Art & Creativity
The online gallery of Michael A. Brooks
About the Artist
Mike Brooks was born and raised in central Wisconsin.
Shortly after graduating high school he enlisted in the Air Force.
Being an Airman with no car and little money gave Mike plenty of
time to draw and sketch. Living in England and inspired by
fantasy artist Boris
Vallejo, he drew pictures of castles, dragons, and
damsels in distress. He was further inspired during visits to
the National Gallery in London and the Vatican Museum and Sistine
Chapel in Italy. Despite the influence of Renaissance Masters,
Mike soon found himself in college to pursue a degree in business.
Too many classes and competing priorities left little time or
creative energy for art. It was a creative dry spell most of
the first two years, that is until Mike met renowned aviation artist
Rick Broome.
Rick's love of aviation and art really inspired Mike to begin
creating again. Rick became a mentor of sorts and sparked new
creativity in Mike that hasn't expired.
Having discovered the internet during college, Mike
found a wealth of art programs. Paint Shop Pro was cheap,
powerful, and easy to use, but it was enough to spur a new wave of
creative projects. Soon digital art began to replace the
pencil as his preferred medium. Mike found a way to develop
his digital painting skills while working on projects for various
business and engineering classes. While not fine art, those
projects fed the creative spirit. A lot of time has passed
since then. Mike now uses primarily Photoshop and the Corel
Draw Suite for his art.
Still in the military, painting is not part of Mike's
daytime job. Fortunately, he's had the opportunity to create
various graphics and other works of art for his unit and the local
community. While not a trained artist, art (in all it's forms)
has remained an important aspect of Mike's life. One day he
hopes to go back to school for a degree in fine art or graphic
design. Until then he'll have to try to learn from more modern
masters like Bert Monroy,
Maryn Roos,
Michael Kungl, and
all the other great artists out there.
About the Art
"I don't consider myself an artist as much as I am a hobbyist. That said, creating is my passion and I'll paint, draw, or mouse click until I create something new and exciting to me. I paint for my own enjoyment and reward, but it's always nice when others find something in my work that touches them in some way."
- Michael Brooks