PROFILE Name/Pen Name: Dương Đức Age: 28 Country: Vietnam Favorite manga: Doraemon, Dragon Ball, HxH, GTO, Hikaru no Go, Bakuman Favorite movie: Spirited Away Favorite Quote: “It always seems impossible until it’s done.” -Nelson Mandela Entry title: “Don’t worry, Noa!” Round: SMA17 “Moments of HASTE, RAGE, or SMILES” Award: Excellence Award Runner-Up

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“Be open minded to learn from everything around you, and keep high standards to yourself but don’t be too strict.”

  About SMA

• How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award? To be really honest, I was a little disappointed since I was the Excellence Award Runner-Up; I expected to receive the Excellence Award. But oh well, more motivation for me to try better!

• What was the inspiration behind your awarded work? I’m kinda obsessed with snow. The melancholic scenery, the cold, the atmosphere, all of it is so beautiful. It’s funny though because there is no snow in my country, so I wish to experience it someday. So basically it was my inspiration, and I wanted to create a story that feels like each snowflake falling is slowly burying the hope or something like that haha.

• What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them? Oh, it was the landscape! I wanted to make a mountainous scene so that the girl runs down the slope. And the architecture and outfits should be somewhat appropriate for a cold climate too, so I chose Russia. It was quite difficult to draw all that, actually! How did I overcome that? I just did it bit by bit, one small thing at a time, that’s all.

READ Dương Đức’s SMA17 ENTRY HERE!

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  About your Manga

• How and when did you start making manga? Any advice for beginners? I have loved manga since I was 3. When did I start making one? I don’t remember, but I remember I finished a oneshot when I was a first year university student. And as for the advice? Be open minded to learn from everything around you, and keep high standards to yourself but don’t be too strict. Keep telling yourself you are the best ^^, that self assurance will keep you away from doubt.

• Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools? I draw with my feet actually ^^. Joking aside, I draw digitally. But I was drawing traditionally with ink and a G-pen for a while back. My best tools now? A good graphic tablet (most preferable Wacom) and Clip Studio Paint, which is the most streamlined manga-making software out there.

• What was the first manga you picked up? It was Dragon Ball or Doraemon, I don’t remember. I was 3 years old I believe.

• Which manga changed your life? Bakuman. It gave me courage to pursue this career back in high school.

• Which manga character do you most identify with? Why? Nobita from Doraemon. No matter how clumsy, lazy, and hopeless he is at times, deep down inside, he is always willing to become a better self. I’m also like that.

• What kind of manga do you want to make next? Something entertaining, captivating, and emotional.

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  About You

• What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax? I play video games. I’m addicted to games. How do I relax? By sleeping and stretching my body.

• What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)? I’m a freelance storyboard artist.

• Where do you see your manga career in 5 years time? I want to finish at least a volume or two each year, so in 5 years it should be about 10 volumes. All I want to do is to entertain people with my craft.

• What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could? If I could, rather than talk, I would bring my works from the present time to my younger self.

• What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®? Well, just do what you want to do, as long as it is relevant to the theme. That’s all.

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Thank you, Dương Đức! We’re eagerly expecting your next manga masterpiece!

Get some inspiration by checking out the other AMAZING awarded works from SMA17!