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Website: www.kyletwebster.com

Illustrator, rapper and YouTube marketeer - Kyle T. Webster has done it all. His versatile portfolio exudes the vibrancy of a rock concert (though he’s quick to note he does more than just music artwork), yet also displays a clever understanding of personalities and current affairs. Currently living in Winston-Salem, NC, Kyle works his magic on the computer for his client pieces, reserving more traditional mediums for personal projects. We caught up with him for a little chat:

Hi Kyle! How are you today?

I feel awake, thanks to coffee, and I feel happy, thanks to a full plate of jobs to finish!

Your work shows a large musical influence. Did you want to specialize in drawing bands and musicians?

I did not want to specialize in anything, for fear that it would put me in a corner. Somehow, I got more and more calls to do portraits of bands and musicians, and now I am trying to keep those assignments while branching out. It is happening slowly and over the past few months, I have seen good developments with other themes for BusinessWeek and The New Yorker… any art directors out there reading this? I’m not JUST a music guy!

You’ve got something called ‘The Daily Figure‘ on your site. Tell us a bit about what that’s all about.

The Daily Figure is my little creative exercise that has absolutely nothing to do with client work. It’s a lovely little escape and it lets me draw from my imagination without any real concern for the results. I’m really glad people have responded so positively to this experiment. Prints are selling, and I’m happy!

Apart from ‘The Daily Figure’, you’ve got an MP3 for sale and a funky You Tube video. Considering most illustrators would rather hide behind a table and draw than go for a meeting, that’s some really extroverted marketing! Did you come up with those ideas yourself or did you have some marketing guru coach you?

These are my ideas, but I can’t say they were grand schemes. They were mostly just distractions and diversions that wound up being successful self promotional tools. Once I start getting some good attention, I usually try and blanket the online community with whatever is working. There is so much talent out there - it is necessary for artists to try and separate themselves from the pack. The D.F. and The O.D.G. video have helped me to do that. The main reason they are successful is because I had fun doing them - I think the fun shines through and it feels less like work, which is why others enjoy tuning in.

So, has the unconventional marketing paid off?

Yes, tremendously. As I said, I did not plan for it, but once it started happening, I made sure to capitalize on the attention. The video resulted in many new business contacts and assignments. Later, I was even invited to write a small piece about self promotion for HOW magazine ( you can read it here )

You’ve got some nice design work on your site as well. You’re obviously adept at both design and illustration - do you think more illustrators should also hone their design skills to offer clients a more complete solution?

I worked as a designer for five years before going out on my own, so it was only natural for me to continue doing that sort of work. I would actually like to do more logo work, but I haven’t spent much time promoting that part of my business, though I consider it a strength.  Yes, I think illustrators should consider branching out and doing other things (design, music, whatever) because any creative diversions or projects will only serve to inspire and inform your ‘regular’ work. Growth!

I really like the short comic strip you did called ‘I really like your style‘. Does that still happen to you? We all have our methods of dealing with the inevitable ‘can you draw like….’, what’s your trick to dealing with it?

 

And speaking of comics, explain why people should buy Light Children…