Why We Create

For the latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we’re heading into the flat graphic territory of adobe illustrator, discussing all things clean lines, tidy color palettes and the ‘Modern Vintage’ aesthetic. We sat down with the master of flat graphics himself, Tom Whalen aka @strongstuff to dish on everything from layers, to typeface, and how to balance multiple characters in one composition. From his first invite to a gallery show, to his current work with large or...

Listen in while we drift into the magical, delightful, and surrealist worlds created by none other than international artist Nicolas Barrome Forgues in our latest episode of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create. Speaking to us from his home in France, Nico shares with us behind the scenes stories from some of his largest projects, his early day as an aspiring artist, and his love for Spielberg, Lucas, Spongebob and surrealist art. Topics include:🌲 Surrealist landscapes👹 Mischi...

We’re studying the tomes and channeling all our strength for episode 8 of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create. Listen in while we journey through the world of wizards, goblins, and trolls (oh my!) with So.Cal based artist Dakota Cates, better known as the Wizard of Barge. Dakota shares with us his insights into living a magical life and just what it takes to become the Stepfather of Fantasy. Topics include:🧙‍♂️ Wizarding👨‍🍼 Daddies and Step-Daddies📖 Studying the Tomes🥰 Daily ...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXDid you know that being a skilled Dungeon Master can also translate to becoming a skilled Creative Director? In episode 7 of Why We Create, we sat down with the brilliant and talented Illustrator, Creative Director and storyteller, Colby Nichols. From his work at Portland, Oregon design studio Jolby, to his current endeavors in the gaming industry, we get the full story and more on his preferences on everything from Metallica and Mario, to Coffe...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)What makes your city, town or neighborhood so great? For us here in Portland, one of our greatest poitns of pride is the iconic and Eisner award winning Comic Book store, Books with Pictures. For episode 6 of the official @wacom podcast, Why We Create, we sat down with founder, neighborhood historian, avid reader, and comics afficionado, Katie Pryde. Katie shares with us h...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXWhat happens when the love for good food, good stories and great art collide? For episode 5 of the wacom podcast, Why We Create, we sat down with Brett Warnock, Chief Editor of Kitchen Table Magazine. Kitchen Table Mag combines illustrations, stories and recipies, into a comic/zine like layout that focus on the people behind some of Portland’s favorite restaurants, food carts, and bars. Like a delicious mirepoix for the Pacific Northwest foodie. ...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)Dust off your art supplies, grab your favorite paint brushes and lets make some marks. For episode 4 of the official #wacom podcast, Why We Create, we’re talking to the brush-master himself, Kyle T. Webster. For digital artists and #photoshop enthusiasts, Kyles name will automatically sound familiar. For those not in the loop of digital art lingo, Kyle is the person behind ...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXFor Ep 3 we spoke with skilled photographer, Joshua Jordan. Joshua shared with us his love of portrait photography and his humble beginnings capturing images of his grandparents and family. We also spent some time nerding out on our favorite gear, photo and studio lighting techniques and the differences, and similarities, between portrait and product photography. Make sure to listen to the end and let us know which part of the process is ...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)For our second episode of ‘Why We Create’, we sat down with publisher and artist, Mark Siegel to chat about the creation of his publishing company, First Second Books, the magic behind a collaborative workflow, and the power of sequential storytelling. You can find and follow Mark at the links below: 01FirstSecond books on Instagram 01FirstSecond books...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)We’re kicking off Season 3 of ‘Why We Create’ with one of our favorite artists, twitch streamers and Clip Studio Paint enthusiasts, Sarajean Chung aka The One with Bear. In this episode we learn all about the life of a professional freelance artist, the joys of washi tape and the realities behind being an OG twitch streamer. We get the inside scoop on Sarajean’...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)Get ready for the #RoseCityComicCon special of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’. For episode 14 we sat down with animator and storyboard artists, Ben Lane and Todd Hoppmeyer. From the Simpsons to Inside Job, we got down in the mix of just what does it take to be a storyboard artist. Is it possible to hide hidden gems in the shows your working on, and just how d...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)For Ep 13 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with the man behind some of the most hyped sneakers in the world, the current head of Donda industrial design, the Godfather of Dad shoes himself, Steven Smith. Steven’s influence in the industry can be traced back to 1986 when he started at New Balance. It was the early days of sneakers and running shoe...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)For Ep 12 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we sat down with Brooklyn based artist, twitch streamer, and all-around awesome guy, Lanny Ho. From traditional block prints to tattoos, Lanny is a true multi-disciplinary artist that has the ability to shift from medium to medium without skipping a beat. His bold and graphic line work is perfectly suited for both p...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)For Ep 11 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we had the honor of speaking with artist, inventor, director, fabricator, Rube Goldberg aficionado and who we claim may be the most trusting person on the planet, the talented and brilliant, Bob Partington. If you’ve been on this world a while and remember the glory days of MTV and music videos, you’ve probably seen...

Find us on all the socials: WacomXPDXYou can find our podcast ‘Why We Create’ on all major podcast platforms (visit our lnk.bio)For Ep 10 of the wacom podcast ‘Why We Create’ we’re diving into the world of events, conferences and the skillful people that make them happen. We’re speaking with the creative mind behind @btconf Beyond Tellerrand, Marc Thiele. From his early days as a web developer and creative, Marc had the vision to bring people together and share knowledge, inspiration and...