@naw_draw

Instagram: @naw_draw

1. What's your story? Where are you from?

Hi there! My name is Nidya, I’m from Indonesia. I’ve moved around quite a few times though, 8 times to be exact. That list includes Singapore, where I did my study in New Media, and also France. I’m now working as a full-time graphic designer in Jakarta. To be honest, although I’ve always loved to draw, I sorta only decided that I want to pursue illustration since last November.

2. Tell us about your aesthetic.

Definitely vibrant and colourful. I also enjoy drawing figures in simplified form. The main idea is to capture joy in visual form, with just a dash of whimsicality.

3. What is your favourite medium and why?

Well I mainly work in Photoshop, sometimes I use Illustrator as well. I do enjoy working with traditional media too, but working digitally allows me to skip cleaning up art materials afterwards. Admittedly I can be pretty lazy hahaha.

4. What is your artistic process like?

That changes really. Sometimes I would have a colour palette and composition in mind, then I will decide the subject later and fit that into the composition. A lot of times I just draw what I like or what pops out into my mind. Usually I get new ideas while working on a piece. So now I have a list of about 40 things I haven’t gotten a chance to work on yet.

5. Who and/or what inspires your work?

The inspiration for my colour palette comes from Fauvist paintings, I find their use of colour truly liberating and joyful. While as for the subject, paradoxically, it was often inspired by my own negative thoughts. Drawing for me is a form of a cleanse for these thoughts. I’d ask myself “How can I spin this in a positive light?”. For example, I hate having to wake up early, then I’d think, “well hey, morning view is always a consolation”, that’s where the idea for Early Bird Gets The View came from.

6. What role does art play in your life? How does it change the way you view the world?

I’ve wanted to be an artist since I was 7. I was never really sure why. I came across an article at that time which states that watching TV is a passive activity that reduces your creativity and that you should read instead. So since my 7-year-old self wanted to be an artist, my 7-year-old brain voluntarily minimises TV time and spent more time reading instead. So I guess art has taught me to like books, which I’m grateful of now that I’m an adult. Also having sit down countless hours making bad art throughout my life in pursuit of making satisfactory one, has taught me that good things take time, and that there’s virtue in patience and perseverance.

7. Where did you study?

I studied New Media in Republic Polytechnic.

8. Where do you see yourself in five years?

I’ll be making a full time living from my art, then I’m going to adopt a cat (or two), work on that cat’s social media presence, and use my graphic design and illustration skill to create merch for my future cat(s) so that everybody can enjoy a lil piece of their beautiful silly faces as a keepsake. I’m not even kidding!

9. What about in ten?

Happily retired. Nah..just joking. I don’t know for sure. I mean technology is growing real fast, I’m excited to see what’s to come. I’d like to keep my option open, but hopefully, I will have learned many more things by then.

10. What do you hope to achieve with your art?

I hope to spread joy with it, just like Nutella on your toast.

11. Now, tell us a little more about you as a person: what is your favourite food?

Oh man! To single out one as a favourite is too hard. But if I have to choose it will be curly fries and also there’s this dish in Indonesia called “kentang sambal”, it is basically diced fried potato cooked with chilli. So I guess I just really like potato.

12. Favourite book?

The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten by Julian Baggini. It’s a collection of short thought experiments, I like books that really get you thinking.

13. Favourite genre of music?

I listen to a little bit of everything, but mostly Indie or Alternative.

14. What are your hobbies?

Drawing is my hobby. I also listen to music excessively, sometimes while pretending that I can sing.

15. If you weren't an artist, what would you be?

If I had the brain for it, either neuroscientist or a behavioural economist. Anything related to understanding human behaviour and why we do what we do basically. Either that or a panda nanny, that’s pretty cool too.