Tag: 2011

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Steph Bravo-Semilla
Age: secret
Course & School: Bachelor of Fine Arts Advertising, University of the East
List of Works:

• Inquirer
• Junior Inquirer

1) When did you start making comics?
I started making cartoons professionally in ’96 for a Phil-Canadian Publishing company; in ’98 for the Inquirer and ’04 saw the birth of Fullhouse in JI.

2) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
My first choice was VetMed but I didn’t like the sight of blood.

3) Is it a big deal being a female artist?
It is because there are so few of us!

4) Any advice to female cartoonists, or aspiring young artists?
When I started, I wasn’t aware that it was a predominantly male profession and I was always surprised when they say that it’s a novelty to meet a female artist. Maybe it was because of this that I didn’t feel intimidated or felt less sure of my ability – in fact I think I reveled in it – Go girl power!

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Carmina Fajardo Romualdez aka mina, mimi, mingming
Age: 24
Course & School: Bachelor of Fine Arts Advertising, University of the East (Caloocan Campus)
List of Works:

• Frogpond, Manila Bulletin 2004-2006
• MWAHAHA comics
• BOINK

1) When did you start making comics?
Since i was a kid pa, nung gradeschool mga…naalala ko every school year pagbibili ng notebook pang-school may extra ako na isa, pang comics kung anu ano. hanggang ngayon buhay pa naman ung iba.

2) How did you begin making comics as a profession?
nagtry, nung nursing student pa ako nun sa Lyceum, malapit lang ang Manila Bulletin sa school. Nagtry ako mgpasa comics twice (nagpatulong ako sa isa pang artst na tiga MB). Ayun na.

3) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
..mumu

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Armida Francisco Rad
Age: 48
Course & School: Bachelor of Fine Arts, Far Eastern University
List of Works:

• comics illustrator for Carlo Caparas comics
• illustrated children books in Qazvin,Iran

1) When did you start making comics?
I started making comics when I was in 4th year high school. My uncle, Ading Gonzales – famous comic illustrator, taught me to become comic illustrator. I am a loving working in comics, my first love. It was incredibly fun.

2) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
If I were not artist, I would be teaching art and showcase my works done here and abroad. For me, art is life. It affects all the things around you. I got back into visual arts, and I focused on painting and exhibiting my paintings here and abroad. Art is my passion, I’ve been lucky enough to have some successes in life. I can be able to do something that I love, and to earn a living from it.

3) Any advice to female cartoonists, or aspiring young artists?
My advice for the young aspiring artists- believing yourself, not to worry about other things, some will like it, or some won’t…,just believe on yourselves and always thanks to God !

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Joanah Tinio-Calingo
Age: 32
Course & School: Bachelor of Fine Arts Visual Communications, UP Diliman
List of Works:

• Cresci Prophecies: Book of Arcen (indie)
• D-koi Junkie (Manila times)
• Curtains for Hire (indie)
• Empress 9 (indie)
• Digmaang Salinlahi (one chapter, indie)
• Blind Beauty (film scriptwriter)

1) When did you start making comics?
I started doing comic studies (for Cresci Prophecies) way back 1996, but only got around to making a comic I can actually sell around 1999. That’s was back in my college days.

2) How did you begin making comics as a profession?
It’s still a hobby until now, but I was offered to be a contributor for Manila Times for a short period of time. I also made a comic manual about rice planting for IRRI long ago.

I’ve also been hired several times for children’s comic workshops ever since I’ve practiced doing comics.

3) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
I’d probably be helping out in my family’s guitar string business as a worker. I’ve been doing that when I was younger.

4) Is it a big deal being a female artist?
Over here, it is. Even in features, it’s always a surprise when a girl is making their mark in whatever field. I don’t know why, but it seems we always have to prove to people what women are capable of doing. And it’s no different in the art field.

I know very few professional comic artists here sa Pinas, and it’s still quite dominated by guys. Besides reading works by male artists, it’s also nice to read something written and drawn by women who cater to both male and female readers.

5) Any advice to female artists, or aspiring young artists?
Practice whenever you can, draw whenever you can, make time for your art. Draw whatever you like, and don’t let other people tell you to stop. Work around your mood swings and expose yourself to as many art forms as you can. Transfer your charm onto paper. 😉

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Hazel Manzano
Age: 30
Course & School: Bachelor in Fine Arts, UP Diliman
List of Works:

• Callwork: A Call Center Life (serialized in Manila Bulletin)
• Proud Callboy (Callwork 2)
• Dra. Yap: A True story about a doctor who unknowingly joined Satanism (indie comics)
• Contributor in Komikero Anthology Komiks and Boink Comics

1) When did you start making comics?I started making comics in 2006. I have been in the call center industry and was amazed by the bloopers and all. I decided then to document all my experience and my co-workers. I thought of making it into a book since I noticed that my colleagues often read during their idle. I thought that comic strip would be the most effective media for bloopers mixed with dark reality of the corporate life.

2) How did you begin making comics as a profession?
When Manila Bulletin published Callwork in 2007. Prior to that, it was just internally through our company magazine and my blog.

3) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
Still the same…working… but probably more dedicated to my day job hehe!  Currently working as a call center workforce manager.

4) Is it a big deal being a female artist?
I guess it is  big deal if you make comics showing more of our culture and turning comics into a higher art form. I said that because a lot of ladies have this mentality that comic is “childish” and tends to draw more on childrens book (to show their maternal instinct and mentorship maybe).

5) Any advice to female artists, or aspiring young artists?
Never think of making comics just for money or fame. A lot of young people I talk to wanted to make comics for these reasons.

You are just gearing yourself up for failure. I make comics because I feel the need to tell the world about the reality of being a call center employee and hoped that this would change the way they look at us.  Back then a lot of people had these thinking that call center is for the dum dum and what have you. I hope they really changed their minds after reading Callwork.

A few years after Callwork, I started making other comics to tell stories that I think it is important for me.

SPECIAL GUEST PROFILE:

Name: Elizabeth T. Chionglo
Age: going on 60
Course & School: Fine Arts Major in Advertising, University of Santo Tomas
List of Works:

• Nini Liit, 1981, People’s Journal, Tempo
• Tres Chicks, 1983, Ptyk
• Pipo, 1985, Manila Bulletin (Sunday)
• Bobita, 1986, Manila Chronicle, Manila Standard
• Madam Bola, 1987, Bongga
• Loveknots, 1988, Phil. Daily Inquirer

1) When did you start making comics?
In 1976 for an inhouse newsletter of a government office.

2) How did you begin making comics as a profession?
After college, and after failing in all my job applications, i made some comic strips as my last resort. The newspaper editor suggested some changes and told me to come back. But i found a job and forgot all about the comics until two years later. I submitted my comics again just to find out what the editor of another publication thought of my work. After 3 weeks of follow-ups, my first comic strip nini liit appeared in people’s journal.

3) If you weren’t an artist, what would you be doing now?
I’ll be a housewife.

4) Is it a big deal being a female artist?
I don’t know.

5) Any advice to female artists, or aspiring young artists?
Love and draw with passion while still young.