Tag Archives: sprayblog

From the Vault: Noel Claro gets interviewed on Sprayblog

design, Education, From the Vault, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, Interviews, , , ,

noel-claro-squibbies

Illustration Adjunct Faculty Noel Claro was interviewed by Spraygraphic’s Sprayblog last April and I just now found out about it!  She talks all about her art, her creative process, and her inspirations.  Here’s a portion of the interview:

SG: What mediums do you work with?

NC: When I’m art directing and designing print work, my main medium is software: InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop. For my products, I work with fabric, yarn, vintage papers, special waterproof paper, gaffer’s tape and fun fur.

SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.

NC: I start by researching the subject or the company and determining who my audience is. Then I do sketches in InDesign…I rarely sketch in pencil because I’m not very comfortable drawing. My first round of sketches is usually chockfull of obvious solutions but it’s stuff I need to get off my chest. After that, it becomes more of a challenge to dig more deeply and try and discover a new direction for something.

SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?

NC: Some projects are definitely easier to work on than others. If I’m blocked, I usually bake. I’m an avid baker and I’ve been doing it for years. I bake almost every day and it’s a wonderful distraction when I’m having trouble solving something visually. I make up lots of my own recipes so it’s still a creative process but it’s so different from the design work that I do, that it helps transport me away from that whole world sometimes.

Make sure you read the rest of Noel’s interview here, as well as checking out more her work at her official website.

Nathan Bond interviewed at Sprayblog!

General Info, Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, Interviews, , , ,

Illustration’s own Adjunct Faculty Nathan Bond has been interviewed by the fine folks over at Sprayblog.  Here’s a little taste:

SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.

NB: My process changes all the time. I actually try not to get into any one habit. I believe it is important to always investigate new processes, to discover new techniques. Not repeating your work process is a great way to encourage and maintain that dialogue with the creative process.

SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?

NB: Van Gogh said it best, “You do not know how paralyzing it is, that staring of a blank canvas which says to the painter: you don’t know anything.” The feeling that “you don’t know anything” isn’t an uncommon state of being for an artist. It’s the sentiment I hear most often from my peers, students and, I must admit, myself. When this happens I try to find back doors into my work. I find the ritualistic process of stretching and priming a canvas is all I need sometimes to get the juices flowing again. It really helps to get the brain out of the way. It is only our mind that creates blocks and that’s why meditation is another great way to bypass blocks. Anything to get rid of the self is key. Creativity comes to the relaxed mind.

SG: Where are you currently finding your inspiration?

NB: Looking and thinking about all these weird naked apes walking around the city. We are so fascinating. This is where my inspiration always comes from. Psychology and art have always been intertwined for me.

Make sure to read the rest of the interview here and see more images of Nathan’s work at his website!

Illustration Adjunct Faculty Deroy Peraza gets his shot in the Spraygraphic Spotlight

Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, Interviews, , , , , ,
marquez-hyperakt

Deroy Peraza, an Illustration alum and faculty member, discussed his business Hyperakt and artistic process with Spraygraphic’s Sprayblog back in January. Here’s an excerpt:

SG: Describe your working process when creating a new work.

DP: There’s two answers to that. The creative process and the pragmatic process. The trick is getting the two to get along.
On the creative side, there are always some vague ideas floating around in my head that are waiting to get matched with the right project. They are usually inspired by something I saw, read or heard somewhere, and tend to be unfinished fragments that don’t really mean anything until they are activated by a concept. But all of that is bullshit without answering some very basic, practical questions first:
1. What does it need to do?
2. Who needs to get it?
3. Why?
Whether the work is personal or commercial, print or interactive, 2d or 3d, the same questions apply. I need to be able to define what I’m trying to do concisely in one statement before creating anything. Otherwise, I feel lost. Like most things in my life, the process of creating any work is one of structured chaos.

SG: What kind of things do you do when you get blocked or find it hard to create something?

DP: Ask for help. One of the great things of working in a collaborative environment, with people I like and respect, is that I can ask them for help. Everybody gets stuck sometimes. Whether your brain forgot to power up that day or whether you’ve been working on something for so long that you’ve been blinded to reality, there’s nothing like a little perspective from your peers for a reality check. At Hyperakt, we don’t really have the luxury of letting a project sit around waiting for brilliant ideas, so we tag team on them when we get stuck. We’ll just trade projects and hit reset. Its a practice that is not easy to learn. It requires putting the ego aside, and trusting your baby to someone else. Both are hard. Other than that, there’s the usual. I dig for inspiration in our library or on the web. I go for a walk. I try to travel as much as possible. I’m also very competitive, so nothing fires me up more than seeing good work from the competition.

Read the rest of Deroy’s interview here!

Ray Hooper is interviewed on Spraygraphic

Illustration Faculty, Illustration Industry, Interviews, , , ,
ray hooper card

Our fine friends over at Spraygraphic Sprayblog caught up with Parsons Illustration Adjunct Faculty Ray Hooper, who has taught Type in the department for some time and who has branched into the world of greeting cards with his company, Ray Hooper Designs. Here’s an excerpt:

SG: Can you tell us a little about your business, Raymond Hooper Design, LLC.

RH: We design Greeting Cards, Appointment Books, Journals, etc. My company is a year old this month and after a year of building a staff and inventory we had our first sales last month. We are trying to appeal to people who are both sophisticated about art and design and don’t necessarily need someone else to write their sentiments. As a result many of our cards have very terse messages on the inside or none at all. A number of our cards are blank note cards with photographs, illustrations or just some kind of graphic on the front.

SG: Where has your work been seen?

RH: The books in book stores and museums across the country. The cards, so far, only at trade shows and in trade publications.

SG: Where will it be seen next?

RH: Trade shows in Atlanta, San Francisco and Seattle. Card stores in North Carolina, Texas, Washington state and upstate New York.

SG: What is your dream art assignment?

RH: No such thing. It’s a joy making my living designing.

SG: What is your favorite color?

RH: I like them all.

Make sure you read the rest of Ray’s interview here and check out his designs here.