So Fun You'll Just Want to Hug It!

An interview with Julius ‘Bulius’ Santiago

Part 1 of 2 (link to Part 2, including extensive ‘Bear Gallery’)
Click any image to enlargenate

I was recently asked if I didn’t enjoy living a bit vicariously through all the terrific people I’ve gotten to meet and know for the blog over the past years and months. Well, after looking up that multi-syllabic word and making sure it had nothing to do with vicars – which I would not have qualified for by any stretch (good or bad) of the imagination – I had to answer with a resounding ‘yes’. I do so enjoy the talent and the passion and the sheer ‘I’ve-got-the-guts-to-do-this’ spirit of the people I have met and keep on having the chance to get to know better.

Another part that I truly enjoy as well is the overwhelming sense of fun that I feel so many of the makers and artists I meet are having just through the joy of practicing their craft. Whether it be the welding of giant steel and iron statues in reverent praise of Mother Gaia or delicately weaving together different crystals to create a symphony of light patterns or even the ‘mere’ graphic arts that allow the widest spectrum of expression that imaginable – all of it just seems to be tons and tons of unabashedly fantastic fun.

It has been as well then this sense of fun that I have been lucky enough to share with this week’s guest, Julius Santiago alias Julius Bulius. Everything about this talented young artist’s portfolio strikes me as just being so much fun. A lot of this comes from his gifts and talents of playfully creating air-guitar wielding samurai robots or from the often big-headed world of nature, past or present. In addition, I have felt a true sense of excitement of knowing that he has worked on some of the world’s most popular video games of the past years, representing in terrific lay-out and fashion the beauty of what I call at least the one true game of football (hey, the rest of you agree to get rid of the Vuvuzelas plus do something about what you call ‘refereeing’ and we’ll talk again).

In addition, Julius has embarked over the past months on a journey of creating one new image a day in series. We have seen approaches like this before, including very recently with the tee-shirt designs of our favorite Flying Mouse aficionado (his web-site remains one of my favorite places to visit and vote every week)! But in Julius’s case, he has taken this one step further – or perhaps better said taken this one step in a more difficult direction – and decided to ‘limit’ his designs, namely to a ‘one teddy bear a day’ target.

Now granted anyone such as myself with a pre-teen daughter at home has no doubt rolled their eyes by this point and said ‘oh believe me, you can find plenty of teddy bear designs all around… and trust me, our little one has!’ But 365 different types of teddy bears? And with every one of those nearly 400 bears being based on a motif that you’ve probably never seen before, let alone had to design yourself? Seriously?

Well, I don’t know about you but I know I can’t even count that high most days let alone try and think of a new and unique character 7 days a week. Trust me, I’ve tried: some 6 or so weeks ago I tried to push myself towards the modest target of one ‘sketch’ per day (no doubt a laughable target for most of you out there) – and I left out any theme restrictions. And in line with my half-millennial confessional technique, I will admit that I’ve managed to develop 3 in all, that is, beyond what I’d qualify as the ‘drunken doodle’ stage (think Jason Pollack in monochrome).

And so it is with great pleasure and indeed vicarious admiration that I introduce you to Julius ‘Bulius’ Santiago:

Hi Julius, welcome. First, let me ask you: who is Julius ‘Bulius’ Santiago and what can you tell me about him?
Let's see… well, first of all, I have an obsession with drawing animals with heads that are way too big.

On the other hand, my day job consists of a certain position in the video game industry that inevitably needs further explaining. Also, I ride my bike to work and spend way too much time reading blogs about pop culture. Oh, my wife and I have a pug and two cats.

Cool! Julius, one of the aspects of your work that struck me almost immediately was the creativity of your pieces balanced against an almost innocent simplicity. I’m always intrigued to ask artists that I think can achieve this just how they go about making sure that their message(s) is understood without over-engineering a piece.

With that in mind, let me ask you: Do you have a process for same, that is, for knowing when to put the proverbial pen down and leave something as it stands?
Luckily, I think that it's because of this simplicity that it's easy for me to know when I can put the proverbial pen down.

When making new illustrations, I sort of strive to make it as simple as possible. That's part of what I enjoy most about illustrating things. So when I have an idea for something, the piece is done as soon as the idea is conveyed.

I try not to think about it too much... how long do you need to think about a colon and a parenthesis to make sure your readers know it's a smiley face? (ZN: uh, what’s a smiley face? ^_^)

Julius looking a bit at your most recent ‘day jobs’: the gig especially with EA Sports seems to be an exciting one. Can you run us through what it is you’re involved with in terms of either the lay-out or even programming of the game? For example, if I took one of the screen shots from your portfolio collection, could you walk us through what we’re seeing and how you affected what it is we’re, uh, seeing?
I'm sure I could, but I promise you that my answers to your other questions would be much more exciting.

Okay, if you say so. But what is it exactly that an ‘Interface Artist’ does? Is this somehow related to your skills description as someone who ‘Bridges the gap between Software Engineers, Production, and Art Direction’?
Pretty much. Let’s just say I make all the not-fun stuff you see in video games.

I guess you could think of it as some artists want to make dwarves or dragons in video games; I take care of the main menus and HUDs and credits. You know, all the things you usually try to get through as fast as you can so you can move on to the fun of shooting things.

You also state that you’ve, quote, ‘Watched Daft Punk live in concert. Twice.’ No after-effects? Honestly?
I will forever be a fan of electronic music. I try to incorporate this whenever I create my robots.

Your style – or let’s say more precisely your ‘bear stylings’ – evoke an almost Japanese or better said Manga feeling. Did video games or other Japanese art influence your development?
A lot of video games and anime influenced me, sure. But I’d have to say it was mostly Sanrio stuff like Hello Kitty and Genndy Tartakovsky cartoons. Remember those*? Man, they were awesome.
(*ZN: are you kidding? ‘2 Stupid Dogs’ is a must see for anyone out there considering becoming a parent!)

What would you say have been your biggest influences? And in your younger days, was there a ‘flash of light’ moment that led you to wanting to this – uh – ‘this’ for a career?
I think it started with cartoons, but then moved more towards graffiti and independent comics.

I never thought it could be a career. Even now, I consider my art as more of a hobby than a career.

I’d always just assumed that I'd be doing web design right now. Pursuing that got me into UI (user interface) Design, but that also introduced me to Penny Arcade, Copper, and other artists that utilized the web as a medium. It was reading web comics like Apple Geeks and Mac Hall when I noticed these guys are art students just like me and there's no reason I couldn't pursue it myself.

Are you still located in the Tampa area? What is the general graphic artist (struggling or otherwise) design scene like there?
I've just recently moved to Los Angeles and I love it here. Suddenly, I find myself living in the same city as all the artists that I've been following. It's nothing short of inspirational to be surrounded by the art I love so much.

Have you seen ‘Exit Through the Gift Shop’ yet? I saw it a couple of months after I moved here and all of a sudden I recognize all these places in the movie. It was nuts.

Are you working as part of a company or bigger collective? Or is your focus right now primarily on establishing your own solo work?
Solo dolo for now.

Half of me wants to live the dream and work on my art full-time.

However, the other half is just doing all it can to try and pay off these school loans!


Continued in Part 2, including extensified ‘Bear Gallery’ collection

So Fun You'll Just Want to Hug It!

An interview with Julius ‘Bulius’ Santiago

Part 2 of 2 (link to Part 1)
Click any image to biggenize

Julius, what means do you use to get your ‘messages’ out there (Facebook, flickr, etc.)? And which approach to you think brings you the most exposure?
I communicate with fans through both Facebook and Twitter. They're linked together, but I think I have an equal following through both.

The most exposure I've gotten (and continue to get to this day) is from an article about my site that was on the illustration blog drawn.ca.

(ZN: love this blog!)

You have had your work featured via a number of media, including illustration, buttons, fashion (I really want one of those skull belt buckles, too cool!), motorcycle helmets, photography and other neato things. What’s been your favorite media to express your work on so far?
Oh man, you’re right. I always forget about that belt buckle; that was really fun to work on! But in terms of media, my favorite has to be stickers.

The best part is seeing them in random places or on cars. It's sort of a big deal to be put next to a DARE bumper sticker, or next to the one from whoever you voted for three years ago.

Has there been an outlet you’ve always wanted to explore that you haven’t gotten to yet or even want to explore in more detail?
Even though I work in video games, it's a completely separate from my art.

But one day I am hoping to have my characters in a game. Especially since I've been doing football games for so long, it'd be fun to do some art for something like an iPhone... something that has more of a universal appeal.

I saw a cool bit on your home web-site where a pal (Chris Bromby) made your SumoRobo6k design into a 3D model, seen here below. Is that an, or even one of, the ultimate targets for your designs, getting them somehow ‘out there’ in the 3D or even 2D+ world?
My love will always be for the simplicity for 2D images, but I wouldn't mind maybe one day seeing my designs in 3D.

I have been sort of exploring 3D stuff more recently, especially now that it's easier to get 3D prints made. Still, I'm not really a 3D kind of guy, so I tend to focus on my 2D stuff.

Of course, we can’t let you go without asking how the ‘Bear a Day’ project is going. So, um, how is it going? What inspired you to effectively ‘discipline’ yourself enough to approach this project?
The ‘365 Bears Project’ is going pretty well. It's probably the best idea I've had as far as inspiring myself to keep cranking out art. Seeing the traffic on the site increase as time goes by doesn't hurt either.

As far as where I got the idea, I was just browsing some design sites when I came across some guys that did similar projects. I had previously asked for requests on my original blog, and thought that building off that would be a good idea. With that in mind, I was hoping that creating some sort of dialogue with the audience would keep me from quitting.

So far it's working, and I'm half-way done!

Now that the mid-year is essentially here, how much tougher is it getting to come up with a new idea every day?
The ideas were actually kind of hard to come by in the beginning, but I've started doing themes that go throughout given weeks. I even have a few themes that I hope to revisit in case I run out of ideas for themes. I don't think that will ever really happen, but we'll see.

It’s kind of like if you’ve ever have a problem trying to figure out what you want for dinner. Then as soon as you narrow it down to sushi or pizza you know exactly what you want, right? No? Oh well, never mind then.

Okay, I’ve decided not to avoid this question after all: where did the ‘Bulius’ moniker come from?
It was a nickname that kind of stuck in college. As in "Julius bulius bo bulius, fa nana nana bo bulius..."! (wow, I think that's the first time I ever typed that out)

It’s funny, but in fact at the time, I was trying to come up with a cool address for my portfolio site. Julius.com was taken, so I thought the next memorable thing would be "julius bulius."

Looking back, I kind of wish I chose something I could say with a straight face in job interviews… but in the end that's kind of why I like it so much, too.

Finally, a selection of ‘what if’ questions:
If you could get a hold of any project you heart could desire, what would it be and why?
Plush toys for little kids.

I think my style has always been towards making characters you'd want to hug. But on a more conceptual level, I like the idea of how cartoon characters in art are so accessible.

My favorite example of this is Murakami's Superflat. I like the idea that even babies can enjoy art.

You’ve just won the Super Florida Lottery, and you’re suddenly richer than Bill Gates. What becomes of your illustration career and why?
I've always told myself that if that happens I'd keep my day job and invest in something responsible… you know, like a mutual fund… or perhaps bringing dinosaurs back to life. But I guess that's not very exciting.

So for a more exciting answer: I suppose I would start my own company and hire all my friends. Then I'd have this super awesome design-/video-game studio that also fixes cars and bikes and serves awesome food, coffee, and boba tea.

And I'd do all the art!

What is a super cool-as-shucks fact about yourself that you would like to (or can) share without getting arrested, beat up in a dark alley or even worse, being forced to vote for Sarah Palin in 2012?
I sleep with my eyes open... like a Ninja!

Well even though that is true – the bit about sleeping with my eyes open I mean – it's actually not all that exciting. It creeps out my wife and I'm always tired because I'm a super-light sleeper.
(ZN: I’d just point out that Julius has moved beyond ‘a fun person to be lived vicariously through’ to kindred spirit… and yes, it creeps people out all the time, especially when they try to talk to me in meetings…)

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Julius Santiago has been the lead UI Designer of the #1 Football Franchise ever, having been credited on seven EA titles. He has spent at least 3 years working with NextGen Systems (Xbox 360 and PS3) and is quite knowledgeable in the usability and graphic design aspects in video game creation, as well as motion design, video editing, and graphic optimization. His experience list reads like a sports-based video game junkies dream including the design and implementation of menus for next generation video game consoles having game credits with Madden 08 and 09 (lead UI Designer for Xbox 360/PS3), NCAA 07/08 (Xbox 360/PS3), NASCAR 06 (Xbox/PS2), NCAA 07 (Xbox/PS2) and more.

Julius brings to the table extensive expertise in Adobe After Effects, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop, Final Cut Pro, Adobe Dreamweaver, Adobe Flash, and Quark Xpress, just to name a few. He has also done work with Tampa Bay area newspapers as a graphic designer, worked as a Senior Lab Assistant diagnosing hardware problems in a Mac computer lab, and contributed graphic work for other public and independent publications.

Educated at Stetson University in DeLand, Florida, Julius graduated with a B.A. in Digital Art. Among his various honors and awards include receiving the Outstanding Senior Award, Digital Art Department (2004); being listed in Who’s Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities (2004); being named the Florida Bright Futures Scholarship - Recipient (2000-2004); and also being decorated with the Audience Choice Award - Stetson Student Video and Animation Competition(2003).

And if you act fast, you can even send your proposals or requests for teddy bear designs to Julius! Who knows, maybe your dream teddy will become a reality… hm, maybe I should re-phrase that… oh well, you know what I mean!

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All pictures, videos and other media are used with written permission of Julius Santiago also referred to as Julius Bulius, or are available in the public domain (noting copyright and other restrictions, accordingly). No further reproduction or duplication is permitted without contacting the artist directly.

Some pictures have been modified slightly or combined only for the purpose of space limitations.

Ben Schlitter – a sense of balance between pixels and pencil

Ben Schlitter is in his own words an artist that uses graphic design and illustration to portray ideas. Sounds pretty straightforward … until you take a good look at Ben’s full palette of offers which includes conceptual design, print design, illustration, interactive design, motion graphics and typography. Ben is also well-known for his paintings, sketchbook "teasers", icons, 3D packaging and other tasty treats.

A self-professed constant doodler since he was a wee lad, Ben found inspiration in his rural Kansas surroundings (sounds like another Midwestern Maker ZN has featured!), especially in the grid-like farmland viewed from the window of his father’s airplane. Taking a journey through his works reveals on many occasions glimpses of these structures along with various environmental themes which he likes to stress.

Ben, thanks for spending time with us. Jumping right into the interview: looking at your career so far, noting your education and also the different "tools" you are obviously skilled at, can you describe how your design process has evolved over time?
My process has remained roughly the same. I love to sketch – so all my projects begin with pen, paper and research. Of course, it is exciting to learn new tools but ultimately they are just tools that enhance the process rather than control it.

Have you always been essentially computer-based in your design work (vs. illustrations or paintings) or has this changed, and if so, in what ways?
Most of my design has been and remains largely computer-based. One area which is different is with packaging projects, which are much more hands-on. I sketch by folding paper and only move to the computer for the final template and graphic creation.

Has there been a good balance from the start between designs you do by hand vs. via computer?
Well, my paintings are entirely hand-made and not aided by the computer in any way. This definitely helps me to preserve a balance. Also, I draw constantly, usually in the form of doodles as I take breaks from the computer. These doodles rarely end up in the finished designs but encourage a sense of balance between pixels and pencil.

As with many of the designers I have met and/or most admire, I find that there is a refreshing "simplicity" with your work, even among some of your most complex projects, including for example the "Geo + Info Postcard Project" or even the "Bicycle Race" Music Video (ZN notes this is NOT a commercial offer and is only intended to show off Ben’s skills... plus, it’s really cool!).

How do you keep your works simple enough but still capable of conveying the message the customer wants to get across?
I maintain simplicity by committing a great deal of energy toward a project's initial concept. This in turn becomes my guide and forces a simplification down to the necessary elements.

I like to think of design as something that is not finished when you have added everything you can. Instead for me a good design is finished once you’ve removed everything you don't need. I can't remember who said this but I think about it constantly.

Do you see your design processes or designed objects becoming more complicated in the future, even at risk of becoming "over-engineered"? For example, looking at the FHSU Art Department design – although it is very interesting and even "familiar" in its form and functionality – it is an extremely detailed and carefully engineered project. How did you keep it then so user-friendly or perhaps better said usable?
Because I approach design as a process that reduces complexity, I believe that an over-engineered design is usually not well thought out. As such, I hope my work – now and in the future – remains simple and understandable to my audience.

No doubt, projects will continue to grow in scope, and also the number of components and collaborators involved will also continue to increase. New technologies will be utilized. This can all add complexity if not handled properly, both from a design process point of view and also when looking at the finished product.

Speaking earlier of the "Geo + Info Postcard Project" : this has led to a lot of exposure over the past several months and there are many very good articles about it (ZN recommends for example this one). Without asking you the same questions that you've answered now a thousand times already, can you provide us with a quick run-down of this project?
I love the "Geo + Info Postcard Project" because it combines my interest in travel and the desire to design products that promote learning. This type of project is very important to my studio.

This particular project began as a poster design that would eventually "disappear" as people removed pieces and mailed them to friends. The idea proved more practical as a postcard set, which you see currently on the site. It has also been a very good self-promotion piece. Besides selling many sets of postcards, I received numerous freelance projects along with several full-time employment offers as a result of this project.

I find it very interesting that you are so "giving" on your home website. For example, you include links to your sketchbooks, provide downloads of many icons and even other works in progress. Why is that?
Well, it’s no secret that you can always find an audience when something is offered for free. But to be honest, giving away icons has been the best self-promotion I've done and its really helped to attract clients. You see, I try to get noticed without being annoying* and creating icons is a good example of this approach. (*ZN – note to self: must try this some time)

Sure, the Web makes it very hard to share your work and not have it stolen. So I like to create things specifically for the purpose of being able to say "go ahead, I want you to take this". Does it keep people from copying my work? I'm not sure … but I know people enjoy sharing in my creations.

Most importantly, I want my work to be friendly. I want it to make people smile and think. So, I open up the door a bit and let them look in. Not too much but enough that they can sense my passion for design and love of creativity.

How did you get involved in packaging projects?
During my studies I created scores of packaging projects. I enjoy packaging because of the 3D nature. It challenges my mind to think in different directions while exploring and choosing which materials are best for the concept. It is very rewarding in that I get to control so many details. I also became interested in packaging so that I could promote myself properly and undertake in-house packaging projects, such as the "Geo + Info Project" and the "Mini Sketchbooks".

Is there a particular form, media, even effects or textures you look for in these projects?
I gravitate towards simple materials such as paper. Also, it's refreshing to turn an everyday element into something unexpected. For example, I used rubber bands for the "TWENTYFOUR" wine label design and transformed an everyday item into something beautiful. This design to me reflects then the ability of a good wine to transform a meal into a special occasion.

How do you balance the artistic side of packaging design with the obvious need for functionality?
With packaging design, you definitely need three components: concept, material and functionality. First, I look at the project's concept and then I explore to see which materials feel right and what is the best way for them to function.

I usually yield to functionality because it is so important. And to be honest, I often find the balance through trial and error.

I also really enjoyed surfing through your "inspirations" section, where there are several images that elicit very different, often emotional reactions. If you could briefly sum it up : what is it that inspires you most?
I'm inspired by details. Whether in nature or in man-made structures, I love exploring the details. Details show you care.

As a hobby "pencilist"-slash-bad-cartoonist and even infrequent user of oil-based paints, I’m curious as to why you chose going down the acrylics pathway? Just wondering, I’ve had a similar discussion with my father, who's much more of a fan than I am of using watercolors.
I like the immediacy of acrylic and on occasion I’ve flirted with watercolors. Both are simple to work with and give me the effects I want. On the other hand, I don't use oil paint because of the fumes. It’s just too complicated with all the cleaners, thinners and such.

I'm also picking up in many of your selections what seems to be a strong interest in mechanics and machine forms, noting quite a few rocket ships or even "Russian robots".
The mechanical aspect is an influence from childhood. My father designs airplanes and bikes so I was exposed to detailed drawings from a young age. In fact, I have three brothers and we all have a mechanical bent in our art and design. No one was immune!

How do you decide on the color scheme to include in your different projects?
There are different ways I approach this. One is that I take numerous photos from which I sample colors. That is one way to get a good basis for moving ahead with the coloration. I also think I have a strong built in sense of color. Because of this I’m pretty good at mixing colors from scratch until I find something that works.

Overall, the colors I choose usually tend toward a friendly palette. I've learned that people react strongly to color and that if you can nail the colors, the rest of the design process is much easier.

It can be a real challenge when I have to use a customer's existing color palette. If the color is particularly unsuitable in my eyes, I will minimize it by introducing other elements, such as photos, to counter balance the effect.

Have you ever had a project that you thought just didn't work out – for any reason – and what did you learn from this experience?
Yes … but you won't find them on my website!

Bad projects do happen but I always learn something no matter how painful the experience. I've discovered it's best to keep moving, learn from your mistakes and put the new knowledge to work with the next project. I think that usually the person who makes a lot of mistakes is also the one who learns the fastest and in the end produces the most innovative work.

A couple of questions I always enjoy asking creative persons: EXCLUDING all your talents or current interests, if you could do any other kind of work in the world, what would it be and why? Turning it around: what kind of job would you absolutely hate doing and why?
If I could do any other job, I would teach, specifically design. It's very rewarding and I love the exchange of ideas between student and teacher. I really find that I learn the most about something when I teach it.

In terms of what I’d definitely not want to do would be telephone solicitation. I would have a terrible time calling people and asking them to buy magazine subscriptions.

Looking ahead for the next years, do you see any particular design trends in your field(s)?
Well, everything will need to look good on the iPhone, ha ha!

But seriously, I think people are embracing friendly-looking design not only because it makes them smile but also because it's very functional when done right. I would consider the iPhone interface an example of friendly design that is incredibly functional.

How about for design in general?
I see design continuing to become more "integrated". While all designers – and that’s a very broad description, I know – specialize to a certain degree in their areas of choice, I see great benefits for those who really understand how to utilize and incorporate aspects from other various fields that may overlap or be close to their own.

How do you see your own business evolving?
More logo design and illustration. Also, I will continue to do projects like "Geo + Info" that blur the line between design, promotion and education.

Insert here: Free Space for Any "Advertising" You Want to Do (e.g. what's next for Ben Schlitter and "Studiobenben", etc.) :
Up next is a new series of "Geo + Info" postcards and several new icon sets. I’m always interested in pushing my portfolio and all my new ideas, including my original drawings and illustration prints. And as always, I love it when folks visit the web-site to inquire about new projects!

I guess if you’re giving me a free pass to advertise, I’d tell everyone that before leaving on your next holidays, please stop by and pick up some postcards. And if you’re not too busy reading "Ziggy Nixon", then also follow "Studiobenben" on my blog!

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In 2005, Ben Schlitter established "Studiobenben" as a multi-disciplinary studio in order to facilitate the creation of the myriad of his design endeavors. In 2006, he received a Master of Fine Arts in graphic design from Fort Hays State University in Hays, Kansas, where he also won various design contests along the way to graduating.

In 2007, he made the jump to California to pursue his art and design opportunities in the interactive industry. Ben currently resides in Santa Monica and when he wants to "get away from it all", he also enjoys reading, bicycling, cooking and travelling, just not necessarily all at the same time... remember, keep it simple!

All pictures and images full copyright of Ben Schlitter, used by special licensed permission.

If you want to copy something, at least have the decency to try out his free stuff first...