For Daniel, author of this week's Featured Blog, anime is more than just a hobby. While he does most of the regular otaku-type stuff like collecting figures, watching his favorite shows and posting entries on his blog about both, he has found a way to use his skills as an artist to create another type of online tribute to the genre. Radiant Dreamer is more than just a blog, for Daniel it's a gallery showcasing his drawings and photoshop artwork of his favorite figures along with tutorials about his creative process.

Of course you can still find the usual anime-blog type stuff (reviews, rants and ramblings) but Daniel's art is what really sets his site apart. For more about his inspiration read on. And watch for all of Radiant Dreamer's posts this week on AimeBlips.

AnimeBlips: How long have you been blogging?

Daniel: My very first post happened on December 24th of 2007 on Wordpress, but my actual blogging started earlier than that on March 18th 2004. At that time, I wanted full integration of my blog with my web gallery, so I literally built my own html blog. (I don’t know how to code in PHP). So all of my entries for those three years were manually added, every comment people wrote me were also manually added). It started becoming a bother when there was more than two people commenting, so that’s when I split my blog out and joined Wordpress. I don’t get my custom themes anymore, but Wordpress is very nice.

AnimeBlips: How did you get into the hobby of re-creating your favorite figures in photoshop?

Daniel: Being an artist first and foremost, I loved to paint and draw. I also appreciated the artistic style and work that goes into anime figures. Taking photos of them were fun, but I really wanted to bring them out from their stark, yet “oversized” surroundings. That and my camera really sucked at the time so I needed to photo correct it anyway. I loved creating surreal photos of these fantasy figures using elements found in real life. Originally, I did a lot of photos that scaled the figures to life sized, and matched the surroundings. This looked pretty cool, and it improved my skills in compositing. Eventually though, I found that my work needed more substance, and hence why I began stepping away from the photo-realistic elements and began using other techniques like matte painting. It was also something unique that not much of the anime figure community had seen.

AnimeBlips: How many figures do you have in your collection? What are you looking to get next? What’s your favorite piece?

Daniel: I’ve got so many figures that I’ve lost count! I’m sure I have over 120 though, according to myfigurecollection.net. I’m definitely looking forward to Black Rock Shooter among other things. There’s something about a dark Miku with a gigantic cannon that screams bad-ass. I can’t say I have a favorite piece, as I love all of my figures very much, but currently, it would be Saber Lily.

AnimeBlips: Have you ever tried to tackle your own anime series or project?

Daniel: I have thought about doing an anime series, but never lifted a pen for it. I definitely do this for my enjoyment and hobby, and tackling my own series seems more like a business venture to me than a hobby. Mixing hobby and work is not a good formula.

AnimeBlips: What’s the best experience that has come out of having your blog?

Daniel: The best experience I’ve had from blogging is definitely the readership. Knowing that there are people out there that appreciate my work, and share my joys of my creations makes such a difference. If it wasn’t for my readers, I wouldn’t be posting my work. Please keep reading and subscribe to my RSS feed, thank you very much!

AnimeBlips: If you were stranded on a deserted island and could only have one anime series what would it be?

Daniel: Honestly, I would choose to be stranded with my wife instead. But, I’m going to take the context of the question differently, and say that I’d like to be stranded with the cast of "Haruhi." They’d be entertaining throughout, and with the powers they have, I’m sure we’d be able to leave the god-forsaken island eventually.