We recently had the chance to connect with Tony Lockhart and have shared our conversation below.
Tony, really appreciate you sharing your stories and insights with us. The world would have so much more understanding and empathy if we all were a bit more open about our stories and how they have helped shaped our journey and worldview. Let’s jump in with a fun one: What is a normal day like for you right now?
Right now, my day always starts with a cup of green tea to ease into a full day of illustrating, applying for contracts, the occasional screen call, and listening to music while I work. Admittedly, I am constantly refreshing my email, anxiously checking in for follow ups which I know I should stop, so I find ways to squeeze in a walk on the trail near my neighborhood to disconnect.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m Tony Lockhart aka CreativeSnark, an illustrator located in Raleigh, NC.
I create illustrations for branding and advertising purposes, and love to add hidden easter eggs into my work relating to the client. Besides illustration, I dabble in branding projects, video editing, and graphic design. It all pretty much started as a hobby that spiraled into a career, and I have no regrets. It was one of those cases where life chooses for you.
Currently, I am working on branding a really neat Twitch channel client with these fun pixel illustrations, emotes, and a new logo. I am also working on a huge Photoshop brush pack, looking to be completed by the beginning of next year, with plans to release it for those looking to get a start in digital illustration. The goal is to have around 60 brushes, which will include sketch brushes, textures, and object brushes that I have used over the past few years but with a little more refinement.
Amazing, so let’s take a moment to go back in time. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
I think poor communication is what often breaks bonds; people forget communication is a form of respect. And to restore them, patience is first due, as it involves rebuilding trust, educating oneself, and practicing effective communication.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
As a visual communication undergrad, I definitely came close to our sophomore portfolio review after being told I would not make it in this field, and I believed it cause the professors knew best, right? I even had this guy I would chat with at my local Starbucks, who owned an advertising agency, I befriended, who told me to pursue something else, and again, I accepted it cause these were professionals who had been where I wanted to go, so some truth was in it.
I basically did give up as I changed my major to marketing and was pursuing that path after accepting I was not good enough, but by that time, I already had a little reputation as people knew I was pursuing design and did small freelance gigs here and there, so I was still getting contacted for design projects outside of the classroom. I still took on these projects as I was a college kid and needed money. But this time I was not designing for anyone’s approval besides the client’s started to still explore freely.
I began buying design books to read, looking on YouTube, and even reached out to some amazing designers whose books I have read and they became great mentors. I eventually went back to the art department, becoming a double major, as my skills improved, cause at the times when I was told I was not good enough, I was not, I just needed guidance. Shortly after I created my first huge freelance design project for ABSOLUT Vodka and it snowballed into where I am now.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
Maybe a little, I often joke that CreativeSnark and Tony Lockhart are two different people. Based on what I have been told, I think publicly I am confident, sure of everything, and a social butterfly.
Realistically, I second-guess so much, constantly wondering if everything will pay off, and pretty introverted; I like spending time alone and am not a fan of large crowds at all.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What do you understand deeply that most people don’t?
That everyone has a different reality and that’s OK.
Everyone always projects their experience and reality onto others, and I tried to convey this in my past illustration work for mental health. Like what family means to one person, it means something entirely different to someone else. Like the holidays, for example, some people can not fathom that someone is OK and prefer to spend the holidays alone cause in their reality, holidays mean family moments 24/7. Remember when you were a kid, your parents might have been tucking you in every night, while someone else was hiding from their parents every night.
This could also be said for other cases within society, just cause you have not experienced or witnessed something, does not mean it does not happen to that group. You don’t have the right to narrate others’ experiences.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thecreativesnark.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecreativesnark/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tonylockhart/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTMslAW7eeqVSaYGG7wvdbw
- Other: https://www.behance.net/lockharttony
Image Credits
Betty Melkamu
