About Me - Updated 08/2010

It’s come to my attention that even though an artist posts and submits work here on DA, there isn’t much being directly said about the artist themselves. Sure, there is that bit of Deviant info below this module but it really doesn’t say much.

Now of course, some may prefer this since it offers a good deal of anonymity, but for others, not saying anything may be missing the opportunity to give their watchers a better idea of who they are and what goals they are striving for. That way, anyone who may come across your account would immediately get a better grasp of the one behind the work they are seeing.

When was the last time you gave such things some thought?; Why are you here on DA? What do you hope to get out of your stay here? What are your interests and artistic preferences? How long have you been drawing/painting/ etc? Any specific skills or talents you specialize in? How would you describe the art you do here? Any professional goals you have in plan for your artwork? Etc.  

If you haven’t given it some thought, perhaps now would be a good time to start. If you guys are so inclined to know more about me, just read on. I’ll be constantly updating this so if there’s any particular question you have for me, just comment and let me know:

UPDATED - 08/2010

Who I am

Chemb0t, at your service. *bows respectfully*

I'm your typical (or not so typical) "whiz kid" based in the California Bay Area.
I recently graduated college with a B.S in Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences or EECS for short. I specialize in Communications(Robotics and Mechatronics to be specific), as well as computer graphics, and I am currently working as an assistant technical director for Industrial Light & Magic.

Why Chemb0t?

It’s quite simple really. Chemistry and Robotics were once my main interests. Chemistry + Robot = Chemb0t.  I’ve had the SN since I was 12 and it pretty much stuck with me. Now it should be something along the lines of “ Physb0t” or “ElectroMechab0t” but that just sounds too quirky. I also like the name because it’s relatively universal. Chemb0t is not bound to any particular genre like ‘supersonic10’ or ‘sephiroth-chan’ would be. Thus it doesn’t define the kind of art I do and that usually tends to be a good thing since my skills tend to vary greatly.

Personality-Wise

I tend to be rather courteous and modest online(and offline for the most part). Much of my work is kept to myself unless someone asks. I am somewhat eccentric when it comes to new concepts and ideas as well as the work I do. I am known for careful attention to details in my work and I hope that my gallery shows that.

Other than that, I tend to be pretty easy going and very tolerant around people. I try to keep a positive attitude toward everything and you will be hard pressed to anger me. I can guarantee it! =]

I am not afraid to share what I have learned to help people and I love deep and intellectual conversation. If you would like to talk about anything scientific, artistic or otherwise, feel free to drop me a line.

An artistic Engineer

Many people find it strange that I delve so deeply into the creative arts, especially after realizing that I’m training to become an engineer or scientist. They feel that the two are counter to each other. However, I believe that’s far from the truth. Art and Science, Creativity and technology go hand in hand. One cannot thrive without the other. Art allows one to dream while Science allows those dreams to become a reality.

I take art and digital design as a hobby for several reasons. First it’s a nice way to make some extra money on the side. Second, it’s a decent fallback plan should I decide to change career paths in the future. Finally and most importantly, it’s a way to relieve stress and keep my sanity.

My courses are completely technical so it’s a breath of fresh air to take a break from them every once in a while. Art allows me to indulge in the more creative side of my brain and I find great enjoyment and satisfaction sharing my ideas this way.    

Why I’m on DA

I settled in around May 2003 after following a few friends from an old forum we used to frequent. Even though my schedule was hectic, I managed to make quite a bit of new friends around here, some of which I am really close to now. More importantly, I learned a great deal in terms of artistic techniques and skills by browsing the submissions and picking up tutorials. I rarely delete anything I submit so you can look back into my gallery and see how far I’ve come. ^^

So, I am here to develop my skill, support my friends and perhaps teach others who have come here seeking the same experience. =]

How long have you been doing art?

I started to take art seriously when I was around 13 or 14. Aside from one or two high school art classes, most of what I learned is self taught through books, online resources, research and experimentation.

My approach to art

It’s a common question to ask how one did something or how they learned to develop a skill. For art, I tend to see and treat it very differently compared to many around here.

I treat Art as a Science.

I give it the same rigorous study and experimentation that I give my technical subjects at school. I take notes, I document things, I research and I share my findings with the community.  I believe this allows me to learn and assimilate things at a much faster pace.  Sure, practice does help, but I think it’s more important to learn and understand the inner workings of the style or art in question before drilling through it. Analyze, understand, focus and then proceed to improve your work. =]

Any particular medium you use for your art?

As stated on the top of my page, I like to consider myself as a “deviant of many talents”. I take to anything that catches my interest and I experiment and develop with it. Over the past few years, I have made art using a ton of different mediums. I’ve done real sculpture with wood, clay, glass, plastic and metal, Painted with watercolor, sumi and acrylics, created moving and interactive art with circuitry and electronics, Photographed with analog and digital cameras, and of course, drawn, sketched and developed using paper and pencil, both real and digital. =]  

The last bit I mentioned is probably my most active endeavor at the moment, especially the digital end. I’m constantly experimenting with new programs and digital methods. Aside from CG illustration and web design, I practice digital painting, 3d modeling and sculpting.

What are your interests and artistic preferences?

My interests usually tend to center around my passion for Science and technology. I am fascinated with new discoveries and technologies so anything that expands on that premise tends to catch my eye. I especially like how Anime and certain games expand on the idea. So likewise, my style tends to have a lot of inspiration from it. I am an avid fan of Star wars, Tenchi muyo, Cowboy Bebop, Xenosaga, Final fantasy, Metal gear, Sonic, Command and Conquer and StarCraft.

I also have interest in philosophical, traditional, historical and arcane subjects like magic, martial arts and religion. Such things shape our past and it’s interesting to see how they affect society as the world continues to progress.  

As far as preferences go, I tend to like media that has a deep and intellectual meaning to it; something in which the quality and depth of the art is mirrored in the subject it depicts. I suppose you can call me a virtuous viewer. I prefer seeing something that piques the mind and causes one to contemplate the message the piece is giving rather than simple sensory stimulation.

What’s with all the anthropomorphic art?

I pretty much entered in as a “Sonic Fan Artist” here in DA. Sonic happens to be one of my favorite series out there. I grew up with it and I believe it continues to influence me to this day. So likewise, Sonic and the anthropomorphic designs it depicts, has a great influence on my art, especially my early character designs and styles. Aside from that, I find that there is a lot more variety in designing characters around an animal since certain species can add more depth to their personality. The designs also give more freedom and it seems to appeal to a lot of different audiences. Of course character design isn't the only thing I focus on. I'll be sure to post more technical and environment design soon.

Thanks for reading or skimming. I’ll be sure to add more if any questions arise so stay tuned!