To celebrate our new boutique at Hong Kong’s Landmark Alexandra, we teamed up with local artist Don Mak, who illustrated his take on our new space. The playful prints you see throughout? They come straight from Tory Burch’s limited-edition collection, which is exclusive to the store. Inspired by the original scrapbooks of legendary English interior designer David Hicks, each piece features a graphic geometric floral from Hicks’ archive reimagined in a fresh palette of pastels. “I loved the prints,” says Mak of the project, “as it’s the first time I incorporated prints into my drawings. It’s very exciting.” Here, we get to know the artist and talk to him about everything from his art loves to the influence of Hong Kong on his oeuvre.
I became interested in art when…
I started and have enjoyed drawing since I was two to three years old. Drawing became my hobby as I used to see my dad drawing at home.
My signature style is…
It’s versatile, but I’ll always add in my own design elements in my artworks.
And how I came to it…
I would say my drawing style is developed through my experiences back in the day while I worked for a comic-book drawing company and during my university days at The Hong Kong Polytechnic University.
My very first art love…
Can’t really recall. Perhaps Japanese comic books (if that counts).
Favorite subjects to illustrate/paint and why…
Seeing how Hong Kong is changing so quickly lately, I have been interested in drawing preserved buildings and objects from the past. I hope that when people look at my artwork, it will bring back a sense of nostalgia of the old Hong Kong.
Being from Hong Kong informs what I do (or my style) because…
Unlike illustrators in other countries who can keep their unique style, as a full-time illustrator in Hong Kong, I must adapt to the fast-paced yet demanding environment. Sometimes, I compare myself to being a chef, cooking different dishes using different cooking styles. Similarly, being an illustrator, I explore different drawing and illustrating techniques when presenting my creative ideas… but of course, each ‘dish’ will always have a distinct Don Mak flavor for everyone to recognize.
My preferred medium/tools…
Chinese brush and calligraphy ink, water color and my computer.
My art influences…
My seniors from the comic-book drawing company that I used to work for, as well as teachers and schoolmates from university.
When I get the artist equivalent of writer’s block…
I research.
What’s next for me…
I would like to incorporate different drawing skills into my future artwork.
為了慶祝我們在香港 Landmark Alexandra 新店開幕，我們聯同本地插畫家 Don Mak 合作，展現了我們的新店與周邊地方的外觀。你看到了畫中那些有趣的印花設計嗎？它們取材於 Tory Burch 別注限量版系列，同時也是為新店專屬設計的。這個系列是受到傳奇的英國室內設計師 David Hicks 的原創剪貼簿的啟發，每件印花設計都展示了 Hicks 的平面幾何花朵圖案，配上粉彩顏色的色調重新塑造。「我喜歡這些印花! 」，負責該項目的Mak說 :「這是我第一次在我的繪畫中加入不同的印花圖案，讓我感到十分難忘及興奮的。」 在這裡，我們認識了這位插畫家，從他對繪畫的熱愛到香港對他的創作影響，我們與他談論了很多不同的話題。
我從什麼時候對藝術感到興趣，為什麼？
從兩三歲開始，已喜歡畫畫。且父親年少時曾習繪畫，小時候看得多他示範，漸漸就加深了興趣。
我的設計風格是…
繪畫方法較多變，但作品與作品之間以加入自己的個性作連貫。
…從那裡得到？
年少時在漫畫社工作，後來在理工大學唸設計，畢業後投身全職插畫工作。我的繪畫風格就在以上場所琢磨出來。
我第一件喜愛的藝術品…
想不起來，應該是日本漫畫之類（假如漫畫算是藝術品的話）。
我最喜愛的繪畫對象／物品，為什麼？
近來較喜歡畫關於香港的舊事舊物，因近年香港變化太快，希望以插畫保留一些本地人對香港的情感。
香港文化對您的創作風格有什麼影響？
在香港當全職插畫師，需迎合本地潮流文化及市場多變的要求，很多時候不能如外國插畫師般，保持個人獨特的風格。正因如此，我可以有機會嘗試不同的繪畫形式去表達多種創作靈感。有時候，我會覺得自己像個廣東菜廚師，用上煎炒煮炸炆燉焗各種烹飪方法，製作出五花八門的菜式料理。當然，我亦會把自己的獨門功夫融入創作，使到大家怎樣看都知道是出自我的手筆。
我常用的設計工具？
水墨、水彩、電腦。
我的藝術設計是受（誰）影響？
在漫畫公司工作時候的前輩、大學的老師和同學等等。
當我缺乏靈感時，我會…
Research.
我的下一步是…
嘗試更多繪畫方法，並將之融入插畫中。
