How did you become an artist?

Like many others, I started drawing as a kid, inspired by early 2000s anime or Cartoon Network shows. But it wasn’t until my late teens that I really reconnected with manga and anime on a deeper level. At the time, I had a tattoo studio and spent my days mixing classic tattoo designs with references from the series and manga I loved. During breaks or lunch, I’d escape to a small room in the back of the studio to work on my first manga pages and illustrations. Those drawings felt different, every page I created sparked something in me that nothing else ever had. So, I decided to leave the studio and focus entirely on chasing my dream of becoming a manga artist.

Where do you get inspiration?

When I’m low on inspiration, I usually scroll through Pinterest, but most of the time, I find ideas from visual content on social media: artist accounts, photography, fashion influencers, and so on. From there, I like to add my a personal touch, blending those ideas with my own references, shaped by growing up surrounded by the underground culture of my city. I almost always combine it with some kind of real references like a selfie to nail down the pose I have in mind and study how clothes fold, a photo of a street for the background, or even catching the reflection in the glass doors of my bookshelf to to refine the gestures of the hands. It’s a process where everything comes together naturally.

What’s your hardware setup?

I’ve had and still use different devices. My main computer is a 27” iMac from 2019. It’s gotten a bit slow lately, but after upgrading the RAM to 64 GB, it runs smoothly once it’s past the first 10 minutes of startup, hahaha. I have it connected to a 20” Wacom Cintiq, which I’ve been using for about five years now. At one point, I tried a smaller 12” Wacom tablet and loved the feel of it (I still have it!). That experience got me thinking about whether an iPad could be a good tool for working on the go. So, this summer, I added a 13” iPad Pro to my setup. I use it both connected to my computer and as a standalone device, which is great for working anywhere. In all the setups, I’ve always used a small game controller for shortcuts, hahaha.

What do you like best about Clip Studio Paint?

That’s such a tough question! I love everything about Clip Studio! It was the first program I discovered when I started drawing manga back in 2013, and I’ve grown as an artist alongside it as the software has evolved and improved over the years. What I love most is how focused it is on manga and illustration, which makes even its most basic tools incredible. In fact, a big part of my graphic style comes from the pen tool the software includes. If I had to highlight something, it would be the massive catalog of materials and assets you can download directly through the platform. Oh, and I almost forgot the Liquify tool!!! It’s amazing and has been such a game changer for me! Hahah.

How long does it take you to make a single illustration?

It usually takes me a morning or an afternoon to finish an illustration. Since I tend to focus on single character drawings and have my workflow so instinctive, the process feels almost automatic. I always compare it to playing your favorite video game on easy mode, you enjoy every step because you know exactly what you’re doing.

How has Clip Studio Paint improved your workflow?

It has allowed me to take on multiple projects at once in a more organized and faster way. Not just because of the specific page/file settings, but also because I can adjust my workspace to be super efficient and customize shortcuts to suit my needs. It’s like sitting at your desk and knowing where everything is in every drawer, it makes the whole process smooth and easy. On top of that, being able to replicate the same software setup on both my main computer and my iPad means that no matter where I am, I don’t miss working on my main setup. Everything feels just as comfy and familiar, and my workflow stays seamless.

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