Q & A with Tianhua Mao, the artist behind The Monsters

The Monsters Tinybop

Monsters created in our app The Monsters

Tianhua Mao's mysterious and inky illustrations help make the monsters kids create in The Monsters come alive. Her drawings of willowy shadows and murky corners magically transform into wild beasts and horrible creatures that haunt kids' imaginations. In turn, she took inspiration from the creatures kids created with her artwork.

Can you talk about your process for The Monsters?
This was my first time illustrating for an app. The process is full of surprises. Before, I was focused on still images. But this time, the team animated the monsters and gave them voices, which is magical!

I found apps to be an interesting media. I created the style and the assets first, and then let the kids make their own art based on that. Some really surprised me by putting mouths, wings, or limbs in some unexpected positions, which is amazing! Also, different people had their own color sense. Their creations inspired me a lot.

你能讲讲怪物之门的创作过程是怎样的吗?
做游戏,对于我来说是一次全新的尝试。过程中处处是惊喜。看到自己创作的静态图片,被团队做成动画,还配上声音,真是太神奇了!还有游戏这个媒介本身也特别有趣,在我创作的风格基础上,由玩家进行再创造,结果往往出乎我意料,比如很多人会把翅膀嘴胳膊安装到我意象不到的地方,不同人的上色方式也千差万别。总之,一次次惊叹于大家的想象力,也给了我灵感的启发。

Tinybop_The_Monsters_bedroom_sketch_Tianhua_Mao

One of Tianhua's sketches for scenery in The Monsters

What do you think is the most important or most exciting thing about illustrating for kids?
I’m not that good with kids. So, it will be nice if we can communicate through this app. Next year when I go back home, I will play the game with my nephews. Maybe they’ll think I’m the most awesome adult!

你觉得儿童插画对你来说最重要的或最让你兴奋的是什么呢?
我是一个不擅长和小孩相处的人,能通过我的创作和孩子沟通,是一个有趣的体验。明年我回中国的时候,就能陪我两个侄子玩The Monsters,然后我就是他们最棒的阿姨了!

What were your inspirations for The Monsters?
The ideas for The Monsters mostly came from my thesis project—A Brief History of Puffisland. It’s a picture book that tells a story about evolution in a made-up place called Puffisland. I spent one year on this book designing whole towns of weird creatures. I see The Monsters as an extension of this project. I’m really happy to see an obscure project fit into a children’s world in such a fun way.

怪物之门的灵感是从哪里来的呢?
灵感来自我的研究生毕业设计 A Brief History of Puffisland,讲述了一个叫做 “puffisland”的地方上发生的一段生物进化史。我用了整整一年时间画了这本神叨叨的书,书里的小生物就是 The Monsters里很多怪物的雏形,很高兴 Puffisland 这个相对生涩的系列创作能有这么有趣的延伸。

A Brief History of Puffisland Tianhua Mao

A drawing from Tianhua's A Brief History of Puffisland

Tell us a bit about where you live. How does place affect your work?
This is the third year I have lived in New York. This city has affected me so much that I can’t call out specific aspects of it. If I hadn’t moved here, I wouldn’t be able to make a career as an illustrator. I’m moving towards my dream life, I think!

给我们讲讲你生活的城市。 你生活的地方对你的创作有影响吗?
我现在纽约生活,现在是来到这里的第三年。纽约对我的影响很大,大到我不知道从何说起。如果没有来这里,我不会下决心把插画当做职业吧。现在,我觉得我正在想我理想的生活迈进!

What advice would you give to a young person?
I’m a young person myself, so it seems like I’m not qualified enough to give advice. But there’s one thing I keep telling myself: don’t set limitations for yourself, and take every chance to try new things. "It’s better to try and fail than to regret not ever trying."

你对年轻人有什么忠告吗?
啊哈哈,我自己都还是年轻人呢。 看上去似乎还没有资格教育别人呢!但是有一点,是我一直提醒自己的。"不要给自己设定界限,有机会就去尝试新东西。做了失败了总比没做空后悔来的好。"

Do you have a work ritual? What does it look like?
Preparing: a cup of green tea, laptop, tablet, plenty of snack supplies, and work time music.
Working: 11 p.m. until whenever I finish the work. I really enjoy my solitude late at night. I’m more creative and focused.

你有一个适合自己的工作习惯吗?
预先准备:一杯绿茶,一台电脑,足量零食,工作专用歌单。工作时间:我一般从11pm开始工作一直到天亮睡觉。对我来说,夜间才能绝对独处,这个时候我的思维比较活跃。

Atlas-of-Human-Anatomy-and-Surgery

Inside the Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery

Where do you go for inspiration now?
I’m quite addicted to vintage science illustrations of human anatomy, animals, plants, and insects. Recently I got a giant book, Atlas of Human Anatomy and Surgery. It’s so so so good!

你在什么地方寻找创作灵感呢?
我对科学插画特别着迷, 人体解剖, 动植物图鉴之类的。最近刚买到一套人体解剖插画的大集子,如获至宝。

What were some of your earliest influences?
When I first got into art, I learned about a lot of Buddhist art. I’m not a religious person, but the mysterious and decorative style of Thangka and Buddhist wall paintings attracted me. Both the themes and style of my early work were affected by this. My work is very different now, though it still has shadows of my early influences.

早期的作品受了那些影响呢?
早年接触了大量佛教艺术。我本人并不信教,但是唐卡和佛教壁画里神秘的气氛和繁复的装饰,总是很吸引我。我早期的插画风格和题材都受此影响,现在我的画风已经很不一样了,但是作品气质上总还留着那时的影子。

The Dhyani Buddha Akshobhya Tibetan thangka late 13th century Honolulu Academy of Arts

Late 13th Century Tibetan thangka painting

Where did you grow up?
I was born in Wuxi, a small city in southern China. People in China call it "Water Town." As the nickname suggests, it rains a lot in Wuxi, and it’s full of lakes and rivers. I think this translates in my drawings. The worlds I create always have a watery feeling and the monsters are juicy, like they’re made of jelly.

能给我们将将你的出生长大的地方吗?
我出生在无锡,是中国南方的一个小城市。人们称她为江南水乡,顾名思义就是一个永远水汽氤氲的地方,所以我画里的世界总让人觉得湿度很高啊,所有的小怪物们也水润润的,像是果冻做的。

Was art a part of your childhood?
My grandpa was my first “art teacher,” even though I had no sense of “art” at that time. Grandpa was really a creative and artistic person. When he was practicing calligraphy or ink painting, I would stay at his side, observing and learning. Grandpa was also an excellent maker. He handmade lots of toys for me—a kite, a bamboo-copter, a squid-bone boat, a swing...

在你童年的阶段, 对艺术就有接触吗?
爷爷是我的艺术启蒙,虽然当时我并没有“艺术”的概念。爷爷是我见过最有情趣的人,花鸟鱼虫,琴棋书画。平时爷爷画画练字的时候,我也就再一旁铺张小纸跟着学。爷爷的手也很巧,我小时候很多玩具都是爷爷手做的,纸鸢,乌贼骨船,竹蜻蜓,秋千爷爷是我的艺术启蒙,虽然当时我并没有“艺术”的概念。爷爷是我见过最有情趣的人,...

20150126 Translation Journey

Cover illustration from The Journey to the West, revised edition, volume 2

What were your favorite books as a kid?
Journey to the West and Calabash Brothers, of course! The best, forever!

你小时候最爱的几本书是什么?
西游记,葫芦娃,这么多年过去,依旧是值得回味的作品。

Thank you, Tianhua! See more of Tianhua’s work on her website.

谢谢你天骅!点击天骅的个人网站去看看她的其他作品

P.S. You might like some of our interviews with other artists, too.