#1
We asked Bonnie how much time she spends creating her comics: “For short 4-panel comics, it usually takes about 2 hours to finish. For longer comics with multiple panels - sometimes occupying all 10 slides on Instagram - it takes a longer time, maybe 5 hours or up to a day. Sometimes I like to split the process up, doing the sketch on one day and finishing it the day after. The time above is only the drawing process though, coming up with ideas and stories takes another chunk of time (and brain power).”
“I think each artist has their own technique,” Bonnie says. “In the early days of comic making, I would draw the line art on a layer and then do the color on another layer, which was quite time-consuming. Now I color directly onto the line art by using the fill tool and setting the brush as "behind". It helps to streamline my process and makes things more convenient. I also like listening to music with earphones when I'm working to have better focus.”
We wondered whether the talented artist faces creative blocks at times. She said: “I usually post new comics twice a week, so there needs to be a constant supply of ideas. I have a habit of recording ideas whenever inspiration comes, so I will always have some ideas on hand. I get inspiration mostly from daily life, but sometimes the topics may become repetitive so I'll try to tell the story from a different perspective.
I did experience creative/art blocks in the past, it was not pleasant but most times it's an indication that I need to pay attention to other aspects of life. Things usually go back on track when I take care of my well-being. If the block persists, I would put aside my work for a while and focus on other creative outlets: read books, look at other people's art, watch movies and try new hobbies. Doing new things help replenish my creativity.”
“The world is just one click away nowadays, and it’s easy to feel intimidated by all the great art out there,” Bonnie told us. “I’ve been in the same place, thinking everything beautiful is already made and my work will never be unique enough. It was quite depressing, and then I read a book called “Steal Like an Artist”. It struck me talking about how nothing is truly original because every artist must take inspiration or reference from something. Whether it’s from another artist’s work, nature, or ancient artifacts, we will always “borrow” things when creating art.
There’s a lot of talk about creating a unique style. I would choose a few of my favourite artists, identify what I like about their work, then try to emulate them. Because I cannot 100% replicate it, my work will end up looking like something else, and that gradually becomes my “unique” style. It’s a mesh of the things I reference from.”
When asked about her future plans, the artist said: “While most people know me by my comics, I make a living by illustrating children’s books. I enjoy creating art for both books and comics, but in the future, I hope to expand my comics by sharing them on more platforms and self-publish books. I also started drawing Roar Street Journal again - one of my past webcomics. If you have been following it on Webtoon, you can now continue to read it on Instagram!”
