Being curious Pandas, we contacted comic creator Nicholas Gurewitch. His comics first saw daylight in 2001, rightfully living up to their description - “the clarity of obscurity”. Therefore we were interested in learning more about the creative process.
Nicholas shared: “Sometimes they are born out of a stray stroke in a sketchpad. Sometimes a friend of mine will give me an idea (usually Jordan or Evan). Sometimes a crappy old sketch will present itself with new opportunities much later on.”
Artist continued telling more about how the comics are created: “In every case though, I think there has to be some insight into “how it plays”. And this requires the sober process of looking at it without author bias and instead focusing on what could be happening if it were real. Or not real. Can I zig when people might be expecting a zag? It’s a strange process probably, achievable when mental illness and diligence get together. In many ways, a lot of art functions no better than a circus sideshow - ‘look at how weird this thought process is!’”
He also added: "It might inform you less to answer this question, the process is so irregular."
As time passes artists tend to change. And their artwork follows that too. Nicholas shared his insights on his growth: “Comic-making is different now, yes. Humor changes. But humor also needs to get coupled with other needs. Social media is a game of self-advertisement, so a lot of humor right now must play into the ability of likers and sharers to self-advertise themselves. Or I’m just getting older and more out of touch with the veins of the zeitgeist.”
Interestingly enough, the content artist produces also influences their own perceptions. Nicholas wrote about how he was influenced by his own comics.
“I think the comic influences me personally because it is a source of external validation. On a certain level, I am like a tired monkey doing a street act so that I can stay loved and fed. I also feel that it is the expression of an inner self that is still blooming. As with many things in this world, it is a few different things all at once.”
