Just like last time, Bored Panda reached out to Maria with some new questions, first we asked her about one of the first characters she ever came up with.
“Although Nat was originally based on my childhood self, her character has taken on a life of her own,” Maria explained when asked about the evolution of Nat's character. “It is amazing to watch her grow and evolve throughout the series. So many of the stories in the books are based on real feelings and experiences from my childhood, viewed through the lens of humor. I’m so excited to be working on the sixth book in the series, and that the books have been translated into French, German, Italian, Spanish, Catalan, Russian, Hebrew, Greek, Turkish, and Korean. Whenever I visit a school or library, I always encourage students to write and draw their experiences and share their stories. So often, we feel alone in our feelings only to discover that someone else is having the same experience we are.”
Discussing how she overcomes creative blocks, Maria shared, “It seems in every book, there comes a point where part of the story isn’t working. This part of the creation process often feels like trying to complete a jigsaw puzzle when you don’t know what the pieces are. If I am ever stuck on any part of the story, I go for a walk or a run. Movement is great for stuck ideas, and, sometimes, just being in a different environment helps motivate my creative process.”
Maria finds nature and movement to be a significant source of inspiration for her work. “Nature is such a vast treasure trove of comedic material. I was hiking and saw two squirrels engaging in a playful chase. I found it so hilarious, like they were playing a game of tag. I immediately imagined a comic scenario where these squirrels are in a serious business meeting but can't resist their instinct to chase one another. And that’s exactly what I put into one of my strips.”
Balancing creativity with the business side of her work is another aspect the artist navigates thoughtfully. “As artists, we all wear a lot of hats in both creating the work, marketing, and promotion. I make the work my first priority, but I also enjoy connecting with readers on social media, and in person at school visits, book festivals, and comics festivals.”
On the topic of transitioning between mediums, Scrivan noted the pros and cons of digital versus traditional methods. “The iPad was wonderful for its versatility and portability. But I found that I was missing the tactile sensation of pencil on paper. Despite the challenges such as adjusting to the feel of stylus on glass and the lack of 'undo' option with paper, I found that in both cases, the medium inevitably informs the art.”
