Walls, carpets, curtains, refrigerators, office documents – these were our canvasses when we were kids, and our parents would often have no choice but to stand wide-eyed — part-amused and part-irritated — as we proudly pointed to our latest masterpieces while holding our preferred weapon of choice from an array of crayons, colored pencils, watercolors, and oil pastels.
While some of us slowly outgrew this phase as we got older — either because we moved on to new interests or we just realized that our proud creations were not the masterpieces we thought them to be — there are some who continue to use their hands and imaginations to create pieces of art that the rest of us can only look at and admire.
This week, join us as we sit down for an interview with Genesis “Ayakomichi” Gepiga as he shares what it’s like to have image editing programs as his personal playground in another edition of our Featured Lucenahin.
Genesis Ayakomichi leafing through printouts of some of his works while being interviewed
Let’s start with a casual question first: why are you called Genesis Ayakomichi? Is there any significant reason behind that?
Hmmm… Genesis is my given name and Ayakomichi came from the handle of one of my older friends who goes by the name “Ayako” while “Michi” came from Hanamichi Sakuragi of Slam Dunk.
When did you realize that you have a talent for graphic design?
Probably when I placed third in a poster making competition. I’ve been drawing since I was a kid, but it’s something that I did not take seriously so I was surprised when I won. That kind of boosted my confidence and encouraged me to keep drawing. Soon after that, my classmates started buying the random anime-style illustrations that I drew on my spare time.
Did you take a design-related course in college or is graphic design something that you learned on your own?
I’m mostly self-taught. I wanted to take up Fine Arts in college, but I didn’t feel like it was a very practical choice — at least financially speaking — so I took up Hotel and Restaurant Management instead.
When did you first start experimenting with graphic design?
I started experimenting with Paintbrush (the computer program) in 1997 then I moved to anime-style line art sometime later. When I was in college, one of my professors noticed that I kept drawing during my free time, so he introduced me to Photoshop. At first, I just used the program to goof around like by placing my friends’ heads on sexy models for example, but after I started working and had more encounters with other artists, I began practicing more complicated tasks using photo editing software — and that’s when things took a more serious turn.
We’ve seen a lot of anime-based works on your page. Have you ever considered being a manga artist?
When I was a kid, I did. A friend actually convinced me to collaborate with him on this project he had in mind before. He was supposed to be the writer and I would be the artist. He sent me a couple of drafts to read so I can visualize the characters and the setting, but we both got busy at some point that we had to drop the idea.
Revenge for Pacquiao. Screenshot from the video made by Genesis Ayakomichi that was inspired by Manny Pacquiao’s knockout loss to Juan Manuel Marquez
You mentioned before that you used to manipulate photos for fun, what made you decide to pursue graphic design seriously?
When I was just starting out, I didn’t know that there are a lot of people who do the same thing. After a friend I made online introduced me to this group of talented vector artists called Vector X Vexel, I realized that I still have so much more to learn, so I started finding ways to hone my skills.
You’re an HRM graduate, but you’ve also been freelancing as an artist. Did the course you take ever got in the way of you pursuing your passion or vice versa?
There were times when it did become a bit of an issue, especially when I was just starting out, so I had to choose between doing what I want and finding a job that could provide regular income. It kind of left me with second thoughts, but, thankfully, I was able to find full-time jobs that allowed me to practice my craft while earning at the same time.
Which among the projects that you worked on are you most proud of?
My first commissioned art. It was my first time to earn “real money” from what I love to do, so it felt great. The Enchong Dee, Yeng Constantino, and Enrique Gil vectors that I did which were liked by the subjects of the vectors themselves plus the Ippo Makunochi versus Juan Manuel Marquez video that I uploaded on my Youtube channel that gathered more than a hundred thousand views are on my list of favorite works as well.
Vectorized image based on a screenshot from the music video of Yeng Constantino’s “Chinito.”
We noticed that you take a lot of free vector requests on your fan page. Considering that you already get paid for your works, what motivates you to accept requests free of charge?
Pretty girls? Kidding! Bias aside, I think artists are inclined to appreciate beauty. If I see a subject that I think would look good on canvas, I consider it a personal challenge to convert it into a beautiful artwork, provided of course that I have time to spare. Seeing people appreciating my work is often enough, although sometimes I do ask for some fan signs from people I accepted requests from.
Did anyone inspire you to become the artist that you are now today? Who and how?
Pretty girls? Kidding! Bias aside, I think artists are inclined to appreciate beauty. If I see a subject that I think would look good on canvas, I consider it a personal challenge to convert it into a beautiful artwork — provided of course that I have time to spare. Seeing people appreciating my work is often enough, although sometimes I do ask for some fan signs from people who I accepted requests from.
Did anyone inspire you to become the artist that you are now today? Who and how?
My apprentice. Between the two of us, he was the one who was more diligent in researching new styles and techniques. He can spend hours gathering design tips and browsing through tutorials – things that I don’t have much patience with. Having more experience with actual designing, though, I’m usually the one who tries to figure out how we’re going to apply what he learned from researching on our current work, so what happens is I help him learn the basics, and he motivates me to constantly improve my skills in return.
Have you encountered any issues in the line of work that you chose to pursue?
Job pricing. The quality of an artwork is subjective, so determining its value can be difficult. You can always follow prevailing rates, but different circumstances call for different prices. Sometimes, this can cause conflict not only between artists and clients who can’t agree on a certain price, but also between artists and their peers who believe that your asking price compromises their future projects.
Do you have any tips or advice for people who are also interested in pursuing a career in graphic design?
Be patient. You can’t learn everything at once. Attention to detail can make the difference between a good artwork and a largely forgettable one, so take time to polish your work.
Try to be resourceful. There are plenty of tips and tutorials for people interested in graphic design on the internet, so all you have to do is search.
Also, mingling with experienced graphic artists may give you some inside tips not only on the best and easiest way to do things, but how the graphic design business works as a whole as well.
Best of all, be humble. Learn to acknowledge the people who helped you along the way and don’t be stingy about sharing what you know. 🙂
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