“I just enjoy creating characters and making stories”

Paco Puente  surprised us by being a fan of Bakabon! good taste!

“My style came natural to me, I never tried to change it”

The monsters are protecting his shelf of inspiration!

“There is not just one way to draw manga”

Is this the beginning of a new character?

He seems to be very simple but always creative!

“ Is important to be involved with artists that have different styles so that you don’t get stuck in a box”

“ I thought if I kept true to what I like, I would be able to come up with something good”

That’s a not a burp… that’s a bomb!

“ Just do it! ”

Succeeding in manga isn’t an easy thing for this Social Media savvy Hungarian, but it’s a fight Gábor Molnár is winning! In country that has embraced the American superhero, while stigmatizing manga, Gábor has had to up his game in self promotion. Today, he talks to us about Hungary’s difficult past, manga’s supposed “bad influence” and the all important need to embrace SNS in the creative world.

Hello Gábor!

Hello…

ABOUT YOU

“When most people think a war is over, the ones who’ve lived it know better.”

What part of the world do you call home?

Budapest, the capital of Hungary. I’ve visited other parts of Hungary, and I enjoy the mountains and stunning scenery but Budapest is in my heart, I love this city. It has so much history.

Indeed! I believe there is a park in Budapest displaying all the Soviet era statues…

There is, Memento Park. It’s a tourist attraction but Hungarian’s don’t really visit as the monuments hold many difficult memories, though they are an important reminder of the past. The statues are very manly, rigid looking, depicting agriculture and factory workers, all saluting the future of communism.

My mother was born in the middle of a fierce gun battle between revolutionary and pro-Soviet forces, during the failed revolution of 1956. My Grandmother told me stories of how they had to run from one house to the next when she went into labour!

How do you feel when you hear those stories?

It’s hard, but I have the luck of not living during wartime, and my mother was only a baby during the revolution. But my Grandmother and her generation lived it. When most people think a war is over, the ones who’ve lived it know better. They know before it happens that war will start again.

These memories would make an interesting manga!

Well, in Hungary there are many comic books that tell these stories. From WW2 to the revolution and beyond. When I read these stories, I can easily see the political leanings of the authors of these books. In fact, I’m currently reading a comic that is obviously written by a Right wing author, and another I’m reading is clearly Left.

What do you do when you’re not creating manga?

I work full time as a shop assistant at a textile wholesaler, from 8 in the morning till 6 in the evening. I then come home to feed my animals, snakes, turtles, frogs…None are venomous I hasten to add!

The echoes of Hungary’s difficult past can be found everywhere.

ABOUT MANGA

“… using Social Media is becoming even more important for creators.”

So you have a full time job, exotic animals…where do you manage to fit in manga?

Actually, making the manga doesn’t take up that much time, it’s self promotion that does! I spend a lot of time on Social Media, getting my work out there. I think its very important, even more so from Hungary as not many people know what we can produce comic books!

Absolutely, self promotion is very important. What kind of responses do you have? Is it successful?

It’s somewhat successful, well more successful than when I started making comics anyway! I actually found out about SMA through Facebook, so using Social Media is becoming even more important for creators. Nobody really cared about my work until I started I promoting it on Facebook. I now have about 100 regular readers…well, every Hungarian comic creator have around 100 readers…

How are you influenced? For instance, is music important to the manga making process?

Very much so. Music is very important when making manga. I like Hungarian folk music with a modern twist, like rock or metal, which melds very well. I’m working on a folk tale at the moment, so listening to Hungarian folk, with this twist really helps me to capture the atmosphere. Much like the anime series Samurai Champloo, set in the samurai era with a rap/hiphop soundtrack.

What was your first experience with manga?

My first experience with manga was about 20 years ago with Dragonball. The series wasn’t published in the standard Tankōbon format, but much smaller, in a Hungarian format. The series was pulled, and I suspect the Japanese publisher wasn’t too happy with this smaller format, I could be wrong though.

Doesn’t sound like Manga has had an easy time in Hungary!

Manga was a very foreign entity back then. The media were very suspicious of manga, thinking it could ruin our youngsters by promoting sexuality and violence. Especially with Dragonball! In its second year in Hungary, there was an article in the news which was picked up by bigger news outlets. As a result, the network changed the broadcast time from 3 in the afternoon to 11 at night. The target audience missed out, because of the fighting, they thought it was an adult thing. This actually killed Dragonball in Hungary.

Did you find it difficult to access manga back then?

We simply couldn’t get any as we couldn’t order manga from outside Hungary. We could read manga on the internet, but staring at a screen for hours on end isn’t good for me. You could get anime on VHS, but it was very expensive. I could only buy, maybe four tapes a year with my pocket money. Now it’s much easier to access manga now, thankfully.

Has Hungary’s view of manga changed?

Manga is still viewed as a bad influence unfortunately. Most people think they’re Chinese stories! But it’s now getting bigger here. Manga and western comic book readers are very much separate. For me though, it’s only the style that is different, how it’s made.

Do you talk to many people in the SMAC!ommunity?

I’m not a very sociable person, preferring to shut myself away and work. A lot of my short story work is for Hungarian audiences so there isn’t a huge need to publicize myself outside of Hungary, at the moment at least.

Well, SMAC! is the perfect opportunity to showcase Hungary to an international audience!

Yes, in fact I’m developing my SMA entries to showcase Hungary . I’ve won three awards in Hungary but they haven’t helped my career, but winning an international manga award, chosen by Japanese mangaka is making a big difference.

Would you say that western comics are more popular in Hungary?

I mix with more western comic fans rather than ‘manga’ fans. I’ve noticed that people who are into ‘manga’, do not actually read manga! They are more interested in cosplay and anime, rather than making manga. Western comic fans seem to be more interested in making comics, so I feel more at home with them.

Gábor’s tools of the trade.

You mentioned Dragonball as your first manga experience. What emotional effect did it have on you?

The main character, Goku and how he defeats everyone. I was also fascinated by the setting of the anime, like earth but not. But mainly the fighting – I don’t know why! It looked good, and each fight had so much emotion involved. I also loved the adventuring. Its an amazing combination of action, fun and adventure!

Do you have many comic events in Hungary?

Yes! In fact I was at an anime convention last Saturday. They have a big one four times a year, with lots of small ones throughout the year. The Hungarian Comic Festival is smaller than the anime event, but it’s the best for creators and fans of western comics.

Do you have attend these events as a creator?

Yes I do. For the last 8 years I’ve been in a group with other comic creators who book a table at these events. Its very beneficial, as most people in Hungary read the physical format rather than digital, so it’s important to attend these events to sell books.

The organizers look for comic artists, pay for our accommodation in exchange for creating work on a theme for their internet page. We have to do that right on the spot, while serving customers at the same time!

So you’re drawing with an audience! What kind of environment do you prefer work in?

I’m not that comfortable with an audience at these events, as I get very irritated when I’m watched or talked to. When I’m at home, I work in my room on a simple desk. I don’t have the fancy work stations, a simple desk, computer and shelves for tools is all I need.

Do you prefer to work traditionally or digitally?

Traditionally, I find I work much more faster with traditional methods. I find working digitally strange.

What challenges do you face when making manga?

The hardest thing is to get a good idea that fits the manga format. An idea that will be fun for the audience to enjoy, not just you. Then creating storyboard, where the process becomes much easier. Once you have a reference to check your work against, you’ll be surprised at the progress you make.

How did you learn to make manga?

I just started from one day to the next, reading internet articles and attending workshops. There was actually a workshop from Kyoto University that came to Hungary. I attended lectures and workshops which I found very useful. We didn’t learn technical abilities, as it was more general, like how manga works as an industry, the tools professional us, things like that. They actually  brought some of the tools to the workshop – like the G-pen. They then gave some away as presents, which was nice.

What was your initial reaction to the manga method of making comics?

I was immediately drawn to the strong use of characters in manga. It’s interesting as most creators say they were brought up with comics, but not me. I read several when I was small, but not for the sake of the story, but solely for the characters. I loved Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles comics when I was younger, I wanted to read more adventures because of the characters.

Hungary is now running manga style competitions at anime conventions.

ABOUT SMA8

“…I don’t dwell on finished work. I’m always looking towards the future.”

What was the reaction to your win for True Riders?

I had a positive reaction, but then I didn’t make a huge thing of it. My work colleagues don’t know anything about manga, but they were happy with, “great, you’ve made some money at last!” (laughs)

A lot of people found the theme “Fair Play” quite difficult to work with. How did you find it?

I think it was very appropriate for manga. Fair play is a common theme in Shonen manga, how people deal with winning and loosing etc., so I had a lot to play with.

I immediately thought of James Dean when I read True Riders. What were your influences?

It wasn’t actually the American movie era, but Sci fi. There is an anime called Saber Rider with a sheriff, who rides robotic horse to chases down criminals. There is a particular scene in the first episodes that stuck with me, where the characters initially meet during a race in the desert. This was my main inspiration. I later modified the concept to make it more realistic, setting it in a more familiar era so it would resonate with the audience better.

As for the characters, the protagonist was inspired by one of my earlier creations. His opponent, the rough marauder chief, is a mix of “Shere Khan” from the Disney version of The Jungle Book and the “Pirate Captain Charles Vane” from Black Sails.

The idea that two enemies can be friends is found in a lot of Shōnen manga of course, but also from my childhood as two bullies in kindergarten and elementary school became good friend’s of mine.

How long did it take to complete?

Maybe about two months, from the initial idea to the finished manga. The drawing process took up most of the time. Once I finished True Riders, I immediately moved onto the nest project, as I don’t dwell on finished work. I’m always looking towards the future.

The indispensable, coloured sticky note – where would manga creators be without them??

THE FUTURE

“I don’t force the concept to fit theme, I make the theme fit the story.”

Talking about the future, what’s in store?

I’m working on a new piece for the next SMA. All three themes’ can easily be combined to make one story, so I’m looking forward to playing with concepts. I don’t force the concept to fit theme, I make the theme fit the story.

Finally, anything you’d like to shout out to the SMAC!ommunity?

I think its very important to keep working and sending them into competitions. Even if you don’t win, every entry is a learning curve.

Thank you Gábor!

Social Media is a huge part of our lives, and fast becoming a crucial tool for creators. It’s a fantastic method of free self-promotion, plus a perfect way to keep in touch with members of SMAC!ommunity around the world! With this in mind, and at the rate Gábor is using SNS, I would not be at all surprised to see this Hungarian mangaka on the best seller lists in no time.

Gabor’s adventure series 5Pallos.

If you’d like to see more of Gábor’s work, follow this link…

DeviantArt gallery – https://cobayanigiri.deviantart.com/

…and for our Hungarian manga fans…

Budapest Comic Festival – http://kepregenyfesztival.blog.hu/

MondoCon, Hungary’s biggest anime event – http://www.mondocon.hu/eng/

SMAC!ommunity, do you want to see your name in lights? Are you ready post, tweet and shout about your achievements? If yes, then start drawing for SMA9 round TODAY!!

Do you want to join the world’s biggest manga community? Start drawing for the SMA9 round TODAY!

SMA9 is the first time we’ve offered THREE themes to choose from! If you feel like a challenge, why not pick two, or all three themes! 

Make manga your language too! You have until March 31st, 2018 to say “HELLO” to your new friends! Click the banner for more details on how to enter…

Twitter – @chris_smac

Facebook – Chris Smac

“I’ve always loved drawing, ever since I was young boy…”

“Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències
” From FromTheNorth

Everything is very organized and easy to reach! He must love his office!

“I wanted to express my inner world through Manga”

Who is this girl ? She looks like an upcoming heroine!

“I decided for something that I can relate and be different”

Toni prefers to take pictures to use as reference in his work

“Creating my own stories and characters motivates me”

Cat are a powerful workforce in the manga industry.

 

As the first Russian Grand Prix winner of Silent Manga Audition, Sideburn004 has no doubt awoken a keen interest in manga in her Mother Russia, inspiring countless aspiring creators. With her first stab at success way back in SMA2, this tireless Russian Mangaka entered TWO work’s to SMA8, with the enigmatic Checkmate securing her the top prize. Not too shabby for a girl from a small, innocuous town, lost in the middle of the world’s biggest country!

Sideburn004, Nazdarovya!!!

ABOUT YOU

“Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia and Saint Petersburg is the soul.”

Congratulations on becoming the first Russian Grand Prix winner!!

Thank you!

Where did you grow up?

I’m originally from Izhevsk, a small, industrial town in the heart of Russia. Though I now spend most of my time in Saint Petersburg, I try to visit as much as I can. My town is located close to the Urals, a stunning mountain range dividing the European and Siberian sides of Russia. It’s a small town, but it was home to some famous people, including the weapon designer Mikhail Kalashnikov, and just 100km away was the home of the great Russian composer, Pyotr Tchaikovsky. 

Hailing from the birthplace of Tchaikovsky must mean music is in your soul! Do you listen to the great composer when you work?

I’m not so interested in music really as I’m much more of a visual person. That’s why I became a manga artist! I always choose manga over any other form of entertainment because of the perfect combination of picture and text. I find it much more interesting than a text book. 

If a friend from the SMAC!ommunity visited Saint Petersburg, where would you take them?

Saint Petersburg is known as the Cultural Capital of Russia. It’s a city steeped in history and very beautiful to experience, even just exploring the streets. We have palaces and parks, so plenty of magnificent sites to visit. It’s particularly beautiful in summer, where you can walk the streets and river front at night. Though Russia is so much more than Saint Petersburg and Moscow, I do like to think that Moscow is the heart of Mother Russia and Saint Petersburg is the soul.

The Urals, where East meets West.

“Abzakovo, panorama #2” by dr_tr

ABOUT MANGA

“Manga emotions are so much more expressive than western comics.”

What was your first encounter with manga?

I love the comics of my childhood. I vividly remember Nika, Russia’s first published manga-style serialization by Russian creator “Bogdan”. It differed from the western comic book style, which is still very popular in Russia, and that interested me greatly. It wasn’t until I started university when I picked up my first manga, Fullmetal Alchemist by Arakawa Hiromu, around the age of 17 or 18. I was immediately struck by the emotions in manga, which are so much more expressive than western comics. That’s why I fell in love with manga.

Lots of young people are now getting into manga, but this wasn’t always the case. An incident a few years ago, involving Death Note really affected how people viewed manga in Russia. A young girl committed suicide and when the police found a copy of the manga in her room, the authorities wrongly connected the two. There was a huge discussion about manga in Russia at the time, and though manga wasn’t prohibited, it was very hard to access. People lost interest and publishers didn’t want to risk printing manga, but now, since Attack on Titan, Bakuman and One Punch Man, it’s become very popular again. Thankfully, manga has a second life in Russia now.

What challenges do you face when creating manga?

Every step when creating manga requires a lot of challenging work. There are no professional schools of manga in Russia, so I had to study everything myself, with the invaluable help from the SMA editorial videos on YouTube of course! It’s a challenge to find ideas and scenarios, not to mention the level of drawing involved. I love it though. It’s also difficult as I work full-time, but I still manage to secretly draw at work during my breaks!

It must be difficult balancing two jobs, full-time work and manga!

It is, though I make sure my job and my manga don’t influence each other. I finish my job, and start my other job drawing manga. It’s difficult to factor in sleep! I usually draw all night with a few hours sleep squeezed in somewhere.

A testament to 10 years of self-taught Manga success! 

ABOUT YOUR WIN

“I thought Checkmate was too dark for SMAC!”

How did you find out about SMA?

I first heard about the Silent Manga Audition on the Russian site “mangalectory.ru” a few years ago. The site is an amazing manga resource for Russian manga fans, featuring news, competition announcements, study books and manga of course.

What inspired you to create Checkmate?

When I saw the theme, I immediately thought of playing fair with “Death”. The more I developed the idea, the more I thought Checkmate was too dark for SMAC!, so I told myself to develop other ideas. I tried to think of something light and fun, like a sports competition, but nothing came through, and the more the deadline approached, I thought, ok let’s draw what I want to draw.

That was quite an internal struggle! What was the reaction from your friends and family?

My family didn’t believe manga was so important, but once I explained I’d won the top prize in an international competition, they became a lot more interested!

You’ve made it no secret that you want to become a professional Mangaka. What was your family’s reaction to this career choice?

Every time I chat with my Mother, she asks me what I’m doing? I say I’m drawing and she rolls her eyes. The reason I secured a steady career was to assure my parents that I’m safe, but I won’t stop making manga, even if I only get two hours of sleep a night! Manga is like a habit, I need to draw!

When you saw the theme “Fair Play”, what was your initial reaction?

I hated it!! I initially decided not enter this round. But then the idea of Checkmate just wouldn’t go away, I had to make it.

How long did it take complete?

From start to finish, it took around 5 to 7 days. I love working with traditional tools, like pencil, ink and paper, and I can complete the work fast! I love the sound these tools make, and the tactile contact, though I do use digital tools when I have to. It’s hard to find screentone patterns here in Russia, so I have to apply digitally.

Do you enjoy working digitally?

Yes and no…sometimes I draw the entire manga digitally, though it’s hard because I can’t see the whole page. The advantage of traditional methods is that you have more control over what you’re drawing, where to place dialogue etc. Maybe I should get a bigger screen!

Saint Petersburg is quite a cosmopolitan city, are art material easy to come by?

We have no specialist materials available, especially manga tools. I use ordinary paper, readily available here, but buy my instruments online direct from Japan or eBay. It’s easier than hunting around in shops!

You won the Grand Prix, which is an amazing achievement. Did Checkmate fulfill your personal expectations?

Yes! It was a good idea to go with my instinct. But every time I finish a manga, even a few hours later, I find things to change. Should I add or loose a panel? Should I change the emotions?

It’s lucky you went with your instinct on that! Is instinct important in the manga making process?

Very much so, you should learn to rely on your instinct when formulating ideas. You should draw what you feel happy with, this gives the best results.

The nerve centre! 

THE FUTURE

“Draw more! Every day, every moment, keep drawing.”

What other projects do you have in the pipeline?

As soon as I finished Checkmate, I started work on several other works for various competitions, including SMA9! I’ve started a personal project which I’m very excited about, but more on the that later. I always have projects hovering around in my mind.

How do you manage all these ideas??

With competitions, I just take a stored idea from the shelf in my mind, develop it for the competition and submit. It’s good to have an ordered mind!! Like with Checkmate, some ideas just refuse to go away, no matter how much I try to work on something different.

Is there anything you’d like to shout out to the SMAC!ommunity?

Draw more! Every day, every moment, keep drawing. You’ll improve very quickly. This is the journey of the mangaka, always learning and always working towards improving your skills. Continue to push your boundaries, more than what you are capable of. You’ll soon start seeing the rewards from your hard work. 

Thank you Sideburn004!

It just goes to show that instinct, combined with pushing through your limits is a winning formula…literally! With your philosophy of dedicated drawing, forever learning (that invaluable help can be found if you follow this link!) and a herculean work ethic, we cannot wait to see what you come up with for SMA9!!

Sideburn004’s second entry to SMA8, “Run for Love“

Is your gut feeling rumbling? Do you have an idea that just won’t go away? Then start drawing for the SMA9 round TODAY!

SMA9 is the first time we’ve offered THREE themes to choose from! If you feel like a challenge, why not pick two, or all three themes! 

Make manga your language too! You have until March 31st, 2018 to say “HELLO” to your new friends! Click the banner for more details on how to enter…

A native of St. Petersburg, in the Russian Federation, Akimichi has been a regular contributor to Silent Manga Audition. From her experimental debut, Care, way back in SMA3, this prolific Mangaka has submitted a staggeringly impressive ten entries in total, with her latest First! winning her an SMA8 Honorable Mention Award. All this at the ripe old age of 19!!

Hello Akimichi!

ABOUT YOU

“Friendship is very important to me, and an amazing source of inspiration for my manga.”

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in St. Petersburg. It’s a big city, with a rich history, brimming with hundreds of interesting places to visit. The Hermitage, which used to be the Winter Palace is now a huge art gallery with an amazing collection which I visit often. We also have lots of courses available throughout the city, even Manga masterclass sessions!

What is a typical day for you when you’re not creating manga?

I spend a lot of time in college, my major is Design, which covers design, art teaching techniques for colleges and art schools and writing design articles, plus endless homework! Sleep seems a luxury at the moment.

I also love spending time with my friends. When I was accepted to the college, I thought I would be solely focused on drawing, but thanks to my friends, I learned how to ride a bike, snowboard, skateboard and dance! Friendship is very important to me, and an amazing source of inspiration for my manga.

Talking about dancing, what kind of music do you listen to when you’re making manga?

I enjoy listening to calm music as it helps to relieve the stress of college and manga deadlines, but it soon gives way to dance music, where I can’t help but feel inspired! I love Japanese music, especially when creating manga, as well as K-Pop! When I draw to K-Pop, I can’t help but start dancing!

You can see this carefree attitude on the page. So, who’s your favorite K-Pop artist?

“SHINee”!! They have amazing voices and choreography. My sister and I are huge fans! I was actually dancing to them before we started this interview!

The Hermitage in St. Petersburg, home to Russia’s amazing art collection.

Winter Palace at Night by Paulius Malinovskis

ABOUT MANGA

“I like the freedom of working in pencil…”

How old were you when you first discovered manga? What effect did it have on you?

I was 12 years old when I first read Naruto by Kishimoto Masashi, which was really popular in Russia at the time…and I hated it!! All of my friends were reading it and kept telling me to give it a chance. After a lot of pressure, I was like “ok, ok” and picked up a copy. It was charming, funny, exciting and I was instantly hooked! It wasn’t long after this, that I started to draw manga. I didn’t know anything about creating manga back then, just letting myself flow instinctively with the pencil. As long as I created funny stories with effective emotions, I was happy.

Has manga been an important influence in your life since then?

I actually remember the exact date I picked up Naruto, it was the 22nd November. I realized I could do any profession if I wanted it enough. Even as a child, I watched movies and cartoons and I dreamed of doing something crazy, like becoming an astronaut or a Buddhist monk! I started painting pictures of what I wanted to do, but it wasn’t enough, it all felt incomplete. My friend just told me to try drawing, and 7 years later, I’m still drawing!

So a lot of your friends were into manga? Is manga popular in Russia?

Manga and anime is very popular in Russia. In fact, I read only 3 days ago that we’ll see big print runs of Russian translations of One Punch Man, Ajin: Demi-Human, Bakuman and Attack on Titan! We have a lot of mangaka who network in my Russian manga group, and all agree that anime was the gateway for them. This is great news for newcomers to manga as these classics will be easily available now!

What type of environment do you work in? Do you use traditional tools or have you embraced technology?

I like to experiment with different traditional techniques, like watercolor, ink and pencil. First! was made entirely in pencil. Though I started to create the manga in ink, something wasn’t quite right. Then I read Levius by Haruhisa Nakata, and was instantly hooked by his pencil style. He’s got very clear, effective line work and I wanted to try and recreate this effect.

Why pencils?

I like the freedom of working in pencil, much more than ink. It’s beautifully fluid and dynamic. I submitted two stories for SMA8, one ink (Evil’s Fair Game) and the other was First!, and though it was easier, and more fun, to draw in pencil, I found it increasingly difficult to make a digital version for the correction process.

What challenges do you face making manga?

Sleep, or lack of! I always struggle over how many panels I should use, or where I should focus the narrative. For SMA8, I decided to create a very simple concept, with easy to follow action and it got me a result! I need to do more of the same for SMA9.

Akimichi’s creative hub.

ABOUT SMA8

“I wanted to make a manga about children, because children are very free, they’re not afraid to be in love…”

What was your reaction to winning the award?

I was shocked, but very happy! I’ve entered so many times before so the win was a little overwhelming! It means I’m on the right track.

And your friends and family?

My family and friends were happy for me, but they didn’t realize how big this contest is. They said “oh, congratulations”, but when I said it was a global competition from Japan, and I won an Honorable Mention Award, they were like, “WOW!!”. They were also very happy to hear we were having this interview!

What was the inspiration for First!?

I decided not to use a popular theme, like football or basketball. I read Slam Dunk, and I just didn’t want to recreate another sport based story. My philosophy is to always make something unique, something very special that I only I can do. I also wanted to make a manga about children, because children are very free, they’re not afraid to be in love, they cry, they scream and laugh without a second thought. Children run and dance in the street without a worry in the world.

How long did it take, from the initial idea to submitting your entry?

As soon as I saw the theme in April, I immediately started laying out the panels. I then left it for the summer, where I worked on other manga projects, as well college work and then started to draw First! in September. It took me about two weeks to submit my entry from there.

Did the finished entry fulfill your expectations?

Yes, I think so. I used a new pencil technique which I was very happy with. I showed my work to my friend in Japan and he understood it straight away. Because Japanese storytelling is so different to Russian, I was delighted he understood it instantly!

You’ve beautifully embraced the message of Silent Manga Audition, to create entertainment that crosses borders and language!!

Pencil or ink, pencil or ink…

THE FUTURE

“… with Silent Manga Audition, we can make our dreams come true!”

So the future, you’ve talked about SMA9, but do you have any other projects in the pipeline?

I want to continue practicing with the help of Yonkomas. I attended a manga lecture recently where people were stressing the importance of cartoon strips and Yonkomas to exercise creativity. So I’ve now started to add a daily Yonkoma to my Twitter page, about a day in my life. My latest was me in Ninja School!

Wow! There’s actually a Ninja school here in Japan…

Really?! I want to go!! It’s my biggest dream to be a ninja!! Well, second to being a manga creator of course.

So you’re ready for SMA9?

Yes, I’m brimming with ideas. Coming up with ideas isn’t the problem, I can make a story from almost anything I see, it’s knowing how to develop the promising ones! Its difficult having hundreds of ideas, then shortlisting to fifty, then ten, all to make one manga!

Would you like to tackle a big story arc or a series?

Yes, I really want to make a big story. I want to learn how professional mangaka in Japan work under weekly deadlines, and still produce amazing work again and again! It’s really exciting!

Well, as you only get 3 hours, you’ll be a natural!!

Hahaha, after all this study, I’m not afraid of anything!

Finally, is there anything you’d like to shout out to the SMAC!ommunity?

We should all stay positive and strong as a community! Only by our combined, flaming hearts can light up the darkness around us. I really love this competition because I can reach people from all over the world. From Brazil to Australia, I can say “you’re not alone”, I understand why you have so much love for drawing stories! Manga is the perfect weapon to fight for our dreams, our unity and freedom. With Silent Manga Audition, we can make our dreams come true!

The evolution of First! 

Thank you very much Akimichi!

We are absolutely thrilled you’ve found kindred spirits within the SMAC!ommunity. Together, we can create an ever growing manga community, where we can collectively encourage and create manga from every corner of the globe!

Stay tuned for Friday, where we’ll talk to Russia’s first Grand Prix Winner, Sideburn004!!!

Do you want to join the world’s biggest manga community? Start drawing for the SMA9 round TODAY!

SMA9 is the first time we’ve offered THREE themes to choose from! If you feel like a challenge, why not pick two, or all three themes! 

Make manga your language too! You have until March 31st, 2018 to say “HELLO” to your new friends! Click the banner for more details on how to enter…

Twitter – @chris_smac

Facebook – Chris Smac

“For me manga was like love at first sight”

Kachisou, SMA8 Grand Prix RP Winner from Portugal sat down with Vivi for a chat about her dreams, inspiration and determination!

First of all, congratulations! How are you feeling?

I was very excited and still cannot believe it. My family doesn’t really get it but they congratulated me, my father was like “where’s the money ?” My sister really likes art and manga like me, so she was very happy. I usually discuss my ideas with her, she is my first reader.

This is the original art of the start of The Last Bento! Amazing work!

Has there been anything in you life that impacted you in any way ?

I am from Faro, Portugal.  I remember being in elementary school and having a classmate who was very good at drawing. At that time, I thought I wanted to draw too, and rival him. That is how I started taking an interest in drawing.

How did your partnership with Perobense start?

We started in 2015, we met through twitter because we are both fans of Kouhei Horikoshi. I noticed his profile picture on twitter, which was from “Boku no Hero Academia” and I started talking to him. We then realized we shared the same interest in making our own manga.

How did you come up with the idea for The Last Bento?

Perobense and I thought about the theme together, we were thinking about sports at first. But then realized it was a common idea. We wanted to go against the flow, so we tried to do something different.

What is your daily life like?

I am working as a freelancer from home now. I’m always drawing something, right now I’m working on a few projects with other partners. Right now we are working on 4 different stories for the next SMA9.

Is this possibly the beginning of a new hero?

How do you spend your time when you are not drawing?

I spend a lot of time with my sister, she likes to draw as well. I tend to get a lot of ideas when we’re together, she is 17 now. I also like to go for walks in the park to relax and get new ideas.

When you draw, do you listen to a specific type of music ?

I usually put the music on, close the door and then I forget about time and can stay hours and hours drawing. I like listening to J-pop groups like Exile and the soundtracks by Joe Hisaishi.

Coming from Portugal, I can tell, we love our blankets, looks confy!

What are your favorites movies and manga?

I love Hayao Miyazaki movies, my favorite is “Spirited Away”. I also really like “Boku no hero academia” and “Bakuman”. I really like the style of the artists.

I can see that your drawings have a strong Japanese influence but also some European cartoon influences too. What inspired you to draw like that?

A lot of people say that to me, only when they started telling me I realized it. My father was a very big “The Adventures of Tintin” fan so I am familiar with that style. I guess I’m influenced by Disney movies and maybe comics like “Mafalda” by Joaquín Salvador Lavado.

Why is manga important to you ?

That is a very difficult question, for me it was love at first sight…its hard to explain. I liked the black and white style. I was also fascinated by the fact that, while reading manga, it felt like the characters were alive and we can actually feel happy and sad for them.

With a few tools art is born!

What was the tipping point for you that made you decide to create your own manga?

One day, I found the manga of “Vampire Knight” by Matsuri Hino. I was surprised by the panels and the design of the characters. I really liked it and started copying the drawings. I liked the character Kaname.

Is manga popular in your country?

In my area, there is not many people interested in manga or many places to buy them. Maybe more in the capital. Lately manga related events are becoming more popular. But the manga that is translated to english is still expensive.

Did you stumble upon any challenges while making The Last Bento?

Drawing the supermarket aisle and drawing the girl’s expression. For some reason, I find girls facial expressions harder to capture than boys. I am a self-taught artist, I tried very hard to get it right. Because of that, I was very surprised to have won a prize.

How did you overcome it?

Ummmm… The pressure and responsibility of a deadline, that pulled me through it. I wanted to make everyone proud. Especially my partner.

So many characters with such charming expressions!

What is your drawing process?

I usually draw everything on paper, line work is done the traditional way and then I only put on the screen tone and black ink (beta) digitally.

What are your dreams for the future?

I wish to make a manga that captivates readers like One Piece. I know its a big dream, but I think its amazing that your work could reach so many people with children and adults dressing up as your characters. I think its wonderful.

Is there something you would like to say to the SMA community?

To watch Taiyo-san and Mocchi-san videos, they were very useful. And definitely keep trying!

The table where everything started ! Its looks happy to be used!

“Run and fight for your dreams!”

London based, Italian SMA8 Grand Prix Winner Elena Vitagliano, discusses life in the shadow of Naples, 70’s Shojo Manga and the power of influence…

SMA8 Grand Prix Winner! 

Hello Elena!

ABOUT YOU

“I didn’t even know Manga existed when I was young!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a small town near Naples. It was quiet, but not too quiet. I now live in London, which is a world away!

Were you a manga fan when you were young?

No, I didn’t even know it existed! I did watch a lot of anime though, stopping the action to quickly draw what I saw on the screen. I watched everything I could get my hands on. I think everyone in Italy has watched at least one anime in their lives. 

I got into manga when I was about 15. There was a small news store in my little town that suddenly had a manga on the shelf. I was like, wow! Such a thing exists?! Why didn’t I know about this?! Thanks to the advert showcasing other manga at the back of this volume, I learned that there were manga versions of the anime I loved watching.

After much searching, I discovered Naples’ only comic book shop, who also sold manga. I was transfixed, spending over 5 hours on that first visit, just absorbing the pages, inspiring me to learn how to draw this amazing art. I’ve always loved drawing, creating stories about talking tomatoes and carrots as a child, but I never thought I could make a career out of it.

Home, sweet home…

And here you are, an SMA Grand Prix winner! Its been an incredible journey from drawing tomatoes to winning the SMAC Grand Prix Award.

Yes, the more I drew, the more confidence I gained. Little by little, I dared myself to believe there was a chance. It was a good result!

An incredible result! So, when you’re not drawing manga, what’s a typical day like?

I teach art and media part-time and hold manga workshops for young people, which is very rewarding. I also attend a lot of comic-cons, there are several in the UK, including “MCM Comicon”, a huge event with shows in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. Con’s are a great place to network and get commissions, which is a big part of my job. When I’m not schmoozing at events, I’m drawing, drawing, drawing, and practicing Yonkoma’s of course. Making these quick, four panel stories is a vital part of becoming a good manga creator. I also read lots of essays, which helps with understanding theory.

I somehow manage to squeeze a social life in there too, making sure I spend time with friends, cinema visits etc., helps give a balance to my life.

I’ve recently moved to the outskirts of London. It’s a lot quieter than inner London, I can afford a bigger house and a studio unit just to myself. Its a great environment to draw manga.

I read a lot of manga too, purely for study of course 😉

Elena’s Yonkoma, a Mangaka’s best friend 

Do you listen to music when you draw manga? Who are your favorites?

Thats a tricky question…shall I tell the truth? Sometimes I listen to anime songs, both in Italian and Japanese. In fact, one of my goals is to sing the opening song to an anime of my own manga! I find listening to soundtracks the perfect background music when I’m working on a particularly challenging piece. I also listen to audiobooks, especially when I have a deadline to meet. The last deadline I worked towards, I managed to listen to 5 full audio books!

What’s your favorite audiobooks?

I enjoy the classics, like Anne of Greengables. They’re actually very good. I tried reading these books when I was younger, but I didn’t appreciate them.

MCM Comic-con, Manchester 

ABOUT MANGA

“When you copy from everywhere, you don’t copy from anywhere!”

Which manga, has been most important to you?

I learned a lot from “Berusaiyu no Bara” (“The Rose of Versailles”), or “Lady Oscar” as it was known in Italy. I loved them back then, and still enjoy reading them now. I also loved the works of Nippon Animation, they were making anime of kids classics at the time, such as Heidi.

Manga specifically? I loved “Slam Dunk”, in fact, anything by Inoue sensei. Mitsuru Adachi is another favourite. If you don’t know him, google him! His work is simple but very effective and captivating.

Also, the work by the Shojo mangaka of the 70’s. I love the expressive nature to it, how they were able to capture a character’s feelings perfectly. You can tell what kind of person this is on those pages.

Sometimes I don’t read the manga at all, just stare at the art, which still has a huge influence on me. I see something I like, I try to make it mine and use it my own way. I don’t even know where the influences come from anymore! When you copy from everywhere, you don’t copy from anywhere!

Is manga popular in Italy today?

I think it is popular, and its growing all over Europe, ever since “Dragonball” first aired here. Lots of people are now hooked on “Attack on Titan” and “Death Note”.

There are a lot of young people read only manga at the moment, and not Italian comics at all. We do have a strong comic book tradition in Italy, the story structure is completely different, but I do like to study the drawings.   

So Manga is competing with the Italian market?

Yes, I think so. There is good Italian stuff, mostly from a publishing house called Sergio Bonelli Editore which produces Dylan Dog, created by Tiziano Sclavi and Claudio Villa, is a paranormal investigator living in London.. Diabolik, by sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani, is also very famous, about a thief who performs special tricks to help in his adventures. The Italian comic book industry is finally attempting to expand their audience, as most of their current work is for adults without much to appeal to teenagers, unlike manga.

What kind of environment do you work in?

I used to work with real ink, then I got a Cintiq, a digital tablet, which is very practical. I still draw by hand for commissions, but for comics I use Cintiq which saves me a lot of time. I also change my mind quite often, especially facial expressions, sometimes 7 times so this tech is perfect for saving time and giving me enormous flexibility.

I also have an iPad which allows me to draw the pages when I’m out and about, I completed a full page in a car once!

Tablets, very practical 

What do you prefer to work in? Ink and paper or technology?

Ideally ink and paper. But there’s lots of disadvantages, as a professional to working with traditional tools, including the ever looming deadline! I do like drawing with traditional tools whenever I can.

What kind of challenges do you face creating manga?

Hmm, for every stage there is a challenge. First, you have to get the right idea. My head is usually a whirl with ideas, but this doesn’t mean they are all good! Put it on paper, find a strong character, and justify why they are the protagonist.

Creating storyboards beforehand can be a challenge, though they are indispensable as they allow me to think about all of the angles and layout before I start the manga. Also, let’s not forget about finding an element to the manga that isn’t too predictable, but not so different as to loose my audience!

Drawing the actual manga can be very challenging too, and I hope to get better and better. In just one year, I’ve seen how much I’ve improved, but I need to keep drawing. A lot.

ABOUT SMA8

“This is going to be interesting!!”

What has been the reaction to your award?

It’s been surreal and very overwhelming! I’ve been interviewed by the Italian web magazine “anime.everyeye.it“, after winning the prize, and have several more interviews scheduled with other Italian magazines. 

I sketched a portrait of Asa Butterfield, who stars in the Scorsese movie Hugo. He loved it and shared it on social media which helped show my work to the world. In fact, I’ve gone from 150 to over 400 Twitter followers in the in past two days!

What was your reaction to the theme of SMA8?

This is going to be interesting! I thought up several ideas about depicting a fair competition, with everyone starting from the same position.

The idea that became “The Cruelest Rule” caught my attention pretty quickly, more than any other idea. I met online with other members of the SMAC!ommuity, who helped me develop the idea further. By sharing my ideas with other members before I began, I was able to create a fuller story.

Also, by pure coincidence, I have flyers I hand out at cons which say “Run and fight for your dreams”!

That seamlessly brings us to the next question, how long did it take you to complete The Cruelest Rule?

Umm, from the initial idea, the marinating of the idea, took quite a long time, about 2 months. I kept changing my mind about the ending! I would think about the manga one day, then let it go, because there’s a danger of overthinking it! Drawing it, if I count real hours, I think about a day a page, plus added time for revising, changing my mind etc.

You won the Grand Prix Award, which is an amazing achievement, but for you personally, did it fulfill your expectations?

I was very happy working on it, and then when I finished it, I obviously started to see all the flaws. I’m happy with the idea, but everything can be improved. I would definitely work harder on the drawings.

THE FUTURE

“Silent Manga Audition opens lots of doors…”

So, the future. You’ve won the GP, what’s next?

In my mind, I’m already working on my next project! I have lots of ideas, but I’ve had this particular idea for a while now, so I’m at research stage. I like history and try to insert it everywhere I can. I’d like my next story to be set in Italy, so my hope is to work closely with the SMAC! editorial team and see if we can make something out of this idea.

I’ve entered the Silent Manga Audition seven times, so I’ve invested a lot in this competition from the beginning, especially in SMA6, where nothing happened! I was a little disheartened when I entered SMA7, deciding to take a break if I had the same result, but I was unexpectedly placed in the Extra Round 2, and won the Editor’s Award too! With my confidence overflowing, I entered SMA8, and I won the GP!! 

I want to keep focusing on the SMA route, because it opens lots of doors. My dream is to work on a successful series under the guidance of the amazing SMAC! editors. 

Have you got anything you’d like to shout out to the rest of the SMAC!ommunity? Any advice?

First of all, even if you think you don’t have good drawing skills, don’t worry. Focus on your strong points, not your weak points. Stress what you already do well, this will help you more than trying to get good at everything. Nobody is good at everything! Make it the strongest you can. Keep on trying, look at the winning entries and listen to the videos because they are very helpful. I have stacks of notes from watching them!

Also study as much manga as possible, and try to understand why you like it. What did they do with the panels? How did they express emotions? Silent Manga has to be simple, easy to follow and full of emotions. Good luck!

Thank you for letting me talk to you at 3am on Christmas morning! Again, congratulations on your winning entry. I for one, cannot wait to see what you create next! 

If you want to gaze longingly at more of Elena’s work, visit the following sites…

www.elenavitagliano.com

Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/ElenaVitaglianoArtist/?ref=bookmarks