Interview with Kokuzo (a.k.a. Franz Liu)

We owe quite alot of interviews. As of now, we still owe interview time to RocknRolla and Noelevz. Well, at least we’ve got one out of the way for now.

Kokuzo, otherwise known as Franz Liu, has been with Foldees since our first XMAS contest back in 2008 entitled “A Comic Book Christmas”. He recently took a few minutes to have a chat over MSN about how he started drawing since he was a kid, and the unique way he lets ideas come to him.

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CHAK: So, let's start with the basic stuff. How'd you become a graphic designer?

KOKUZO Hmmmm... simply I can say drawing is just like my daily food since I was a lil kid, so when graduate from high school, I decide to study in design, visual communication design actually...and here I am now.

CHAK: So how old were you when you started and what kinda stuff did you draw?

KOKUZO Wow... maybe I should ask my mom about this question. Can't remember....hahaha

CHAK: Okay, what's the first thing you remember drawing?

KOKUZO if I don’t get it wrong, I drew some stick man on the wall in my room or maybe almost everywhere in the house, and my mom began to grumbling all day

CHAK: Did you get spanked?

KOKUZO Fortunately not...and I'm thankful for that because if my parents stopped me from doing all that thing, I won’t be here now. Maybe I'd study accounting or business in college.

CHAK: What do your parents do?

KOKUZO They're entrepreneurs, producing homemade cake and bakery, kinda like that.

CHAK: Did you study design in Indonesia or overseas?

KOKUZO My hometown is in Medan, Sumatera. Very close to M'sia right? Perhaps you've been there? Or not? Anyway, I studied design in Bandung, West Java.

CHAK: Your English is quite good... where'd you pick that up?

KOKUZO Movie I guess. Hahaha

CHAK: I think I picked mine up from Voltron :)

KOKUZO I just about to apologize you if my grammar is broken. Hahaha...yeah, English is very very rarely use in my country

Inspirations: Mickey Mouse, Manga and Singaporean women.

CHAK: And who are your idols?

KOKUZO Wow... so many. But maybe I can say Walt Disney inspired me the most, and that guy created SpongeBob, (dang, I forgot his name) he's brilliant. For comics, I like Takehiko Inoue. We can say manga actually, cos I seldom reading western comics.

CHAK: Ah...but your art style is not really that manga.

KOKUZO Hahahaha... that’s a bit long story you know? Actually we're targeted to be a creative director or any position in advertising field. I still got my manga style drawing until couple years ago. Then, almost 1,5 years I stopped drawing and focusing on advertising... photography, digital imaging, copywriting, wicked idea, something like that. 

I only draw sketches for idea visualization. But I thought "hey, drawing is what I do since I was a lil kid, why stop doin’ it now?" Then like someone back from hell, I started drawing again and on that time, my friend offer me a project, drawing cartoon and maybe I can say that’s the starting point of my drawing style right now.

CHAK: Is that your day job now?

KOKUZO the project is for promotional purpose of a vehicle dealer company - not exactly became my day job, but still got projects from that same client. I just graduated 2 weeks ago... and I'm planning to find job in Singapore after Chinese New Year. Until then, I'll be a freelancer

CHAK: what's your interest in Singapore? I remember we sent your prize there the first time you won on Foldees

KOKUZO hahaha, I knew you’d ask that. Becoz my girlfriend is there. Good memory Chak...haha

CHAK: is she a graphic designer as well?

KOKUZO yep, same college, same class with me. Couple times I asked her to join Foldees... but she's too busy for that

CHAK: it's okay. We’ll pay her to keep you happy. So how'd you first hear about us and what were your initial thoughts?

KOKUZO I was browsing web and somehow I found a web named GraphicCompetitions.com or something like that and I saw mostly the contests are logo, logo and logo. And then I found Foldees, vector drawing, and thought "Wow, that’s what I'm looking for!” Because at that time I just started to learn AI, so I think it's nothing to lose to join. That time I was still learning AI - the tools, effects, etc...still tried to understand the software.

My college teach Corel draw as vector too, but I thought the colour is not that nice. Then my friend suggested me to use AI so I learned by myself by reading the help tab, and sometimes when I got stuck, I search tutorials online.

The Drawing Cycle: It all starts in the bathroom.

CHAK: How does your drawing cycle start? Let's start with the ideas.

KOKUZO Talkin about this one, it's really depending a lot with my mood. Sometimes it can pop out from nowhere, but sometimes it won't come out even a bit. But tell you a secret - I got mostly my idea while 'relaxing' in bathroom in the morning. While 'relaxing'.

CHAK: HAHAHAH...it's not going to be a secret anymore after this interview goes up

KOKUZO Dang! I shouldn’t tell you that. Now I regret.

CHAK: we will start selling laxatives on Foldees to our designers so they spend more time "relaxing" (compliments with ROLLEES).

KOKUZO Another nice business idea

CHAK: So after the idea, do you need to write it down or draw it out immediately?

KOKUZO Usually I just write it down first with the key words. Then in my free time, I'll draw it.

CHAK: On paper? I remember seeing one of your scanned sketch layers for your Monochrome submission

KOKUZO Oh that one... while checking the file, I remember I forgot to delete the layer, and I thought "oh cr*p".

That drawing I made in Corel painter actually. But before I start to draw digitally, I always draw n doodle on paper first and I'll keep sketching until I satisfied. Then I'll start to draw in digitally

CHAK: So besides us and the vehicle dealer, who else gets to benefit from your work?

KOKUZO Mostly are friends or friend of friends or friends of client.FYI, I also had worked in design studio for handipoints online game, that’s what I do for about a year until last august

CHAK: And how come you don't have a proper website?

KOKUZO Haha... told you I just got back from hell to illustration world. I want to focus on illustration, and now what I want to do first is making many, many good portfolio. Once satisfied, I'll make the proper one. Actually I really, really want to enter this and that contest, but sometimes have no time between college work and freelancing. But I've finished my study, so I think from now I'll try to submit in many contests, just to kill time before I go to Singapore.

CHAK: Don't forget about us once you're famous aight? Anything else you wanna add?

KOKUZO Dunno, nothing I guess, you're the interviewer. Haha...you ask I answer.

CHAK: Hmmm...how about this? Any advice to other designers out there after winning?

KOKUZO Wow, this tough... I'll look like a smartass by answering that... but I think voters on Foldees like funny, cute cards. Also idea is important, so I just try to design according to that. I remember my Halloween design, I like it personally, and you said you guys like it so much (if you're not lying). But not many people like it...not cute enough I guess.

CHAK: Awesome.

KOKUZO. Thanks alot.

500 Days of Summer – the Foldees review

First, why are we choosing to review this movie? We don’t usually review stuff here on the Foldees blog, but there are two good reasons why I’m starting now.

One. In Malaysia (our home country), it’s only showing in one cinema (UPDATE: now showing at KLCC as well as Sunway. Whee!). Yup… one. And if you ask me, not really in its target demographical area (no offense to denizens of Sunway :)). Part of the reason we love what we do here at Foldees is that it promotes underappreciated artists like yourselves, which is, in our own small way, why we’re reviewing this movie.

Two. The lead character makes greeting cards!

and Two and a half. I used to do this (review movies .. and cars, games, phones, PDAs…etc) for a living, so I kinda miss it. Indulge me.

So here we go.

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As the title indicates, the movie, told from the perspective of Tom (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a young man, spans the 500 days of his involvement with a girl called Summer (Zooey Deschanel).

Tom, is a young man who, like alot of young men in this day and age, believes that his happiness lies in finding The One. One day, a new girl joins his greeting card company, named Summer. Upon observing that…

A. She is attractive

and

B. She likes the same music as he does…

…he does what alot of guys i know do, and falls hopelessly in love with her. He chooses to challenge the fact that Summer, the product of divorced parents, believes that committed relationships are doomed to fail once both parties settle into reality.

The gravely Morgan Freeman-esque narrator warns you up front, that it might not be a happy ending. This sets the tone for the movie, which jumps non-linearly from day 42 to day 1 to day 387 and so forth. However, unlike some movies, the time-hopping gimmick isn’t just to give the film its “indie-ness”, but to illustrate the changes in dynamic that happen over the course of a relationship.

For instance, one scene shows how a simple trip to IKEA for the couple was so much fun early in the relationship, and almost heartbreakingly please-move-on-to-the-next-scene-quick towards the end of it. It is these timely observations that make 500 Days sometimes seem like a relationship documentary, observing the plight of Tom Hansen like a chimp in its journey to find a mate.

However, don’t let that last comment make you think this is a boring observational movie. The sharp script, Ally-McBeal like surrealistic visual touches, the awesome soundtrack and incredibly charming characters make this one movie that will charm its way into your heart over a scant 93 minutes.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt is boyishly charming, but with a flawed everyman quality that reminds me of John Cusack. We particularly love that he works as a copywriter for a greeting card company, so you can imagine how the words on the cards vary according to which stage of the relationship he’s in. Zooey Deschanel, whom i’ve never heard of before this movie, plays Summer perfectly, as the exact kind of girl that guys get their hearts broken on. The supporting cast, although fleeting, are also very very good.

The movie isn’t perfect though, with an ending that seems a bit too contrived in contrast to the very real feelings portrayed throughout the rest of the movie. Also, one happy dance number stretched a wee bit too long for my liking.

However, much like the girl you’re pining for, the rest of it’s so irresistible that you’re more than happy to forgive her for talking a bit of sweet nonsense just before you send her home.

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Guess what? I’m not the only Foldeesian to review this movie! Also check out this review from ZacYouth!

The ratings system – suggestions?

Once again, there have been some feedback, emails and comments to suggest that our ratings system is a popularity contest. Allow me once again to re-iterate that this is EXACTLY what we’re trying to avoid.

In fact, even our Design Slut winner didn't manage to crack the Top 5, despite not only having some great designs, but also the most comments and support from his fans.

Why is this? Well, because we get raters to rate not only their friends’ cards, but others as well, we can track trends. We won’t go into the specific algorithm (to protect our own system), but needless to say, it removes votes that appear bias in any significant way.

The system, we believe, takes individual popularity out of the equation, and makes our voting system a true representative of which are the best designs in each contest. However, if you feel differently… let us know.

Leave your comments below, but play nice okay? :)

The Other Winners

As is now becoming customary for Foldees, here are the ‘alternative’ winners for Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto! The first, is an award which we’ve revealed since the start of the contest.

The Design Slut (US$200)

This award goes to the designer that drove the most traffic to his own designs and his own profile. The eventual winner, had driven hundreds of visitors to his own profile (TWICE as many as his closest competitor), mainly through his website at www.photodito.com and what we can only assume is some direct slutting.

The winner is ayeisha! To help him slut some more, here are some of his designs!

Congrats ayeisha! We’re thinking of making this a monthly award. If you think that’s a good idea, place your votes in the comments for this post.

Most Awwwwwwwwwwwsome card (US$200)

This all-new award goes to the card that resulted in the longest lasting “Awwwwwww” among our colleagues. The winner in this category created an “Awwwwwwww” lasting approximately 18.2 seconds, with approximately 234 w’s. That’s a record if we ever saw one. And the winner is….

larrieeee – Messy Love

awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww….

Congrats to all the winners and don’t forget to join us in our current contest! More random awards coming then…

Announcing the winners of “Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto”

Can we please breed a little familiarity here? For the nth time, we have ourselves a new winner! So, yes…. sorry to kill the suspense for Milkberry, Kokuzo, salchipunk…etc. But not entirely sorry.

Anyways, once again, Foldees has set new records in the sheer amount of people who came in to vote this time around. It’s been massive… and the funny thing is, you guys are pretty consistent with your choices as well.

Why do I say that? Well, you’re gonna find out…Let’s count down the top five designs starting with…

5. funkiness – Fix You (Prize: US$100)

Personally, I’d love to just catch H1N1 right now so I don’t have to worry about it now. Once caught, the chances of dying are less than crossing the road. But I digress. In these hypochondriacal times, we’re getting quite a few Get Well designs.

But if I was sick, and I got one of these, the sheer Awwwwwwsomeness of it would cure any flu. A really good first-time entry from this Romanian designer. We’re looking forward to more from you in the future!

4. salchipunk – Oz (Prize: US$100)

 

No surprises here. Since dominating our Christmas contest last year, Salchipunk has been a regular in every Foldees contest (we’re still waiting for this year’s Christmas, Mauricio), and quite often a winner as well. His designs are unmistakable for their Cartoon Network art style, and use of simple concepts, with professional execution.

In this case, he takes the example of one of the first few robots ever conceived. The Tin Man, walking down the yellow brick road, looking for his heart. Classic salchipunk, and a deserving winner as always.

3. milkberry – Robot Toaster Love (Prize: US$300)

Now you’re starting to see why you’re consistent with your choices. The next winner is another regular to the contest. Milkberry is a young malay designer who lives with her husband in Japan. She also happens to be one of my personal favourites on Foldees for her ridiculously cute and simple artwork.

This toaster, much like her other submissions, doesn’t look like it took too long to draw, but only Milkberry draws em this way. Very polygonal, yet irresistably cute. We need to find a distributor in Japan cos this would sell like hotcakes over there. Anybody got leads?

2. Kokuzo – Ambulance in Disguise (Prize: US$600)

If there’s one designer that is continually improving by leaps and bounds, it’s this one. Not content with having already won our Monochrome contest, Kokuzo takes his art to a whole new level by drawing the transformation of an ambulance into a robot with a syringe!

That’s not just art, that’s engineering and physics, which makes Franz here (Kokuzo’s real name) kick more ass than all of Chuck Norris’ movies combined. Yet another awesome get well card.

1. noelevz - I Will Not Forget Your Birthday! (Prize: US$1000)

Back when we started our first competition, we were very uncertain about the mechanics. As such, we only publicised it in Malaysia to a limited crowd. However, even then, the word spread fast, and in the short two month deadline, we had received a fair amount of overseas entries, including a certain Filipino designer by the name of Emmanuel Martinez.

Since then, he’s participated in EVERY contest we’ve ever held, and won a substantial amount of dosh and kit in the process. However, he has never won - until now.

Welcome to the winner’s club, Emmanuel! You can be sure I’ll be using this card a fair bit since I’m as forgetful as they come! A lovely concept, with quite a different' art style from your previous entries, I must say.

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THANK YOU to all of you who participated in Domo Arigato! Even if you didn’t win, don’t forget to check out your Royalties page for card purchases. If you want a better chance at making that happen, don’t forget to pop our widget over on your blog/website, and ensure that your profile is up to date!

PLUS the winner of the Design Slut award, and some random awards we’ll make up for fun! Coming up in a few days!

XMAS 2.0 (a very short contest!)

Christmas is coming a little early this year! We’re running a sprint contest until October 15th 2009. This is so we can pop the cards on shelves in time for the early Christmas crowd in November.

To be honest, we have been scouring the net and every greeting card store we could find to come up with a decent theme for this year’s Christmas contest. And what have we come up with after all this exhausting research? Christmas cards are surprisingly DULL.

Here were the best ones we could find.

Oh wait… right… you guys designed these, didn’t you? :)

Anyhow, this year, we’ve come to a conclusion that it’s time for a change. Santa, Rudolph and the elves need a serious MAKEOVER! Welcome to Foldees 2nd ever Christmas contest, simply entitled…

.

Maybe Santa needs to get on facebook… maybe he needs some budget cuts, or perhaps an army of cyborg elves and a hover-sleigh.Come up with your envisioning of the new XMAS (either based on present or future environments) and yes, you could win more than US$2500 in cash!

The contest runs until October 15th 2009, Details at www.foldees.com/contest. Don’t wait – participate!

Paypalz4Eva!

At long last, we’ve caved into the demand! Yes, we finally support PayPal. It was surprisingly difficult to integrate (cos it’s a bit more sophisticated than most payment gateways), but it’s all done now!

Enjoy, and tell all your friends about it!

If you have any issues with PayPal, we’re here to help at support@foldees.com