Who are you? Where are you based?
My name is Chris, people know me by Samplesgeekart. I am currently based out of the United States specifically Las Vegas, Nevada.


When and why did you first start making your art?
I found myself making a bunch of pixelated art on Microsoft paint. When looking up basic designs I found that people would make the same designs out of beads. When my truck broke down I decided I needed a hobby to keep me busy and out of trouble and tried many different things but I kept revolving around pixel art so I ordered Perler Beads for myself and haven’t stopped since. That was roughly 6 or 7 years ago I would say. My comic/manga canvases on the other hand was inspired by a video of a street artist making a canvas and spray painting on top of it. I figured I could do the same and put my perler work as the center piece.

What inspires your artwork?
Usually my work is inspired from my favorite games, animes, or tv shows, something about the nostalgia of it brings joy to me.


Do you remember the first piece you made?
The first piece I ever made for someone was a glow in the dark iron man from the capcom vs. marvel game.


What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
The biggest piece I have finished as of now is the Night King from “Game of Thrones”. This piece was 3ft tall by 2.5 ft wide. The Night King will pale in comparison to future projects though.

What is your art workspace like?
At the moment… chaotic as I am in the process of moving lol. Typically I have a long table I work on, I have a nice rolling cart from a craft store that holds all of my materials needed for whatever project I am working on at the time. I keep my beads organized in clear bottles/jars (.99 flavored waters work perfect for this) and I keep my comics/mangas organized in different folders, drawers or containers.

What are the tools of your trade?
For my bead art I keep it pretty basic. Beads and boards, parchment paper and clothing iron are a given as these are needed to make a piece but there are a few other things that I recommend as they can help save time or make a much more refined finished piece. These include tweezers to fix any minor mistakes or to make minor alterations, Perler’s bead dispenser device which is used to place a single color down quickly and lastly the most important tool needed for this kind of art is masking tape! Masking tape is used mainly to keep large pieces together, it helps prevent boards from warping and it provides a steady even flow of heat to bind the beads together evenly. Comic art is also pretty basic. The reading source, scissors and x-acto knife to cut the reading source, any size canvas, Mod Podge Matte to bind the reading source to the canvas and foam brushes to spread the mod podge evenly.


What's the most time you've spent on a project?
The most time ive spent on a project would have to be 12-15 hours give or take.


Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
Most of the time my pieces tend to be commission based which puts a lot of the control in the customers hands. The customer and I spit ball ideas and what we think would be the best way to make something work.

What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
For me the most common question is how do you have the time and patience to do something like that? Music… good music to zone out too can make a world of difference when making pieces for me.


Have you had any art-related disasters?
Too many to count unfortunately. The biggest one that comes to memory is when I first started I made a huge Link from ocarina of time (one of my first pieces) and as I never melted a piece so big my inexperience caused the piece to fall apart in my hands as I picked it up. Usually my most common art disaster is accidentally bumping the boards and the design goes everywhere and you have to start from scratch.


Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
I have a dream piece I would love to make for my art/game room. I would love to make an old school samurai with cherry blossoms falling around him but it will have to wait until I have some free time for myself. Hopefully this can be soon.

What was your most recent project?
My most recent project I am working on is a set of two pokemon on 12in x 12in canvases. The pokemon are a regular colored Umbreon on one and a shiny Umbreon on the other.


What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
Just seeing peoples reaction to the art in general. When someone orders a piece and lets me put a creative twist on it and to see their genuine reaction is priceless. One moment comes to mind when I did a small craft fair, a younger girl maybe 8 or 9 had her mom buy a Zelda piece from me and asked how she can make something like it, I gave her four of my own personal boards and a few bags of beads and explained to her and her mom how it works. Seeing her huge smile and eyes light up is probably my favorite experience with my art. The thing I love about bead art is almost anyone of any age can do it as long as you have a little bit of patience.

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
I have a few projects in the pipeline right now, these include a few big game pieces and if things work out I have an opportunity to make a large mural/portrait for a company.


Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?
I do sell my art. If you find yourself in Las Vegas, Nevada you can stop by the Retro City Game stores in town to pick up some pieces or you can send me a direct message and I will get back to you in a day or two.


How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...
At the moment people can find me on Instagram and tiktok @samplesgeekart. Be on the lookout for my discord dropping soon, details will be revealed on my Instagram when it is ready.

Who are you? Where are you based?

My name is Dante also known as Long Black Fingers (because they are). I was born and raised in Los Angeles but have been living in West Hollywood for a long while. I wanna move back to L.A.



When and why did you first start making your art?

The first time I made something using Perler beads was in 2011. It was also when I discovered they even existed. My best friend who was a children's librarian at the time knows that I enjoy ironing clothes and making things and said that this would be perfect for me. Ten years later and I can't say she wasn't telling the truth.

What inspires your artwork?

At first it was video games so I would make Mario Bros. And Zelda based designs. Once I found sprite based sites it was over. I started making sixteen bit Genesis and Super Nintendo things. It then became seeing other artists and realizing that I could make more than just video games and finding ways to pixelate photos opened up a whole new world of possible creations. I began making things based off of movies and characters I liked later.



Do you remember the first piece you made?

Yes. It was what I thought was a Space Invader but it was just some weird green creature. After I was done I knew I had to find out more about these Perler things. The beads were all mixed and from different companies and melted strangely but at the time I didn't know anything about that kinda stuff. It also took me hours to make.

What are the tools of your trade?

My busted peg board, parchment paper from the grocery store, and an old pair of tweezers. In the ten years I've been making things I have used three peg boards. I discovered well into making Perler bead designs that there were all kinda devices to create designs but I like to keep it as simple for myself as possible. Use my hand for regular sized beads and tweezers for mini beads. That's a whole 'nother thing. I can't even picture myself sitting up and making something.



What's the most time you've spent on a project?

When I first started it would take me hours to make the simplest things. I'm still not sure why. But at this point I can make large designs in a few hours. If it takes more than four hours chances are I had to go to sleep or something. Once I sit down and start its done rather quickly. I'm gonna guess and say making Happy the Unicorn because it was shaped so oddly that I had to put it together in a lot of pieces and wait for things to cool before melting them together.

Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?

I'll be sitting here watching a movie or thinking of one and think “Can I make that?” or “Should I make that?” or “Do I have enough beads for that?” If I do I will first check online to see if anyone else has made it and if they have or if someone made one that is incredible I won't bother. But if they haven't I'll find a photo and play around and pixelate it until it is not too ridiculous in size and uses colors I actually have. I'll open up the image in Windows Paint and write down the highest bead and how far it is from the edge of my board and begin. I've made plenty of things and about halfway through tell myself “You don't even like that character that much for something this big” and flip the board and make something else.



What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?

“Why don't you sell your beads?” “How much do you sell your stuff for?” “How long did it take to make that?” “How can you be so patient making those?” “Why don't you sell them online?” “Do you know how much you could make selling those?” No one asks if I have fun doing it which I do once I step away and look at it from a distance because there are times where I smile or get chipper seeing what I made. I also get asked to make multiples of something. I have and hated it.

What was your most recent project?

I think it was the Cactus Jack wanted poster. That was a random idea and thankfully I had some yellow paint for the canvas. I really like how it came out because it is smaller than I expected but if you know the design its easy to see. Right before that for the first time I took one of my drawings and pixelated it for the first time and now have a little dodo under my bed.

How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...

You can find me at longblackfingers.blogspot.com. On Instagram at LongBlackFingers. I just added a SpaceHey page because I am old and miss the simplicity of Myspace under LongBlackFingers as well. Send me a message if you want. I answer questions and give tips when asked. If you comment “How much?” chances are I'll ignore you.



Anything else to share? Shoutouts, words of wisdom etc?

I would give a shoutout to my best friend Cam for even introducing me to Perler beads. The creators on Instagram like Koruptid Perlers, BeadArtBae, and ErinGoBrad. Various DeviantArt artists over the years. I have to add you because years ago I'm pretty sure your art was the first I spotted using canvas and backgrounds for the Perler art. My lady for helping me get paint and canvas for my stuff. Also a shoutout to anyone that asked me to make them something that I never would have but turned out awesome.

As for words of wisdom I would have to say give credit where credit is due. If you have heard me speak this is one of my biggest issues when it comes to art and creators. It takes a moment to link who you got a design from. It takes a moment to send them that link of the art or tag them. Seeing my stuff on Etsy or eBay or Facebook where someone took the image from my page and then selling it as if they made it bothers me so much. If you are okay with stealing the design of someone and then selling it then you're a trash person.

Be patient when you first get started. Learn which beads match well with others. Contact artists you like because chances are no one does. If you think something is too hard to make you should absolutely attempt to make it because why not? Try to be original if not at the start then later. Do things no one else is. And have fun doing it.

​Who are you? Where are you based?
 
My name is Lacey Killion, and I am based in a very small town in Northeastern Oklahoma.
 
When and why did you first start making your art?
 
February 2020. Before the shutdown of the world, my 5-year-old son saw a perler beaded Shy Guy and decided that was going to be his Valentine to his Kindergarten classmates.  Two weeks and 25 Shy Guys later, I was hooked.

What inspires your artwork?
 
Mainly my kids, but I am also a child of the 80’s.  Perler beads are one of those art mediums I remember using when I was young, so for me it is steeped in nostalgia.  It doesn’t hurt that everything I loved as a kid is embraced by my twins, allowing me to geek out while making my “watercolor” series.

​Do you remember the first piece you made?
 
After the Shy Guy brigade, my next challenge was the Cat Mario clock.  That was my first piece with any real size to it, so a lot of lessons were learned.
 
What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
 
“Watercolor Bowser” and my take on Brent Estabrook’s Stormtrooper have the same bead count, but the Stormtrooper used 77 different colors.  Each was 80x80 pegs, so 6400 beads.

What is your art workspace like?
 
My workspace is my old dining room table.  It’s currently in my office of my house and while it is not exclusively for perler beads all my supplies are within arms reach in multiple places. 
 
What are the tools of your trade?
 
My Samsung S6 Tab with Infinite Painter and Photoshop.  Primarily Perler Beads, 3M Painters Tape and my secondhand iron.

​What's the most time you've spent on a project?
 
Building the pattern takes me the longest, a lot of adjusting and color correcting takes place before I even bead.  Bowser’s pattern took about 8 hours and another 8 to bead/iron. 
 
Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
 
Once my son has decided on what I am doing next, I look for images on the internet of the character.  Typically, I focus on images that have limited shading, then I manipulate them to look painted with exaggerated highlights and shadows.  Photoshop is used to pixelate the picture and then I make corrections as needed.  While I am beading, I am always adjusting and making slight changes.  If I am creating one of my “box top” pictures, I will complete and iron the character before adding/creating the edge pieces. 
 
What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
 
Can I get the pattern?  How do you make it look like a painting?  How do you do the sides?  How do you hang it?

​Have you had any art-related disasters?
 
Haven’t we all?  I have a kitten now and I am low-key freaking out about what that means for my next project.
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
 
I have a 40”x40” pattern planned out for Captain America I have been sitting on for a while.  I originally planned to build it out of Legos but think I can get a better outcome with Perler Beads.  One of these days.
 
What was your most recent project?
 
Steamboat Willie (Mickey).  It was a birthday gift for my brother, and I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out.  I hope to do more of the 3D wall art style going forward. 

​What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
 
The challenge.  It’s a medium that be used in so many ways and I love that.  And with that we have a community of artists that are wonderful, not only in their support, but in their willingness to share ideas and insight. 
 
Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
 
I am in full Halloween mode right now, but after that I hope to work on my next 3D wall pieces.  I have had a special Mario one drawn and planned out for months now and am excited to get it started.
 
Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?
 
Not right now, I’ve never really been good at that kind of thing. 
 
How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...
 
Instagram: @iveanidea

Who are you? Where are you based?
 
I'm Kelly  based in Suffolk, a 30 something year old who never really grew up. 
 
When and why did you first start making your art?
 
I've been making art since I was a kid but started pixel art when I was in my 20s, can't remember exactly when.
 
What inspires your artwork?
 
I'm inspired by old video games, the NES/SNES eras are my favourite. I often use Super Mario characters and love doing movie crossovers.

Do you remember the first piece you made?
 
I can't remember my first piece but it was probably just a hama bead mushroom, I used to make a lot of those.
 
What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
 
My biggest completed piece is a rainbow road painting its 26"x18" it's not massive but a lot bigger than I normally do. I also have a larger unfinished project which is a pom pom rug, each of the pom poms represents a pixel and it features Super Mario but it is taking forever to finish.

What is your art workspace like?
 
- My art space is small corner of my flat that often gets very messy.
 
What are the tools of your trade?
 
- I can't seem to stick to one type of pixel art so my tools vary from hama beads to paint to cross stitch supplies.

What's the most time you've spent on a project?
 
I have spent over a year on the unfinished rug but that's because I need to be in the mood to make pom poms and most of the time I'm not. I spent a couple of weeks in total on a Castle Grayskull cross stitch. It took about a week to complete a design I was happy with then another to cross stitch doing a couple of hours a day.

Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
 
When I create something I make a list of what I want to make and then would make a quick sketch. I would then start working on a pixel version of the pattern using an editing program or sometimes good old graph paper. That normally takes the longest unless it’s a sprite directly from a game. Then it’s just a case of either cross stitching or painting the final piece.

What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
 
I often get asked "can I have this" meaning for free from total strangers lol.
 
Have you had any art-related disasters?
 
I don't think have had any major disasters just the odd pixel in the wrong place or finishing a mini hama bead piece and knocking it over. that's why I don't use hama beads as much now.
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
 
I would love to make the full set of Mario 64 paintings, I've done some small versions but would love to do larger more detailed pixel versions.

What was your most recent project?
 
My most recent project was a little pixel Bob Ross.

What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
 
My favourite experience was my first return customer. They brought my Mario/Batman crossover piece and shortly after it arrived they brought my Mario/Indiana Jones crossover piece and even messaged me telling me how much they liked them. I'm not an overly confident person so when something like that happens it gives me a boost.

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
 
I have just completed a design and am about to start cross stitching it and it is a Spongebob band geek dreamcatcher inspired by the SuperBowl half time show everyone wants but never gets.
 
Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?
 
- do sell some of my art  on ETSY http://www.alifeinpixels.etsy.com
 
How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...
 
The only social media I use is instagram @alifeinpixels

Who are you? Where are you based?
 
I'm Kyle McCoy and my wife and I just purchased a home in Ithaca in upstate New York.
 
When and why did you first start making your art?
 
I've always been a big fan of the pixelated aesthetic. No doubt inspired by the countless Nintendo games I played growing up. I also prefer working with my hands over a computer, so when I discovered Perler Beads in 2008, it seemed like a great way to pay tribute to those games as well as explore a new craft. Over time I wanted to push the boundaries of the beads and see what this medium was capable of. This resulted in recreating some of my favorite retro-gaming scenes but also photorealistic portraits, minimalist characters, giant murals, and hundreds of pop art pieces covering the scope of pop culture, all under the banner of the Pixel Art Shop. Eventually I had a lot of people asking about my process which inspired me to create a YouTube channel where I offer tips, tricks, and techniques. It's also a good excuse for me to ramble on about all the things I love!

Do you remember the first piece you made?
 
Not really actually, haha. But there's a 99% chance it was an 8-bit Mario. I think most artists get into the craft by tapping into their nostalgia for games they played as a kid and I was no different.

What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
 
Without a doubt, that would be Project Springfield. A 40-square-foot recreation of The Simpsons' hometown, featuring 54 locations and 166 characters. I worked on it for nearly two years. Of course I made a lot of other projects in that time like art pieces but also writing/directing original musical productions in NYC, making short films, as well as getting married, but Springfield was always in the background coming together piece by piece.

What is your art workspace like?
 
A smooth, clean white table with the beads sorted into drawers by color. Stacks of sticky notes surround my desk, all filled with ideas for future projects. Camera set up overhead to capture my process for videos. I set up my studio in the basement of the new house so it's been nice and cool this summer. Something I'm very grateful for when working with my iron or hot glue gun.

What are the tools of your trade?
 
So much more than just Perler Beads! There's the parchment paper and iron I use to fuse them together on the pegboards and I usually end up mounting my pieces onto canvases that I paint myself. Hot glue does the trick and sometimes pieces involve magnets, pins, or pieces of black foam core for multiple layers. There's my camera and microphone for video purposes. Then I have a bunch of colorful markers handy because I like to draw little pictures or surprises on the packages of pieces I'm sending out to buyers.

How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
 
Depends on the scope of the project and the style but ultimately it's about deciding the level of detail I want to include, making color choices, and getting the beads on the board. I always tell people to remember that the smallest detail in a project can only be a single bead. So start there and just expand outward. I find it incredibly satisfying to take our chaotic and cluttered world and simplify it down to clean and crisp lines of color.

What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
 
"What program do you use to turn a picture into pixel art?" So many people seem to think it's as easy as throwing a pixel filter on a subject but the fact is I design my patterns one bead at a time. I suppose it's flattering that people like my designs so much they assume a computer must have made them but it's a very tedious and time-consuming process. You can only have so many arrangements in a given space after all so I try to focus on how the human eye will interpret a certain composition of colored dots and find the best way to accurately portray my vision to the viewer.
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
 
Absolutely! But as creative as one can get with this craft, the size of the Perler Bead never changes, meaning some projects would end up being 20-25 square feet! However, this inspired me to take some of my dream projects, like the map screen from Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past for example, and redesign it myself, shrinking it down to one square foot but keeping all the details I could. Creating dream projects pragmatically is just another challenge that hopefully inspires you to do something you might not have thought of otherwise.

What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
 
Without a doubt, fan interaction. There's a great and encouraging community on the r/beadsprites subreddit and I can't wait to start attending conventions again. Perler Bead artwork was (and still is) a pretty niche market and people usually aren't expecting to see it on display as a serious medium so it's always a welcome surprise and I love those reactions, especially from folks who remember playing with the craft as kids. And of course my YouTube channel reaches an even bigger audience so I've had fans send me photos of artwork they've made based on my designs. One individual wrote to me saying recreating my pieces helped her through depression. Another told me how learning to recognize the bead hues in my projects helped him with his colorblindness. The genuine heartfelt encouragement and joy this craft has brought my and others is overwhelming.

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
 
Always! Currently working on getting the new batch of videos out. I keep trying to get on a regular schedule with them but sometimes have to take a break for a few months (which is an eternity in internet time) just because of big life changes like moving or, you know, that whole pandemic thing. And I'm constantly thinking of new pieces to add to my absurd amount of ongoing series like Mini-Masterpieces, Classic Comic Covers, Iconography Sets, Animated Locations, Minimalist Movie Posters, and there's even a few more series on the way.

How can people find you online? 
 
Everyone is invited to check out my headquarters at PixelArtShop.com! That has links to my YouTube channel, shop, and full gallery. And for sneak peeks, new releases, and works in progress (as well as the occasional cat photo!) just follow my Instagram: @kylemccoy37

Anything else to share? Shoutouts, words of wisdom etc?
 
Find your comfort level and go from there. Don't be intimidated by large and complex projects. This craft is perfect for choosing something as simple or complicated as you like and the more you do it, the more familiar you become with the materials, the closer you are to improving your process and refining your style. Practice makes perfect is good advice in spirit but I think it's a misnomer. I don't think I'll ever want to be "perfect" because that would mean I'd stop improving and have nowhere left to grow. So let's say practice makes progress. Anything you see me do, you can too. And put your own spin on it. Experiment. You'll probably think of something I didn't. Just keep at it and keep progressing.

Who are you? Where are you based?
My name is Estela, although I am known as Mell or Mellocotton on social networks, I am a pixel artist, geek, lover of animals, cinema, video games and Dragon Ball!
 
When and why did you first start making your art?
 
I started four years ago, I wanted to have all the characters from my favorite anime on my walls, so I discovered the beads, they had been here for many years, only I found out very late that they existed.

What inspires your artwork?
 
My works are inspired by my favorite anime characters, but above all in color, for me the most beautiful thing about a job is when you put color and little by little that silhouette becomes real, it is a very magical moment.

Do you remember the first piece you made?
 
Yes, of course, it was Destello the star of Estela, from Mario Galaxy, a piece that today I have tattooed, since I have a special affection for her.
 
What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
 
All the transformations of Goku, I don't know if they were about 150,000 beads in total, but I hope to do a bigger one in the future!
 
What is your art workspace like?
 
I am lucky to have an exclusive room with two tables of two meters, to go doing several jobs at the same time, or while I do one, I iron the other, I also have a lot of stock of colors since it is necessary for me for orders and a TV where to watch the crime and investigation channel hahaha, although I mainly put music on, or I need silence, if I don't get lost more than usual :)

What are the tools of your trade?
 
A laptop with which to pixel the images, plates and colors, masking tape to remove the work without damaging the plates, greaseproof paper, a plate and some wooden boards to put weight on them and that they do not bend until they cool. For shipments, bubble wrap and cardboard sheets that I buy has measured.
 
What's the most time you've spent on a project?
 
With Mulan about 80 hours;)

Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
 
There are times that I am lucky and I am very clear about it, other times no image convinces me. When I find one that I really like, I always start to shape it from the outside, until it is closed, then I start with the color, the disadvantage or the advantage is that the program that I use, which is called gimp, does not give a number of pieces, neither size nor color, sometimes I have to disassemble large parts until I find the colors that I like, but that has also made me learn a lot from them, there are colors that at first glance do not seem to fit, but since they do . The issue of shading a pixelated image is also complex and I almost always have to modify it, since everything in pixel changes, but as I say all that has helped me to have more experience and patience.
 
What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
 
How do I iron such big things, what program I use and where to buy the material. The most scary thing about all this work is always the iron, but this is to start with small things and get the temperature point of your iron. In addition, each person likes a different ironing.

Have you had any art-related disasters?
 
Having seven cats a lot, from getting to iron on the floor, stepping on the tape with my sock and destroying all the work, breathing deeply and getting angry just the same hahahaha, with the passage of time rebuilding a job becomes something common for us, but at the same time beginning hahaha we cry!
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
 
I would like to make a mural on a whole wall of beads, with all the anime characters, who have contributed something to me in life, but now I do not have the time, nor do I have the years of experience to be able to do that project, in a future I hope I can have the courage and wisdom to carry it out.

What was your most recent project?
 
I want to start a giant 16 bit Goku, I also want to create my own sprite compositions. My last great creations Wolverine and Spiderman!

What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
 
My experiences are not mine, they belong to all the people who support what I do, who send me a photo with a job that they liked. People who start in the pixel world because they have discovered it by what you do, I am only a small part of all this. A hug to all those children, great artists that are all over the world!

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
 
-Yes, that 16-bit Goku, which I mentioned before and the compositions with the sprites!
 
Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?
 
Yes, they find me on Instagram, it's the only way, that I make a piece and sell it or accept orders :)
 
How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...
 
Instagram: @mell_ocotton
Twitter: mellcotton
Facebook: Hamartist Mell
 
A big hug to everyone and thanks for this interview, great artist!

What's the biggest piece you've ever made?
 
The biggest piece I’ve made was about 30 boards big. I was so tired of it at the end, but the photo came out good so I’m happy I finished it. It is an abandoned house in the forest, a pattern from pixelartist @indieshilov (twitter)

What is your art workspace like?
 
My workspace is a big desk in a small space of our house. I have a big window and some of my beadarts on the walls. I like to keep it neat and pragmatic when I want to be creative, I actually don’t want to be surrounded with too many things instead I keep it more minimalistic

What are the tools of your trade?
 
The tools are Artkals 160-color palette, pegboards, ski waxing iron and a tweezer especially for beading

Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece?
 
Normally a project takes around 1 week from start to finish. The first thing I do is to figure out what I want to do. I search for patterns, from pixelartists, crossstitches, old gamesprites or I create my own pattern in a program from pictures. When I then start beading I go into this feeling of flow, it is actually quite meditative to bead and it gives me time to think about how I want to photograph the artwork. Sometimes I know exactly up front how and where to take the shot, but sometimes I need to work with the piece and it kind of grows as the piece grows. After the beadwork is done I get to the ironing. I want it totally flat without visible holes and that means the ironing takes some time. I have tried many methods and now I only use a ski waxing iron. The last part is to photograph and after I have found my location I need to find a good solution for how to hang, stand or lean the beadwork, which can be very tricky sometimes. In the picture of the cat you actually see a two-piece beadwork where I hung the two separate pieces on each side of the branch. I love this part of the photoshoot, to find good solutions to let the artwork blend into the surroundings. The photoshoot takes from 5 minutes to 3 hours, the latest one with the golden dancer took 3 hours because I waited for the perfect sunset

What's the most time you've spent on a project?
 
I think some of my bigger projects have taken about 10-12 hours in total, but split over a period of say one or two weeks.
 
What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?
 
Many tell me that they think my pictures and beadwork are full of life and soul, and they wonder how I do that. I guess I just follow my instinct on what I find to be beautiful, important and fun to create. People also ask me about my ironing technique and how I succeed with my ironing. I have found a good quality brand of beads which are easy to work with and iron according to the tejping-method, and only use a ski waxing iron. You need to give yourself time and practice a lot to find the method that suits you the best

Have you had any art-related disasters?
 
Actually no major disasters, but offcourse I have made a lot of mistakes. Just as important for learning as anything.
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?
 
Actually, I am quite happy with how I have found my creativity and how I use it right now. I do what I like and that is good enough for me

What was your most recent project?
 
My latest project was a ballerina dancer. I have this idea of working on themes, where I make four different beadworks that goes together. This was my forth ballerina so now my dancers are complete. The pixelart of this last dancer is made of one of my favourite pixelartists Luis Maldonado @solosalsero and I have had this pattern in my phone for over 2 years and wanted to do it for so long. I think it came out beautifully, in the light of the sunset

What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?
 
I love that my artwork gives me time to go out in our nature, I have seen so many beautiful sites. It is very relaxing to spend time outdoors. I also find beading to be very meditative, I go into this sensation of flow after a while and then I sit for hours at my desk.
One of my favourite moment is when I take shot after shot after shot, and then suddenly I just feel that I just took the perfect one.
 
Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?
 
I always have a new project :)

Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?

I don’t sell anything at the moment, but last year I donated a photograph along with the original beadart of my first project (the boy and the bike) to “Musikhjälpen” here in Sweden, where all the collected money went to medical care organizations around the world. I hope to start selling prints of my work in the future.
 
How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...
 
You can find me at my Instagram profile @skapamedparlor

Anything else to share? Shoutouts, words of wisdom etc?

Do more of what makes you happy!

Who are you? Where are you based? 

My name is Nick and I am based out of Montreal Quebec
 
When and why did you first start making your art?  

I first started with my daughters, I had bought them some beads on a whim for Christmas, I then realized I had a ton of fun making them myself. One thing led to another and as I got into looking for more patterns online I found some very intricate projects... the rest is history!
 
What inspires your artwork? 
​
I love making pop art-inspired pieces, 8 bit videogames, skateboarding, 80's movies (especially star wars & the Shining) 

​Do you remember the first piece you made? 

Most likely a princess pattern for my daughters
 
What's the biggest piece you've ever made? 
​
Probably either my "dull boy" jack Nicholson piece or my Han and Leia Gun portraits. I completed a "Lost Boys" piece as well but it was 3 separate portrait panels. 

What is your art workspace like? 
​
My couch in front of the TV. with a lot of cardboard to be able to move pieces on and off the table as needed lol

What are the tools of your trade? 

Perler brand tweezers (a must!!) I also have both a large Cricut as well as a mini Cricut (expensive but also a must!)
Just standard masking tape and patience after that. Oh yeah, I also work exclusively using HAMA brand beads.
 
What's the most time you've spent on a project? 

Probably months, the Jack Nicholson piece required the pattern background to be made on hex boards, (I only own 4 of them) but was determined to complete the project with the pieces I had. Putting them all together was long and tedious work... hahahah
 
Can you talk us through your creative process? How do you go about planning and creating a piece? 
​
I usually either start with an idea or pattern in mind then go from there, it appears all my projects just keep getting bigger and bigger. I also use Beadifier online to help me map and plan out my projects!

What are the most common questions you get asked about your art? 

How much time they took to complete
 
Have you had any art-related disasters? 

I have spilled entire bead trays on 2 occasions (truly brutal) I have 8-10 thousand beads per tray (all different colors) so that is gut-wrenching when it happens. 
I also once sliced off a fingertip trying to cut out a section of beads with a razor (no stitches though)
 
Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet? 
​
I am still looking for the next piece of inspiration to "top" my 3 big pieces (Vader helmet, Star wars blasters and Jack Nicholson)

​What was your most recent project? 
​
A Mariah Carey portrait as a commission. 

hat are your favorite experiences you've had as a result of your art? 
​
Meeting new people online, asking other artists for advice, being inspired by the creations of others, collaborating with other artists

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now? 

I am doing a surprise Family portrait at the moment (can't say who!) 
I already looking forward to the next BIG project!
 
Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it? 
​
Yes although I don't mass produce. I love art exchanges with non-bead artists. 
I do take commissions although I would have to be passionate about the subject as I would be staring at it for hours and hours hahaha!

How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc... 

Instagram @ is_it_about_beads_tho
That's it! Contact me there, my LinkedIn is for my day job, and my Facebook is all skateboard collecting and what I am cooking for dinner! 

Anything else to share? Shoutouts, words of wisdom etc? 

Please feel free to reach out, I love to collaborate. Please feel free to use any of my designs and improve upon them if you think they could use it! 
(Just tag me in the comments so I can see the results)

Who are you? Where are you based?

I'm Squarepainter and I'm based in Philadelphia.

When and why did you first start making your art?

I've been an artist my whole life and always loved old video games so it was a natural progression to merge the two.

What inspires your artwork?

Nostalgia is at the root of my inspiration. I try to paint those moments from games that we all remember and take us back to a simpler time.

Do you remember the first piece you made?

I do! I painted Mega Man in 6 different poses on bristol board and mounted them on cardboard. I still have it to this day.

What's the biggest piece you've ever made?

I did a huge 48"x36" piece from The Empire Strikes Back in 2015.

What is your art workspace like?

Right now a complete mess haha. I have a small apartment so my game room doubles as my art studio.

What are the tools of your trade?

Acrylic paint, small flat brushes, palette knife, ruler, t square, mechanical pencil

What's the most time you've spent on a project?

Its hard to tell since I spend so much time laying out my pieces in Photoshop first before I even get to the canvas. For just straight up painting a piece definitely the Empire Strikes Back.

Can you talk us through your creative process? How you go about planning and creating a piece?

I'll get an idea for a painting and then start mocking it up in Photoshop to see how big of a canvas I'll need to fit it. From there I box off and grid out the areas where different elements of the piece will be and then paint in the black or whatever dominant dark color there is for the outlines. With the rest of the colors I generally work from dark to light and build up layers of paint.

What are the most common questions you get asked about your art?

Always about how long it takes and the process that goes into.

Have you had any art-related disasters?

Way too many to list haha. If you're one pixel off it can throw your entire design off. I did a huge Maniac Mansion piece back in 2012 when I was still learning and ended up having to repaint literally half of it because I painted a side of the canvas just one pixel higher than the rest.

Do you have a dream project you'd love to make, but just can't justify yet?

I have some layouts that would be around 10 feet high and wide but I dont have the space to work that big. I've been asked if I'd paint a big mural on a building and thats something I'd eventually love to do.

What was your most recent project?

I just finished a 3 canvas set of the items from Mega Man 2 but I'm sure I'll have newer pieces done by the time this interview goes up.

What are your favourite experiences you've had as a result of your art?

Far and away getting involved in the convention scene. I've met some of my best friends from it and so many talented artists.

Do you have any projects in progress or in the pipeline right now?

I'm always working on multiple pieces at a time. Like right now I have a Sonic piece and Shyguy piece on my easel and some commissioned work.

Do you sell your art? If so, how can people find it?

I do! All my work thats currently for sale is at squarepainter.storenvy.com. I also signed to a gallery recently to sell my larger and more complex pieces but thats still in the works.

How can people find you online? Drop your social media handles, websites etc...

I was lucky enough to secure the Squarepainter name on all of my social media but I'm most active on instagram and twitter.

Anything else to share? Shoutouts, words of wisdom etc

A big shoutout to you for doing this interview and continuing to inspire me with all of your own work. Also aside from painting I also play the bass in the band Rex Viper. We currently have 2 songs done and are on the Cinemassacre youtube channel so please go check those out!