Dave Clamp is here to prove that a single panel is all you need to tell a story and even make people laugh. Known for his minimalistic yet impactful humor, Clamp's illustrations blend silliness with absurdity. And sometimes, they can even get a bit surreal. As Dave himself wrote: "If something makes me laugh, I'll draw it." 

Drawing came into Dave's life quite recently. He shared that, due to being a procrastinator, in 2021, he bought a whiteboard to help him organize his life better. However, instead of to-do lists, he started drawing. As Dave also creates music, he found that drawing was a great way to unwind after long recording sessions. "I switched to digital art when I got tired of replacing pens, and my friends encouraged me to set up an Instagram. So I did - and just like that, I became an *artist*," wrote Dave.

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Image credits: youngpoorandhappy

In an interview with Bored Panda, Dave shared: “I'm a self-taught digital artist and songwriter from the UK. I draw under the moniker youngpoorandhappy.” 

Dave also told us more about his drawings: “I try to keep it simple. I don't even use backgrounds or shading for the most part. The most important thing for me is to tell a short story with every drawing. I also love wordplay. You can tell a joke with a single word if you know what you're doing - or you can do it with no words at all! It's all about the idea!”

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We were wondering about Dave’s creative process, to which he replied: “My ideas usually come when I'm not concentrating. I'll overhear part of a conversation or something, and my subconscious will give me a nudge and say "Hey, there's something funny about what you just heard", so I have to walk away and think about it. I've also had ideas in my sleep, in the car, watching TV - everywhere! 

This goes the same for songwriting too - I'll hear a car alarm or something and think ‘Oh, that's an interesting rhythm’, and then I have to find an instrument as soon as I can. I think the best way to be creative is to always be switched on. My brain never shuts up - it's constantly nagging at me to create something, whether I want to or not!”

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As for the audience’s takeaway, Dave wrote: “I hope people take away the fact that everyone's allowed to make art. I think a lot of people see artists and musicians as a different breed, as a talent you're born with, and that if you're not great you're terrible. But in my opinion, it's not all about technical ability. If you've got an idea, then you can communicate it, and you can say something original. I can't draw realistic faces to save my life, but anyone can draw a cartoon face, and that's enough. You don't have to do five years at art school - a pen and paper will do!”

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Lastly, the artist added: “As well as drawing comics, I'm also a songwriter and aspiring animator. I made this song and animation in my bedroom! Bit cheeky, but this was my first animation and it went semi-viral a couple of years ago.”

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