The author explored his motivations and inspirations with Bored Panda: "Typically, I paint things that remind me of my childhood growing up in the 1980s in Australia. The nostalgia of what I watched as a kid makes me happy so it’s what I like to use in my pieces." Fun fact: his favorite characters were Marvin the Martian and Gossamer from Warner Bros' Looney Tunes.
The passion for drawn visuals is what drew him closer to where he is today. "I wanted to be an animator growing up. I used to dream of being an animator for Disney and would rent Merry Melodies and Silly Symphonies from our video shop religiously. But I ended up studying fine art and graphic design, which I think shows through in my paintings." As an observer, I can safely say that it does—Aaron tastefully fuses the characters together and deliberately balances them out, as if he's making a poster.
As of now, the artist still enjoys the same classics. "I'm still watching '80s episodes of Masters of the Universe. Occasionally, I also watch Disney classics, Warner Bros classics, and Films by Studio Ghibli." He admitted that one of his key influences on why he's so into cartoons was, in fact, his dad. "My dad loved some of the old Hanna Barbera stuff, and BBC classics like Danger Mouse and Roger Ramjet, so I also use lots of those in my work." And Aaron's bringing up a new generation of cartoon fans in his home, too: "I’ve brought my own boys up watching Masters of the Universe and playing with my vintage action figures." His work and his story remind us that cartoons are good for everyone. Enjoy!
