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!

Who are you? Where are you based?

My name is Manuel, I am from Barcelona (Spain), as a child I was passionate about dragon ball, it was my favorite series and I played Nintendo games, Zelda, Metroid, Kirby ... which have marked my childhood and my life.

When and why did you first start making your art?

I started in 2018, I wanted to have something that would remind me of my childhood, those characters that I liked when I was a child, one day while on Instagram I saw a pixel image and I started with something small, a 5x5 centimeter Zelda shield and from There I was leveling up almost without realizing it.

What inspires your artwork?

Especially heroes of my childhood

Do you remember the first piece you made?

Yes, the first piece is always unforgettable, a shield and a sword from Zelda

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

I don't make excessively large pieces, I don't have a lot of work space, they are usually small about 11 x 19 inches

What is your art workspace like?

A very small table and a very basic organizer, I don't have a fixed place to work and I move everything from one place to another

What are the tools of your trade?

An iron, a wooden board, some tweezers, tape, greaseproof paper and a lot of patience

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

In real photos is where it takes the longest, because each pixel is different, about 6-8 hours

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

I do not have a predetermined creative process, I use inspiration along with memories and an idea is born, and Google also helps a little ?

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

How is it pixelated, what brand of pixel do I use, if I sell it ...

Have you had any art-related disasters?

Yes, I think that everyone has had bad experiences, it is best to learn, so as not to make the same mistake again

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

Yes, I would like to do some spectacular Resident Evil, but I still don't know what.

What was your most recent project?

Now I take real photos for my family and friends

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

The best without a doubt are the people you meet on Instagram and the good friends you make, many share your tastes and hobbies

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

There are always new projects, I'll tell you a secret I'm doing one of Kirk Van Houten from the Simpsons

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

No, I don't sell, I do it as a hobby

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

En Instagram: manujito88

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

Have the courage to seek the saduria that will give you power

Who are you? Where are you based?

My name is Brandon Maldonado and I am based in the LA/Inland Empire area in Southern California. 

When and why did you first start making your art? 

I started about 7 years ago and all because I bought something off of someone on Etsy. It looked fun so I took a trip to Michael’s and started making things that I thought looked cool and before I knew it I had a lot more than I thought. My mom's friend was organizing an estate sale and she asked if I wanted to sell there so I did which snowballed into me going up to people having yard sales asking to sell there. It all eventually led to selling at pop ups and farmers markets.

What inspires your artwork?

People’s interest and being able to impress them. I strive to be a shop that kid me would have loved to visit. The look of a client’s face as you present them their order is what keeps me going. Kids going crazy as they pass by my store is amazing to see.

Do you remember the first piece you made?

It was a Charmander and one side was melting and the other side was crumbling. Ironing is hard lol.

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

The biggest piece is Princess Leia in the slave costume on her side. She was 6 feet long and took about 12 hours to complete. I ran out of “Rust” twice making this.

What is your art workspace like?

Its a corner in my apartment with a dual monitor setup and drawers full of beads organized by color. One monitor is for the references and the other is for Netflix/videos.

What are the tools of your trade?

Cricut iron, perler beads, perler pen, pastels and my dual monitors. Gotta have that background noise.

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

I usually spend about 2-3 hours on a custom portrait piece, but I once made a huge virgin Mary that took about 15 total hours. Other projects have taken just as long but mainly because I’m not fully satisfied with my rough draft.

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

First I take a few days to find references and start to mentally piece a concept together before finalizing a concept and diving in. Then I do an outline/silhouette of the project and then start from the darkest colors to the lightest until it starts to come together, this is the longest step and revolves around Color Theory. From there I do about ~8 drafts before it finally looks like I want it to. Usually this step involves alot of tweaking and taking photos to see which tweaks look better. I then send the client a rough draft to approve before moving on to ironing. If the project includes a canvas, then I try my best to find either colors that compliment the main colors of the project or a scenery that is doable for my current skillset (pastel,spraypaint)

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

“What is this made of” and “how long does it take you to make this?!” haha  
I also get a lot of “did YOU make this??!” Always fun to answer this one.

Have you had any art-related disasters?

YES. They happen about once a week, usually from my knee or elbow hitting the board.

A big one that comes to mind is before I learned the masking tape method. I was making a Heisenberg but I ironed it by itself then promptly watched it crumble before my eyes as the boards lifted and warped.

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

I want a wall sized Mario piece, like World 1-1, but it seems absurd since I am limited in space in my apartment. 

What was your most recent project?

I recently had a Harley Quinn and Joker piece that was pretty fun to do. The client wanted her tattoo as a Perler, so that was pretty cool converting the tattoo into pixel art.

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

When I first started, I used to sell at a school flea market in East LA. The first time I was there I was taken back by the amount of appreciation and love that my art was getting. Shortly after, I received an email from a young kid that made me cry.

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

I am currently working on a 24x30 Canelo Alvarez piece for one of my favorite clients. It is an action shot of his recent victory. This client also recently commissioned a 22x28 Pancho Villa which was a lot of fun to work on.  

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

I mainly sell art locally but I also have an Etsy page for my portraits and an upcoming website that should be up in a month or so. 
My instagram bio contains it all :).

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

Instagram: @justbeadit21
Etsy: JustBeadIt626

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

I would like to shoutout my mom first and foremost. She has always hyped me up and continued to push my creativity to levels I didn’t think were possible. I honestly hated making arts and crafts growing up, but now I can’t put them down. 

Shoutout to my customers for keeping me going and for their words of encouragement. I am nothing without them, I owe it all to them.

Shoutout to my girlfriend Kim for her continued support and love, I am having the most fun I have ever had making these. P.S she makes our mini-perlers :) (My fingers are too fat)