Rodolphe Töpffer, known as
the “father of the modern comic,”
was the first-ever cartoonist
in the modern sense.
Töpffer drew pictures that felt
entirely different with a new style
of cartoon drawing and square
borders.
In particular, he was able to add
special meaning to his work
by combining text and painting.
Töpffer also created his own,
free style of art using scrawled
lines that looked a lot like
graffiti and caricatures that
captured the noticeable features of
each person.
@mckeijin, inducted into our
Hall of Fame this September, creates
new stories using old characters and
figures, in a similar way Töpffer
used to.
His work often portrays a variety
of different stories.
These stories created thanks to
a whole host of interesting
characters and figures give us
a glimpse into their lives, and
they share with us their emotions
reflected in their carefully
crafted expressions.
Looking at where and when some of
these characters are, we get to feel
how they might feel, and we can use
our imagination to guess what type
of situation they could be in.
I think it’d be best to find out
how and why @mckeijin creates
his work.
Let’s get to our interview with
@mckeijin.
Q1. @PENUP
Hello artist.
This is PENUP manager.
First, congratulations on being
selected for the September 2023
Hall of Fame.
Please tell us about yourself.
A1. @mckeijin
Hey, everyone! I’m mckeijin,
and I was inducted into the PENUP
Hall of Fame this September.
I've been drawing and painting as
a hobby for a while now, and really
try to upload my work whenever
I have enough time between work.
Never did I imagine that I’d be
chosen for the HoF ever, so
it’s a real honor.
Thank you so much.
Q2. @PENUP
The first piece was uploaded in
October 2020.
Since then, you have been constantly
uploading your work.
We are curious about how you came to
know about PENUP and upload your work.
A2. @mckeijin
It’s been a minute since
my first post.
I used to draw by hand on paper.
But then, I about PENUP when
I bought my Galaxy Tab S7.
I got the feeling it would be
a great idea to try drawing
digitally, so I started out casually
to practice. I soon realized that
digital drawing was perfect for me
because it didn’t require any
other tools, and I fell in love with
PENUP.
Even though I feel like
I have a ways to go in terms of
my technique and skills, I’m still
painting and uploading my work.
Q3. @PENUP
You draw characters and express
the way they look and feel with
sketches and by adding color.
Could you tell us what you like to
use in terms of devices and apps
when you're creating your work?
A3. @mckeijin
I use the PENUP app the most with
my Galaxy Tab S7.
Sometimes I use other drawing apps
such as MediBang or SketchUp.
Although there are some features
missing when you compare it to some
of the other more “professional”
apps, I like PENUP the most and
I use it a lot because it fits
my light and casual drawing style.
Q4. @PENUP
You seem to enjoy drawing everything
from cartoons and animations to
characters and figures.
There’s a lot of variety there.
What first got you into
incorporating so many different
things in your art?
A4. @mckeijin
Everyone has different things to say
about my paintings. Some say
they’re flashy and complicated,
others say they fit the given theme.
I've heard people say that I go over
the top at times. :)
I just paint what I like, and
I draw characters from movies and
cartoons that I love because
I want to express them
in my own style.
Q5. @PENUP
We often see characters from
cartoons and movies drawn
beautifully in the unique way you
look at them and express them.
But do you have a favorite?
And if you do, what makes that
particular character or figure
so appealing?
A5. @mckeijin
I love watching cartoons and movies,
so I try to look up all the famous
ones.
Probably the first one I saw that
made me think I should try drawing
was “Dragon Ball.”
It’s still considered a masterpiece,
and I haven’t seen too many people
who said they didn’t like
Dragon Ball.
Dragon Ball is a cartoon or “manga,“
and it has so many scenes,
characters, and exciting stories
I can draw inspiration from.
Everyone likes the characters from
Dragon Ball, including most of
the supporting characters.
I also like the original Marvel
comic books featuring some of
the best-known heroes in movies
today, so I try to buy and read
them when I can.
Q6. @PENUP
There’s also a lot of interesting
imagination going on in your work.
What goes on behind the scenes
when you’re putting some extra
creativity into a drawing?
A6. @mckeijin
That’s a great question.
For me, cartoons require a lot of
imagination to be able to draw
more unique pictures and scenes.
I draw with various ideas that
come to mind by adding a slight
twist and creating things that
exist in the world but are not
quite the way they are in
the real world.
Q7. @PENUP
The way you drew some pop idols
and celebrities
looked very striking as well.
What caught your attention about
those celebs and why did you
draw them?
And, in your view, what’s
the difference between drawing
a character and drawing a person?
A7. @mckeijin
I feel like when other artists draw
people, they like to draw them
exactly the way they are in their
reference photos.
But I found that a little boring
because those paintings just
looked like photos. I try to imagine
what a real person would look like
in a cartoon.
Although there aren’t any rules when
it comes to drawing fictional
characters, real people exist in
the real world, and that means there
should be some limitations to what
I can do when I draw them. So,
I tend not to draw someone from
real life.
For me, the first thing about
drawing and painting is that
it should be fun.
Q8. @PENUP
In some of your work, you use
carefully crafted lines that
are left black and white.
Some other pieces are in full color.
Is there a difference between
How each type of color palette
appeals to you?
Which pieces do you decide to add
color or just leave them black
and white?
A8. @mckeijin
Since I draw as a hobby, I like to
finish without coloring things in.
I like my work to look
somewhat incomplete.
But I do enjoy both drawing styles.
So, if I feel like something should
be in color, I add color.
As for black and white drawings,
I add more light and shade and more
complex expressions. Though, I do
try not to overdo things.
I color my paintings when I think it
would be nice to have color, and
I finish it with simple, matching
lines rather than going for
something flashy and complicated.
Q9. @PENUP
It’s awesome to see how you draw
characters and figures,
but it’s also interesting to see
how you interpret and produce
different situations.
Where do you draw the inspiration
to create these situations and
scenes?
Do you have a specific subject or
topic you’d like to try?
A9. @mckeijin
When it comes to paintings that
require such diverse compositions,
I prioritize using my imagination.
I try to remind myself that since
this artist did this a certain way,
I should try doing it in
a different way.
I don’t really have a concrete idea
of what I would like to draw
in the future, but I feel like
I want to draw an ordinary closet
that’s hiding a whole new world
inside, which you can explore once
you open the doors.
Q10. @PENUP
Last question.
Please tell us if you have anything
you would like to improve or
the story you want to tell while
using PENUP
A10. @mckeijin
I’ve been using PENUP with my Galaxy
Tab for a long time, and it seems
like the app is getting updates
regularly, so I have no major
complaints.
But it sometimes feels like it lacks
features compared to the other more
professional drawing apps.
I trust the PENUP team will continue
to update the app and its features,
making sure it becomes an even
better app for drawing.
Once again, I am honored and grateful
to be selected for PENUP’s September
Hall of Fame.
I would like to thank everyone who
sent me their congratulations,
and I’ll continue to draw fun
pictures using PENUP.
How was the interview with
@mckeijin?
Rodolphe Töpffer is regarded as
the person who ushered inn a new
era of cartoons and comics with is
revolutionary style of art.
Like Töpffer, @mckeijin also adds
his own inspiration to existing
works to create a new creative and
imaginary world.
To all of you who are reading
this interview, today might be
a great day to look at various works
of other artists, and then add your
own twist using your creativity.
Use various content available
on PENUP and infuse them with your
own inspiration or ideas to
have fun creating something new.
We invite everyone to come
and add to the joy of painting
with PENUP!
Thank you.
Fun, Express, Share!
PENUP - Share your drawings!
https://www.penup.com
-The PENUP Team
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