About

Tiika is a word that comes from the Filipino language of Cebuano. Tiika more or less means 'from me to you,' but isn't used very often. I personally have only heard it used in two contexts: 'gihigugma tika' and 'sumbagon tika' which means 'I love you' and 'I will punch you' respectively. With that in mind, Tiika has become the go to name for my creative endeavors and is the umbrella term for my artwork, writings, and future creative projects.

Ben Smith has long been frustrated by the fact that he doesn't seem to be able to draw or be creative. As someone who historically has been more focused on working in areas of definitive right or wrong, creativity and creating art never seemed like a good fit for him. But over the years, small seeds were planted that lead to the artist he is today. Throughout elementary, middle, and high school, he learned various techniques and styles that eventually influenced the style and direction of his artwork.

Ben didn't start creating digital artwork until December 2020 where a break from school and boredom led to him downloading the free GIMP photo editing software to dip his feet in. The interest in creating digital artwork only grew from there. In February 2021 he tried out Illustrator for the first time and never looked back. Upon the realization that he was only creating an art piece every week or two, he decided that he would try to start, finish, and post something new everyday. Since March 22, 2021, he has not missed a single day.

Currently he doesn't have any specific end goal in mind for how long he intends to keep doing something everyday. But he loves being able to see his progress over time and hopes to continue making things for the foreseeable future.