Bored Panda reached out to Nowak again to learn more about his creative process and himself. We were curious if there's anything else, like other types of art or artists, that has really influenced how he makes his comics. The artist shared that prolific creators who force themselves to create, even through bouts of block, helped him get into a good rhythm. "Someone like Stephen King (who claims to write 1000 words a day, good or bad) taught me that the best work comes after filtering out all the filler that piles up in the mind. I keep a list of cartoon ideas on me wherever I go and try to add to it daily. In the end, and upon review, something like 80% never gets drawn."
When it comes to having specific rituals or routines for creating comics, Nowak shared that he doesn't have any particular ones he can put into words. He mentioned, "Some quiet lofi hip-hop and a room to myself are the ingredients I treasure most, although I still often perform in lieu of these."
We also wanted to know what drives Nowak's passion for creating comics. The artist replied that making others laugh is a simple and fulfilling endeavor for him. "I'm happy to share my work with as large of an audience as I can manage. My mind also keeps coming up with ideas (80% of which are duds, to be sure) which leaves me feeling as though I need to keep actualizing them."
Lastly, we asked the artist if there are any other projects or collaborations he's considering pursuing in the future. "I've tried a few collaborative projects but they seem to fizzle out before they're made public," Nowak shared. "That's not to say I am not interested, just that keeping every member of the collective at the same level of motivation throughout projects seems to be a hurdle I often encounter. Instagram has been a blessing in that it has connected me with similar folk with whom a collaboration not only seems possible but almost inevitable. Stay tuned; I may have good news for you on that front soon!"
