WHO IS NUEXGUY?

Messy Lines. Big Ideas.

I was an art kid. Then life happened. Now I’m back—with a pen in my hand and stories to tell.

Hi, I’m Ryan—aka NUEXGUY.

Growing up, my world was shaped by videogames, cartoons, movies, and comics. I spent my high school years in Advanced Placement Art, dreaming of designing games and studying at The Art Institute of Phoenix. But like many of us, life had other plans. I started working young, and my creative ambitions faded as real-world responsibilities took over.

I eventually made my way to The Art Institute of Houston for web and audio production but never completed the program. What followed was over a decade of leadership roles in food service, business, and healthcare. In the background, I kept chasing creativity through music, YouTube, and comic book commentary.

But it wasn’t until late 2024—when my 7-year-old daughter got a big art kit for Christmas—that everything changed.

Sitting down with her to explore drawing and painting sparked something I hadn’t felt in years. Watching her joy and curiosity woke up the part of me that I had left behind.

By January 2025, I started sketching again. Just a little at first… but then every single day.

And that’s how NUEXGUY’S PLAYGROUND was born.

Portrait illustration of Ryan Pond with a serious expression, wearing a collared shirt, facing sideways with arms crossed.

What Is This Place?

Three cartoon faces drawn in colored pencil surrounded by shaded 3D geometric shapes on toned paper.

This is my creative sandbox—a place to draw, explore, and push forward through study and habit. Most of my work is done in pencil, pen, ink, and colored pencil.

I’m especially drawn to:

  • Characters with expressive faces and eyebrows
  • Telling motion and story within the page
  • Bold silhouettes and confident shapes and gestures
  • Cartoon art, newspaper comics, animated shows, and comic books

Where Did NUEXGUY Come From?

We weren’t polished. But we were loud, passionate, and totally ourselves. That spirit still lives in how I draw today.

The name NUEXGUY goes back to college.
I moved into an apartment with three roommates who’d already lived together for a year. They couldn’t remember my name—so they just called me “The New Guy.”
It stuck. Then it shortened. Then it evolved—until it became NUEXGUY.

Later, I played bass in a band called Guero, where that identity mash-up continued. One Mexican, one Hispanic American, and me—a white guy. We named ourselves after the cultural blur we lived in. Our sound was shaped by Nirvana, The Germs, Foo Fighters, and the loud, gritty weirdness of 80s/90s rock.

Custom logotype we used as Guero’s “official” band font back in the early 2010s.
Custom typography for Guero, the alt-rock band I played in during the early 2010s.
Us, reimagined as the Pep Boys. Seemed like a good idea at the time.
An homage to the Pep Boys, reimagined as Guero’s three members.
Guero’s mascot—half rockstar, half pulp detective.
The Guero mascot—half frontman, half pulp comic.

That same spirit of scrappy reinvention shows up in my art today.
I like making things that don’t quite fit the mold—but somehow still feel just right.

I’m not looking to reinvent my life or leave my career behind. But I am chasing growth, story, and joy. I want to keep getting better, draw things that connect with people, and maybe even take on some commission or comic work along the way.

Thanks for stopping by.
Follow along. Sketch with me. Let’s build something weird, wild, and fun.

Curious to see what I’m working on now?

Check out the Sketchbook.
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