As always, Bored Panda reached out to Rupert with a few short questions.
Balancing humor and realism in his comics is key to making them relatable to dog owners. Rupert explained, "I only draw them if they are relatable; otherwise, people would not enjoy them. It’s the identification that people enjoy and often say, ‘Have you got cameras in my house?’"
Sharing a memorable moment that made him realize the impact of "Off The Leash," Rupert recalled, "When people started asking for my autograph and selfies. Also, when I had a stand at dog shows, I was surrounded by people smiling, laughing, and enjoying my work. It was a good feeling."
Regarding his creative process for creating a comic strip, the artist said to Bored Panda, "It’s unstructured and spontaneous. Sometimes I don’t have any ideas for weeks, then I’ll have a few in one day."
His own life experiences greatly inspire the characters and scenarios in his comics. The comic artist noted, "I grew up with dogs, so I understood them from early in life. I have always loved dogs and find their behaviors very amusing, entertaining, and engaging."
Dealing with creative blocks, especially when facing deadlines for new comics or books, can be challenging, so Rupert admitted to us that, "It’s always stressful for any creative person, and you can start to doubt yourself and wonder if you’ll ever have any ideas again, but I’ve never missed a deadline so far."
In January, Rupert faced a significant personal challenge that he decided to share with us and our audience (you, Pandas): "In January, I suffered a stroke and spent five months in hospital. I am still recovering, and it has really interrupted my creative process. Luckily, my drawing hand is unaffected, and I have started working again."
