Friday Feature

This week's featured shop is papersquid.




1. Tell us about you and your shop.

H e l l o ! My name is Karyna Amador and my shop is Paper Squid Inc.Currently I work full-time freelancing as a graphic designer (& part-time as a ninja). =) Though I love freelancing I hope to one day, soon, be able to focus full-time on what I really enjoy, which is designing cards and other items for my shop.I currently live in Hialeah/Miami Lakes, Florida, with my boyfriend and hopefully soon a new dog. All my creations and designs are made right here, in my apartment with some show or music in the background. The funny thing is we have the 2nd bedroom setup as a studio but I still prefer to design in the living room at the coffee table. Forget the perfect setup and all the space I have in the other room!As far as my shop, I really love creating new cards that someone would not only enjoy giving but enjoy finding; trying to make each one special no matter what technique I happen to use, and making cards that will make the recipient smile. The cool thing about cards is they can also serve as little mini pieces of artwork. I love simplicity in design but also bold graphics. Some of my cards are handmade with paper cuts and linocut printing techniques I've been experimenting with, but I also love designing digitally: bringing my sketches to life in the computer. In my shop you can see the variety of methods I use, but the method is secondary to trying to design something that I enjoy and hopefully someone else will too. I try to design for many special occasions, but also for the everyday and even unlikely ones. I know everything is digital now, but there is nothing better than receiving a really great card from someone with a meaningful handwritten message; whether it be for a birthday or better - just randomly. TRY IT! Sneak attack different people with cards one day and you'll see their reaction and the smile it'll put on their face. It's fun.

2. How did you get started in your craft?

I've always enjoyed making things, drawing, painting and so forth. But, I guess going to school for design and working professionally as one and in advertising, it was just a natural progression to designing for myself and creating cards and other such items that allowed me to design whatever I wanted, not what I had to.

3. What is your favorite material or tool?

Hmmm....paper, of course. (I am so obvious, lol), many different papers, my linoleum blocks and the computer actually.

4. Where do you get your design inspiration from?

My inspiration can come from many sources: looking through a magazine, great blogs,science, colors, and randomly with music or just being outside. Also from children books and even from just talking to people. My inspiration also comes from consistency and trying new things just to see what something will look like, if that makes any sense. There are many great things that inspire me that I just feel the need to want to create something and to share it. *** Thanks for posting &/or reading this. I hope your day is wonderful! ***