Spanish painter Salvador Dali is
the preeminent figure in surrealism.
During his day, he was known to
create works that stimulate
people’s emotions and imagination
by exploring the boundary between
dream and reality.
The mysterious and fantastic
elements in his work often contain
various symbols and meanings, and to
this day, Dali’s paintings capture
the attention of numerous people
thanks to a variety of different
interpretations and highly
expressive styles.
Selected as a Hall of Fame inductee
this May is @Robbe,
who also has a knack for capturing
the beauty of an unrealistic world
full of imagination.
@Robbe often paints
a beautiful fantasy world.
He tells mysterious and interesting
stories through his paintings by
observing various topics
and infusing his creative ideas with
those topics to create meaning from
within.
At the same time,
the artist conveys various
interpretations and inspiration
through dreamlike colors and unique
arrangements.
We can't wait to ask @Robbe
about artworks through an interview.
Now, let us begin
our interview with the artist.
Q1. @PENUP
Hello, @Robbe.
This is the operations team
from PENUP.
First of all,
congratulations on being selected
for the Hall of Fame in May 2024.
Please briefly introduce yourself
and tell us your thoughts
on selection.
A1. @Robbe
Hello, I’m @Robbe
and I’m a passionate artist.
I’m honored to have been selected
for the PENUP Hall of Fame
in May 2024.
This recognition means a lot to me
as it represents the appreciation
for my work and creativity.
I’m grateful for this platform
that has allowed me to share my art
with the world and I’m excited to
continue creating and inspiring
others with my works.
Thank you PENUP
for this incredible opportunity.
Q2. @PENUP
Since posting the first work
in January 2021, you have been
uploading works consistently.
We are curious how you found out
about PENUP and how you came to
upload your work.
A2. @Robbe
It was just another day, I was
surfing the web on a site whose name
I can’t even remember, when I
crossed paths with Samsung’s S-Pen.
Being a long-time drawing
enthusiast, I thought:
‘Hey, why not give it a shot?’.
So, I decided to take the plunge
and buy my first Samsung smartphone,
armed with this magical pen,
ready to draw anywhere and anytime.
Then, as if by magic, I discovered
that my new phone already had
the Penup app pre-installed.
‘Why not upload a drawing?’,
I thought.
I wanted to see what people
around the world thought of my work…
and so, almost without realizing it,
I started my artistic journey
on Penup.
And as they say,
the rest is history!
Q3. @PENUP
Your paintings feel dreamy
and beautifully expressive.
What kind of devices and apps
do you use when you’re drawing
and painting?
A3. @Robbe
I started drawing using
the Samsung Note 2, then the '4
and then the '10 plus, now the '20.
Recently, I purchased
the Samsung tab s6 lite.
I’ve experimented with many apps,
but in the end, what best suits
what I draw is “Arflow”,
“Sketchbook”, and often also
the tools provided on Penup.
I like to use filters like grain
and saturation, because I believe
it brings the final result closer
to a real painting.
Q4. @PENUP
You often create mysterious and
unique works on a variety of topics.
What motivated you to draw and paint
in the beginning?
A4. @Robbe
I was born this way :)
Pure passion for music and art
in general, the motivation that
drives me to continue is always
the same.
Drawing, painting, and sculptures
allow me to express thoughts
and my visions that I couldn’t in
any other way.
Q5. @PENUP
The way your characters all
look different led us to think about
all of these different stories.
What prompted you to create these
different looks, and where do you
get your inspiration?
A5. @Robbe
I draw inspiration from
all the artists on Penup,
(no one excluded), in the comments,
watching a movie or better reading
a book or comic that is.
Sometimes I go over memories
and fashions: there was a period
in Italy where the “Vespa” was
fashionable, Jimi Hendrix-style hair
and going on roller skates was like
flying on clouds…
Q6. @PENUP
Some of your work contains animals.
How do you choose
which animal to paint?
And do the animals mean something
specific in your paintings?
A6. @Robbe
I don’t have a precise answer on
how I choose them, but I can
certainly say that in them
I see evolution, wisdom, friendship,
purity, etc… albeit at a different
level compared to humans,
but not using a lower/higher scale.
In other words, I see animals as
beings that embody certain qualities
and characteristics, not necessarily
in a hierarchical sense, but rather
in a way that acknowledges
the unique value and essence of
each creature.
Whether it’s the wisdom of an
old elephant, the purity of a bird
in flight, or the evolution
represented by a butterfly,
each animal brings its own unique
perspective.
Q7. @PENUP
The way you use abstract expressions
and colors in your work is really
impressive.
When you’re trying to express
something, is there a particular part
you pay extra attention to?
Could you tell us whether there's
something you're trying to tell us
through your choice of colors?
A7. @Robbe
Even though it’s not always
the case, I try to give meaning to
the colors I use: red I sometimes
use to represent the gravity of
a scene, black for darkness,
brown for experience, yellow for
liveliness and joy, orange for
alert, green for tranquility,
blue for open space, gray for
depression…
Sometimes, once the painting is
finished, I brighten or dull
all the colors based on the mood
I’m in at that moment.
Q8. @PENUP
We came across a lot of characters
that looked somewhat like chestnuts.
Is it your own character,
and what meaning does it have?
A8. @Robbe
He he he, actually this character
was born from the following thought:
how can I represent a subject
who feels unlucky, who “tries” to be
nice, but to whom it is not easy to
get too close because of his being?
Q9. @PENUP
Sometimes, you paint
the same subject in different ways.
Is there a reason behind that?
We're also curious to know
what topics you would like to tackle
in your paintings down the road.
A9. @Robbe
My choice depends on the scene.
It’s a bit like entering a different
world and adapting to it, or rather,
tuning into the essence of the scene
itself.
When I created these drawings,
I was immersing myself in a world
that I perceived as somewhat sad.
I tried not to disturb the balance
of the scene, and at the same time,
I tried to bring a positive light
element.
Q10. @PENUP
Last question.
Please tell us
improvements or comments
you want to share with us
while using PENUP.
A10. @Robbe
Sure PENUP, I would like to propose
an idea that could further enrich
our community.
Many artists on PENUP have
extraordinary galleries of virtual
artworks.
I believe it would be wonderful
if we could bring these artworks
out of the virtual world.
Events could be organized
where PENUP artists can exhibit
their works, both virtual and
physical, in dedicated galleries.
This would not only give artists
a platform to showcase their talent,
but would also allow art admirers
to appreciate these works in
a different environment.
In addition, I have contacts in
my area who could help make
this event possible.
I would be happy to discuss
this idea further and
how it could be realized.
I hope my idea can be taken into
consideration, I am sure the result
would be really fantastic.
I express my deepest gratitude to
the Penup community,
without excluding anyone.
Best regards, @Robbe.
How was the interview with @Robbe?
Salvador Dali researched
new expressions by challenging
himself again and again.
He also experimented using
various techniques and media.
Similarly, @Robbe also carefully dissects
various topics and experiments
with various messages or expressions
by infusing his imagination with
unique techniques.
If you’re reading this,
why not look for a new topic that
you've never included in your work
before and draw a picture using
your own imagination?
We think it could be fun to observe
things in a different way
than the usual way, and combine
completely different materials
into one coherent picture.
We hope to see your creativity
blossom through PENUP.