Month: March 2022

HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR WINNER TANAYA NADKARNI
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR WINNER TANAYA NADKARNI
by by CIEDA | Mar 22, 2022 |
A Picture Of Tanaya Nadkarni
Tanaya Nadkarni

As part of our celebrations for the 2021 Huluku Competition we invited our top 3 placed digital illustrations to share a little about themselves and their amazing work. In this interview we talk to Tanaya Nadkarni who won the 2021 competition with her artwork ‘I am’.

Huluku has been blessed by having inspirational artists and designers enter the competition and we are delighted to introduce Tanaya as the winner of the 2021 competition.

Q1: Tell us a little about yourself, what are you up to at the moment?
Tanaya: I am a final year architecture student, studying in Mumbai. I freelance as an illustrator in my spare time. Currently, I am working on my Architectural Design Dissertation for my final year project.
Q2: Does the place you live or are from inspire you in your work or life and if so how?
Tanaya: Very much! My work tends to show heavy influences of my surroundings and the stories I collect from my everyday experiences. I am inspired by my close group of friends, teachers and other mentors and the thoughts they share with me. One of my favourite things to do is to just observe people in their own element and then translate them into semi-fictional characters and create exotic narratives out of it!
Q3: What was your earliest ambition?
Tanaya: Believe it or not, I aspired to become a fashion designer, simply because I love the smell of new clothes and I think it requires an amazing sense of intelligence and creative genius to make a canvas out of a human body. However, over time I realised I love thinking about spaces and spatial qualities,  that impact our being, more so than anything and that’s how I ended up in Architecture school.
Q4: Have you fulfilled it?
Tanaya: I haven’t! I believe that my creative journey has always taken new routes in between and this is just the beginning! I am a designer at heart which encompasses everything from architecture to graphics to illustrations. I am not yet ‘fulfilled’ with either of these design fields and I am always looking to explore more!
Q5: Ambition, Luck or Talent? What matters most in the creative world?
Tanaya: A little bit of everything! From the experience of my creative journey, I have come to believe that talent is something which shouldn’t be a prerequisite. Hard Work and consistency is the key to everything, even if you lack a bit of talent. It will not hinder your success, if you put your mind to it. My ambition towards the work that I do has helped me deal with a lot of challenges, academically and otherwise too! My work is what keeps me sane, I think! As far as luck goes, sometimes, you have to make your own luck and sometimes, it just works out!
Q6: What would you like to achieve that you haven’t been able to yet?
Tanaya: I am still a student and there are many many things to learn and achieve! Although, I am keen on achieving a little more self confidence and trust for my personal growth. It’s always a good idea to have that in reserve!
Q7: Who is your creative inspiration or mentor?
Tanaya: I am lucky to have many positive influential people around me! My peers, close friends are my constant motivators and at every step of the way, I have found amazing professors; it would be unfair to list just a few of them! I realise this, at certain occasions in life and I am utterly grateful for it. I also am influenced by many beautiful filmmakers like Wes Anderson, Tarkovsky and the stories they make.
Q8: Do you have a favourite design or artistic movement? Why?
Tanaya: For me, the moment while I am still in the process of completing an artwork or a project that is turning out to be the way I wanted it to be, is when I feel the most satisfied. The artwork may not be complete just yet, but the feeling of going in the right direction, knowing that the output will be surprisingly wonderful and then followed by the urge to reach completion to see it all finished, gives me a huge serotonin boost!
Q9: What style or technique in art and design makes you feel the happiest/or feel good?
Tanaya: I am in love with digital art and the immense possibilities digital tools have to offer, however, a micron and a pen is the best medium for me to really experience the connection among the brain, hand and paper.
Q10: How did you hear about the Huluku Competition?
Tanaya: I am always on the search for competitions with exciting briefs. I came across Huluku, by simply googling! It was the first competition that popped up and when I read the brief, it seemed so thoughtful and challenging, that I couldn’t resist trying.
Q11: How did you get inspired to create your artwork for the competition?
Tanaya: I had chosen the theme of sexual orientation under the umbrella theme of Inclusivity and the inspiration came to me from a slinky! It is a spiralled spring toy and it creates these beautiful flexible patterns of blending colours when it is played with. I thought this is how sexual orientation could be looked at- not always permanent, its ever changing patterns, which are beautifully blending.
Q12: Were the themes of inclusion, diversity and authentic representation something you were familiar working with prior to the competition?
Tanaya: I was aware of these terms prior to entering the competition, however, research helped me gain a newer perspective and a better understanding of it. I understood that these terms need to be more spoken out loud and their meanings should be very clearly defined for everyone.
Q13: Are you planning on building the concepts you incorporated into your entry into more of your work? If so, how?
Tanaya: Definitely! I will be sensitive towards including the elements that show a bit more of inclusiveness and authentic representation. I wish that my artwork is impactful for anyone who wants to enjoy it.
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR 3RD PLACE RUNNER UP CRISTINA ALVAREZ
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR 3RD PLACE RUNNER UP CRISTINA ALVAREZ
by by CIEDA | Mar 22, 2022 |

As part of our celebrations for the 2021 Huluku Competition we invited our top 3 placed digital illustrations to share a little about themselves and their amazing work. In this interview we chat to Cristina Alvarez who was the 3rd place runner up in the 2021 competition with her jazz age artwork ‘Everyone’s Invited’

Huluku has been blessed by having inspirational artists and designers enter the competition and we are delighted to introduce Cristina as the 3rd place runner up for the 2021 competition.

Q1: Tell us a little about yourself, what are you up to at the moment?
Cristina: I am a fashion designer in love with illustration. I decided textiles would become my canvas and thus created my own brand mixing textile design and Colombian leather goods craftsmanship (www.tabibito.com.co). I am currently exploring a different version of my work by building my personal brand as an illustrator and freelancer (www.cristinadraws.com). I really look forward to selling my art and telling stories in as many formats as possible.
Q2: Does the place you live or are from inspire you in your work or life and if so how?
Cristina: I am from Colombia and since I was very young I’ve always been in contact with animals and nature. I would say this is definitely reflected in my art. I absolutely adore animals. They ooze freedom, authenticity, mysticism and colourful expression in whatever they do. I love reflecting that kind of magic in my work as an artist.
Q3: What was your earliest ambition?
Cristina: My earliest ambition was to be a horse alternative therapist. But that was decades ago! As a professional designer I think it was to reach as many people as I could with my bags, which are the ones that have been carrying my most authentic art for several years now.
Q4: Have you fulfilled it?
Cristina: Yes and no. I have reached a lot of people and seeing them walk by, on the street, with my bags, brings me a level joy no one could ever imagine! But, no, I haven’t reached even close to half of what I wanted to achieve in my initial vision. It was (is) a pretty big vision and it keeps evolving.
Q5: Ambition, Luck or Talent? What matters most in the creative world?
Cristina: All. Though instead of luck I would call it timing. And instead of talent, consistency. Ambition gives you vision of how far you want to go, and keeps you dreaming and aiming high. Consistency is the best friend of “practice makes perfect” and I believe not much will happen without it. And timing comes from the momentum of feeling good about what you’re working on, and it makes things happen easily.
Q6: What would you like to achieve that you haven’t been able to yet?
Cristina: I would like to incorporate my art and creativity into the leather goods industry in more ways, with my current and future brands. I would also love to get involved in the editorial industry by creating wonderful book covers and illustrations for content I appreciate.
Q7: Who is your creative inspiration or mentor?
Cristina: I was influenced by designers and design houses like Alexander McQueen, Mary Katrantzou and Balmain. They all inspired me to see fashion as a limitless form of artistic expression, rather than just a way of creating commercial clothing that, yes, we all need and use daily, but anyone can easily design, copy and replace them too (artistically speaking). I wanted to be able to express all the colour and creativity within me, and they lighted the way for me to see I could do it in a functional way within fashion.
Q8: Do you have a favourite design or artistic movement? Why?
Cristina: I am moved by Impressionism and Surrealism. I find mesmerizing the use of apparently random brush strokes to create a bigger picture. The combination of colour that doesn’t even belong there, but that ties up the painting is very satisfying for me to experience. I am also fascinated by the reinterpretation and transformation of what we “agree is reality”, and thus Surrealism like that of Ray Caesar’s is very appealing to me.
Q9: What style or technique in art and design makes you feel the happiest/or feel good?
Cristina: I’ve always felt at ease with the fluidity of watercolours mixed with the detail of fine point line art. I love lines that give some order to an otherwise absolutely soft and free flowing medium. I also like working on Procreate and Photoshop. I really enjoy the freedom and flexibility digital mediums grant, by allowing the exploration of art with anything from colour to texture to weird effects, all in one.
Q10: How did you hear about the Huluku Competition?
Cristina: I was looking for illustration competitions I would feel drawn to. When I read the brief I knew it was a competition I’d feel very comfortable and proud being a part of.
Q11: How did you get inspired to create your art work for the competition?
Cristina: I started thinking about where in everyday life I could find groups of people working together, and musicians came to mind. I came upon a Jazz band flyer and it felt absolutely iconic. I’d seen this same representation before and, as always, I was drawn to the passion and energy it carried. I wondered how a modern reinterpretation of it would look like and I knew that was it. I would create my own version of what a diverse and inclusive modern Jazz band could look like. After all, music is a universal language, ever inclusive and limitless.
Q12: Were the themes of inclusion, diversity and authentic representation something you were familiar working with prior to the competition?
Cristina: Not really. But I do love authenticity and people being free to express themselves, as much as I love learning from the various cultures around the world. Anything that is a representation of open minded values as well as respect and appreciation for others, is something I can easily support and have fun being a part of.
Q13: Are you planning on building the concepts you incorporated into your entry into more of your work? If so, how?

Cristina: I hadn’t thought about it but I would love to, now that you mention it! You leave me wondering what else I could do to express inclusion, freedom of expression, diversity and joy through my art.

If you’d like to find out more about Cristina and her work please check out her social and websites for both her own work and her design brand TABIBITO

HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR RUNNER UP JASMIN LEIGH HOLDWAY
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH OUR RUNNER UP JASMIN LEIGH HOLDWAY
by by CIEDA | Mar 22, 2022 |
A Picture Of Jasmin Leigh-Holdway
Jasmin Leigh-Holdway

As part of our celebrations for the 2021 Huluku Competition we invited our top 3 placed digital illustrations to share a little about themselves and their amazing work. In this interview we hear from Jasmin Leigh-Holdway who was the runner up in the 2021 competition with her artwork ‘Roots Of Connection’

Huluku has been blessed by having inspirational artists and designers enter the competition and we are delighted to introduce Jasmin as the runner up for the 2021 competition. You can see more of Jasmin’s work at her Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/jasmin.holdway

Q1: Tell us a little about yourself, what are you up to at the moment?
Jasmin: I’m a student currently studying at Design Centre Enmore, I’ve already completed two design courses and I’m now completing a Diploma of Graphic Design and Illustration.
Q2: Does the place you live or are from inspire you in your work or life and if
Jasmin: Yes, Australia does inspire my work because of its unique wildlife, landscapes and locations, my personal work is inspired by colourful cityscapes and trendy suburbs.
Q3: What was your earliest ambition?
Jasmin: To be an artist or have a career related to design.
Q4: Have you fulfilled it?
Jasmin: I’m still currently studying to fulfill this ambition and am gathering up artworks for my portfolio.
Q5: Ambition, Luck or Talent? What matters most in the creative world?
Jasmin: All three factors matter equally in the creative world, you need both ambition and talent to get yourself noticed by others and you also need luck to get noticed at the right time.
Q6: What would you like to achieve that you haven’t been able to yet?
Jasmin: I would like to achieve a stable design career that I can live off, or sell my work to the public.
Q7: Who is your creative inspiration or mentor?
Jasmin: I am inspired by many artists and creators, such as modern graphic designers, animators, surrealists and graffiti artists along with my Tafe teachers. Music is also a big inspiration to me.
Q8: Do you have a favourite design or artistic movement? Why?
Jasmin: I personally like Surrealism, Impressionism and pop art movements. I like the colours, shapes and textures of Impressionism and pop art and the dream-like and confusing nature of surrealist art.
Q9: What style or technique in art and design makes you feel the happiest/or feel good?
Jasmin: I love bright, bold neon colours, with defining shapes and sharp lines especially in graphic design and graffiti. I also really like incredibly detailed artwork that keeps your attention for a long time.
Q10: How did you hear about the Huluku Competition?
Jasmin: My Digital graphics teacher made a brief where we had to make artwork for the competition.
Q11: How did you get inspired to create your art work for the competition?
Jasmin: I thought of how people are connected by nature and how people are connected with each other just like the roots of plants and trees.
Q12: Were the themes of inclusion, diversity and authentic representation something you were familiar working with prior to the competition?
Jasmin: Yes I have always liked drawing diverse artwork, especially character designs ever since I was young.
Q13: Are you planning on building the concepts you incorporated into your entry into more of your work? If so, how?
Jasmin: I already try to incorporate diversity into all of my artwork but maybe I’ll try to include elements of nature more for example drawing more landscapes, floral and fauna.
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH<br>OUR RUNNER UP JASMIN LEIGH HOLDWAY
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH
OUR RUNNER UP JASMIN LEIGH HOLDWAY
by by CIEDA | Mar 15, 2022 |
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH<br>OUR WINNER TANAYA NADKARNI
HULUKU 2021: AN INTERVIEW WITH
OUR WINNER TANAYA NADKARNI
by by CIEDA | Mar 15, 2022 |