[Inner-view is back for good! Yay!]
Barbara Cortilli, a sweet and creative blogger, from Momographica came join us today in a #10 questions interview. She's a freelancer graphic designer and photographer and is saying hello from Italy.
Welcome to designing dreams, Barbara! And thank you so much for your time.
1. Let’s chat a little about you: what are your conquests and dreams?
I love how the first question is the trickiest one, for me at least. My dreams are endless so going for a list would take a very long time. If you have a couple of centuries to spare, I can start.
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| [via Momographica] |
1. Let’s chat a little about you: what are your conquests and dreams?
I love how the first question is the trickiest one, for me at least. My dreams are endless so going for a list would take a very long time. If you have a couple of centuries to spare, I can start.
Summarizing my best dream is creating something that will make people happy. I am not going for World peace here. Just the smile of a child pleased with my characters photo stories would make me the happiest person in the Universe; knowing my works helped a bit to make this reality a bit more fun for everybody...that would be cool. Really. I can be really ambitious, you know.
2. Did you take a course related to photography or you learned all by yourself? Can you share with us the story of your journey?
My quest for my educated side is never ending like my dreams. Somewhat I am very much convinced that is nearly impossible to come out with great projects without having a bit of help from others and especially without building your professional self over the years through experiences.
My best choice was to leave university here and getting into London's Saints Martins College for my four months professional course. Besides their terrific ways of teaching, it helped me to become more confident with myself and my works.
Culture is fundamental in the job of the designer. Getting inspired is, too. I attended classes and courses of various nature (photography, graphic design etc.) that helped me to be what I am today. I also read very much about everything, I travel a lot and visit lots of different places. I try to learn a bit from everyone. That's my policy.
3. Do you get inspired easily? Where do you go to find inspiration?
Inspiration surely looks immediate but truthfully is built over years of knowledge, observation and research. Patience is a virtue of many values.
I get inspired by everything around me and then I sort out information that help me in that particular project I am working on. I own a black leather-covered Moleskine that I fills with notes about anything that inspires me on daily basis. Mood boards are helpful, too.
4. Are your works strongly inspired by another artist/style/period of time? If so, which one(s)?
For my character design works I generally get reference from Asian design, particularly the Japanese Kawaii and Superflat. Takashi Murakami and Aranzi Aronzo are my heroes. Beatrix Potter is too.
For my photo works, it depends on the project. LULA magazine photographers strongly influenced my way of working and so did Tim Walker.
5. We always put parts of our own personality in everything we do. What do you let escape into your photos?
Escaping is a strong word. When you are a designer you can't let it happen really. As much as it end up being something personal and reflecting your style, when you are working for a client you have to put your emotions in a box and pick up from them what you exactly need to be on the same wave of your client. That's it.
6. Momotan is such a sweet character. Where does he come from? Will he ever get a girlfriend?
She is a female actually. A couple of years ago I was asked to create a cute Japanese influenced type of character to introduce at a Japanese culture festival in my city. Some people liked it a lot so I gained the courage to shape it in a more consistent project. There are other characters from my atelier, of course, like Momo the girl and Babo the space octopus but for now Momotan is happily single. So do I.
7. What are your current projects? What would you like be doing in 5 years?
I am currently concentrating on my character stories projects, my books, my blog and a photo book project inspired by Alice in Wonderland that I am creating with a staff of professional people. Not sure what I'll be doing in 5 years from now. I am now concentrating on the present and next future. There is enough to get busy with.
8. What do you love more about being a freelancer? It is something difficult to manage?
Going freelancer was needy. It's difficult to promote yourself and you need to be courageous on this. You need to get used to it and be ready to work 24 hours per day when required. You can't be afraid of people opinions.
2. Did you take a course related to photography or you learned all by yourself? Can you share with us the story of your journey?
My quest for my educated side is never ending like my dreams. Somewhat I am very much convinced that is nearly impossible to come out with great projects without having a bit of help from others and especially without building your professional self over the years through experiences.
My best choice was to leave university here and getting into London's Saints Martins College for my four months professional course. Besides their terrific ways of teaching, it helped me to become more confident with myself and my works.
Culture is fundamental in the job of the designer. Getting inspired is, too. I attended classes and courses of various nature (photography, graphic design etc.) that helped me to be what I am today. I also read very much about everything, I travel a lot and visit lots of different places. I try to learn a bit from everyone. That's my policy.
 |
| [via Momographica] |
3. Do you get inspired easily? Where do you go to find inspiration?
Inspiration surely looks immediate but truthfully is built over years of knowledge, observation and research. Patience is a virtue of many values.
I get inspired by everything around me and then I sort out information that help me in that particular project I am working on. I own a black leather-covered Moleskine that I fills with notes about anything that inspires me on daily basis. Mood boards are helpful, too.
4. Are your works strongly inspired by another artist/style/period of time? If so, which one(s)?
For my character design works I generally get reference from Asian design, particularly the Japanese Kawaii and Superflat. Takashi Murakami and Aranzi Aronzo are my heroes. Beatrix Potter is too.
For my photo works, it depends on the project. LULA magazine photographers strongly influenced my way of working and so did Tim Walker.
5. We always put parts of our own personality in everything we do. What do you let escape into your photos?
Escaping is a strong word. When you are a designer you can't let it happen really. As much as it end up being something personal and reflecting your style, when you are working for a client you have to put your emotions in a box and pick up from them what you exactly need to be on the same wave of your client. That's it.
 |
| [via Momographica] |
6. Momotan is such a sweet character. Where does he come from? Will he ever get a girlfriend?
She is a female actually. A couple of years ago I was asked to create a cute Japanese influenced type of character to introduce at a Japanese culture festival in my city. Some people liked it a lot so I gained the courage to shape it in a more consistent project. There are other characters from my atelier, of course, like Momo the girl and Babo the space octopus but for now Momotan is happily single. So do I.
7. What are your current projects? What would you like be doing in 5 years?
I am currently concentrating on my character stories projects, my books, my blog and a photo book project inspired by Alice in Wonderland that I am creating with a staff of professional people. Not sure what I'll be doing in 5 years from now. I am now concentrating on the present and next future. There is enough to get busy with.
8. What do you love more about being a freelancer? It is something difficult to manage?
Going freelancer was needy. It's difficult to promote yourself and you need to be courageous on this. You need to get used to it and be ready to work 24 hours per day when required. You can't be afraid of people opinions.
You need to love your work a lot,too.
9. Did you ever run out of ideas? What do you do when that happens?
I do sometimes. When it happens I switch off my brain and concentrate on something else which is totally different. Listen to music, read a book, go for a walk. Then I put hands again on the project when my brain is refreshed.
Keeping my ideas on my Moleskine does help. I know where to go looking for ideas when I run out of them.
10. Are you a half-full or a half-empty cup person? How do you motivate yourself?
I am a realist. The love for my job and what I create is my motivation. People happy smiles are too.
 |
| [via Momographica] |
9. Did you ever run out of ideas? What do you do when that happens?
I do sometimes. When it happens I switch off my brain and concentrate on something else which is totally different. Listen to music, read a book, go for a walk. Then I put hands again on the project when my brain is refreshed.
Keeping my ideas on my Moleskine does help. I know where to go looking for ideas when I run out of them.
10. Are you a half-full or a half-empty cup person? How do you motivate yourself?
I am a realist. The love for my job and what I create is my motivation. People happy smiles are too.
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