Scribble Town (ST): Patrick Gannon is a magician when it comes to paper arts and storytelling with images! Maybe he has magical powers elsewhere too! He knows how to play with paper in a way that shapes space and builds a mood for all kinds of places.

Patrick Gannon (PG): Hi, I’m Patrick Gannon.  I’m a cut paper artist, which means that I cut up sheets of really fantastic hand-made papers, then layer them on top of each other to make a picture.  I’m originally from New Jersey in the US, and now I live in Fukuoka, Japan.  I spend most of my time drawing, cutting, gluing, walking along the ocean, hiking up slightly creepy mountains, dreaming up odd creatures in the forest, and collecting tons and tons of paper.

ST: The way you’ve described your day look like this happy creature in your piece on the right, ‘A Bright and Sunny Day.’ Where are you and what are you up to these days?  I’m sure very busy with your The 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar campaign on Kickstarter.  Please let us know more about the project so that we can support you.

PG: For the past 2 years, I’ve been making my home in Fukuoka, in southern Japan.  Before that, I lived in Tokyo around 5 years, learning as much as I could about hand-made washi and chiyogami papers, and creating as much cut paper artwork as I possibly could.

When I’m not hiking up the nearby mountains or exploring the island of Kyushu, I spend most of my time slicing increasingly intricate cut paper artworks.  The last few years, I’ve been showing my work in galleries, Art Fairs, etc. in Japan and more recently, Korea.

The 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar is an annual project for me.  It’s a great way to share my work with as large a group of people as possible, and to introduce cut paper artwork to people who might not have the chance to see it in their daily lives.  The campaign (which has already met it’s goal) runs until October 7th this year.  Without the campaign, I wouldn’t be able to publish the calendar – or all the other cool rewards like laser cuts and stickers.

ST: I know it’s a hard question, but how would you define your work?  It seems to be a peaceful combination of craft and fine art. It reminds me of traditional paper arts, but with a new twist. I have never seen anything like it before.

PG: Honestly, I try not to define it.  For me, defining it too much creates boundaries, and I’d be in danger of failing to experiment and try new things.  I approach the work as a fine art, I guess, by which I mean I create all of the designs and sketches myself.  I begin with an emotion or a concept in mind, sometimes as simple as a single word.  Somehow, when traveling from my mind to my hand, the ideas become these beings and environments.  Then I let it grow organically from the sketch, to the final drawing to choosing the right papers.  If there is a craft mode, it’s in the final steps of cutting and gluing.  I’ve certainly gotten better over time.  Looking at my clumsy early work can surprise me sometimes.

ST: You seem like a person on a playful path steered by passion. I wonder what what led you to paper arts. Was there somebody that encouraged you?  I like how you use different methods of paper cutting like tearing.

PG: When I was in graduate school studying art (I was a literature major as an undergrad), I wasn’t particularly experienced with paints, or using color at all.  I had really only worked in black-and-white.  I didn’t dislike painting as such, but I found the infinite possible colors I could mix to be stressful.  One of my professors suggested using cut paper – at the time, big blocks of colored paper in abstract shapes – behind my ink drawings.

And it just felt right.

At the time, I had no idea about the history or traditions of cut paper art.  I just started experimenting and creating a technique and style of my own.  As time went on, I started to discover different paper cut art, from the jazz-inspired American styles to the traditional Chinese and Japanese monochromatic work.  It’s been an eye-opening journey.

ST: When it feels right, it feels right! Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?  How do you find themes for your artwork?

PG: I find myself inspired almost everywhere.  A short train trip can be a great time to sketch.  Ideas pop into my head while I walk or run and listen to music.  Escaping from the city and hiking through the mountains around Fukuoka is a huge source of inspiration to me at the moment.  Most of my work combines these elements, and my themes tend to be a conversation between the conflicting partsof my life; urban and nature, ambiguous relationships (especially parasitic vs. symbiotic relationships), pop culture.  I think it’s important to allow yourself to be amused or fascinated by just about everything.

ST: Please let us know about some of your cut paper installations such as The Ghost Parade and A Pacific Place of Rest.  Where were these installed and how did you fit the themes with the environment?

PG: Both of these pieces were created for a Yokai (Japanese supernatural… and really weird… creatures and beasts) themed exhibition I held in Tokyo.  The gallery space already looked a bit like the inside of a cave, with warm brown and orange walls and protruding chunks of wood.

The exhibition was also doubling as a Halloween party, and I felt hauntingly playful while designing A Pacific Place of Rest.  It was designed to be a graveyard rising out of the back of a long, black bench against the main gallery wall.  Over it’s length, it transforms from a traditional Japanese style graveyard to an American one (probably from the deep south – before coming back to Japan, I lived in Savannah, Georgia for a little while.  They have some amazing cemeteries).

For a long time, I had been thinking of creating an illuminated cut-paper piece as well.  The Ghost Parade was a way to continue the playful halloween theme while combining it with truly beautiful lighting and layers of shadow.

ST: Savannah does have some amazing cemeteries and ghost stories to match! What forms of art do you include in your mixed media paper cutting paintings? What are some tools you like to use? Do you put your cut paper on wood for a reason?

PG: I started to use wood as a backing to my work for the simplest reason of all.  I thought the grain and warmth and depth of color was beautiful, and I wondered it if would go well with the textures and colors of the paper.  Luckily, they suit each other.  Which makes sense, seeing as paper starts out as a type of wood.  I also like the roughness that the wood adds to the finely cut paper.  Life is full of seemingly conflicting feelings coinciding together.  I wanted to reflect that in my work.

Other than wood, washi and chiyogami papers, I don’t use any other media.  I sometimes stain or varnish the wood, but the paper I like to leave as is, without adding any paint or color to it.  I think it’s a fun challenge to find exactly the right combination of colors.  I have some papers which have waited years for me to find the exact right place to use them.

My tools are pretty basic.  A self-healing mat, and NT cutter design knife – it’s similar to an X-acto, but the blade is thinner with less of an angle.  It breaks more often and needs to be changed more, but I’m able to make finer cuts with it. – pencil, eraser, tracing paper, various glues (I’m always trying to find better glue and adhesives).  A computer with design software gets used to put together my sketches and blow them up to the final cutting size.

ST: Patrick, can you give us Scribblers any advice on creativity?

PG: The best advice I can give to anyone dabbing in cut paper art (or any art, actually), is to play.  Play constantly.  Draw without thinking sometimes.  Draw the craziest thing.  Don’t worry if it’s great.  Not everything has to be perfect.  I never use 90% of my sketches.

In each project, I usually come to a point where I’m not sure which color paper to use.  I take out and test all of the colors that I think might work.  Then I grab a few pieces which I’m positive will absolutely not work.  And sometimes they are absolutely the right thing.  The greatest things in life come from play.

ST: With that said, let’s play! For more inspiration please check out Patrick’s website, http://www.pgannon.com. You can follow Patrick on Twitter:   and get updates on his Facebook Page:  .  Thanks Patrick and keep us posted on your 2014 Cut Paper Art Calendar!

As the new school year settles in and everyone begins to adjust to their routines, it seems like a good time for a dose of creative stimulation. With the loss of summer’s freedom, it can be tough to find time for scribbling, but fear not! Your next scribblin’spiration is here and this time it is… autumn leaves!

 

What better time to embrace the change in seasons and use them for our artistic gain? The beautiful changing foliage is all around you, providing inspiration each day. You might take this inspiration literally and focus on drawing trees and leaves. Go to a local park or look in your backyard for a great landscape sketch. Collect leaves to study, press, or trace. Or use them as a starting point to create something different, abstract, or even unrelated.

photo by Pantone, via Plenty of Colour

 

The beauty of inspiration is that it can take you anywhere—different qualities of the leaves can stimulate your mind, perhaps even an image or association you have with them may arise.

 

There are so many elements within changing foliage to find inspiration; one of the most noticeable is certainly color. The rich greens, golds, reds, and oranges create a glowingly warm palette for the season. Try using these hues as a jumping off point for your project or picture.

 

photo by Corbis, via The Guardian

 

Another interesting quality of leaves is their shape—each type of tree’s leaves boasts a different figure and you can find all shapes and sizes on the ground. Experiment with the scale and design of leaves to inspire your creation. Also consider large-scale shapes, such as whole trees or forests. How are trees’ shapes affected as the leaves begin to fall?

 

photo via Fermilab Today

 

Finally, don’t overlook texture. The green leaves emerge from summer smooth and supple. As autumn advances, those leaves become dry, brittle, and crunchy. Play with surface and touch in your work to explore this element.

 

What images or ideas to changing leaves bring for you? See how they influence your art all season long. All you have to do is peek outside your window for a dose of inspiration!

 

 

 

 

 

One home decoration that’s in style all year long is the floral arrangement. Though the colors and variations may change depending on the season, fresh plants and flowers are never out of place on the table. This autumn, give your vase a seasonal update by using a pumpkin to hold your blooms.

 

You’ll need a pumpkin (orange, white, or otherwise… your pick!), a knife to carve, a glass or vase, and of course, your flowers.

 

photo via Mother-Daughter Press & Gay Bumgarner Images

 

Start by cutting a round opening on the top of your pumpkin—just large enough for the design you want to arrange, and to fit your glass inside. Gut the pumpkin and remove all the seeds and goop (I believe that is the official, scientific name for it… goop).

 

 

photo via Flower Duet

 

Once the inside of your pumpkin is nice and clean, fill your glass or small vase about halfway with water and place it inside the pumpkin. Finally, put your flowers in the glass and arrange as desired.

 

 

photo by Roberto Caruso via Chatelaine

 

Depending on how you carry out this project, the results can range from casually rustic to incredibly chic. Consider which look you want when you’re planning your centerpiece. Feel free to experiment with painting your pumpkin a different color and using various kinds of foliage or color schemes to bring your idea to life. This would make a beautiful Thanksgiving centerpiece or just a lovely addition to your table this fall.

 

photo uploaded to Pinterest

What tips or tricks do you like using to give your space or décor a seasonal update?

The painting titled Starry Night by Vincent van Gogh is at the top of many artistic achievements! Even though Van Gogh sold only one painting in his life, the mark he has made on this world is priceless.  Starry Night is one of the most well known images in modern culture.  How does it speak to you?

Abstract from Vincent van Gogh museum:

Energy and inspiration
From early on Vincent van Gogh was fascinated by the mood conjured up by the evening and the night. Van Gogh regarded the evening and night as a time for self-reflection and creativity, particularly for looking back over the day’s events. As such he loved to work during this hours of twilight and darkness, drawing from them energy and inspiration. When he decided in 1880 to become an artist, twilight and the night gained a fixed place in his oeuvre.

Arranged around the themes Landscapes at twilight, Peasant life at evening – ‘Les Paysans chez eux’, The voice of the wheat and Poetry of the night, the exhibition shows how Van Gogh immortalized the twilight and the night on paper and on canvas.

From painterly tradition to modern art
Van Gogh particularly associated the nighttime hours with a feeling of security, solace and the poetic. At the same time he was not immune to night’s darker side, when one can be overwhelmed by feelings of loneliness and despair. But Van Gogh was above all attracted by the landscape at twilight, thereby linking up with a longstanding painterly tradition. Evening and nighttime landscapes have for centuries been a well-loved theme, and were also strongly represented within the Barbizon School that Van Gogh so admired and initially imitated. After a number of years, however, Van Gogh began updating the genre through his striking use of colour and rhythmic brushstrokes. With his distinctive style he blazed the trail for modern art.

Read the rest of the article about Vincent van Gogh here: http://www.vangoghmuseum.nl/vgm/index.jsp?page=150362&lang=en#.  If you can go to Amsterdam to visit it in real life then this is your next best chance.

Now go ahead and scribble your own Starry Night! Print out the image below and color in how you see the night to be with it’s stars shining so brightly.  Send in your drawing and we’ll post it for everybody to see.  Email it to .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scribble Town (ST): Carol Heppner will get your head spinning once you hear about all the amazing things she is up to.  Around every creative corner, there she is!

Carol Heppner (CH): I am co-owner/founder and Editor in Chief of Bella Crafts Quarterly™, a craft magazine that is also available as a free digital download, and I own Carol Heppner LLC, a craft-industry design services company.  I am a designer member of the Craft and Hobby Association (CHA) and serve on the Design Section Council.   I am also on the Editorial-Advisory Board of Scrap and Stamp Arts Magazine, in which I have a column, Art Smarts!™.

I am an author, mixed-media artist, photographer and craft-industry consultant.  My work and photographs have appeared in national art shows, galleries, magazines, books, products, trade show booths and advertisements.

As you can see, there is a lot to keep me busy.

ST: Yes, we can clearly see that!  What are you not up to these days ?  With full speed ahead, what does a typical day with you look like?  Even though you have so many different simultaneous projects going on which one are you putting most of your attention to these days?

CH: Every morning, I begin my day by going out for a walk.  This helps me focus on nature so I can relax.

Did you know that craft designers are mostly working on projects that are six months ahead of the current season?  Sometimes, we work a year in advance.  So, while you are getting ready for Halloween, we are thinking about spring.  Because craft-industry clients are publishers, editors and manufacturers, many times we cannot discuss what we are making because the project is being held for publication by the client.  It’s like a top-secret mission!  It’s the same with our magazine, Bella Crafts Quarterly™.  Our fall issue came out on September 1 and we are now working on our upcoming issues.  All columns and articles are always a secret until we publish them.

When I create a craft project, I then have to write step-by-step instructions and photograph the finished project.   It may sound like a lot of work, but I really enjoy it.

ST: So long as you enjoy it then everything is ok.  How did your ‘Queen of Creativity’ career begin?  Were you always coming up with fun creations, even as a kid?  What is something from your childhood that you used to love to create with?

CH: When I was in second grade, I won a regional drawing contest.  I always loved being creative – it’s just the way my mind works.  The more you create, the more creative you can become.  Crayons were a passion of mine in my early years.  Then, I discovered inks and later moved on to batiks. Maybe it’s really a passion for color!

ST: Your expertise on mediums run the gamut- from air-dried clay to wire!  Perhaps you can share a bit about these and how you learned them.  What was your motivation?

CH: My high-school art teacher told our class that if we wanted to be artists, we had to “eat, drink and sleep art”.  He taught us about many different art mediums and the basics of fine art.  He also taught us not to be afraid to explore and try new mediums.
Although I naturally understand how to work in many different mediums, there are some mediums I wanted to learn more about.  I have taken photography classes and stained glass classes which helps me understand the basics on which I can build my knowledge.

My motivation is simple.  I was born with a natural talent and drive.   Having clients is also a major motivator.  The more you know, the more you can bring to the table when working with a client.

ST: Who encouraged you to be creative?

CH: My parents always encouraged me to be creative, as well as my art teacher.  But, the friends I had throughout life were also encouraging – and still are.

One of the reasons I joined CHA was to be with other people like myself.  I met so many wonderful craft designers, craft professionals, editors, publishers, manufacturers and the association’s staff.  The four owners of Bella Crafts Quarterly™ are all CHA design members and that is how we met.  If I never joined CHA, I would never own a craft magazine today.

ST: On top it all, you are also an author.  Writing about art is so important for your own sake and for others.  What are your writing outlets?

CH: As a professional craft designer, contributor to national craft magazines and editor of my own magazine, I am writing most of the day.   Many times I am writing craft instructions for my clients, but I also write design-team or other craft-business related handbooks.  I also write style guides for client manufacturers.   These guides determine how other writers, who contribute their written work to my client manufacturers, will write their instructions.

Since I am the lead of the Standards Committee of the Design Section of CHA, I am acting as an editor to produce a Designer Handbook for our section.  This project has been two years in the making and should be published soon.  The handbook is only available to CHA Design Section members.

You will read about my hobby later on in this interview.  I record my findings in an entertaining, yet factual manner.  This research is compiled into a book, which is then given to family members.

ST: When you develop an idea what is your creative process like?  Do you try things out with all the different kinds of materials and techniques?  What are some favorite tools you like to use when creating?

CH: The type of project I need to create usually dictates how I develop the design.  The majority of the time, I “see” the final project in my mind, as well as the steps I need to take to create the project.  I then just gather the materials and complete the project.

Normally, my clients tell me what product they need to be used in a project.  I will talk to them about the different ideas I have and they pick the project just from our conversation.  They never see drawings or graphics of the project before it is completed.  They trust my judgment.

Once or twice, I have had to draw a sketch for a client because they had to discuss it within the company, but that doesn’t happen often.

Because I work alone as a craft designer, I do not discuss my client’s projects with others.  So, I am really working alone with my client.  Now, once the project is published, then I help promote it on my social media platforms.

My favorite tool that I use is not made from plastic or metal.  My favorite tool to use is my imagination.  It is the most important tool when creating artwork for yourself and for others.

ST: What are some other hobbies or interests you like?

CH: You may think that with all that I do that I have no time for hobbies.  But I research my family history.  I have a cousin in Italy who is a historic architect and we have been working on our Lopetrone family history for years.

I was able to trace my Lopetrone branch back to the 1700s and then he was able to trace my branch back to the 1500s to the great grandfather of all Lopetrones.  Once my family branch was connected to my great grandfather, I felt grounded.   It was a wonderful feeling to know the names of everyone that came before me.

Because the Lopetrone family is such a small family, it is easier to trace our history than other family surnames.  Some of us have come together to create a universal Lopetrone Family tree.  All those with the Lopetrone name are cousins.  We have our own Facebook group so we can connect with family who are living around the world.

ST: Wow! That is quite impressive that you have been able to trace your family heritage so far.  How gratifying and special that is! What’s your choice of medium, at the moment?  Hmm, I wonder why.

CH: I have a passion for batiks and photography.   Nowadays, my focus is on jewelry making and accessories because I create those type of projects for Bella Crafts Quarterly™.   I like making things that are useful.

You didn’t ask, but you may be surprised to learn that I really don’t like using oil paints.  Crazy, right?  I will use them only when I have to use them.  The reason why they are not my favorite is because the way they feel when I am using them.  I cannot feel the resistance of the canvas, which for some reason, isn’t pleasing to me.

ST: It never would have crossed my mind that you don’t like using oil paints!  Carol, you are full of surprises.  What is your studio environment like?

CH: My studio is right across from my bedroom. And, yes.  I do get dressed up when I go to work.  It helps me feel professional. That is important when you are talking to a client.

I have a screen door on my studio so it can be closed but I can still feel as a part of my house.  The studio is filled with products that manufacturers send to me to use.  I have fabric boxes for each client manufacturer.  That way, when I need their product, I know just where to grab it.

The chair at my desk is a fun project that my husband and I did a few years ago.  I wanted something whimsical because I want to smile when I walk into my studio.  He helped cut the wood for the back of the chair.  I purchased the chair at a thrift store and it was in very bad condition.  I painted the chair, changed the back and then upholstered the seat in faux leather.

I have some of my artwork around the room because it gives me a sense of accomplishment.  In fact, I made this doll when I was very young.  She sits in my studio and I can remember the very day I made her.  I didn’t have many craft supplies when I was young, so she was made with a lot of imagination.

ST: Thank you Carol for sharing so much with the Scribblers!  Just keep on doing what you do!  And we’ll leave the Scribblers with your inspirational creative thoughts.

Carol Heppner’s Creative Thoughts

When most people think of creativity, they think of arts or crafts.  But I have always felt that creativity manifests itself in many different ways.  It’s the way you comb your hair, the way you dress or arrange your room.  It’s the way you teach and the way you inspire others.

The person who is writing code for a computer program is being creative and so is the person who is making dinner tonight.  How much creativity you add to whatever you are doing is up to you.  But remember, creativity is just like anything else.  The more you use it, the better you get at it.

CHA’s foundation has a wonderful program that is reaching out and getting everyone interested in crafting.  Make sure to check their website out at Cre8time.com.  You will be inspired by all the great crafts you find there.  You can also make your mark by uploading some of your work there as well.

Also, our goal at Bella Crafts Quarterly™ is to inspire others to create.  In keeping with our goal, our digital copy of the magazine is free to download.  There are many great projects for crafters and craft-business advice for craft professionals.

Thanks so much for asking me to be part of this Scribble Town interview!

Visit the Scribble Shop to get started on making your own crafts!

Scribble Town (ST): Here with us on the Scribble Blog is ShaoLan Hseuh! ShaoLan’s creativity and energy to build Chineasy is extraordinary.  Let’s hear her story!

ShaoLan Hseuh (SH): Hi, my name is ShaoLan Hseuh and I am an entrepreneur, investor, writer, traveler and dreamer! I am also the creator and founder of Chineasy, a Chinese language methodology that will help you learn to read what many consider to be one of the hardest languages in the world to learn! Chinese!

ST: Where are you and what are you up to these days?  What does a day with ShaoLan look like?

SH: At the moment every living breathing moment is spent either working on Chineasy or with my family. With Chineasy’s Kickstarter campaign now over (having successfully raised nearly £200,000) I am now working on the hard part – fulfilling the delivery of all of the gifts I promised!

A day with me: I am a very early riser (you have to be or there just isn’t enough time in the day!), I am very into exercise and eating well and if I am not weight lifting or drinking chilled green tea then I am either with the members of my Chineasy team of my children – when they aren’t at school of course!

ST: What is Chineasy?  How did the idea for this new endeavor begin, which is so different from your past experiences?

SH: The Chinese language has long been considered the most difficult major language to learn, largely on account of the vast number and complexity of its characters. Being a Taiwanese native now living in London, this is a fact I am acutely aware of. When I began to teach my British born children Chinese, I realized just how difficult Chinese characters are for a native English speaker to learn. It was like torture for my kids! So I spent many years looking for a fun and easy way to teach them how to read Chinese. After years of searching, I realized that none of the methods out there were engaging or efficient enough. So I created my own!

Chineasy’s goal is to allow people to learn to read Chinese easily by recognizing characters through simple illustrations, but also to bridge the gap between East and West. As the best way to understand a culture is to start with its language.

Chineasy works on a simple building block principal. When you know a few key base characters (or building blocks) you can start combining them to create more complex words (compounds) which, when combined, allow you to create simple phrases and stories. It’s that easy!

ST: From what I have read online, you wear many hats and have accomplished so much across many fields.  Please let us know about this adventure you are on. How did you go from Taiwan to London?

SH: It was a very long adventure and it is one I still haven’t finished! As I child I was raised by two very artistic parents and, like most children, chose to study something as far removed from my parent’s interests as possible! As an MBA student in Taiwan I published a series of best selling software books, which were awarded ‘book of the year’. Using the royalties earned from their sale I founded my first software venture pAsia in 1995, which I grew from a team of 2 to a team of 250 by 2001. After moving to London in 2002, I began investing in and advising young technology companies through Caravel Capital, which I founded whilst studying at the University of Cambridge. Following a sabbatical in which I traveled the world I came back to London and decided to try my hand at something new. Today, I am still highly active in assisting young businesses, but I have also expanded to the mentoring and support of education, arts and culture (I am on the Business Advisory Council of Business School in Oxford University and Development Advisory Board of Victoria and Albert Museum). As a social venture, Chineasy is the culmination of both my entrepreneurial experience and my artistic childhood.

ST: Was there somebody that encouraged you to be creative and business savvy?  Also, how do you collaborate with the designers of Chineasy?

SH: Although everyone could be creative, having right environment is crucial. Everyone could be ‘trained’ being a savvy business person, but having good intuitive and constructive environment certainly helps. I happened to grow up in an artist family and loving arts throughout my life. I was also lucky enough to work with world class business leaders and global thought leaders. I am inspired by many people through out my journey. Many of them became my life long friends and consistently encouraged me to be ‘myself’. Being yourself and knowing what your ‘calling’ is helps you to have the vision beyond what people normally see in their ‘career’.

Originally I planed for Chineasy to be a purely personal project for my children and friends, but when I was invited to talk at TED, I started asking several illustrators to implement my creation. One day I chatted my friend Crispin Jameson, who is the director of an agency in London called Brave New World [BNW] and he recommended Noma Bar. This was how I started working with various parties in addition to Chineasy team.

ST: When you develop an illustration what is your creative process like?  What is your process for getting work out of your head and what are some favorite tools you like to use to create?  I especially love your color choices and the relationship between the image and character is so clear!  I wish I had these when I was learning Mandarin!

SH: The truth is it is a long and thought out process, these illustrations are much more than pretty pictures – as our three designers will tell you! Each character we create has to follow the same three guidelines: 
they have to look stunning, be stylistically consistent with what we 
have produced before and, most importantly, they have to be 
educationally effective.

Traditionally ancient Chinese was mainly Pictographic (the symbols were drawings of what they represented) yet over the past thousands of years, many of those pictographs have morphed into very different shapes from their original forms. Instead of trying to reproduce all of the historical links I use a totally refreshing approach to interoperate pictographs, as our illustrations have to be something westerners can associate therefore easier for them to remember.

Before we even start designing our team (which is made up primarily of myself, my two in-house designers, my project manager & research assistant) researches the definition, 
origin and history of the character. We then move on to the applications (for example, how to build more characters and phrases) and finally 
we consider how to make stories out of them. After this research our designers create their different interpretations 
of the character. We always have several versions and numerous drawings for each. Between us we then discuss, debate and bounce 
ideas back and forth. When we come across a challenge (which happens with nearly all of them), we discuss, sleep on it and play around with different combinations of colours, or designs.

Finally, whenever a new illustration is created, I show them to my children. If they can guess the answer immediately, I know we’ve got it right. If they struggle, we go back to the studio and do it all over again

ST: When you create a new Chineasy illustration do you take into consideration not only symbolic representations in Chinese characters, but also tonal sounds?

SH: Chineasy was started as a tool to teach my children how to read Chinese, not to speak, and so the illustrations are meant to act as a memory tool in literature not for sound. I am plotting a new method to teach people how to speak, which will be my primary project next Watch this space, soon I will be able to teach you to speak as well as write.

ST: What are some other hobbies or interests you like?

SH: Unsurprisingly, for someone who has done so many different things, I have a lot of hobbies! I like to keep busy and I believe that health is incredibly important! I spend a lot of time doing sports: skiing, swimming, weights, rock climbing. I love music and performing arts. This summer I did some painting class with my children. I would also love to teach them how to do calligraphy one day, just like the way my mother taught me. Everything. I am also very interested in Eastern medicine and spent some times studying acupuncture (that’s when you use needles to cure ailments, you can end up looking like a pin cushion). I am also a very big traveller and believe that you should experience the world through your own eyes if you can – not through foreign press

ST: How can we start using Chineasy?

SH: Its easy to become a Chineasy user. At the moment I update a Chineasy facebook page daily and already have a thriving community who seem to pick up every character I teach – it is very heartening!  I also have a website (chineasy.org) which anyone can access free of charge, as well as my newsletter which goes out to the community once a week! Now that our Kickstarter campaign has been successful I am also happy to announce that I will be having a beautiful, and educational, book published in Janurary 2014. This book will be available in both e and print formats. We are also going to produce loads of learning tools, such as flashcards and computer screensavers!

Chineasy is a gateway into the language, it is meant to help people who wish to learn, but who have always been thrown by the languages complexity. My children have learned at least 300 characters using this method and that is without vigorous lessons.

ST: I’m ready to start learning Chinese with Chineasy! Thanks ShaoLan! http://www.chineasy.org

 

Scribble Town (ST): Píccolo, a collaborative illustration team, is the dynamic duo Sara Barnes and Lisa Perrin!  These two artists are good at what they do because they bring art to you and help spread the word of unforgettable images from various illustrators. Sara and Lisa are inspirators and makers of the moment.

Sara: Hi! I’m Sara Barnes and I am creative person living in Baltimore, Maryland. I am originally from the city of fountains and land of barbecue, Kansas City, Missouri. You can find me running, baking, making art, or coding on my computer.

Lisa: Salutations! My name is Lisa Perrin (I go by my last name for my personal illustration work: www.madebyperrin.com) I am originally from Long Island, New York but now reside in charming Baltimore, Maryland. I can often be found illustrating, designing, pondering and teaching, as well as spending time with my beloved rabbit companion: Blanche DuBun.

ST: What are you two up to these days?  I can only imagine what a day with Sara and Lisa looks like.  I’m sure Piccolo takes a bunch of your time and I think it’s worth it!

Píccolo: We are always organizing new Píccolo projects and events! Right now we are preparing for the upcoming Baltimore Book Festival where we will have a table. We will be selling our petite prints, ‘to market’ tote bags, and a brand new collaborative artist’s book. We are working with 6 amazing illustrators and cannot wait to see it all come together.

A typical day with Lisa & Sara looks pretty adorable! We really share all of the responsibilities that come with running a small business. We divvy up sending and responding to emails, utilizing social media, updating the website, and so on. We generally include snacks in all of our business meetings.

ST: Can’t go wrong with snacks Your tote bags are great!  I can carry my apples, pens, and books for a day out in the park.  You girls have accomplished so much. Tell us how Píccolo began.  When did you start creating tote bags and prints?  How do you two creatively work together?

Píccolo: Píccolo began in a fancy coffee shop where it was hard to find a table and even the napkins were really nice. It was the summer before the final thesis year of our graduate program. We knew we wanted to collaborate and had a shared love of well made illustrated products. We did a Kickstarter to get our Petite Print Project off the ground in early 2013 and the rest as they say is history! Our line of tote bags were created this summer for an arts festival and to use at farmer’s markets, gallivanting around town, and more!

ST: And then poof! Píccolo popped up! From what I have read online, you both are illustrators.  Was there somebody that encouraged you to be creative?  If there is a story of your path to finding this medium that fits you so well, please share.

Píccolo: Sara has been a working illustrator but has shifted her focus to curating illustration and running her blog, Brown Paper Bag. Lisa is currently freelancing under her penname, Perrin.

Sara: My parents always encouraged me to be creative and supported me in whatever I do. I am very grateful for this. I started out by taking art classes when I was younger and trying out as much stuff as I could. Eventually this lead me to oil painting, which later lead me to Baltimore to attend the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA). While I thought I’d major in painting, I quickly decided that illustration sounded better. I enjoy reading and interpreting text visually, so I thought illustration would be a better fit. I was right! I liked it so much that I went to graduate school for it, too.

Lisa: I was always creatively encouraged by my mother, another creative lady! And my different art teachers were influential as well. My path to illustration was hardly linear. I always loved beautiful pictures and drew compulsively, but I always had lots of varied interests. I was also a pretty serious theater kid too. Ultimately, I went to a liberal arts college and earned a BA in English and a BFA in Painting. I took some time off and then scooted off to grad school at MICA to try and be an illustrator for real.

ST: What inspired you to form Píccolo? Where has this amazing endeavor taken you to?  I’m sure with many surprises along the way!

Píccolo: We knew we wanted to work together. We have unique and different skill sets, but are united in how we feel about illustration, that it is accessible and ubiquitous. Our mission has always been to produce quality illustrated products that are accessible to everyone. We endeavor to promote the illustrators we work with and make things that we would want ourselves.

So far, it has been a pretty amazing ride! We had a table at Artscape, America’s largest free arts festival, successfully funded a Kickstarter, and recently we went to NYC and Brooklyn to do studio visits with illustrators that we admire. Everyone we have met and worked with has been so genuine and friendly. Making amazing creative pals has certainly been the best part.

ST: When you develop an illustration what is your creative process like?  Also, how is it different for the works created for Píccolo?  What are some favorite tools you like to use to create?  Both of your styles are so unique yet the choice of medium you two choose really brings out the subject in the picture in a perfect way.

Sara: I was always taught to sketch first. I look back at past things I’ve drawn and see if I’d want to incorporate them into what I’m working on. I sketch in pencil first, a bunch of little sketches to try and get the composition how I want it.

From there, I refine my sketch and eventually use it as a blueprint for what I will make. If I am feeling stuck, I will often send work in progress to Lisa, because she really understands my style and how I work.

Lisa: My process begins with lots of thoughts. It Is not unusual for me to just think about an illustration I want to make for days or weeks before it really starts to happen. Then comes sketching and research followed by the revising process. Lately I start everything pencil and scan it in to create my piece digitally. I always send things to Sara in progress because I value her eye and opinion. I don’t think you can have a good collaboration without that mutual respect for each other’s opinions. I always value her feedback!

For Píccolo we give the illustrators certain parameters, like size and color palettes, but generally we give them a lot of freedom to create a unique illustration. Generally, we like letting our artists have a lot of freedom, because we feel that it allows them to make work that they really love!

ST: For a couple of curious cats, as you two seem to be, what are some other hobbies or interests you like?

Sara: I really enjoy running. I am currently training for a half marathon, and am planning a marathon for early 2014. I also have a major sweet tooth and like to bake cakes and cookies.

Lisa: I love thrifting and hunting down inspiration. I enjoy the process of discovering something that gets me excited and then learning as much as I can about it. I like snacks, movies, and cute animals on the internet.

ST: Where do you find yourself feeling really inspired to create?  Or is there a time of day that better suits these bubbles of creativity?  Who or what is inspirational for you these days?

Sara: My morning routine inspires me. I am an early bird, and make my best creative decisions after I go running, make a cup of coffee, and turn on the radio. Not many people are up as early as me, too, so there is little distraction! I too am inspired by what I see on the web, including blogs, Pinterest, and Instagram.

Lisa: I actively make a point of getting out of my house to go to a studio space because I find fewer distractions helpful for creative productivity. For me it is not about a specific time of day so much as having a sizable chunk of available time to work. I need to know I have a couple of uninterrupted hours on hand (which is easier said than done!) I get inspired by amazing illustrations I see on tumblr and pinterest. I am also a very avid museum goer and Baltimore has got some gems!

ST: What is your studio environment like?  Is there a Píccolo in Baltimore?

Píccolo: We had a studio space while we were in graduate school together. Now we meet mostly in coffee shops. A lot of our process takes place through emails and social media too. Sometimes we see buildings for rent or sale and loftily dream of creating a real Píccolo headquarters. For now we work more simply, and there is a cat or a bunny around, and all is well.

ST: Thanks Sara and Lisa for sharing with us your own artwork and all about Píccolo!  I think it’s incredible that two friends can make their dream come together.  With snacks, of course!  Ok, Scribblers, let’s check out Píccolo at http://shop.heypiccolo.co!