Below is an interview with emoticonist Marko. Enjoy :)

Marko

What is your real name?
Marko :-)
Where are you in the world?
Pays basque (south west of France).
What tools do you use to create your emoticons?
Photoshop and Image Ready.
What inspires you when making emoticons?
Currently my work is with Olivier who writes the scenario of our comic series "Agence Barbare".
Have you any formal training in computer art?
Nope. Totally self-taught!
What got you started?
I built my first graphic studio 15 years ago in a small community arts center!. Then I joined the DEBU ART group.
And the hardest part is?
To have steady nerves and to foresee projects. The duality between commercial and artistic.
What software did you start with compared to what you use now, and why is it better?
I started with the PC and a software called Deluxe Paint. I worked with the mouse, pixel by pixel!, Deluxe Paint is the Space Invaders of graphic software... no comparison with todays software!.
What do you do 'outside' of the Internet?
I'm an illustrator and a cartoonist with my friend Olier on the "Agence Barbare" series. Volume 3 is in the works. I also produce multimedia CDROM for education, and in particular animation. I'm a Flash trainer.
What is your view on people that use your smileys without permission?
If I catch them, I jail them with 10 smellies :) !
Who is your favorite emoticon artist other than yourself?
I don't know anyone actually. But I'm eager to discover.
What is your most favourite thing in the whole world?
As soon as I have some free time, yep!
Can you create a special emoticon just for EmotiPad?
Here is a selection of his emoticons for you to drag and drop into your EmotiPad
And finally, do you have any advice for emoticonists' out there?
Keep doing it, guys! One day we'll be rich too!