#orka

[About A Stepmother's Marchen]

Q. Before you started working on the webtoon, what aspect of the original web novel appealed to you the most and how did that influence your artistic style/direction?

A. I was drawn to the warm and harmonious life Shuri and the other characters' built together through their combined efforts. Like the original novel, I toned down the opulent characteristics of the backgrounds, costumes, and overall world-building and instead, went for designs that felt more grounded to reality.

Q. When you were adapting the original web novel's vast story into a webtoon, what was the core essence that you wanted to capture?

A. I wanted to convey the messages that I felt while reading the original work. It's a work that first and foremost, explores the bonds between people and the belief that even when fate plays tricks on our lives, we can still overcome any hardship if we have a support system to rely on and a strong inner sense of strength. It highlights the satisfaction that's found in the small joys in life, rather than being consumed by the pursuit of grand accomplishments or glory.

Q. Are there any special features you feel that can only be felt in the webtoon, unlike in the original novel?

A. We try to maintain the overall framework from the original novel as much as possible, but if I were to point out an element that's unique to the webtoon's appeal, it would be the subplots and extra characters that we introduced to to add more layers to the story.

Q. I'm curious how you visualized the characters from their descriptions in the novel using your unique art style. How did you create their first impressions and appeal? Are there any behind the scenes moments you can share about designing main characters like Shuri or Nora?

A. For the protagonists like Shuri, Nora, and Jeremy, the novel provided plenty of details and descriptions, so naturally, as I read the work, their appearances formed spontaneously in my mind. They came to me without much thought. Additionally, each family had a designated color and symbolic animal which greatly helped define each character's first impression. Jeremy was definitely inspired by a lion and Shuri's hair design was themes around bird wings and sweeping tail feathers. (cont. under image)

(cont.) There was a moment when I felt overwhelmed because of the sheer amount of characters, with over 30 main characters and supporting characters. Fortunately, I had designed family members to share similar physical traits, so I could quickly establish how the supporting characters looked. (For example, Elias naturally inherited the looks of his mother Alice and his uncle Hermann.) (cont. under image)

(cont.) Shuri is a free spirit (trapped in circumstances that limit her), and even though she appears to be a delicate young girl at first glance, I wanted to create an image where she hides her inner strength and an unbreakable resilience in the face of hardship. I paid close attention to make sure that while her face is identical to Ludovika's, there are still subtle differences (like the angle of her eyebrows or the way she smiles) that clearly distinguish their personalities. (cont. under image)

Q. The dreamy and beautiful colors as well as lighting throughout the work evoke admiration from your readers. How did you plan on a color palette for the overall mood of the webtoon?

A. Ironically, the only regret I still have is that I didn't consider the color scheme before launching the series. I was so focused on creating an engaging story, that I didn't consider how I should've done the visuals. When I realized the need for a theme later, I built a basic framework, adding variations to each chapter based on the scenes. (cont. under image)

(cont.) We took the environment, season and weather surrounding the subject into great consideration for each chapter. We established a consistent post-processing style that we used repeatedly, enhancing our workflow efficiency. Though we often make corrective adjustment groups to alter a scene that doesn't match the desired mood.

Q. While your dreamlike colors and atmosphere are striking, your signature dark contrast in the weighty scenes also stand out. In most works, when illustrating stark light-dark contrast, extreme backlighting or rim lighting is often used, but you sometimes create compositions where the subjects seem to face the light directly. The sharp shadows that fall on the face evoke an even heavier atmosphere. Do you have any specific know-how for creating such shadows?

A. When it comes to lighting, I visualize 2-3 options in my mind before applying the one that best suits the scene. (cont. under image)

(cont.) When utilizing bold lighting, it's typically used to illuminate a character's face exceptionally brightly or to highlight a key scene in a chapter. The intent is to distinguish it from other shots with strong shadows, drawing the readers' attention to focus on that scene. It can also be used in instances where long shadows guide a viewer's gaze. (cont. under image)

(cont.) I've said a lot of things, but in most cases, I try out different methods here and there and end up choosing whatever evokes the feeling of "This is it!" So if that's considered a secret, then I guess it's a secret.