Malaysians and Money
By Driv
1.
At what age did you realise your love for art and what inspired/sparked your interest?
I loved drawing since I was a kid, I always copied the style from my favourite manga 'Dragon Ball' at that time. My dream was to be a manga artist once but I changed my mind after encountering a subject called graphic design during college.

2
When did you realise that art is what you wanted to do in your adult life?
I got into Dasein Academy of Art in the year 2000. The more I learned about art and design, the more I fell in love with it. I enjoy communicating through visual language and eventually I wanted to become a graphic designer.

3
What did your family say to this? (our questions is becos local conventional families usually feel more secure when their children embark on more familiar path eg. further studies or career in business, finance, engineering, doctor etc)
Like most conventional families, my parents were not happy with my decision. We had a lot of arguments but I insisted on studying design. At the beginning, I took on a part time job to earn my own living expenses. They were convinced later on after I proved my passion towards design, it took a while to gain their understanding.

4
Did you work on your art as a hobby or on part time basis, when you had studies or worked full time?
I always try to have a good balance between design for clients and my personal projects. I don't see design and art as a hobby, it's not something that I do to pass time, it’s part of my life.

5
When did art become a full time career for you and how did this happen (your success story per se)?
I have been lucky enough to be able to work with great people in Kinetic Singapore and W+K Shanghai in the early years of my career. It was inspiring and eventually I started my own design studio back in Kuala Lumpur. I wouldn't say I'm a full time artist but I will like to be a graphic designer for a lifetime.