We recently connected with Hannah Wong and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Hannah thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. We’d love to hear the story of how you went from this being just an idea to making it into something real.

An Apple a Day is a book made during my last year of university. I studied in Kingston University graduating from the Illustration Animation Bachelor course. Knowing that I was about to graduate, there was always a question I had in my mind, “What is it that I want to leave behind?” I wanted to create a project that would be of meaning to the community I was leaving, but to also the future generations of Kingston University.
The idea of ‘An Apple a Day’ came about from my practiced habit of eating an apple each day and seeing posts of fruits and questioning what it is that was interesting about them. As I slowly recognised fruits as a curious subject, the title, ‘An Apple a Day’ came to mind. Connecting the question, “What is it that I want to leave behind?” with the title, became the start of my project. While eating an apple a day and getting to know my subject, I recognised the time that goes into this habit, from washing the apples, to getting the cutleries out, to peeling etc. I realised that building a habit takes time, but more importantly, the outcomes they lead to can be great. This led me to how I wanted to frame my project. Instead of answering my question, I wanted to create a project that presents it, with time being the main component, which initiates habits or anything else that then leads to what we leave behind, just like how eating an apple a day is an act of prudence that may contribute to us being a little healthier.
Once the idea was set, I began collating and creating the content part of the project being inspired by artists, such as Russell Weekes who was also a huge support in this project, Bom or who goes my ‘mrchaprlmay’ on Instagram, Martino Gamper, Stephen Gill, and Leanne Shapton. I recorded an apple decaying through photographing them at different stages and took pictures of observations from nature and from my every day that displayed the passing of time. As more and more pictures were gathered, I began testing different layouts and putting them in a book format. During this process of experimenting, I tried incorporating illustrations, texts, playing around with the chapters and pacing of the book. While collecting and working on the content of the book, I clarified what I wanted to communicate and organised the photographs into their respective folders, coming up with four chapters for the book: Routine, Vessels, Traces, and Life.
In terms of the visual look of the book, it can be as complicated as it can be, or as simple. Working on this project, this was one of the most difficult aspect to work through. Sometimes when too little was presented on a page, it was easy to worry whether I am putting out enough. Therefore, I experimented with incorporating illustrations, working with different ideas for the book cover, and methods of printing, such as risography. At the end, with tutorials and feedback, I am once again reminded to go back to the core of what it is I wanted to communicate. I was really thankful to be reminded that so much can be said with little or how sometimes not everything needs to be said. Through this project and the guidance received, I learned how every little detail contributes and has their own weight in a project. A page number says a lot, the type of paper evokes something, colour is its own information, and pairings of images convey messages too. With these lessons and gained assurance, the book was soon sent out to be printed and exhibited in the graduation show.
I hope “An Apple a Day” provides a space for readers to recognise time, noticing traces in their own lives too. They can be small, big, or even not seen at times. With time remaining constant, leaving each and every one of us with twenty-four hours a day, I hope through the four chapters: Routine, Vessels, Traces, and Life, readers can reflect on each one and leave with the question, “What traces am I leaving behind?”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

I am a recent graduate who studied Illustration Animation. I am interested in design, and publication, creating and editing projects involving animations, books, and catalogues. Though I enjoy and explore different forms, storytelling has always been my core interest and output. I enjoy being inspired by observations made, and using the form of books, moving image, and design to tell stories and give space.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Focusing more on pursuing design and teaching jobs for now, in the future, I would like to publish children’s books. While working on books, I found myself being reminded of many childhood books, ones that often have a message that resonated with me till now. Therefore, I also want to be able to put out stories with messages that future generations can also be impacted, encouraged, and inspired by as they continue to grow up and pass down to their posterities too.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

Learning art as a child, I was always taught the fundamentals of drawings, which I find is important, however, that also instilled in me how I defined art and what “good art” is as well. Going to university, I realised that art is so much more boundless and “good art” doesn’t only pertain to works that are photographically replicated. This took some time to accept and apply into my practice, but by slowly seeing more and experimenting myself, I got to appreciate how art is taught and would like to also encourage this view in others in the future.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://home-illustrates.com
• Instagram: home-illustrates