Haw is a Brisbane based illustrator who grew up in Hong Kong and moved to Australia at the age of nine. His background is illustration and design amongst other qualifications, and to add a bit of spice to the mix also dabbles in furniture design with his partner in crime Booÿ.

Like Haw’s work? You can catch some more over at Gorker gallery, Melbourne,  whose ‘Forty Thieves’ show showcases a line up of 40 exciting local and international artists displaying their own interpretations of a ‘mug shot’. Opening this Thursday, the exhibition coincides with Gorker’s second birthday, so if you are in Melbourne head there, drink lots of beer and celebrate.

www.hellohaw.com

Hello Haw. So what is your story?
I am Haw, I am based in Brisbane, grew up in Hong Kong, had a nice visual diet of wacky kid shows, plastic model kits, lego and D&D when I was a little kid. I’m illustrating a bunch of things at the moment which never seems to finish… yet.

Tell me a bit about Hawphabet – what is it all about and why did you make it?
The Hawphabet is based on the english alphabet, I have been working on it a while now on and off for a few years, it wasn’t until last year that it was released. This series is based on my liking towards knifes, body parts, boobies, weaponry, creatures, gore and so on. I base the Hawphabet around the english alphabet because I thought it would be an interesting way to communicate on different levels through the use of fonts and visual illustrations and see what I can come up with during and after the process.

What can we expect from Series 2?
Creating Hawphabet has given me alot of ideas for fonts and other series which has been great. So the Second Series of the Hawphabet you can expect more weapons, body parts and characters. But what  interest me the most for each series is how creative you can be with each subject/font.

Do you have a favourite letter in the alphabet (not the Hawphabet!), and if so, why?
I like the letter B at the moment, is just so fat and funky. I just think of Fat Albert when I think of the letter B.

You also dabble a bit in furniture design with your partner is crime Booÿ. How did this collaboration come to be and what is it all about?
Creating those pieces was great fun! It was over a drunken night we got chatting away and we both are into furniture and my formal education was 3D/industrial design, so I think it was inevitable when two drunk people come together and start chatting about ideas. The next morning with a hang over we went out searching for materials because we were so pumped. We wanted to create unconventional pieces that were practical using pre-loved and unconventional materials from golf clubs, squash racquets, logs, branches, mannequins and so on. We went into the project with the idea of having a strong concept to how each piece will turn out and go stuck into fabricating them without thinking too much about the building process before hand and let the process take its course. The whole process from concept to finished prototypes was about 3 months of intense prototyping, the end result was satisfying and the pieces turn out exactly how we wanted them to. You can check them out at www.booyandhaw.com

Could you please tell me a bit about your work method when creating a new illustration.
My process vary depending on what I do, but I usually have an idea in my head which I can visualise clearly, then I start putting those thoughts onto paper. But with the Hawphabets it was a few roughs, then trace over, then clean, then scan, then maybe more cleaning, then colour.

What are the biggest challenges placed on you as an illustrator/designer?
Time, ideas and being satisfied.

Where do you feel most inspired?
Traveling, food and friends who are doing great work.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
For me is every time I create something with my hands.

What is your set-up? Gear? Studio?
At the moment my room with a long table, pen/pencil, paper, lights, laptop, scanner, speakers, window views, comfy chair and many distractions. A little studio will be nice, anyone out there with cheap studio?

Do you have any advice for fellow artists who wish to get their work out there and noticed?
Keep creating and don’t be shy to share your work and show people.

What are you working on at the moment? What is next for Haw?
Finishing the Second Series of Hawphabet, also the 2011 Hawphabet calendar and Hawphabet number series.

www.hellohaw.com

All Images Copyright Haw