It was 2AM, and I just got home from an evening out with friends. Before hitting the sack, I did the usual routine, which was: take a bath, brush my teeth, change into my dad’s big old shirt, and then peacefully head on to the beautiful fantasyland called Sleep. But the thing was, it was 2AM, I was broken and lonely, and there was no way I was getting some shut-eye any sooner.
I decided to scroll through my newsfeed to get my head off things, but as fate would have it, my thumb stopped at this photo, and BAM.
Glass shatters.
A plane crashes.
And my heart sinks into darkness.
Nah, I’m just kidding. I just found this illustration beautiful, so I headed to the artist’s Facebook page. His posts were really relatable, so I just had to share his works!
READ: These Stunning Disney Illustrations Will Make Your Heart Flutter
Rombutan (pseudonym) is a 22-year-old artist who recently graduated from the University of the Philippines Diliman. His Facebook page currently has 77,000 likes, and his posts have been shared for over a thousand times (where mah heartbroken friends at?).
Luckily, I got the chance to ask him some questions about his art (fan girl mode: on)! Get to know this upcoming artist in this quick interview.
Why “Rombutan”?
There’s no deep meaning behind it actually, I got it from combining Rom and Rambutan. I love rambutans!!
Who is Rombutan in five words?
Weird, crazy, awkward, broken, and human.
What do you do on a typical Thursday?
Wallow in my miserable life and wait for friday. Fridays are awesome!!
Describe your style.
Very flat and linear, it’s pop! Also sad. Very sad.
Is there a story on how you discovered your style?
After practicing digital drawing for almost 2 years, it just came to me!
A lot of people find your posts very relatable. Where do you get your inspiration from?
From the desire to let out my emotions that’s been kept for too long.
Is there a story on how your posts started becoming viral?
When broken people started seeing my artworks. My friends were very supportive; they kept sharing my artworks for other broken people to see.
What are three things you can’t work without?
Coffee, cigarette, and my couch.
Can you share with us your five favourite artworks, and the stories behind each one?
I made this illustration for my organization UP ASTERISK, this was my first ever major artwork made in this kind style.
I made this for my friend who’s suffering from depression. This is a call for all the people out there; that they should do whatever it takes to pull someone back to life. Talk to your friend, help them.
I was so broken that night that I had to draw this. The image speaks for itself.
Literally, I was broke that day. Instead of going out with friends, I did this. 🙁
Bahala na. Whatever is behind that door, that decision im making, ayun na yun.
Make sure to check out Rombutan’s page for more of his works.
I’m sure his illustrations speak to all of us in many levels. Which one’s your favorite?
