You seem to be an expert in Japanese culture. What sort of things about Japan that attracts you the most?
Simone Legno: MMmm... hard question. You'd not believe me if I would tell "I love everything in Japan!"... I'd look banal too.
It's just a feeling of belonging there, it's like that one is my country and that people is the kind of people I like. I Love the traditional Japan, the silent places temples, gardens and the so wonderful nature because respected by people. Way more of European, Japanese people have respect for the places and the others. The kindness of people is amazing. As for modern aspects, I love all the pop colours and atmosphere of the huge cities you have there, all the coloured shops writings. I love the way Japanese language sounds and kanji looks. All the Japanese people I met were wonderful and kind toward me. I like the way they are both serious and sometimes pretty childish.
I guess I could write for hours about my loving Japan, about my room full of Japanese objects from
souvenirs to Japanese packaging garbage, my geta about my books and kokeshi dolls, about my Love for sushi, fugu and sashimi and so on... about how lovely is cherry blossom and how much I love seating in isakaya.
Japan is my dream and hope once I'll be able to
move there.... hope the little daruma i have close to where I sleep will help my wish!
Could you please tell us how, when and why you became involved in this design industry?
Simone Legno: I thought I had something to communicate to the others... I was always pretty creative I think, I had lots of things in my mind and they had to take a shape. I liked drawing since I was a kid and play with Lego. After a scientific high school I attended a design school and started to do some freelances for some advertising companies. Then entered the web design.
Your illustrations are very beautiful. We heard that Japanese animation called "Hokuto no Ken (Ken il Guerriero)" is quite popular in Italy. Were you inspired by any particular Japanese animation?
Simone Legno: Of course I know Hokuto no ken...(me and my brother punched and hurt each other with fingers a lot because of it! ho!HO!HO!) and lots of anime from the 80's...I don't know where they influenced me.... but I'm sure that a big part of my youth was influenced by the anime I watched when i was a kid. My favourite anime were mostly robots...like Daitarn 3, getta robot and mazinga. But even Lamu and our super lovely Doraemon. Do you know Megaloman?! ho!HO!ho! He's a sort of not popular Ultraman from 1979 I guess! I think Japanese anime are very moral and romantic in the behind. Now in Italian TV, there are mostly American ones.. I think most of them really suck!
How do you expand your ideas and creativity when you are drawing your illustrations?
Simone Legno: I think everything I have around can give me an idea. I never look at the ground when I walk...always around and around because every thing, a building, a flower, a person can give me a new idea. I generally sit in my room and listen to music. I think my love for travelling around and meeting lots of people from all over the world and their memories influenced me totally.
We are not really familiar with web design industry situations and conditions over there in Italy. Assuming that you may know a little about that of Japan, what kind of differences do you find between Japanese and Italian web design industry? Or do you find any special characteristics about Japanese web design industry?
Simone Legno: I know enough super Japanese graphic designers and artists but I can't define clearly the Japanese web design scene. I don't know if I can give a professional opinion about it. I think in Italy the general level of graphic and web design is pretty low, because the agencies take care more about profit than about the quality of the product they sell. I think most of cool Italian web design can be seen in personal projects of some individual designers. I think in Italy there are not enough. I think Japanese products I have seen seem more as a quantity, quality and originality. I think your graphic design scene exist and it's strong...Italian is still young and building itself.
Please let us know Japanese sites that are favourites of yours or inspired you.
Simone Legno: I think in Japan there are lots of artist that are amazing for me and it's a pleasure for my eyes and heart to watch their stuff. I think my favourites are super Furi Furi company! They are great...everything I saw from them was so cool. But you have lots of artists there... Yooco, devilrobots, satolabo, groovision.... Nara Yoshimoto, Takashi Murakami...."Mamma mia" so many geniuses in Japan! ho!HO!HO! I think Japanese stuff is influencing a part of my new design...I'm starting to make some cute little character/mascots like you can see everywhere in Japan, from packaging, to videogames, on advertising or information design...everywhere.
You have collaborated with Mr. Niko Stumpo, the creator of abnormalbehaviorchild. How did this collaboration come true? Both of you being Italian designers, do you guys often inspire each other?
Simone Legno: About 7 months ago I moved from Rome to Milan to work in the same office with him...we sit in the same room, just me and him and it was natural for us to try to mix our stuff. As for inspiring each other...I think so.... often happens to ask something each other. Actually I like very much to mix my stuff with other designers...my next project is to do something concerning Japan with Sarah Ancalmo from twopiece.net - (heavy.com)...LOVE her style! Something new is starting with Redberger from halfproject.com - redberger.com. If is there any Japanese designer who'd be interested in trying to do something together...please get in touch with me, I'll try to find some free time!
As we have said in above questions, your fabulous illustrations attract us the most. We are quite interested in how you are achieving that in technical way. Do you draw on papers and scan them, use pen and tablet or use mouse alone? Do you use Flash only? Please let us know if you do not mind.
Simone Legno: As for my illustrations...as for girl illustration I draw them on paper before...just the most important lines of their shapes and than trace them by Adobe Illustrator. Particulars of those women (face, fingers, nail) are made directly in illustrator. Everything else like backgrounds, graphic elements and more cartooned characters are made straight on illustrator. Then pass everything in flash.
We find that your Flash animations are very poetic and filled with emotions. Is there any particular thing you do, other than designing, in order to increase your sensitivity? What are your hobbies?
Simone Legno: Actually in my free time...my hobby is my free design for tokidoki or for some project in the design community. When I'm not doing it, I draw and now started to paint with brushes on canvas. I study Japanese and play bass guitar in a punk-hardcore band. I read a lot when possible (mostly about Japan) and I'm very curious when I enter in bookshops...like watching art books. As for music I listen from punk to classical-opera music, from Pizzicato five (I'm crazy for them!) to a bit of electronic one. I love traditional Japanese music... shakuhachi koto and so on...very relaxing and deep for my kokoro! When i was in Rome I used always to go to Japan foundation (a Japanese culture institute) watch books and Japanese movies. I love old Imamura ones and Kitano's. I think Japanese cinema is very deep and romantic. I believe in deep love, strong feeling and friendship between people, so I think the people that are important (friends, mum etc etc) for me made me understand that feelings are the most important thing and probably they all influenced my romantic vision of things.
Ciao ciao Thanks to 9zaku crew for the place they gave me in their site and for the support! Matane