We wanted our attendees to get to know the incredible talent in the Artist Alley a little better, so we asked each of our artists to answer a couple questions about themselves and their art.
Tell us a bit about yourself.
I’m an art Teacher, freelance illustrator, MidWeek Editorial Cartoonist, and author. I started getting into cons by volunteering at Kawaii Kons doing a Free Sketchbook review and Drawing Tutorials table. Maybe people remember my doctor’s coat covered with famous art works.
What was the first thing you made/wrote/drew?
I recall sitting in church as a little kid and took a pew card and starting doodling because I was bored and restless. After the service, a woman sitting behind me gave me a quarter for the little drawing!
Tell us about your creative process, from the beginning of a typical piece to its completion?
I imagine my ideas and start sketching images down. Over time, I rework ideas infusing research, personal tastes, and some message or idea I would like to get across. For my books, each has some sort of life lesson or message. Books and comics don’t have to just entertain, but can be used for teaching about social issues, history, and awareness.
Who or what are your influences?
Hayao Miyazaki, Norman Rockwell, Walt Disney, Charles Dickens, and tv from the sixties.
What plans do you have for the future of your art?
I’m still learning as I go through each step. I’m working on sequels for each title .
Do you have any good advice for emerging artists?
Take the first step to do your own stories and develop your art style. Don’t expect success quickly or resort to just draw other people’s (licensed) characters. Learn the standard skills and correct procedures in an art media, but do your own art.
What do you hope people get out of you artwork/writing/etc?
My style is using prose writing combined with graphic/manga/comic art pages. It’s different and people experience both left/right brain imagination when reading. Also, infuse some serious topics and issues in the stories and I hope it enlightens readers.
To date, what works of yours are most satisfied with?
I think Highball and Pepe is special being my first self published comic. It introduces the real story about Donaldina Cameron in Chinatown, San Francisco 1800’s. She is credited for the rescue of over 3,000 Chinese girls from human (sex) trafficking. I was able to visit the Cameron House in person with Agent Pepe last March! Also, the comic is in a national Steampunk Exhibit in Hershey, PA.
Will you have any convention exclusives or deals available at CCH?
I will have a second issue of Aloha Pepe the comic book to debut. One of the stories inside is a crossover with Christopher Caravalho’s “Aumakua Guardians of Hawaii” character Seoul Hot!
Also, I will be be doing Funkofied Commissions again. Get POP “Funkofied” as a figure drawing of yourself as a Funko Figure! ( Per individual $5 b/w or $10 Color)
Make sure to stop by Roy Chang’s table in the Comic Con Honolulu Artist Alley July 29-31, 2016!
