DrawnToCreatures: An Inspirational New Face In The Comics Landscape
© DrawnToCreatures
DrawnToCreatures has published multiple volumes of comics, tabled at cons across the country and is creating educational zines on zoology; all before finishing high school. I recently got the chance to discuss with him what the future holds for him in comics and beyond.
D: How did you get into making comics?
DrawnToCreatures: I was looking for a way to share my creative ideas – my friends started asking if I had a copy of the sketchbook comic I carried around at school (which became A Whole Other Dimension: Vol 1), or if I could photocopy some chapters for them, so I realised there was interest in my work. I then had the opportunity to table at my first fair, Yo Comics!, which was a fantastic experience. Comics, in particular, are a brilliant way to develop stories,
explore characters and illustrate new and existing creatures in a more creative way.
D: What are the biggest inspirations on your art?
DrawnToCreatures: Nature, cryptids and mythical creatures, but I also love storytelling so I’m always on the look out for comics, manga, animation and films with stories whose characters develop and grow as they go on journeys (or crazy adventures!). I often read Peanuts (particularly old-style Charlie Brown), Asterix, and watch animations like Cuphead and Aardman; more recently I’ve enjoyed getting into anime like Spy × Family, Studio Ghibli and One Piece (episode 482 and counting!). When I was younger, I was especially drawn to retro or black and white cartoons and slapstick Charlie Chaplin films, basically anything with a central character or animal doing something unexpected or funny… so nothing much has changed! Hundreds of Beavers is my current re-watch – I was fortunate to meet Ryland Brickson Cole Tews last year at a screening at the Prince Charles Cinema and gave him a drawing inspired by the film – I even got to wear the original prototype hat from the film and act out a fight scene with one of the beavers!
D: What advice would you give to other young, aspiring creators?
DrawnToCreatures: Keep on creating and don’t be afraid to share your work with others – you never know… You can exceed in levels you never thought possible!
D: You told me you have fifteen volumes of your comic planned. What drew you to such
long form storytelling?
DrawnToCreatures:There are eighteen volumes of A Whole Other Dimension planned in total… I am currently nearing the end of volume 5! I always get new ideas so needed enough books to explore storytelling and character development (hopefully eighteen books should help with that!). It’s actually that amount because of the number of sketchbooks they had left in the shop. Similarly, are you working on any shorter projects? I am literally drawntocreatures! so I want to help educate and encourage people to care about our natural world through my comics and drawings. I plan to create more nature-based mini zines (similar to The Secret Life of a Pangolin), following the habits and day-to-day lives of individual animals like the tarsier (my favourite creature in the world or any other dimension!). I am also currently compiling a bestiary to accompany my comic book series, which will act as a compendium of all the main creatures within A Whole Other Dimension, and planning some ‘one shot’ comic spin-offs for some of the main characters and creatures (like Gato, who I’m sure would demand his own comic!).
©DrawnToCreatures
D: What does your creative practice look like?
DrawnToCreatures: I work mostly on my lap, rather than at my desk, with my head super-close to the sketchbook (which drives my parents nuts), so I can concentrate on details. I draw whenever I can, often whilst listening to music or watching something in the background, and take a sketchbook with me everywhere I go, including school (actually there are at least two sketchbooks, one which is the current volume I’m working on for my comic series, and the other(s) for quick sketches, ideas or character development) – I draw
straight in with pen (unless I am sketching out ideas) and have one sketchbook for each
volume.
D: You’ve recently started tabling at comic cons, how have you found it as a young
creative?
DrawnToCreatures: It’s an exciting, new experience as it involves sharing my drawings with the world around me, plus I get to travel and meet other comic creators/artists – MACC-POW! was a great example of this. It also gives me the opportunity to expand my comic and zine collection, share ideas and gain more knowledge, not just when tabling myself, but also when my work is seen amongst others at communal tables like those at Goblin Market, ARC London and SLCZF. It was quite daunting at first as I wasn’t sure how my art or ideas were going to be received, but the community is so welcoming and encouraging and I am really grateful for all the advice and support.
© DrawnToCreatures
D: What song’s stuck in your head at the minute?
DrawnToCreatures: ‘Digital Hallucination’ from The Amazing Digital Circus by OR3O and Lizzie Freeman.
D: What’s your go to snack when creating?
DrawnToCreatures: Cheese – it’s a cheese chinchilla’s favourite food so check your fridges and… well, everywhere that cheese can be hidden, just in case. It goes well with everything,
especially tea and crackers.
D: Which of your characters do you see yourself the most in and why?
DrawnToCreatures: A-Aron (named after me, as you may have guessed!). He’s the cryptozoologist in my storywho loves all creatures, but he also has a hidden talent for martial arts (wish I did!).
© DrawnToCreatures
D: How do you balance your career and your studies?
DrawnToCreatures: I’m currently in year 10 studying for my GCSEs which is quite demanding, so am trying to balance the time needed for schoolwork and my comic/art work, as well as getting out into nature and observing wildlife. I am beginning to adapt to my new schedule, but it has been hard to fit everything in! In terms of a career, I aspire to be both a zoologist and an artist/comic artist, so perhaps an Arts and Sciences combined degree in future…
D: What’s the next big thing for @DrawnToCreatures?
DrawnToCreatures:My immediate plans are to publish volumes 3 and 4 (and 5!) of A Whole Other Dimension and to continue developing the series by featuring new characters and
creatures: in the upcoming books there will be croacodiles, a rogue demon weasel who’s
also a samurai, plus an aye-aye-inspired villain called Finger Tip. I’m also developing collector cards that include different characters, creatures and scenes from the series,
starting with those in volumes 1 and 2… I can’t wait to share them with everyone!
© DrawnToCreatures
With an unbridled ambition that's maybe only matched by his love of cheese, DrawnToCreatures is proving to be an exciting new talent in the British scene and an inspiration to us all. He truly does prove you're never too young to start and that, with enough commitment, anyone can break into comics.
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