Maker Monday: Carolynn Yoe

Happy Maker Monday!

This week we are featuring Carolynn Yoe and her fabulous illustrations! Carolynn’s illustration style is so fun, which makes her Etsy store just as fun to look through! Each of her pieces have such character and need I mention the colors! The color palate of her work gives us all the heart eye emojis! Carolynn has a passion for illustrating and implementing it into creations she can share with others. You can find everything from stickers, custom portraits, magnets, coasters, cards and more in her shop! She has many exciting things (including a children’s book!) in the works and she continually pursues her craft, which is one of the reasons she’s definitely an illustrator to watch. To enjoy more of Carolynn’s work and to learn more about her journey, read on!

: Tell us a little about yourself.

: My name is Carolynn and I’m an illustrator. I was born and raised in a small and sunny town in Indonesia, but now I live in Singapore. My daily routine includes blogging and working from my home studio where ideas are scribbled and created into existence. I’m also a dog-person and I’m into snail mail. I have collected postcards for years and most of them are dogs and illustrations.

: You sell your illustrations and designs in the form of stickers, magnets, coasters, cards, colouring pages and more! How did you start your Etsy shop?

: My shop started shortly after I was graduated from University. At that time, I like to draw house portraits and I’d post them on my Tumblr (carolynnyoe.tumblr.com). I received quite a few compliments and people started to ask me if I could help them draw their houses. So then I thought, hey, why not create a shop to make it easier for them to find me. Once I started my Etsy shop, I just kept finding more inspiration to draw and sell.

: Tell us about your style of works and how do you find your style?

: My illustration style portrays a cute and dreamy child-like drawing. The origin of my style can be attributed to my childhood. I’ve been in love with illustration for as long as I can remember. When I was a little girl, I subscribed to a children’s magazine and every night my Dad would read to me a story from it while I admired the drawings that accompanied the story. Since then, I had always wanted to be an illustrator. I started by filling my textbooks and walls with doodles and crayon art when I was young. It’s been fun and challenging, but I am chasing my dream and enjoying every minute.

: You also have a blog, Carolynn Stuffs, that you share your art on? What do you like about blogging and what else can we find on your blog?

: I’m not a full-time blogger and I just blog whenever I feel like it. My blog is called Carolynn Stuffs because I basically just write pretty much everything into my blog, from drawings, DIYs, outfits, travels, and random ramblings. But I love blogging because it’s given me a creative space to express myself and help my ideas grow.

: You are originally from Indonesia and currently live in Singapore. What about your environments has inspired your artwork?

: Although Indonesia and Singapore are only divided by a stretch of water, both differ culturally and linguistically. When starting my new life in Singapore, I needed to know about the culture and I begin to observe everyday things that I’ve never really thought about before. I’m very grateful for my husband, KL, who supports me 100% and goes along with all the transitions. As time went on, I gradually learned many things and now I am very glad that I came to experience new things. I’ve only been in Singapore for a year now and I’m not sure how this may affect my artwork, but we shall see how that goes!

: You are currently in the middle of a project where you do one doodle a day. Can you tell us a little more about this project and how it has helped or challenged you?

: I supposed you’re talking about Doodle Book (carolynnyoe.tumblr.com) project. This project began with a simple purpose: to doodle on at least one page every single day, but who knew it can be quite challenging at times. It was all fun at first but after a while, it became harder to find the motivation and subject to draw. Running out of ideas is the worst nightmare for most artists. It’s crazy, knowing you can draw anything in the world, yet it can still sometimes be hard to choose something! This project made me realize that it is important to remember what I really enjoy. In fact, finishing a doodle is helpful for clearing my head and feeling like I accomplished something that day. If there’s one thing that has the power to motivate me unlike anything else, it’s the feeling of accomplishment.

: What is your process behind turning illustrations on paper into cool products?

: I begin by sketching the ideas like every other artist does. I’ve started to create the habit of sketching directly in Photoshop using a pen tablet, but pencil and paper are still the best tools when I’m travelling or when I’m not in front of my computer. When it comes to colouring, I always like choosing really happy colours to create a more eye-catching look. Once I’m happy with my drawings, I begin to turn it into products like cards, stickers, and more!

: You have had your work exhibited for an exhibition called, Embracing our Differences, what did it feel like to see people enjoying your work?

: The exhibition was a great opportunity to show my illustrations to people who are excited about the sort of cute and colourful illustrations that I make and I really appreciate the chance I was given. I remember that I was so excited when I saw my illustration “We See No Difference” was on display. I was even more excited when I received messages from visitors saying how my illustration really spoke to them. The feeling of having people admire, support and believe in you is priceless.

: What are you up to, and what are you working on recently?

: Currently, I’m working on a book, which is going to be published in Singapore this year. I also create a monthly stationery and snail mail subscription box project featuring my illustrations that I called #CYBOX (www.cybox.me). At the same time, I’m starting to write and draw my own children’s book, reminiscing a fairy tale story that I wrote a long time ago.

: Any advice for those looking to pursue their dreams in the art world?

: My advice to aspiring artists is to keep going even though you feel like giving up. We all need to do something challenging at some points in life. If you really love what you do, you will get joy out of doing it. And remember, it is always more rewarding to finish a difficult task. You’ll find it easier to give up on a piece, but you’ll be surprised what you can achieve when you work through the headache.