Itsura Manga

Kriss Sison

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Chua) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 14:00:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

Hi my name is Kriss Sison, born in Manila -year 1980, I studied Fine Arts at Technological University of the Philippines for 3 years and then dropped out.

I’ve been in the comics business since 1998, the first titles that I’ve worked on was Thunder Bubuli and TINK, then I did a lot of freelance works and now I work for Groundbreakers as manga artist for Ninja Girl KO!

What inspired or convinced you to become an Artist?

I’ve been drawing for as long as I can remember and I just didn’t stop, it was a hobby that grew and I never got tired of.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

Hmmm… my body clock is a mess, I usually sleep around morning then wake up at noon, fiddle with the computer and play some tunes as I do my sideline job, usually I work alone (though I do get some assistance if I need help) then prepare to go for work, I come to Groundbreakers studio usually around night then work there till morning.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

Mostly comic book illustrations for local publishers and also for the US (eg: LAST HOPE, a Seven Seas Entertainment OEL manga). I also did some animation works.

How do you go about illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

Usually I would try to change or improve a little on the instructions given to make the illustration look better, I always like to keep things simple, easy on the eye and easy to understand, sometimes the art doesn’t end up with the look that I wanted and that is a little frustrating.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

Before, my choice of tools were colored pencils and water color, I don’t do traditional coloring anymore mostly because it is not practical to my current works, nowadays I do my colors digitally using only Photoshop. I usually start my colors doing a flat color layer, and then creating another layer for the renders, to end up with a smaller file size and quicker Photoshop response, I always try and keep my number of layers below 10.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

By observing things, it could be anything, basically anything or anyone that surrounds me.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, And why?

Drawing cute female characters is what I enjoy most, they are fun to draw, and simply because I’m a sucker for anything cute, second would be mecha.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

I can’t choose, there are so many of them.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

Digital inking and more coloring techniques.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

Mostly anime blog/reviews that feature new or old shows that may I may find interesting, and any websites that has the latest news in technology.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Keep on exploring and continue progressing with whatever you do. Be humble.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

You can send an email to: freezeburn32[at]yahoo[dot]com.

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Yes, my work is included in the Mangaholix manga anthology magazine; I’m the artist of the title Ninja Girl KO! written by Marco Dimaano.

Mangaholix is available thru National Book Stores, Power Books, Comic Odyssey, Fully Booked, and FILBARS.

Thanks!

Best regards.

How often do you remember your dreams?

Not so much, sometimes i can only vaguely remember.

Power-J

noreply@blogger.com (indie hunter) — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 16:32:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to school, and what extra-curricular activities did you take up? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

Anime, Manga & Games! MOE! XD Instead of drawing i write stories to0. :3 I study at the honarable only by me TUP-Taguig. XD Tee hee.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

God, family, friends, music & awesome artist! @_@

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

A typical day for me is a day with a good weather :3 and I work with my friends.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

Only my Runesu indie comics for now XD

How do you go about an illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

Umm. I dont know just draw and draw without thinking XD

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I use poster colors. Umm... Before i start coloring I clean everything around me before i color. :3 just to have a refreshing moment coloring.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

Umm... The truth is I don't know XD

What is your most favorite subject to draw, and why?

MOE :3 bcoz its MOE! XD

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

Ummmm... too many things to mention @_@

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

World Wide Web dot Deviantart dot Commercial :3

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Be inspired always :3 God is the best inspiration. Bcoz all of the inspiration you'll have will came from God.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

Email XD

Do you have any of your art work for sale (comics, prints, or anything)? If so, for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Just an indie comics for now I sell them in some conventions.

If you would be given a chance to have dinner with any famous person, who would you want to have dinner with and why?

Daisuke Ishiwatari!!!!!! *A*

Sao-Chan

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Chua) — Fri, 11 Jan 2008 01:50:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

Hi! Im Sao born October of 1983, lived in Pateros, Manila. During my elementary and high school days, I tried public and private schools, and I'm currently an undergrad. lol [but I'm on it right now -- finishing it]. My first college was in the province, Cagayan valley to be exact. I tried BSIT [yea-yea information technology] because there were no FA courses that time, but I was also no good for computers, then I transferred into an interior design course studied for 3 to 4 years, then gave up, went back to Pateros. I miss my home! D:>

I probably didn't take much to living in the province that's why I decided to go back were I was, I loved drawing since I was 7? And at first, my mom was against me drawing manga/anime. So that's that. Well, I guess, that was the start? ahahaha. ^^;;;;

What inspired or convinced you to become an Artist?

Hmm...I don't really know, but what I think before is that my friends in Manila were already leaving me behind because I was stuck in the province. ahahahah. [not a good thing though...] Anyways, I think it’s when every time I see a good artist and people are already ahead of me -- I was thinking, man, there’s a lot to catch up on. ^^;;;

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

A typical day for me is everyday - meaning when I’m always at home, either, sketching or playing games or with my dog and sleeping. I’m not such a bum yea? Well I never actually worked with somebody except when I worked with my friends in Funny Komiks and Neo. [rex, pchan, jack, etc-etc~!]

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

Hmm, I tried working for Funny Komiks every summer [only] when I think I was 17-18??? Then contributed to Ground Zero comics for their 2nd issue, and worked for Neocomics for almost a year. Currently, I’m taking Deviantart commissions just to relax and give myself a little stress. Just kidding.

How do you go about illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

My mind? I think most of them are adventures and fantasies, games then I make a story of my own, then "Hoola! I have another OC!" xD. I think that’s all.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I actually start with manual inking or penciling, then have it scanned if I wanted to color it in Photoshop. When I color, I use a mouse, since I didn’t have a tablet before [now I have 1 but I dont use it.lol]. If not the pc, color pencils are good - same methods with manual coloring actually. I start to color the skin then clothes then the hair then etc etc! xD.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I try to look to some of my favorite artists, browse images that they have then keep it back then I start to draw, I never copy really, I mean, I wasn’t good on copying pics or other arts, usually my references are only for inspirations. Except when I’m doing fanart. ahahaha! Sometimes, I play games with "good stories", watch anime[rarely], and games-games-games! I’m a bum now. T_T;;; lol.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, And why?

Adventure! Everything about journey in life and one discovering true strength or power! And some slice of life things, well, its a part of me~! x3. Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most? Oh man! ahaha I have to tell this I guess. ok! Park Jeong Hoon, Kim Sera, Dmyo[cherrypin], Kubotite. What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen? Nya0! ahaha! I think its the face? Clothing and sketchiness. Length of body? Nyao! sorry... I dunno. -_-;;;

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

Deviantart, GaiaOnline, MangaRevolution, SmackJeeves, Cherrypin, Seed, Kim Sera. I think that’s all. :D.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Eh...um...it would never hurt to try. Positive! Dream! Forward! Practice ALWAYS makes perfect~! :3.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

Note me at DeviantArt, you can also mail me at sao.chan [at] yahoo [dot] com.

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Nothing really, but I’m planning to publish a book, no funds yet though. -_-;;;

Thanks!

Thanks for the feature~ God bless and Hugs to All~ =^3^=

What would you do with 3 million pesos?

hmm... 3 million?
hmm... 1m to dad + 1m to mom + 1m to me [savings, etc etc. lol] = 3m! xD. whee!!!

Brian Joseph Valeza

noreply@blogger.com (indie hunter) — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 14:03:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to school, and what extra-curricular activities did you take up? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

Well I am a crazy loony artists that likes to go wacky, hehehe. I took up FINEARTS at FEATI UNIVERSITY here in the Philippines. Watching the master and asking questions is what prepared me to became the artist that I am today. Hehehe. Oh and read on to know more.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

I've always love drawing ever since I was young. Reading a lot of COMICS and MANGA further convinced me to be an artist, hehehe. To be able to go toe on toe with those artists is my goal.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

-Well, I wake up at 5:15am and prepare to go to work till 6:30am then, commute to work for at least 2 hrs. hehehe. Then do my work till 6:15pm then commute again for 2 hrs then eat suffer then go to sleep, then wake up and do the whole thing again the next day for rest of the week, hehehe. But it's OK cause I'm kinda enjoying work, and I was fortunate enough to have wacky officemates, hehehe.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

I've done work for some book publishers as a freelance illustrator. Now I'm a freelance colorist for MANGAHOLIX (a local comic magazine) and a conceptual artist of RENDER DREAM (a new game design studio).

How do you go about an illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

What goes through my mind? Well that's simple. I MUST SURPASS THE LAST ONE I DID, hehehe. If I've done something with blazing fire I must be able to do something different the next time but it must surpass that one without overdoing it, then do another one that will surpass that one again and so on and so forth, hehehe.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

Well, first I set a target, a digital coloring style that I want to learn, then try to imitate that, and fail gloriously, but I accidentally create my own style through that. Then improve it further more.

I'll tell you a secret. I'm not good at coloring, hehehe. Go to our school and I'm the last person people would ask about coloring, hehehe. I just know stuff when it comes to digital coloring in PHOTOSHOP.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

Reading comics and manga, watching tv and movies, listening to music, walking home, playing video games, looking at toys, looking at other peoples work on the web, looking at beautiful girls on the street on the way to work, listen to stories from my friends, almost anything in my daily life keeps me creative.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, and why?

Aside from mecha, everything that can be drawn is my favorite subject.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

There are sooo many illustrators whose works excites me the most. Pro and non-pro. I really can't pick just any of them since all of their works inspire.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

Work hard, be humble, and most of all -- enjoy your work.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

DEVIANTART.COM RULES!!! Hehehe.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Just like what I've learned from other artists, work hard, be humble, and enjoy your work. Oh and this one that I've developed, INSPIRE and BE INSPIRED, hehehe. Gere' how it works (for me at least): every time I learned that I inspired someone with my work it inspires me to do more that will inspire others that will inspire me again to do more and so on and so forth. This way we all gain something.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

Telepathically, hehehe. Just kidding. E-MAIL me at totmoartsstudio[at]yahoo.com.ph or send me a NOTE on totmoartsstudio2.deviantart.com. But still, being contacted telepathically would be cool, hehehe.

Do you have any of your art work for sale (comics, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Well, I've done some coloring on issues# 2 and 3 of MANGAHOLIX which is in bookstores now, oh and sometimes (when I'm on the mood) I do FREE COMMISSIONS on deviant art to thank people for appreciating my works, hehehe.

Aside from being an artist/graphic designer, what other jobs would you like to try?

Back then I wanted to be a PALEONTOLOGIST, I love DINOSAURS, to study them was my dream, then growing up I kinda realized that, it ain't gonna happen, hehehe. But I still want to study dinosaurs.

Neil Arguelles

noreply@blogger.com (indie hunter) — Tue, 27 Nov 2007 14:00:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to school and what extra-curricular activities did you take up? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

I’m Frances Ashton Neil Arguelles. But Ash, Neil or Tofu would do. 23 yrs of age single and looking hehe! I took up Communication Arts at Far Eastern University, I also studied Culinary Arts somewhere in Makati and I’m still in school right now taking a short course on Photography. Basically I just like to draw and I didn’t take any art lessons but I’m planning to take one in the near future.

Ash just call me Ash please.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

It's my first love, I used to collect comic books way back when I was in grade school and I was amazed on how artists could create lifelike sketches. I worship Jim Lee Frank Miller and Todd Mcfarlane back then. My teacher usually nags at me. instead of writing down lectures I draw funny looking stick figures on my notes. I was also the school journal’s art editor and since then I always dreamt of becoming an artist.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

I got hooked up with radio broadcasting recently, as of now I’m working on a local radio station, on free days I teach Korean grade school students English and Tagalog lessons. I also take pictures but I’m still a budding photographer.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

Well I’ve tried indie comics with some friends and fellow artists. I’m working on a title right now though I lack time I still manage to squeeze in and do some rough sketches and lineart. This is for charity by the way, to help cancer patients. HELP 100

How do you go about an illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

Before I start making an illustration I make sure that the image has already materialized in my mind. Some artists would usually think on what others would say about their work or how they would react to it at first glance but I guess everyone should always take a second look at it and try to see the depths of the subject, there’s always a story behind every art.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I hate coloring, on traditional I use colored pencil and copics but most of the time I scan my sheets and use photoshop or painter for coloring.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I read a lot of books, most of my ideas comes from the books I read, you might find this weird but I watch F channel and I have a huge collection of fashion mags locked up in my drawer.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, and why?

Women! As most men would say.. A woman’s body is God’s best creation. I’m trying to work on my anatomy and facial expressions.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

A lot! Hmm locally? to name a few.. Whilce Portacio, Carlo Pagulayan and Chester Ocampo would be on the top of my list. There are a lot of talented Filipino artists out there, they just need a good break and a proper exposure. Heck we can even do better than the Japs.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen? (this is Question #10)

The usual accept bad criticism and learn learn learn proper anatomy, Listen to what others say about your work it’ll help you become a better artist and also try to go beyond your limits.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

Google and next would be of course Deviantart and Youtube, haha ! Any site that would feed my mind with information. Torrent sites tehee!

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

I’d also say the same thing (question#10) but based from my own experience I guess a good amount of sleep, proper diet and occasional book reading.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

Here’s my email yeytofu[at]yahoo[dot]com or they could always visit my DA page. You’d probably often catch me hanging out on malls particularly in the Ortigas area so just approach me and ask whatever it is that you want to know. Lol But don’t ask for money I’d probably ask the same question XD

Do you have any of your art work for sale (comics, prints, or anything)for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Honestly eventhough I’ve been doing this for quite sometime, I don’t consider my art desirable. There are a lot of things that I need to learn. Deviantart lets artists sell their prints right? Just note me if you want one LOL I might accept commissions but I’m afraid I might frustrate them =(

Thanks!

Thanks.

If you were given the chance to illustrate an official cover art for an existing comic title, which comic title would you choose?

I’m a sucker for Spiderman titles it would even be a LOT better if the title would involve crossovers. A remake cover for Spiderman and the Ultimate Six. How about Spiderman with Son Goku?

Chester Ocampo

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Chua) — Sun, 18 Nov 2007 08:36:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

I'd like to think I'm an easy-going guy, but i get really serious when it comes to work. I took up Advertising Management at De La Salle University - Manila; it was a commerce course with little to do with the creative side of Advertising. In terms of art, I am, for the most part, self-taught. It's only here in our studio workshops that I ever held a charcoal and did some live drawing sessions. When I was younger, I used to copy certain elements in the styles of artists I liked. As I matured as an artist, I started analyzing why they chose to draw the way they do, and how i could make my drawings different. I also learned a lot of stuff from Burne Hogarth's Anatomy books, Andrew Loomis, and the old comics tutorials in Wizard magazine. These days, I try to observe scenes of everyday life: people on the bus, on the street, in the malls--their age, their clothes, their interactions. Although artworks of past and modern artists are great to look at, I have deduced that these are all inspired by real life, so now my art studies revolve around first-hand information: real life. This isn't to say that I would be doing hyper-real stuff anytime soon; this means that I am studying real life situations to make my drawings more believable, regardless of the style I choose to employ.

What inspired or convinced you to become an Artist?

I started out copying my brothers drawing Bioman. That's the first thing I ever drew outside of the usual kindergarten "art class" requirements. I kept at it because I found that at that young age, when new toys were only given during Christmas day and birthdays, drawing was like a toy to me. A toy that could make more toys, something that can express an infinite number of things both imagined and real. I still treat it that way up to this day, except I have a more mature way of describing it now hahahaha

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

These days, most of my time is spent here in IFS, having nothing much to do outside of work, in a foreign country. I work with Imaginary Friends Studios here in Singapore, a talented bunch of down-to-earth people who have a great sense of humor. We handle several comics and comics-related projects, among others.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

I've worked on pixel art for mobile phone games, concept art and texture mapping for a now-defunct 3D videogame project, print ad illustrations, magazine illustrations, online comics, print comics, and card art.

How do you go about illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

My conceptualization process is flexible depending on what I want to achieve out of an artwork. If it's a no-brainer artwork, I usually just have one flimsy idea to base it on and go from there. These no-brainer artworks are just for exercise and are never meant to be taken seriously. If it's a more concept-oriented artwork, the process is usually more complex. As much as possible, I try to visualize all the elements in the image that are necessary to communicate the concept/message. Only when I'm confident about the picture in my brain do I proceed with actually working on it. This process is also flexible to accommodate last-minute ideas that strengthen the concept or the impact of the image as a whole.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I work 100% digital, with Photoshop and an Intuos 3. The common method that I use in coloring artwork is fairly straightforward: I set the line art layer on multiply and put it above the layers stack. Underneath are the layers with the base colors (midtones) and the background colors. Based on the lighting and the mood of the scene, I put in the shadows and then the highlights. Lighting decisions for the artwork are affected by time of day, weather conditions, indoor or outdoor, and self-illuminating elements (if there are any). I start putting in shadows similar to cel-shading; After which I blend shadows and midtones together. Highlights come in last.

But these days, as I learn more stuff here in IFS, I've started to incorporate some new techniques in my method, opting for a more painterly approach as opposed to lineart-based coloring.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I expose myself to various media. The saying "nothing in, nothing out" holds true for every creative endeavor. But sometimes, exposing yourself to the usual stimuli can become so routine that it no longer has any effect on creativity. In instances like this, I try to break routine, which could be as simple as taking some time off and observe a beach scene. Or it could be as extravagant as blowing out a lot of cash on overpriced booze, cigarettes, and shopping. In any case, there's always a different solution whenever I find myself in a creative rut.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, And why?

I like drawing women because I find women, in general, are complex and mysterious. I also like drawing characters that I imagine stories for because I want to make my own stories someday.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

I have a lot of illustrators whose works I admire and have influenced my style over the past few years: Akihiko Yoshida, Paul Pope, Hiroaki Samura, Capcom studio, just to name a few. Right now, I saw James Jean's latest artbook (Process Recess 2) and I am just floored by his stuff.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

I've picked up a lot of tricks on technique that are too long to list down here so I won't talk about that. Virtue-wise, I have learned several lessons in humility and dedication. Humility in accepting criticism, knowing how helpful "fresh eyes" are; and humility in giving criticism, knowing what they're talking about when they give out comments. Dedication to quality and to the task at hand, that stems from discipline. Oh, and I've just realized how important research is, and how much research can add more subtle layers of depth and meaning to an image. An artist should not only have a fertile imagination, but a clear mental grasp of reality, history, culture, and life as well.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

DeviantArt, for my daily dose of art and photography; Google, for visual research; Wikipedia, for information research; Newsarama and Comicbookresources for comics news; and Multiply for connecting with friends.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

I'm no "buddha on the mountaintop of coolness", but if there is something I could tell The Artist, in general, it would be this: your art is only as good as the life you lead. Of course, the word "good" is a relative term. Some artists lead f-ed up lives and churn out great, sincere artworks, totally influenced by their f-ed up experiences. Some artists lead mediocre lives but are observant, environmentally-aware, and imaginative and churn out great artworks as well. There's a writer's saying, "Write what you know." In the case of the artist, it's "Make art of what you know." And the only best way to know is to experience, or at the very least, know someone who has relevant experiences. And let imagination take care of the rest.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

If anybody wishes to reach me, they can send me a note via DeviantArt, or e-mail me at chester.ocampo [at] gmail [dot] com . Although I must admit I'm a bit late in my responding to notes and e-mails lately, since I'm always neck-deep working on something. I'll hear anybody out, just no spam and silly requests, please.

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

At the moment, I don't have anything out there that's 100% my work. Most of my own stuff is online, and some actually wound up in Imagine Prime, the 2nd artbook of Imaginary Friends Studios, which is available for purchase through www.imaginaryfs.com . Maybe when I gather enough material, I can eventually publish a sketchbook or something along those lines, but I seriously think only a handful of people would actually buy that hahahaha

Thanks!

Do you imagine yourself (and perhaps your family) eventually migrating to Singapore or remaining as Filipino citizens?

As much as Singapore is a breath of fresh air compared to Manila (for one, you can go walking around way past midnight without fear of being stabbed for your cellphone), there are some cultural traits here that just do not fit my personality. It's great working here, but I would still prefer to raise a family in Manila. A few years from now, I'm sure I'll be back. And when that time comes, I hope I can finally make a significant difference for the Philippine Digital Art Industry. Because I believe that we can help uplift our country from the rut it's currently in, in our own, unique ways.

Ruben de Vela

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Chua) — Sun, 30 Sep 2007 03:40:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

My name is Ruben, I was born in 1981 and raised in Manila.

When I was a kid, I got a set of children's encyclopedias from my grandmother. Called "A Child's First Library of Learning" they were a series of lavishly illustrated books about the natural sciences. Being reprinted from Japan, they were actually what got me into the "Manga Style" even if I had never heard the word before.

I studied in Pisay, and had to take a science course because of the graduation contract. I took Applied Physics in UPLB, in a program designed by a Filipino Nobel aspirant. I was distracted this entire time by my own doodlings and videogames, and I dropped out.

I shifted to Industrial Design in UP Fine Arts, and I graduated while still being distracted by my art and video games. I have trained and worked as a background artist for a large anime studio, and have done advertising storyboards and some teaching in between.

What inspired or convinced you to become an Artist?

I don't know if I ever consciously decided I wanted to become and artist, it just turned out that way...

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

I usually have an erratic sleep pattern, so there is hardly a typical day. I usually work at home, but you might find me at any coffee place that allows people to plug in their laptops.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

A couple of 3^rd Party Dnd Sourcebooks

A few British instructional illustration books

Kev Walker's "Drawing & Painting Fantasy Beasts"

A few animation backgrounds for "One Piece"

Some storyboarding jobs that left me exhausted

A LOT of personal commissions for internet clients

How do you go about illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

I am a proponent of planning a piece before executing it. I usually go through a lot of sketches and drafts before I'm happy with a composition, and I usually design every object in the image separately before inserting in into the image.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I use Photoshop for nearly everything. First, I do a sketch doodle at low resolution. Then, I do a color test. If that looks good, I do the lineart separately. Then I add in flat colors, color the background, then I correct any anatomical or perspective errors I notice. Finally, I do any color correction and hue changes that are needed.

Sometimes I use 3dsMax for elements in the image. I add any 3d renders while working on the background.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I like working in unfamiliar places to get my brainstorms going. There's something very refreshing about being in a place you've never been in.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, And why?

I love drawing pictures based on literary works, primarily Science Fiction and Fantasy stories. The translation from text to an image of a character is so open to interpretation and style. And yet when the finished image is recognizable to the readers of the original material, it shows that the author's original vision still shines through.

I guess that's why I also enjoy personal commissions where the client sends their character designs to me as text. It's very gratifying to sometimes get a character's personality spot-on, even from just words.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

I got into Michael Whelan's compositions and color choices from his covers of books I have read. I admire Peter Chung for his insane freedom with character design. Recently, I've found both brilliance and efficiency in Takeshi Obata's manga pages.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

Always flip your initial sketch horizontally to check for errors! This is the best way to catch asymmetrical faces and weird proportions.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

deviantart.com, homestarrunner.com ...

What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Try not to get burned by the fires that fuel your imagination!

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

rubendevela [at] gmail [dot] com

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

If anyone wants prints or commissions, just drop me an email!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Would you like the structure of a stable job doing what you do? Why or why not?

I would love a stable job! It would settle my sleep pattern, for one thing. And don't underestimate the value of having an excuse to interact with workmates everyday. It depends on the job, though. For instance, I was making anime backgrounds for a while, and even if I learned a lot there, I was pining for creative control every single day I was there. I'm happy freelancing for now, though. I plan to build up my skill and portfolio to a good level before jobhunting again.

Honoel Ibardolaza

noreply@blogger.com (Joel Chua) — Mon, 17 Sep 2007 02:58:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself, about your life? Where did you go to school, and what classes did you study? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

Unfortunately, there's not much to talk about myself. I live a very mundane, unexciting life. As for school, I have a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of St. LaSalle, Bacolod. I haven't had any formal art classes though, so I'm pretty much self taught.

What inspired or convinced you to become an Artist?

I became an artist because I wanted my brother to be proud of me. He was an amazing artist and I couldn't stop idolizing him. He stopped drawing right after he graduated college so I took it upon myself to inspire him to draw again.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

I wake up around 2 pm and turn on my computer to check for emails and updates. Have lunch/breakfast. Loaf around for an hour watching tv then I start fiddling at the computer which takes up about 2/3 of my waking time. Then I go to bed at around 6-7 am. I don't really work with a lot of people except those who are involved in the project I'm currently part of. Even then, it's just a professional kind of relationship. I do chat a lot with friends online though.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

I've worked on a few local anthologies like Siglo. There's also the original "manga" title Blade for Barter from Seven Seas Entertainment (http://www.gomanga.com). I'm currently wrapping up Pandora: A Death Jr. Manga, also from Seven Seas.

How do you go about illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

The hardest part is always the conceptualizing of the idea like how to pose the characters, what angle to use, etc... Once I've decided on that, it's all pretty much smooth work. My mind tends to wander to other things while I'm working.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I exclusively use Adobe Photoshop 6 to color my work because I find it very convenient, especially the undo function. Unfortunately I don't color traditionally anymore. There's just too many factors involved using traditional media.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I read a lot of books and doodle.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, And why?

Mostly children because they are easy and fun to draw and I've always wanted to be a children's fiction writer.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

Currently they're Guri Huri and Alessandro Barbucci.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

I admire their passion for their work.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

I visit sites out of habit and boredom. I don't really have any favorites.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an Artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

Hmmm... this is a very cliche question, and it deserves an equally cliche answer-- You have to want it badly enough to sacrifice social life, personal enjoyment, and daily bath.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

People can drop me an email via my site contact form (http://www.homanga.net) or leave a message in my deviant art (http://homanga.deviantart.com/).

Finally, do you have any of your art work for sale (sketchbook, prints, or anything) for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

Honestly, I have no idea where my stuff are being sold. Heck, I don't even have copies of them. 9_9

Thanks!

zen zen.

What attracted and continues to attract you to the anime / manga style of illustration?

I'm an incredibly big sucker when it comes to cute stuff and anime/manga is the one-stop shop for everything big eyes, small mouth and all that's in between.

RYE

noreply@blogger.com (indie hunter) — Fri, 24 Aug 2007 02:00:00 +0000

Tell me a little bit about yourself. Where did you go to school, and what extra-curricular activities did you take up? What helped prepare you to become the artist that you are today?

I took up a degree in Computer Science with a specialization on Instructional Systems Technology (pretty long, eh?) at DLSU. I didn't do a lot of extra-curricular activities at that time because I use my free time mostly for drawing and playing videogames. I was however a member of MooMedia, a multimedia org set up by my batchmates. Twas my love for computers and videogames that propelled me to be a digital artist.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

I've been drawing ever since I was a kid, but what I drew before didn't have to do anything with what I'm drawing today. Like 'normal' kids, my friends and I went through a phase where we were all very much into anime. Those friends who surrounded me were all good in drawing anime-styled artworks. But it was my bestfriend Reen, who was into videogames as well, that taught me to draw in that style. Couple that with the knowledge of being able to surf the net (there weren't many of us before), it didn't become hard for me to discover and be inspired by those great artists from all over.

What is a typical day for you, and who are the people you work with?

A typical day for me involves exposing myself to radiation from a lot of different sources: my pc, my tv, my pc at the office, and the tv beside me at the office. Oh yeah, my phone, too.

I work at a tv station, you could just imagine how many monitors I expose my eyes onto aside from the ones I already mentioned. The people I work with are a fun bunch, all of which are also exposed to a lot of radiation.

What are some of the things that you have worked on?

Most of my anime-styled artworks were born from drawing as a hobby and nothing else. Exceptions were a few pieces for two of Level-Up's game guides for Ragnarok. I also did Flash graphics for my thesis that later on was bought by a publishing company. Currently I do graphics for some of the plugs of Studio 23's shows.

How do you go about an illustration, what goes through your mind, from start to end?

Whenever I decide to draw, it’s either born from an idea stuck in my head for quite a while or from a ‘just-draw-whatever’ attitude. While drawing it’s usually a mixture of sticking to the idea (sprung on or before) and making my hand go buck wild. This is why some of my works have characters in weird poses.

Could you talk about your process in coloring your art (if at all), as well as the types of tools or media that you use?

I color all my works digitally. I start with scanning and cleaning the lineart in Photoshop and then I transfer the lineart to Painter for the actual coloring. I use a (pretty cheap) pen and tablet and the tools I use often are digital watercolors and oil pastels. I do everything using the pen, starting with the flats, then the shadows, and finally the highlights. When I’m done with the piece, I return back to Photoshop to add finishing touches on the colors and to add color to the lineart if needed.

What are some of the things that you do to keep yourself creative?

I play videogames and browse artists over as DeviantArt and all over the web. A little time management with the former is needed, especially if the game being played gets highly addictive.

What is your most favorite subject to draw, and why?

I’ve drawn mostly portraits and pin-ups because I love designing characters, and then make stories about them. If only I knew how to sew, I would’ve brought some of my characters to reality.

Who are the top illustrators whose works excite you the most?

Hyung Tae-Kim, Cowbell (dunno the real name), SR, Akihiko Yoshida, Taga-ilog, Arnold Tsang to name a few.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other artists that you have worked with or seen?

Drawing is neat, I learned that from my bestfriend Reen. Everything I know about coloring, I learned by oogling at artworks online.

What are some of your favorite websites that you go to?

There’s DeviantArt, where I met most of the great local artists I know. Kawaiidream.net is where I get my dose of videogame art.

What wisdom could you give us, about being an artist? Do you have any tips you could give?

There are a lot of other artists out there who are much more deserving than I am to impart wisdom to people. I tell myself to ‘just draw’. Don’t think about it way too much, just pick a pencil and a piece of paper and draw.

If people would like to contact you, how would you like to be contacted?

They could send an email to : hatesdk[at]yahoo[dot]com or they could send a note to me through my deviantart page at : http://tsubibo.deviantart.com

Do you have any of your art work for sale (comics, prints, or anything)? If so, for fans of your work can know where and when to buy it?

I don’t have anything for sale up yet. So far what I only have now are plans haha

Thanks!

You’re welcome XD

If a sorcerer offered you fortune beyond your imagination in
exchange for your artistic talent, what would you do?

I’ll ask the sorcerer “How about take my out-of-tune
singing talent instead?” XD