My cousin Kyle interviewed me for a class assignment. Whoo, this is my first time being interviewed! I feel all famous.
I thought some of you might be interested to read it, so here it is!
1. When did you know you wanted to be an artist?
I think I always knew, ever since I first picked up a crayola crayon. I got a lot of praise and encouragement for my artwork, and I had a lot of fun making it. And then I heard that when you got older, you could actually get MONEY for it. It sounded like a pretty good deal all around! (Although that part about making money is all a lie! Oh well.)
2. Were your artistic interests encouraged during your childhood?
Yes, and I am very thankful for that! I’m very lucky to have parents who really fostered my creative urges and gave me opportunities to explore through art classes very early on. I continued taking art courses, completing an Art “Higher Level” course in the International Baccalaureate, and then going on to the Savannah College of Art and Design to study Sequential Art as my major. Not all artists have that sort of support from their parents, and I am very grateful to come from a family that values art in all forms.
I have hit snags at times- such as my Theory of Knowledge professor. Trained as a chemistry teacher, he had a very shallow concept of what “artwork” is, and it showed during our class discussions on what art is. He asked us to all bring in something we considered art. I brought in a classic Japanese manga (graphic novel) called “Rose of Versailles” in to class. It concerns a crossdressing woman named Lady Oscar who acts as a guard in the royal palace of Versailles during the French Revolution. Although the protagonist is fictional, the story is very well-researched on the setting, has an excellent and complex storyline and characters, and is also exquisitely drawn. This work was a turning point in the evolution of Japanese comics. However, my teacher laughed at me from bringing a comic to the class and calling it art- he was of the opinion that all “comic books” are for children and have no literary or artistic value.
I was very insulted, but rather than be discouraged, I defended my choice. My arguement is that if visual art and great literature can be “art” in their own right, then combining them into sequential art is just as legitimate. There are still many people in the world who hold this false opinion of sequential art, and they have been the biggest thorn in my side since choosing it as my career.
3. What led you to make art your lifework?
There are two things I really love to do: Drawing cool stuff, and making up stories. Sequential art allows me to do both! I was fascinated with comics and animation as a child, and that appreciation never left me. I knew when I saw them that I wanted to make something like that, that people would remember.
4.How did you get into the professional practice of your art?
I decided to become an independent comic artist after seeing the success of my fellow SCAD graduate, Jarett Williams. He has published two books of his comic, Lunar Boy. (http://lunarboyland.com/ ) When he gave a talk to my class, it made me realise there were other options than trying to become a cog in the Marvel or DC machine. I also took classes with the late Jeremy Mullins, who was my greatest mentor in the world of online marketing and web-comics. He taught me everything I knew about setting up a website and publishing myself online, and I owe my success to him.
I don’t really know what counts as a “professional” web-comic artist. If its measured by the money you make, well… I only make about 6 dollars a day from advertizements. In about a year I plan to set up a shop where I can sell the first book of collected pages, as well as merchandise. I know some fellow web-comickers who can pay their rent off their revenue, but I’m not at that level yet. That usually takes several years, though, and I’m doing extremely well for a newcomer.
5. As an artist, what education or training do you have?
I am a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, majoring in Sequential Art. I have done a lot of volunteer work, such as designing the logo and mascot for my musician friend, Kimly. (http://www.kimlymusic.com/) Although this isn’t official training, I have also studied comics from all over the world in my spare time. I have always had a big interest in manga (Japanese comics) and through fellow Seq. art majors at SCAD, I delved into the world of American comics. Now, I am living in Belgium and reading as many European comics as I can get my hands on.
