Manga/Anime Spotlight: Awsumz

Nov 28, 201115 min read

Deviation Actions

Published: Nov 28, 2011

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Manga/Anime Spotlight: omgitsacat

Manga/Anime Spotlight is a weekly feature that highlights the different artists across the deviantART's Manga/Anime community, and is a portal to get to know a bit more about them and their works.

This week's feature is omgitsacat

1.) To start off, what is your favorite medium and tools to use?

My favourite medium is digital-based, particularly the brush tool and pen tool in Photoshop CS3. I don't really use anything other than those and the eraser tool

I also like my Tria marker pens for when I do anything traditional (kinda rare at the moment though, I have no desk

)

2.) When you draw, do you plan everything out first, or do you just see where the drawing takes you?

I generally have some kind of idea in my head that I do a funny little sketch of before starting the 'real' sketching... really no one else would have any idea what the hell I'd drawn but I know what the sketches mean because I can usually see the 'finished' picture in my head while I draw, which helps. Often, though, the picture changes along the way as it starts to come together and I end up thinking that something other than what I'd originally thought would look better, so I make changes. Sometimes it's exactly how I first thought, sometimes it's nothing like it at all

3.) On average, how long do you spend on a drawing?

On average probably about 1 day per picture. Sometimes they take longer but I have a short attention span so if I don't finish something in a day then it often won't get finished at all

lol

4.) When did you first start drawing, and what made you start to draw in the manga/anime style?

I first started drawing when I was a little kid, naturally... but I started drawing 'seriously' only after I joined dA. I was doodling in 2004-2005, but after joining dA in 2006 I discovered I actually wanted to improve so started to put some effort in, spurred on by the feedback I got. I got in to anime first when I was about 12 and I saw Pokemon on SM:TV Live (which any Brit from my generation will tell you was EPIC lol) and I did a bit of writing on Fanfiction.net (none of that dodgy stuff

) and started watching some more animes, went to college in 2005 and met more people into anime who encouraged me to draw, etc... went from there really. I love the cutesy style of 'generic' anime and wanted to work at being able to draw like that!

5.) What are your inspirations for drawing?

Other artists. I often browse and see something that I think is just amazing and think "I would love to be able to draw like that one day, I must practise!" and so it just goes on and on and for every new thing I learn, I find another 20 things I want to learn

but I'm all about improving and working hard to get where I want to be with my anime art so I do believe that one day I will be drawing like those who have inspired me and hopefully I'll be inspiring others to get to where they want to be as well!

6.) Do you have any artists that you look up to?

Hah, absolutely loads! I'll name a few though. Firstly capyBAKA for all the effort she puts in to imporiving her skills. I don't think a day goes by when she isn't working hard at it! It really inspires me. I also love how FireDeamon manages to work so hard on each single piece, they all look totally amazing and I LOVE her work! Then I really look up to arsenixc, Apofiss, pcmaniac88 and myhilary for their immense and beautiful scenary and painting skills :3

7.) Out of the works in your gallery, what are your five favorite pieces?

8.) Do you have any tips for young aspiring artists?

Take critique and never assume you know it all. I'll happily admit that I used to be guilty of this and I'll happily admit I've been wrong - I know better now and I know to listen when someone is trying to tell me something.

Also never ignore critique just because it comes from somebody you don't think is as 'good' as you are, their opinion is just as valid as that of a professional - it doesn't matter who the critic is, if they feel that something doesn't look quite right then that probably means that they are right. Your work may never be perfect, don't let that get you down - it's a fact... there is always something new to learn, whatever stage you're at

9.) Are there any other types of art that enjoy?

I enjoy most art to be honest. If it's something I understand and know how to do myself (like digital art) then I'm often impressed at what others can do with the same software and all the different styles and ideas that people have. If it's something I don't really partake in (like sculpture, textiles or fractals) then I'm intruiged as to how it's done and awed by the result. I do particularly enjoy portrait paintings though, be it digital or traditional, I'm a sucker for a decent portrait in any sort of style.

10.) Is there anything else that you would like to add?

Thank you for wanting to interview me, it was a lovely surprise :3 I'm honoured