Meet Dominik Gümbel: multidisciplinary artist, graffiti kid turned concept designer, and freshly arrived in Leipzig. His work moves fluidly between illustration, character design, 3D animation, and print - and somehow, it all makes sense together. Dominik has actually been part of the Lake family for a while now, and we think it's about time you get to know him on a deeper level.
We asked him about his creative process, collaborations with other artists and how much it means to see his work colored by coloring enthusiasts from all around the world. And here's what he had to say.
Q: Your work covers a lot of different areas from concept art, character design, animation, illustration to print. Do you have a favorite, and is it also the one you work on the most?
I don't really have a single favorite, since I enjoy exploring all kinds of creative possibilities. That said, my focus tends to shift over time, and I often find myself drawn more strongly to one area for a while.
At the moment, I really enjoy creating 3D animations. It almost feels like magic when a scene I've built suddenly starts to move. But I also get distracted quickly and begin incorporating elements from other disciplines - so before I know it, I might already be focusing on graphic design or something completely different again.
Q: You also have a graffiti and tag pack available to purchase, which might surprise some people. Where does the love for graffiti come from?
Graffiti was my first real love when it came to art. Of course, I started out scribbling stick figures and dabbling in traditional media, but graffiti was what truly got me completely hooked.
It was probably because I was also into breakdancing and deeply involved in urban hip-hop culture for a while. I loved going out with other writers and bringing vibrant colors and bold lines onto walls, experimenting with letters, shapes, and sometimes characters.
Since graffiti is so present in everyday life, I could hardly escape its visual influence. Inspiration was everywhere on my way to school and beyond. And it felt like there was no end to the variety of letter styles, color combinations, and expressive, caricature-like characters. This variety was great for someone like me who struggled with the strict structures of anatomy and perspective for a while. It gave me the freedom to explore that I needed at that point in my journey.
It ultimately laid the foundation for the style I have today.
"Graffiti gave me the freedom to explore that I needed at that point in my journey. It ultimately laid the foundation for the style I have today."
Q: Can you walk us through how you start a new piece? Where do you usually begin?
Usually, I get a glimpse of an idea at some random point during the day. If it sticks with me for an hour or so, I know it's something worth exploring, and I start immersing myself in references. I find it difficult to bring an idea straight from my imagination onto paper, so building detailed mood boards helps me a lot in developing the first sketch, line by line.
Sometimes, though, I don't want to wait for inspiration to strike. In those moments, I turn to my stash of ideas from personal projects and pick one that stands out. This is especially helpful when I'm dealing with art block. This stash is filled with random text snippets, loose sketches, and more developed story ideas that just need a bit of refinement.
Q: You have two digital coloring books - The Sanctuary and Astral Championships - in Lake, where people can color your work on iPhone and iPad. What is it like seeing others bring your art to life with their own colors?
It brings me a lot of joy. In today's fast-paced digital world, people often spend only a few moments looking at an image. So when someone takes the time to open one of my coloring books in Lake and bring it to life with their own vision, it means a lot to me. It's like a collaboration without knowing who I am making art with. I create the lines, and they complete the piece in a way I could never fully predict — and that is a lot of fun to me.
"It's like a collaboration without knowing who I am making art with. I create the lines, and they complete the piece in a way I could never fully predict."
This is how some of us (the employees of Lake) colored Dominik's drawings.
Q: You recently co-created Mirrored Dreams with fellow artist Stefan Große Halbuer, aka Gooey Goose - collecting real dreams and nightmares from the public and turning them into a 230+ page illustrated book with 11 artists. How did that come about?
Not so long ago, Stefan and I asked ourselves that very question. If I remember correctly, it started with a long brainstorming session about possible projects we could work on together. We had already collaborated as a duo for some time, but we had been wanting to create a printed art book for a while.
We knew that doing it on our own would take a very long time, so we began looking for a concept that could become the "ultimate collaboration" - something that would resonate with both artists and audiences alike. After some back and forth, the idea of illustrating dreams and nightmares came together quite naturally. They offer endless stories and visuals to grab from and kept us from having tunnel vision on just one topic. And inviting other artists to contribute felt like the perfect way to complete the vision.
In the end, it gave us the opportunity to reach far beyond what we could have done alone, while also allowing each participating artist's audience to see their wildest dreams or nightmares brought to life by someone they admire.
The project was successfully backed on Kickstarter and features artwork from various artists, pictured here by Dimitris Pantazis and Ykha Amelz.
Q: Is there one thing - a book, a film, a place, or a person - that has really shaped the way you think about creativity?
There are probably many things that have shaped me on my path to becoming an artist. But if I had to point to one defining moment, it would be meeting one of my art heroes, Even Mehl Amundsen, back in 2016 at the IFCC festival in Croatia.
At the time, I was still in the early stages of becoming a digital artist and was trying hard to break into the concept art scene. I felt completely lost in my work and unsure of what direction to take. He recognized that and, despite his busy schedule, took the time to give me a few lessons on the principles of strong character design - lessons that continue to shape the way I approach my work and creativity in general to this day.
That said, if you are thinking about becoming an artist yourself, I can only recommend reaching out to an artist that inspires you and asking for a few pointers and tips.
Both of Dominik's coloring books are available now in Lake for iPhone and iPad. The Sanctuary takes you somewhere neon-lit and slightly otherworldly. Astral Championships keeps it clean, bold, and in motion. They're waiting for you in Lake to make them yours.
