Khent Rick Tobil, who in DesignCrowd circles is better known as uber-successful ArtTank and is ranked 9th in our designer global rankings, was born and raised in the Philippines, but now lives and designs in Regina, Canada. A keen illustrator since he was a child, Khent refined his design skills in college, where he studied for a Fine Arts major in Advertising.

His passion for a good challenge and total focus on customer satisfaction have earned him an impressive top 10 ranking among our 500,000+ designers, given him a mind-blowing 94% positive feedback score and a cool $110,000 in earnings.

Known for his unique style combined with positive attitude eagerness to support his fellow designers, Khent's built up a strong following in the DesignCrowd designer community. We asked Khent a few questions about his career path into professional design, his inspirations and current pop culture obsessions, and his tips for those just starting out:

I love doing... illustration and mascot works, but I love the challenge found in doing logos with deep conceptualizations, and at the same time combining aesthetics. I basically do anything, as long as it is related to graphics.

I live and work in... a normal household, a stereotypical setting with family, where I get to share most of the day with a 4-year-old niece and a 1-year-old nephew.

Boy Riding a Cat – An illustration of myself with my little nephew, showing my obvious love for cats.

My passion for illustration began... when I was 2 years old. I remember scribbling images of the ninja turtles on my mom's garage door using the ultimate yellow Mongol pencil. I always loved singing and wanted to be a professional singer, but I realized I wasn't born one.

I’m most creative when I’m...on a long drive or (believe it or not) while taking a washroom break. (Lol)

Right now I can't stop watching ... The Walking Dead

Leopoldi – Logo for a Stingray breeder.
View the company's logo design project in more detail here.

The app I can't live without... would be Viber.

My secret superhero power is... Positivity. To bring out good from anything bad.

Cultural Superheroes by Art Tank, commissioned and curated by DesignCrowd

My favorite designer / creative person is... My sister. She is currently in the medical field, but she has the gift that every designer including me would definitely want to have.

My design style can be described as... A cross breed of traditional and contemporary art. It usually depends on what the client needs though.

My favorite music to listen to on a road trip is... Techno (i.e.: Moony, Flying Away), and anything that is soothing to my ears.

Cariris Australia – Logo for a company who sells flip flops.
Originally it was "Flipflop Australia" but the client opted to change the name.
View the company's logo design project in more detail here.

I discovered DesignCrowd via... a close friend and a fellow designer, Danny.

Being a designer on DesignCrowd has... had a positive effect on my life... I never aimed to be included in the top, rankings were not my focus. I am only concerned with the general star ratings and client feedback. But I am glad that I'm able to inspire fellow Filipino designers along the way. A lot of them sent me private messages telling me how my work, or simply being a Filipino, inspired them. For me there is no greater feeling than spreading positivity and inspiring others in the littlest of way.

Alter Ego – Mascot and logo design for a gaming/animation startup based in the Middle East.
View the company's logo design project in more detail here.

My top 2 tips to help new designers succeed on DesignCrowd are... Client satisfaction is the priority. Believe in your own creativity and remain positive. I don't really choose specific projects to enter in. As long as time permits and I think I can meet the client's needs I think I am ready to participate. I love challenging projects though.

Thanks for telling us about yourself Khent/ArtTank!

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Written by Jo Sabin on Monday, August 17, 2015

Jo Sabin is Head of Designer Community at DesignCrowd. She's led the company's public relations and social media programs since 2012. With more than ten years' experience working with Australian and international tech startups in the creative industries, Jo has been instrumental in meeting DesignCrowd's objectives in Australia and abroad. Get in touch via Twitter.