ROBBIE SMITH

Robbie Smith is an overall creative; part of a band called Bone Cutter, a director and also an illustrator, creating doodle, horror art, exaggerating the parts of a human body and exposing their flaws taking big inspiration from Stephen Gammell, Ralph Steadman and movies.

I personally discovered Robbie through Getters new EP "Some Creature". The project has a consistent, aggressive tone with each song being filled with heavy, distorted sub bass and monster stabs which really live up to the name making it sound like it is coming from some creature. There are 1940's documentary styled voice overs throughout each song describing the creature really painting a picture for gruelling this monster is. 

As a massive fan of Getter myself, I was curious how their collaboration come about, Robbie explained:

"Getter reached out and said he was a fan of my band and my art in general and asked if I’d be interested in working with him on his new EP. He sent me 2 songs and they fuckin ripped. We started from there. Watching his videos, jammin that EP and talking to him I just tried to illustrate his and his music’s personality."

On the cover of the EP, I noticed the scarecrow looking character Robbie illustrated and wanted to know if there was a meaning behind it; "Nah. I love scarecrows, but I don’t think it was intentional. When I scanned and sent that I had labelled it ‘Squiggly Man’."

I always find peoples introduction into creative arts fascinating and so naturally I was curious about Robbie's:

"I’ve always drawn and doodled throughout life. I’d post stuff here and there on Instagram and people seemed to like it so that encouraged me to get better at it. I’m learning a lot. It’s rad."

As shown, Robbie has a very distinct sharp, doodle style in his drawings. I wanted to know how he achieved his signature look. Without giving away too much method to his madness Robbie starts on pen, pencil and paper or card stock. He scans and adjusts on Photoshop but that's as far as digital influence goes. He explains; "I can’t stand the super clean look of something made in procreate."

Robbie has a very distinct style and I was curious how he developed into it and what impacted this style:

"I think that’s just how I view things in reality. Everyone is cartoonish to some extent and the world is a very gross place if you stare at anything too long. But also, the artists named above certainly inspired this."

​Robbie's art bares the naked body very frequently and doesn't shy away from presenting natural human insecurities such as hair, breasts or penis'. I wanted to know why he chooses to express the body so freely in his art:

"America is so puritanical when it comes to nudity and I enjoy pushing against that. And I guess I like to draw naked humans covered in hair because that’s what most of us are. I wish I’d get more commissions that weren’t worried about presenting a penis or a pair of tits."

As I am from England I love to hear if we have any impact on the creative minds outside of the UK at all.

 "Of course. I mean The Smiths, The Cure.. Boiler Room.. Clive Barker.. huge fan of the filmmaker Ben Wheatley.. I’m not sure I had a lot of good food there though haha"

"I wish more people swing for the fences and not be afraid to be called weird. Keep making shit. You don’t have to stick to one form of art, just keep making shit and expand your mind through whatever means possible. Don’t seek approval, just do you."

Earlier on Robbie's Instagram, he would post screenshots of horror scenes in movies as well as from his own films and so it made me question what about horror that he feels so drawn to (pun intended).

"I grew up watching horror movies. They’re ingrained in my very being and I’ve never got tired of seeking them out and watching them. You can truly do anything in the genre of horror. It’s boundless."

 As he grew up exposed to horror films and has a cartoon style I wondered if his art pays some sort of homage to his childhood and how he saw the world growing up:

"I’m not sure I use it to connect to my younger self.. Maybe I do and I just don’t know it? But yeah I’ve always been into horror and whatever I’m doing, be it illustrating or directing or writing, I’m always trying to make people feel strange or scared or challenged."

Since Robbie has a connection to horror and gore I wondered... What is your favourite classic horror monster and horror movie franchise?

"I love werewolves but I’m actually still frightened by zombies. For some reason the psychology behind that particular fiend still gets to me and is one of the only things in horror that gives me nightmares."

"Speaking in terms of the most successful franchise in my eyes, I’d have to go with Jason. I can pop in any Friday the 13th movie on any day of the week and have a good time with it.. Michael Myers is my dude though. I absolutely love the first Halloween."

Is there anything coming up you would like to promote?

“Yes, my graduate exhibition will be on from the 13th to the 15th of July at Protein Studios in Shoreditch and some of my work will be there as well as the work from a lot of talented creatives.”

SHOP AT ROBBIES STORE HERE

CHECK OUT ROBS FILMS HERE

FOLLOW ROBBIE ON INSTAGRAM HERE