- May 21, 2015
- 20
- 3
Hello,my name is Yamato Shingo.It is not my real name...but it is the only one that matters.I am a 26 years old,amateur manga artist and I want to share my creations with you.
But before I do that,I wish to tell you my story...It is not a pretty one,but it made me what I am today.
I live in Romania,a meaningless and lame country from Europe.Ever since I was a child,I loved to draw things and like most children I watched cartoons and I enjoyed them.They were a big part of my life,they made me happy.I grew up with them and before I knew it I reached high school.That's where I learned the difference between cartoons and anime.Even though I always knew there was something different about some cartoons,but I did not know why.At I became more and more interested in anime and at the end of high school I decided what I wanted to do with my life...I wanted to become a manga artist and make others happy with my creations just like the old artists made me happy with theirs.Thus I started learning all about manga from everywhere I could.Styles,tools,tips and tricks.I then realized that there was an anime and manga community in my country.I was thrilled..."I will meet people like me" I said to myself.There were conventions,tons of forums,groups and fan meetings.I was like a child receiving a new toy.
But then came the first bump in my journey.I worked hard on a manga chapter,it was not very good at the time but it was made with all of my heart and soul,using everything I learned on my own in the few weeks that passed since I graduated.Proud of my work I posted it so that everyone in the community can see it,to show everyone that even our country has artists capable to learn and willing to create what the fans love so much.Sadly,what I got in return was not what I expected.I knew people were going to criticize and have different opinions,but what they threw at me were more that harsh criticism.They went so far as to tell me to quit drawing because I will never become anything.All of this out of hate because I spoke back at some of the more rude ones and because I didn't blindly accept every single word they said.I was ridiculed and stepped on...by the people who I thought would understand me and what I was doing,the best.
I was disappointed and frustrated,but it didn't stop me.I started over in the community with another name and a different approach.I learned more and more,I became better...improving so much that in time,even the very person who told me that I will become nothing,shook my hand for being a good artist.If only he knew my real name...
I sacrificed so much to pursue my dream...I gave up on a good collage,I abandoned a promising carer in sports,I even lost my mental and physical health in the process.However,many people started to know about me and my work,I became friends with the editor of the most popular comics magazine in my country,the organizer of the biggest comics exposition and even the owner of the biggest manga contest around and I even became part of it's juries.I started a magazine to help unknown,amateur artists promote their work.I was the most optimistic man alive,thinking that I could do anything,become anything...But something was still not right.
Everything I achieved was because I never spoke my own mind and always told everyone what they wanted to hear...this wasn't the real me,it was only a mask.I was tired of pretending and just wanted to be myself.I started to revert back to my normal self,people started to find out that I was the one from back then...the one who they all ganged up on.Slowly,everyone started avoiding me,ignoring me and my work,artists and fans alike started hating me,criticizing me for everything I did and because I was who I was.They know nothing about the art and yet they criticize...for them,if there is nothing bad to criticize they lose interest in the rest of the art work.I started to lose my confidence.Hated and alone,I slowly became a sad and hopeless pessimist.I lost my hope,my will of creating manga and my dream.I stopped watching anime,manga and now I have nothing...absolutely nothing.I am still searching for a spark of motivation and something to give me hope again...that's why I'm posting my drawings on forums like a fool.
Mostly everything I have is pretty old since I haven't drawn something in a couple of years.
First is my old manga.
But before I do that,I wish to tell you my story...It is not a pretty one,but it made me what I am today.
I live in Romania,a meaningless and lame country from Europe.Ever since I was a child,I loved to draw things and like most children I watched cartoons and I enjoyed them.They were a big part of my life,they made me happy.I grew up with them and before I knew it I reached high school.That's where I learned the difference between cartoons and anime.Even though I always knew there was something different about some cartoons,but I did not know why.At I became more and more interested in anime and at the end of high school I decided what I wanted to do with my life...I wanted to become a manga artist and make others happy with my creations just like the old artists made me happy with theirs.Thus I started learning all about manga from everywhere I could.Styles,tools,tips and tricks.I then realized that there was an anime and manga community in my country.I was thrilled..."I will meet people like me" I said to myself.There were conventions,tons of forums,groups and fan meetings.I was like a child receiving a new toy.
But then came the first bump in my journey.I worked hard on a manga chapter,it was not very good at the time but it was made with all of my heart and soul,using everything I learned on my own in the few weeks that passed since I graduated.Proud of my work I posted it so that everyone in the community can see it,to show everyone that even our country has artists capable to learn and willing to create what the fans love so much.Sadly,what I got in return was not what I expected.I knew people were going to criticize and have different opinions,but what they threw at me were more that harsh criticism.They went so far as to tell me to quit drawing because I will never become anything.All of this out of hate because I spoke back at some of the more rude ones and because I didn't blindly accept every single word they said.I was ridiculed and stepped on...by the people who I thought would understand me and what I was doing,the best.
I was disappointed and frustrated,but it didn't stop me.I started over in the community with another name and a different approach.I learned more and more,I became better...improving so much that in time,even the very person who told me that I will become nothing,shook my hand for being a good artist.If only he knew my real name...
I sacrificed so much to pursue my dream...I gave up on a good collage,I abandoned a promising carer in sports,I even lost my mental and physical health in the process.However,many people started to know about me and my work,I became friends with the editor of the most popular comics magazine in my country,the organizer of the biggest comics exposition and even the owner of the biggest manga contest around and I even became part of it's juries.I started a magazine to help unknown,amateur artists promote their work.I was the most optimistic man alive,thinking that I could do anything,become anything...But something was still not right.
Everything I achieved was because I never spoke my own mind and always told everyone what they wanted to hear...this wasn't the real me,it was only a mask.I was tired of pretending and just wanted to be myself.I started to revert back to my normal self,people started to find out that I was the one from back then...the one who they all ganged up on.Slowly,everyone started avoiding me,ignoring me and my work,artists and fans alike started hating me,criticizing me for everything I did and because I was who I was.They know nothing about the art and yet they criticize...for them,if there is nothing bad to criticize they lose interest in the rest of the art work.I started to lose my confidence.Hated and alone,I slowly became a sad and hopeless pessimist.I lost my hope,my will of creating manga and my dream.I stopped watching anime,manga and now I have nothing...absolutely nothing.I am still searching for a spark of motivation and something to give me hope again...that's why I'm posting my drawings on forums like a fool.
Mostly everything I have is pretty old since I haven't drawn something in a couple of years.
First is my old manga.
Shine