Given the chance, Bored Panda reached out to Anton for a quick chat!
When asked about the source of his inspiration and the relatability of his work, Anton shared: “First of all, I want to thank everyone interested in my work for the feedback. My comics are about what I see around me, about incidents from my life, about observations, and given that my life cannot be called 'unusual,' so I'm not surprised that many people face the same problems or situations. It's also very nice to see when you're not alone and when people around the world can feel the same way. Of course, some of my drawings may be less understandable to most, and this is also absolutely normal because even though we are all similar, we can look at things differently, and we can have a different sense of humor.”
Many fans may not know that Gudim has already published four books, one of which, Everyday Absurdities, is available in English. Discussing this book, he revealed, “This book is a small summary of all my creative work: we have been choosing drawings for it for a long time, and the process of preparing for publication took about six months. The publisher and I shared our thoughts on how each of us sees this book until we finally came to a common form and content. The book turned out to be quite heavy and voluminous: inside it are several years of my painstaking work. By the way, you can find it on Amazon if you are suddenly interested in buying.”
Given the time, effort, and creativity required to maintain a steady stream of content, we were curious about Anton's current workflow. He explained, “A few years ago, I would have answered: about 2 comics a week, but now the situation is a little different. I have a second project (Yes, But), I still get commissions for commercial illustrations, and I also do some of my drawings in animation form (and since I have little to no animation skills, this process can take several days). Given all this, my answer would be almost every day. I draw something almost every day, I don't have clear days off, even during the holidays. I can draw something on the plane or in the hotel room. I can’t say that this rhythm is tiring because I feel that I can stop at any moment, but if I don’t draw for 1-2 days, I already want to draw again.”
When discussing how he handles criticism, the artist reflected to Bored Panda, “I hope that you will not be too critical of what I do. Although, perhaps, the Internet was created specifically for this. Comics/drawings/creativity is as much a part of our life as trees, sky, and birds, and I really like being inside it. All I want is to invite you to the world that I created, and maybe it will give you a little joy, distract you from problems, maybe make you think, or inspire you to some kind of your own creativity. Thank you for your time!”
In our recent interview, we delved deeper into Anton’s creative process and the balancing act he performs between his engineering job and artistic pursuits. He explained, “I’m always observing the world around me, taking note of interesting or paradoxical situations that I encounter. These observations often serve as the basis for my comics. As for my work environment, I can create pretty much anywhere as long as it's peaceful and I have the mental space to focus.” On the topic of criticism, Anton said, “Criticism is part of being a creative individual, especially when your work is shared on such a vast platform. I view every critique as an opportunity to grow and improve. However, it's crucial to distinguish between constructive criticism and simple negativity. If the critique is meaningful, it could potentially influence my future work, but I won't alter my style just due to personal dislike.”
When asked about any untapped topics he plans to explore, Anton kept things mysterious: “There are countless topics and issues I haven't touched upon yet but hope to in the future. Given the endless stream of contradictions and absurdities in our lives, there's no shortage of subjects to cover. However, I prefer to keep my plans under wraps. The surprise element of my comics, I believe, contributes to their appeal.”
Balancing his engineering job with his artistic work presents a challenge, but Anton finds value in this duality. He shared with us, “It can be quite a juggling act to manage my engineering job and art creation, but I find a way. In fact, having a non-artistic job is beneficial as it offers a breather from the creative process, allowing my ideas to brew at the back of my head. As for the influence of my engineering background on my art, I would say it introduces a level of precision and analytical thinking to my work. My comics, while seemingly ironic, are often the result of meticulous planning and execution.”
