Dooya

What is your real name?
My name is Stefan.
Where are you in the world?
I live in Oldenburg, a city in northern Germany.
What tools do you use to create your emoticons?
I create the pictures with Microsoft Paint and put the frames together with Adobe Image Ready.
What inspires you when making emoticons?
I only create smilies when I come across a good idea, no matter if it is suggested by other people or one of my own.
Have you any formal training in computer art?
No.
What got you started?
I was visiting the thread where Long Tom usually introduces his new creations, and I noticed that a certain combination of two of his “children” might look really funny together. Thus, I created my first "Schildersmilie". In the beginning Long Tom didn’t really like that I kidnapped his smilies, but, at least, he didn’t kill me and therefore never got rid of me. :D
And the hardest part is?
(1) Whenever I feel that a certain sign could be useful in online communication I start thinking about a face that matches what is stated on the sign. Most of the smilies I failed to finish are still in this phase. Thus, I think this is the hardest part.
(2) Whenever I try to explain my hobby to someone outside the Internet, he/she doesn’t understand a single bit of it ,nothing about fun, nothing about difficulties or anything else associated with smilies and their creation. Thus, you have no-one to talk about your stuff. Sometimes that’s the hardest part.
What software did you start with compared to what you use now, and why is it better?
I started drawing with Microsoft Paint and I still stick to it. The animations and optimizations I originally did with 3D-Gif-Designer. Now I use Image Ready because it offers more opportunities to work on details and has better optimization routines.
What do you do 'outside' of the Internet?
I am a psychologist, and I work as a research associate at a university.
What is your view on people that use your smileys without permission?
As long you don’t use them commercially ,there is hardly a way to misuse them. I am more concerned about the people that don’t use my smilies. :D
Who is your favorite emoticon artist other than yourself?
Often when I see a smilie that really impresses me I open it with Image Ready and have a closer look at each single frame in order to learn from it. I never ever did this with one of the smilies created by Fool. It’s not that I am not impressed by them –exactly the opposite is the truth- but I just fear that looking at them in such detail would destroy their magic.
What is your most favourite thing in the whole world?
My wife and son.
Can you create a special emoticon just for EmotiPad?
I will try to, but good ideas are rare.
And finally, do you have any advice for emoticonists' out there?
Have fun.