ARTIST SPOTLIGHT – Trey Brunson

This week, we welcome Trey Brunson to the CBFC Artist Spotlight!

Q. Where did you grow up at?

A. Small town North Carolina, Hamlet to be exact, no pun intended.

Q. How long have you been drawing?

A. Honestly, off and on ever since I can remember picking up a pencil or crayon so maybe 30 years? More recently however, I started to take it seriously and have been drawing everyday for the last year.

Q. When growing up what artist did you idolize?

A. Akira Toriyama was my biggest inspiration as a kid and  till this day.  As a teen, Hiroyuki Takei (Shaman King) and Tite Kubo (Bleach) influenced me heavily. Other than that even tho I really didn’t know his name at the time but his works on Disney animation always left me speechless. That is the legendary Glen Keane.

Q. What character is your favorite to draw and why?

A. Tatsumaki “Terrible Tornado” of One Punch Man! When I was studying Yusuke Murata’s art style, she was the template I used for female structure. I love the way he draws her and I always wanted to emulate that.  Every time I get a little closer to nailing a cool pose with her, it’s easy dopamine.

Q. A character that is on your “To Draw” list?

A. That’s a tough one, there are so many! If I had to pick one however, I’d say Dr. Doom.

Q. Could you please provide some tips on how to overcome artist’s block?

A. When I’m having a rough time coming up with ideas, I like to get outside and unplug completely. Just me and nature, no tech and it  jumpstarts my imagination. Kinda like a kid playing in the woods.

Also following other artists on social media and seeing their great works typically gets some sort of juices flowing.

Q. What artist would you love or would have loved to collaborate with?

A. Toriyama but Yusuke Murata is a close second.

Q. What advice do you have for new artists or people who want to become artists?

A. Draw the things that inspire you and the things you gravitate towards, you are more likely to stick with it. The fundamentals cannot be overlooked, learning about shapes, composition, lighting etc. might seem boring at first, but once your fundamentals are solid, you can draw almost anything you can imagine. As artists, we are our worst critics, give yourself some grace. There are no shortcuts, you have to do it everyday, and then when you want to quit, do it again! 

Thank Trey Brunson for taking the time to answer a few of our questions! Be sure to give him a follow!

Don’t forget to check back next week for our next Artist Spotlight! If you’re an artist and are looking to be featured on our page, please hit me up here. I’d love to hear from you.

– Chris