Sep 22, 2014 8 Questions with: Henry Liao
Henry Liao has been a member of the creative team at interTrend Communications, Inc. since 2007, and I was surprised to see him drawing at an Anime Expo back in 2008. At that time, I learned that Henry had multiple gifts and was active not only as an agency illustrator / designer / producer, but also as a commissioned comic book artist, sequential artist, and more. Some of his work includes artwork relating to Nickelodeon’s Avatar: The Last Air Bender, SpongeBob SquarePants, Marvel Masterpiece cards from Upper Deck, and test artwork for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network. And he recently created a Martian race, six legged character and brand called Rokuu, complete with plush toys and books. It’s such an asset for the agency to have such talented artists as Henry, with diverse talents who are passionate about their work and creative community.
Tell us how you become involved with illustration, character drawing, and Comic-Con.
I immigrated to the United States with my family when I was ten years old. My only comprehension of the English language was a handful of words and writing the twenty-six alphabets in caps only. Sitting in the classroom a whole day listening to an alien language basically gave me the opportunity to explore what I could do to kill time without interrupting the class sessions. Sketching on notebook pages became the obvious hobby choice. This hobby stuck with me throughout my career in school, and eventually became part of me.
What is the best part about Comic-Con?
I think the best part about going to conventions is sharing: I get to share my artwork with people that are just as passionate, if not more, as me about the genre. You meet fans and fellow creatives who enjoy one another’s company and learn from one another. Comic-Con International and Anime Expo have very different fans, so meeting them allows me to be exposed to different things. Many fans of my artwork have grown up with me, and I am watching some fans grow up before my eyes. It’s really a mixture of feelings. As I got busier with my daily life, I am taking a break from Anime Expo, as my time really only allows me to do one tradeshow per year while maintaining good quality on my work. SDCC is very special to me because the artist alley table there is awarded each year, not purchased. It’s an honor to be sponsored by Deviant Art to part of SDCC, and I am always grateful to be able to exhibit there.
What has been one of your most rewarding projects? In what way?
The “of Love and Rain” web series was definitely a big leap for me in terms of integrating several of my creative abilities into one. Thanks to State Farm and interTrend Communications team, I was able to be the lead creative on the campaign, concepting the project, drafting the script, drawing the storyboard, and being intimately hands-on through pre-production, production and post-production. For me personally, there were a lot of unexpected challenges and obstacles, which in turn taught me a lot about working in film. Having an award-winning, top tier production crew was definitely awesome. The best part, of course, was being able to work with my favorite actress, who I based the story of the film on.
What are you currently working on?
In 2008, I created a set of cute alien characters, eventually named “Rokuu,” and it has been the project that I’ve been working on in between my day job, freelancing and conventions.
Describe how you decided to concept Rokuu and the process for making that a reality.
I do believe that it’s every artist’s desire to get more people to see his/her work. It’s also every artist’s interest to see his/her creation come to life through merchandising. With manga, you’re going to alienate a good percentage of people for whatever reason. As I’m inevitably getting older, I find that a lot of kids are looking up to my work. So a few years ago, I started to cater my artwork to be more kid-friendly, because whether I like it or not, I’m a role model in some sense. The idea of Rokuu came to me one day when I was out scouting for inspirations and researching what type of work would appeal to a younger audience. I had an ice cream cone one day, and the melting ice cream somehow made me think of a round head with short legs, and that was pretty much it. I guess you can say that Rokuu was created as a “thank you” to the kids that loved and supported me, and it will continue on as an extension of my desire to bring smiles to those who I care about.
Where do you hope to take Rokuu in the long-term future?
The creation is leaning toward a girl audience for now, but it won’t be limited to girls only. I would ultimately like it to become a brand, where I would still be involved in the creative side of the branding, but no so much the manufacturing.
Who is your favorite artist and why?
To me, Hayao Miyazaki is the godfather of animation. He has an amazing way of telling stories that immerse the audience completely into his world. That is amazing to me. Manga-wise, the godfather title goes to Osamu Tezuka. His characters are so simple yet iconic, and his storytelling techniques are very fluid and expressive. Straight up illustrator-wise, I like Haruhiko Mikimoto (美樹本晴彥), purely on the uniqueness of his character designs. Philosophy-wise, my role model is Bruce Lee.
As a kid, what did you aspire to be?
I wanted to be a comic book artist since I was eight years old. But I’ve never truly defined the reasons into words until recently, mostly because I didn’t feel the need to explain myself to anyone. I got my first paid comic book job at the age of seventeen, which was a big encouragement. But reality also hit right away about such career direction, and continuing an education in college went well for me. (Although, I did find majoring in Economics to be very boring). Fast-forward to today, as the medium in which I create has evolved, I have been able to tell stories in many different formats. I no longer know how to categorize myself within the creative parameter, as I am not simply a comic book artist, animator, designer or producer etc. So when being asked, I simply respond that I am a “creative.”
Where do you personally find inspiration?
Well, that is obvious for Rokuu, it’s ice cream. 😀
I find inspiration in sitcoms, especially the sarcastic ones. Comic books and videogames are also entertainment forms that can give me ideas at the most unexpected moments.
I have been very fortunate to have the opportunity that many do not have, to create with support from the great people of interTrend and Imprint. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and satisfied with outcome of the hard work I put in. So, thank you.
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