In a previous post on Dadu Shin, we briefly introduced you to this emerging talent, and we just can't get enough! Luckily for everyone, Shin has created 6 beatifully rendered, and unexepectidly witty works for Baker's Dozen, opening this Saturday June 11.

At only 22, Shin's work exudes a sophistication beyond his years, and is already garnering much acclaim through editorial work. However, like any young artist, Shin is still experimenting and learning to solidify his 'voice' in the (illustration) field while striving to create work that is not only aethetically beautiful but conceptually strong.


'It Wasn't Me' | acrylic, mixed media | idiom: To Smell a Rat

Here, we share some of Shin's contributions to Baker's Dozen, and learn more about his process and evolution since art school in this brief interview:

N: What is your earliest memory of making art?
DS: In elementary school we had to do a project on birds of prey.  We had to include pictures or drawings.  I drew birds for days. It was awesome.

N: Who are you influences?  or where do you turn to for inspiration?
DS: In terms of illustrators who influence my work I would say that they change every month.  These days I've been studying the old Disney artists and people like Charley Harper.  They are simply amazing visual storytellers.  As for inspiration I've come to understand that turning to illustration is not a good idea, for me at least.  Before a year and a half ago, when I was stuck on a project I would look at a lot of illustration and then start working, but that was a mistake.  I ended up being to heavily influenced by the things I had just seen.  It wasn't on purpose, it's just what was in my head at the time I put pencil to paper.

Process and the real world are what inspire me these days.  Paying attention to process is great because when working I always find something that will making think "Oh, I kind of like that, got to try that in the next piece." Experimenting is a big part of that.  By the real world, I mean things that simply exist.  There are a lot of crazy things on this planet, natural and man made.  I see these things and love thinking about how I can incorporate them into my world.  So to stay inspired now,  all I have to do is keep on making new work, and keep on keeping my eyes open whenever I walk, drive, swim, or fly from point A to point B.  Laziness is the only enemy now!


'Sick Day' | graphite, mixed media on paper (can you guess the idiom?)

N: How has your work evolved or changed in the last 5 years?
DS: The way I work has definitely changed.  I used to paint, now I use the computer a little bit more.  I love rendering but I've started to appreciate the graphic aesthetic and building a piece through solid shapes.  I'm still trying to combine the two.  The last 5 years I was in school and school is the time for experimenting so my work was jumping around a lot.  My work is still jumping around, I'm just trying to guide it with a little bit more control

N:How are these works in Baker's Dozen different or similar to your other works?
DS: The work is a bit different because although I feel like the ideas are all still very me, the techniques and execution is varied. In my sketchbook I use many different kinds of "styles" and in a way I see these as finished sketchbook pieces.


sketchbook work 2010


sketchbook work 2011

N: What has been your proudest moment so far?
DS: When the amazing SooJin Buzelli hired me to do the cover for PLANSPONSOR. It was basically my first real illustration assignment.  I was extremelyexcited and extremely nervous at the same time.  I had also submitted two pieces to her before that were both rejected. Failure followed by success is even better then just success. She was also number 1 on my "art directors I want to work with" list at the time.

Favorite quote?
DS: Hmm this is hard to answer because I love collecting quotes and I'm always referring to them for advice or inspiration.  One good one that I think everybody should always keep in mind is:  "The core skill of an innovator is error recovery not failure avoidance."  I heard this one listening to Randy Nelson from Pixar.

N: Finish this sentence: The best advice or critique I've received is…
DS:...to do what you want to do and not what you think someone else wants you to do.


'The Other Side' | watercolor, gouache, mixed media | idiom: The Grass is Greener....

and finally...Did you know? 5 tidbits about Dadu Shin! (In his own words)

• Whenever I see little kid drawings, I always think they're way better then anything I've ever done.  Kids are so care free and imaginative when they draw.
  
  
• I grew up on the East coast and love it, but I always wanted to live in California.
  
  
• I'm incredibly inspired and a tiny bit scared that there is so much amazing talent out there.
  
  
• I don't really know where my name comes from.
  
  
• Apparently my name means a lot of random things in different languages. It is also an ice cream company.

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