Dustin Hunter
Encyclopedia
Dustin Hunter is an American artist
, singer-songwriter
, make-up artist and internet personality.
city of Olympia, Washington
. Raised in Olympia by his mother Alice and stepfather, Hunter was a creative child who spent much of his time illustrating and creating comic-style superhero characters. His fascination with make-up was sparked at a very young age after seeing a behind-the-scenes special on Michael Jackson's Thriller video. While attending Olympia High School, ambitions of becoming a comic book artist gave way to a love of fashion design, makeup artistry and photography.
He sites glam rock
artists like Marc Bolan
and new-wave bands like The Cars
as major influences in his music. In 2011 he released his most recent album "Benediction" on his own label via iTunes and several other on-line retailers. A limited edition Deluxe Edition of the album with hand-drawn artwork was also made available.
In 2000 he met Jay Becker and in 2003, they started the multimedia design company, Aakshara. While at Aakshara, Hunter's illustration work caught the attention of an editor at DC Comics
and he was asked to illustrate pieces for a tie-in in The Dark Knight franchise.
Presently he continues to illustrate and design for himself and private clients; creating album graphics, websites and posters for independent musicians and performers.
channel. In 2009 he entered a creative makeup contest that was being held by a popular channel on YouTube and, though he didn't win, the subsequent attention he received prompted him to begin creating his own videos. On his YouTube channel Hunter shares his knowledge and experience as a makeup artist; presenting his audience with a mix of professional tips, advice, product reviews, education and humor. He has cited Food Network
show Good Eats
with Alton Brown
as a major influence in the style of his videos.
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
, singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
, make-up artist and internet personality.
Early life
Dustin Hunter was born in the Pacific NorthwestPacific Northwest
The Pacific Northwest is a region in northwestern North America, bounded by the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains on the east. Definitions of the region vary and there is no commonly agreed upon boundary, even among Pacific Northwesterners. A common concept of the...
city of Olympia, Washington
Olympia, Washington
Olympia is the capital city of the U.S. state of Washington and the county seat of Thurston County. It was incorporated on January 28, 1859. The population was 46,478 at the 2010 census...
. Raised in Olympia by his mother Alice and stepfather, Hunter was a creative child who spent much of his time illustrating and creating comic-style superhero characters. His fascination with make-up was sparked at a very young age after seeing a behind-the-scenes special on Michael Jackson's Thriller video. While attending Olympia High School, ambitions of becoming a comic book artist gave way to a love of fashion design, makeup artistry and photography.
Musician
Dustin Hunter started making music electronically via a single-track audio editing software program . Taking samples from other artists' songs and digitally manipulating them until they were almost unidentifiable and then "gluing" the pieces back together again to form completely instrumental songs and soundscapes. "It wasn't until three or four years of mixing and recording that I worked up the nerve to use my voice in any way." Hunter stated in a blog post.He sites glam rock
Glam rock
Glam rock is a style of rock and pop music that developed in the UK in the early 1970s, which was performed by singers and musicians who wore outrageous clothes, makeup and hairstyles, particularly platform-soled boots and glitter...
artists like Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan
Marc Bolan was an English singer-songwriter, guitarist and poet. He is best known as the founder, frontman, lead singer & guitarist for T. Rex, but also a successful solo artist...
and new-wave bands like The Cars
The Cars
The Cars are an American rock band that emerged from the early New Wave music scene in the late 1970s. The band consisted of lead singer and rhythm guitarist Ric Ocasek, lead singer and bassist Benjamin Orr, guitarist Elliot Easton, keyboardist Greg Hawkes and drummer David Robinson...
as major influences in his music. In 2011 he released his most recent album "Benediction" on his own label via iTunes and several other on-line retailers. A limited edition Deluxe Edition of the album with hand-drawn artwork was also made available.
Visual Artist/Designer
Throughout his early youth and teen years Hunter would frequently work as a freelance illustrator and graphic designer. Some of his earliest works involved a monthly newsletter and cartoon strip for a nationwide electronics distributor. Although his background is in traditional fine art and illustration, Hunter is not one to shy away from new challenges; in the early oughts his love of art and industry garnered him the opportunity to develop the visual concept and infrastructure for a chain of DVD-rental stores. These design concepts have been featured in nation-wide publications and have received recognition for their uniqueness and creativity.In 2000 he met Jay Becker and in 2003, they started the multimedia design company, Aakshara. While at Aakshara, Hunter's illustration work caught the attention of an editor at DC Comics
DC Comics
DC Comics, Inc. is one of the largest and most successful companies operating in the market for American comic books and related media. It is the publishing unit of DC Entertainment a company of Warner Bros. Entertainment, which itself is owned by Time Warner...
and he was asked to illustrate pieces for a tie-in in The Dark Knight franchise.
Presently he continues to illustrate and design for himself and private clients; creating album graphics, websites and posters for independent musicians and performers.
Make-Up Artist
Most of Dustin Hunter's recognition as a makeup artist comes from the launch of his YouTubeYouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
channel. In 2009 he entered a creative makeup contest that was being held by a popular channel on YouTube and, though he didn't win, the subsequent attention he received prompted him to begin creating his own videos. On his YouTube channel Hunter shares his knowledge and experience as a makeup artist; presenting his audience with a mix of professional tips, advice, product reviews, education and humor. He has cited Food Network
Food Network
Food Network is a television specialty channel that airs both one-time and recurring programs about food and cooking. Scripps Networks Interactive owns 70 percent of the network, with Tribune Company controlling the remaining 30 percent....
show Good Eats
Good Eats
Good Eats is a television cooking show created and hosted by Alton Brown which airs in North America on Food Network. Likened to television science educators Mr. Wizard and Bill Nye, Brown explores the science and technique behind the cooking, the history of different foods, and the advantages of...
with Alton Brown
Alton Brown
Alton Crawford Brown is an American television personality, author, actor, and cinematographer. He is the creator and host of the Food Network television show Good Eats and the mini-series Feasting on Asphalt and Feasting on Waves, and he is the host and main commentator on Iron Chef America...
as a major influence in the style of his videos.
Discography
- Back in Commission (2000)
- Diesel (2001)
- The Things You Want (2001)
- Sex On Plastic (2002)
- Sex In Plastic (2002)
- MOD (2003)
- Benediction (2010)
Filmography
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 | Gods of Olympia | Café Customer | |