PROFILE
Pen Name / Name: Eminora
Country: Latvia
Age: 30
Social media: Instagram: @eminora_art X: @eminora_art Webtoon: Eminora
Favorite manga: Natusme’s Book of Friends
Favorite movie: Inception
Favorite quote: “It’s better to try, than regret not trying.”

Entry title: “In clouds”
Round: SMA22: “Seized With Rage”
Award: Excellence Award Runner-up

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“Don’t quit and don’t be afraid to tell the stories you want to tell.”

About SMA

How does it feel to receive a SILENT MANGA AUDITION® award?
It truly feels amazing – like a dream come true! I feel very proud and honored, and I’m motivated to move forward!

What was the inspiration behind your awarded work?
My childhood. My mom would occasionally give me and my sister chores to do while she was busy at work. Sometimes, it would result in what you can see in my SMA entry. The funniest part was when I showed this to my sister. She could immediately tell what inspired it!

What challenges did you face while making your manga? How did you overcome them?
I was mostly drawing webcomics before, so I didn’t feel confident that my art would suit manga. The thing that helped me was to throw perfectionism away and just do it. Also, choosing the right panels and expressions was pretty challenging. They were the only storytelling tools I had, as words are prohibited in SMA. To help with that, I always like to imagine myself watching a movie or an anime. That way, the scenes come to mind more naturally.

READ Eminora’s SMA22 ENTRY HERE!

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About Your Manga

How and when did you start making manga? What do you wish you knew as a beginner? What advice would you give to someone who wants to start drawing manga?
I remember filling out many lined notebooks with crude, magical girl comics in grade school. Unfortunately, I no longer have them. I wish I did more panelling and layout exercises to fully grasp their purpose. It can really heighten a scene and make every page look new and refreshing. Panelling is just as important as the dialogue and artwork. My advice to someone who wants to start drawing manga is: draw anything that inspires you. Be it a small act of kindness, an important event or something purely fictional, just keep drawing and telling stories. 

Do you draw your manga digitally or by hand? What are your go-to digital or analogue tools?
I use both. For my analogue tools, I use Pitt ink pens and pencils for sketching. As for digital art, I usually use Paint Tool SAI for drawing and Adobe Photoshop for the final rendering and typesetting. I tried using Medibang Paint for the first time when I made my SMA entry, as it provides a nice set of screen tones!


What was the first manga you picked up? Is it easy to access manga where you live?
I think it was Full Moon Wo Sagashite. I saw the anime and decided to look up the manga as well. I was surprised by how different they were!

You can get some very popular titles in book stores, but for a bigger variety, there are specialized comic book shops (those can be found only in capital though). The situation was way worse when I was a teenager. Everything I read was from online platforms.

Which manga changed your life?
I think it probably was Fullmetal Alchemist. I believe it has one of the greatest stories out there, and I can relate to characters a lot. They are beautifully written. I hope I can create something as good as that one day!

Which manga character do you most identify with? Why?
I would say Natsume Takashi from Natsume’s Book of Friends. I can relate to his desire to connect with other people/youkai and to be kind to both. My hope as an artist is also to touch people’s hearts and reach them with my works.


What kind of manga do you want to make next?
Before entering SMA, I was working on my webcomic, Threshold Of No Return. I’m planning to return to it, because I still feel passionate about it! If I create anything new, I would love to go for the fantasy/drama genre again.

We have a very small community of comic lovers and artists, but an even smaller part of the community is into indie works. I feel alienated at local conventions/expos at times, as comic creators are a rarity, and people are not that interested in stopping by to read our works.

About You

What do you do when you’re not making manga? How do you relax?
I like to crochet, as it eases my mind! I also love reading books, playing video games, and spending time with my loved ones. I also try to exercise regularly and go to the gym to stay healthy.

What industry do you work in (if manga making isn’t your primary job)?
I work in the IT industry as a web developer. My dream is to pursue art as a career one day.

Where do you see your manga career in five years time?
I want to continue drawing the comics I love and not lose my passion for them. I would be thrilled to get a publishing offer one day, but until then, I will do my best as an indie creator and improve my craft!


What manga making advice would you give to your younger self if you could?
Don’t quit and don’t be afraid to tell the stories you want to tell. Just get started, no matter how big or scary it seems!

What advice would you give to people entering the SILENT MANGA AUDITION®?
Find a story that you would love to draw yourself and do your best to convey all the emotions you want readers to feel! Enjoy and be proud of your work!

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Thank you, Eminora! We’re eagerly awaiting your next manga masterpiece!

The deadline to join SMA23 is October 1st. Enter for a chance to develop your potential as a manga creator with us in Japan!