Be Happy Now!

Hello everyone! I've been chillin' all weekend, it's been heaven. Andrew and I went for a long hike yesterday morning and got sunburnt! Amazing, first time this year! Of course with so much sunshine and fresh air we were completely useless to society the rest of the day, grim. Hello couch potatoes!

{A Red Otter Interview }

I wanted to take a moment to introduce you to a fabulous new artist on Etsy, behappynow! Her fanciful illustrations are colorful, rich, and quite humorous. I love her use of color and type in her work! Be sure to check out her adorable mini books too :)



1. What do you create?
I aim to create optimistic art, which reminds us that life is good. And if it's not bright and shiny right now, there's always a hope for better. And in order to improve it, only you can change your life, in every direction you choose. My intention is to make people smile when they see my work, this way they'll have at least one moment of bliss a day.

2. What led you to take up your craft?
My father really loves art, and i've been his reason to begin drawing. He wanted to draw, and i remember these sunny days in my childhood when we drew together. He taught me to draw, and i continued it, while this summer i finish my Design Graduation with majoring in illustration.

3. Which part of your work do you most enjoy?
In one sentence, i enjoy working without any technologies, just me and my pens and pencils. Instead of upgrading my computer i would rather get more instruments to draw with. I never create in silence but only listening to some good, relaxing music from internet radio.

4. Which part do you find most trying?
Integrating typographic elements in my work always been a a challenge for me. But, at the same time i'm much interested in combination of illustration and typography altogether. I do like how letter shapes take place within colorful compositions, and the consequential relations to each other of the ingredients. i'm really into making handmade typography very very soon, when i'll have more time for this wonderful and super-pleasing research.



5. Where do you get your inspiration?
Everywhere! Enough to make a look onto surrounding environment just to have a flood of inspirations. Various relationships and situations inspire me most. These include of course humans, animals, animated characters, even fish! Through this vast amount of fictional characters i'm trying to make imposition and metaphor on people, and their world they live in.



7. What is your favorite medium to work with?
My moleskine! When i draw in my lovely sketchbook, i can allow myself to experiment and lift the limits of self-criticism. It gives me more freedom and generally speaking, i enjoy drawing proccess much more. I really like the paper it's made from, it's format and rounded corners, love the flipping of it, it's tiny bookmark, and that ispiring side pocket...

8. What is your favorite item that you have purchased off of Etsy?
Every item i decide to buy is a favorite, but i always look for more. Currently (and i still not bought it, don't know really why) it is a wonderful work of this artist: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5174302.



9. What is your favorite item in your shop right now?
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10521833



10. What are your favorite top three items from other artists shops?
1. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10155839
2. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10406590
3. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=10379548



12. What undiscovered artisans would you recommend the world to know?
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5366324
13. What is the best advice you have ever received?
Just do what you feel right. To be yourself..