Conversations with Adam Roob

Today we’d like to introduce you to Adam Roob.

Hi Adam, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My name is Adam (artwork handle: Adam Matthew Ink).  I was born and raised in Milwaukee, WI to two parents who were making a living as artists in their own right.  My dad was a photographer and my mom did touch-ups on the photos by hand (before photoshop).  I started drawing at a young age, like everyone else, drawing popular characters that I loved. I was continually inspired by pop culture and the content I was consuming and wanted to see the work through my own interpretation. I continued with that for years until I thought it was refined enough that I could say something with my work that other people might connect with. 

I started drawing at a young age, like everyone else, drawing popular characters that I loved. I was continually inspired by pop culture and the content I was consuming and wanted to see the work through my own interpretation. I continued with that for years until I thought it was refined enough that I could say something with my work that other people might connect with. 

We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
There are always struggles: figuring out how to set up a booth for a market, tax information, lack of inspiration, or generally being a human in today’s society, but I have a great support system in my wife, my friends/family, and other artists and makers! It’s important to be open and inquisitive during the process. Learn from others, help others, and being a part of the artist community. 

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I specialize in nerdy pop-culture artwork. Taking media that inspires me and reinterpreting them in my own style. I’ve always been inspired by Japanese woodcuts and watercolors, along with countless comics, cartoons, and films. Ink and textures are some of the biggest throughlines of my work. Whether it’s subtle or extreme, I’m always interested in bringing through textures and emotion, even in digital works. I constantly get asked what medium I used and when I say digital, people are flabbergasted. I don’t only work in digital, but being digital was the biggest push of my work to being as refined as it is. 

I suppose I’m most proud of my style and how I interpret popular culture into my artwork. The style can drastically change from subject to subject or series to series, but it’s fun to see the throughline and my own spin on popular characters. 

We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
That we’re never alone and we’re more alike than we think we are. 

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/adammatthewink/
• Website: https://www.adammatthewink.com/

Image Credits
Samer Ghani