Instagram: @lennartmenkhaus
Website: lennartmenkhaus.com

 

What do you do first thing in the morning? 

Usually my morning starts with a cup of coffee.

 

The weirdest thing in your fridge right now?

There‘s nothing crazy but spicy mayo is a must. I could put it on anything I eat.

 

What would be your superpower and why? 

I think I would love to have the power to be invisible. Then I could go anywhere I wanted and sketch without anyone noticing.

Any hidden talents?

I’m great at getting people to party and have a good time!

 

What time of day do you feel most creative? 

I get the most done at night. When everything around me is quiet and I can fully concentrate on my work. But I also really like early mornings. When everyone is on their way to work and the sun is up, that’s when I get my best ideas.

 

What are your artistic tools of choice? 

I mainly work digitally on my iPad Pro. I like to use an iPad mini for quick sketches. Very seldom do I draw on real paper. Far too rarely, because I really like the traditional way of drawing.

Can you tell us something about your background and how you became an artist? 

I’ve always had a pen in my hand and have drawn since I was a child. I must admit that I never listened in school and was always drawing. Much to my teachers dismay.

What drove me to art was the process itself. Seeing how a drawing evolves from the first sketch to the finished work of art is a great feeling every time.

But the road to becoming an artist wasn’t really straight forward for me. I started studying Illustration in Münster, Germany, but I guess I wasn’t ready back then. Lots of people probably can relate to the feeling of thinking you need to do something “sensible”. Whatever that means. But I needed to grow and had that itch to see the world first too. So I went to work as a photographer on a cruise ship for a year and traveled the world. I ended up studying Maritime Management for a bit as it seemed like a more sensible choice at that time. To no one’s surprise I continued drawing instead of going to classes.

My stepfather gave me the final push I needed to really pursue art. When I started to study Illustration again, this time in Hamburg, Germany, that’s when I finally reached the point where I knew I didn’t want to do anything else ever again.

How do you like to describe your style of art? 

Even though I mainly work digitally, my style includes some digitized textures from traditional pens. I like to work with outlines, hatching but also with soft transitions in my drawings. Depending on the idea of my next artwork I lean into more of a comic, tattoo or painting style of art.

 

Your art gives beachy, surf and skate vibes…Where does that inspiration come from for you? 

Thematically, my inspiration comes from the fact that I’ve always loved to skate. I started skimboarding in my childhood and recently discovered surfing when I was on a roadtrip through the South of France. The whole surf/skate culture inspires me. It gets reflected in clothing, art and music. It’s not just about the sport for me, but more about a certain way of life.

 

You work within a very unique color palette that consists of black, white, blue and red. What led you to that creative decision? 

I’ve always loved working with certain color palettes and they change every so often. I like using colors that are not always the true reflection of reality and I like the creativity that limitations bring out in you. At some point there will be a new color palette I‘ll experiment with.

 

What would you say is your favorite subject matter to draw? 

I love drawing what‘s happening in my life but also whole new worlds that are made out of my own imagination. Besides the surf/skate theme, music and traveling inspires me. When I was working on the cruise ship a whole series about the crew life came to be. With all its wonderful destinations but also the hidden things that are happening below the deck.

 

What other types of creative endeavors do you get into?

A big part of my art is inspired by the music I listen to. I was lucky enough to be able to join a band on part of their tour and drew a small documentation series. In the future I would love to draw more gig posters for various bands.

 

How do you like to spend a day off when you aren’t working? 

I love to spend my free time traveling when I can even if it’s only to drive somewhere for a day or two. The North Sea is thankfully not that far away from where I live and sometimes I manage to combine traveling with working.