Sketches for chapter 2 and 3

I've been working on tight sketches for chapter 2 and 3 for my "Tung Tree" Graphic Novel. I'm aiming to finish them before I'll go on to an adventure in Japan this month.

Since this is my first novel, each production step is anew and engaging. I'm learning so much from every procedure.

These thumbnail/ sketching process used to take me so much longer a year ago, but now I can work on them a lot easier.

I will be going to Japan for the first time in four years. It'll be a great family reunion, and I have two weddings to attend to. We'll be stopping in Amsterdam on the way and on the way back. I've always wanted to go check it out, so it's quite exciting. Can't wait to go to Van Gogh Museum. If you know great places to visit in the city, please email me and let me know!

The image shows process from thumbnail to inking, and shadowing on computer.

Anton Chekhov

Since I read about him in Haruki Murakami's “1Q84,” and have heard in general that he is one of the true masters of writing, I have been reading Anton Chekhov this past couple of weeks. (BTW, I am extremely dissatisfied with “1Q84,” but I won't talk about it here.) I expected Chekhov's stories to be depressing, boring, and difficult to read, but it was actually a pure joy reading his stories. They are extremely enjoyable. They are worm, and depicts human nature of caring and loving. Some stories such as “Death of a clark,” “Chameleon,” and “Tragic Actor” are really funny, as Chekhov points out human elements that make us so vulnerable and imperfect, but lovable at the same time.

His stories show me that there are great conflict, tension, human drama with intensity in our daily lives. It's surprising to realize that a moment of an ordinary person's life can be more dramatic than, say, an alien invasion, or a volcano erupting.

I've enjoyed all of his stories so far, but I particularly loved “Difficult People,” and “The Student.”