Social media is often criticized for the problems it causes for society, and there are certainly many valid concerns. BUT it also has many positive aspects: it has allowed me to meet so many amazing people. Case in point, the subject of today’s interview.
Last week, I was working at a tradeshow, and late in the day, one of the visitors to the booth was this very friendly young gentleman. He engaged with us about the products we were showcasing, and we ended up talking about him being an artist, his love for board games, and the fact that he’s a TTRPG gamer. I told him I’m a gamer too and asked, “Does he know about Puerto Rico Role Players?”
Turns out, I’ve known Kevin in the digital world for almost 10 years! He’s been a participant in Puerto Rico Role Players for years, and we even exchanged messages on Facebook back in early 2017! The last thing I expected was meeting him in person at a trade show. I love the magic of the online gaming community, which allows me to meet people like Kevin. It always makes me happy to meet fellow geeks in the wild!
Having made the connection and already knowing his art form through following him online, I reached out to him to see if he would participate in this series of interviews. He graciously agreed, and he is the subject of today’s post. Without further ado, here we go.
Introduce yourself! Who are you and what do you create?
Hello, world! I’m Kevin M., Professor Montijo, or nerdygeekyart (depending on who you ask). I’m a Government Financial Analyst by day, an Accounting and Auditing Professor by night, but in my free time, I make art.
How would you describe your art or creative endeavor?
I would describe my art as colorful, miscellaneous, and delightfully nerdy. On my art pages, you’ll find everything from simple doodles to full illustrations of the things I know and love, as well as professional work I’ve been hired for. Even though my art is more of a personal passion, I’ve been hired for professional projects, such as illustrating and designing art for a physical card game and serving as an Art Director for a PC game available on Steam.
Aside from regular illustrations, you’ll also find game assets, concept art, 3D models/renders, clay sculptures, dungeon maps, and a plethora of art pieces made either digitally or using any number of mixed media—from pen and ink, to alcohol markers, to watercolors, to whatever I can find in my art bins.
How did you discover TTRPGs?
Like many people my age, I grew up playing or collecting cards from various TCGs like Pokémon, Yu-Gi-Oh, and even the Neopets TCG (Yes, I still have access to my Neopets account). Those were, in essence, my gateway drug to the delightfully nerdy activities one could play on the school floor or any available table (other than Tazos/POGs, of course). I was always a fan of classic board games, starting with Monopoly, my great aunt’s favorite, and other classics like Cluedo, Battleship, Operation, etc.
I think an absolutely pivotal moment in my love for tabletop games was when I got my hands on the first edition of a little game called Munchkin. When I brought that compact box to school, my
classmates and I had a blast every single time we played. Each game was entertaining and chaotic, and we often challenged ourselves to draw our characters with all the gear and loot they had amassed throughout their journey to level 10. That led me to eventually getting a more advanced version of the game called Munchkin Quest, in which you actually generated a randomized dungeon as you explored, each room filled with crazy effects, a plethora of wacky monsters to slay, and that oh so coveted loot. I still recall one particularly intense game with my best friend at the time, where, against all odds, we managed to beat the final boss, a level 20 plutonium dragon with a mix of gear, random loot, potions, and sheer luck. Now my collection of tabletop games has grown significantly, nearly reaching 300 different titles and counting.
As for TTRPGs, it’s difficult to pinpoint an exact manner of discovery. I remember visiting a small local comic convention when I was very young, purchasing some comics, collectible figures, and a few other things, when something suddenly caught my eye: a box full of dice of varying shapes and colors. That plethora of polyhedra and platonic solids called out to me like a siren to an unsuspecting sailor. As I rummaged through the box, I ended up picking out a red d20 with blue speckled paint from a now-discontinued Chessex set. That newly acquired icosahedron made me want to research what all those dice were used for. Dungeons & Dragons was, of course, at the epicenter of my search, along with a string of other TTRPGs. Unfortunately, I didn’t know a single soul who played, so I had to push most of that research to the back of my mind for the time being.
Fast forward a couple of years, and I started to learn about the Pathfinder TTRPG. For some reason, the more I learned about it, the more I got into it, and eventually decided to buy one of their starter sets. I became absolutely obsessed with it, reading every bit of material and eventually purchasing the core rulebooks and some adventure modules. That being said, I still knew nobody who played. I went to a small, Christian private school with very few students (my class was made up of just 12), and I didn’t have a personal internet connection during my time at school, so meeting people online was not really an option. For some reason, I longed to play the game so much that it never occurred to me that I could try my hand at being a Dungeon Master/Game Master and teach the game to my small circle of friends. Eventually, as I moved on to college, I managed to get a personal internet connection, make friends who shared my interests, and begin playing a few TTRPGs. The rest is history.
Do you actively play TTRPGs? What are you playing?
The TTRPG I play most actively is D&D, either online or with small groups in sporadic bursts. I’m currently not involved in any active sessions, but I look forward to my next adventure!
What do you want to play next?
There are a few TTRPGs or settings that I own the core material for and would love to try out, but I haven’t had the chance yet. These are mainly, but not limited to:
- Nimble: A fast and tactical TTRPG.
- Vagabond: A pulp fantasy TTRPG.
- Dragonbane: A classic fantasy TTRPG.
- Lodestar: A D&D 5e setting based around space-fantasy, heavily influenced by Treasure Planet.
What projects are available, and what are you working on next?
I’m currently working on improving my 3D modeling and rendering skills with Nomad Sculpt and Blender to bring all my fantastical and nerdy 2D ideas to the third dimension with some hopefully exciting applications in the near future.
Where can people find your work?
I’m most active on Instagram and TikTok, both under @nerdygeekyart ! There you’ll find my art, some peeks into my life, and time-lapses of some of my work. Don’t be afraid to pop by and say hi! And, if you like what you see, feel free to follow!
Any closing thoughts?
I would say to all my nerds, geeks, and dweebs out there: the one thing that will lead you to do the things you enjoy most and meet amazing people who share your interests and passions is to be your wonderful self unapologetically. Don’t be afraid to geek out over the things you love. Be kind. Be understanding. Be open-minded and, again, be yourself. Do that, and everything else will follow.
Cheers!
Your friendly neighborhood nerd
Thank you very much, Kevin! See you all next week for the next interview, dear reader.
