttr: New projects, no I’m just working. I think and produce. I am opening a online store pretty soon. Working with a few people on art jobs, but I rather keep my jobs confidential. There is something BIG coming up I can’t speak about, but in a few months you’ll see.

If it does follow through, the way I believe it will, the whole world will see actually.

NH: Where do you see yourself and your art in 5 years?

LinShuttr: In five years, I see myself living off of my art. I’ll probably have a girlfriend who will probably be an artist. Traveling internationally, having shows and events.

Everyone will know who I am as I’ve always said in my journals.  Things are really shaping up to how wrote them out years ago. “Everyone will know who you are, people will love your art, people ill buy your art. you’re going to live off your art. Just keep working Lin, just keep working. You can’t give up, not now.”

When I thank the most Hiii, I always say thank you for my good and bad times, my ups and downs.  This journey is far from over and I’m just looking forward to what this roller coaster life of mine have in store.

I’m 24, but I have stories to tell like I’m 45.

Thank you to my family, my supporters, my collectors, my fellow artist who I talk to and get advice from.

-interview end-

Thank you Lin for chopping it up with us. We look forward to seeing more from you. 
Check out Lin’s online store and website 

Also follow him on IG and on Twitter at @linshuttr