Finding Creative Ideas

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I was a cartoonist before I became a lecturer. I chosed this path because the future wasn't as promising as before for us cartoonists. I still take some side projects merely to keep myself in touch with my industry. This is one closely knitted community within the industry. The people who I knew from day one when I started my career are my friends and mentors till today.

One thing about people in this creative industry is the ability to germinate ideas. Sometimes we run dry of ideas. Fortunately for me, I do not need to constant churn out new ideas. But these are some comic strips which I find my inspiration from real life experiences.

(This is the initial idea stage where characters are imported from my sketch book)

(I start the toning process)

(I improve on the toning of the characters)

The basic idea always come from sketching. This is where I will sometimes fill up my sketch book. That book is our trusty companion. This book is where we explore ideas and sometimes the sketch is where we develop the character further. Once I am settled with the idea and character, I will start with the toning process and give more depth to the character.

The inspiration is something that I draw from everyday life. Example, my own experiences with woman. The way I perceive how woman are interested in certain type of man...especially the type of man that appeal in Korean dramas.

(this is the process where I add the background)

The more relatable the character is to my readers, the better I am to communicate my story across. So, to me it is easy for me to speak my mind because I am just like my average reader. I feel that my life experiences do not depart far from theirs and it is easy to speak their lingo if I keep it relevant.

My Philosophy

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My idea of making cartoon or comic is simple. It must not be too detached from our daily life's experiences. It is always worthwhile to identify the target audiences and put yourself in their shoes. The more we connect to our readers, the better our work will sell.

The above are simple step by step illustration how I create and idea and put the different steps of touches into my work. Different people have different method. For me, I always start with character development and sketching on my sketchbook.