Battlemouth

My first introduction to Reactor 88 was via the Kid Robot forums. (I can’t say enough how many great people there are on that site!) Of course true to form, when I find someone or something that I enjoy, I hop on google and start to search! These are the days of instant news, everyone has a blog, or a twitter name, or some such internet magic, and Reactor 88, known at his day job as Ryan Crippen, is no exception. Well actually, he is a bit of an exception, because when you click on Reactor 88.com you will immediately bare witness to the some of his more hidden talents…his site is gorgeous! Combining so many different styles like ink and airbrush work, and amazing digital art, is a real testament to his talent and vision. And that really doesn’t even scratch the surface of this guys ability. His custom toys are truly incredible as you will see. Ryan was recently a part of the Dril One x Mimoco custom show and also created a beautiful Stitch for Disney’s Stitch Experiment 626 Project Custom Art Tour. An all around swell guy, Ryan gave me some of his time and joined the series for an interview. Most of these folks who have taken part in the series really do have to set aside some time for this and we would just like to say that we really appreciate it. Having to work a day job to keep the bills paid and trying to work on your passion all through the night and in between makes for not a lot of spare time, so show them some love and let them know what you think of their work!

ATS- Who is Reactor 88?

My name is Ryan Crippen. I’m a web designer/digital artist by day,
and a toy designing/painting junkie by night. I like to ride my
mountain bike, play with my two dogs, go to art shows, hang out at the
beach, constantly talk about art and toys which annoys my girlfriend
(btw- she’s a trooper and very supportive), and sleep. Oh and love to
eat sandwiches and cookies- I definitely can’t forget that important
tidbit.

ATS- Where/when did you get your start in the art world?

R88- Ever since I was little I was always drawing, and that carried through
all the way to college where I received my Bachelor of Arts degree
with an emphasis in graphic design and illustration. After school I
landed a web design job and on the side I was working with 3D
animation and motion graphics. Around 2004 I was a bit burned out on
the digital stuff, so I decided to get back to traditional painting.
I was already familiar with vinyl art toys and thought they were
really cool, but just admired them from afar. Then Kidrobot came out
with the DIY Munny toy and I thought that might be fun to paint. So I
bought one for fun thinking I’d have a go with it and then jump back
to the original plan, but instead I got hooked and the rest is history.

ATS- In addition to your brilliant custom toy work, you have quite an
extensive portfolio containing a broad array of other mediums. Which
is your favorite to use?

R88- Hmm- I don’t really think I have a favorite at this point. In college
I took illustration classes that exposed me to all different types of
mediums- pen & ink, oils, gouache, markers, acrylics, graphite, etc.
I would say that I had a lot of fun with oil paint back in school. I
love its smoothness and the way it blends. I’m hoping to get back to
oil painting once I get a proper studio with some really good
ventilation I’ve also started using cel vinyl paint on some of my
custom toys and really enjoy it. I like the results I’ve been getting
with cel vinyl, so I’ll probably use more of it in my work down the
road. I had a small stint with 3D sculpture (clay, wood, metal) back
in school as well- that was a lot of fun and something I hope to get
back into. The idea of sculpting my own toys and releasing small
resin runs is always in the back of my mind these days. I still love
digital art & design, but I’ve put all that aside for now as I’m
really trying to concentrate on my painting. After all that I think I
still managed to dodge the question…

ATS- Your more recent paintings and custom toys all have a similar theme
that brings to mind some of the great masterpieces of the Native
American and other Tribal peoples of the world. What attracted you to
this style?

R88- I’ve always been a fan of Native/Tribal artwork. I think the bold
graphic style, dramatic colors and unique patterns are really eye
catching. I particularly enjoy the art of the Pacific Northwestern
Indians. I love how most everything revolves around nature and
animals and the fact that each piece usually tells a story or has a
deep meaning rooted within the culture. While people have really
gravitated towards the toys and art I paint with this theme, look for
more diversity in my work down the road as I do enjoy working with
other styles and themes.

ATS- What toys could we find in your personal collection, if any at all?

R88- Most of the toys I buy are for painting on, but I have slowly built up
a nice little personal collection. Some highlights are my Ledbetter
Mr. Bunny & Mono Teeter, Biskup Helper set & Yeti Qee, Taxali Toy
Monkey, Chueh white Possessed, Dalek Space Monkey, UNKL Tinpo Tre,
Mono Teeter, and handful of Mad*Ls. I probably have about thirty
regular size figures in all. I also have a ton of 3-inch Dunnys and
other mini figures. I’ve started to branch out a little and pick up
some Japanese/Kaiju toys, but that part of my collection will most
likely always be dwarfed by the western side. I’m also a fan of more
traditional artwork, so you’ll find a lot of prints and a few original
paintings hanging up in my home as well.

ATS- If you could meet any artist (no restrictions applied), who would
it be and why?

R88- Wow- there’s so many whose works I admire I don’t think I can single
one specific artist out. Instead of going with the usual suspects
from art history, I’m going with a modern-day, extremely talented art
director & digital matte painter that currently works at Industrial
Light & Magic- Yanick Dusseault. He’s worked on many large film
projects, most notably the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Pirates of the
Caribbean, Star Wars Episode III, and Indiana Jones IV. I’ve always
enjoyed sci-fi/fantasy art and followed many of the concept and matte
painters that work in the film industry. I think I singled out Yanick
because he’s taken a path with his career that I could’ve easily have
seen myself following at one point in my life, and it would be cool to
discuss how he’s gotten to where he is now- and of course see him work
his magic

ATS- What advice do you have for young artists trying to make a name for
themselves?

R99- That’s funny that you ask, because I never really intended to get my
name out there and try to work my way up the art toy ladder. For me
this was always secondary to my design work and a fun hobby- the most
important thing for me was that it always stayed fun. I guess
somewhere along the way I started getting some notoriety and it’s nice
when people recognize your work and tell you how much they love what
you do, ask you for tips, ask for a commissioned piece, etc. So
getting back to the question, I would say make sure you focus your
energy at the proper channels. Really develop your skills as an
artist and I think the buzz will grow naturally. Of course you do
need to help it along a bit with things like a website/blog, Flickr
page, etc. Also join the toy/art boards, go to gallery shows/events,
and talk to other artists- a lot of the success I’ve had has been
because of the friends and connections I’ve made. Lastly- take your
time and don’t give up if you feel things aren’t happening for you.
There are only a handful of folks that have exploded on the scene and
become very popular in a short period of time- the rest have all been
at this for years, slowly building up to where they are now. Oh yeah-
and keep it fun

Be sure to check out some of Ryan’s work over at www.Reactor88.com or drop him a message at
twitter.com/Reactor88