We wanted our attendees to get to know the incredible talent in the Artist Alley a little better, so we asked each of our artists to answer a couple questions about themselves and their art.

Shinyuu & Co. is a partnership for creative expression in design and illustration. We’ve done local logos and personalized illustrations. We are a fun group of creatives with the hope that our work inspires someone greater to rise up in design and illustration.

What was the first thing you made/wrote/drew?

The first thing I, Francis, drew was a Gengar from Pokemon. I loved ghost types from the very beginning. I (Teo) drew a bulbasaur in the 1st grade when the show came out. I like my vegetables.

Tell us about your creative process, from the beginning of a typical piece to its completion.

Our creative process is a sorta ‘One step forward, two steps back’ dance with inspiration and diligence. The illustrators all work full time jobs that consume more time that we’d like. So during the creation of a piece, it’s very segmented to fit the jostling of our lives. However, we will usually brainstorm 5-10 possible paths with minimal thumbing and narrow down the vision and expectation of the piece from there. Then we execute with a blend of technical skill, music to set the feel of the piece, and creative experimentation.

Who or what are your influences?

The stories that bond and move relationships with others forward.

What plans do you have for the future of your art?

It would be great to expand and increase the dependence on our art as a life career. But for the moment, we’re doing what we can with what we have.

Do you have any good advice for emerging artists?

Try everything. Find something you hate and work on getting better at that alongside something you excel in. Be inspired, but never let a lack of inspiration hold you back from drawing/painting/crafting something every day. Even if its just a 5 minute doodle. Turn that 5 minutes into something fun, something challenging, something new. Or go over something you’re having a hard time with. Never limit yourself to what you can do well because you won’t grow as quickly from success as you do with failure. It’s not much, but these are a few things we get by with.

What do you hope people get out of you artwork/writing/etc?

To share the emotions as we did from the events that inspired our creations. We love sharing those connections with what we like in common.

To date, what works of yours are most satisfied with?

Our Smash Brothers for WiiU/3ds Original Roster piece is was what pushed us past our limits as artists and through our insecurities about being an ant amongst the many wonderfully skilled artists that come out to conventions.

Make sure to stop by the Shinyuu & Co. booth in the Comic Con Honolulu Artist Alley July 29-31, 2016!