This is the first time I’ve done this Influence Map meme (sort of like a first time blog post?) and

This is the first time I’ve done this Influence Map meme (sort of like a first time blog post?) and it’s been really interesting thinking back on what really makes up my art style and storytelling. I’ll be talking about each under the cut, so feel free to read on!Jillian Tamaki is the author and illustrator of my favorite comic, Supermutant Magic Academy. It’s a collection of little slice-of-life stories that just happen to have students who have powers or are just otherworldly beings. When I read it, I couldn’t believe that comic artists could do stories like this. The drawings weren’t polished and a lot of the gags didn’t have that in-your-face punchline. It’s become my dream to publish something like SMA.A Perfect Day for Love Letters by George Asakura is one my favorite series of short romance stories, both volume 1 and volume 2 are excellent! The art style has a roughness to it but that’s part of its charm. Asakura isn’t afraid of making the characters pull ugly faces or just straight up eschewing what bishounen and bishoujo are supposed to look like and it makes them feel more human (which a lot of shoujo manga are afraid to do, although this is edging on josei “women’s comics” already). Although Asakura’s other works haven’t really caught my eye, Koibumi Biyori showed me the power of a simple love story.Genshiken by Kio Shimoku is another one of my all-time favorite manga. Its everyday sort of comedy has a special tone to it. It has a perfect blend of small stories and connecting arcs that feels realistic. Again, this was a manga I read that I didn’t realize I was blown away by because it was so low-key but it stuck with me for a very long time. It was hard for me to find fellow Genshiken fans when I was younger because at the time, the stereotype of anime/manga was Bleach or Naruto. It was also hard for me to find a manga that could be compared to it (because there’s none!). I’ve collected all of the English volumes of the series and will probably buy the omnibus volumes in the future! Studio Ghibli is pretty self-explanatory. Who doesn’t fall in love with their stories and their strong female protagonists? I watched Totoro first and never looked back. Besides their popular films like Spirited Away and Kiki’s Delivery Service, their older works such as Whisper of the Heart and Only Yesterday are must-watches.Kate Beaton, a woman comic artist who made me realize that it’s okay to make stupid, esoteric jokes, that it’s okay to draw literally whatever you wanted, and that you can make gag comics about anything (even obscure parts of history!). Natali Koromoto is a woman illustrator who does cute drawings of girls decked out in trendy clothes, pastel hair, and just looking plain-ass adorable. Her style is really strong and unique and I want to be able to have such a recognizable look to my art.Japanese fashion is kind of my go-to reference for outfits of different characters. I lean towards a minimal more practical appearance and I like the cozy aesthetic of Japanese magazines such as Fudge. Lost In Translation / Her are movies close to my heart. I’ve experienced a lot of loneliness myself and these two films captured that exact feeling and made me feel not as lonely as I thought. Besides the general mood, the way they look really appeals to me (I mean one was shot in Tokyo, the other has scenes in Beijing, so pretty!).Hellen Jo pretty much draws the baddest girls. I wish I could be as cool as her disgruntled, angsty girls.Rookie Mag is the online magazine that I wish I had when I was younger. The fearlessness to create and write as you wanted and as you felt. From the honest writing to the feminine art, I still visit the website from time to time to get some inspiration.Our Little Sister is a Japanese movie directed by Hirokazu Koreeda about the relationships between a group of sisters. It’s beautiful and it’s quiet and it’s kind of like my dream movie. I based the look of my thesis film on Our Little Sister!Music videos yas, I’m obsessed with well-shot music videos. Rihanna and Queen Bey are my obvious favorites right now.Looking at all of my influences, it’s really interesting to see what kind of media I’m naturally attracted to. I’m really a sucker for good slice-of-life stories, drawings of cute girls, and strong lady characters. I think this was a really good exercise and I highly suggest fellow artists and writers to make your own influence map! -- source link
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