Otto Chin
You’ve produced work using lots of different materials and methods but often you use just pencils and gouache, is there a reason why you choose to work in those specific mediums regularly and not others?
I wouldn’t say I use those particular mediums regularly. I actually have more experience working with Acrylic than I do with Gouache. I just like to work with mediums that are convenient to set up and use. I always have access to graphite and I like the feel of it on any drawing surface. Some people say that graphite doesn’t have any permanence to it and that is true to some extent, but I rarely erase anyways and you can use graphite in a variety of techniques which is what I love most about it. Gouache is such a versatile medium and I like the vibrancy of the pigment. With Gouache, I can lay colors on top of each other, next to each other, or make them blend. This applies to both Watercolor and Acrylic too.
You recently finished up your project Drawing For A Smile where you sent a person an illustration in return for a photo of them with the drawing, how did the project come about and what did you gain from the experience?
The idea of the project came about on one particular day when I was working at my job. I worked at an independent children’s bookstore and on that one day, I was working behind the register. When the day is slow, I take a piece of scrap paper and just doodle while waiting for a customer. On that day, a mother came up to the register and I put aside the piece of paper, but she spotted it and asked if I drew it. After replying, she called to her daughter and showed her my drawing. I don’t know what her daughter was thinking, but the mother was smiling brightly and I felt that she was genuinely happy about the whole thing. I wanted to give the drawing to her, but they left before I could say anything. The idea that a little drawing could bring such happiness to someone was an enlightening discovery and that is how the whole project came about. I also miss the time when people used snail mail. To receive a tangible, hand-written letter from someone miles away is a great feeling, but snail mail is dying out and I’ve always been saddened by that fact, so this was a chance to revitalize that in some way.
On your blog you often note how much you doodle and draw when you’re supposed to be doing something else. Do you prefer working in a spontaneous manner or do you think it’s better to work to a plan?
I like switching between planning and doing spontaneous work. When working for a job or an assignment, I have this mindset that final result has to be all neat and clean and I am aware that this isn’t always true, yet I have trouble shaking it off sometimes. I figure it’s the fear of disappointment and the split between “personal” and “commercial” artwork. I think that I’m just thinking too much about it and should just go with my gut instead. Everyone doodles and draws to procrastinate and it is also a therapeutic activity. Bottom line is, when I work spontaneously, I get these wonderful accidents and ideas that surface that I would’ve never thought of. The process is fun and vigorous, but that’s almost never applicable to commercial work. The other side is to plan out everything from thumbnail to final. I find the process to be too methodical and repetitive no matter what the subject matter is, but more so than not, the final comes out to surprise you and it was worth everything that you put into it. That is to say you can’t do both though. If you have the energy and passion to do it, then go for it. Try and/or do everything; fine art, commercial illustration, advertising, design, typography, sculpture, etc. Whether you’re doing it to feed and shelter yourself or for fun, it does not matter. If you start to receive income from more than just one of those sources, then you should be proud of yourself. Don’t staple yourself down with a label!
Apart from people, foxes often appear in your work. What is it about foxes that you enjoy?
I often go through phases of what I like to draw. I’ve gone through a semester just drawing babies and other times where I kept drawing old people. Then I was hooked on typography and trees. I don’t know what to call these phases, but I admit, foxes have stayed with me the longest and is almost becoming a recognizable trait/icon with my artwork and with me as an artist. This isn’t necessarily a good thing but I assume that it’s just going to phase out like the others. Anything can be drawn in a variety of ways. You can live your entire life drawing the same chair in different views, put it in different contexts, skew it, warp it, animate it, add to it, and all that and never get bored with it. Not to mention you’ll probably never get to draw everything that it has to offer in a lifetime. I guess foxes have stayed with me for so long is because I like the traits it has in the natural world and how it has been made into a classic caricature in literature and film. I like the physical appearance of them too. Whether it be the fiery vermillion fur of the Red Fox or the snow white silhouette of the Arctic Fox, their narrow noses and their wide pointy ears.
You study at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NY, what is the course like there and what are you looking forward to over this next year?
One wouldn’t think that an institute that started out as a fashion institute has a reputable or good Art Department. In my opinion, we have some great instructors that come from a diverse background and has years of experience under their belt. FIT has some reputable people working there and that has loads of useful information and wise advice to give. It is not without it’s faults, however, but that comes with any institution from private institutes to state. I believe the most important thing when receiving formal art education is how you carry yourself. It’s not the reputation of the college or who you have as your instructors. You have to take it upon yourself and try out new things. Do research, network with both professionals and your peers, branch out and broaden your horizon. Don’t just do what your instructor tells you to do, but also be realistic. Next year is going to be my final semester and I’m looking forward to working with my peers and see where they’re going to go.
What do you aim to do after you graduate?
This is the question of the year. I have been asked this many times and my answer has been roughly the same. I have no idea what I am going to do after I graduate. I wish that I had some kind of goal that I could pursue after I graduate, but I don’t. I’m waiting for the day I have an epiphany and finally realize what I want or need to do. For now, I just have ideas of things that would be nice to do. I would like to continue doing projects that involve the community though. Currently, I’m just trying out as many things as possible. That in turn will give me knowledge and experience in fields that I had no clue about and possibly make a career out of one of them. I’m not even stressing over contacting art directors and creating a portfolio because I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do. All I have is my blog and who knows, maybe something interesting will come my way.
Otto Chin
You’ve produced work using lots of different materials and methods but often you use just pencils and gouache, is there a reason why you choose to work in those specific mediums regularly and not others?
I wouldn’t say I use those particular mediums regularly. I actually have more experience working with Acrylic than I do with Gouache. I just like to work with mediums that are convenient to set up and use. I always have access to graphite and I like the feel of it on any drawing surface. Some people say that graphite doesn’t have any permanence to it and that is true to some extent, but I rarely erase anyways and you can use graphite in a variety of techniques which is what I love most about it. Gouache is such a versatile medium and I like the vibrancy of the pigment. With Gouache, I can lay colors on top of each other, next to each other, or make them blend. This applies to both Watercolor and Acrylic too.
You recently finished up your project Drawing For A Smile where you sent a person an illustration in return for a photo of them with the drawing, how did the project come about and what did you gain from the experience?
The idea of the project came about on one particular day when I was working at my job. I worked at an independent children’s bookstore and on that one day, I was working behind the register. When the day is slow, I take a piece of scrap paper and just doodle while waiting for a customer. On that day, a mother came up to the register and I put aside the piece of paper, but she spotted it and asked if I drew it. After replying, she called to her daughter and showed her my drawing. I don’t know what her daughter was thinking, but the mother was smiling brightly and I felt that she was genuinely happy about the whole thing. I wanted to give the drawing to her, but they left before I could say anything. The idea that a little drawing could bring such happiness to someone was an enlightening discovery and that is how the whole project came about. I also miss the time when people used snail mail. To receive a tangible, hand-written letter from someone miles away is a great feeling, but snail mail is dying out and I’ve always been saddened by that fact, so this was a chance to revitalize that in some way.
On your blog you often note how much you doodle and draw when you’re supposed to be doing something else. Do you prefer working in a spontaneous manner or do you think it’s better to work to a plan?
I like switching between planning and doing spontaneous work. When working for a job or an assignment, I have this mindset that final result has to be all neat and clean and I am aware that this isn’t always true, yet I have trouble shaking it off sometimes. I figure it’s the fear of disappointment and the split between “personal” and “commercial” artwork. I think that I’m just thinking too much about it and should just go with my gut instead. Everyone doodles and draws to procrastinate and it is also a therapeutic activity. Bottom line is, when I work spontaneously, I get these wonderful accidents and ideas that surface that I would’ve never thought of. The process is fun and vigorous, but that’s almost never applicable to commercial work. The other side is to plan out everything from thumbnail to final. I find the process to be too methodical and repetitive no matter what the subject matter is, but more so than not, the final comes out to surprise you and it was worth everything that you put into it. That is to say you can’t do both though. If you have the energy and passion to do it, then go for it. Try and/or do everything; fine art, commercial illustration, advertising, design, typography, sculpture, etc. Whether you’re doing it to feed and shelter yourself or for fun, it does not matter. If you start to receive income from more than just one of those sources, then you should be proud of yourself. Don’t staple yourself down with a label!
Apart from people, foxes often appear in your work. What is it about foxes that you enjoy?
I often go through phases of what I like to draw. I’ve gone through a semester just drawing babies and other times where I kept drawing old people. Then I was hooked on typography and trees. I don’t know what to call these phases, but I admit, foxes have stayed with me the longest and is almost becoming a recognizable trait/icon with my artwork and with me as an artist. This isn’t necessarily a good thing but I assume that it’s just going to phase out like the others. Anything can be drawn in a variety of ways. You can live your entire life drawing the same chair in different views, put it in different contexts, skew it, warp it, animate it, add to it, and all that and never get bored with it. Not to mention you’ll probably never get to draw everything that it has to offer in a lifetime. I guess foxes have stayed with me for so long is because I like the traits it has in the natural world and how it has been made into a classic caricature in literature and film. I like the physical appearance of them too. Whether it be the fiery vermillion fur of the Red Fox or the snow white silhouette of the Arctic Fox, their narrow noses and their wide pointy ears.
You study at the Fashion Institute of Technology in NY, what is the course like there and what are you looking forward to over this next year?
One wouldn’t think that an institute that started out as a fashion institute has a reputable or good Art Department. In my opinion, we have some great instructors that come from a diverse background and has years of experience under their belt. FIT has some reputable people working there and that has loads of useful information and wise advice to give. It is not without it’s faults, however, but that comes with any institution from private institutes to state. I believe the most important thing when receiving formal art education is how you carry yourself. It’s not the reputation of the college or who you have as your instructors. You have to take it upon yourself and try out new things. Do research, network with both professionals and your peers, branch out and broaden your horizon. Don’t just do what your instructor tells you to do, but also be realistic. Next year is going to be my final semester and I’m looking forward to working with my peers and see where they’re going to go.
What do you aim to do after you graduate?
This is the question of the year. I have been asked this many times and my answer has been roughly the same. I have no idea what I am going to do after I graduate. I wish that I had some kind of goal that I could pursue after I graduate, but I don’t. I’m waiting for the day I have an epiphany and finally realize what I want or need to do. For now, I just have ideas of things that would be nice to do. I would like to continue doing projects that involve the community though. Currently, I’m just trying out as many things as possible. That in turn will give me knowledge and experience in fields that I had no clue about and possibly make a career out of one of them. I’m not even stressing over contacting art directors and creating a portfolio because I’m not sure if that’s what I want to do. All I have is my blog and who knows, maybe something interesting will come my way.
