The Crunch Mag
Tell us a little bit about yourself
Danielle
I Born and raised in Melbourne Australia. I’m 23 years old, a full time artist, love tennis, travel and cooking. My mother is Italian and my father is Swiss. I have a Double Degree in Bachelor of Health sciences and Bachelor of Arts. I’m very loud, outgoing and ambitious. I’m also quite a Tom boy which a lot of people are surprised to hear!
The Crunch Mag
We notice on your instagram feed that you paint a lot of hip hop artist. What music did you listen to growing up?
Danielle
Indeed. Funnily enough, I wasn’t a big fan of hip hop music until clients asked me to paint various artists for them. Growing up, I listened to whatever was on the radio, as I had minimal access to technology. I guess it was a lot of pop and in my later teenage years I started listening to RNB and hip hop also. I wasn’t a die hard fan of the artists I predominantly paint though, I just enjoyed listening to them. Now I have so much respect for the paths they took in order for them to succeed, their drive and talent.
The Crunch Mag
Is hip hop something you’re passionate about or just a creative choice because of its popularity?
Danielle
Initially, hip hop wasn’t something I was passionate about. I have always loved the genre but I didn’t really know much about it. Clients have brought me to love it and have a new found respect for it. It has only been through clients ordering pieces that I have learnt a lot.
The Crunch Mag
Besides being a creative artist and loving swimming and beaches (from your insta) tell us something we don’t know about Danielle
Danielle
I’m very spiritual and appreciate life more than I can comprehend myself. I’m a massive fan of tennis. I played and coached for 10 years. I’m also really loud and annoying and drive people crazy most of the time! Haha
The Crunch Mag
When people see your artwork what are their general reaction and how does that make you feel?
Danielle
When you say you’re an artist, understandably no one ever takes you seriously until they’ve seen your work. When people see my work its generally ‘wow’, are you serious? Is that a painting?. Or ‘holy s*** you’re a freak’. I still get flustered and don’t know how to react when people say those things haha, but of course I am proud of myself.
The Crunch Mag
Have you ever got any negative comments about your work and how did you deal with it?
Danielle
Yes, I have. I think when you are on social media a lot and put yourself out there, negative comments are inevitable. I’ve used social media to my advantage, so I use what I positively benefit from it to help me dismiss any negativity I may be faced with. I deal with negative comments by reminding myself that I love what I’m doing, I inspire people (for the most part) and I’m happy. That’s all that matters. I don’t react to negativity, I just ignore it and laugh it off!
The Crunch Mag
We know you’ve been travelling around creating some giant masterpieces. Where do you see yourself in the future or do you just tackle your career day by the day?
Danielle
In future I wish to own my own gallery. I also want to focus on my own style and develop my own collection to exhibit. Painting more murals on larger scales around the world is definitely another goal I wish to focus on. Travel and art is the perfect combination.
The Crunch Mag
How long does it normally take you to create a piece? Can you take us through your process/workflow?
Danielle
It completely depends on what the piece is, what style and how much detail. Some pieces may take two hours, others have taken me in excess of 120 hours. For now I prefer to work with acrylic as it is easy to clean up after and I can work fast to keep up with the demand for my work. If I am painting portraits/faces, I always sketch the painting first. Depending how many layers of paint I put down initially (undercoats) portraits can require up to 6 layers to achieve the desired depth/character. I work on up to 10 different pieces at the same time to keep me interested. I need to be enjoying my work 110%, so I work on a lot of different pieces to keep me interested.
The Crunch Mag
How does it feel to finish your double degree and do what you love the most?
Danielle
It is pretty surreal to be honest. When you never imagined studying at university let alone doing what you love everyday as a full time ‘job’, it’s hard to swallow. I never thought of my academic abilities or art highly so to accomplish both at the same time is quite an achievement and I am incredibly proud of myself. I did have plenty of moments when working and painting excessive hours and trying to balance University became to much and dropping out seemed like the easiest option. But hey, I did it!! You can do anything you put your mind to.
The Crunch Mag
We just want to say that your work is flawless and one day we’ll have our very own Danielle Weber masterpiece! Any final words? or wisdom for our readers?
Danielle
Thank you so much! I look forward to it!
I hear of and meet so many people who are unhappy and as a result suffer from mental illnesses because they haven’t pursued what they love, or what they want to do. I believe everyone has a choice, but a lot of visions are shadowed by the fear that is instilled through monetary and materialistic pressures.
Nothing evolves without hard work. Nothing is as pretty as it seems, or is portrayed to be but at the end of the day if you’re doing what you love, and you’re happy that’s all that matters. I also stress greatly that money should never be a drive or priority. In western countries it is so easy to get caught up in pretentiousness and material things, we need to stay true to our upbringings and ourselves.
Never let anyone tell you that your art won’t make you a living. Create as much as you can, whenever you can. Use Social media to your advantage. In this day and age, marketing is key to being successful and putting yourself out there. People will see your passion, determination and drive and will support your journey and recognise your development and growth. Your fan base are so important as they help keep you motivated to create more and better.
See more of Danielle Weber’s work here
Website: www.daniellesartwork.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/daniellesartwork
Snapchat: dwebsartwork
Instagram: @daniellesartworkofficial
Interviewed by The Crunch Enforcer
Tristan Manas
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