Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Dave Maupin. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Alright, Dave thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. How did you learn to do what you do? Knowing what you know now, what could you have done to speed up your learning process? What skills do you think were most essential? What obstacles stood in the way of learning more?
Outside of school, I’ve learned how to do what I do by reading, watching others, and a lot of practice. Art is all about making. It is always about trial and error. When I was younger, a failure would mentally derail me and prevent me from making. But with time, I’ve learned that failure has taught me so much more than success. The skills of examining and learning from your mistakes are the most important tools in everyone’s arsenal.
Dave, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I’m Dave Maupin and I’m a dimensional illustrator from St. Louis, Missouri. I use sculpture and photography to create my illustrations. I enjoy fabricating everything using clay, wood, paint, and other physical materials. Film and history act as inspiration for my characters and the worlds they live in.
I graduated with my B.F.A. in Communication Design in 2012 from the Sam Fox School of Design and Visual Art at Washington University in St. Louis. In my career I’ve worked for publications, marketing firms, and design houses. In 2023, I returned to Washington University in St. Louis to get my M.F.A. in Illustration and Visual Communication which I expect to complete in May of 2025.
For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?
I love visual problem solving. Every project can be solved in many different ways. Leaning on my process I get to uncover the solution. To me it is like a puzzle. The difference is that I get to design and create the puzzle before I put it together. At the end not only do I have something I’m proud of, but I get to start the process all over again with a new project.
Have you ever had to pivot?
I was trained to illustrate two-dimensionally with drawing, ink, and painting. I continued with that discipline well after college. However, in my free time I would also do photography and make objects out of clay. I worked on drawing, sculpting, and photography independent of one another. Until one day I merged them with my first dimensional illustration. It felt like kismet. Over the last 5 years I’ve put all my creative attention into sculpture-based illustrations leaving the 2D world behind. After a lot of experimentation, I felt my work getting better and better. Every new project feels as exciting as the first one. Changing my style re-energized my career.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.davemaupin.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dave.maupin
