Marina Muun - Interview

Marina Muun is an illustrator living in London. Take a look what she said for our blog: 

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Have you always wanted to become a artist/designer?

I don’t think I really knew what I wanted when I was young.  I’ve always drawn but I think I only really considered the option of going to art uni towards the end of high school. I’ve received a lot of encouragement and support from my parents along the way and I think that helped make the decision easier, but sometimes I feel I could have easily gone into a different line of work as there are so many things I find fascinating. 

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?  
I get the most satisfaction out of projects which are a bit out of my depth. I like a good challenge. 

What types of books are on your bedside table?
At the moment a book called “ Winston Churchill’s Afternoon Nap “ about the nature of human time and the different ways in which our minds and bodies keep track of it. 

What is the best moment of the day?
The moment when I realise I have free time which is a luxury I’ve really learnt to appreciate in the past couple of months. 

What would be your dream project?  
At the moment I am secretly obsessed with fabric. I really want to have a go at applying my artwork to wearable items. 

Can you recommend some movie you’ve watched recently?  
Survive Style Five. 


Who is your hero at the moment?
I don’t think I idolise a single particular person at any given moment, I try to learn as much as I can from everyone.

Cat or dog?
Cats all the way.  Dogs are way too high-maintenance.

What is the best part of your work?
For me it would be the process, the development stage which can be absolute hell until I come up with an idea I’m happy with but somehow I enjoy that too,  and the moment when you see the whole thing come together. That’s the most fun and rewarding part for me.

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be?
Fire Princess from adventure time

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?
An athlete or a dancer.. something very physical I miss that active element in my life sometimes. 


Where could we find you on Friday night?
Traversing the streets of East London. 


Pepsi or Coke?
Neither…who drinks that stuff anyway ? 

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?
http://www.brainpickings.org
http://lostinfiber.tumblr.com
http://artandsciencejournal.com
http://magical-contamination.tumblr.com

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)?I’d say about 50 / 50 at the moment which feels really nice but it’s known to reach 100/0. You learn to be very adaptable as a freelance illustrator. 

What brings you joy?
My friends, my family, planning for the future, the sun, surprises, serendipitous coincidences, good food, exercise, new experiences, being out in nature (which does not happen very often when you live in London)

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Thank you Marina :) For more info about her work please visit her site.

Interview - Sretan Bor

Mario Kolaric aka Sretan bor is an excellent young artist, muralist, illustrator. He was kind enough to answer a few questions for us. Take a look:

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Have you always wanted to become a artist/designer?

When I was in 7th grade my mother asked me what do I want to become in life. I didn’t want to be anything since nothing seemed interesting. Most of the kids around be wanted to be  economists and stuff like that. Then she asked me what do I like to do. And I said drawing.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

Murals. Last autumn I was part of the project called Recover the Streets. It was a collaboration between five street art festivals from Cologne, Besançon, Zaragoza, Toulouse and Zagreb. I was chosen to go to Besançon. It’s a beautiful town with a lot of old buildings and green parks. Beautiful windows. I did two walls there and one collaborative one. I met some really nice people and even got a new friend from Cologne. Our host Bien Urbain got us rooms in an old place that was build by Louis (some number) that ruled at that time in France, looks like something from Harry Potter. And in the end we got bikes to explore the city.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

J. Chevaller / A. Gheerbrant - Dictionary of Symbols is here for years now. And in past two years I started collecting all kinds of illustrated encyclopedia books.

What is the best moment of the day?

When day is turning into night. That one hour of pure magic. If I find myself in the woods with my dog at that time, or near river - priceless.

What would be your dream project?

To go to some warm place and paint some big ships for months with my future wife. And some land art projects, looking forward to that big time; getting up early, going to the woods and playing. Meanwhile, wouldn’t mind to do some covers for magazines, books and albums.

Can you recommend some movie you’ve watched recently?

Welcome to the Dollhouse (1995). Still funny after few years.

Who is your hero at the moment?

My (future) wife. Sometimes I’m really amazed how many energy and good will she has.

Cat or dog?

I had cats when I was growing up. No I have a dog and would love to get her a friend. 

What is the best part of your work?

When I meet someone that sees my work very similar to my vision. It’s a strange and beautiful experience.

There’s upcoming exhibition in Sopot, Belgrade can you tell us more about that?

I like to change my style often so from the end of 2013. I’m working on some new stuff. Now there’s about 25 new works in technique that I didn’t used so much till now - Watercolor, pencil, ink on paper. I’m glad how it’s developing in this past month or two and finally I can see this work side by side to my other work that I do under my real name (Mario Kolaric).

Is there any other media that you would like to try yourself in?

Installations and sculpture. I did some stuff in that kind of media but I have some more complex ideas that would love to see realised. Most of them are in the field of land art but some are for theatre too. I like this relationship between open and closed spaces.

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be?

Not sure. Probably some goofy one.

 

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

Something with plants. Gardener, forest keeper or something like that. I believe it’s maybe the most useful job there is. Hope to get a piece of land in the future and make it grow grow grow.

Where could we find you on Friday night?

Depends. Home drawing or in some club in Belgrade. Don’t like clubs so much, especially when you can hear the same music everywhere. It would be nice to see something different like cabaret or just have a walk and talk evening with friends, just like in the high school times. But it’s not easy to find that kind of friends anymore.

Pepsi or Coke?

Water.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?

http://www.itsnicethat.com/

http://50watts.com/

http://www.booooooom.com/

http://dangerousminds.net/

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)?

I think it’s around 70/30 (work/life). Even when I travel I like to do something there, either a mural or some show, or something completely new.

What brings you joy?

To see people get along, smile, have fun. 

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Thank you very much Mario! You can find more about Sretan Bor's art here

Wednesday interview - Kellen Hatanaka

Today we present you Kellen Hatanaka, Toronto based illustrator, designer and artist. Take a look what he has to say about his work, things that he likes to do and stuff. Enjoy:

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Have you always wanted to become a artist/designer?

Yes and no. I’ve always been interested in design and making things, but I didn’t really understand what illustration or design was all about until I went to university. Once I realized there was a way to apply those interests and make a career out of it, I knew that’s what I wanted to do.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

I’ve been lucky enough to work on a lot of great projects over the last few years. The project that has given me most satisfaction recently has got to be my children’s alphabet book, Work: An Occupational ABC, which I just finished. It will be released this fall.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

Right now I’m very interested in furniture and product design so I’ve got a few Japanese Joinery books on the go.

What is the best moment of the day?

Hanging out with my wife after a long day of work.

What would be your dream project?

Recently I’ve been working on some home-wares products under the company name Datsu Brand. Continuing to develop and produce more products is what I’m really passionate about. Aside from that, doing some work for a skate company would be great!

Can you recommend some movie you've watched recently?

I really enjoyed the Charles Bradley documentary, Soul of America.

Who is your hero at the moment?

There are so many great designers and illustrators out there that inspire me. I have to say that the people who motivate me the most often are my close friends and colleagues Jim Mezei and Adrian Forrow, two incredible illustrators, and Markus Uran, who’s doing some really great stuff with his company Metsa. We’re all currently working together on a year-long project called Weekly Crop where we each produce one illustration per week based on common theme. It’s been a really awesome and motivating experience.

Cat or dog?

Dog for sure! My wife and I just adopted a puppy named Paul.

What is the best part of your work?

Over the last few years I’ve moved from working at an agency to freelancing and starting up Datsu. I think the best part of my work is that I get to work for my self in a variety of different disciplines including graphic design, illustration and product design.

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)

I think being one of the ninja turtles would be pretty awesome! They just skateboard, eat pizza and keep bad guys off the streets.

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

If I could, I would love to be in a band. It’s a pretty cliché answer, but I’ve always loved playing the drums and I think it would be amazing to tour and record for a living.

Where could we find you on friday night?

My wife and I love to host people at our place often for dinner, but you can also find me out at a concert or grabbing a drink with friends at a local bar.

Pepsi or Coke?

Coke.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?

I’ve been really into the189.com recently. They’ve got an awesome web shop and blog with lots of really interesting content.

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)?

It’s really hard to say. My work comes in waves so when I have a lot of projects on the go, or have a deadline work definitely takes up a lot of my time, but once that’s over, I get to enjoy a couple weeks off where I can really just hang out and enjoy my free time. With that said, I always make time at the end of the day to hang with my wife and puppy, it’s what keeps me sane at the end of crazy day!

What brings you joy? 

Spending time with family and friends, traveling and skateboarding. 

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For more info about Kellen's work, please visit his site to blog. Thank you very much for you answers, all the best in future projects.

Wednesday interview - Madalina Andronic

Madalina Andronic is an illustrator from Bucharest, Romania. She got her MA degree at Camberwell College of Art, London. She does amazing things with her imagination and hands, inspired by fairy tales, Slavic folklore etc. Enjoy her lovely answers for Krishka:

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Have you always wanted to become a artist/designer?

I've been drawing for as long as I can remember, so I guess the art was a sure thing for me. But as a child, I would flirt with other artistic directions too, like dancing or singing or theatre, so there must have been times when "ballerina" or "pop singer" trumped "painter". However, with time, things cleared up and I decided to give my pencils and papers their rightful place in my heart. Rest assured, I was never a 'next big thing' for the science world :)

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

Satisfaction comes with every successful project, but a very special one was the illustrated version of 'The Princess and the Goblin" commissioned by The Folio Society (UK). While I was in London doing my MA, I really wanted to work with this publisher and took part in all of their competitions and sent in dozens of portfolios. It didn't happen and I was crushed.

But a year went by and after coming back home, The Folio Society sent me an e-mail. Next day I had a book on my doorstep, ready to be illustrated. It was the best illustration-day ever.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

Fairytales, old myths and legends, Romanian literature with a magic touch.

What is the best moment of the day?

When I come home and curl up with my boyfriend and my cat, with something good to munch on, while exchanging little pleasantries and laughs - I've been slowing down a bit lately and I'm finding out the perks of having free, lazy hours, with absolutely nothing do. Or maybe with a lot to do, but refusing to do it as long as the cat purrs and the boyfriend makes awesome vegan pizzas. And they do that a lot.

What would be your dream project?

a) Decorating my home in the smallest detail, so that everything goes with everything and I get to actually put nails through my walls (which I cannot do at the moment, since landlords are usually so afraid of filler). 

and b) Opening a super hands-on school for art students who really want to know how things are done in the real world, bringing working professionals to be their mentors and show them how to get a good product out there.

Can you recommend some movie you've watched recently?

Oh boy, I'm so bad with movies! I'm more into tv series

Who is your hero at the moment?

I don't think I ever had a hero. Most of the time I see as heroes my fellow illustrators or designers working six ways from sunday in an office space, with awful bosses and difficult clients. And then I'm thankful for what I have. 

Cat or dog?

Cat

What is the best part of your work?

Being my own boss, working from my living room - most of the time in my Pj's. 

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)

Betty Boop

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

I would be a cook, I guess. I really love food and making it pretty - like homemade, Nigella pretty.  Or...maybe, you know, a burlesque dancer? only so I can bathe with that cute olive sponge!

Where could we find you on friday night?

Usually, in my studio, i have the tendency to stay up late and work on new projects. But I might as well be watching a movie with my boyfriend or getting up to speed with our friends.

Pepsi or Coke?

Fresh orange juice.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?

I have a lot of go-to artsy webpages and blogs, but most of the time I could spend hours on Pinterest discovering new talented artists and looking for inspiration for whatever my heart desires.  

 

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)?

I think it's 70/30 in favor of working, but i'm trying to balance things whenever I can, after all I'm a freelancer and I have a flexible schedule.

What brings you joy?
Health and love and good feedback from people I love so much drawing for.

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Thank you Madalina for your time and great interview. For more info about Madalina's work please visit her site blog and Facebook

Wednesday interview: Rubens Cantuni

Rubens Cantuni illustrator/designer from Italy. His work is influenced by many different things, like Japanese culture to pop art, street art. etc. He worked both with many independent and big multinational companies. Rubens was kind enough to answer a few questions for our blog. Here it is:

Have you always wanted to become a artist?
I don't think myself as an artist (and most people who do shouldn't as well). I can surely say I've always been interested in visual arts, in various forms,  I produce something visual, but this is not enough to call myself an artist.
Maybe I'm a guy whose creativity is a little bit above the average population's, that's it.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?
No one in particular, so far. Of course working for big and famous clients, like Nike or Foot Locker, is more exciting than working for unknown brands, but it's just a ego booster (and wallet as well).
 
What types of books are on your bedside table?
Currently an iPad, to be honest. I was a greedy reader, but lately I'mlazier, I confess. One of the latest novels I really enjoyed has been 1Q84, by Haruki Murakami, who's probably my favorite author (I was reading his work before he was mainstream, by the way). Generally I enjoy novels with some dose of mystery or with a crime/pulp flavor, another writer I love is Edward Bunker.

What is the best moment of the day?
Anytime I have no worries. And it's not so often

What would be your dream project?
A toy series for Kidrobot, short animation series for Nick or CN, game app for Rovio or similar, and many many more. But my life's dream is to travel around the world as much as possible, I'd quit tomorrow anything creative in order to do that.
 
What type of music do you play while creating?
Depends on my mood and on the project.
 
What do you love the most in your work?
That I can get paid to do something I was going to do anyway for myself. Note to clients: this doesn't mean I'm going to work for free :P
 

Who is your hero at the moment?
Miley Cyrus.
Ahah, I'm kidding. I don't have heroes, I have people I admire. In the art/illustration/creative world there are plenty of them. Rockin' Jellybean, Mike Giant, 123Klan, Jeremy Fish, Johnny Crap, Greg Simkins, Deseo, Audrey Kawasaki… Really too many to mention
 
Cat or dog?
I like animals, but not as a owner of them. Too much responsibility and work. If I really have to choose I think I'm more a dog personality

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)
Charlie Brown for my total lack of self-confidence and abundance of self-irony.

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?
Carpenter. I like wood, I like the tools you use on wood, the smell when you work it and you can build cool things. Tattoo artist, I love tattoos, I have several on me, also one I did myself (a slice of pizza), it's a great responsibility but also great satisfaction.Travel guide author.

Where could we find you on Friday night?
Most probably at home. After the university years, once you start to work, the idea of a cozy friday night of movie and home assume a totally different appeal. And once you're married too, it's definitely over.
 

Do you express your creativity on some other media? Like crafts, street art, toys....etc?
I made some vinyl toy customizations, both for myself or small exhibitions, but it's not something I do very often. As a job I'm also a digital art director, I like to invent mobile apps and stuff like that.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?
I should say koikoikoi.com since I'm co-founder of it, but I admit I couldn't follow it as it deserves lately. I follow some tumblrs and image bookmarking sites, like ffffound. I love Behance (mine is behance.net/tokyocandies). But I have to say that most of my clicks on websites and blogs come from posts by people I follow on Facebook.

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)
Depends on the time, it may vary a lot.

What brings you joy?
My wife, traveling, people appreciating what I do.


Rubens, thank you very much for your time. We wish you all the best with your future project. Hope you guys enjoyed it and for more info about Rubens and his work, please visit his site  http://tokyocandies.com

Angie Hoffmeister - Wednesday interview

Today we present you a lovely lady from Germany. Her name is Angie Hoffmeister and she is an illustrator, painter and comic book artist. Here are her answers:

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Have you always wanted to become a artist?

This was not a decision I made, things just naturally went into that direction. I began to draw when I was 16 and over the following year I spent more and more time doing it, and so I went to an art school. There was no question about that.

Which project has given you the most satisfaction?

I think the book I am working on will give me the most satisfaction once it’s done, but there are still a few months of work left, so we’ll see.

What types of books are on your bedside table?

Some Graphic Novels like ‘Portugal’ by Cyril Pedrosa, ‘Wildwood’ by Colin Meloy and Carson Ellis and a John Irving novel.

What is the best moment of the day?

The ten minutes before falling asleep at night.

What would be your dream project?

I would love to make a full color book all alone, something between a comic and a novel, with no time pressure and all the freedom I want.

What type of music do you play while creating?

That depends. I like Korn just as much as Alt-J, Chamberlin, Damien Rice, the Foo Fighters or Nick Cave.

What do you love the most in your work?

The soft and quiet drive in the lines.

Who is your hero at the moment?

In literature it’s John Irving and in art it’s Sandra Vásquez de la Horra.

Cat or dog?

Cat

If you were a character from a cartoon, which one would you be? :)

Possibly Enid from the Ghostworld comic, but I’m not sure.

If you could do any other job what would you choose and why?

I would want to do something with the books. Maybe writing, maybe translating, something like that.

Where could we find you on Friday night?

At a friend’s house cooking or watching movies – or at home, working.

You also do comics and graphic novels, can you tell us a little more about that?

I've been working on a book for three years now, and it’s going to be finished next spring. It’s a 450 page Graphic Novel called ‘Nocturne’, written by Anne Opotowsky and illustrated by me. This book occupies me for most of the day, it’s something like my personal Mount Everest, but I’m glad that the finish line is in the sight. It’s tough work because you have to go back and forth all the time, do revisions and talk things over many times. I had to draw the first two chapters completely anew because my lines had gotten so much better over time. But it’s a beautiful project and I can’t wait to hold my first book in hands next year.

Favorite blogs/sites etc.?

Sobadsogood.com

How would you define your personal work-life balance in terms of ratio (50/50 70/30 etc)

80/20

What brings you joy? 

Looking at a piece I've just finished and that I’m satisfied with.

Thank you for you time and answers, we wish you success with your future projects. For more info and work from Angie, please visit her site here