SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Théo Gennitsakis for The Royal (unpublished)

[s] Theo, please tell the people the basics, who, what, where, when & how?
Théo Gennitsakis - TheoGennitsakis.com, I'm a Greek designer from Thessaloniki (Greece), 24 years old, I work in Paris, Athens & London, (have been an) Art Director for different Agency's. Actually I work on different project for a design & fashion magazine, some advertising agency's on websites, print advertising & more... I have 3 exhibition projects in 2008 & my future studio opening in 2 years...

[s] What do you get your inspirations from?
[t.g.] I like some designers, Banksy, Universal Everything, Hort, Anthony Micallef, Kaws, Sagmeister, David La Chapelle, Gerda Steiner & Jörg Lenzlinger & more... I like to see an exhibition, the people of my street, tv videoclip & more...

[s] What happens in France when you try to relax?
[t.g.] Im going to a cofee bar (just 5 min of my home) in center of paris. Just this!

[s] Does your culture play a role in your work?
[t.g.] Yes, for some reasons... my culture now, is very classy, simply, truely.

[s] Whats next?
[t.g.] 3 exhibitions in 2008, my design studio opening end of 2008 & some projects soon.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x UNDRCRWN for The Royal (unpublished)

[s] Hi Dustin can you give us a brief intro. Who is UNDRCRWN & what does UNDRCRWN do?
Simply UNDRCRWN is a footwear & apparel company. We make stuff we want people to buy. We feel our products touch people's emotions. Sneaker culture, basketball fiends, fashionistas. We have something for everyone while still maintaining an identity grounded in basketball. We feel we are trying to do something that people have been afraid to do. Basketball has been the same for a while & is getting stale. I feel no one has their finger on the pulse more than we do. We know the game & more importantly know the culture. Basketball culture is bigger than people that play the game. So while everyone else is chasing the next air bubble, we just want people to be fly.

[s]Ever since Jordan started the multiple crossover & long shorts the game hasn't been the same. What changes in fashion have caught your eye in the NBA?
[uc] The biggest changes I think aren't really about just the fashion. I think the biggest change that happened is who kids look up to for their fashion cues. For example, when I was coming up, our fashion icon was Michael Jordan. Nowadays it's hip hop artists that they look up to. Whether it's Jay-Z, Pharell, Kanye or Lil Wayne, it's these artists that the kids look to for fashion trends. The recent NBA dress code looks like a night club dress code. No sneakers, Timbs, jerseys, baseball hats, chains, etc. They might as well make them wear a uniform off the court too. Khakis & polos with their name embroidered on the left chest. It's interesting to see the players try & implement their own style within this NBA dress code. In the end, the game has always faced the obstacles of the changing trends in fashion. It's only a matter of time before some new trend in sports happens. I just hope we're part of that change. UNDRCRWN DRESS CODE COLLECTION coming next season. (plug).

[s] What do you think about the recent uprise of street balling, was this an insignificant flux or does it have any potential in expanding?
[uc] Streetball has been around forever. It's just on TV now. I think that's the downfall. I think with anything that gets too exposed, it loses its mystery. We've seen people jump over cars & break ankles. Don't get me wrong, it will always be cool to see players do things we've never seen before. But the cool thing about seeing these players is seeing them in person. Now you can hit Youtube or some bad streetball show to see it all. It just not the same as seeing it in person. There's no exaggerated passing of information that leads to the most unbelievable story ever..... like,I saw Ray Ray jump over a 7'6" dude named Ronny who had one leg, an eye patch & a backstage pass from a Kool Moe Dee concert around a his neck, while grabbing a can of soda & drinking it before he landed." That's how legends are made.

[s] On a busy day just before a launch, what is the office like at UNDRCRWN?
[uc] It's crazy every day. We have to work so far in advance prior to the actual launch date for the season. In addition, we're wrapping up the previous season while we work on the launch of the next. We have about 3 seasons in work at the same time. And for a small company, it does get pretty stressful, I won't lie. If I'm not in the office, I'm on my computer or blackberry.... it's a constant race with a never-ending finish line. But, of course, I can't see myself doing anything else.

[s] Whats next for UNDRCRWN?
[uc] I got my shameless plug in earlier, but I have no problem doing it again. Next basketball season (November-ish), we will be launching our DRESS CODE COLLECTION. It's a little bit of the same but with a twist. We wanted to bring to market some more upscale exclusive items that would fall in line with the recent NBA dress code. They are true fashion-fusion pieces. We're really trying to blur the lines of the dress code. We want the players to be comfortable---- not just in the clothes, but in their own personal style.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x DeChazier P. Stokes for The Royal (unpublished)

[s] Describe where you are from & what influenced you to go into design.
Respect. I was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1982 & lived in Toronto for approx 5 years. As far as what influenced me to go into design I would have to say the Ultimate Warriors different painted face masks, Air Jordan shoes, & new baseball teams coming into the MLB. No Joke. I use to sit for hours on my Grandparents floor & make up my own Air Jordan designs & new Ultimate Warrior Masks. I even made up names for fictional MLB teams & then started designing their uniforms etc. I was a weird kid.

[s] I love your names, they are totally unique & I can not think of anyone named DeChazier. What does this name mean?
[d.p.s.] Thanks. My aunt named me. She was taking a French & Latin at the time & wanted to come up with a totally unique name for the first child born between her & her mom. So she started using the first letters of the first names of members of my family; D for my Grandmother Dorothy, C for my Auntie Carolyn, R for my Great Grandmother Ruth Smith, & so on. She also did this with the middle name using the P from her name & making it the first letter of my middle name, Pykel. Because the name is so unique it has no set in stone meaning but I always just look at it as family love & celebration of family roots, taking the story into consideration.

[s] How did you come up w/ the title 'Black-Marmalade' ? What is the significance behind it?
[d.p.s.] This is much easier to answer than the one about my given name. I am of African American Decent & I like to think that every time I work on a project I cook up sweet shit.

[s] Your interviews always attack a variety of subjects, how will these conversations expand & what is the future of the Marma Spot?
[d.p.s.] I'm very glad you asked that question, very glad. I went after the interviews hard for about a year & a half & then I just stopped. I haven't put an interview up since January of this year. I saw that many people where doing the interview thing & honestly my interests were growing & changing. I wanted to hang out with my son & wife, enjoy watching him grow & also pick & choose fun freelance projects with lax deadlines so I could really work & rework my solutions. In this time 'off' I also signed on with Dorkmag.com as a writer/designer. I have had major fun working with the good people over there. What up Taj & James I see you. I am getting the itch again though. I am working on a book that will compile the interviews that are on the site & so much more. The launch date of the book is still uncertain but that date will also be the launch of a new site specifically dedicated to the Marma Spot. Black-Marmalade.com will become my portfolio site only. On the new site you can expect weekly updates, special promotions, & possibly a 'blog' section that will not be called a blog!!! I don't want to give too much away but I am working right this moment on being more patient & taking my time to make something the whole world can feel & can fill a void at the same time.

[s] We know you are a genuine hip hop head, with the decline in record sales what artists make you want to buy their music?
[d.p.s.] The latest album was The Return of the Magnificent by Dj Jazzy Jeff & Friends. Aside from him it's Common, Hi Tek, Talib Kweli, Kanye West, The Cardigans, Arctic Monkeys, Silversun Pickups, The Roots & any side project ?uestlove touches, El p etc. Pretty much anything Def Jux or the artists on okayplayer.com put out & little gems that I find through conversation with friends & searching the web & magazine reviews. I love finding new music that I can connect to.

[s] You have stocked quite an inventory in your online store, was this a hobby turned hustle? What other area's of design do you study, & how often has the research progressed into development?
[d.p.s.] Thanks. It was an interest that turned into a side hustle as my man Heron Preston would say. I was interested in the street wear game a little while back & I wanted to see what it would be like to put a product out & have people respond to it in some way. I'm not interested in producing street wear anymore though there are a couple of brands I would be interested in working with on collabos. Right now I'm interested in typography, I don't think that will ever change, & in print. I am getting into programming though too because I want to be able to run all aspects of my site by myself. I know a little html programming but I need to dive into flash & hardcore html to really be successful on the level that I'm ready to be successful on. Now that I'm getting older & have very specific goals that I want to accomplish by certain ages, I'm getting deadly style focused. No time for research & time wasting unless I know I'm going to try to penetrate the market. It's one thing at a time & then cross it off my list.

[s] What is an average daily routine in your life?
[d.p.s.] When I was in grind mode (pre January 2007) I would go wake up at about 1-2 am & work on interviews for the site etc. until about 6 am. Then I would take a shower & go to work. Work as a designer for about 8-9 hours & do it all over again the next day. But post January has been something more like this. 5:30am - 6:00 am Wake up. Go get my son up & out of bed. Clean him up & get him changed out of his pj's. 6:00 am - 6:30 am Get breakfast made for the little guy, take the dog out, wash the dishes if there are any, & get the little one cleaned up. 6:30 am - 7:30 am Get myself some breakfast (sometimes) & check out my bank account online as well as e- mails, a few daily sites I visit & my myspace, virb accounts. Also during this time I watch sports center & the local news to stay up on thangs. 7:30 am - 8:00 am This time varies because sometimes it doesn't take 30 minutes but this is my morning drive into work. 8:00 am - 1:00 pm (or so) This is the time I work on various projects, send & receive countless numbers of e- mails & listen to the bulk of my music. 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (or so) This time varies as well depending upon what project I am working on at the time. Lunches have been known to start as late as 2:30 or 3:00 though not often at all. 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm (or so) This time also varies because again, if I am working on something or under a deadline I'm staying. But 5:00 pm is the 'end' of the workday. Often times me & my bro James will stay later & grind on our own projects though. 5:00 pm - 5:30 pm (or so) This is my drive time home. 5:30 pm - 6:30 pm I have dinner with the family. This is normally a very relaxing time of the day. 6:30 pm - ? pm I have been hanging out with my son & watching a movie or something & then watching some shows of my own. I might go out with friends after work so I might be out late. This part of the night is really open although lately it's been family time. Now that I am getting back into grind mode I will be hustling in my sleep.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Christophe Remy for The Royal (unpublished)

[s] Hello Christophe, please introduce yourself & explain what you do.
[c.r.] As you said, my name is Chris, I live in Brussels. I work with visuals, trying to express myself & make "beautiful things" by any means.

[s] How is it working w/ both traditional & digital media? What new discipline's have you incorporated?
[c.r.] Actually, it seems like I did it the wrong way, haha. Basically the computers got me interested into design & illustration, so I started there. But I quickly understood that the digital part was not enough. I started to experiment how I could, with paints, collages, stencils, ink, etc... then I even learned to draw some stuff... I still think the computer is a useful tool, but I manage to use it the least I can. Maybe it's also the fact that I hate being dependant on technology. yeah, In fact I hate technology! It's a paradox... I like the "unique nature" of traditional medias.

[s] We know you have cinema in your background, besides the minimal flash interface, does motion design play any other roles in your life?
[c.r.] Not for the moment. I've recently been contacted by a motion design company in Paris. If I get interesting propositions involving nice people, I'll probably go for it. We'll see...

[s] Your work has a very abstract tone to it, how much creative control do you give to clients when studying a case?
[c.r.] Most of the time, people come to me for what I do. according to the client I know if I have to stay "smooth" or if I can go crazy. After some talks we always get to the point. sometimes I also have shitty graphic design jobs which are quite boring, but these ones, I don't show them, haha. I'm not complaining but we'll see how it goes when I get commissions for bigger brands / clients...

[s] With clients all around the world now, how did you personally adapt to this global market?
[c.r.] Well, in one word, I would say "internet". Again, it's a paradox. I'm pretty much skeptical about globalization & at the same time it's the mean by which I get recognized... It's all about self-promotion & meeting people. Now we can make it virtually, it's going very fast. I don't really know what to think about it, but I know you have to be selective on which relationships I can build on the internet. A lot of solicitations you get just turn out to be a loss of time. So unfortunately I had to adapt myself be being on the internet, wouldn't have been here right now without it.

[s] In your genre what creative people do you look to for inspiration or motivation?
[c.r.] I see a lot of talented people around with no one particular. I'm a great fan of Dave Mc Keane, he's almost a dinosaur of illustration now. I'm getting more & more interested in what we can call "street art". I recently joined another collective called "No new ennemies" including artists from all over the world. A lot of them come from the street scene, but you also have people like Neasden control centre, more into graphic / fine art. I'm looking for that kind of mix. I like it when there's more action, new applications. I sometimes feel like an "creative nerd", but I'm getting more free with the time... I'm into decorative art & architecture as well, especially ranging from 18th to 19th century. I'm really missing some taste in decoration & architecture nowadays! Anyway the market is taking over everything & making everything uniform... even art at some point.

[s] We know you are also a musician, with this in mind, whats the next new thing we can look forward to for Christophe & NeverEffect?
[c.r.] I'm having a break with music right now. I have to concentrate on art / illustration / design / whatever you call it, cos right now I feel it is the best way to serve my life philosophy. It comes along with reading a lot & learning all the time. I don't want to sound cheesy, but when it comes to creativity, sensitivity is important, but education & culture can be a powerful tool as well. Having your own opinion tells you what you can or can't do to be true to yourself. That might be the hardest part & it takes time! So, no music in a near future!

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Brandon Minga for The Royal (unpublished)

[s] Hello Brandon, please introduce yourself to those that don't know. Who are you, what do you do, why do you do it & how do you do it so good?
Sup. Most people call me Minga. I was born & raised in Kenosha, Wi & I moved to Milwaukee to get my BFA of Illustration from Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design. I’m a proud parent, a fiancée, & an all around family guy. 9 to 5 I design apparel for Straight-Up, Inc., 1190 & Kindred Clothiers. Anytime after that you‘ll catch me in the studio working on some freelance project. These usually range from print, web, album, & apparel design to illustration & /or fine art gallery work. I do all this because it’s my muse, my release. I love it. It’s where I go to meet with myself – once the act of creation begins the process is where you’ll find me lost. When I’m working on a piece I listen & feel my way through it – I have to trust myself. I usually only consider something I’ve done “good” when it feels good.

[s] Fashion is a specialty for you, how do you feel about the screenprinting fad & not enough exploitation on the traditional forms such as cut & sew?
[b.m.] You might think so, but seriously; I straight up fell into the apparel world about a year & a half ago. Let the fad fade & the traditional forms will rise yet again. I mean, look at lines like 10deep, SVSV, Artful Dodger, Freshjive, True Love & False Idols; already on the cut & sew tip bringing the heat. Shit, I’ve still got a few Ecko shits from like six almost seven years ago chilling in the closet getting rotation, hehe.

[s] What is life like in Milwaukee, what do you do on your 'off' time?
[b.m.] Oh, you know, riots, police brutality & excessive force, drive-bys & such. Shit is getting kinda wild & it’s not even hot yet! I’d be lying if I told you I wasn’t concerned about this summer in MKE. Huh, off time! Seriously though, I hang out with my daughter & fiancée. Kick it with my brother & the fam. There’s some really cool bike paths & mountain bike trails in Milwaukee that I try & hit from time to time. Vibe with my boys Black Marmalade & Mongoofy once in while too, holla!

[s] What artists & designers have influenced you in the past decade?
[b.m.] I’m inspired by the world around me, not any one thing really. To be an artist isn’t something that is chosen, I feel like everyone has there calling. From daily interactions with people to finding things in the street; my art is an epiphany. Subject matter sort of finds me, I just follow the call. Stylistically speaking, a few of my influences are Tom Noffsinger, Jeff Soto, Vault49, Dr. Evermore, Flux Design, Tim Burton, Frank Lloyd Wright, Sven Birkerts, Georges LeBar, John Matson, Tank Theory, Boris Pelcer, Von, Brand-Nu, Electric Heat, No Pattern, Salvador Dali & Joseph Cornell.

[s] You have a broad range of discipline's what are some new mediums you've picked up & what was the catalyst for this crossover?
[b.m.] Crossover would be the right term for it, that’s for sure. Working completely digital from start to end product is something that has begun to happen increasingly over the past year on certain projects, especially at work. That really has to do with the archive of imagery & texture I’ve been building, but the fuel for this change is flat out supply & demand. I’ve also been really interested in what Von, Brand-Nu, Electric Heat, & No Pattern have been doing digitally, they’re awesome! So I thought I should step up my game a bit & learn more about photoshop. Totally contradicting myself, just recently I’ve gone back to more traditional methods, digging through National Geographic’s & old photography books with an exacto in hand, splashing paint around & drawing a bit – it feels great! This was brought on by budget & the Head-On collaborative gallery event I did with Mongoofy here in mil-town. But I think I’m going to continue mixing in more traditional elements because the work just feels better when I’m done. And then about 4 months ago I hooked up 2 pairs of adidas with paint markers. My love for kicks & creation collided on this one. I caught myself indulging in the pics on sneaker pimps & sneaker freaker, thinking to myself, I said I was going to have more fun this year. Thus the byproduct; sneaks freaked by me – peep them on my site under apparel & leave me some feedback. Let me know if I should do more or throw out the markers!

[s] Whats in the near or far future for Brandon Minga?
[b.m.] Well, I’m due to be wed so I’m in the process of planning a wedding & reception, if you will. Just dropped the Planet of the Apes shirt for kindred & it should be on kindredmarket.com soon. Working on a fine art piece about 6’x3’ for one of my guys. And I’m also working on a family portrait tee for another one of my guys. Eventually I think I’ll take the leap & go freelancing, but at this point I still have some bills to pay like student loans!

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Radim Malinic for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Hello Radim, run down the profile who, what, when, where, why & how?
Hola, my name is Radim Malinic & I am a freelance designer & illustrator working under the name of Brand Nu. Most of the times I am very happy individual, the rest of the time I am even happier. Quite easily amused too. Tell me a shit joke & I will no doubt laugh. I turned 29 a few months ago & my girlfriend got me a nice cake. No candles though. Actually I need to find out why. I've a got a little website at www.brandnu.co.uk where I am hoarding the work I am most proud of. I design mainly for print, but of late I've been working on a range of interactive tools. Although, CMYK colour space is where I am most at home:) Pantone book is my bedtime reading. I started up doodling & creating visual mishaps some 14 years ago, but never really thought much of it. Playing the bass in a band & djing was back then taking most of my time. Helping out with screenprints at my mother's design agency was possibly the nearest I got to the world of design. It was fun, but possibly I needed time to really make my mind up of what to do.

Having worked freelance for years & years, I decided to quit my daytime job of 5 years as a Senior Designer in March this year. It was the right time to go on my own & I love every single day of it. I had to juggle two more or less full time jobs & it was getting a bit tiring. Now I have had the pleasure to work on the 'big gun' projects, but also on the smaller ones, where going against the rules was quite enjoyable & rewarding. People put up websites as soon as they've got one or two decent pieces to show to the world. It took me more that 3 1/2 years to get myself to put some of my work online. Not sure if it was a good move or a bad move because since the day I put my portfolio online I haven't really had a day off. It's nice to see how people put my stuff to their judgment on their blog sites, some young designers slug it off but mainly, my work is attracting new clients coming to me for their 'Brand Nu' artwork.

[s] Now that thats clear, you mention that work is starting to flood. How do you manage time & what is some advice on juggling several projects at a time?
[r.m.] Get three time planners! One for whole year, one for the weeks only & one where you plan a day's workload. I know it sounds bizarre but it damn works. Working freelance is about putting more hours in & about breaking your sleep patterns. It's all about planning your time. Don't promise your clients to get their work done in a breakneck timescales when you've got already a pile of new jobs to get on with. To me really, the most ideal project are the ones where you can work from start to finish in one go. I find it most exciting to come up with new ideas as I go along, you can experiment with new techniques & get stuff done. Some people work on a poster for a week or more. I definitely admire them for their patience. In the commercial design industry work gets done pretty fast. Very rarely I work on something for more than a day, well, unless it's an album artwork etc. It keeps the variety going through & things don't go stale.

[s] What technologies make things easier?
[r.m.] It's quite scary how much we depend on the computers these days. Eight year old kids get their homework given online to email the answers to the teacher. How mad is that? I mean don't get me wrong the computers has made it easier for most of us to do this or that at some stage, but it's getting a bit too much. People are getting messed up because their broadband connection drops off a bit. 10 years ago there was no fast connection & every one was happy & the work got done. I've got a Quad Mac with 4GB of RAM & it's like my twin brother. Well, I don't talk to it, but it does everything I need. If the computers didn't exist I am sure I would be doing the same work, only via a bit more time consuming & dirtier process. The computers do make it easier .... a lot easier. The internet has made everything to 'blend' together too. It's great to send your files to printers in Japan, talk to client in Thailand via IM & get new brief from your client in the USA, all done in the same time of the hour. I think we are living in quite exciting times. What makes me really laugh, is the so-called 'designer public' who get themselves a stolen copy of Adobe Photoshop, a cheap laptop & claims he's got a design studio. Yay! Those people think it's even easier than that.

[s] What media outlets do you use for marketing? Do you decide what work you do?
[r.m.] I haven't really explored the many various marketing channels available out there. My website attracts the right kind of audience, my previous work does pull in a lot & the trusted word of mouth does the rest. Indeed I take the decision what I take on, what client I would like to sack. I like freedom on my projects. It's normal to work on a few various projects at a time & I'm very careful what I take on board. Also, it's nice when the client listens to what you've got to offer to them. Some of them keep rambling about their crap idea & expect you to just artwork it for them. Agencies take on jobs to make money, but I am sporting an opinion; that if I can do a good job, let's take it on.

[s] Is there a difference between work & a personal life for you?
[r.m.] My girlfriend would like to think there's a difference between the two, but being very passionate about the art & design I never really switch off. You get inspired wherever you go, whatever you read or see. Whenever we travel abroad, I tend to take pictures of textures, banisters, facades & all sorts of random stuff I later implement in my artwork which Japanese tourist never thought of taking pictures. It just shows I never really leave my 'work' head at home. The plumbers might have it easier in what they do. I bet they don't look at the water taps in Italy & point out to their better halves the position of the toilet flusher, maybe. Living is about interaction with the world around you. Your work reflects your personal stuff as well as your normal life is infused by the time spend cracking an odd job brief.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Steven David Muller for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Steven, please let the people know who Seven Even is & what Gold Rush Studio is.
I am a fine-artist, designer, & consultant currently working for the Lifted Research Group. Gold Rush is my personal multidisciplinary studio officially established in 1998 after my work was first published internationally.

[s] You've got a hefty catalog of work, how do you go about seeking work & how do companies find you?
[s.d.m.] Phones don't ring if you merely expect them to. I've taken a guerrilla approach to attaining very specific clients & seek out situations that will expand upon my body of work & with which styles I'm comfortable. Many companies are often oblivious to what they need to be doing until you show them, in living detail.

[s] Seeing so many different variations of the same style (portrait/vector/brush graphic) what keeps you pushing original content?
[s.d.m.] The contrast & frequency of visual stimulus in my personal illustrations reflects the tone & climate of our times. I am currently exploring how the content & density of kitsch in a culture is manifested in the ethereal experiences of its inhabitants.

[s] Do you travel? How do you cleanse your palette?
[s.d.m.] Travel can be an amazing experience as geographical boundaries influence our intrapersonal development & create language. Specific points in my life & niches within our culture inspire much of my work. Cleansing often comes with change & I cannot stop creating. Eventually, something happens, either an off-topic idea or a mistake, which in turn, can provide a glimpse of opportunity.

[s] What is in the future for you & Gold Rush Studio?
[s.d.m.] Studying & adding artistic value to life, in this day & age, has become more relevant to me than adorning walls with artful gestures & bantering about validity. My production has become an extension of immediate effect & a dissemination of energy. I intend to entertain clients, on the more conceptual & creative of interests, for as long as I live.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Ravi Vasavan for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Ravi! Please, introduce yourself to everyone & let them know what you do & how you got here.
I'm Ravi, obviously. I'm nothing more than just another ordinary eighteen year old boy who is currently residing in the City of Melbourne in Australia, working as a multidisciplinary freelance designer & a language assistant at a school for final year students.

I started out with a set of steel airplane toys, carving our lounge room walls - getting into trouble for that, every day but seemingly that didn't stop my parents to get me a set of Crayola's colored crayons & some papers without thinking twice (which reminds me, I gotta thank them for that), but that didn't stop me vandalizing our household soon as I've used up all the papers, which I've resorted to draw n doodle under dining & coffee tables & on a few more walls.

Soon as I started attending school, acquiring proper sense of drawing & doodling - & skip some years until I received my first copy of Photoshop, the rest is history, literally. Add some more years to that, & here I am - collaborating & working with great dude & dudettes & working with a number of amazing companies, colleagues/friends & collaborators.

Here's something that always manage to marvel people, even though it is a subliminal thing - I were born profound deaf, to two loving deaf parents. I've been using sign language as my native tongue (hands, to be precise). But here's a catch, I can also lip read very well & I can answer back easily by writing the text on my mobile & hand it over to the person, or if there is a set of pen & papers nearby - I'd use it to communicate, or laptops/computers. Thank god for modern technology, otherwise I'd be handwriting all day long with my hearing friends who I haven't had the chance to teach sign language!

[s] What are the largest obstacles that challenge you in your craft?
[r.v.] First thing first, the largest obstacle that challenges me in my craft is that I am deaf, but to me it is not even a hindrance but to others it may seems to be this way & I'd have to convince them that I can jump over this obstacle naturally, I've been doing it since I was a toddler so it is never an obstacle to me, it is an ordinary day-to-day thing, but to others it is not. That's one of my biggest obstacle.

Some may have asked me how I accumulate my inspiration, because in the majority out there, they rely on music to inspire them. I've managed well without music, I find everything inspiring - from the smallest to the biggest details. Life is outrageously beautiful, & inspiring. It's absolutely overwhelming.

In short, there is no such thing as obstacle that challenges me indefinitely, to a point where I can't find a way through it. I've gotta thank my family & friends for that, for believing in me & constantly telling me that I can do it.

[s] What are the disciplines you are working in?
[r.v.] Considering my experience, I work in various disciplines which probably defines me as a multidisciplinary designer, but as of late I've been working on a lot of print-based media & screen-based media so I'd occasionally drop in & out in between both of them.

My heart is large enough to share love for each disciplines I've dived into in my life, much as I'd like to believe, I will never ever stop venturing beyond my comfort zone to delve myself into new disciplines such as textile design & pattern making, just naming few of disciplines that I'd very much like to get acquainted with.

[s] How do you get away from it all?
[r.v.] To get away from it all, I'd get up & jump onto a bean bag in our lounge room & watch a DVD we hired or bought recently. But in majority, & my most favored method of 'get away from it all' is to head out into the city during the day, catch a latte with a friend & then have a dinner with other friend & end up sitting at a bar having some drinks with even more friends - it spares me from all the technical & graphical babbles, into a huge conversation about something so pointless, but so relaxing. Or clubbing, even. And I'd buy a plane ticket, out of Melbourne- into Sydney, or somewhere new & treat myself to an entirely lazy escapade from work, the epitome of being a freelance is that soon as you're done with projects you can always drop it & head out for while (bring a laptop with you, & work on it occasionally... haha, defeats the purpose of the escapade, but, you know!)

[s] I see your activity is heavy in online communities, tell me the secret to getting people to participate.
[r.v.] There is no secret in this one, it's a matter of discovering the right thing to say & bond with others - form a friendship with them, there is always something that will make others feel that it is worth it to register themselves to a new community, these days it's getting crazy - new community/portal coming after the new one, constantly. So you have to also show them that it doesn't only benefit you nor the community, that it does benefit them too - to get into a network seamlessly & communicate-interact with like-minded people.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Emeric Trahand for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Hello Emeric, please explain your handle's [tksh / stillontherun] & your daily grind.
Well, first of all, I just wanna thank u Son for the interest you showed in my works. Tksh stands for Takeshi, I'm 26, French, my name is partly inspired by the great kitano, but other things too. I've always been an enthusiast about japan & asian cultures. Why "still on the run"? Well, I loved the sound of the words, I always did & thought one could easily see similarities between the life of an escaped prisoner & a freelancer routine. The daily stress, the pressure, agencies trying to catch you.

My daily grind starts at 11 am. Spend an hour waking up between blogs & cups of coffee. Then start the working day, spending most of my time stuck on photoshop, but also dealing with tons of emails, administrative paperwork, until like 8-9 pm. Sometimes later when clients are pushing, sometimes all the weekend. Still after that I usually go out to get a cigarette, a guinness or a chat with friends, trying to share things about creation, about what we do, should do, could try, having a good time & then back home to get my daily after midnight hours of tv & start the next day.

[s] What is the design culture like in France?
[e.t.] I'm not sure about how to answer that. I've quickly been acquainted to designers from other countries thanks to the internet... so I don't really see frontiers in the design cultures.

Still, I think there are great talents in France, quite often coming from the 90's street culture, graffiti & street art. Guys like 123 Klan, Super Deux, guys from Toulouse & many others. Pushing creation in really nice directions. The thing in France, is not about the designers, we got some & they are good, (I'm thinking about Gennitsakis & Sattler/Lysergid too) but I feel that the clients are really not that open minded, or willing to take risks in projects. I can feel the difference when I got clients from overseas. Moreover, I must admit that there is a particular "snob" attitude in some restricted circles in France, I'm not much into that. The design scene sometimes feels more like an expression than a reality to me.

[s] What do you do to clear your mind?
[e.t.] I go back home real late at night, but it doesn't work that much. To be honest, I havent had my mind clear for the last few months, I've just been working & working. I wish I could have a genuine break sometime, just to think about what I would really like to work on, find my style, expermient new directions & sleep too.

[s] I see lots of real elements displaced to create a surreal setting. Do you practice in different disciplines in order to give this mixed media look?
[e.t.] I've been practicing different techniques over the past year. This was mostly due to my inspirations, the projects / graphic designers I discovered, etc. Right now, I guess it makes my creations stronger in a way. It allows me nice combinations & I can adapt myself pretty easily to clients demands. This is also tricky though, since every time I start a new artwork, I really don't have a clue in which direction I should go.

[s] What are the advantages of networking online?
[e.t.] Networking online makes contact easier for people like me.

[s] Whats next for TKSH?
[e.t.] I've just updated & got a lot of nice feedbacks, this makes me feel lighter. I got a couple of big commercial things I gotta deal with now, but asap, I wanna get with a few collabs hopefully... & push creation... !

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Pawel Nolbert for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Hello Color, please tell everyone who you are & what you do, how this name came about & its significance.
[p.n.] Hello Color, as a name of my portfolio site, on which I focus my online presence as a freelancer, came to life in year 2006. As some of you may remember, I was previously residing over at norrb.com address, but the domain problems forced me to think about a new one, so I had to come up with a brand new name, while norrb.com was pretty well recognized domain at the time. As with the HelloColor name I wanted a name that would be "friendly-to-hear" & representing me & what I have been doing in adequate way, as I was fascinated by using a whole spectrum of colors & decided to to apply that to my works at the time, so I found name Hello Color fitting to that very well, & I liked it a lot. As far as the name significance is concerned, shortly after establishing myself as HelloColor, I realized how prominent a name can be, especially in the internet era. People liked the new name a lot & it become much more reflecting & attractive to a potential visitor.

[s] What are some levels you are trying to push in terms of style?
[p.n.] I actually don't have, & never liked to have any strict, predefined style concepts that I would meticulously apply into my work. That would be a kind of limit for me, however we all should have some elements in our work that make others spot who is the author, that little things that make us recognizable. That's good, but at the same time I like to have some freedom in that matter, that allows me to break the style limitations & create various stuff. That would never get boring to me, as it would, if I had very strict style. However, as you might have noticed & as I mentioned, I like using vivid & pleasant to eye colors in my compositions, but it's all evolving all the time & it keeps me pushing the envelope & that's important to me, to look for some innovation every time I create something new.

[s] I think i remember a musical tone before, does this play any theme w/ your creativity?
[p.n.] Yes, of course it does. Actually, I love listening various music genres & I got a huge list with a broad range of artist & genres on my iTunes, but the one that make the biggest influence on my thoughts with approaching to a piece is rock music. That gives me dope. Good lyrics are always a great source of inspiration.

[s] How do you vacate?
[p.n.] Doing a lot of things, messing around, going to weird & boring places.

[s] First you moved from experimental to professional, what is the next step in terms of branding & expansion?
[p.n.] Well, it's hard to say. Right now I'm focusing on freelance as HelloColor, but when I graduate in about 6 months, I will have a bunch of new options to explore. I will probably take a full time position at some nice agency for some time, so right now I don't have any precise plans on how to develop HelloColor, at least not yet. Hopefully Hello is doing better & better & I'm glad of that progress. We will see what time brings & what choices will I face.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Nelson Balaban for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Hello Nelson, please state your name and what you do.
Hi, I'm Nelson Balaban, 18 years old graphic artist from Brazil. I produce both colorful and moody illustrative artworks for international and local clients, sort of. Never thought I'd become a professional, I learned everything by myself while messing out with tools like Photoshop and Illustrator..

[s] What benefits does this global community afford you?
[n.b.] The global community gives me the opportunity to interact with like-minded professionals and students, get feedback from them and the best part: collaborate with them. It's always good to mix up different ideas and styles, the result tends to be provoking, complex, thoughtful.

[s] Tell me things that are unique about the scenes in Brazil?
[n.b.] Really hard to tell. There's a huge variety of styles, influenced by a vast universe of creations and creators from all over the globe that when mixed up - or even emulated by the artists - they come with so much originality that it's not really "realized" or recognized by the community. In my field, it may be tough to find a job where you're not actually forced to work within parameters set by people from Europe or even North America. Clichés. Things in Brazil tend to be very unique - but they go out from the country as soon as they get discovered by outsiders. Just like I said, it takes time for the public to realize how original it is, how unique it is in a global point of view. We got a very strong culture that can't be found anywhere else, and as a big country, some regions don't breed great talents in determined fields.. and it's even more tricky when you don't have access to the outside world. Things are unique here by the braveness of our people, the concept is always intricate in some aspects. Urban intervention is wacky, just as the government and taxes are.

[s] What do you do offline?
[n.b.] I barely find myself at home when I'm not working in front of my mac.. just when we set up some kind of a movie session with our girls and other friends - we grab some beer, entertaining movies and pizzas, the rest... well you know. I used to practice skateboarding but I got some projects and budgets that are taking me some good time lately. We (me and my friends) club at the weekends and tend to have a very hungover Sunday as usual - normally spent laid down on the grass, drinking fresh water. Though, I got to manage household affairs, as well as car-driving classes. Will attend my last year at school then move to London in 2009 for university. Plans may change, but they're standing up for a good while thus far.

[s] Whats next for Nelson and Xtrabold?
[n.b.] Well, as a wealthy and brave boy I'll let the future take me wherever it wants to take me to. As said above, plans may change, I wish I could know what comes next but I don't even know what I'm going to eat tomorrow. Like the wise old man said, "keep running", that's what I do. I'm freelancing for 3 years now and as soon as I get in a university - in London - things are supposed to get even better on the professional. I just wish to get involved with projects where I'll be able to develop my abilities and expand my knowledge. I earned much more than I thought I would some years ago, the thing I used to do for fun has become my profession and now I'm definitely fallen in love with it.

SOMETHINOFNOTHIN x Neil Duerden for The Royal (Published online in journal ...)

[s] Amongst the design community your personal work has been shining throughout the many blogs and portals lately, but you have much more under your belt other than illustration, please let the people know who you are, where you are from and what you do.
I am Neil Duerden, a self confessed mac monkey 20 miles north of Manchester (UK), I create pieces that combine elements from mixed media and photography, that are interlaced with complex vectors to create pieces that always hit the brief for clients all around the world. My art is from the heart and this passion shows through the clever usage of the latest technology and traditional medias all mashed up together. I am always hungry for commissions!

I am also the creative director of a company called Modern-English, here we produce great work in the fields of film, music and interactive design. The concept was to bring everything under one roof. The first problem was to find a great building to house all the facets of the company, so we took over an 18 century school to provide us with the space for a huge recording studio, massive design studio, film editing suite and of course, all the latest technology.

[s] We all see these magazine's w/ collections from a variety of artists. What do you see being the most pivotal trend w/ independent companies?
[n.d.] The thing with trends is they come and go, what is needed is a core style that connects with all demographics and then adapt this for each and every project. Then secondly, the core style should evolve, always keeping one step ahead of the following pack. This retains a definite link between each project but allows a different solution each and every time. It also creates a semi house style that is recognizable and makes selling process for project easier.

[s] I love this new collage style of work that your portfolio displays. How long does this take? Also, we all know there are copycats, can you visually translate some innovations to come in the future of your personal illustration?
[n.d.] Each piece takes a slightly different route and period of time, small pieces can take a few hours and some a few days with little sleep. The trick is to simply answer the brief and add enough visual content to draw the viewer in whilst delivering the companies core message and brand ethos. I try to add enough content to a piece so that each time it is viewed new elements are discovered, so creating a simple yet effective brand recall for each advertisement produced.

Copycat illustrators are becoming more common as my style spreads but most of their work is just visual fluff, I have worked previously as a freelance creative for well over ten years and in this time have been taught the true effective uses of advertising and applied the same rules to my pieces. This is the true secret; work must serve the purpose desired by a mix of the consumers and brand itself.

[s] Multi-discipline is the newest trait to design firms. Why did you decide to start this company w/ so many different divisions, was this a competitive move or a natural progression?
[n.d.] We decided it would be a definitive solution as we all worked together on projects. It was the next logical step. Being able to cope in-house with everything from an upcoming feature film starring Tamer Hussan and Danny Dyer, interactive work for EMI and various multinational advertising campaigns all at the same time. Not to mention managing various bands and promoting them successfully.

Working together has created a hub of creative minds and the facilities to make our combined ideas flourish into reality. Instead of “whats a good idea, shall we do it?” things just happen. For instance we got a brief for the new Mims advert, we sat down and listened to his tracks and then within 3 days had an approved final cut ready for the public. Not many companies would even dare try to produce an illustrated 30 second commercial in such a tight time frame.

[s] What time do you usually sleep?
I’ll sleep when I’m dead, or usually very late… It a hard to balance between working hard, family life and playing. Planning your time exactly will never work as different things come up every day and a flexible approach is the only answer.

[s] Who do you watch on a routine basis?
[n.d.] I have found that I do not have the physical time to watch TV, I still get all the best magazines in a variety of fields ranging from design, culture, fashion and of course the usual web mags. I read these while commuting and find that it’s a good way to keep in touch with changes in the world around us, without this change what a boring place it would be!

If I do get a chance to chill out and watch a film it’s usually whatever I have been lent or recommended by friends, the last film I watched was KPAX, a classic but still a great film.

[s] What music do you listen to in the office and does it differ from the music you listen to at home?
[n.d.] Music at work, strange one this is. We all have massive libraries of music, we all seem to play random stuff all day. This could be anything from Beasty Boys through to Beethoven, Radiohead to alpha brain waves sounds… and everything in between. We also get loads of promos from bands, singers and song writers, combine this with the work we do for various other record companies and there is no shortage of sounds. Then again in the recording studio it could be anything from thrash metal through to ambient sounds for film work… different every day.

At home I mostly listen to ambient or lounge music. This creates a distinct difference, from the hectic work life to a chilled environment. I moved out of the urban environment to a countryside home to create this distinct difference in my life. However these days I take work home everyday, and to be quite honest it’s not a problem as I love what I do!

[s] Modern-English and Neil Duerden cover a massive amount of entertainment and media content, what is in the near future for the two?
[n.d.] Modern-English and Neil Duerden are one and the same, when we set up the company everyone involved brought their own talents to the table. The future for us all as a combined, perfectly integrated team are unfathomable. We see a future where we can cope with ease, anything we are asked to do.

We are always looking at the next cultural change and instigate this in all medias, trying to push the boundaries for our clients and exceed all expectations. We have found that the offers coming to the table are getting better and better, films scripts, music artists, campaigns and commercials. Tie this in with my personal illustrative work and the futures looking great!