Illusion Co., Ltd (Illusion) occupies the entire penthouse level of a commercial building overlooking a scenic park in central Bangkok. Walls at the reception are neatly clad with an array of local and oversea awards from Cannes Lions, Spikes, London International Advertising Awards, New York Festivals, ADFEST, the Clio Awards and many others. The distinct design of the office exemplifies the style of its owner, Surachai Puthikulangkura, and his philosophy.

The Illusion production team works on Macintosh computers using Photoshop, Cinema 4D, Maya, ZBrush, Modo, and other industry standard software. Wacom Intuos series tablets are used mainly for photo-retouching, painting and die-cutting of images although a few of Illusion's artists also use the tablets with ZBrush for sculpting. Wacom tablets allow Surachai's team to produce high quality artwork in a fraction of the time that it takes using mice or other input devices. According to the veteran artist, his team works about 300% faster when using with Wacom tablets.

Surachai also places high importance on the Intuos3 pen's pressure sensitivity because fine detail is a requirement in all of his company's artwork. He tried to duplicate the same effect on a tablet PC once but had to discard the new toy immediately as it was impossible to get the detail and brush stroke effect needed. Tilt sensitivity is also highly valued by all of Illusion's designers and artists in order to achieve special effects.

The presence of Wacom products at Illusion has created a favorable positioning for the company as industry players in Thailand hold companies using Wacom products in high regard. Clients also trust the quality of a company's artwork when they know that professional tools such as those offered by Wacom are being used.

"No Wacom, no Illusion," said Surachai in a serious tone. To clarify this statement, Surachai carefully explained that all painting, drawing, editing and design work are performed with the Wacom Intuos tablets at Illusion. Through the years, the company has switched software and upgraded their PC systems, but nothing could replace the Intuos tablets that have become an integral part of their business. Visiting their studio, the heavy workload performed on the tablets is plainly visible. Despite this, the Intuos tablets purchased seven years ago remain in great condition.

Although Illusion competes with many new, low-cost studios, Surachai remains focused on his key strengths -- quality & delivery. His team puts in longer hours than many in the industry to meet tight deadlines and stringent requirements. Without their Intuos tablets, this would be impossible. The growing market in Thailand is intense and competitive, but Illusion and its artists are at the top of their game. When enquired casually about his retirement plan after all of his success, Surachai quipped, "Retirement can wait...where is my next challenge?"

About Illusion

Illusion is one of Asia Pacific's top advertising post production house for skin and hair care photo retouching according to Surachai Puthikulangkura (Surachai) who started the business in 2001. Illusion ranks among the top three firms in Thailand for photo-editing and post production work. Its high profile customers include JWT, O&M, Lowe, Leo Burnett, Y&R and Saatchi & Saatchi etc. Surachai's team comprises of 20 artists, many of whom have been with him since 2001. Surachai was mesmerized by the Wacom technology and innovations 17 years ago when he studied in Japan, and invested heavily in Wacom products when he started the company. Today, Illusion has 29 Wacom tablets ranging from first generation Intuos tablets to the latest Intuos3.

About the Owner

Surachai Puthikulangkura (Surachai) served in Kamarart Studio Bangkok before starting Illusion and was quick to remember those who taught him the ropes of the trade and the knowledge he accumulated from his contact with professionals in the creative industry. A prominent figure in the industry, Surachai is often invited to speak at major design events, judge at professional competitions, and has lectured at a university in Thailand.

He graduated with a bachelor's degree in painting at Chiang Mai University's Faculty of Fine Art in 1987 and later studied visual design at the Tokyo Designer Gakuin. In 1991 he won an award at the renowned Nippon Graphic exhibition, an exceptional achievement for a foreigner. While studying in Japan, Surachai discovered Wacom for the first time falling in love with graphics tablets. Today, Wacom's Intuos3 is the veteran artist's tool of choice for the advertising work he and his staff create.

Artwork made for clients