Itsura Manga: February 2012

Tell us 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?

Hi I’m Enjelia. I am taking B.S. Architecture at the University of Santo Tomas. I like Anime/Manga since Yu Yu Hakusho(a.k.a Ghost Fighter) and Sailor Moon, I’d say they were my influence for the anime/manga category. I love to make web comics when I have time. I also love to draw buildings and landscapes though I am not very confident making them, but I still do my best.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

The buildings in Makati when I was little. I just sort of started to draw them. Ahaha.

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

Wake up, go to school during school days. In my free time, I just check my dA account for some client request (a.k.a commissions) or get in touch with Oh no! Manga team.

OTL

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

I do commissions in deviant Art. Some of my works are used for flash games, exhibit event stands (Anime conventions and Window Displays at SM) and Gaia online.

I am currently the web comic artist for a (short) comic (in Manga style) series in Alabama.

I am also a contributor/artist for Oh no! Manga and I’ll have my work “Better Boyfriend” and hopefully “Girl Gamer” too, to be published by them… /dies.

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

I usually draw the character I like the most during that time. I will first think of the character’s personality, sketch some pose based on it, or sometimes I will add a funny situation in the 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 use Sai & Photoshop CS3. I work sketch directly on Sai, since I don’t have a scanner (define poor, yeah that’s me). I do digital coloring with many layers. I start of with the skin, the hair and then the clothes. And then, I’ll use Photoshop for finishing touches and effects.

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

Looking at the works of some great artists helps me.

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

The Face. It shows the emotions of the character.

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

Francisco Mañosa (for Architecture) – National Artist. He gives this “Filipino touch” to every design he makes, that’s what I like about him.

Redjuice999(for Anime epicness) – I love his style. I don’t want to copy it though.

Tony Taka (for Manga/Anime) – Ecchi? That’s him. Haha.

Eiichiro Oda (for Manga/Anime) - This artist’s style seems so easy but it is not.

Hiro Mashima (for Manga/Anime) – He’s like Eiichiro Oda, in Bishounen/ Bishoujo style. :P

Hideaki Sorachi (for Manga/Anime and Comedy) -

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

99% Hard work, 1% Talent. Always do your best and have fun.

And to always be nice to people, because I hate rude artists.

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

Facebook. I talk to my friends and people who says they admire my works there. I try to respond any time I can.

Deviant Art. I post my works here and interact with fellow artist. I made lots of friends here (real life).

Smackjeeves. I post my webcomics here. Here’s my profile:

http://www.smackjeeves.com/profile.php?id=66467

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

If you think you're good at something, there's always someone who does it better.

Don’t let too much praise get into you, or you might turn into someone else.

Be humble.

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

Through my deviant Art: www.enjelia.deviantart.com

They may note me. Or in my mail: enjelicious[at]gmail[dot]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 sell stuffs & do on-the-spot commissions during anime conventions. And I have my web comic, “Looking for a better boyfriend” (Better Boyfriend) now published by Oh No! Manga, to be sold at some comic shops (for more details, please visit: http://www.facebook.com/ohnomanga).

If you were able to collect all 7 Dragonballs, which famous person would you want Shenlong to bring back to life, and why?

Son Goku.

“Everyone give me money with your aura!” *raises both hands*

…That’s wrong.

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?

Hi!~ I’m Koi, I actually go by a lot of names, but I prefer to be called Koi.

I studied at University of the East, I took up Fine Arts. I majored in Advertising Arts.

Way back in high school, I used to draw a lot at the back of my lecture notebooks and books. But I never really took it seriously. I only did it to entertain myself from the boring lectures and the mundane life that is my high school life. I never joined school activities and contests because I disliked the idea of representing something that I actually didn’t believe in. I joined the science club, it was cool at first, and then got really boring really fast.

When I graduated I didn’t actually had a plan on what to do. I enrolled at Mapua and took Computer Science, I was actually doing ok, never failed a subject and met a lot of people but I somehow got drawn into the arts so midway through the second semester I dropped all my subjects and enrolled at an art workshop at U.P. and then I enrolled at U.E., I graduated and the rest is history.

What inspired or convinced you to become an artist?

I was never really convinced that I can be a good artist. I was really reluctant at first. I actually tried to quit, a lot of times now. But somehow, I always get drawn to it. I guess you could say that if you’re really meant to do it, the universe would mess you up just so you would end up doing it anyway.

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

Hmm, I wake up early around 6:00 am, go to work. Try my best to go

through the day without dying from boredom. Go home, check some mails and messages from clients, go to sleep for at least an hour, wake up then go to work on some freelance gigs, then at around 2:00am I go to sleep. Then the grueling cycle begins anew. Ugh.

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

A lot of layout gigs, but I could never mention it here because then

they’ll have to sue me. All I can say is try to look at some posters

at shops and maybe you’ll see some things that I did the layout on. I worked on some commissions for some international clients.

I worked on this independent comic, titled Marco’s Delivery Service. I also got this megaman work that was featured at Udon’s Megaman tribute book.

Now, I’m working on another independent comic with a really great

writer.

How do you go about an illustration, what goes through your mind,

from start to end?

I usually research a lot about the subject first, usually stumbling on things not even related to it. I study the references given to me, or if none, then I try to find some related references for the subject.

Then I do roughs on my sketchpad try to give it as much energy as I

can. Scan it then if it’s approved I ink it. Then finally, color it.

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?

No! it’s a trade secret! :P

Kidding, I usually do flats first then work my way with the shadows

and highlights. But lately, I’ve been really interested on superflat

arts so I skip on the shadows and highlights.

For the colors I try to incorporate the color theories I learned from college. Usually the colors are important. It could make a good line work great, or it could ruin a great line work. Something like that. If I get really lazy, I skip the entire coloring process and scrap the whole thing.

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

I go for photo walks, I watch movies, tryout something new, go on an

adventure, drink lots of coffee. Usually, if I’m really on a rut, I

just go for a long walk outside. Take my mind off some things for a

while. Most of the time this is the moment that I would come up with

something interesting, I write it down immediately so that I would not forget it.

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

Faces, eyes, and clouds. I don’t really know why. It’s just something that I unconsciously do.

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

Eiichiro Oda of One Piece; that man is pure awesome, Yoshinori Kanada, Hiroyuki Imaishi, Takeshi Koike, Lesean, Takeshi Obata, Kizer, Riichiro Inagaki, the guys from Catfish Deluxe; Bill, Gobi and Fabien, right now I’m really interested on the works of Gabriel Ba and Fabio Moon, Duncan Fegredo, Guy Davis and Sean Gordon Murphy.

For those not at the top but still excites me nonetheless, my awesome colleagues; Pol, Borg and Jules, oh and Henru.

What are some of the neat things you have learned from other

artists that you have worked with or seen?

Hard work usually pays off but only if you’re patient enough with the results. You might not see it now, but if you keep at it, the payoff will be great.

Don’t be afraid to take a break, it would do wonders.

Don’t be a jerk to people, no matter how dumb you think they are, try to be polite, most of the time they are the ones who would help you out when everything comes to full circle, and of course having who someone you can manipulate is not that bad haha.

Stop stressing over some things you completely can’t control. And

start paying attention to the things that you can control, like hard

work, effort and guts.

Don’t be afraid to mess up. If you mess up, things can only get better.

Put your best effort NOT into everything, but to the things that you love.

Be the flame that burns brighter than anyone. But don’t let the others get burned. And be ready to get burned and fade out yourself.

Nothing can happen till you swing the bat.

...And of course having someone who you could manipulate is not that bad haha.

There’s a lot more, but I think these are the most important ones that I can think of at the moment.

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

Hmm..Blogspot, tumblr, Wikipedia, wordpress, cgsociety, oh and deviant art.

Theres also this new site that has lots of great artworks; dropr.com

It's still on beta though.

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

any tips you could give?

Keep moving forward. Don’t dwell on mistakes and missed chances.

Be patient. If you’re not getting noticed, that means you just have

not found your audience yet.

Overnight success usually only happens in the movies. And you’re not

in a movie, so don’t stress about it.

Be ready to get disappointed a lot of times. Don’t try. You can only either do it or don’t do it.

Read a lot. It would keep your mind sharp. Whether it’s a comic book

or a novel or 9gag, just read, have fun and let your imagination do

the rest. I have no respect to people who do not read! Haha.

And lastly, be smart. You don’t need to be a genius to be smart.

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

They can send me an email at jml.carreon[at]gmail[dot]com

Or they can send me a note at my DA account at luckykoifish.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?

For a while, Marco’s Delivery Service can be bought at Comic Odyssey, but I have yet to restock it. It usually cost a lot to print that’s why I haven’t been reprinting it.

Oh if they have the money they can buy Udon’s megaman tribute book. My work is featured there along with a lot of talented individuals around the world. I think it’s sold at comicbook shops. I think I saw one at Festival mall. Or they can just pre-order it at Udon.