Featured Artist: Obinsun

After a turbulent year like 2020, Obinsun’s art is exactly the sort of hilarious message that the world needs to hear. His distinctive style – with its clean, simple, and bold lines – is a reminder that even the darkest moments can make you smile.

Obinsun’s iconic character, or an adorable Grim Reaper, often serves as messenger of doom and gloom in our society. However, Obinsun reverses this expectation by depicting Death as an adorable figure who – even when surrounded by darkness – can enjoy an ice cream cone, a bundle of “balloons”, and a cozy night in with his cats.

Obinsun, or Joel Robinson, is from Salem, Oregon and shares that he has been a “doodler since I was little. [...] I would draw on everything.” In fact, even as he grows and evolves as an artist, he continues to draw in this cartoon-like style that is uniquely his own.

He also jokes, “I will never tire of drawing cats” and that his ideas come to him during the most random moments throughout the day. He believes that creativity is “listening to that magical feeling in your heart that urges you to bring beautiful ideas to life.”

Joel shares that he struggles with managing his time and that he experiences “creative binges” that keep him drawing all night long to meet a deadline. Nonetheless, he dreams “of a time when I can get myself to follow a reasonable schedule.” Although he hopes for more organization in his own creative process, he recognizes the importance of simply letting oneself create freely. He encourages other artists to “make lots of art” and that “there is no substitute for miles on your pen, pencil or paintbrush.”

He admits, “DesignbyHumans holds a special place in my heart” because selling on DBH has helped him to realize his dream of pursing art as a profession. Today, he is a self-employed artist and shares, “I thank my lucky stars every day for the opportunity to do what I love for a living.”