Bored Panda reached out to the author of the “Fruit Gone Bad” series to find out more about his work. First, we asked him what are some of the most rewarding aspects of being a comic artist, and what keeps him motivated to continue creating. The artist shared with us: “My style has definitely changed, but not by much. If you scroll to the bottom of my Instagram page you can see the difference. I make the limbs of my characters smaller now and the coloring is bolder. The comics have gotten more risqué also.”
Asked how his art style has evolved over time, and what factors influenced these changes, the artist said: “I’ve been drawing comics since I was a kid. Only one or two of my friends would enjoy looking at them. Now with social media, I get to reach thousands of people who appreciate them. Seeing people follow along and like my work is motivation enough to continue creating.”
We were wondering what in the artist’s opinion makes a good comic, and what are some common mistakes other creators should avoid. We were told that: “What makes a comic truly successful involves different factors. One is the algorithm on Instagram. The amount of views the comic gets depends upon the algorithm. Sometimes a comic that I think will do really well barely gets seen at all. It’s disappointing for sure. I like to get my point across in one frame. The characters and the content all have to be expressed in one frame. That’s my ideal. Other comics require multiple frames.”
Lastly, we asked the author of “Fruit Gone Bad” how he manages to stay up to date with current trends and developments in the comic industry, and how he sees the industry evolving in the future. The artist explained: “I have to admit I’m a bit behind in using newer technology to make comics. Most of them are drawn using the computer these days. I’m a bit old-fashioned in that sense. I still draw with pencil and ink. The coloring is done with colored pencils and then touched up using Photoshop. Staying up to date with current trends in everyday day life is a bit tough also because, for the most part, I refuse to bring race, religion, and politics into my comics. Politics is in everything lately, but won’t be in my comics. I want people to smile, not be miserable!”
