1. What is your name / organization / title?

    Dan Lee (@dandrawnwords)

  2. What motivated you to become a maker?

    Ever since I was a wee child, I've been inspired by print design. I craved being a creator of magazines, comics, posters, and tees. Now I'm just living the ol' dream.

  3. Looking back on the early stages of your journey, what advice would you give yourself now?

    Relax into the journey. Don't stress doing things "the right way," because everyone's making it up. And don't be afraid to ask more people for advice, resources, and assistance — so much is possible, and so many people are more welcoming of new voices than you realize.

  4. What is your favorite thing you’ve ever made? Why?

    Probably my 'Here's to the Makers' triptych! The whole project flowed super effortlessly, and was one of the first print projects I ever truly brought to life. It was exhilarating to bring to print, and also created new levels of meaningful engagement with my creative community.

  5. What’s the next evolution for you (or your industry) going to look like?

    I think we're starting to see some shrinking of the all-digital bubble — there's a real interest in a longer-lasting synthesis of analog and digital tools, effects, and concepts on the horizon. I'm not claiming a full-on print renaissance is coming up for design, but I feel like I'm going to personally be diving into more of a blended approach in my art in the near future.

  6. Who would you partner with (living or dead) for your dream collaboration? And what would you work on together?

    Slightly corny answer coming through, but...Norman Rockwell or N.C. Wyeth. I'd want to collab on some dope, super-narrative, hybrid illustration-lettering movie posters, for Oscar nominees or something.

  7. You're on death row and it's time for your final meal. What'll ya have?

    Yikes. One last prime ribeye before I get my just des(s)erts, I suppose.

  8. In a world where you have two hands, all of your pets and loved ones are safe, and your studio is on fire, what do you try to save?

    Some art I've bought or otherwise gotten from other art friends. I'll get new equipment via insurance or something.

  9. What is one piece of pop culture (movie, tv, artwork, song, etc.) that no matter how many times you return to it you still draw excitement, movement, or inspiration?

    The entire Agatha Christie library and subsequent visual media inspired thereby. (Honorable mention: all of the crazy insane photography of those I Spy books you find in the kid's section of the library. Just a whole dang other level.)

  10. I love useless facts. Impress me with a seriously useless fact!

    Waffle House sells about 150 waffles a minute.

  11. If you could try any profession other than your own, what would you choose to do?

    Luxury interior design.

  12. What is your personal strategy/philosophy when it comes to using social media for your work?

    Know what you're using it for and stay true to that. Is it your sandbox? Is it your portfolio? Is it a combination of both? As long as you have a definition for your social media purpose, you will have a compass for navigating some of its trickier aspects (post timing, user engagement, how salesy to get, how to scale, balancing experimentation/consistency, etc.). For me, it's a blend, and also, I avoid posting whenever I feel like I *have* to — I want everything I share to come from a genuine place of wanting to share it.

  13. Speaking of social media, where can people find you?

    Instagram: @dandrawnwords. Pretty much it for now!

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