Hello everybody!
(first of all.. sorry for my bad english)
This is a new blog about me, about MANGA Realism.
What is Manga Realism?
It is a new drawing style which I made famous starting in 1999. I was drawing Manga, typical line style, but I didn't like it. And then somebody asked me about making him a portrait. I tried but it was horrible.
Then in 2004 when I was about to finish my Comic Studies I met a Japanese Autor on the Connichi (Germany Comic Convention): Sanami Matoh.
I was just sitting there in a corner, drawing from my own, waiting for the outer door to open (because I loved the style of her), I was waiting to catch an autograph. Then she stopped by my side and watched me draw. I didn't even realize it was her. She asked me about having a look of the dress and the comic I was drawing and I give it to her. She said to me "dozo" which means. come in.
I was surprised. She sits at her desk and started watching the comic. then she closed the book and opened again starting analyzing it. After 10 min. She said to me: (all in Japanese but the translator told me) You have a really good style, I never see anything like this, how does it name?" And I didn't even notice, so in a split of 3 sec I told her: "Its Manga Realism" And she was surprised.She told me that the lines and the colouring are new and giving "life" to the picture seams like they are real. The she closed the book and give it back to me. I was so surprised, but even more when she told me: "Here. send this to my editorial I am sure they will give you a startup" And she give me her personal card.
I was so surprised. Till this moment I never thought about drawing comics/manages, because I thought it was not good enough. Since then I have changed minds.
Now I am seriously doing a comic. I am doing the story and guidelines and I am drawing, also.
I obviously sent a copy of the comic which Sanami Matoh was interested in the editorial BE BOYS, but then a few moments later they crushed and started up as a new editorial and I think my project got lost. And also I moved to another house and lost the card of Sanami Matoh (what a shame). But today I think: First I will finish this comic and then I will start again to present it to editorials. Maybe they are interested in.
In the meanwhile I continued to draw portraits and to work them out. I combined analyzing the details and the most important thing of a portrait (from my point of view) is the EYES. I worked them out and they got realistic. Many people who see my draws (portraits) are saying: "They such like real, like they were alive".
I started drawing characters of my comic, and real people and they nearly looks like the same.
Since 2004 I am on every Comic and Manga Convention of Barcelona (Spain) to draw people. But this year I will be not there. The stands and tables are TOOOOO EXPENSIVE!
People know me there and every year I have a lot of people waiting for me to portray them, but this year I have to say sorry for my fans and to everybody.
I wish I had more money for this, but I am actually just working in a company to pay my bills and have a bit of money extra to buy new pencils etc.
But you can always send me emails of messages if you want to have a Manga Portrait or visit my Deviantart: http://loeljgrey.deviantart.com/
I hope this blog will get famous. Manga Realism is a very new style and I give him LIFE.
by Loel Grey Wikete
