'Coloring books are about healing'

Illustrator Suwa

By Kwon Ji-youn

Taeyeon, the lead vocalist of Girls’ Generation, is hooked on coloring books. One of her favorites is “Look” by illustrator and designer Suwa, and, more so since Suwa appeared alongside the idol on an entertainment show, the book has been flying off the shelves.

“I’m very grateful for, and a bit startled by, all the interest in my book and myself,” Suwa said in a recent interview with The Korea Times.

“Shooting the show was definitely a new and fun experience. And Taeyeon had prepared so much for the shooting, and her willingness to learn was very moving. Also, more fans have followed me on SNS, including a good number of Taeyeon’s fans abroad.”

Suwa began drawing at age five, and has always had a thing for fashion. She interned at a design company while studying at the Parsons School of Design, which was also when she began working as a freelance illustrator.

After graduating, she worked as a women’s wear designer at big name brands including Michael Kors, Nautica and Tommy Hilfiger.

“But I enjoy variety, so I did a bit of everything ― illustrating, styling for fashion pictorials and writing columns for magazines,” she said. “In 2013, I launched an appbook titled Shaping Your Creativity, and it was through the same publisher that I was able to release a coloring book.”

The coloring book craze in Korea has yet to lose steam. Since Johanna Basford’s “Secret Garden” was published locally in August 2014, the coloring book sections of bookstores have been teeming with fans of all ages, from teenage girls to middle-aged women.

“I think it’s because of the healing effect coloring books have,” Suwa said. “When you’re filling in a beautiful design with all colors, you lose track of thought, like when you’re meditating.”

Suwa said the healing is a concomitant effect of coloring.

“All people have a desire for creativity,” she said. “It’s a tool that helps people express themselves more freely than they would with words. By filling in a well-drawn design with the colors of their choice, people feel a sense of accomplishment and they enjoy the experience.”

Suwa said she has been very busy of late with all the attention her coloring books are receiving. She released a second book “Look” not long after the release of her first "Hers," and with exhibitions and meetings with a publisher in New York for the release of “Look,” under the title "The Look," there, she has very little time to spare.

The time she does have, she spends in coloring classes, interacting with her fans.

“The kind of coloring I like to recommend is creative coloring,” she said. “This may seem like a difficult concept, but I think while you’re coloring, you need to be daring and really enjoy it.”

Suwa suggest readers, if they get bored of just coloring, grab old makeup, crayons and a toothbrush or sponge to add spice to their books, or even use magazine cutouts to brighten the pages up.

“Perfect coloring and fancy techniques are great, but without trying so hard, you can create something really awesome. You don’t need to stay within the lines, and you can doodle in the margins.”

When asked about any future plans for books or exhibitions, Suwa said anything can be right around the corner for her.

“But through books and drawing, I will continue to communicate and interact with the public,” she said.

“I have always had so many dreams. I don’t set just one goal and sprint towards it. And each and every dream is as big as the other is small. I’ve achieved some, and I haven’t others, but for now, I want to focus on the fun in finding inspiration and creating output with it.”