ORGANISATION OF ILLUSTRATORS COUNCIL Singapore Illustrators and Illustration

OIC thanks Green House Design & Communications for kindly allowing us to publish their Fleecircus interview here. This interview first appeared in lol – living out loud, April 2008. Published by Green House Design & Communications. Written by Kisane G. Filmer.

A former LASALLE student Lee Wai Leng aka Fleecircus graduated in 1991 with a Diploma in Visual Communications. She shares her journey as she made the risky move from a full-time designer to self-employed illustrator…

Tell us about your design education. Why did you choose this area of study?
I entered LaSalle originally intending to do Fashion Design or Illustration. But later I found that I was more suited for illustration so I opted for the most relevant course.

How did you decide on LASALLE?
I took all the entrance tests to all the art and design academies, and I passed them all. But I didn’t have to take any such tests for LASALLE who accepted me once they saw my work. So I guess it was an instant decision.

Have you always done design? What’s your career path been like?
After I graduated from art school, I did graphic design for 5 years. And most of the graphic design jobs were at local design houses.

What was your favourite part of studying at LASALLE?
It’s got to be the Figure Drawing class; I owe my interest in drawing and its fine details to one of my LASALLE figure drawing lecturers.

Many believe that one cannot make a living as a full-time artist in Singapore. But as full-time illustrator, you obviously do. So what’s the secret?
I believe it’s never easy starting out on your own regardless of what job you do. I did not start out as a full-fledged illustrator. I did freelance design jobs on the side to support myself after I stopped working full-time. At the same time, I drew and started building my illustration portfolio. It took more than 2 years for me to fully make the transition to a full-time illustrator. Really, there’s no secret – only hard work.

So, in your opinion and based on your experience, does art pay?
If you choose art as your career, it’s unlikely that it will reward you monetary-wise. This is one industry where you can realize your talent. However, how much you get paid deters many from this business.

What do you think are the misconceptions people have of freelancers?
That freelancers have 100% freedom but are always broke? Haha! Freelancers must have good time management skills, and listen to their clients’ needs. Really, the more you work the more you get paid. But then again, freelancers do get to go to movies and shop on weekday afternoons.

What are some of the pitfalls you face as a full-time artist in Singapore?
Honestly, there are not much difficulties being a full-time artist in Singapore; that is, if you don’t always go after the finer, more expensive things in life.

How do you find your clients or do they find you?
Like any other job, networking is very important. You also have to establish a rapport with your client; recommendations always travel fast by word of mouth.

What are you working on now? Can share?
I am doing a 6-month project for the upcoming Peranakan Museum at Armenian Street (next to The Substation). I am basically one of the creative directors and am handling most of the creative language and design.

What are the tools of the trade you use most?
Paper, pencil, tracing paper, eraser, digital camera, scanner and computer.

If you ever find yourself short of creative juices, what do you do for a refill?
Surfing the internet, walking around bookstores and museums do the trick for me.

Imagine yourself in 10, 20 years? What will you be doing then?
I hope, still doing this.

What do you do in your spare time?
I read, and watch a lot of movies.

What’s your favourite time of day?
Evening.

Favourite gadgets?
My iPod and my digital camera.

Ok, how many songs are there now in your iPod?
About 3000 songs, I think. I listen to everything and anything.

What do you do to keep yourself awake when meeting crazy deadlines?
It’s not difficult for me to stay awake; sometimes I find it difficult for me to get to sleep!

Complete this sentence: Living out loud means…
Live your life like every week is your last.

www.lifeandcoincidences.blogspot.com
www.fleecircus.com

K: Hello I’m Kristal. Ok, You.

A: I’m Adeline. We work in the same office during the day.

.. u guys are colleagues… So you’re not full-time illustrators?
WHY NOT!

K: (who is this imaginary person asking questions?)

A: I think for now would like to have some breathing space between drawing jobs. At the end of the day I want to go home looking forward to drawing things i like, not dreading the thought of picking up the pencil to do changes. I’m just afraid that might happen if i go into it full-time….

K: Yeah, drawing makes you really happy… so it would suck BIG TIME if id hate to pick up the pencil. plus theres so many things u wanna do just for yourself, if u always have to draw something for work, its such a drag, to me la. Oh and i guess because with this attitude we’d be broke. (imaginary person that asks questions makes me uneasy. *suspicious*)

When did you get interested in drawing?

K: Honestly, don’t remember when, just something that a kid does. and lol i’ve got the peter pan complex.

A: Started drawing on my ladybird storybooks. I used a pen because i thought using a pen was very adult.

K: or like.. getting caned for drawing nonsense on walls and cupboards, Haha, ok then what’s the most awesome thing about DRAWING, to YOuUuU?

A: Is not so good at talking, or writing, or singing so i express myself this way.

K: ok! **AGREES!** but i do think you play the invisible piano exceptionally well.

A: Why thank you. We should make a band sometime. I like the sound of your whistle. you whistle like a bird

K: =/

Show and tell us about your first published work.

A: ZoukOut 12 hr party peoples— Timeout Mag. about the 5 stereotypes of people who attend zoukout: (left to right) the sponsor, the angmoh tourist, the seasoned clubber, the poser and the chunky beach hunk. They wanted it to be done in a certain style, like nicole kenney. It was the best experience i had so far, maybe what you call beginner’s luck. It was Kris who intro-ed this job to me

K: Coz ure drawings, i think were PERFECT for it. =)
ok…. this one : ..for all the Pretty Boys.. done for Arena Magazine Singapore. Deadlines can get kookoo, but things always run smoother when u like the subject matter. haha. Arena was really open to whatever stuff i had in mind. So the only issue (as usual) was: time. After reading the articles, if , we’d discuss a little before i did the drawings. But mostly they just let me be, kinda lucky, me thinks. next!

A: oh, oh, i admire you so. Could you show me your oldest personal drawing so i can print out and stick on my wall?

K: *BLUSH* This is not the oldest, but its quite old la hor? Adeline, meet Poppy Seed.

ooook! We must exchange. Gimme yours NAO!

A: Hi meet the photo of random dodgy squirrel. Couldn’t find the original anymore. must have thrown it away because he’s so ugly. ARGCK.

K: BISH me lieks. Dats one Sessie Squirrel.
OK SO BESIDES ME?!! Who do u love and admire, and why?

A: David Shrigley(http://www.davidshrigley.com)

K: (OH YAS. It all makes sense now.)

A: Is in love with his work because he manages to inject such personality into something so simple. You, who’s your one true love, Kris?

K: Loves Paulie Popie. He’s dead seksie. www.pulphope.blogspot.com

What’s your favourite drawing tool and style(s) for now?

K: Sentimental for sentimentality’s sake;
fav thing to use would be : brush & plain pencil.
Stuff like this… I had this sad looking puppy once :


and this…. The Very Thing That Happens :
ok!! u pasang nao.

A: Here’s yellow. He thinks he’s clever:


and some girls. Yellow likes girls with bangs:


K: Hey looks like you, ok nao pick your favouritest shape.

A: THERE! ( yea i like girls with bangs too…)


K: HAHA

A: Oh, nice. I might have just invented your favourite shape, lol.

K: Wo. we are our favouritest shapes. kuakua

SPECIAL QUESTION TIME! (do not blink)
A: So Kris, you made it into Grafuck 3!
How’s L.A like?
How’s the opening night like?
Did the gallery take all your money?
Made any famous friends?

K: @@ NOT BLINKING :
Yes Naice, lots of alco.
but it was frreaking cold.
Agreement is to half/half…SHARE MUNNIES.
& ya, they signs my copy of grafuck 3. I signzzz theirs tooooo! AWSUM! Very naice people who are super friendly to a nobody like me.
Would’ve been awsumer if all my lovelies were there *waves like star on tv at invisible camera*

A: Awwwwwwwww.

K: Ok serious : It was damn cool meeting all these different people. Was so bloody nervous..but the guys at Gallery Nucleus were really warm and did i say super nice already? When I was getting the prints ready, i had no idea what to do. Lucky me, they were patient and didn’t kick me out for asking a lot of questions. Asking questions is good. Got the prints framed..sent them over.. the gallery took care of everything else. I think i was more stoked taking pics of Audrey Kawasaki’s work , getting the other artists to sign my copy..and picking out stuff to buy in the store. Hahahaha

A: PICTURE TIEM I SAEZ!

HAWTSAUCE!

Show us your desk:
KRIS:


ADE:

THANKS ANDREW FOR INVITING US TO INTERVIEW EACH OTHER! OK!