Episode 17: Therapeutic Drawing, Early Life At Facebook SEA & An Invitation From Apple
Illustrator and Visual Artist Kristal Melson takes us on a journey through her archives.
Kristal Melson, also known as Krisonautopilot, is a freelance illustrator and visual artist based in Singapore. She has worked as Creative Lead of Facebook SEA and WeWork. As a freelancer, she has been commissioned by the likes of Reebok, Apple, Nike, Heineken and Marc Jacobs.
Implode and Explode
Created for her first solo exhibition - ‘Confetti In My Eyes’ - Kristal was challenged by two friends to put together an exhibition in 29 days. Watch her process here.
“I would spend my weekends and nights just drawing on stuff because I just started a new job at that time. So that was a really stressful month. It was really drawing right up until the last minute.”
“The background is made with markers and I have another version with the character which I used to call the Teletubby, in pencil. This one I made for a silkscreen version... I guess that’s also when I started to mix the mediums a little bit more.”
The Cat
“I found it so therapeutic. Sometimes I would get distracted from the actual drawing and just be drawing like curvy lines and stuff so I wanted to see how I can turn that into a drawing, how I can make that a little different, and it was quite a challenge.”
“At the end of the day, the joy I get from holding the brush is so more enjoyable than anything else.”
Hot Tropic
Kristal’s first digital piece using a Wacom pen.
“I tried to put in all my favourite things into one drawing, so it got a little out of hand. The colours are kind of crazy. The idea what does drawing mean to me. Little bits of myself leak out onto the paper.”
4 Walls
Kristal created this mural for Facebook’s Artist Residency Programme, the 14 metre wall is the largest she has painted to date.
“I kind of killed myself but I got really into it. I just couldn't help myself because it was so much fun.”
Working at Facebook
Before working as a regional curator for Facebook’s AIR programme, Kristal was a creative director at Facebook.
“It taught me so much more about how there's a bigger world than just the art and design scene. I got to meet tonnes of different people across APAC and I think it helped with my thought process and communication skills.”
An invitation from Apple
“The biggest take-away was when you get to work with companies like Apple you realise how it should be for all creatives.”
“It was like, hey we like your work, just do you. It is crazy to get a brief and be asked just do what you want to do...I wanted to achieve motion and movement with a still image.”
Inspiration
“It's going to sound cliché to say that ideas are everywhere but it’s the truth.”
Kristal also noticed her style and subject matter has evolved since becoming a mother; “Naturally it has because it brings another level of joy to share the work with a kid. So more animals and stuff that isn’t too scary.”
Recommendations
Kristal draws her inspiration from artists like Charles Burns and Tadanori Yokoo.
100% by Paul Pope
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