Emohoc
A shape-shifting animal that tries to blend into its surrounding environment but inadvertently ends up standing out from everything else around it.

Emohoc is also the electronic nickname of Scottish freelance graphic designer, photographer and artist Alan Campbell. After studying graphic design for five years in Dundee, Scotland I discovered digital illustration and photography while working in Edinburgh for various creative agencies. Today, my work is an evolving and eclectic mix of graffiti, graphics, sketches, illustration, photography and interactive exploring original concepts and mixed tools.

As a graphic designer I'm used to working from a brief. I find that a brief helps me to focus and when I am creating my own work, I usually set myself a brief, as I believe it adds more depth to each image.

Originality
Originality and creativity are over-rated in many respects. It's difficult to create without being inspired by others; you would have to live life with your eyes shut and your ears closed. Good designers tend to look at other sources within the same genre. Great designers will be surrounded by any number of different things that they may be inspired by.

Simplicity
Simplicity is more than just a smart design principle. It's a sane life principle. I hate clutter and although a lot of my illustrations may look dirty and screwed up, I devote a lot of time to the assembly and structure of a piece. I love that chaos can be organised too.

Scotland
Penicillin, golf, telephones, deep-fried Mars Bars, televisions, Dolly the sheep, the stereotype. Originality – it’s all in the genes.

Brands
Brand new unlocked Nokia N95...£300? Will send overseas. Will swap for Nintendo wii, anyone?

Apple
I am a geek. I'm freakishly organised and obsessed with simplicity, therefore, I love all things Apple.

Music
The music industry has influenced my design in a big way. After graduating I worked in a graphic design company that did lots of club and entertainment industry work.

This has had a big impact on the development of my illustration and because styles and fashions in this genre move so fast, I like to think it has kept my work looking fresh and original.

Why?
Where, what, when, now? You can't be serious? I'm designing. Try again in 4 working days.

Dream
I love to daydream, a lot of my ideas come from shutting down. Daydreaming is a skill, like not falling off the Stairmaster, or knowing how to fold paper butterflies. The longer you wait, the better you get.

Words (Joker Word)
Words I hate:
Guesstimate, Microsoft, literally, y'all, originality, redundant, texing instead of texting. ( I hear kids saying: "I tex her last night but I got no reply.” I hate that!) funky, blogging, fresh, frock, lethargic, century, new media, bling, brand, guru,
Words I love:
apple, simplicity, piste, penultimate, noise, kapow, cosmonaut, worm, baobab, papaya, bear, dream.