Designers on Whyville are able to create designs that are creative and worn throughout the website. I wanted to know more about what goes into a designer's head while in the process of creating wonderful designs. I selected a few designers who have gained Whyville fame through the parts which they create. I discussed with them about their personal designing style and even got some tips for the readers on designing. The lovely designers which I interviewed were Kaylub/Speciaity, lilpcdoll, ktngirlie, kikiwiki5, keiiah and UoChan.
DahCutie: What would you say is the style of the parts that you create?
Kaylub: I create parts that I'm interested in or things I think that others would like.
Lilpcdoll: The parts I usually create are trendy clothes you can find on various clothing websites like Forever 21, JustFab, or pieces that different Pop Celebs have worn. Although I haven't designed recently because of a bug with Mac's, I plan to start designing again when Tesract fully implements FFV's into Flash (Which he said he is working on, but it might take a while)
Ktngirlie: I've had pretty wacky hair in my everyday life over the years. I swear, I've tried every color imaginable (it's grey and blue at the moment) and cut it all myself for years. I guess I just wanted to recreate some of the things I've tried on my own hair. Also, I just really like laurel and flower crowns, I suppose.
Kikiwiki5: I don't have a style of parts; I just make whatever comes to my mind. Plus I get requests from people, so it's random.
Keiiah: I'm not sure that I really have a style. Unless sloppy could be one . . .
UoChan: I don't think I try to create a specific style of parts. I like all types of different styles. If you mean what kind of parts I like to create then it would be shirts, dresses, jackets, and any other sort of clothing.
DahCutie: Who would you consider to be your Whyville Style Icon?
Kaylub: Nobody. I wear whatever I like haha.
Lilpcdoll: My style icon on Whyville would definitely be somewhere between Keiiah and a twist of my own style. I like realistic kinds of looks with designs that are pretty and detailed and have a pop of color.
Ktngirlie: I really admire Doodelle's artistic talent.
Kikiwiki5: Be your own icon.
Keiiah: Iclek1, or xloverxxx I suppose. I always like their looks.
UoChan: I don't really have a style icon. Most of the time, I have a specific theme that I like to follow. For instance, right now my theme is matching colors, which is why I'm wearing mostly yellow to match my favorite hair.
DahCutie: Do you think it's better to leave your parts in stock or have only a few circulating?
Kaylub: It depends on what or why they want parts in or out of stock. If you design well and keep few in circulation, then you can sell and make a lot of clams.
Lilpcdoll: Well, from experience, my parts usually sell out during New Arrivals, and when restocked they sell out again. I think it's best to have a certain number circulating. A good number to have around is about 15-20? If the design is really popular, you're more than welcome to restock, but it alls comes down to supply vs demand.
Ktngirlie: I like to leave only a few in circulation at a time. As much as I hate to admit it, the idea of something I created being sought-after is pretty cool.
Kikiwiki5: I prefer to only have "a few circulating" but not to make them rare or whatever, I just like wearing stuff no one else has.
Keiiah: I'm not sure. Some people like when a designer has their parts in stock all the time, but people also like designers to only have them in stock every once in a while to make them more rare.
I suppose I don't think of one being better than the other . . .
UoChan: I used to think it was good to only have a few circulating but I've changed my mind about it. Now, I like to leave my parts in stock as much as I can. I want a lot of people to have access to my parts and Akbar's needs more variety of in-stock parts!
DahCutie: What is your favorite design that you created? Why?
Kaylub: It would have to be between 2 parts, Life so sweet and Meow'.
Lilpcdoll: I honestly don't have a favorite. I haven't designed in months, so my style of drawing and designing has changed, so my old parts are a little "noob-ish" looking if you ask me. If I absolutely had to pick one, it would be my ice princess one I made. I really like the detail I put into the crown.
Ktngirlie: Of all my designs, I think it's a tie between "Teen Witch" and "Tianchi Monster". Both of them took quite a considerable amount of time to complete and I'm pretty proud of the outcome.
Kikiwiki5: Lol I think I've made over 500 parts, so it's hard to pick a favorite.
Keiiah: Honestly, I don't like many of my designs. If I had to pick, though, I'd pick either the 'molossus' jacket or 'NCC 1017' (gosh, what a geeky title) -- and I'm not sure why I like those two most.
UoChan: My favorite design is probably a set I made called 'STUPiDFACEDD. I really love this set because anyone can rock it. I love to wear it as a girl. Also, I love how Thehundreds logo came out and Thehundreds is one of my favorite brands.
DahCutie: Why did you start designing on Whyville?
Kaylub: I honestly have no clue why I started to design.
Lilpcdoll: I started designing on Whyville because I've always been interested in drawing. When I found out you could create parts on Whyville and wear them, I was all aboard. A couple of friends and I actually started designing sets together back in 2010, and I think that's where I started to kind of get my own sense of style from. They definitely inspired me to start designing.
Ktngirlie: I used to design on an old, hacked account named "elvis2" years and years ago. I recently picked it up again on this account and was surprised. I guess I found it really relaxing for some reason. Doing intricate--if a bit meticulous--things calms me when I have a lot on my mind.
Kikiwiki5: It was about turning ideas in my head into an actual thing.
Keiiah: Mainly because I thought it was fun, or perhaps to see if I could improve my drawing.
UoChan: I started designing on Whyville when my friend let me design on her user. I wanted to try it out because I love drawing and art in general. Later, another friend of mine bought me a Whypass so I decided to design on my actual account. I thought it was an awesome way to create parts no one has ever thought of or parts I would like to see in Akbar's. My friends at the time also gave me requests and they complimented me on my parts so I decided to keep drawing.
DahCutie: Why do you think certain designers parts have "Fame" and are sold for high amounts, while others might not be as successful?
Kaylub: Most "famous" designers have been designing for a long time usually. Over time word gets around about how good they are or about the style they design in. Others might not me as successful because they are starting out and aren't as popular to others.
Lilpcdoll: I think certain designers have the "fame" aspect because they put a lot of work and detail into their designs. You want to create parts that people will wear, but also you want to create something that has detail.
Ktngirlie: "Fame" is relative. A designer's part could be famous because it was restocked frequently and everyone's got one in their satchel, or it could be famous because everyone's auctioning it off the the highest bidder. What it boils down to is that you have to count on your customers to make you or break you, so to speak.
Kikiwiki5: The more detailed the piece the more expensive, that's common sense lol. You can just tell when someone actually spent a good amount of time on something rather than something that's sloppy looking.
UoChan: It's all supply, demand, and name value. It's also the time spent on the part. I've seen some people literally submit scribbles. Sometimes, it's the simple fact some people just draw and design better than others. Most of the famous designers have been designing for years and so more people have seen their parts in Akbar's.
DahCutie: Do you have any tips for those who want to start designing on Whyville?
Kaylub: Don't make things that you think are really ugly, unless you know others like. DO NOT start designing hair first. Start small and work your way up :)
Lilpcdoll: A lot of people have asked me for designing advice, and the only thing I can say is to practice. As cliche as that sounds, it's true. When I first started designing, they were pretty ugly and no one wore them. As I progressed, my parts started getting better and people wanted them. Practice makes perfect.
Ktngirlie: My best tip would be to really study photos of whatever you're creating. If it's hair, zoom in on an image of some real life hair you like and analyze the colors. Pick them apart. Find a light source. Highlights and shadows are what takes a part from good to great, in my opinion.
Kikiwiki5: Most people think to actually draw with lines like you would on paper. However designing on Whyville is virtual, aka PIXELS. So if I told someone new to make a circle, they would draw it like they would with a pencil. But if I told an experienced designer to make a circle, they would do it in sections and count the pixels, so that if you draw a line down the middle, it will be perfectly symmetrical. Lo: it's a hard thing to explain but in the end it just takes a creative mind.
UoChan: Start with something small or an idea about a part you would like to see in Akbar's. Open a FFV and practice on that. Start slow and utilize the Zoom tool to your advantage. If you need help on shading, then look up articles in the Times about designing. The one that Twigsy wrote really helped me a lot and I've even recommended it to people! You'd be surprised what you can come up with on your first try when you take your time. If you don't get it on your first try, don't get frustrated. No one gets good at designing overnight.
The talent and hard work that these designers do is truly amazing. Designers are a big part of Whyville and their unique designs. I want to thank those who participated in my interview. I have had a great time learning more about designing and I hope this helps you understand more about these designers and their designs.
