{"id":1343,"date":"2010-06-23T06:36:39","date_gmt":"2010-06-23T06:36:39","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/hip97.com\/wp\/?p=1343"},"modified":"2012-10-31T23:37:22","modified_gmt":"2012-10-31T15:37:22","slug":"artist-interview-happy-doodle-land","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/2010\/06\/23\/artist-interview-happy-doodle-land\/","title":{"rendered":"Artist interview: Happy Doodle Land"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Our artist interview this time round is done with Flora Chang of Happy Doodle Land<\/a>. Like so many other fun friends I’ve made online, I first got to know Flora about three years ago via Illustration Friday, and till this day I still think that she has one of the most happiest styles I’ve ever seen!<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Name:<\/strong> Flora Chang
\nLocation:<\/strong> Overland Park, Kansas, USA<\/span>
\nWebsite\/Shop:<\/strong> www.happydoodleland.etsy.com<\/a>
\nBlog:<\/strong> happydoodleland.blogspot.com<\/a>
\nIllustration media:<\/strong> pen, graphite pencil, acrylic paints, paper, wood, computer<\/p>\n

Tell us a little more about yourself!<\/em><\/strong>
\nI was born in Taipei, Taiwan. My study lead me to the States twelve years ago. I graduated from Academy of Art College (now Academy of Art University) in San Francisco with an MFA<\/span> degree in Graphic Design in 2001, and I have been a full-time designer working at Hallmark cards ever since my graduation. Currently I work in the Kids team. <\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Where do you live? What stands out about living where you are, and what is your daily schedule like?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI live in Overland Park, Kansas and work in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the smallest city I’ve ever lived. It’s affordable, people are friendly, and we have a pretty big creative community. I have a full time job in a giant corporate office, so my weekday schedule is pretty much the same everyday. My work load is busy, so by the time I get home, I love to cook, then just relax and spend time with my boyfriend. During the weekend I like to hit antique malls for treasures, or I stay home and work on some craft projects. I also try to find time and doodle when I am not at work, and those doodles sometimes end up on my blog. <\/p>\n

How did you get your start in illustration?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI’ve always love to draw since I was little, but I’ve never actually learned it at school. A year after I started working at Hallmark, I was assigned to the Kids team and most of us on the team are “hybrid designers”, meaning we have to design and illustrate our cards. That’s how I got my start, working and learning from my job everyday.<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Could you tell us more about your thought process when you start a piece?<\/em><\/strong>
\nWhen I work on a piece for myself, I usually don’t plan on anything specific in advance. I found out the more I try to plan, the less good the result would be. Instead, I just keep on drawing lines and shapes that I like in my sketchbook, and eventually ideas would come to my mind. If not, I don’t force it. I will go watch TV or do other things and then come back to it later. But when I am at work, I usually don’t have the luxury of spending too much time on each card due to the deadlines. I just do a really quick rough sketch of the basic layout, and then I straight to the computer to execute it. <\/p>\n

What’s your favorite project so far?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI recently designed twenty two mini stamps for my own Etsy shop<\/a> they are so much fun to do! Another little project I really enjoy doing is my hand-painted brooches. I love the process because I get to paint, draw and craft on each one of them; it’s like a mini art piece that’s also wearable.<\/p>\n

Do you keep a journal\/sketchbook, and would you mind if we had a sneak peek?<\/em><\/strong>
\nYes, I can’t live without my sketchbook! I don’t necessary draw everyday, but I must have my book with me at all times.<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Would you care to share your studio space as well?<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"Flora<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

What or who inspires you?<\/em><\/strong>
\nColors, shapes and textures inspire me the most. I love “dirty” colors, peeling paints on old objects, and I love organic shapes that are imperfect. <\/p>\n

What keeps you motivated?<\/em><\/strong>
\nLearning new skills. I constantly want to know how stuffs are made, and how I can apply a new technique to my illustrations and craft projects.<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

What’s your favourite tool?<\/em><\/strong>
\nFine tip black Sharpies and my Wacom pen (I can’t use a computer mouse to draw).<\/p>\n

Are you a full-time artist?<\/em><\/strong>
\nYes I am a full-time in-house designer.<\/p>\n

What advice would you like to give people who are interested in being an artist full-time?<\/em><\/strong>
\nNever stop learning and exploring. Be open-minded to suggestions and criticisms, but at the same time value yourself, because not everybody can do what you do.<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Where do you see yourself within the next few years?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI see myself continuing my current job, while working on more fun projects during my free time. Also, starting a family would be nice.<\/p>\n

What message do you want to send out to people about your work?<\/em><\/strong>
\nThey are meant to make people smile. <\/p>\n

Tell us something random about yourself!<\/em><\/strong>
\nI am shy in nature (I can already see my closest friends laughing as they read this). I behave in front of strangers, but I’m crazy in front of my friends.<\/p>\n

Thanks Flora!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"\n

Our artist interview this time round is done with Flora Chang of Happy Doodle Land<\/a>. Like so many other fun friends I’ve made online, I first got to know Flora about three years ago via Illustration Friday, and till this day I still think that she has one of the most happiest styles I’ve ever seen!<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Name:<\/strong> Flora Chang
\nLocation:<\/strong> Overland Park, Kansas, USA<\/span>
\nWebsite\/Shop:<\/strong> www.happydoodleland.etsy.com<\/a>
\nBlog:<\/strong> happydoodleland.blogspot.com<\/a>
\nIllustration media:<\/strong> pen, graphite pencil, acrylic paints, paper, wood, computer<\/p>\n

Tell us a little more about yourself!<\/em><\/strong>
\nI was born in Taipei, Taiwan. My study lead me to the States twelve years ago. I graduated from Academy of Art College (now Academy of Art University) in San Francisco with an MFA<\/span> degree in Graphic Design in 2001, and I have been a full-time designer working at Hallmark cards ever since my graduation. Currently I work in the Kids team. <\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Where do you live? What stands out about living where you are, and what is your daily schedule like?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI live in Overland Park, Kansas and work in Kansas City, Missouri. It is the smallest city I’ve ever lived. It’s affordable, people are friendly, and we have a pretty big creative community. I have a full time job in a giant corporate office, so my weekday schedule is pretty much the same everyday. My work load is busy, so by the time I get home, I love to cook, then just relax and spend time with my boyfriend. During the weekend I like to hit antique malls for treasures, or I stay home and work on some craft projects. I also try to find time and doodle when I am not at work, and those doodles sometimes end up on my blog. <\/p>\n

How did you get your start in illustration?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI’ve always love to draw since I was little, but I’ve never actually learned it at school. A year after I started working at Hallmark, I was assigned to the Kids team and most of us on the team are “hybrid designers”, meaning we have to design and illustrate our cards. That’s how I got my start, working and learning from my job everyday.<\/p>\n

\"Flora<\/p>\n

Could you tell us more about your thought process when you start a piece?<\/em><\/strong>
\nWhen I work on a piece for myself, I usually don’t plan on anything specific in advance. I found out the more I try to plan, the less good the result would be. Instead, I just keep on drawing lines and shapes that I like in my sketchbook, and eventually ideas would come to my mind. If not, I don’t force it. I will go watch TV or do other things and then come back to it later. But when I am at work, I usually don’t have the luxury of spending too much time on each card due to the deadlines. I just do a really quick rough sketch of the basic layout, and then I straight to the computer to execute it. <\/p>\n

What’s your favorite project so far?<\/em><\/strong>
\nI recently designed twenty two mini stamps for my own Etsy shop<\/a> they are so much fun to do! Another little project I really enjoy doing is my hand-painted brooches. I love the process because I get to paint, draw and craft on each one of them; it’s like a mini art piece that’s also wearable.<\/p>\n

CLICK<\/span> HERE<\/span><\/a> to read the entire interview!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":37325,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_generate-full-width-content":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1343"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":30416,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1343\/revisions\/30416"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/37325"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pikaland.com\/staging\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}