#BLPFAM | YOELANDA AND YULIANA, THE SISTERS BEHIND "MOON PANCAKE"

How many of you are familiar with the cute works from Moon Pancake? Go to their Instagram page and find pastel colors, cute characters, with a touch of humor that surely can make your day. Behind Moon Pancake is a sister duo Yoelanda and Yuliana, with whom we collaborated for #BLPBirthday6ash, creating fun characters and illustrations that mark our 6th anniversary.

Get to know more about them and what goes behind the artworks presented through all BLP Beauty channels this month!

“There’s no secret recipe or complicated workflow — we simply support each other and know that doing everything alone will be way harder”

Describe the moment you were first introduced to art, especially illustration.

We’ve been drawn to art since our childhood. Every time we walk inside a bookstore, our attention is always directed to the comic aisle. Until today we are still mesmerized by the playful drawings and covers – shoutout to Sailor Moon as one of our childhood inspirations!

Back then in primary school, we sold hand-drawn stickers to our classmates. Fast forward to this day, we’re selling stickers, too! Moon Pancake is like a reminiscence of our childhood days, keeping the fun no matter what.

 

How did you start Moon Pancake?

We started planning Moon Pancake in mid 2017 and officially launched our first merchandise in December 2017. At the beginning, we had no clue about where we were going. We just kind of went with the flow, being very open to what the industry has to offer. Along the journey, we started to find our style, as well as understanding the market’s needs and wants. 

Can you elaborate on the style of Moon Pancake? 

Moon Pancake is playful and a bit witty at times. We also want people to feel that they’re not alone — hence the light mental health message we try to deliver. We never aim to create relatable content, to be honest. We simply find Moon Pancake as a space to share how we feel. If people find them relatable, that’s a plus point for us.

 

What inspired you guys lately?

Our biggest inspiration comes from the everyday. Funny, laid-back convos usually spark ideas for our upcoming stickers. 

How was the creative process behind one illustration project? Can you walk us through it?

Most of the time, Yuli helps conceptualize the collection while I (Yoe) do the color picks. For personal projects, we have this “trash can” to throw every idea we can think of. Once the collection was decided, we brainstormed and selected illustrations that would be a perfect match with one underlying theme. Most of them are random though [laughs].

On hectic days, we try to put aside ideas that don't meet the brief. When the deadline is around the corner, the unavoidable creative block usually happens. Often, we take a break and seek refreshments — going to a café, watching series, and scrolling through social media for inspiration. 

 

How does it feel collaborating as sisters? Tell us what’s special about it!

Lots of people tend to wonder how we can work together as sisters. In the creative world, it might be challenging to combine ideas, and we’re glad that we successfully collaborated for years. Our personalities are opposite of each other, which actually makes us focus on our specialties and complement each other better. We are open to criticism, suggestions, and fresh concepts from each other. There’s no secret recipe or complicated workflow — we simply support each other and know that doing everything alone will be way harder.

 

It’s very exciting that you collaborated with BLP! How did the collaboration come about?

We’ve known Kak Ichil for quite some time. The idea of collaborating was brought up multiple times but there hasn’t been any perfect moment to make it into reality. Back in May, Kak Ichil suddenly reached out to us for a collaboration. She said this will be a "roro jonggrang'' collaboration with tight deadlines. We’re too excited and up for the challenge! Our initial meeting was about understanding the big concept by BLP Team before elaborating them and adding our own touch. 

 

What left the deepest impression on you during a collaborative project? 

Knowing that our works will be displayed on various platforms both online and offline for the very first time in our career, we can’t contain the excitement! Well, we’ve seen some previews but we’re still nervous about the final result. 

How does it feel to have your work embraced by the beauty world?

We’re so grateful that a lot of brands are reaching out to local illustrators! Back then, brands rarely collaborated with illustrators. Even if they did, they must be big names in the industry. We feel this moment is an opportunity to be cherished, especially by young and growing illustrators. This could be a sign that being in the creative industry is as promising as other industries.

When did you first hear about BLP Beauty? How would you describe BLP Beauty throughout the years?

It’s been a long time, to be honest. We knew Kak Ichil first, then BLP after. What stood out the most is how BLP managed to keep a close, sister-like relationship with all BLP Fam! BLP’s journey is very inspiring to us as an illustrator, too. It started with a small group of people and look at them now! It sparks hope for all small businesses, including Moon Pancake. 

Tell us a birthday wish for BLP Beauty!

Happy birthday to BLP! Wishing you the best, keep up the solidarity for all BLP Team, and most importantly stay true to your values. Oh, please keep the new products coming!