Reina Canalla Art
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Interview With the Erotic Cartoonist V - July 2023
🕑 Added 2023-07-14 23:07:46 +0000 UTCTranscription:
Hello, watchers! Guess what? I've got a shiny new camera! With improved colors and image quality, it was high time for an upgrade. Now, let's dive right into the exciting questions awaiting us.
How would you describe your artistic style?
Well, I feel comfortable with the term ‘cartoon’. May not be the most precise, but it's the easiest way to give outsiders a glimpse of what I do. If I simply say, 'Oh, I'm an illustrator who draws comics,' I often get requests for realistic portraits. Sure, I could do that if I wanted to, but maintaining a distinct personal style is crucial for an artist's brand identity, you know?
So, my artistic style draws heavily from my earlier influences, especially manga, particularly the Year 24 Group, a collective of female manga artists who left a lasting impact on shojo manga in the 1970s. Their sinuous ink lines greatly influenced my approach to drawing female characters, giving them sensuality. Additionally, I adopted the concept of simplifying facial features to enhance expressiveness and embraced the power of silence as a narrative strategy. These three pillars form the foundation of my art: the sinuous line, simplicity, and the power of silence.
Without a doubt, my time at the Joso Comic School left a lasting impression on me, opening my eyes to the captivating world of European and American artists. It was during my practice sessions with superhero pages that I truly honed my inking skills. Let me tell you, my journey with inking wasn't a smooth ride. There were moments when I felt like throwing in the towel. But when I finally mastered the art of creating a beautiful line with a brush, I made a promise to myself—I would never stray from traditional inking. There's something magical about the feeling of drawing lines in the air, where you don't feel the pressure on the paper. That's why digital inking doesn't quite capture my heart.
Similarly, my time at the Academy of Fine Arts left an indelible mark on my approach to color. Learning to paint with oil colors and watercolors wasn't a walk in the park, but that knowledge has become ingrained in my artistic DNA. While I strive for simplicity, I must admit that a touch of baroque style often finds its way into my color works. I've come to realize that color has the remarkable ability to enhance and elevate a drawing in countless ways. It's a powerful tool that I love to employ in my artistic pursuits.
And last but not least, we have the page layouts. When it comes to their influence, I must confess it's hard to pinpoint a specific source. I like to believe that my layouts are a product of my own evolution, thinking outside the box, resulting in something highly personal and truly unique. While my layouts are instinctive, I can still analyze and explain the reasoning behind them to others. Above all, I strive to give the pages room to breathe, which is why I often leave blank spaces strategically placed.
In short, I would describe my artistic style as a harmonious blend of simplicity, sensuality, baroque colors, and a sense of breathability. This combination proves to be ideal for creating both erotic and humorous comics.
But of course, there's always more to explore and discover! Lately, I've been diving into the fascinating realm of backgrounds. I love how Frank Miller has the power to imply rather than draw everything, keeping the reader blissfully unaware. That man is a genius, I tell you! Additionally, I've been studying the style of Steve Rude, whose work exudes elegance and intelligence in every line. There's so much to learn from these incredible artists, and I'm eager to incorporate their techniques into my own creative toolbox.
What emotions or feelings do you experience when creating your cartoons?
Alright, let me debunk the myth that working in art feels like touching the sky or being touched by the finger of God. Most of the time, it's a rollercoaster of emotions fueled by high expectations and the fear of failure. So, when you sit down to draw or ink, you often feel a sense of discomfort. However, it's true that with experience and technique, it becomes easier to enter the flow state, a state similar to meditation. That's why some artists may appear serene and even have a spiritual aura about them. But hey, don't be fooled by appearances!
What emotions of feelings…? Ah, I see what you mean! You're curious to know if I enter a different state of consciousness while creating. Well, here's the thing: my mantra is "If a scene turnsme on, it can turn my readers on."There's a beautiful symbiotic relationship between my characters and me. In fact, I experience the same emotions as them while bringing the stories to life. When Jezzy is angry, I'm angry; when Jezzy is happy, I'm happy. It becomes a bit tricky when I sketch storyboards in public. You see, I tend to make expressive faces and sometimes even let out onomatopoeic sounds like "Oh!", "Ah!", or even "Grrrr!" It can be quite embarrassing! So, to spare myself the awkwardness, I save the storyboarding process for private moments when I can fully immerse myself in the scenes without any inhibitions.
Let me illustrate this with an example. Take a look at page 40 of the 'Anne-Marie' series, where Jezzy marks Anne and officially she becomes her owner. Now, here's the fascinating part: that scene was completely improvised. I was fully immersed in Jezzabel's mindset, or you could say that Jezzabel had taken possession of my mind. As I was drawing that scene, I felt the fear of Jezzy, the pain of Anne, the passion, and the confusion. In fact, a tear (or maybe more than one) trickled down my cheek. It was an incredibly powerful moment, and it served as proof that characters must be given the freedom to take action and guide the story.
B-but do you get horny when creating?
Oh, absolutely! It happens often! Let me share a recent example without giving away any spoilers. Just the other day, I was sketching the scene where Mademoiselle D'Artagnan encounters Athos. Panel by panel, I found myself growing increasingly horny. I had to finish before dinner, which was quickly approaching. I couldn’t stop and take a break, and the temperature was getting hot… Oh my goodness! If I were a man, I’d say it was a hard time!
That's all for now, my friends! I'm eagerly looking forward to hearing your questions in the upcoming month. Stay curious and keep the excitement flowing!
Comments
Reina Canalla
Thank you so much! I genuinely invest a lot of time in meticulously planning the layouts of my comic pages, especially when aiming for a specific narrative effect. I'm thrilled that you appreciate the effort I put into my work :)
The3rdMan
"I like to believe that my layouts are a product of my own evolution, thinking outside the box, resulting in something highly personal and truly unique." -- I've praised them before and I'll say again I like how inventive yours are, the way the characters leap out of one panel to the next. It's a great way to have the picture seem energetic and convey action.
Reina Canalla
Thank you so much for your kind words and feedback! I'm glad you find my creative process fascinating. :) Yeah, my first influences were Shojo Mangas, although my art school influences were strongly European and American. I like to think that I'm an example of globalization, haha! And don't worry, you're definitely not alone in sharing emotions while drawing! It's great to know that we can relate in this aspect. Comic art allows us to connect and express ourselves in unique ways.
Zungur
This is another fascinating insight in your creative process. Thank you for sharing! I am surprised that you put Mangas as the first of your influences, because I saw you firmly routed in the European tradition. But I don't know much about Mangas anyway. I already wrote that I admire your brush work and I watch this video again and again. Maybe if I find more time I will give it a try. Thak you for telling about sharing the emotions of your characters as you draw them. So I'm not the only one who does faces and is grimacing as he draws :))) The difference is: you are a lady drawing ladies, so you can identify with them. I'm a guy drawing ladies, so I can just imagine to create feelings and emotions in them, which again is a nice analogy to se... erm, real life matters :)
