Hello there Kitty Cat: Meet Chalk and Chakras' purrtiest designer
Here at Chalk and Chakras, we really love working with young, talented illustrators. And when we think about our mats, we really see them as a canvas to let the illustrators’ art work shine and bring joy to our users - both kids and kidults.
In the spirit of paying it forward, our very first designer Troops on Print behind our beloved Dinos in Space and Unicorn Yogi mats, recommended Jing Yi, of Pines n Prints (who’s got the cutest cat prints going btw).
When we approached Pines n Prints to do a cat mat for Chalk and Chakras, we thought of how to make the cat mat extra special. Lo and behold …. Jingyi turned her cats into purrmaids just for us!
The recent university graduate tells us more about herself and her plans now that she just opened her webstore.
How did you get started on illustrating and why did you start Pines n Prints?
I’ve loved doodling since young and decided to create a Telegram sticker pack just for fun a few years back. My friends said that they would buy them if they were real stickers and I started Pines n Prints as a platform to sell my Telegram sticker designs!
What does the name Pines n Prints mean?
“Pine” because I love pine trees and pine cones, and “Prints” because I was mostly selling paper products like stickers and prints at that time.
What is your fascination with cats?
I have two cats and they’re my biggest sources of inspiration for my illustrations.
What do you feel when you're illustrating? And what is your process like?
I usually feel happy, it's one of my favourite things to do! I start off with a rough doodle, plan out the colours I would like to include in the illustration, and finally colour it in.
Drawing aside, what are some of your favourite things to do to relax or be mindful?
Drinking tea, stretching and doing repetitive motions (like packing orders) help me to relax and stay grounded.
Lastly, how do you want kids / adults to feel when they're using the yoga mat you illustrate?
I hope that the purrcats make them smile and motivate them to pull through the more challenging yoga poses :”) . My mum has been doing yoga for more than 10 years so I’m excited that I can get to design a yoga mat for both mums and kids to use!
See the purrtiful mats that Jing Yi designed just for Chalk and Chakras here. Follow Pines n Prints on Instagram and you can also check out her creations at the Pines n Prints webstore.