Fool Interview

Fool spend us some time and answer the questions I asked him, the interview is from march 2007.

1) How long since you start creating smileys yourself?

I dont recall exactly, maybe 5 years ago or around that.

Fool

2) What means smileys to you?

Same as they mean by themself - humun emotions delivery service. =)

Fool

3) What got you started in smiley art?

Back then I spent a lot of time on forums and messageboards. Standart sets of smiles had a lack of expression for playin'fool type conversations we used to have so I just try to make some extra smilies to help us out.

Fool

4) Do you still know which was your first smiley ever?

Yes, sure I remember. =)

Fool

5) For which smiley you need the longest time?

The more frames animation it has the more time required to make it.

Fool

6) What inspires you when you making smileys?

Usually it's a matter of our conversations - whatever makes it more fun.

Fool

7) Did you have a special muse what inspires you?

Oh sure, the girl who take a part of that forum communication and who is my wife for last 4 years by now. =)

Fool

8) Have you a special way to create your smileys?

Well, the way I made them that's the only way I know. I didn't study animation and have no clue if it's any special. Just do what I think should be done to achieve desired results.

Fool

9) Do you draw your ideas first on paper before you start working on your smileys?

Sometimes yes, especially if it complicated animationwise, but some just go straight out of my head.

Fool

10) How do you create your special animations?

What do you mean by special? =) http://www.foolstown.com/lesson_en01.htm that article describe the process no matter if it a smiley or pixelart piece, technique pretty much the same.

Fool

11) How do you create the objects you give your smileys, did you all pixel from your visual mind or have you a special draft that you use for it?

No, I dont have a props library, all objects were made for certain smile animation.

Fool

12) Give it a special way to reduce big objects to small things without any loose of image quality?

Unfortunately I don't know any way, not without hand fixing after reduction.

Fool

13) What is the hardest part by creating smileys?

Hardest.... to give them a touch of live, I think. Anima, if I am not mistaken, means "soul" in latin, so I guess that what the main purpouse of any animation. =)

Fool

14) What tools do you use to create your smileys?

Adobe ImageReady, that the only programm I have for gif animation.

Fool

15) Do you exchange your ideas with other smiley artists?

I don't do smilies that much these days, projects i'm working on now take most of the time and my ideas aiming in totally different direction from smilies as well. I know quite a few emoticonists, but they just overfilled with their own ideas, so it is not an issue. =)

Fool

16) Have you a smiley idol other than yourself?

There's a number of artists I really admire, but I cant name one I could put above the others.

Fool

17) Have you a favorite smiley site other than yourself?

Kolobok.wrg.ru, Millan.net, Animac.ru, InDustReal that's where i shop for smilies if i need one i don't have. =) Again, I don't use them too much now, i guess there are a lot of good places i just don't know.

Fool

18) Give it days where you get tired of making them so that you can't see them anymore?

No, I don't push myself to that. I don't have to make'em, just work at my will - fun, not a duty.

Fool

19) What is your view on people that use your smileys without your permission?

I do not requre any permission on use of my smilies, they live in internet by their own, free of supervision. =)

Fool

20) Do you have any tips for the new smiley artists out there?

Just have fun, that's what is all about. =)

Fool

21) Where you've become the inspiration for those big eyes you'll take for your smileys?

I just try to make something that would give me more options for facial expression, eyes serves that purpose the best.

Fool

22) If there allready exists some smileys in this style before you create them?

I don't know - I didn't think of style, just try to reach my goal in that expression thing.

Fool

23) Why you choose the yellow colour for your smileys?

That was by default so i just keep it yellow. Besides it is color of sunlight - I like it. =)

Fool

24) The hands you use for your smileys are another sign in your work, where you have the idea for it?

I dont know where - I needed hands for an action and here we go.

Fool

25) How long did it usaly take to create one smiley? (min or hours or days)

Hard to tell... From 15-20 minutes to hours - I still have a bunch on my harddisk I've never finish though I tried. Depends on how clear fo me what i'm aiming for - in smiley animation clear readabilty is very important, some times its just doomed. =)

Fool

26) Do you remember which smiley need the longest time to do for from start with it till the finish result?

No, i don't recall that. As I said I still have some I can't finish - don't know how. =)

Fool

27) Is there any smiley in your gallery which you like the most and please tell us why? (maybe a special history for it or something like this)

Which child do I like the most? =)) Pretty much all of them equally. =)

Fool

28) Your animation style is still the best i know, what inspires you to make so detailed work, if you see something before you started creating them, or was this in your head and it comes out without any inspiration from other art?

Perhaps, I love cartoons too much. =) I watch them most of the time. =)

Fool

29) Why you choosed the small 15x15 pixel body for your smileys?

That was by default once again - and altough i have many smiley animations that exceed that size - i don't like if emoticon spread out text lines too much.

Fool

30) What inspires you to give your emotes some hair another sign for your work? (i don't see it before on smileys)

Just for fun of animation - to help it to discribe the motion and give it a touch of live. =)

Fool

Thank you Fool for this interview.