Principal

P.M.B.Q. Studios is an art studio founded and run by Phuong-Mai Bui-Quang. She’s going to save talking in the third person for Facebook updates, so let’s switch to first person now…

Hello! I’m an artist dedicated to bringing pandas and smiles into the world.

I have a lifelong practice of illustration, cartooning, and communication design in web and print. My favorite projects are the ones where I get to mix all of them up together.  My career credits include artwork and design for Marvel Comics, Dark Horse Comics, Sakura of America,   Seth Cole, Norton by Symantec, and Yahoo!

During my free time, you can find me hanging out with my awesome husband Marcial, hugging my son Griffith and dog Phoebe, kickboxing, running, training for triathlons, eating, painting, designing t-shirts, and drawing comics. But not all at once

The Creative Approach

I strive to create a balance between design and communication. No element is placed superficially or thoughtlessly; each has its place and intent.

My illustration background forces me to engage in the regular practice of creating a concrete work out of virtually nothing. I take this same approach to every project. There is no task that can’t be done, and the sky’s the limit.

Why Pandas?

When you think about it, pandas are not remarkable animals. They insist on eating bamboo, which has almost no nutritional value. They have very short mating seasons and are extremely picky when it comes to mates. The motherly instinct in pandas is really not very strong. It’s no wonder that they are an endangered species, because left to their own instincts they would have been long gone by now.

However, there is something magical about them. I love pretty much any kind of animal, but when I first saw pandas at the Smithsonian zoo, something in me clicked.  I HAD TO SAVE THE PANDAS. That day, I proceeded to purchase as much panda merchandise as I could afford in order to contribute to this amazing animal. Since then, this spirit of “panda excitement” seems to carry over into my personal illustration work.

It is simply a joy to draw pandas, and I believe that is the joy that people might feel when they see my panda illustrations and wear my panda t-shirts.