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🚨New Episode Alert🚨

A special new episode for y’all from the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create.

In this episode we sat down (very cautiously I might add) with PDX based ergonomist, artist, and founder of ErgoArts, Serafine Lilien. Serafine’s career started out in the arts, and she now does work to help creatives (and folks of all kinds) stay happy, healthy, and free of any repetitive strain injuries.

We got into the weeds on proper posture and the Neutral Posture Principle, the list of ‘helpful’ ergonomic chairs, stools, desks, and more – and also learned about best practices and some practical stretches artists – and anyone that sits all day – can adopt to help prevent injuries in the future.

Conversation Topics include:

💖 Be kind to your body, we only get one.

🫸 Stretches throughout the day are important.

👯 The best thing you can incorporate into your day is movement – aka, get up outta that chair and stretch your body and legs

🧌 Do what you can to avoid having ‘Shrimp Back’

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As we wrap up season 3 of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we take a look back to our past seasons for some of our favorite highlights and folks reasons for why they do what they do.

This “best of” episode features clips from:

· Luke McGarry @lukeymcgarry

· Dakota Cates aka @wizardofbarge

· Colby Nichols @colbynichols

· Katie Pryde @bookswpictures

· Kyle Webster @kyle.t.webster

· Geneva Bowers @gdbeeart

· Liz Clayton Fuller aka @ipaintbirbs

· Lanny Ho @lan.ny.ho

· Mike Golden aka @Droquis

· Sarajean Chung aka @theonewithbear

We’ll be off recording more during the winter months in preparation for Season 4, coming to your ears early 2024.

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It’s lucky number 13 for the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create.

In this episode we sat down with PDX based Creative Director, Concept Artist and aspiring Improv actor, Barret Thomson of Deep Sky to dish on all things concept art, the influence of traveling, working with musicians and so much more.

Barret’s influence at Deep Sky can be seen across their amazing portfolio of work, including their in house project “It’s the Little Things” (which you can watch on YouTube) and their stellar animation for the music video for the five-part animated series called 'In Ashes 'by the Smashing Pumpkins. Barret’s personal work is just as exciting as his professional work and leads you to imagine the most fantastic stories… you know, like how did Medusa’s head get on that shield… and what would happen to you if you forgot to remove your symbiotic lung?

Conversation Topics include:

⛵ Steering the creative ship via Concept Art

🤷‍♂️ “What if” helps keep the wheels turnings

🎭 Improv skills ARE helpful in real life

🪄 Animation is Magic

🐍 ⚔️ Perseus Killed Medusa (we googled)

You can follow Barret on Instagram @barretthomson

You can follow Deep Sky online at This is DeepSky on Instagram or at their website DeepSky.TV

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For the latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we caught up with long time friend and collaborator Andre Luis to discuss the power of finding your tribe, cultivating community, and the struggles and successes of being a creative entrepreneur.

Andre Luis founded Trojan Horse was a Unicorn (aka T.H.U) back in 2013. Since its conception, it has been a highly anticipated and highly regarded experience for both emerging and professional creatives. Holding tight to their roots, T.H.U. is a space where creatives of all disciplines, skill levels, and backgrounds can come together to experience, and share, the power of creativity. T.H.U. is not just the ‘main event’, but a series of experiences, meetups, workshops, and more that take place all around the globe between a vast array of communities.

Conversation Topics include:

🥰 Empowering creatives around the world

🎨 Creativity is key to a functional society

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 It’s all about the human connection

🧚Shout out to all the mentors out there

📖 Storytelling is powerful

To stay up to date on what’s happening next at THU, make sure to follow them on social media and also check out their website: https://www.trojan-unicorn.com/

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For the latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we’re syncing up with a few of our favorite local gamers, Will Lewis and Marlow Dobbe of PIG Squad and Rose City Games. They share with us what it takes to not only create your own indie game, but also cultivate an amazing community of game developers.

From musicians to project managers, we discuss all of the roles involved in making a game as well as the benefits of participating in local (or via discord) game jams. PIGSquad is a thriving community of creatives, programmers, musicians, storytellers and more – and their next jam is just around the corner, you can sign up by heading over to www.pigsquad.com

Rose City Games is a game studio based in Portland, Oregon. They’re best known for their games Floppy Knights, Garden Story & World Next Door.

Topics include:

🤿 Dave the Diver

📂 Project Managers are important

🔑 Community is key

🎮 Anyone can be a Game Developer

👯 Lil guys love doin’ creative stuff

You can find and follow PIGSquad and Rose City Games on social media

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For the latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we’re heading into the flat graphic territory of adobe illustrator, discussing all things clean lines, tidy color palettes and the ‘Modern Vintage’ aesthetic. 

We sat down with the master of flat graphics himself, Tom Whalen aka @strongstuff to dish on everything from layers, to typeface, and how to balance multiple characters in one composition. From his first invite to a gallery show, to his current work with large organizations like Mondo and Disney (to name a few), Tom’s work is iconic, stylistic, and packed with industrial strength illustration skills.  

Topics include:

🍊 Orange based color palettes

💕 Designing by feel

📂 The importance of Layers, Layers, Layers

🔑 Simplicity can capture all the details

🎁 Collectibles are cool 

📅 Keep a tidy schedule 

You can find and follow Tom on Instagram and all social media platforms at his aka Strongstuff

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Listen in while we drift into the magical, delightful, and surrealist worlds created by none other than international artist Nicolas Barrome Forgues in our latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create. 

Speaking to us from his home in France, Nico shares with us behind the scenes stories from some of his largest projects, his early day as an aspiring artist, and his love for Spielberg, Lucas, Spongebob and surrealist art. 

Topics include:

🌲 Surrealist landscapes

👹 Mischievous creatures

🥰 Loving your creations

😎 Being Unique

🤝 The power of collaboration

🖌️ Trying as many techniques as possible

🤖 Love for Sci-fi, Kaiju and amazing creatures

You can find and follow Nicolas Barrome Forgues on Instagram and all social media platforms 

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We’re studying the tomes and channeling all our strength for episode 8 of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create. 

Listen in while we journey through the world of wizards, goblins, and trolls (oh my!) with So.Cal based artist Dakota Cates, better known as the Wizard of Barge. Dakota shares with us his insights into living a magical life and just what it takes to become the Stepfather of Fantasy. 

Topics include:

🧙‍♂️ Wizarding

👨‍🍼 Daddies and Step-Daddies

📖 Studying the Tomes

🥰 Daily Affirmations

🛹 Skateboarding

✨ Magic the Gathering

🐸 Muppets

🙏 The importance and appreciation of great Mentors

👕 Super rad Merch 

You can find and follow Wizard of Barge on Instagram and all social media platforms at #WizardofBarge

If you want to support and purchae his rad merch - head here to his WEBSITE

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Did you know that being a skilled Dungeon Master can also translate to becoming a skilled Creative Director?  In episode 7 of Why We Create, we sat down with the brilliant and talented Illustrator, Creative Director and storyteller, Colby Nichols. 

From his work at Portland, Oregon design studio Jolby, to his current endeavors in the gaming industry, we get the full story and more on his preferences on everything from Metallica and Mario, to Coffee or Beer. 

We hope you enjoy the ep. 

You can find and follow Colby on Instagram  

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What makes your city, town or neighborhood so great? For us here in Portland, one of our greatest poitns of pride is the iconic and Eisner award winning Comic Book store, Books with Pictures.  

For episode 6 of the official @wacom podcast, Why We Create, we sat down with founder, neighborhood historian, avid reader, and comics afficionado, Katie Pryde. Katie shares with us her amazing journey in creating and running the 2022 Eisner Award winning comic book store, Books with Pictures. 

From consulting start ups to crafting curated lists of what to read, Katie is the go-to person for finding new and exciting reads in Portland. 

We stand firmly with Katie and the entire team at Books with Pictures in saying that Comics are for Everyone. 

You can find and follow Books with Picture here: 

https://bookswithpictures.com/

https://www.instagram.com/bookswpictures/?hl=en

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What happens when the love for good food, good stories and great art collide? For episode 5 of the wacom podcast, Why We Create, we sat down with Brett Warnock, Chief Editor of Kitchen Table Magazine. 

Kitchen Table Mag combines illustrations, stories and recipies, into a comic/zine like layout that focus on the people behind some of Portland’s favorite restaurants, food carts, and bars. Like a delicious mirepoix for the Pacific Northwest foodie. 

In this ep. Brett shares with us his beginigns as a publisher in the comics industry to his life now, prepping and gettng ready for the 6th issue of the magazine. We dish on all things mayo (is it actually great?), our favorite restaurants, and the secret to making your own salad dressing.

Look and ask for Kitchen Table Magazine at your Portland area book, grocery and comics shop.

You can find and follow Kitchen Table Mag here: 

https://kitchentablemagazine.com/shop/

https://www.instagram.com/kitchentablemag/

Some other cool folks mentioned in this episode:

Erica’s Soul Food @Ericaspdx

Le Bistro Montage @le_bistro_montage_ala_cart

Bobs Red Mill https://www.instagram.com/bobsredmill/

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Dust off your art supplies, grab your favorite paint brushes and lets make some marks. For episode 4 of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we’re talking to the brush-master himself, Kye T. Webster.

For digital artists and #photoshop enthusiasts, Kyles name will automatically sound familiar. For those not in the loop of digital art lingo, Kyle is the person behind the amazing brush sets featured on Adobe illustration and painting programs like Photoshop and Fresco. Kyle joined the team at Adobe a few years ago after already reaching rock star status in the art sphere by selling his custom created brushes on his own.

Not only did we talk about our favorite brushes and how we use them, we also dug into some of the advice Kyle has followed to get to where he is. Not only is he an incredible illustrator, he’s an amazing educator and mentor. His career has taken him to so many places and now a meditative drawing app, Lines of Zen. From how to find your own style to remembering to take those doodle breaks, we hope you enjoy the episode.

You can find and follow Kyle here:

@KyleTWebster on Instagram

@KyleTWebster on YouTube

@kyleTwebster on Twitter

Some other cool folks mentioned in this episode:

Bobby Chiu: @digitalbobert

John Hendrix @johnhendrix

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For Ep 3 we spoke with skilled photographer, Joshua Jordan.  Joshua shared with us his love of portrait photography and his humble beginnings capturing images of his grandparents and family.  

We also spent some time nerding out on our favorite gear, photo and studio lighting techniques and the differences, and similarities, between portrait and product photography.  Make sure to listen to the end and let us know which part of the process is your favorite…. Shooting/capturing the image or editing/retouching?    

You can find and follow Joshua here: 
 Website: http://www.joshuajordanphoto.com/

Instagram: @JoshuaJordanPhoto 

Twitter: @JJPhoto_

S/O to a few of our favorite Photography shops 

https://prophotosupply.com/  @prophotosupply

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/   @bhphoto 

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For our second episode of ‘Why We Create’, we sat down with publisher and artist, Mark Siegel to chat about the creation of his publishing company, First Second Books, the magic behind a collaborative workflow, and the power of sequential storytelling. 

You can find and follow Mark at the links below: 

01FirstSecond books on Instagram 

01FirstSecond books on Twitter

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We’re kicking off Season 3 of ‘Why We Create’ with one of our favorite artists, twitch streamers and Clip Studio Paint enthusiasts, Sarajean Chung aka The One with Bear.  

In this episode we learn all about the life of a professional freelance artist, the joys of washi tape and the realities behind being an OG twitch streamer. We get the inside scoop on Sarajean’s creative career, her journey from skilled freelancer to working alongside us at Wacom on several projects, and also working with one of our favorite software partners, Clip Studio Paint and Graphixly. 

We leave no stone unturned and discover the meaning behind her moniker, the One with Bear, and dig deep into her love for analog mediums as well as her favorite flavors of Doritos.

You can find and follow Sarajean at the links below: 

https://lynkfire.com/TheOneWithBear 

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Get ready for the #RoseCityComicCon special of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’. For episode 14 we sat down with animator and storyboard artists, Ben Lane and Todd Hoppmeyer. 

From the Simpsons to Inside Job, we got down in the mix of just what does it take to be a storyboard artist. Is it possible to hide hidden gems in the shows your working on, and just how does Ben do what he does?

From #ToddFacts to so many jokes, we hope you enjoy the episode.  

You can follow the fellas on Instagram here:

Ben Lane @weezllane 

Todd Hoppmeyer @toddhoppart

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For Ep 13 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with the man behind some of the most hyped sneakers in the world, the current head of Donda industrial design, the Godfather of Dad shoes himself, Steven Smith. 

Steven’s influence in the industry can be traced back to 1986 when he started at New Balance. It was the early days of sneakers and running shoes and Steven was at the forefront of designs that are still sought after today. He’s responsible for the creation of the New Balance 574, 997 and 1500; the Reebok Instapump Fury; The Nike Shox Monster, Air Streak Spectrum Plus and the Nike Air Spiridon Cage 2 and many more. 

In his current role as the head of Donda industrial design, Steven’s reached the pinnacle of freedom when it comes to design, innovation and dreaming and is now tasked with leading the industry into the future. 

You can follow Steven on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/stevensmith/ 

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For Ep 12 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with Brooklyn based artist, twitch streamer, and all-around awesome guy, Lanny Ho.

From traditional block prints to tattoos, Lanny is a true multi-disciplinary artist that has the ability to shift from medium to medium without skipping a beat. His bold and graphic line work is perfectly suited for both prints and tattoos, and sometimes pops up in his ceramic works.

You can catch him live weekly on twitch or in person at any of the upcoming tattoo conventions he and his studio mates from @hadesinquisition1683 may be attending.

Give him a follow, support his twitch stream, and join us in becoming a faithful member of the ‘Ho’-army <3

https://www.twitch.tv/lannyho

https://www.instagram.com/lan.ny.ho

https://lannyho.com/

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For Ep 11 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we had the honor of speaking with artist, inventor, director, fabricator, Rube Goldberg aficionado and who we claim may be the most trusting person on the planet, the talented and brilliant, Bob Partington.

If you’ve been on this world a while and remember the glory days of MTV and music videos, you’ve probably seen Bob’s handy work. Or possibly you saw him on his tv show ‘ThingamaBob’ which aired on the History Channel. Or if you’re one of those people that love a good commercial or ad spot and find yourself lured into the television by the spectacular display of what seems to be the worlds largest treadmill, well… then you’ve almost definitely seen Bob’s work.

After starting on a path as an engineer in Canada, Bob ended up in New York with a Masters in Fine Arts from NYU. He worked in stop-motion at MTV’s Celebrity Death Match where relationships with artists and musicians set him in the direction of music and experimental video. Things came full circle in 2014 when Bob took home a Moonman for OKGO’s ’The Writing’s On the Wall’.

His unique way of thinking landed him a world record and a Webby for ‘The World’s Slowest Rube Goldberg’ and is behind inspired projects for Stella Artois, Apple, Samsung, Ford and Volvo for which he won three Cannes Lions. He has also helmed events for Xbox, Wendy’s, IBM and IKEA.

Find and follow Bob on Instagram @bobpartington

https://www.bobpartington.com/

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For Ep 10 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we’re diving into the world of events, conferences and the skillful people that make them happen. We’re speaking with the creative mind behind @btconf Beyond Tellerand, Marc Thiele. 

From his early days as a web developer and creative, Marc had the vision to bring people together and share knowledge, inspiration and the love of all things tech. Beyond Tellerand is back after a short break due to covid and is exciting to get back to connecting likeminded individuals. Make sure to follow Marc and all of the events he runs on social media. 

https://beyondtellerrand.com/

https://marcthiele.com/

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For Ep 9 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with the lovely and talented, Genva Bowers to chat about chill pet dragons, fantastical sunsets, magical gardens more.

Nestled the gorgeous surrounding of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Geneva is inspired by the landscapes around her and is known to use local scenery in her illustrations, transforming even the most mundane locations to something truly out of this world (y’all gotta check out that Pizza Hut).

Her use of vibrant and dynamic colors and movement transport you too far off places that feel like a dream. Geneva is also the creator, writer and illustrator of the webtoon (and soon to be published) ‘HoverGirls’ comic.

‘HoverGirls’ is a story of two best friends, Kim and Jalissa, navigating regular day to day life challenges, while also discovering magical powers and trying to figure out how to use them for greatness. This amazing superhero story is a fabulous celebration of Black Girl Magic, friendship and joy.

You can find and follow Geneva on social media at @gdbee and #gdbeeart on Twitter

Geneva's Website: http://www.genevab.com/ will take you to her portfolio as well as her shop, which is full of amazing merch

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Self-taught coder, Master of finger painting, Live experimental animator, Entertainer and so much more… for episode 8 of ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with Multi-Disciplinary artist Tom DesLongchamp to get an inside look at his creative process.

For those that follow Tom on #Twitch, you’re probably familiar with his may creative forms. From ‘Cartoon Mess Live’ to ‘Painting with Borb’. Tom’s live streamed work is a perfect example of what happens when creatives put their ideas in action every single day. From his Twitch debut in 2018, Tom has been ideating, creating, coding, painting, animating live, AND keeping Flash alive (for more on that story head to our #discord for the BTS convo on his technical setup).

His live streams combine all the things Tom is great at - in a way that is so uniquely and specifically… TOM.

On the flip side of his digital work, Tom is also known for his small format #portrait work that has been described by many as simply “Dynamic”. His portrait work is a unique mix of ink lines topped with a glorious mish-mash of perfectly placed finger and thumb prints, with a dash of straight marker to paper. He’s not afraid of using every color in the marker box, and the end results are truly amazing.

For more on Tom, make sure to find and follow him on all the socials. He can be found on #Instagram, #twitter, #tumblr and #twitch under the handle @TomThinks

You can also find out more on his website: http://www.tomdeslongchamp.com/

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We’re back with another educational and inspirational episode of “Why We Create”. In this episode we sat down with the Kaiser himself, Mr. Bryan Tillman to discuss all things art, education, markers and the importance of failing.

Following the motto of ‘just do it’ – Bryans career has spanned over a decade and a half and granted him the opportunity to not just attend nearly every Comic Convention in the US (the big ones at least), but also work with major players in the comic book industry like Marvel, DC, UpperDeck, Lucas Films, Cartoon Network, Toys R US and more.

Bryan has also been an educator for over 15 years and is helping to inspire and usher in the next class of sequential artists.

He's currently hard and work and getting ready to bring Ninja Empire to the public, so do as Shogun says and make sure to… Follow the Kaiser.

WHERE TO FIND AND FOLLOW THE KAISER:

WEBSITE: https://www.followthekaiser.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/followthekaiser/

TWITER: https://twitter.com/followthekaiser

REFERENCES FROM THE CONVERSATION:

Storm Shadow (G.I. Joe)

Bleeding Cool: 5 Rules for Self- Promotion

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We're back with Portland based comic book illustrator, writer and three-time Eisner Award nominee, Ibrahim Moustafa.  In Part 2 of our conversation we dive into the serious questions like who would win in fight; Thor, Hulk or the Thing; and of course, who’s the best James Bond. 

WEBSITE: https://www.ibrahimmoustafa.com/ 

SOCIAL MEDIA: 

IG: @ibrahim_m_art

TWITTER: @Ibrahim_M_

Buy your copy of ‘RetroActive’ here: https://retroactivecomic.com/ 

Interesting things referenced in this episode: 

• Alex Ross https://www.alexrossart.com/
• Mark Waid https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Waid_bibliography
• Travis Charest http://travischarestart.com/
• Adam Hughes https://comicvine.gamespot.com/adam-hughes/4040-2582/
• John Paul Leon http://www.johnpaulleon.com/home.htm

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For episode 6 of ‘Why We Create’ we had the honor of sitting down with three-time Eisner Award Nominated Comic Book Illustrator and writer, Ibrahim M. Moustafa. Ibrahim is a Portland, Or based comic book writer, illustrator, car enthusiast, dog lover and time-loop afficionado.

Ibrahim may be best known for his work on the Eisner Award Nominated publications such as ‘High Crimes’ and ‘Jaeger’, his work can also be found across several publishers such as Marvel Comics, DC Entertainment, Image Comics, Dark Horse and more. You can also see his work in his newest book, ‘RetroActive’.

For the first part of the episode (we had so much fun we needed to split this ep. In two parts) we discussed the daunting nature of world building, the cool tech of the future and of course, which Bat Mobile is the best. We got to nerd out on the construction and concept of time loops, which naturally led us to discuss our favorite time travel movie.

We hope you enjoy the episode and stay tuned for pt2. Dropping next week

WEBSITES: https://www.ibrahimmoustafa.com/

SOCIAL MEDIA:

IG: @ibrahim_m_art

TWITTER: @Ibrahim_M_

Buy your copy of ‘RetroActive’ here: https://retroactivecomic.com/

Interesting things referenced in this episode:

Edge of Tomorrow, Movie

Groundhog Day, Movie

All You Need is Kill, Manga

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Season 2, Episode 5 of ‘Why We Create’, we sat down with educator, writer, doodler and mismatch sock wearer, Carrie Baughcum to chat about the power of sketchnoting.

Carrie has been a special education teacher for the past 24 years and one of the top advocates for sketchnoting.

What is sketchnoting, you ask? Well, you’ll just need to listen to the episode. 😊 We’re kidding... in brief, sketchnoting is a form of note-taking, hence the “noting” part of it, but as you might guess it involves bringing more visuals into the process compared to typical note-taking, hence the “sketch” part. The best part about it, you don’t have to be the best at drawing to participate.

Alongside teaching, Carrie has illustrated and published books on the process of sketchnoting and its importance in life and the classroom. During our conversations Carrie shared with just how powerful your doodles can be, and the impact creativity can have on learners of all ages and abilities.

To follow Carrie and her creative endeavors, or to find out more about sketchnoting and how to incorporate creativity into the classroom, make sure to follow her on all the platforms:

WEBSITE: http://carriebaughcum.com/

IG: http://instagram.com/carrie_baughcum

TWITTER: http://twitter.com/carrie_baughcum

Doodle & Chat on YouTube: http://youtube.com/carriebaughcum

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Season 2, Episode 4 of ‘Why We Create’, we're joined by UK born and LA based cartoonist, illustrator, and musician Luke McGarry. In what we can only describe as our most sarcastic and most hilarious conversation yet, we chat about the everyday norms of growing up in a creative family, the value of laughter and most importantly the coolness factor one earns when receiving a cease-and-desist-letter.

Throughout Luke’s career he’s had the opportunity to work with brilliant minds like Jack Black and Tenacious D, as well as highly rated publications like Playboy, MAD, The Hollywood Reporter. Luke’s also created posters for Coachella, ZEDD, Vans and The LA Galaxy. We also can’t forget to mention his most notable piece of work to date, the internet phenomenon known as “Sad Chewie”.

We hope you enjoy this episode and all of the hilarity in brings. We also hope you follow Luke's advice and never forget to "Live, Laugh, Pun".

Make sure to find and follow Luke on all the social media platforms, you can also find more about his work and what he’s up to on his website:

WEBSITE: https://lukemcgarry.com/

IG: @LukeMcgarry

TWITTER: @LukeMcGarry

FB: @LukeMcGarry

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For Episode 3 of ‘Why We Create’, we're joined by Portland artist, Jenn Ely, to discuss all things illustration, visual development and the emotional currency of films.

As you browse through Jenn’s portfolio you’ll see that she is truly a master of her craft. Even our amazing discord community was curious if her grasp and understanding of color was science or witchcraft (jokes of course, although we cannot confirm nor deny Jenn’s magical abilities, her skills and color mastery are the direct result of her inherent talent, experience and education).

In this conversation Jenn shared with us just what it means to be a visual development artist. What it’s like to work collaboratively on a team, and what it was like to discover the correlation between art and storytelling.

Jenn’s worked on projects ranging from commercials to feature films to children’s books (link to her upcoming book, “The Gardner of Alcatraz”). Make sure to follow her on IG and check out her website/portfolio for inspiration. We Hope you enjoy this episode.

WEBSITE: http://www.jennely.com/

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/elyjenna/

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For episode 2 of Why We Create, we sat down with 3D modeler, VFX and character artist Lamarcus Harvey.  He’s the go-to person for all things character design and 3D modeling (he’s got you), a hardcore creature and monster fan, s’mores afficionado (it’s all about that charred sh’mellow) and tire rendering expert (kidding, of course).

Lamarcus shares with us the importance of envisioning yourself in your work (BE the s’more, BE the orc) and the valuable influence a teacher can have on your life, your career and your creative journey.  

Where to find and follow Lamarcus:

• ArtStation:  https://www.artstation.com/lamarcusharvey
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/lamarcus_harveys_art/

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Load up those rattle cans, grab your backpack and let's get ready to make our marks. 🖌️

We’re back with another amazing season of “Why We Create” and who better than to launch us into the new year than Chicago native and multi-faceted creative, Amuse126. Amuse126 is known for his ability to lure an unaware audience into the dimension of graffiti-inspired abstract illustrative and typographic art.

During our conversation we discussed his early start in street art and graffiti, his love for typography and his unique perspective on how the art of graffiti is more like a sport that one might think.

From the most inconspicuous of locations, to the smallest of tags, all forms of expression and creativity are encouraged. We hope you enjoy the first episode of the new season.

WHERE TO FIND AMUSE126:

WEBSITE: https://www.amuse126.com/

IG: https://www.instagram.com/amuse.126/

REFERENCES FROM THE CONVERSATION:

KAWS

https://www.streetartbio.com/artists/kaws/

http://www.artnet.com/artists/kaws/

STYLE WARS

http://www.stylewars.com/site/

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Who doesn’t love a good festival, sprinkled with a dash of inspiration, education and of course some Creative Chaos. For this episode of ‘Why We Create’ we’re discussing all things creative chaos and Connected Ink. 

To give season one a proper send off, we figured who better than to speak with but Wacom’s own CEO, Nobu. And what better subject to discuss than Connected Ink, a project near and dear to his heart. 

Connected Ink is a 24 hour hybrid (virtual and select in-person events) happening on November 16th -17th. 

Head over to register and sign up for the newsletter here: CONNECTEDINK.WACOM.COM 

The theme this year is (you guessed it) Creative Chaos and our colleagues around the globe at Wacom are pulling together some amazing activations, discussions and workshops.  We hope you enjoy this inside look at what Connected Ink is and what makes it so amazing.

We also want to thank each and every one of you for helping make season one so amazing. We appreciate you taking the time to listen to the show and look forward to sharing more amazing BTS conversations in season two and beyond. 

For more info on Satoru Kobayashi check out these sites:

Heralbony Artist Profile 

Satoru Kobayashi story on Connected Ink

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Ep 11 brings us back to the early weeks of August and the exciting events Portland based footwear celebration, SneakerWeek PDX.

 For this special live recorded episode of 'Why We Create' we sat down with 3D designer and emerging photographer, Brett Brown. We discussed everything from his long nights as a 3D modeler in the game industry to his journey into the footwear industry. 

Brett’s creative journey isn’t just limited to the 3D realm, he’s also taken the last couple of years to explore the world of studio and portrait photography. 

For more info on Brett, you can find him on social media, or check out his website: 

Website: https://brettbrownphotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.brettbrown/

For more info on what’s happening at the Wacom Experience Centers, head over to our lnk.bio for links to everything we’ve got going on: https://lnk.bio/WacomExc 

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In Ep. 10 of ‘Why We Create’, Surrealist illustrator, Author, and professional night owl, Rafik El Hariri, sat down with us to discuss the power of tapping into your own creativity.

Based in Tripoli, Lebanon, Rafik has been a professional artist since 2016 when he was gifted his very first Wacom tablet by his sister. In that time, he’s contributed both illustrations and written pieces to, publications like Vice Arabia, Vouge, the National and many more.

His style is a combination of peaceful color pallets mixed with whimsical textures and a dash (or two, or three) of surrealism. Add to that occultist symbolism and you’ve got the perfect recipe for images that allow Rafik to explore topics ranging from mental health and other “taboo” social issues. His illustrations create dreamlike space for viewers to reflect upon and relate to their own personal struggles, successes and all the feelings we experience as humans on this earth.

Since our conversation, Rafik’s latest book, “I Found a Heart” , has been published (currently available in Lebanon), and was interviewed by The National News on August 17th, you can read the article here.

To find out more about Rafik you can follow him on social media:

IG rafikillustration

TWITTER rafikelhariri_

https://rafikillustration.com/

We also had a special guest interlude for this episode featuring Art Therapist, Nicholas Keen.

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We got 99 problems but this episode of "Why We Create” definitely isn't one of them.

For EP. 9 we sat down with UK based Illustrator, Animator and Hip-Hop appreciator, Ali Graham. Ali is best known for his adorable and wholesome illustrations of some of the greatest hip-hop legends of all time.

From his early years creating webcomics to one of his most popular series "99 problems", Ali's love and appreciation of hip-hop has carried his careers to new heights. Ali’s illustrations are a hilarious and tongue and cheek interpretation of what many would consider NSFW rap lyrics. By filtering these descriptive lyrics through the lens of innocence and all-around wholesomeness, Ali’s characters rank, on the overall scale of cuteness, somewhere right around the level of Muppet Babies.

Now that those 99 problems have been tackled, you can find Ali crafting Lil Ye Land, a wholesome universe that takes our lil baby Kanye on a series of adventures. (you can play it here ‘CLICK’) . Its as if the hip-hop world collided with Super Mario, and of course tossed in some special cameos.

For more info on Ali, make sure to follow him on all the socials:

@lil_ye

You can also find his work, prints and of course the link to download and play Lil Ye Land here: Ali Graham Link Tree

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Welcome to a super special episode of Why We Create. 

For our 8th episode we sat down with Herbert Beauclere, Co-founder of Sneaker Week PDX. Since 2017, Sneaker Week has built a foundation of diversity and trust while showing the world how footwear changes lives while enriching consumer experiences and takeaways for a great cause through storytelling & connectivity.

Going into the 5th year celebrating Sneaker Week, Herbert and team are excited to continue their creative sneaker journey with all of their new and existing partners, brands, and communities. It’s only getting better.

To stay up to date with all things sneaker week, make sure to check out their website and follow on the socials. They also stream on #twitch, so like, follow and subsribe . 

https://sneakerweekpdx.com/

https://www.twitch.tv/sneakerweekpdx

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In episode 7 of Why We Create, we sat down with the brilliant and hilarious inventors, engineers, fabricators, and creators of the PinBox 3000.

The Pinbox 3000 is an educational device/game/and all around fun time, brought to you by the Cardboard Teck Instantute (https://www.pinbox3000.com/) - a tool of the ages, combining science and fun in a small cardboard device you can construct and create yourself.

From the marble Pete always carries with him (in the handy marble pocket, of course), to the efficacy of pinball as a method of teaching STEAM – Ben and Pete share with us their journey from a crazy idea to a full blown kickstarter and successful business and co-op of makers, engineers and cardboard enthusiasts.

The Cardboard Teck Instantute and their Pinbox 3000 is the perfect tool to bridge the divide between all types of learning and of course spreading the joy of Pinball with kids and enthusiasts of all ages. We hope you enjoy the episode, and of course, go out and play some pinball.

Here’s where you can find, follow and support Ben and Pete:

Website: https://www.pinbox3000.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/pinbox3000/

TinkerCad, easy 3D design - https://www.tinkercad.com/

Also, if you’re in the Portland area make sure to check out our local Pinball Arcades:

https://wedgeheadpdx.com/

https://groundkontrol.com/

https://www.quarterworldarcade.com/

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Episode 6 took us all the way across the pond for a fabulous conversation with illustrator, sketchbook enthusiast and traveling artist, Nina Cosford. 

From pandemic hairstyles to tights that never seem to fit properly, Nina shared with us her approach to illustration and the importance of discussing our shared experiences. Often it’s those small moments or the most mundane of actions in our everyday routines that make us feel more connected and a society, and most importantly, humans. Throughout her career as an illustrator, Nina has had the opportunity to travel the world and capture and document those small moments. She enjoys documenting the special and sometimes hilarious people that make any town or city feel like the most fabulous spot in the world. 

Nina is also a hardcore sketchbooker (is that a word, maybe we just made it up) and has recently launched her own line of sketchbooks, designed for anyone and everyone – artists, notetakers, or those that just love a good list. We hope you enjoy the episode. 

You can follow Nina’s adventures here:

https://www.instagram.com/ninacosford/ 

https://www.instagram.com/ninacosfordsketchbook/ 

You can also purchase her sketchbooks here: 

https://www.ninacosford.com/shop/product-category/sketchbook/

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Grab your sketchbook and your favorite water colors, we’re heading outside. For episode 5 of ‘Why We Create’ we had the privilege of speaking with scientific illustrator, rock collector and birb (birb=bird) enthusiast, Liz Clayton Fuller.

Liz shared with us what it takes to become a scientific illustrator, her love for birds and a bushel of fun bird facts. We chatted about everything from the specific numbers of feathers on a bird’s wing, to structural coloring and why illustrations are better than photographs, we left no feather unruffled.

We hope you enjoy this episode and take a moment to enjoy the outdoors and birds in your part of the world. So head outside, find your ‘sit spot’ and enjoy the nature around you.

Find and follow Liz on her social channels:

• Website: https://www.lizclaytonfuller.com/
• IG: https://www.instagram.com/lizclaytonfullerart/
• Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/ipaintbirbs

And check out some great info on birds and birb related things:

Information on Black Birders Week: https://www.audubon.org/black-birders-week

For local info on birds and how to get involved, the Audubon Society is a great source: https://www.audubon.org/

Sibley guide to birds: https://www.sibleyguides.com/

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For episode 4 of Why We Create, we grabbed our headsets and logged back into the Oasis for an amazing and hilarious conversation about Virtual, Augmented and Mixed reality with Creative Director and talented XR artist, Estella Tse.

We discussed the limitations and ever-growing possibilities of creating in virtual realities and digital spaces, as well as the power of nature and how we can do better at merging technology and our natural world.

We may have also derailed into a short discussion on how we would communicate with Aliens if they were to ever land on Earth… but you’ll just have to listen to find out more on that.

Estella also shared a robust list of other brilliant and talented creators in the greater XR realm (see full list below).

Estella Tse

• Website https://www.estellatse.com/
• IG https://www.instagram.com/estellatse/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/estellatse

VR Rosie aka Rosie Summers

• Website: https://www.rosiesummers.com/
• IG https://www.instagram.com/vr_rosie_/?hl=en

Steven Christian

• Website https://stuckonaneyeland
• IG https://www.instagram.com/stuckonaneyelnd/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/stuckonaneyelnd

XR Artist Collective

• http://mezbreezedesign.com/vr-gallery/xr-artists-collective/

Goro Fujita

• Gumroad: https://gumroad.com/gorofujita
• IG https://www.instagram.com/goro.fujita/?hl=en
• Twitter https://twitter.com/gorosart

Danny Bitman

• Website https://dannybittman.com/
• Youtube https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCExNObiCjy-fhsYMwf8p1LQ?view_as=subscriber
• Twitter https://twitter.com/DannyBittman

Anna Dreambrush aka Anna Zhilyaeva

• Website https://www.annadreambrush.com/wiki/index.php?title=Anna_Zhilyaeva
• IG https://www.instagram.com/annadreambrush/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/AnnaDreamBrush

Breonna’s Garden at Tribeca Film Festival

• https://tribecafilm.com/films/breonna-s-garden-2021

Stuart 'Sutu' Campbell

• Website https://www.sutueatsflies.com/
• IG https://www.instagram.com/sutu.eats.flies/

The Bad Lament aka Michelle Brown

• Website https://www.instagram.com/thebadlament/
• IG https://www.instagram.com/thebadlament/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/Thebadlament

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Third times a charm. For episode 3 we had the pleasure of speaking to Architectural Visualizer Mike Golden, aka Droquis. Mike is a brilliant 3D artist who not only creates beautiful architectural renderings, but masterfully renders gorgeous Sci-fi landscapes that combine a variety of different digital techniques and programs.

In this episode we discuss everything from the benefits of working in black and white vs color, to Cezanne to the magic of Blender (open-source software is the coolest).

Mike dropped several different books and videos, which are listed below in case you want to check them out yourself. We hope you enjoy this episode.

Where to find and watch Mike:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/droquis/

https://www.instagram.com/threemarks/

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/droquis

Books and other cool art references from Mike:

John Hedgecoe’s Complete Guide to Photography

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/480428.John_Hedgecoe_s_Complete_Guide_To_Photography

Scott McCloud Understanding Comics

http://scottmccloud.com/2-print/1-uc/

Blame! (anime)

https://tsutomu-nihei.fandom.com/wiki/Blame!

The Blade Itself

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/944073.The_Blade_Itself

Paul Cezanne

https://www.paul-cezanne.org/

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In episode 2 of 'Why We Create' we sat down with Behavioral Scientist Jessica Outlaw and discussed all things AR, VR and the importance of user feedback and research.  

During our conversation, she shared with us her approach to setting up effective and productive user testing sessions, her insights into the current state and future of all things XR and so much more.  

Jessica also has a workshop coming up on May 20th, Tech-Ethics Toolkit

For info on the workshop and registration, go here: 
https://extendedmind.mykajabi.com/tech-ethics-toolkit 

You can find and follow Jessica on twitter: 
https://twitter.com/theextendedmind 

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Welcome to the first official episode of 'Why We Create',  a podcast brought to you by the team at the Wacom Experience Center here in Portland, Oregon.

Our first episode we had the opportunity to speak with comic book artists and all around fabulous human, Will Sliney.
Many of you have seen his work in comic books like Spiderman, Star Wars 'Rise of Kylo Ren' and Daredevil.  He's also taken to live streaming his comic book creations via Twitch (find and follow here: http://twitch.tv/willsliney  )

We had a blast speaking with Will about his life in Ireland, his start in the comic book industry and so much more.

We hope you enjoy this episode. You can find Will on social media here:
https://twitter.com/WillSliney
https://www.instagram.com/will_sliney/

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Welcome to the pre-show episode of Why We Create, the new podcast discussing all things innovation, technology and creativity. 

Brought to you by the team at the Wacom Experience Center in Portland, Oregon, we'll be speaking to makers, creatives and brilliant minds from all around the globe. No topics are off limits, we're interested in learning more about all facets of the creative and tech industries.  

Tune in for up and coming episodes featuring comic book artists, architectural visualizers, behavioral scientists and so much more.