Born in the South Suburbs of Chicago, Danny J. Martinez (aka Van Dam One) is an American emerging artist whose work blurs the line between realism, illustration, cartoons, comics, and absurdity to create a blend of tangible surrealism that pulls the viewer into each piece.
His work across different genres and mediums fuses together contemporary subjects with traditional mark making techniques that focus on both universal and individual understandings of the world. He uses this blend of surrealism as a means of self-discovery, drawing on his own experiences and the experiences of his community, to convey emotion and storytelling through multiple visual mediums.
© 2024. All content on this blog is protected by international copyright laws All images are copyrighted © by Danny J. Martinez a.k.a. Van Dam One or assignee. Apart from fair dealing for the purpose of private study, research, criticism or review as permitted under the Copyright Act, the use of any image from this site is prohibited unless prior written permission is obtained. All images used for illustrative purposes only
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![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPq3T7BW1UOS-sRootfFRd3VvztYT2Sh6Dq5CsNhpy3MnspEAzDQWQh53pHDrU3TQ3kvev0waIwU_dq32w5YKvhVHwdTWfmV7QjaJF840GXyCpdH8hyOx8v5H8WcmgCMrZgDHkZpj34bLxTpixNdnLAWvZkV7eb9aN_UpNfcLbi8AWtSn1W675TGE9uPY/s16000/02%20Martinez.png) |
Danny J. Martinez |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUb1pf-L8cly9069IIsfU4vdtCls5ZrW_aWBtdFe9JhyphenhyphenzwyuK7RLAGmj-_HdbFt-IWJrqJMXrs2QqnpCs1n6C7r-RRyDjjmcuiHOwzHk5Kb4wDTBOjp0TQy9dvykdsRzGpazFHN_GFaRob0v5reQymEbxuOm00p43W9JVsF-pHroIbyZP6mH4a6nREYM8/s16000/That's%20All%20Folks!.jpg) |
That's All Folks! |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSitw_iye4vF8YBXOV1H9UU-K7_HheN9xXxHxEUDeoHnF1VVCAFaz_qz8YQgvU3lkTLau-BEfGga6Y17sELBRPndF8i6oTvV2WrDBordgSG8YlCjkt9XLMA_dYlzD31TIv3GjgD2DddVK9Te_m5B9Rurfm-XI6EFPBh7EuwcqN-jJ_MU6v9Mc8muauuM/s16000/2024%20snail%20mail,%202024.jpg) |
Snail mail, 2024 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgW0dmDKIA1lgkzsexjVQCaN-ouk20B6jBzs5KAtYL9dP52qBhQ3UC1sQDq0yy9ep1uibKO3SZrbzXA7obDjJFwv2spF9uIAHGvgzCWz4crKo_n1o19qIGSbjzi0ynI0a8qO0GEci9_pk793LigsYPfSy0hg0pT-RBxE-QTM94BS2kPZW2vghPl9UfuftY/s16000/2024%20Rewind,%202024.jpg) |
Rewind, 2024 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-QUndceW0G2gnDyfsyTlfKAQ1AjV9zNpJPHW2H0mAnSZZTlzg5dVHGGo-tXhdSm05_uuX9AkIModwoaYF61jIZwYYJka3jERKEPNRFYuI0PNwbRLB0pLq9s7sOqoAx3IQIDFgXebY8bn-F60C-a_ei3bpfiWqXOMw4phi3hTwD1GDBDdR1jcnzmmIsBc/s16000/2024%20En%20Garde!,%202024.jpg) |
En Garde!, 2024 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJsx2ADGRQknKBNRLl-CB8WXvyPdErFhDqesU_q0bdpCOnovQjyiUEjDaLLoFp1q601d5it_dW52QhX9v4DW-UWoa7X_shf6Cm1Q79BX37YKr2UBuGnd9c2zwJpVof6wtIFSgcHBWWYEzrUoiKCsUTgV-y61Pdnl2I2YmULxaPWis_eOSjTfjTxoViGos/s16000/2024%20A%20Work%20in%20Progress,%202024.jpg) |
A Work in Progress, 2024 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEFAd-odp9A05slsmd0iMiv0ZRHViZtQPmNP8dsqHayYa0nImeBPSHCT4EgkmSCGKwzLfHsT4RGIANGlMAqYRleIsWUOpwQlj77QC1NdEnU46IrBdnMuSsLwZuma2UW91W9zmQp4dJUSaIC7yGLPs0_tfYFEAgoE4GKojxz9HCSfObomOakoWNyzL7Vvs/s16000/2023%20You%E2%80%99re%20Getting%20Too%20Old%20For%20This%20Act%20Your%20Age,%202023.jpg) |
You’re Getting Too Old For This Act Your Age, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQXPtJAfE1sfgt4hT5UOHsBmfYtzCp69iVdaCiJWefvPIgsdglIF2uGR9N0PybtkWakwq7ekFWSkTOUgLIfrYnCG0Rs4MutLhHa6JK3gTEBC2LzC6efVvWyrauCKYjsC2dwlUM76Ns1KVSYbasQ5nqgxEOXCsG6nyr7bYCbeFea7HBB5ZHEizN7Nmfssg/s16000/2023%20You%20vs%20You,%202023.jpg) |
You vs You, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmhq2Jvh8RPgbteXdFyIP3XYorVNhS-_1JS_s90T8Pot31R_opcx5dCR09ACoMxewJsIrC-IgY7pmR8eaMoxJ4G_XPVTUxZmqCR6gMjT8533lAbSLKxrNcOv3IGIE9WwlkAhyphenhyphenAXokj0HR4UIXIbpm-I-UGbf2FHmcQjcdWJOcmRraK3e9c9ywlfxbeTQ/s16000/2023%20True%20Love%20Waits,%202023.jpg) |
True Love Waits, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj8IhGKzeviKWOTQp1DF8CZIlGNpIpzGuWR0jWtJb1fmEz85e1dCSN-0y_auZZ_6_DGjPxzjayHdlLNBCt43cV2rey5B8iB9mq3lB-1ju7R0dzwZ9YWd7rRtLoSTV-scu0WxbYBYrgEDYlAvGmO8m3dZ0_vEkR-a1Mik-eQdp_lH0blfNSSVCtRt-CxcU/s16000/2023%20Third%20Wheel%20(Drawing),%202023.jpg) |
Third Wheel (Drawing), 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3y-wEZQ5d6KnG95nVi1yNzSuYZE_bKIw3ALbS-7FKj5qX5o_M-1BgZcjxap-9SMr5sM7w0a1M28QHxXeXxQqllov7f4l3zjXC4DuyeoIMyd-SmI9bphu41zDiOZU3FylbujDI54m1owHiw4pt-2HJwLDezHd2aJENs-kN-1k-jbvUU7LfHsrxZaCkxs/s16000/2023%20Thinking%20About%20You,%202023.jpg) |
Thinking About You, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRSOzNKnd71HnJ1_MqZIMKSG9JdxZCnAyW-agcKbQ4WgRBIq0tHrSCVeB8Bj12xW9e-TcdULMfj_AK230Fx24CoW4pVqpZAKy18EmgEZLSa4UV2KgxNp4pYyW6V6FGidHT6knd0cC9FFJ51MZ0BiCAKMqIzUjuV8dE1BzkBCg5AjAfXVFCAxuP4yIzbjk/s16000/2023%20There,%20There,%202023.jpg) |
There, There, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEir-pTNrSl8HLjhRSlSoj-4X80XyN1mEprRehww8VGmkIwdHRBHKEP-s3ViP0tEf-XXyqm6mBI_SscorNb19CSsFbHpLkJ-A256DnzWqage8UyZSi7-iGWQR3FzsW9r4VDJgndYwonzgL2zpS5bK4BN8bWe-eixvxGFc4WVWSx5QOi6dl5LaOFCf4LCsRU/s16000/2023%20T.L.C.,%202023.jpg) |
T.L.C., 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRaPYyJtAKq5jjeZrHxkxzHSSCncDdgI9NZYseEpmfxyoiSV76JmoKWhWcd0wIq-pHCLfKYn1o9j77_xyGlLZlYe32jFsw2FdifZzFtjJx7ADApMIPLz9Vo7HFVCT3UoDFfx_TgoQFnGucxTKIgsbpZfgUSin8xGgji_HEftil87cxjMC-9hvoTL6-DjA/s16000/2023%20Square,%202023.jpg) |
Square, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtjSA-zn21cXhcO8W4GoDEM7f_FMkUsZF5duesxkYukRdbyBBMteo1ftepjkhFT4DtOwkUuHFY82ospHFt3-w9aM_1C8F-Nrh7B7Cg6m2fIDL-0Bc4IZR7wv6hDDrW7cSI4jqjuSY2cnf9Y0Z8jfOgGQx8lw9-0QVWFjflVt12YPkpSkYk_3hsJVrTqQ/s16000/2023%20Riot,%202023.jpg) |
Riot, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinbUyLJGVxmrZ6f3xo0tnZKGhpW2Uj5kZqhcT0aiK08OtPlPUiBTQLWR82Zvc6eB5eGofos4qK5ZAYPxtUD5tu_RSmi9_CI6PxtEZ0wU-9o9IO4_DDrHu6Z4ir4xPppilNnKNlEaEEl6CVcB2Me1JfOas_lfPMazLHxDTZJ6zL9b4HOAhGNRDN9qcjzt4/s16000/2023%20Please,%20please,%20please%20let%20me%20get%20what%20I%20want,%202023.jpg) |
Please, please, please let me get what I want, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjARrE61imcPlCMd2eXUxhCaEqfE8O3cdQG6uJlzWwUM_cmWU9kMnxHoM_3m1KKy0XlhZtezCeyo3VmVPcgVUN9IFO7CMB0fzojLY4xroXjlpjDEmrBabGybObB7d5hUbuf0YA2Dr8-Et8KkB6e7FpNZyhkPGuokI_XVf62Vu4fX6DNh64tz7ow2WUWFes/s16000/2023%20Picking%20Up%20the%20Pieces,%202023.jpg) |
Picking Up the Pieces, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXRXyo-Vqcy7PslOW6YVY1t6k-nsAfSxEeIqa-u3O4bTvhCtEC9AENDoSE5_7Jb7Eskq4WHiHcFgyrw6lvrvkXyYKIYVserGAOcLAXKmX6zzLVOhWEp_9SO9DmCa-XK9cKaa4MZj_bMiI6sdZlcyQS_Z7Y6rcoorD_M3pztzlqLdJvvRMSeMctrKfHcWQ/s16000/2023%20One%20Foot%20in%20Front%20of%20the%20Other,%202023.jpg) |
One Foot in Front of the Other, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYHu-yc_rF0ITyboQdANY1jzgcKWicMO9bdWd5rBiNPzsBP5PY_UZX76RpTeUdDqE9RjNX1I9gWu9phtrpNT2ziWCt4wuzIflk5v6bH-9leeuHpuFdKx-6Vif6j5ZZXm3zRKxlOfDAAGd-x7yfCJEdq7Fn_EdYn6yLl2d1p7TQF5ZOgbUHa4yaOTFTY5I/s16000/2023%20Mixed%20Signals,%202023.jpg) |
Mixed Signals, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7DOGWaHxlCO_ce-q25fC03uwgG0Kmb7fTmAR1_IdONBeOhY7KvJRqbMqK_HPkZ8rSNjbsLr1Rll5jZyYOIiqjncWNaKjrdXCVSSL3OK_n-5mWbDiNXcuL75S6uJJKfcR89qL0e7ROsVFFhkHl0xUe6r-7enTV3rplQ-0x55amLgRMVwuxvJIyeDOF4yY/s16000/2023%20Lures,%202023.jpg) |
Lures, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLSkza7K7Zgow2PHFWOsdcXD2ZAVse-6YDWMjfSpYHYAlDTtVLsQFxGSywglbSVzeB3zMFjuCsVU9CZCrJ1vKbyWKTdJ2JFHvbv_aVc-t230RBVhIkKRpgWbrk4g-NtnQ2VC0qsMMiXkpSmfCTflUp7gnSGqftEGmhNVDXGTpMXM7GqqeYEX9YcbdMiU/s16000/2023%20Lost%20&%20Found,%202023.jpg) |
Lost & Found, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN9ag-PmBjaOMY4VCyS5RFMsk7O3YIFcVSYOHK0ZZoq3TMYqMB93vaFfWr-C9k0ThlOORS1mdqz6a-nCCyT3kHW5ziC1z6naZz9qITLv6V-AR-gJZLxWmaP320U2fa_cLhBQ74duTnxjPIoYXzV7fVIdLEmeRoOnikyDnsCHOcP6Amx0K9V2Q-0O45JdY/s16000/2023%20Holding%20On,%202023.jpg) |
Holding On, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDiqrHrIGLHoygm2sdhgH3ogMuwNCSq6dm48CCJvak7vRQisg8M77QqgHgUFJ5B24KvdSzVfWoOhQ36ba3_uxZxmjb-VW35S4zLhKhIVsWgPdIShty2BQZkIxVvHQxFiBGb1fdYy0ZoQ868wB-jaXJIdnU3T26C0AmcjqidODJKtlGgsUZql1YQy5JFII/s16000/2023%20Hold%20On,%202023.jpg) |
Hold On, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0E4VuIDhmc18BGM4yO7-XuyryhyIptLlZEDIGkV6xbZdObK3UFJQ1NhX9V32qAKGUfLVBKQi37FqsEuSRXXXxws3BVEFRs0-EltbHuFZP5oQwcG8mrCHsY-cbBKG8YFOM1EpTPh3pb7QibZgP49PvKL1ikefu-150U0CfZT-K4-tfk0qRkDa0uM0jPYc/s16000/2023%20Escapist,%202023.jpg) |
Escapist, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihb8wGQnhm2j1oMqIUNQKyy1jkAYq2dW3BmU6qjuWvSoodWWnDz8u-YKBVwokaw6Vi_W6HtLDPMVnsXPH440Z9PYMZumEyD-x8swfYLnsxQYiwUrKun6INFRe4DswvjPONwOS_IadJ86c7DBPlwFP7tmDAoKEhHJVZuSjUm2DUwlIWCdD058_eaje13NI/s16000/2023%20All%20Mixed%20Up,%202023.jpg) |
All Mixed Up, 2023 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4wGlQ3bWrIz3oJramKBo_IjLcn5dKIPIsjXMGjtXkXLTQgNi03cjxS6_XLq7_bHJjOqwxIy1krIOcARuhUIGjN647VD_C-AWMrQrEeohXtwbQC7f1ed2w3fQAj_MXjtxeclWhY6GRGya15_O5lKIkeSNGGg97t8gT4U7b23FhqDopwSyxUbMdEP9zVAI/s16000/2022%20Peccadillo,%202022.jpg) |
Peccadillo, 2022 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZy1K8oA3wJ1ceATDgZfUSjJ-EAK0Hnv493UTjk0w_CIK6UXrLhPStAsSsdNmgXoszHl31Nil39jv-u-lmjVk5MX3xzoGMiQqpZFOwvAL3ss60kJMcWZ60nfyOwvXR0CNZULX9VkOyQnfFS8Cpdh1Bjtpyc3Qxrn7CD2iSyqFrvdkiz2sejiye29DELh0/s16000/2022%20Lovefool,%202022.jpg) |
Lovefool, 2022 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsvXensjCIk4gjD1pAqXHpESfN5mIAypa4FcirFwTnme2gUuryGR8Z9yMVZd_NRpyBcFpuNwu3jNg0AuvV1BzhMblJvhyphenhyphen6S_diDbYR4Ty_fCWKt3p3uB0ZlUIkwgsrT0rVW_aEDL7vac9zdhiJrE54RgdVDuV-Z7uFjSVlJANktRuJ07YZtBh2gA3e4o/s16000/2022%20Bohemian%20Breakfast,%202022.jpg) |
Bohemian Breakfast, 2022 |
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZF40D40Sd-3MUbaoSFni0TrHfKk7UpI09bIc5ug3TcDb61MpQAIRKd2DAXk8JRCpkWj56Zoc6d-B3L5kBj59Ze5d1bGb4My4FFk21MJccveuCIQz-nUHdL0OUO4C9rD2ksjsrFOy0R7ZupQc0U_esRLl4Z2ds-iWyUCoK4VYEHR03H6hyphenhyphennRkIGtgrHNo/s16000/2021%20Snailer%20(+%20wings),%202021.jpg) |
Snailer (+ wings), 2021 |
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