Awesome Artists We’ve Found Around The Net: Ian Glaubinger

Last Updated on August 5, 2021

For years, Awesome Art We've Found Around The Net has been about two things only – awesome art and the artists that create it. With that in mind, we thought why not take the first week of the month to showcase these awesome artists even more? Welcome to “Awesome Artist We’ve Found Around The Net." In this column, we are focusing on one artist and the awesome art that they create, whether they be amateur, up and coming, or well established. The goal is to uncover these artists so even more people become familiar with them. We ask these artists a few questions to see their origins, influences and more. If you are an awesome artist or know someone that should be featured, feel free to contact me at any time at [email protected].This month we are very pleased to bring you the awesome art of… 

Ian Glaubinger

Ian Glaubinger; born in 1982, often refers to himself as a professional doodler. As a kid, he couldn't stop drawing dinosaurs and Ninja Turtles and as an adult, little has changed. Some of his clients include Lucasfilm, Marvel, Warner Bros, Disney, Nickelodeon, Fox, Rick & Morty, Bob's Burgers, NHL and more. The majority of Ian's works are limited edition screen prints and posters that he draws inspiration from the past. More often than not, the aesthetics of the 1940s through the 1960s (often referred to as "mid-century modern") are the most prevalent.

JoBlo: What got you started as an artist?

Glaubinger: I've been drawing for as long as I can remember; probably since I was able to hold a pencil. Everyone in my family is very artistic so growing up, art and drawing were always encouraged in my house. I knew very, very early on I wanted to do something in art, specifically in the cartoon or superhero world. I didn't necessarily know *exactly* what that meant and as I got older the focus shifted and or became more specific but like I said, as long as it involved some kind of pop-culture element; I was into it. I'd say early on, my biggest influence that made me want to be an artist was watching the Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera, Rocky & Bullwinkle, and Ninja Turtles cartoons.

Who were some of your favorite artists growing up?

Growing up? I honestly didn't know who the artists were, I just knew the finished product, ya know? As mentioned in the previous question, the Looney Tunes were probably the single greatest influence on my art at a young age. I would copy those characters day and night. I can draw a cartoon duck beak in my sleep to this day; it just pours out of me. And a close second was drawing the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The Ninja Turtles became a life long obsession. I drew them then, I draw them now and I will draw them until I no longer can. Also, I have a HUGE collection of Ninja Turtles toys, art, and other collectibles.

As I got older and I started realizing there were "artists behind the art", a few names that started to stand out were guys like Bruce Timm, Genndy Tartakovsky, Steve Purcell, Bill Watterson, Tex Avery, Chuck Jones, John K/Bob Camp and so many more.

Who do you really dig these days, who do you follow on Instagram?

Oh boy, there are so many but I'll try and just list a few standouts. Artists like Derek Yaniger, Chris Lee, Ed Vill, Shane Glines, Stephen Silver, Kevin Dart, and on and on. I've also recently started following a lot of Instagram accounts that are just full of old advertisements (like packaging for old junk food, fast food, and candy) and neon signs; very mid-century modern design stuff. I would say Bruce Timm and Stephen Silver's work are probably the two greatest influences on my work and style as a working artist today.

What advice would you have for budding artists today?

That's a loaded question. There are so many ways to go about becoming a (working) artist and what works for one person may not work for another. In the end, just draw. Draw. Draw. Draw. A question I get asked with some regularity is "How do I get a 'style' of my own?". New artists want their own style before anything else and to that, I say, "slow down!". Get comfortable with drawing and creating in general. Let your influences influence as you go and your style will grow organically from there. My style has changed radically over the years but in the end, I draw in a style that makes me happy and is fun to do. People sometimes forget to have fun while creating art. Another suggestion would be to make sure you're taking advantage of social media. Put your work out there. It's not all (or ever) going to get a zillion likes and retweets but have a presence online at the very least. It would be silly to not take advantage of all of these free platforms to get your work out there. I'm still trying to figure out all these algorithms myself. And one final note; BE. A. PROFESSIONAL. Write incoherent and complete sentences. Have a website. Have an email address without "xXx69xXx" in it. Be polite. Respond to emails in a timely manner. Make people want to work with you. Art is 50% of the job (maybe even less). The other 50% (maybe even more) is dealing with people, clients, and real life.

What should we be looking out for from you in the future?

That's tricky. A lot of the work I do is often under wraps by the client so I can't talk about it until it's officially announced or out. That being said, I'm currently working on some official Ninja Turtles stuff; very unique and different then the normal fair. Throw a little Batman in there and a dash of Willy Wonka. And after a recent successful foray into tiki art I've become the "tiki guy" for some so I'm always trying to come up new tiki-inspired prints and posters.

Being a fansite, we have to ask you… What are some of your favorite movies/TV shows of all time?

My favorite movie of all time has to be Who Framed Roger Rabbit. It checks all the boxes for me but especially because it has a vintage Hollywood setting meshed seamlessly with cartoons! I'll forgo all the standard list of classic 1980s movies that I love and that everyone lists and just fire off a few flicks I dig and are a little offbeat that I love; Bio-Dome, Joe's Apartment, Coneheads, Down Periscope, High Fidelity, Hot Rod, Nacho Libre, I Love You Man, Pineapple Express and That Thing You Do!. Bob's Burgers has quickly become a favorite of my wife and I. We've been watching it for years and never get sick of it. Since being stuck at home I've had a chance to revisit some shows from the past and I gotta say if you haven't watched Party Down, now is the time. Oh and Mission Hill is a short-lived animated show that I love that no one knows about from Simpsons writer/producer team Bill Oakley and Josh Weinstein.

Scroll down to check out some of our favorite art pieces from Mr. Glaubinger as we continue to follow his journey across some of his Website and social media hubs: Instagram / Twitter / Facebook.  

Back To The Future

Beetlejuice

The Blues Brothers

Bob's Burgers

Fear & Loathing In Las Vegas

Looney Tunes: Rabbit Fire

The Lord Of The Rings: The Fellowship Of The Ring

Monty Python And The Holy Grail

O Brother Where Art Thou

Raiders Of The Lost Ark

Robin Hood

The Sandlot

Star Wars

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles