frequently asked questions.

what notebooks do you use?
moleskines. the regular ones and the cahier. it really depends what i’ll be using it for. i use the regular  plain moleskines for my usual doodles on this blog and  the cahier for my collage pages (spring 2010 cahier). sometimes, i also like to make them myself from scraps of paper that i've bought or that's just lying around (little book of lyrics & letters to crushes).

what pens do you use?
i have always used an 0.28 uni-ball signo pen for most of my doodles. but i am trying out other pens and markers from muji and sharpie lately.

what computer do you use?
a macbook pro.

what scanner do you use?
a canon canoscan lide 200.

what programs do you use for your photos & doodles?
mainly photoshop. sometimes mac’s preview if i was feeling lazy.

what camera do you use?
an olympus pen ep2.

do you take your own photos?
yes, i do. everything on this blog is taken by me unless otherwise stated.

do you edit your photos?
yes, i do using photoshop.

how do you get the vintage look of your photos?
sometimes i think it's the yellow lighting in my house but i do play around with the levels and colors in photoshop. you can easily do them online with piknik or rollip.

do you use a graphic tablet?
i used to but i don’t anymore. i always feel like it doesn’t give the organic/natural feel of my doodles like i want them to be, instead they end up look very static and dead. this is also probably because i don’t really know how to use my graphic tablet. but overall, i still prefer the old-school traditional way of pen and paper.

what's your favorite book?
tuesdays with morrie by mitch albom.

who's your favorite artist?
i don’t have a particular one or just the one that i really like. i may come back again to re-answer this question when i find a specific favorite :)

do you do commission art work?
yes, i am available for commission-based work. just drop me an email.

what do you want to be?
someone in the arts’ field, i haven’t figure it out yet but i have many things i want to do and create.

since when did you start doodling?
i have always been a doodler but practice really makes perfect, i guess. i would say that i've been doodling seriously for the past 4 years.

which was the first doodle you did?
i don't remember but it probably wasn't very good.

how old are you?
i'm in my early 20s.

is english your first language?
yes, it is.

where do you get your inspiration from?
mostly from my own feelings and emotions. there are times it's from films or music but the ones that i really like are from my own thoughts because they are more meaningful for me.

where do you usually doodle?
i like to do it on a table. i don't have perfect co-ordination to do it anywhere else. and i'm a neat freak so i like to know that i have something stable for my notebook and pen.

what do you do with your old journals once you're done with them?
i keep them in a container box. i haven't found a way to store them properly. some are also hidden in my closet. actually they are probably all over my room. i like to go back and read them once in a while, when i'm bored.

would you like to be pen pals?
not at the moment, i don't think i would be a very good one :)

are you right handed or left?
right handed.

have you ever thought of designing planners or journals?
yes, i have thought of doing that. fingers crossed it will happen very soon in the future.

what drives you to blog even if you don't feel like blogging?
honestly, if i don't feel like blogging i won't force myself to do it because or else it'll end up being a chore and i would hate that to happen. i would normally take time off and not see or even visit my blog if  i don't feel like it. personally, i tend to miss it after not seeing it for a day or two but that's just me.

how much time do you spend on computer?
it really depends on the day. sometimes long hours, other times maybe just an hour or less.

what is your definition of success?
getting to do what you like to do.

--------------------------------------------------- extra information --------------------------------------------------

i started doing my doodles out of fun and boredom. the name "notebook doodles" was not particularly made for what it is today, i don't know if that makes sense. but i didn't expect or plan it to turn out this way. it sort of just happened by itself.

and yes, previously people do compliment me on my handwriting but that wasn't the reason why i started my blog. and they never actually recommend or persuade me to do anything with my handwriting, it was just simply passing-by comments :)

some of the quotes on my doodles are not 100% from me. i always credit whoever it is by and well for those ones, they are already very well written. as for the quotes that i do make on my own, they come straight from my head, they are pretty much my thoughts, actually. so no, i don't really use books or other tools to make my thoughts sound better. They really are just my raw thoughts put out there as a doodle.

if you have any questions that aren't answered here, please feel free to drop me an email. (info@thenotebookdoodles.com)