Featured Artist: Kerry Lambert (@kerry_fin)

Alright friends, I'm excited to be bringing you the first post in our new Featured Artist series. Each month I will feature an artist that is out there doing great work and ask them a few questions to help you get to know them a bit better.

For this inaugural incarnation of the series I'm honored to be featuring the one and only Kerry Lambert, otherwise known as @kerry_fin on Instagram and Twitter. I've been a big fan of Kerry's work since I first came across it late one night on Instagram. And, he's actually the one that inspired me to start creating and sharing my own free content with the art community. For that I am grateful, and I'm sure there are a lot of you out there who have had similar experiences.

So without further ado, let's get onto the Q&A with Kerry.

Can you give us a little background info on yourself? Where do you live? What do you do for a living?

Sure, I live in a little suburban town called Ashford, just south of London in the UK. I'm a process worker in a dental laboratory. I'm lucky enough to have a creative job. I make dental models, inlays, crowns, anything tooth related basically.

When and how did you start creating digital art?

I started creating digital art after discovering @hallwood's Instagram account years ago. He would always say what apps he used in each edit. I always respected the fact that he did that. It was helpful to anyone wanting to follow in his footsteps and consequently, I do that same. I always tag the apps I use in my art so others can think about the process I used.

How many hours per day do you currently spend creating art?

It depends. I could spend all day, every day making images if I had the time. Couldn't guarantee they'd all be good though. My other hobby is music. I play guitar, bass and program electronic music so I try to make time for both.

Would you consider yourself a professional (you get paid to create art), or a hobbyist?

It's definitely a hobby. Although, I have been paid for a few bits. I have a couple of paid packs coming out in a couple of different apps so I've made a little there. I'd be pretty blessed to be able to do this professionally.

I don't like the idea of selling my iPhone art though. I know a lot of people sell their work on society6 or whatever but often their entire feed becomes an advert. I don't have anything against anyone doing that, of course. It's just not for me. Also, I think I'd feel really self conscious if someone bought a print of something I made on my tiny phone screen.

What are some of your favorite apps to use for creating art?

My most important app is Image Blender. I've been using it for years and now it's like second nature. Not the most advanced blending app but I like the simplicity. It suits my editing style.

At the moment I love combining Isometric and SparkMode with Image Blender. You can rotate the overlaid image by degree and scale up or down by percentage and that's how I get those weird patterns.

I really like the filters in older apps like Picfx and PictureShow. They give a really nice feel.

Also gotta say, pretty much anything by Pixite Apps. They really understand the wants and needs of their users, which is great.

What is @RSA_Graphics? And can you tell us a little about your role as a moderator?

I think of #Rsa_Graphics as the hub of the Instagram graphics community. We're basically a feature page but we're all passionate about promoting mobile art.

My role as moderator, apart from finding and posting daily features is to be the go to guy for app companies. I usually coordinate our weekly challenges with developers so we can get some good prizes like free apps for the community. We have some big stuff planned and some even bigger prizes so follow @rsa_graphics and make sure you don't miss out.

What are some of your favorite accounts (other than mine of course) to follow on Instagram? Artists or otherwise.

My number one favourite Instagram account actually isn't a graphics account at all. It's @ColeRise.

I don't even want to start explaining how mind blowing his feed is. My words couldn't do it justice. Just see for yourself.

Graphics wise I adore the work of @mode500, @_lynettejackson, @frozen_light.

Do you have any advice for people just starting to create their own art? Resources, tips, tricks, etc?

I hope this doesn't come across to pretentious but I have a bit of a philosophical view on how to create your best work. Or how I do at least.

PLAY.

Often, when I have an idea in my head, I will start trying to create it and get frustrated when it doesn't come out exactly how I imagined. Then I begin to over think the process and I rarely end up achieving what I wanted to.

However, I find if I just start playing around and trying out new things with no specific idea or plan, that's when I come up with something totally new and different. I kind of get lost in the edit. Sounds weird but it's kind of like going into a meditative state where you're not thinking about the process. The edit just sort of moves freely where it wants to go and sort of creates itself. If that makes sense?

So I'd suggest that. Just play. It's also the best way to learn your way around new apps.

Where can people find out more about you or get in touch with you? Twitter, website, etc.?

Well, my phone number is...

I'm on Twitter @kerry_fin.

That's it. I'd like to thank Kerry for taking time out of his busy schedule to give us some insight into his world. And be sure to follow @kerry_fin on Instagram and Twitter if you're not already.