Kat is a Bag Expert here at TOM BIHN. If you've emailed us, chances are you've spoken with Kat. She's famous amongst our crew and the people who buy our bags for her service as well as her box art and doodles.

What are your box art tools of the trade, so to speak?
Usually I do an outline in pencil, do an outline with a sharpie and color in colored pencil. Colored pencils seem to show up the best on the boxes.

Do you have an art style that you prefer to work in for box-art?
I have a pretty cartoon-y style. :) I like making things look funny or cute, something that would bring a smile to people when they get their package.

Do you have a favorite piece of box art?
I have probably a good handful of box art I've liked over the years! Probably among my favorites are Darth Vader going camping, a T-Rex taking a rocket to the moon, and a B-movie poster-esque one.

Is there any sort of medium, style, or subject you really want to work with for a piece of box art?
I like taking interesting requests from people, or try to personalize it to what a person might be doing with the bag they're getting. If there isn't any specific request, I always enjoy drawing my tiny robots going on adventures and trying on hats.

What's the most challenging request for box art that you've received?
Some one once put a comment 'Do a Barrell Roll' on an order and I drew the Ar-Wings from the video game Star Fox—definitely a challenge to make sleek space ships for me, but worth it!

Is there a box art request you wish for / hope to receive?
I love doing pop culture type drawings, animals and dinosaurs.

Your trademark doodles are robots and kitties. Nik's About Us page bio says simply "Kitties and Robots". Is this a coincidence, or are you and Nik furthering the robot and kitty agenda?
I can neither confirm nor deny this. Please stare at this word until you've forgotten you asked this question: POTATO.

How much do you doodle and draw outside of work? Or, what are your creative outlets outside of work?
I do some doodling in my journal that I keep. I also write and perform singer/songwriter and comedic songs about the random stuff I love in my life.

Kat at our holiday party. She's wearing a Princess Leia hat knitted by the TOM BIHN Ravelry group.