Where were you born? Where did you grow up?
I was born in Malaybalay City , Bukidnon and grew up there. Then I moved to Cebu City to take my college and soon moved again to Manila , Philippines to work for a project.

How about your schooling? Had you gone under any art training?
I took up Information technology in Cebu Institute of Technology in Cebu City , Philippines . I wasn't able to finish my studies after 3 years of schooling because of financial restrains and soon work as fulltime furniture designer.

I've never been in formal art training, most of the time I copied a lot and learned from there.

How long have you been working professionally in comics?
I've worked in comic industry business for more than 2 years.


What things -- both in art and otherwise -- have you worked on, besides comics? Are comics a full-time gig for you or part-time?
It was my dream to work on comics since grade school but living in a urban town where I born, comics was impossible to work for. I studied in Cebu city a day and half travel from Bukidnon and took my college there then I'll work as a furniture designer, cartoonist, graphic artist, illustrator and a tattoo artist , for 2 years of struggle to find my luck. Then move to manila were I tried my hands on the dream I want to work on, as comic artist….comics is a full time gig now.

Talk about how you broke into the business --was it easy? Hard? Ups? Downs ? Any interesting anecdotes? When you held your first published work in your hands, how did you feel?
After a year of struggle here in manila working as a web design artist and a messenger I found a way to contact Eugene who was in-charge in glasshouse graphics Asia that time. We've meet and I show my portfolio to him with this guy Carlo and Dennis who criticize my work. Then after that I was invited to GHG seminar but don't have the chance to join the whole seminar for financial problem expenses. I'll wait till the event was done and got my chance to go inside and meet the group of Stephen Segovia and soon I was introduced to David Campiti.

I've never been to any convention before so I received a lot of critics and comments on my work. But it didn't loose my hope to work on comics; I've focused on doing samples and sequential pages and break-in as an assistant artist of Stephen Segovia on Tokyo Knights under TOPCOW image.

How did you settle on the style(s) you're currently using? If you have multiple styles how did you develop them? I do have a variety of styles, but I think I was comfortable with the style I am using now on the Star Wars project and on Robert Jordan's New Spring.

I guess my style influenced from a lot of artists; Travis Charest , Leinil Yu, Steve McNiven, Carlo Pagulayan, Roy Allan Martinez, Stephen Segovia.

Did you work as an assistant to any other artists? If so, please talk a bit about those experiences.
Yes, couple of times. First was for Stephen Segovia on Tokyo Knights and MITH under TOPCOW as assistant artist. Then as background artist for Carlo Pagulayan in Emma Frost, Unlimited X-Men, Fantastic Four and Planet Hulk. Another for Noah Salonga on Red Sonja, for Lui Antonio on Lightning Kiss and War Hammer, for Ariel Padilla on Maze Agency and TOMOE. And last but not the least I assisted Roy Allan Martinez working on Son of M under Marvel Comics.

How did your parents take to the idea of working in comics?
My dad is an artist, he was against me before but now he is glad after knowing I was very comfortable with my work and so is my family. They always tell me that life as an illustrator is full of ups and downs. But it's really wonderful to work on something you dream of. Working in comics is my big dream; I didn't believe it became true.

How would you describe your work space? Is it part of your home, or do you go "to the studio"?
I share a place with my fellow artist on an apartment that also served as our working area or studio. We all work, live, sleep and eat there.

We also have our official studio called the glasshouse graphics in Caloocan , Philippines .

What job are you the proudest of?
I've just finish my project on STARWARS: Knights of the Old Republic issue 12 which is I'm very proud of, not that it has a lot of spaceship and aliens but it has! Haha!

Second was the adaptation of Robert Jordan's New Spring issue 6 and 7.

What are you currently drawing? Comments on that project?
Robert Jordan's New Spring. Its really hard to work on a book adaptation coz you need to read the novel first, for the details and the stuff you would draw should be based on the novel. The scene nary and the characters costumes, Mr. Jordan is very strict on it, but I really love to work on fantasy books so I enjoy doing it.

Talk about your family: Parents, siblings, home situation.
They are very supportive and very proud of me getting in the comic book scene.

My dad is an artist, he always tell me not to rely most on art related work because it's hard to find jobs. But I have managed to survive through art related job since college and pursue my dream as a comic illustrator.

What projects do you hope to work on in the future?
I hope I can work on a book like The Lord of the Rings comic adaptation….

hahaha! How I wish :)

Where do you see yourself in five years? ten?
Professionally illustrating different comic books….am wait a sec and maybe I do have my jaguar automobile on that time…hehehe!

What is the interest in comics where you live? Do friends and neighbors know you draw comics for a living? How do they react?
Quite very few knows in my hometown that I do comic book for a living now, what they have in mind that I was just an Illustrator or Artist.

My father still can't believe I have a job here now in Manila , Philippines or how do I got into the comic business.

What's 1 thing you'll always find in your refrigerator?  
Ice water? :)

What's your favorite food?
I love to eat Ginataang-gata! ( Filipino delicacy) and maybe anything edible will do…

What are your favorite interests --Movies? Music? TV? Any hobbies? Sports?
I have been collecting comic books since grade school. Both local and foreign.

Movies are the stuff that help me creative and I used it most for reference on shots and scenes. Music are the only reason why I'm still awake till 7 in the morn'n while working, I listen to any kind of music genre.

I kinda hooked up with HEREOES series now in courtesy of Carlo Pagulayan who recommend and supply us the series (thanks Caloy). And I dunno what will happen to Michael Scofield in Prison Break, I do hope he will be captured again and it's more exciting inside the prison and how he break out. Maybe the reason while I'll keep watching this series bcoz of Dr. Sarah who look like Natalie or someone I know….hahaha!

Have you ever thought of writing your own stories?
N gyaa! I really love to write and the only problem is I dunno how to execute it. Haha! They all in my head and someday I hope I can write and illustrate them.  

What's an average day in your life like?  Walk us through a typical day.
In my ordinary day I go to malls and look for a place where I can sit down and draw things almost everything I see there. Even on my way home, I try to draw a lot of things even inside the bus or jeepney .

Do you have any great, unsold projects in your files that nobody's gotten to see published?
Yup, I have one great that I really love to see in comic book someday, its kinda comedy. I'm sure it has a lot of humor coz Filipino folks love to read comedy comic strips. And I have a friend publisher here in the Philippines who want's to support my book and I said someday will see….

If you weren't a comic-book artist today, what would you be?
If I'm not an artist maybe a pianist or a terrorist….love those AK-47.hahaha!


The single thing you'd most like to be remembered for in your life is...?
Aha! Maybe someone who loves to draw…hmmm! I hope I inspired some artist too!

Any other tidbits of info about you that you are like to share?
To all the aspiring artist, never loose hope. If you receive bloody critics don't commit murder or suicide it just need a lot of patience and practice. Listen. Draw. Pray. The last one is always effective but don't rely too much on it need participation…. ;)

 

LIST OF CREDITS (as penciler): 

Robert Jordan's New Spring (marvel-dabel production)

Starwars : Knights of the Old Republic (darkhorse comics)

Assist work to other artist :

Tokyo Knights (topcow)
MITH Operation Jaguar (topcow)
Emma Frost (marvel)
X-Men Unlimited (marvel)
Fantastic Four (marvel)
Planet Hulk (marvel)
Warhammer (boom-studios)
Red Sonja (dynamite ent)
XENA (dynamite ent)
Shadowmancer (markosia)
VS! (harcourt archieve)
TOMO (funny pages)
Son of M (marvel)

Other links and news
Harvey Tolibao: Promdi artist destined for the stars