The summery month of July is about to start and it is time for a new designer of the month.
Today I have the pleasure to introduce you to: MAY LEONG
May is a Surface Designer from Malaysia who loves to create bright, colorful and cute art for kids and those people who used to be kids.
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So, hello May and welcome to our todays interview.
1. When did your interest in design/illustration/art first start and how did that come about?
Since a very young age I drawn and made birthday cards for my friends. I kept some of the
bookmarks that I drawn and made until today. It was a hobby then as I did not know I can
make a living out of it. After I left my corporate HR job I read about the life of a surface pattern
designer. My interest was reignited. I took Lilla Roger´s MATS, Rachael Taylor´s ABSPD and
Pattern Observer´s Textile Design courses. The true calling came after my holiday visit to
Helsinki and found out that Art can bring joy and laughter to people and make the world a more
beautiful and happier place.
2. What steps did you take to get to where you are now as a designer/illustrator/artist?
It took many professional and trade related e-courses to horn my skills and practise sketching,
drawing and coloring art every day. I even flew to New York to walk the Surtex and National
Stationery Show in 2015, to get a first hand experience of art licensing world, to see the
stationery products and also to meet my artist friends. It was a huge investment of effort, money
and time as I have to flew more than 20 hours from Kuala Lumpur to New York City.
3. How would you describe your style?
Fresh, bright, colorful and supercute.
4. Who are your favorite designers?
They are just too many to mention. Charley Harper, Josef Frank and Henry Matisse if I must
name a few.
5. What kind of designer do you want to be known as?
A designer who bring a smile or add some beauty to them and their loved ones as well as
someone who is authentic and inspire them to go for and live their dreams.
6. What is your favorite medium you like to work with?
I started taking Chinese Brush and watercolor courses in the beginning. Later, when I learnt
and pick up Illustrator, it became my favorite tool of trade.
7. What are you currently working on?
Creating designs for Greetings Cards and stationery products.
8. How do you fuel your inspirations?
I am a hoarder, I kept magazines, snapped photos and images of what I see and likes and store
them digitally for easy reference all the time. I read design books and take short courses for new
ideas. I also love to travel to new places to look for new exposure, ideas and insights.
9. How does your creative process look like?
Most of the time, I started by sketching by looking at the "reference materials" that I have
gathered. Then, I scan in my sketches and coloring them in illustrator by using blob brush tool.
10. What are your major goals for the next years?
I would like to create more commercial appealing portfolios and doubling my marketing effort
including exhibit in trade shows, most likely in Surtex New York again. I may take up new courses
to enhance my design skills as well.
Dear May, thank you so much for the interview. I am impressed about your journey to pattern
design and you also made it to Surtex. How great is that.
All the best to you to Malaysia and all the best for your future goals.
Herz.Licht.