Artist Asks, For Fun

Strange times abound. I’ve been occupied with juggling a script for a new graphic novel and my body’s recent urge to sleep through everything. Still, the deadline moves ever closer… and the struggle to be a little productive during a crisis continues.

I came across this artist meme today and I wanted to do it! I used to do a lot of these back in my teen Deviantart days, before I moved to Tumblr and Twitter. Now that I have my own space to indulge in these activities, I may as well! It’s good to have some fun now.

1. Do you prefer traditional drawing, or digital?
   I work mostly in digital nowadays – but I am gradually restoring my habit of doing sketches and studies with a pencil and sketchbook.
   
2. How long have you been drawing?
   Since very young, at least from the age of 6. I started approaching art more “professionally” at around 12 to 13.
   
3. How many classes have you taken?
   I never went to art school or official art classes. I sometimes read tutorials or watch writing masterclasses, but I don’t think that’s what the question had in mind.
   
4. Do you have a Deviantart, personal website or art blog?
   *opens my arms and spins around* You’re here.
   
5. What’s your favourite thing to draw?
   Cop-out answer: my OCs
   Not cop-out answer: Really experimental compositions with my OCs, or an emotional sequence
   
6. What’s your least favourite thing to draw?
   Concrete jungles. Robots. Cars.
   
7. How often do you use references?
   Whenever I need them.
   
8. Do you draw professionally, or just for fun?
   I used to draw for fun, then transitioned into drawing professionally. I want to balance those two out in the future.
   
9. How much time do you spend drawing on an average day?
   It varies a lot. There are periods when I hardly draw (like right now; I haven’t drawn for weeks besides the occasional commission, and that’s because I’m devoting my energy to writing and dealing with pandemic stress), and periods when drawing will be the only thing I do all day for weeks at a time (like after this, when I finish my script for a new GN, and when I have to get started with concepts for Alexander Comic).
   
10. Are you confident about your art?
    Generally, yes. I’m happy with my voice, though I feel I am in a transitional point of my career/life where I’m ready to pursue a new stylistic direction. Not a total revamp, more a levelling up.
    
11. How many art-related blogs do you follow?
    I wish blogging and RSS feeds are more like what they used to be. I hardly follow blogs. A lot of Twitters though.
    
12. Is it okay for people to ask you about your process?
    This is what this blog is for! I am very open about my process.
    
13. Do you prefer to keep your art personal, or do you like drawing for other people?
    I deeply enjoy making portraits for other people and their pets, and working with art directors. Illustration is an easy passion to share (as long as I am compensated fairly, obviously!). But with my comics and stories, even with an editor and publisher, I make them primarily for myself.
    Basically, as an illustrator I’m generous and as a storyteller I’m cautious.
    
14. Do you ever collaborate with others?
    I have! I co-created a two-book middle grade series, and worked with clients on their projects.
    
15. How long does an average piece take you to complete?
    Two-three hours.
    
16. Do you draw more or less today than you did in the past?
    I feel like I draw less than I did in the past. But the reality is, since 2016 I’ve produced 800+ comics pages plus commission work. Which is a lot. Maybe I think draw less because I don’t make purposeless art anymore; art that exists for the joy of existing.
    
17. Do you think you’re justified in giving other people art advice?
    When they specifically ask for it or if it’s on my blog. I spent a long time figuring this career out for a reason, yanno. All that info has to go somewhere.
    
18. What are you currently trying to improve on?
    Anatomy, but not to draw anatomically accurate bodies. It’s so I can create expressive, yet grounded bodies for the benefit of my character acting. I am also generally looking to pivot my style into something more mature and stylistic and nuanced.
    
19. What is the most difficult thing for you to draw?
    Besides the least favourite things to draw? I struggle with turning my bodies around in motion. The spatial map of bodies in my head isn’t very good lol.
    
20. What is the easiest thing for you to draw?
    Again, OCs. Or random cats and girls.
    
21. Do you like to challenge yourself?
    Yes! That’s one of the big reasons why I am an artist! I used to do targeted illustration challenges for myself as a teen. Since I started TWIDI however, all of those challenges have been through producing comics – which is great, but not very efficient.
    
22. Are you confident that you’re improving steadily?
    Yes, I suppose. I’m craving for huge improvements though.
    
23. Do you draw more fanart or more original art?
    Original.
    
24. Do you feel jealous when you see other people’s art, or inspired?
    If I see art that really stuns me I don’t feel jealousy. It’s more like positive anger at how people can be so galaxy-brain with their vision and execution and draftsmanship (Oh my god!! How!! How can they be so good what the hell) . And that anger drives me to improve.
    
25. Do you like to draw in silence or with music?
    With music. Though sometimes I forget when the album is finished.
    
26. What programs do you use?
    Photoshop, Procreate.
    
27. How many layers does a typical piece require?
    Less or around 10.
    
28. What inspires you to make art, or be a better artist?
    Because I enjoy art? And I enjoy the challenge of improving my artistry and my craft.