100 Questions for Artists

1.) Introduce yourself! What kind of art do you make?

I’m Mika Orange (I also go by Ripley), yet another artist in their late twenties ensnared in the internet. My favorite medium is comics, however, I also greatly enjoy illustration in both digital and traditional media. Also I make some music on occasion. And I write. And code in HTML/CSS. I’m that “jack of all trades, master of none” they warned you about.

2.) How long have you been making art?

Literally since I first picked up a pencil. I think I read somewhere that most people have a point in their childhood they become self-conscious and stop making art for a time, but if that’s true, I never experienced it. My personal Cambrian Explosion was in the sixth grade when my friend taught me how to draw in an “anime style.”

3.) How many hours do you spend for each piece?

I don’t want to think about it.

4.) Do you prefer taking your time or do you like to quickly move on to the next thing?

I’m always bursting with new ideas, so lingering for too long on one project (or comic page or whatever) feels like chewing gravel to me. My greatest flaw is impatience.

5.) When do you decide a piece is finished?

Hard to say. I’ll think something is presentable, decide it’s done, post it somewhere, then realize with horror that there’s a massive glaring flaw I somehow missed.

6.) What part of the creation process do you enjoy the most?

Really depends on my mood. Sometimes it’s the sketching, sometimes inking, sometimes color... And sometimes it’s. Well. Not.

7.) What part of the creation process do you dislike the most?

I have a very intense love-hate relationship with inking.

8.) Do you have a designated workstation or do you just work wherever?

Usually I work at my desk, though on occasion I can be found shrimping it up sitting on my bed.

9.) Do you monetize you work or is it purely a hobby?

Long story. Yes and no.

10.) Where do you share your work? On social media or a personal websites? Do you keep to yourself and close friends?

The only proper social media I use is Tumblr, with Bluesky as a very rare exception. Maintaining more than that is too much work. Of course, there’s also my Neocities and my webcomic.

11.) What's an aspect of your art you enjoy?

I like to think I have a good sense of color and an okay hand at inking.

12.) What are things you would like to improve on?

I really need to get better about using reference.

13.) Are you self-taught or had formal education?

Though I majored in studio art, I’ve learned much more from sheer practice and experimentation.

14.) Do you research about old techniques or stick to newer ones?

Both are extremely valuable.

15.) What do you value more, experimentation or mastery?

Mastery at experimentation?

16.) Do you practice drawing with your arm? What other art techniques to you practice?

...I try, but I tend to catch myself drawing from the wrist way more often. I’ve also tried working with a version of the Pomodoro method.

17.) How frequently do you do studies?

Not as often as I probably should.

18.) Do you understand color theory? How'd you learn or do you want to?

Sort of. I have the RBY color wheel in my head at all times. No idea how or when it got there.

19.) Favorite color(s)?

Deep turquoise, leaf green, and sour pink.

20.) Are there colors you avoid? Do you think ugly colors exists?

Pure #0000FF blue hurts my eyes, so I never use it. Don’t believe in ugly colors though.

21.) Can you do perspective?

I’m pretty good at one-point and two-point perspective. Three-point perspective is way too hard.

22.) Do you like doing lineart? How do you go about it?

Well. Heh...

23.) Do you have multiple unfinished projects? Will you ever get to finishing them?

Oh Jesus Christ Don’t Ask Me That

24.) How do you start a new piece? Do you have a plan or just figure it along the way?

I typically do a little thumbnail before I even start on the main piece. It’s rare that I go in with no plan these days.

25.) How do you handle art block?

If I’m having a bad art day, I like to whip out my sketchbook and just doodle random stuff for a while. It feels nice to be putting stuff on the page, plus the act of drawing can help get me out of that rut.

26.) Do you listen to music or watch something while working?

I’ll almost always have a podcast or music playing.

27.) When are you most motivated to create? In the morning or evening? Rainy or sunny?

Motivation comes to me seemingly at random like a fickle guardian muse.

28.) Are your sketchbooks messy or aesthetically pleasing?

Messy as hell. That’s what they’re for.

29.) Do you like showing sketchbooks to others?

Not as much as I used to.

30.) Do you have any art friends? IRL or online?

More online art friends. Most of my IRLs are into other stuff. Like playing Magic the Gathering. So, so much Magic the Gathering.

31.) Do you collaborate frequently with your friends? Is there something you'd like to work on together?

I like to do little art trades every so often. The idea of contributing art for a bigger project (like a game or zine) appeals to me... but group projects are stressful.

32.) Have you created art to gift to others? How do feel about parting away from your work?

I have no problem with gifting art. I’m a firm believer in the Creative Commons and so on.

33.) Have you drawn for someone else? Like commissions or requests? Did you enjoy it?

Commissions are fun, right up until the client gets entitled.

34.) How's your posture?

Not great. I’ve got kind of a fire under my ass about fixing it, ever since I started getting nasty back pains.

35.) Have you ever been injured making art?

My right shoulder blade is crazy stiff from repetitive strain.

36.) What's a medium of art you've wanted to try / currently attempting?

I want to get back into oil painting. Hell of a lot of setup though.

37.) Do you prefer stylized or realistic art?

Really depends on context. I guess I trend towards stylization.

38.) Do you like hyper-realistic art?

Meh.

39.) Do you like abstract art?

Not on a purely aesthetic level, though it’s fascinating to learn the ideas and context behind many abstract art pieces.

40.) How do you feel about fine art?

Feels like kind of a loaded question. I think every aspiring artist should read up on art history (AND NOT JUST THE WORK OF DEAD WHITE GUYS!)

41.) How do you feel about outsider art? Do you think you fall in that category?

The line between “outsider” and “indie” is extremely blurry these days. It’s hard to say.

42.) Do you follow art trends?

Art trends are so fast these days, it’s way too hard to keep up.

43.) Do you think your art is influenced by what's currently popular?

It’s hard not to be.

44.) Do you compare yourself with others? Does it affect you negatively?

All the time. All the damn time.

45.) Your controversial art take?

“Idea theft” isn’t a thing, and honestly it’s kind of immature to accuse people of it.

46.) Art related pet peeves?

I hate it when furry artists draw anthro sharks with hair and ears. That’s not a shark, that’s a smooth dog with fins.

47.) Who or what are your inspirations?

Mike Mignola, Fourleafisland, Over the Garden Wall, Ryoko Kui, the Rusty Lake games, Jeff Hoke, Homestuck— (before I can name anything else tomatoes start pelting my feeble body)

48.) What's an art piece / artist you wished got more attention?

Jeff Hoke’s Museum of Lost Wonder is a gorgeous occult artbook that I think deserves way more recognition.

49.) Have you touch grass recently? Do you go out frequently or do you spend most of your time indoors?

I try to get outside at least a little every day. It helps to have a dog.

50.) Do you create art daily?

Ehh.

51.) Do you take breaks from creating? How frequently?

Ehhhh.

52.) Do you set deadline for your work?

The Necropolis Ltd. updates twice a month, and I try to do an unrelated piece at least once a month. If I’m doing gift art, the deadline is Christmas or the giftee’s birthday or whenever.

53.) Do you archive your work? Do you keep old pieces?

I used to delete old art off the face of the earth, but not anymore.

54.) Are you embarrassed of your old work? Or are you indifferent by it?

There’s some art I did in high school that should never see the light of day again. Other than that, it is what it is.

55.) Do you seek out for criticism? How do you handle feedback?

I don’t actively ask for criticism much anymore, though on occasion I’ll ask for help with anatomy and such.

56.) Are you harsh on your own work? Or do you love your work despite all it's flaws?

Sometimes I look at something I made and genuinely wonder how I did that.

57.) Do you get compliments frequently? How do feel about them?

I have a bad habit of tuning compliments out.

58.) How do feel about the rise of generative AI? Do you use it for getting ideas or references?

I feel annoyed.

59.) How do feel about tracing? What about tracing 3d models to streamline art process?

Tracing is a perfectly legitimate way to practice. It’s fine to trace 3D models, though I think using actual photo references is better.

60.) Drop you art resources!

• Reference Angle
• AdorkaStock
• Reference Angle but for animals
• Smithsonian Open Access

61.) Do you prefer making fanart or original content?

Little of both.

62.) Do you think original content are more creative than fanart?

Yes and no. Yes, because you have to come up with your own stuff from scratch. No, because there’s still a lot of room for creative experimentation & craft with fanwork.

63.) Do you strive for originality?

True originality is kind of impossible these days. I just focus on making something good.

64.) Do you draw from imagination or heavily rely on references?

References, ideally.

65.) Do you think using references is a crutch?

Hell no.

66.) Do you like to make mood boards or scroll through Pinterest?

Sometimes.

67.) Does your work have a story behind them or do you just make things that you think look neat?

I’m writing a whole webcomic, aren’t I?

68.) Do you think art should have a purpose?

The purpose of art is to be made. Or something lofty like that.

69.) Favorite aesthetic?

“Aesthetics” are hard to pin down, but I have a soft spot for Genericana.

70.) Do you have a muse or a theme you fall back to?

Death and ghosts and morbid stuff.

71.) If you could eat you art, what would it taste like?

Some fancy fruity soda drink.

72.) If your work suddenly became sentient, would it adore or hate you?

I think it’d like me.

73.) Based on previous question, can you win in a fist fight against it?

It’d curb stomp my ass immediately.

74.) Is your art style consistent? Do you prefer making a wide variety of art?

I like to play with different styles now and then.

75.) Do you revisit old concepts or sketches? Do you touch em up or leave them as is?

Nah, not really.

76.) Do you believe in talent or is it all skill?

Both. Some people progress faster than others, some people have more of an eye for certain things, but that doesn’t replace hard work.

77.) What's your favorite thing to draw / make? Do you prefer making living things or still life?

Overwhelmingly I draw people, though sometimes I like to play with prop & environment design.

78.) Do you create your art with a specific audience in mind? Who?

As the great Alex Hirsch once said: Me.

79.) How do you feel about people taking inspiration from work? Do you think art style theft is real?

Inspiration is inevitable. I think people need to get over the idea that you can meaningfully “steal” something as intangible as style.

80.) Do you participate in art conventions? Do you sell your work or support everyone else?

Tabling is way way way wayyyyy too expensive, and I don’t want to have to worry about breaking even. I’m also pretty money conscious so I don’t buy merch very often.

81.) Are you art materials expensive? Do you hoard any tools?

All my nicest art supplies were gifts, though I do occasionally borrow some of my mom's old tools. I’m very careful to use all of them wisely.

82.) Do you organize you supplies and tools systematically?

It’s a system that only makes sense to me.

83.) Do you clean up after a project? Or do you just leave everything lying around till you need the space?

If you saw the absolute state of my desk I think you’d know the answer.

84.) Do you have a ritual before you start creating? Do you have a drink or some snacks?

I try to eat and drink water before I work, as well as keep a water bottle next to my stuff.

85.) How do feel about censorship in art? Where do you draw the line for inappropriate art?

Ugh, it’s complicated. I think there’s a legitimate place for “taboo” & provocative art. I suppose I’d draw the line at outright bigotry or otherwise causing material harm to vulnerable people.

86.) Do you censor your own art? Do you feel like you leave out details for it be socially accepted?

Nah, not really. I don’t draw enough gore or porn for it to be worth censoring.

87.) Do you feel intimated with starting a new projects?

All the time.

88.) Are you scared of your art regressing? Do you think it's even possible to get worst at art?

Skills can certainly get rusty, but it’s hard to truly unlearn something.

89.) Do you frequently make compromises for your work? Does your art come out the way you envision them?

If my art actually came out how it looked in my head, I’d be unstoppable.

90.) How well do you manage your mistakes? Do you stress about them?

Generally I try to roll with them.

91.) Do you make lists of things you'd like to make? Do you actual commit to them?

Yes, but I don’t fully commit to starting a project unless I know I can actually do it.

92.)  What is your ultimate goal of your work? Like, is to tell a story, connect with others, or just to enjoy the process?

Telling a story, I guess.

93.) What's something you've recently worked on that you're really proud of?

I’ve done a couple watercolor paintings this year that I liked a lot. I'm also proud of my progress on The Necropolis Ltd.

94.) Do you have any dream projects? Have you started on them?

The Necropolis Ltd. is one of my dream projects. Maybe someday I'll make GrimQuest too.

95.) Would you prefer unlimited money or unlimited time to make your projects?

Money. Money money money. Please.

96.) Why do you create art?

No one else is gonna make this stuff.

97.) Are you happy with what you create?

Yes.

98.) Do you think everyone should make art?

Absolutely.

99.) What's advice you'd give to newer artist?

There’s gonna be a point you start getting frustrated with everything you make. This is not a sign you’re getting worse, it’s a sign you’re getting better. Stretch your wrists. Take breaks. Wear your glasses if you need them. Don’t give up.

100.) When did you finish this? How'd you feel?

It’s like 10:45 PM and I need a shower.