As seasons go by

I have stopped enjoying blatant self promotion. That is the reason why a lot of what I do don't make it to my blogs anymore. Which brings me to a paradox, because it was all the shameless promotion of what I can do that jump-started my career as an artist and set me off on this trajectory. But, to be frank, it is no longer about the struggle to prove my worth as an artist. I seem to have matured a little and I can finally afford to take a breather and go back to just enjoying what I do. But for those interested to know what's happening on the work/personal front, my Instagram is quite active.

All that's happening in the world today is bound to cause disillusionment. It's so easy to lose faith in humanity and crave for detachment. I've been backpacking through strange lands, thumbing rides, and pitching tents on unfamiliar grounds in the past month with Merryn, Rohith, and Sneha (see pic below). No Thanks to demonetization, the money we had on us had little practical use in places without internet or ATMs. It was through sheer luck and the kindness of complete strangers that we made it back to civilization. Instead of feeling detached, I now feel closer to humanity in a way I never thought possible

With that comes the urge to give back to humanity. I believe it's time to move out of my comfort zone and start sharing the tricks of trade I've picked up on the way while working on my craft. While it may be way too early to call myself a mentor, it might be a good time for me to start internalizing my approach to art. Trying to explain how or why I do things the way I do them could also gain me some perspective and help me recognise what I need to do to move on to the next level. Looking back on my work from a few years back, I get great pleasure when I see that I've improved. I hope that I never stop learning, and that someday not so far away, I can look back on what I'm doing right now and see that I've progressed further.

Chat with Helter Skelter

Ram and I had a chat with Manav from Helter skelter

Click on the image for the full interview

And here's a small excerpt:

What other media did you derive inspiration from when creating Black Mumba?

KISHORE: As far as the artistic process goes, I ended up choosing a visual language that I felt would put the reader in the exact state of mind that Ram wanted them to be at each point in the story. The art style I’ve used in Black Mumba is very different from the ones I’ve used in my previous works. Calling it film noir would be an over simplification, but noir comics like Torpedo (Jordi Bernet) and Blacksad (Juanjo Guarnido) were definitely on my mood-board. There is a constant sense of foreboding throughout the story that felt almost supernatural, and I had to make sure that the elements that I chose to compose each frame subtly hinted that something darker lurked right around the corner. It’s like that ominous musical note you hear in a horror flick when the dog runs up the stairs to inspect the strange sounds. You hear that note and you know instantly that Timmy isn’t coming back. What happens between the frames happens entirely inside the reader’s head and that, in fact, is where the real magic of this medium is supposed to happen.

RAM: Yeah, I think the noir influence is obvious. Old ’40s Bogart films and Hitchcock were my touchstones for creating scenes and using visual cues. In terms of comics, I learned from reading Azarello and Lemire (apart from the staples of Moore, Morrison, Gaiman). As for the literary influences, the idea for Black Mumba germinated after a reading of Paul Auster’s New York Trilogy, although the content and subject matter is nowhere near Auster’s work.

Need support, friends!

Friends, Family, and all you wonderful people out there... the Kickstarter for Black Mumba is now LIVE. Ram, Rosh, Dev, Aditya and I have been working on this hard-bound 100-page graphic novel for the past one year. The book also includes some amazing pinups by Bhanu Pratap, Devaki, Somnath Pal, and has a fantastic cover by Anand Radhakrishnan. 

The response during the first 24 hours has been overwhelming and we are close to 75% funded already. it’s time now for you to support our art in whatever way you can. Please take a look, contribute, and spread the word. Every pledge counts, so even if you can just pledge £1, it would be immensely appreciated. Also check out all the goodies we have for our backers

Kickstarter link: BLACK MUMBA