Top 24 Dribbble Shots of 2012

It’s been a great year here at Dribbble. The community has been growing steadily, we’ve added a few new members to the team, and as always you’ve been sharing some incredible work. Thank you for the continued support and Happy New Year to all the designers, illustrators, icon artists, letterers, typographers, and other creatives around the globe that make Dribbble a special place.

We’re excited about 2013, but until then, we thought it’d be fun to share the 24 most popular shots (in terms of likes received) in 2012. And here they are…

Timeout with Jeremy Holmes

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Jeremy for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

My name is Jeremy Holmes (AKA “Sherlock, Home-Slice, Germy from Germany has Germs”). My family and I reside in the quaint little suburb of Philadelphia known as Glenside, PA (G-Side). I’m your run of the mill human who’s interests include storytelling, fatherhood and french fries. The majority of my day is spent searching for the perfect word or building the perfectly imperfect image that best tells a story (Children’s book author/illustrator). When I’m not building books for children, I’m changing their diapers, cooking them waffles and building their forts.

What are you working on?

Books, books and more books. I’m working on final art for a picture book titled “Poem-Mobiles,” by J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian; sketches for book 2 of the “Templeton Twins,” by Ellis Weiner; final pencils for the chapter book “What I Found in the Sofa and How It Saved the World,” by Henry Clark.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

This shot is a snippet from a picture book that I’ve been working on for over 2 years titled “Poemobiles,” by J. Patrick Lewis and Douglas Florian. This project has challenged every creative cell in my body and I love it for that. It also marks my return to my favorite medium, the pencil.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

To build an illustration for this book, I start with a tight (rather large) pencil drawing on vellum. From there, I scan in the drawing and begin adding color digitally (Photoshop). Once the color is in place, I create a few watercolor textures specific for the piece and digitally collage them onto the drawing. And that’s it x 100 hours.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

Being a fan of all things odd and peculiar, this shot scratches my itch. If you haven’t checked out Caleb’s work, do so now… he’s one talented (slightly creepy) MoFo.

Timeout with Vic Bell

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Vic for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

Hello! My name is Vic Bell. I’m a freelance Illustrator, Iconographer and Designer. I’m from the UK, a true northern girl from a small town called Hartlepool. I’ve been illustrating since I was about 14l. After school I went onto study Design in college and Animation and Illustration at University in Newcaslte. I now reside in a small village close to Durham, I work from my little house surrounded by wildlife and countryside. I love it … even if it is freezing cold 360 days out of a year.

What are you working on?

I’m currently working on a few different projects, a lot of variation this month! A big one for me at the moment is a set I’m illustrating for Neon Mobb along side the awesome Rogie, which I’m really exited about. I’m trying to learn all I can on a daily basis from my bud Gav Elliot who I bug night and day on Skype for advice and feedback. Also working on some ace branding projects, a lot of awesome icon sets and a wicked info graphic illustration with Kyee. All in all it’s an exciting time for me! :)

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

I have a few pieces I’m really proud of, mostly the work I did for Happiest. This time round though I’m going to have to choose this icon I made for my own website to link back to the store. The reason I choose this shot is because it’s so different to the work I usually do, I was so nervous about approaching an illustration icon that had no safety blanket of lifework. This said, I had so much fun with it and I’m hoping to find some time to play with more work like this in the new year, possibly some assets for a game … who knows!

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

OK so I’m glad you asked! Because I’ve recently upgraded my whole desk area and wanted to show it off! I’m currently working on a 27inch iMac, unlike most illustrators I don’t use a graphics tablet, just a wicked Logitech mouse. I sketch on a Goldline A4 50gsm layout pad. I also keep a Dot Grid Book to hand for certain icon, logo and type concepts. Staedtler 0.7mm mechanical pencil and a few Copic brush markers for type concepts.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

This one is so tough, I think I’m going to go with Colin Hesterly’s Road to Pixar piece. I love this so much! I’m a huge pixar fan so this was lovely to see, Colin’s style is something I refer to time and time again for inspiration. Awesome job dude!

Timeout with Chris Sandlin

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Chris for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

My name is Chris Sandlin and I’m an illustrator under the moniker of SockMonkee. I was born in Seoul, South Korea and raised in Georgia all my life. I guess you could say I’m a southern boy through-and-through! I currently work at a marketing firm by day and am a husband, illustrator, and gamer by night.

What are you working on?

I’m always working on new SockMonkee Collection illustrations. For those that don’t know, I run the SockMonkee Collection on the side which is essentially an outlet for all my personal creative endeavors.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

I’d have to say my favorite shot is one of my latest which is Yum Yum Ramen. It’s a fun illustration that somewhat embodies an old vintage mascot. I have an all-or-nothing mindset so it was weird breaking away from illustrating an entire body and just using the cup and hand to complete the illustration. I’m overall very happy with how it turned out. It also makes me want to eat a bowl of noodles.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

I basically sketch a rough version of the illustration, scan it in, and click my way to vectored goodness. The main programs I use are Illustrator and Photoshop.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

This is my least favorite question as there are too many shots that stand out. I’d have to say my top three favorite shots would have to be the following (in no particular order)…

Skull by Jared Chapman— I really enjoy a lot of Jared’s work but I’d love to have a shirt or print of this. He manages to capture a lot of life/character and texture in his brush strokes. I’m not a huge skull fan but I think this captures a lot in a simple shot.

Let’s be Friends by Lydia Nichols— A recent shot from Ms. Nichols and what a lovely one it is! The chap’s chops sold me.

Batsketch by Joey Ellis — Joey’s work captures his hilarity and sincere humor. I think it’s amazing how he can porty a moment so well. I totally had makeshift Batman, Ninja Turtles, and Ghostbuster costumes as a kid! By the way, if you’re not following his Twitter to read his daily goings-on, you should do it.

Timeout with Ricky Linn

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Ricky for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

My name’s Ricky Linn and I’m currently a student at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, for what seems like an eternity now, studying graphic design. I also freelance some projects on the side when time allows for it, though recently a lot of my focus has been on my school work. I was born in Burma (Myanmar), then moved to Singapore, then came to California about 8 years ago. I just recently turned the big 21.

What are you working on?

Right now I’m doing a rebrand of Planned Parenthood for class and putting together editorial prototypes for another class. I have a few client pieces that I’m currently in the middle of and also one or two pieces as contributing illustrations for blogs and such. Plus in a few weeks I’ll be starting illustration work on some concept art for a video game so that’s new and exciting. And lastly on the personal project side of things I’m about to start working on a rebrand of Kellogg’s and their line of cereals. Got more ideas festering in the brain I would love to try out but there’s never enough time as always.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

Probably my Arizona cans. More so because of the process than how it actually looks, but I’m really happy with how it came out also. It was one of those rare projects that everything kind of came together really well from the very beginning. The making of the designs had that perfect mix of great music, great coffee, and great work. I had a lot of fun making them and my professor was really encouraging and let me explore my own style as I saw fit.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

I have a fairly normal setup. I have a 2 year old MacBook Pro whom I thoroughly abuse and push to the brink of his sanity. I feel bad for him sometimes. About two more years to go before I graduate then I’ll have to let him go and buy a new one. I hook him up to my another monitor screen just for the extra space. I had a Magic Mouse till very recently but I just could not tolerate working with it anymore seeing as how my hand was turning into a deformed claw so I went out and got myself a real traditional mouse from Logitech. My moleskine is indispensable. It’s both a mental diary and a sketchbook for me. I lost it once for a week and I became absolutely frazzled and nervous like I no longer had any control over my life.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

As everybody says, the amount of amazing work on here is unbelievable so it’s really difficult to choose an absolute favorite. But the one (two) shots that I always, always remember are these two by Scott Hill. I basically love everything he does but these two shots really stuck in my brain. The colors, the type setting, the linework, the abstraction and geometry of form, it’s just beautiful.

Timeout with Mc Baldassari

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Mc for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

I’m Mc Baldassari (full name Marie-Clémentine). I’m a freelance artist/illustrator from France, been living in Montreal for more than 5 years. I studied industrial design in France and at the University of Montreal. I graduated 2 years ago after which I took the arts path for the love of drawing, but my techniques and creative process have been much influenced by those studies. I like to expriment and hijack traditional tools (color pencils or ink) on all kinds of supports, but I enjoy as much creating using digital tools. I’m a big fan of antique images and objects, as they have lived through out the years and have a story of their own, which makes them unique. I now work on different kinds of illustration contracts, but the biggest part of my work remains working on my own pieces.

What are you working on?

I recently worked really hard on my first solo exhibition which took place last month. I also just finished a special piece for a collective exhibition “Montreal Zoo”. I tried to do something a bit different and so I have to say this piece really gave me a hard time!

I also have an illustration gig since this summer for the farmers’ market “Marché Frontenac” in Montreal. I’ve been having fun illustrating fruits and vegetables on all kinds of surfaces (paper, walls, trucks and fabrics). This is a really cool contract, making me explore new styles and tools. I’m also regularly working with the Montreal-based multi-artist collaborative drawing project “EN MASSE”.  

It involves different artists working together on black and white murals. One of the last big project I took part of was covering the walls of a huge room at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art. This project is not available on their website yet but I invite you to see the incredible work here.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

I’m thinking my “Welcome to my world 2” shot. It’s a piece I had lot of fun to work on, because of the freedom I had composing with all kinds of different elements (feathers, flowers, fishes, eyes, etc). I really think it’s a way I am going to explore again for my upcoming work. This piece is not available on my website because I haven’t found the perfect frame for it yet. I also love it because it’s still recent so I haven’t gotten sick of looking at it (yet!).

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

I’m lucky to have an awesome working environment, which turns out to also be my home. My boyfriend and I are two young freelancers working really hard from our apartment, which creates an awesome creative atmosphere. We obviously both have our own little setup in different rooms, otherwise we would probably go nuts! My favorite working space is my drawing table (which I found in the street 3 years ago). It gives me a good posture to draw and helps me draw bigger pieces. My favorite tool is a basic pencil. After which comes the color pencil (Faber-Castel and Derwent), and the Colorex inks. I also use different kinds of ink pens (Bic, Stabilo, Staedtler, Posca, etc.). I’m most used to working on paper, cardboard, wood, or just about anything that I stumble upon. The rest of the time, I sketch on my desk. When I do digital work, I do it on my MacBook Pro plugged to a 23” screen. I don’t have a Cintiq (I wish!) but I’m already pretty happy with my Intuos 4. I use Photoshop a lot, SketchBook Pro a bit and Illustrator almost never.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

It’s tough to pick just one shot because there are so many crazy talented artists I really dig on Dribbble. Some of my most favorite are Dave Mott, David Lanham, Rogie, Georgi Dimitrov, Marie Bergeron, Anthony Thiebaux. The one I chose is from Jack Page. That shot really shows that he is a perfect drawer, with perfect drawing gestures, completely in control of his hand strokes. It’s also the kind of traditional and contemporary style I really like. I appreciate his lines and the way he made the colors so light. A simple lighthouse alone shows you his incredible talent! It’s really inspring!

Timeout with Dave Mott

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Dave for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

My name is Dave Mott(ram) from Youngstown, Ohio (it’s between Cleveland & Pittsburgh). Mostly, I work on children’s book illustrations and character development. I compulsively sketch and haven’t been able to stop lately. I love artists like Wayne White, who try EVERYTHING. Granted, I think he does everything amazing, but it reminds me to challenge myself constantly. It’s humbling, and humbling is always a good thing.

What are you working on?

I just wrapped up a kid’s story for National Geographic kids based on Buddhist parables, with the animals making up the main characters. It was a great chance to work on illustrating a life lesson.

I have recently been hired full-time by Duck Duck Moose to work on apps and games for kids. My 3 year old daughter has been a boss, she gives me direct advice on what works and what becomes crayon fodder.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

Mixtape is my favorite because it represents a step toward making things work simply. I had started using hand-made textures and applying them, but I wasn’t using shapes or composition well.(Always learning) I did this one as a self-initiated job to take that 400 x 300 rectangle and work within it. I put up self-initiated shots to help me focus on things like that.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

My setup is pretty simple, I have started migrating some things to the garage. Oak slab drawing desk, pencils, blenders, paper towels, sandpaper, pastel pencils, charcoal, ink, lots of paper and sketchbooks. Digital tools are just a laptop and tablet. As far as software, I use Illustrator, Photoshop, Painter, and Manga Studio. If the opportunity arises to use a blowtorch, I’ll embrace it.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

Loads of talent up on Dribbble. I have a long list of artists who are inspiring to me. Here’s one of my favorite shots by Ping Zhu: Twin Peaks zine. I love this shot because I believe she is phenomenal at capturing movement and texture. I see this in all her work, such an amazing artist. Also, I love well executed black and white shots like this.

Timeout with Timothy Banks

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Tim for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

Hi guys, my name is Tim, and I’m a professional illustrator for some really cool clients. I currently hang my hat in beautiful Charleston, SC where all of my extra time is spent keeping up with my 18 month old.

What are you working on?

Right now I’m working on a project for Capstone publishing. Last week I finished up a cover (my third) for Paste Magazine for an illustration about The Walking Dead (you can see a shot of the image on my profile). I have ongoing work with McGraw-Hill which usually centers around educational materials. I also have a variety of books I’m working on for Amazon’s CreateSpace publishing company. And, I teach part time at a local art college.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

Something fishy is my favorite shot to date. I think it captures everything that is great about my style. It has an energetic sketch, creepy but sweet character, and a nice balance of value and color. I’ve always leaned heavily on my ability to sketch, and recently I’ve tried to really explore the limits of how line can be used in my final pieces. I switched to doing all of my commercial work digitally about 3 years ago, and it’s completely changed my process. I work quicker now, and for me that’s a good thing. I think this piece is a good example of that.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

I finally bit the bullet and bought a new iMac this summer, and, oh man, it’s been nice to have a speedier computer and sharper monitor. I still have my old iMac on standby, and mostly I use it for storage, spotify and netflix. I have a size medium Wacom Intuous 4 tablet, and I work on all my commercial stuff with this little guy (sketch to final). My go-to software is Sketchbook Pro (for the mac), Sketchbook Designer and Illustrator. I usually do every step of an image using my computer, but occasionally I’ll work up something on my drafting table.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

There are too many to choose from!! There are some amazing illustrators on Dribbble like Glenn Jones, Melanie Matthews and Dave Mott, but I still love one of the first shots I liked on here. It’s Minotaur by Dushan Milic. So inspiring, definitely check out his work. 

Timeout with Nick Slater

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Nick for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

Hey everyone… my name is Nick Slater. I am an illustrator and graphic designer who mainly works as an in-house designer for Palantir by day and a freelancer by night. I am currently based in the Bay Area but, I’m originally from a wee small town called Sodus in Upstate New York.

What are you working on?

What am I not working on… Besides working 10+ hours a day at my job, I try to find time to still explore and improve my skills outside of work. Lately, it only seems to keep getting busier and busier. What I believe though as a designer: that design is not a career but, a life style. I live by trying to create one thing, once a day. It certainly helps me to stay sharp and still express myself. Lately, I have been making beer labels for a home brew with my dad and a website for ONST. I hope that I can share what I have been producing within the next few weeks.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

One my favorite shots is my monogram I designed for The Salvation Army Wardrobe. I just want to say that to have this opportunity to create a piece that is for a great cause is truly a privilege. I really had a blast exploring type treatments, color combinations and producing something that really is, in my mind, one of my best pieces. To be apart of something that has other amazing designers like Jon Contino, Drew Melton, Simon Ålander and Richie Stewart to name a few is simply… SICK!

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

This is where half the magic is made. I chose my office since a majority of my day is spent here and where almost all my projects are started. My process varies when I begin my projects. Sometimes, when I approach projects I start by researching and finding inspiration that helps me to get the gears turning. I develop a mood board with sketches and images of examples of what is “cool”. Or… sometimes I just draw it straight out of my head in Illustrator and figure it out until it works or it doesn’t work. A majority of my work is created 100% in Illustrator using effects, gradients and magic.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

There is always something amazing being produced by someone in this great community! I really try to reach out and support those that deserve recognition since they are doing some really fine work. I feel honored to be apart of this amazingly talented community. If I had to chose one shot though, it would be Emir’s GSTV logo. When he first posted this logo… I nearly dropped my coffee. First off, bears rule! If anyone knows me I love bears. So this logo really had an impact on me. Secondly, the level of execution and colors are superb. What really makes it work is the use of negative space. It is so simple and I hope as I grow I can produce more fine work like this great piece. Cheers!

Timeout with Simon Walker

Timeouts are lightning-quick interviews. Five questions to help you get to know the players holding court at Dribbble. Many thanks to Simon for being today’s interviewee.

Who are you? Let us know where you hail from and what you do.

I’m a graphic designer in Austin, Texas. I work in the design department at GSD&M Advertising during the day, and make letters and logos for others at night.

What are you working on?

At GSD&M I have a number of jobs going for clients like eHarmony and Horseshoe Casino. Beyond that, I have 3 personal logo jobs in the works, and at least 2 fonts.

Choose a favorite shot of yours. Tell us why it’s a favorite.

My favorite would have to be the Hunter Sprague matchbox logo. Hunter was a great client with a ton of character and an open mind to what he wanted for a visual identity. He’s also a casual pipe-smoker, and though he wasn’t convinced that would be helpful in developing a logo for his business, I knew I had to try, and to try and not make it obvious or forced. I enjoyed the process because I was able to do some illustration, which I haven’t pursued seriously in years now and would love to get back to doing more of.

Tell us about your setup. What tools did you use to create the shot(s)? (e.g. hardware, software, pens, paper, blowtorch, etc.)

Honestly, this one was done directly on-screen with my dirty, beat-up old mouse. I do make sketches sometimes, but I saw this idea clearly in my head and knew I could click it out pretty effectively without paper and pencil.

Choose a favorite shot from another player. Tell us why you dig it.

I honestly don’t know if I have one favorite, but I do love the Rambler Co. stuff by Matthew Genitempo. He’s obviously a great designer (his website is definitely worth checking out), and I think he really captured something unique and evocative with this look.