Anders Parsmo
You have illustrated the puzzle motif "Market Chaos" for the
"Nordic Stories Collection" series.
Tell us a little about yourself.
- I have been working as a freelance illustrator since 1998. I live in Enskede with my wife and have two wonderful grown-up children. I am a heavy consumer of music, film, TV series, and other culture. I love spending time with friends, discussing important matters, and playing board games.
What have you illustrated before?
- A great deal and a great mix. Everything from advertising and plaster instructions to church educational materials, but the focus has mostly been on topical satire, comics, and illustrations for children – for example, Kamratposten.
Can you tell us about your creative process? How do you build a motif?
After working with paper, pens, and correction fluid for many years, I switched completely to drawing digitally 10–15 years ago. It was a somewhat difficult transition, but now I couldn't manage without my digital drawing tablet. It saves a lot of time and is super convenient when you need to make changes. The process, however, is basically the same. Brainstorming/ideation, sketching, sending the sketch to the client, potential revisions. Then I ink a black outline and add color.
What is important to keep in mind as an illustrator when creating a puzzle motif?
- That's hard to say after my first puzzle. But I think it's good to try to achieve a cohesive whole that doesn't feel too scattered. It’s also great to include many details for people to discover as they go along. It should ideally trigger a "Oh, I didn't see that before!" moment.
What was the most fun part about creating the motif for this puzzle?
Getting to try making such a detailed image. This is absolutely the most advanced and time-consuming image I have ever created! It was fun to add my own inventions once the "script" and Puzzle W Nordic’s suggestions were illustrated.
Is there any character or event in this puzzle that you particularly enjoyed creating?
- Since the puzzle is intended to be inclusive, it was fun to think about who might not have been represented and try to include them. I also snuck in versions of my own family here and there.
Do you have a theory regarding the importance of humor for people's well-being?
- I don't think the idea that "laughter is the best medicine" was pulled out of thin air. Whether one lives a short or a long life, it is my firm conviction that if you manage to keep a twinkle in your eye and your sense of humor, you feel much better than if you look for faults and write angry comments online.