Spotlight on the Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory Artist: Tamtam!

Welcome to a new edition of Danmei Dreams’s artist spotlight, featuring Tamtam!  These spotlights highlight some of the incredible, creative, and cool artists making danmei fan art. The artists will share some of their favorite work, talk about their process and approach, and you can find out how to follow and support them.  You can read previous editions of artist spotlights here.  Today we’ll be focusing on Tamtam, a character-focused artist who centers moments of engagement and flirtation.

Why I Love Tamtam’s Art

I think it likely that the first time I saw Tamtam’s art was her cover of Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory.  I wasn’t familiar with her broader body of work at that point, but I remember thinking it was a really lovely cover for the book, conveying a slice-of-life modern sensibility that was also playful and sweet.  A perfect way to represent the vibes of a book that differs from a lot of the previous Seven Seas catalog.

I ran across Tamtam’s art in a different context a couple months later, browsing on instagram.  I was immediately drawn in by the palpable connection between the couples that she draws, that sense of engagement and tension.  I also noticed she had a patreon with access to NSFW art, and I couldn’t click that subscribe link fast enough.  I’m so glad I did!

Whether it’s illustrating the moment before a romantic embrace or the throes of passion, Tamtam is an artist who knows how to draw exquisite tension.  The positions of her subjects, the tilt of their heads, their eyes on one another, all helps convey the intensity of their emotional connection.  Sometimes it’s yearning, while other times it is a more collected, gentle affection (and sometimes it’s clearly absolute erotic desire–seriously check out the NSFW images), but it is always handled deftly and with stunning beauty.

Without further ado, let me introduce Tamtam!

Meet Tamtam

Can you introduce yourself and share a little bit about your background as an artist?

I’m Tamtam! I’m a Filipino illustrator based in both the Philippines and United Kingdom. I have no background or formal training on art whatsoever and everything I know comes from my obsession with anime and manga when I was a kid. I grew up with my Japanese relatives and live in the Philippines, so I was introduced to Asian pop culture very early, and my love to draw started just as timely.

What was your introduction to danmei?

My first ever danmei was Mo Dao Zu Shi – which I think is a common starting point for everyone in the community. I was baited by the art, so I immediately read the novel, watched the donghua, then the live action. Ever since then I’ve started reading more novels.

How long have you been creating danmei fan art?

I got into danmei around 2018. At that time, only fan translations were available, and there wasn’t much traction in outside Asia and Asian diaspora. It was a small but active community then.

Official Cover Art Experience

Congratulations on being selected as the official cover artist for Riverbay Road Men’s Dormitory. How did this opportunity come about, and what was your initial reaction? 

Thanks! I’m not entirely sure how the publisher ended up choosing me, especially since my illustrations lean more towards historical fantasy. However, I was still super excited because I’m a big fan of the author and I’ve already read several Feitian works! It’s such an honour to draw for one of his books.

What was the brief or direction you received for the cover art? Did you pick the specific scene to illustrate or did someone else decide they wanted to make us cry every time we looked at the cover? Were there specific elements or themes from the series that you were asked to incorporate?  

The art direction urged me to emulate the feel of a slice-of-life Japanese light novel. I was even given examples from slice-of-life manga to help with the tone. There wasn’t a specific scene I had to depict and I was just asked to show all the characters. So I picked a rather mundane scene to show off the vibe that this is a contemporary and light-hearted story.

Can you walk us through your creative process for designing the cover? Did it differ in any way from your usual fan art process?

This project was a lot different from my usual work because I like drawing couples mostly. I had to draw more characters than usual. Unlike romance novels that center around a main couple, this one focuses on a group of friends, so it was a challenge having to draw several characters while keeping them distinguishable.

Were there any unique challenges or exciting aspects to creating art that would represent the entire series to a new English-speaking audience?

I’m quite indulgent and like to be in control of what I draw. Having to work with a team with a specific art direction is quite a new experience. I’ve also always thought that my art style doesn’t do well with mainstream audiences, so I was immensely worried about that.

Without giving away any spoilers, are there any subtle details or symbolism within the cover art that fans might enjoy discovering?  Do you have a favorite part of the final cover design?

You can see aspects of the characters’ hobbies and personalities based on what they’re holding! I also snuck in a pair of panda plushies as a personal touch because my sister is obsessed with pandas. One of the characters is carrying my favourite party foods: fish balls and sweet-and-spicy chicken.

What has the reaction to the cover been like from the danmei community?

I’ve seen very kind comments and I’m so grateful, but there’s also a lot of people who didn’t like it – which I kind of understand if you compare it with other titles. There’s really no big climactic fight scene or a despondent soul-searching or intense life-or-death situations. I recently saw a Tiktok where someone purposefully do not display it in their shelves because it’s unsightly next to the other books, and an Instagram reel rating the covers where mine ranked at the bottom. To say this negatively affected my motivation is an understatement (lol).

Has working on official cover art influenced your perspective on your fan art in any way?

Not really! I enjoy doing both. I do like creating for myself and a specific audience more just because I have more control on who sees it, so there’s less anxiety on my part.

Creative Process

What inspires you to create new works of art?

I get a lot of inspiration from the media I consume — particularly video games, films, and music. Seeing other artists’ work also inspires me to keep improving.

What is your preferred medium and tools for creating your art, and why?

I’ve always been into digital art. While I do enjoy traditional media too like clay sculpting, oil painting, and such, working on a PC is just far less messy!

How do you choose which danmei scenes or characters to illustrate? Are there specific moments, themes, or characters that inspire you the most?

I’m a sucker for soft, tender romance, and domestic scenes. I rarely draw actual events from the novels – instead I enjoy imagining what happens after the ‘happily ever after’. It’s like a peek into the couple’s married life. I also love to include the cultural aspects of the characters, so I throw in little ethnic easter eggs when I draw the backgrounds.

Artistic Style

How would you describe your art style? Has it evolved since you started creating danmei fan art?

My biggest inspirations are Japanese mangakas, so I think it’s easy to tell that my style is primarily influenced by Japanese media. I do think my art evolved a lot over the years, especially when I started my Patreon account. Having people who believe in me like that helps me strive to improve.

Are there any particular artists or art movements that influence your work?

When I was starting out, I often emulated the art styles of Hoshino Katsura (D.Gray-Man) and Yana Toboso (Kuroshitsuji). I recently began studying Korean BL webcomic artists such as Angy Kim (Semantic Error) and Mojito (Ennead). I admire how simple yet meaningful their art is!

Fandom and Community

How has the danmei fandom influenced your art? Do you feel a strong connection with the community?

I’m so thankful I discovered this space. I’ve met truly great people through it, some of whom eventually became real life friends who I hang out with! I feel a tender connection with the community despite it changing swiftly when danmei became more popular.

What is your favorite part about creating art for a danmei fan audience?

I do like the fact that the audience is a lot more mature, both in age and manners. While there is discourse every now and then, I feel like it’s never as intense as other communities. Also, since the majority of fans are Asian, it personally felt easier for me to connect with other people due to the similarities in culture.

Have you received any particularly memorable feedback or reactions from fans of your art?

When I got into Tian Guan Ci Fu, I posted these artworks on Twitter that when you click it with Light Mode on, a previously hidden drawing would appear. The comments on it are hilarious:

click for a surprise 🏮#TGCF #天官赐福 pic.twitter.com/dNQCYGtOQY

— TAMTAM🌺 (@dahliadenoire) February 8, 2020

click for a surprise#TGCF #天官赐福 #천관사복 #HuaLian pic.twitter.com/LfleblJYJQ

— TAMTAM🌺 (@dahliadenoire) October 23, 2019

Art and Storytelling

Danmei stories often have deep emotional connections and character development. How do you convey those emotions through your art?

When I draw emotional moments, I focus on the subtle things like the intimacy of a gaze and the intricacies of body language. The eyes, touch, and hands are my favourite things to use to communicate deeper emotions.

Do you try to stay true to the canon representations of the characters, or do you incorporate your own interpretations and styles into your art?

I tend to stay close to canon, because it often coincides with my own interpretations anyway. Yes, I change it up a bit and take liberties, especially with my NSFW works, but in most cases I follow what’s official. It’s very important that I retain their personalities that make each character unique and lovable.

Future Plans and Advice

What’s next for you as an artist? Do you have any upcoming projects or themes you’re excited to explore?

I’m pretty lowkey when it comes to my art, so I’d like to focus back on my Patreon. I enjoy making content for a smaller but more supportive audience who genuinely cares for my art. And while I did the cover for a modern danmei, I would love to utilise my cultural knowledge for historical novels in future projects.

What advice would you give to someone just starting out in danmei fan art or art in general?

Draw what you sincerely love and don’t just chase trends! I thrived just by obsessively drawing my favourite couple. Technical skills will develop with repetition and obsession is a huge part of maintaining that sort of neurotic routine.

Fun Questions

Do you have a favorite danmei couple that you enjoy drawing the most? Why?

I think it’s very obvious at this point. It’s Xie Lian and Hua Cheng from Tian Guan Ci Fu! (Surprise!) I have certain tropes that I like, and they just check all of that – Walking Red Flag but Actually Green Flag, Royalty/Knight dynamics, etc. It just hits the spot.

What’s your favorite danmei scene and why?

I can’t really think of just one. Usually, the confession scenes get me teared up like that scene in the cave with Xie Lian hugging Hua Cheng from behind, the moonlit confession between Chu Wanning and Mo Ran, Li Jinglong serenading a sulking Hongjun, Xiang Shu simply not caring if the world destroys itself and asking Chen Xing to run away with him and leave his doomed prophecy behind.

Outside of danmei, what other genres or fandoms do you enjoy creating art for?

I’m a massive nerd and I play more video games than anyone probably should, so that goes second to danmei when it comes to content creation!

Appreciation

The more I see of Tamtam’s art, the more I want to see.  She manages to get just the right notes of intimacy every single time, combining elegant beauty with deep emotional resonance.  If you’re as much of a fan as I am, please follow her to see her new work, subscribe to her Patreon to support her, and take a moment to share your appreciation.