stars around my scars

when did you start creating for animanga? what got you into it?

I first started creating for animanga specifically in 2014 on my old tumblr account, and back then I didn't have access to Photoshop yet, so I would just make super simple stuff with a free-to-use online photo editor. What initially launched the hobby for me was actually a non-animanga related fandom waayyy back in 2009, and it was when I wanted to create a cool banner for my posts on a forum (this is dating me so bad jdrhglsdgh). It was so much fun though, I continued making edits with online editors and was totally content with it (all of my really old edits on my old animanga tumblr are from this era). But after spending a while on tumblr and getting exposed to all the gorgeous gifsets and other intricate graphics, I finally got my hands on Photoshop, learned how to make gifs myself, and the rest is history.

what type of creations do you make? what tools or programs do you use to create them?

I primarily make gifs, simply because they're less time-consuming, though I do really enjoy making graphics when I can muster up the energy and inspiration. It's all done in Photoshop, specifically the version from 2021.

describe your creative process from inspiration to posting. what's your favorite part? what part's the most challenging?

I'd say simple gifsets require less "inspiration" since it's more about just seeing a scene that I want to gif and throwing it into Photoshop. For those more elaborate graphics, perusing through other creators' works is a great way to find inspiration, and I'm a huge advocate for experimentation. A lot of the time, I just click random stuff in Photoshop and see what works. If there's a specific effect I want, there are SO MANY wonderful tutorials available that can help you learn tips and tricks. (seriously, tutorial creators are the best and I respect the time and energy people put into making them because I could never hsfgkdhfg)

My favorite part is probably just experimenting with colors. I really abuse the selective color option and just have a blast messing with all the hues. Honestly though, this is probably also the most frustrating part lmao because you can do all these adjustments and get the colors right where you want them but then go to save/export and have the gif come out looking terrible... so, as much fun as coloring can be, spending hours trying to make them actually look good in a final export is definitely the bane of my existence.

what's your favorite animanga creation you've made so far? why?

There are two that come to mind whenever I try to answer this question for myself... they're both pretty similar to each other formatting wise, but I guess that tells you what I find particularly pleasing in a graphic set lmao

I'm a huge fan of this type of template for a graphic set, it's incredibly pleasing aesthetically and lends really well to an overall complimentary group of images. I'm really happy with how the colors turned out, the pale purple/yellow combo suits Nanami's character really well and they look really nice together, and I think I did a good job with the composition.

This one I specifically put a lot of care into. There was still a lot of experimenting and playing around in Photoshop, but it's one of the rare instances where I went into it with a "vision" and I'm incredibly proud of the outcome. I'm obsessed with the colors, that deep red is gorgeous and looks so good for Mikasa, and I'm really pleased with all the different ideas I managed to incorporate together. Obviously, I'm the most proud of graphics that I actually take more time on with actual formatting and stuff. Sadly, I feel like we don't see a lot of graphic sets with these kinds of templates anymore, and it honestly breaks my heart. It definitely takes a LOT more time and energy and commitment, all of which I struggle to find myself, but I really do miss the days where you'd see more variety of edits and effects.

what's your favorite amc challenge so far? why?

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to create for as many challenges as I would like, but of the ones I have participated in so far, my favorite has been the Greek Pantheon! I think it's a really cool list of prompts that has given me the opportunity to create for certain series/characters that I otherwise wouldn't have much reason to, and I've had a blast with the template I decided to use.

what's something that you've learned or improved since joining amc? are there any particular creators in amc that inspire you?

I've definitely learned that simpler colors can work better in certain situations, and even if I don't always implement this (I really love vibrant colors...) it's still valuable advice that I keep in mind whenever I'm coloring, and it's definitely saved me a few headaches. There are so many different styles of coloring that I've seen among the members, and I always love getting to discover all the individuality! Aki (@taohs) has always been a huge inspiration of mine when it comes to coloring, both her gifs and graphics/manga colorings, but Kayle (@lostloves) also really blows me away with her use of pastels, which has always been a difficult thing for me to master.

what's your favorite animanga? why?

Trigun/Trigun Stampede have really taken over my life the past few years. I still need to read the original manga, but I have fallen head over heels for the characters and the world and the story of both Stampede (which was my introduction to the series) and the original 1998 anime. One of my favorite tropes (if this even counts as one) is the goofy silly guy who is actually a dangerous badass and when he gets serious means absolute business and that's exactly Vash's character lol. The relationship between Vash and Knives is so deep and nuanced and tragic, and Stampede specifically explored their dynamic incredibly well. Two twin brothers who both love and want the best for each other but are going about it all in completely opposite, incredibly flawed ways whilst navigating the lengths humanity will go to just trying to survive, all taking place in a really cool blend of the sci-fi and old western genres... When I tell you that I was NOT prepared for Trigun Stampede hdgkdhgrfhd

That being said, the series that has stuck with me the longest and had probably the biggest impact on me is World Trigger, which I first got introduced to back in 2014 and to this day remains one of my favorite series. It emphasizes strategy and team dynamics in battle rather than random power-ups or "the power of friendship" winning the day, and all the fights are so intricately handled in this way. And the cast is LARGE, like there are SO many characters but it never feels over-crowded. Everyone feels real and all the relationships between them are so natural and interesting! The dialogue between characters is so well written and the politics of everything keep you on your toes. The world-building is fascinating with an incredibly cool power system that, ultimately, is pretty contained but also SO versatile where such a large cast of characters are basically all using the same types of weapons but in VASTLY different ways. It's always introducing new things so it never feels stale, and it lends to some seriously badass fights that you never know who's going to win. The main cast of characters are all really interesting and have great dynamics and backstories and motivations, and there's a distinct lack of pointless fan service that I deeply appreciate. Overall, a fantastic series that is GROSSLY underrated and deserves so much more love than it gets.

what's an animanga that you wish was more popular or you wish more people created for?

I guess I just answered this lmaooo but WORLD TRIGGER!!! It's always broken my heart to not have a bunch of pretty gifsets and graphics to look at for this series... it deserves all the pretty things.

what advice would you give to other creators or people who want to create but have not tried it yet?

I don't think I'm great at giving advice, but I gotta say to just have fun with it! Try different things! Play around and experiment! That's exactly how I've ended up with most of the stuff I've made. I cannot express enough the power that comes with clicking random things and seeing what happens. And if you don't have access to Photoshop, try an online editor - you might not have quite as many options, but I can speak from experience and say that you can get very creative and develop a lot of basic skills that you can then implement with bigger and better programs down the road.

anything else you'd like to share?

I have a deep appreciation for fandom creators. It is NOT easy and we often do not get the respect we deserve for the time and energy we put into the things that fandom spaces take for granted. If you're reading this and you're a creator of any kind at any level, I appreciate you. Don't give up. Keep doing what you love and spreading joy for your favorite things!!

bonus question: why did you choose the character on your banner?