Brief and Concept
I was asked to participate in a comic anthology called Fly the Colour Fantastica. The brief, as given by our awesome editors Eri Kashima and Vikki Ong, was to pick a colour palette and create an uplifting story exploring a theme. This was the first time that I've drawn a comic!
My contribution explored the theme of serendipity: a chance encounter with a river mermaid leads to an unlikely friendship. I chose the colours of a sunset on a dry summer's day to evoke the feelings of summer holidays during childhood, which is a time when the possibilities of life seem endless. I wrote the story and produced the illustrations.
I read comics and watched anime voraciously during my childhood, and so I drew inspiration from the legendary Bill Watterson and Taiyou Matsumoto, as well as the anime FLCL.
All of the artworks were created with pen and ink, a Wacom Graphire tablet and Photoshop CS5.
The comic anthology was successfully crowdfunded in 2014 and made into a hardcover publication. It was shortlisted for an Aurealis Award (Australia's premier sci-fi and fantasy literary award) and a Ledger Award (Australian comic industry award) in 2015 and 2016, respectively.
Artwork from my comic was featured as one of social media website Tumblr's 2014 Top Posts - Tumblr Open Arts worldwide.
Fly the Colour Fantastica's Awards
Shortlisted for Aurealis Awards 2015 - Best Graphic Novel/Illustrated Work (further information)
Silver Ledger Winner - Ledger Awards 2016 (further information)
Silver Ledger Winner - Ledger Awards 2016 (further information)
The River Mermaid (pen, ink, Wacom tablet, Photoshop).
Used as title page artwork. Featured in Tumblr's Year in Review 2014 Top Posts - Tumblr Open Arts.
Buy a Copy of Fly the Colour Fantastica
Fly the Colour Fantastica online store (DIGITAL COPIES AVAILABLE ONLY)
Kinokuniya Australia (SOLD OUT)
Readings (SOLD OUT)
Secret Identity Comics (SOLD OUT)
