Then x Ten: Kam Tang
You may not know his name, but you’ve likely seen Kam Tang’s art grace the album covers of The Chemical Brother and Gnarls Barkley, or in ads for Burberry and Adidas. His work is typified by meticulous attention to detail and constant reinvention. Invited by Herman Miller to create a poster for Then X Ten, Tang choose the Aeron chair—the work chair of choice in his home studio.
Herman Miller’s Asia Pacific blog recently spoke with Tang:
Can you share with us some early ideas of what you will be working on to create your poster for Herman Miller?
I’ll be creating a poster for the Aeron chair. I use one myself and love it on many levels. At the moment I’m exploring which facet to communicate.
What are some of your tools of the trade?
My brain, pen and paper, graphic design software like Illustrator and Photoshop, and a camera.
Describe a typical day at the office?
Morning cup of coffee, check some emails and news feeds, then start working.
Do you have any rituals before beginning an illustration?
No rituals, I just read the brief and starting with a pen and paper.
Has technology influenced your work?
It has taken a lot of the mundane and time-consuming aspects out of the process, but not without the dangers of removing the human touch.
Do you feel like a citizen of the world in terms of your trade, or are there geographic anchors to your work as an illustrator?
Yes, with the internet every person, act or event is on the global stage. Geographically, I can pretty much work anywhere with my laptop, but you can’t beat being at home!