MUTINYZINE INTERVIEW
RICHARD MININO aka HORSEBITES
by Christer Davidsson | May 7th, 2008
Hey Richard! What's happening in Orlando?
Hi! Not too much is happening here besides the everlasting developments of new theme park rides and such.
Needless to say, Horse Bites Design has really been blowing up these past couple of years. You must spend a lot of your time doing this stuff.
Yup, It's my full time job so I have to kick ass and try to get as many jobs done as I can. Although lately I've been so busy that I've just been turning down jobs because they would have to be pushed really far back and I don't want to commit to a job that I said I would do 7 months ago. I could be in a totally different mind frame by then.
Was there a certain point in your life when you thought like - "Shit, I'm good at this stuff!"?
Um, I guess I really thought "wow, people are taking me seriously and I think I can stick to this illustration thing until people get bored with me." I think that point in my life that made me realize that was when I was on tour with my band (New Mexican Disaster Squad) and I didn't want to go back to a job with a boss breathing down my neck. I hated delivering pizzas and I wanted to be my own boss. How punk is that!? Ha.
What got you into this whole drawing, illustration, printing thing in the first place?
I did a lot of art for my band like CD covers, shirts, etc. This got the attention of Strike Anywhere and a few other people and then once I did the album artwork for Strike Anywhere it started to pick up a little speed. People told other people and I made sure that I put a lot of time in to those pieces because it was my first impression on a lot of people.
You grew up in Orlando, FL, right? Do you think the fact that Disney World is located in your hometown has made an impact on your work as an artist?
I know it's dumb but it has had a huge influence on me. I always loved going there as a kid and looking at how people created this imaginary world out of nothing. I still look up to Walt Disney as an amazing artist. The one thing is Disney got too cocky and took over too much stuff. Now there are too many theme parks and too many people.
You have a very distinct style. I think most people who know your work can say right away if a design was made by you. What other artists have influenced you?
I have been heavily influenced by Jim Phillips (Santa Cruz skate graphics), Ed "Big Daddy" Roth (Rat Fink), John Pound (Garbage Pail Kids) and Pushead. I always loved staring at their stuff when I was a kid and I wanted to draw just like them.
Tons of your art has been used by bands for merchandise and record-artwork. Do you remember the first record-cover you made?
The first one I did was really embarassing and it was in high school. My friend asked me and I didn't want to. Other than that my first "official" record I did was for New Mexican Disaster Squad and it was our very 7 inch record. I was still trying to figure out my style and just did a simple illustration of a man with a gas mask.
You've been doing most of your stuff for punk and hardcore bands, which is pretty obvious considering you're involved in punk yourself. However, lately I've seen designs you've done for bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and Alan Jackson. Are you breaking new ground?
I would like to branch out a little and try my hand at different style bands because I feel like it makes you a better artist and makes you think differently. Because come on, most of the people who listen to Lynyrd Skynyrd are red necks and it was a little difficult to put my self in their shoes. Mainly it's just a big company that owns licensing rights to these bands and they ask to me do new stuff lately. Today they asked to do a few Ted Nugent shirts! Ha, it's
pretty funny and weird at the same time.
What kind of techniqes do you use in your work? I mean, it's not all pen & ink.
I generally draw the image first with a pen and then scan it into photoshop. I then make it a crisp black and white image. Then I live trace it in illustrator and color it in there. I like use a lot of texture stuff that I either find on the internet or in print.
Inspiration can't always be at hand. Are there moments when you have absolutely no inspiration or ideas to move forward with your work? What gets you going on a project? Music? Booze?
Great question! I can get burnt out easily or discouraged because I either feel like I can't think of anything or I don't want to seem as if I'm repeating myself. That's the hardest game I've had to play with myself. I usually just take some time away from the computer and drawing so I can clear my head. I love to hang out with friends, watch movies and look
through art books of my favorite artists.
Besides the stuff you've done for bands, you've presented some of your stuff at a couple of "real" art shows as well. Tell me a little bit about that.
Luckily I met Heather Hannoura (now Heather Gabel) and we had an art show in Chicago that Matt from Alkaline Trio DJ'ed. It was a lot of fun and a cool experience. I like to participate in art shows and I love going to the show with my friends and just having a great time. I have a few planned for later this year and early next year so stay tuned for that!
Out of all the stuff you've made so far, is there a favorite piece?
Yes, I think my favorite piece will always be the painting I did for myself. It's of the Epcot ball and has two Flamingos making a heart symbol. It's called "The City Beautiful". It was one of my first real paintings I did and I still can never let it go after all these years.
If you could design an album-cover for any band at all, what band would it be and how the cover look?
Hmm, that's a tough one because I hate doing CD covers now. It's so much work compared to everything else. I guess it would have to be an outrageous band like Slayer where I could go nuts and make it as gory and crazy as I want it to be. Or I would do Celine Dion and hide a bunch of images of dicks and satanic imagery in there.
You've just opened up your own webstore at horsebitesdesign.com. Are you making a living out of your art yet?
I make a living off of my illustrations but not off of my own personal line of clothes and accessories. I wish! Someday I want to concentrate more on that instead of doing freelance so I can have complete creative control.
Apart from NMDS you're also in this new band called Gatorface. Does your work as a designer ever get in the way of your music or would you say the two go hand in hand?
I can't really tour that much anymore because I'm so busy but I also can not stop playing music because it is such a different outlet and something that keeps me sane. I love it. I'm really in to Gatorface because we don't have any expectations to play a bunch or write albumx and tour. It's strictly for fun and it's a great feeling.
What's the next step for Horse Bites? What are you working on right now?
I'm actually planning on building a theme park based around HORSEBITES and all of the rides are super fast and are never tested and put together in the dark. I get to ride around on a motorcycle and cause havoc anytime I want to. The bathrooms will never be clean and I'm also going to wild animals run through the park to feed on whatever they please. Also when any kid is being is a brat or crying in my theme park they get thrown into a pit with alligators and have to fend for their lives until they shut up. I think people will come again and again for good ol' american family fun!
Just kidding, but seriously, I just finished five snowboards for ROME snowboards. They rule!! I want to do more stuff like that. I've also been doing a lot of stuff for Less Than Jake, they treat me amazing as an artist. Most of all I want to concentrate on making HORSEBITES bigger and making more items for my personal webstore to sell. That's my favorite.
Do you have anything else you'd like to say to the readers of MutinyZine before we say goodbye?
Yes, whenever your parents tell you that you're not good enough or they want you to be something that you're not, take your skateboard and smack in the head with it. Then run away until you can't run any further and then walk back and say you're sorry.
HORSEBITES LINKS:
MySpace Profile | Official WebsiteDIRECT LINK TO THIS INTERVIEW:
http://www.mutinyzine.com/interview78.htmlRELATED ARTICLES:
New Mexican Disaster Squad | Interview, May 2006 (All illustrations in this interview by: Richard Minino, HORSEBITES DESIGN)