Meet Luke Daab of Daab Creative in Winfield

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luke Daab.

Thanks for sharing your story with us Luke. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I have been making art my entire life. I’m an artist, illustrator, designer, singer, songwriter, storyteller, performer and puppeteer. I thrive on creative expression. Raised on a steady diet of Star Wars, Muppets, cartoons and comic books. I grew to love entertainment media at a young age. If you asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, without hesitation I would have answered, “artist” or “entertainer.”

Even as a child, I was always making things. I wrote and illustrated stories, performed my own songs, produced radio plays and even built my own puppets to perform for family and friends. The act of sharing my creations with others gave me immeasurable joy. Fortunately, my parents were amazing. Seeing this passion, they set up a desk underneath the basement stairs, creating my first art studio. While my friends were outside playing, I was busy creating.

I studied graphic design, industrial design and illustration in college, graduating with a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of Michigan’s Penny Stamps School of Art and Design. After college, I worked for six years designing book covers and interiors for a mid-sized publishing company and then one year with a small agency designing logos, print materials, websites and email newsletters for local companies. It wasn’t until 2007, that I opened my own studio, Daab Creative.

Building my own company allowed me to showcase a fuller portion of my own skills and talents. In addition to designing book covers, websites and logos, I started to offer my skills as a copywriter, illustrator, performer and more. Today, I provide illustration for storybooks, graphics for mobile apps, theme music for podcasts and marketing artwork for animated features!

Five years ago, Daab Creative expanded to include my personal artwork. I still love drawing superheroes and through posting my work online, discovered that there is an audience for my creations. I make prints of my work and one-of-a-kind commissions for fans, selling them at regional and national comic book conventions. This July, I’ll be showcasing my work at San Diego Comic Con and I couldn’t be more excited.

I love my work and the freedom I have to pursue my passion. I am truly fortunate. All these years later, I’m still that kid under the stairs illustrating stories, writing songs and performing — using my gifts to bring happiness and joy to others.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
While I had always dreamed of working for myself, Daab Creative was actually born out of necessity. When my agency job ended in 2007, I had one month’s severance, no capital, and no experience running a business. I learned everything through trial and error and made a lot of mistakes in those first few years.

As an artist, I believed wrongly for many years that success relied upon being “discovered.” I wasted a lot of time waiting for someone to rescue me and set my feet on a golden path. It took me a long time and a lot of maturing to realize that success comes step-by-step through hard work, risk and pushing through fear.

It may not seem like it but I am predisposed to “playing it safe.” The early years of my career, even my schooling, were spent playing on the sidelines of the game rather than on the field. I thought that I could play on the periphery of an art career and be satisfied. I couldn’t. When I began showing and selling my own art, everything changed. For the first time, I am playing my own game. The stakes are higher but the rewards are that much greater.

Daab Creative – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Daab Creative is a hybrid Art and Design studio creating art for art’s sake and art to build your business. I am your artist-for-hire with the ability to deliver solutions across a wide variety of creative medium. When someone hires me, they don’t just hire a visual artist or designer, they hire a writer, storyteller, songwriter and performer. My friends, family and clients alike have described me as “oozing creativity.” That’s what I bring to the table — a unique array of skills, the experience of a professional and the heart of an artist.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
I have never felt more blessed by my work and career than I did last April at the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo — Chicago’s premiere comic book and pop culture convention. From the moment the doors opened, I was visited by fans of my art and artists who have encouraged me on my journey. I watched my work entertain, inspire and bring joy to others. I am proud of my work, for sure. But, I am even more proud of the moments it has inspired and the friendships formed because of it.

Contact Info:

• Website: daabcreative.com
• Phone: 630-414-4730
• Email: luke@daabcreative.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/daabcreative/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DaabCreative/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/daabcreative

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