Bored Panda had the pleasure of interviewing Tommy Siegel, a talented cartoonist known for his unique style. When asked about how he got into comics, he responded, "I've loved cartooning since I was a little kid, but my interest in music usurped it for a couple of decades. After I graduated college, I toured full time with my band Jukebox the Ghost, and didn't take cartooning very seriously."
However, in 2018, he undertook a challenge to draw a comic every day for 500 days and, ever since then, he has made cartooning a significant part of his life. "I published two books with Andrews McMeel during the pandemic and am working on more. I still tour and record with my band, but when we're not on the road I work full-time as a cartoonist," he added.
When asked about his inspiration for creating comics, Tommy replied, "Usually on walks or quiet moments. I find inspiration doesn't come if I force it, but if I let myself experience life and try to live in the moment, something usually comes up."
Art has been an essential part of Tommy's life, and he enjoys being creative in all its forms. "I'm a firm believer that if you're creative in one field, you could probably be creative in another if you learned the skill sets required by the medium. Knowing how to tap into the creativity faucet is the most important part," he explained. Tommy also mentioned that he is mostly self-taught and learned by watching YouTube tutorials.
When asked about his comics reaching a vast audience, Tommy responded, "It's really nice to have an audience! I worked hard to get there, and still have to work pretty hard to maintain it, though!"
Tommy's comics are known for their ability to bring a smile to people's faces, and when asked about this, he said, "I've always enjoyed making people laugh." For aspiring artists looking to make it big in the comics industry, Tommy's advice is to "just keep throwing stuff at the wall! My 500-day challenge was really useful for me (though I wouldn't recommend doing that many in a row!) because it forced me to throw any idea out there. Sometimes I was extremely surprised by what resonated with people."
Tommy Siegel is consistently creating new comics, and when asked about his process, he stated, "Most days I'm working on something, even if it's just a small part of a comic." His dedication to his craft is evident in the quality and quantity of work he produces.
