Worth Your Time

I first heard of this series when I lived in Japan. It is a cultural pillar. Shortly after, a reference to it in Naoki Urasawa’s 20th Century Boys kept me curious.

Someone once told me that all of manga could be summed up as "the guy" trying to be the best at "his thing." This dismissal has bothered me ever since. Yes, there's mythic questing in Ashita No Joe; but its pages are also filled with heartbreak, hope, friendship, and community. It weaves a story about struggle so damn well that the reader can see the parallels to their own life, whether or not they have any remote interest in boxing. This comic rules.

Why Does My Face Hurt?

While working on the piece from the start of this newsletter, I realized I’ve had it with rulers, triangles, and perspective templates. They slow me down, turn my thumbnails cold, and don’t build muscle memory. I'd rather keep my imperfections if it meant actually enjoying the process.

I recognized this feeling; it’s the same one I get when I’m stuck lightboxing or tracing photos. For years, I put my nose to the grindstone until I burnt out, not asking myself why my face hurt. I think about Taiyo Matsumoto: an incredibly skilled and raw artist, open with his flawed line, not one to get stuck in realism. His work is so beautiful to me. And then I pull out my drawing triangle. What the heck? My next illustration, I’m leaning on myself more and leaving the precision behind.

Anyway, in my digging I came across this weird bug. I drew this tree hopper later from memory, so it’s not a totally accurate representation of the real thing. It turns out there’s a treasure trove of entomology photography out there, and oh boy, are there some interesting insects. They are a popular subject for dynamic drawing practice, but I also see a real benefit in studying them for future mech design. That and I’m just fascinated by them (though I’m not sure I’d feel the same seeing them in real life). This little guy has an incredible crescent shape and was one of my favorites of the week.

On the topic of mechs, I’m working on a design with frog-like legs, so I wanted to learn more about frog anatomy. Frogs are fun.

The illustration I’m actually challenging myself with this week isn’t ready to share just yet, but I know the character’s design will involve a tank top and carpenter jeans. I’ve never been great at fabric folds in pants, so I wanted to give it a go. Copic markers have been a reliable tool during this week’s exercises.

I drew a separate reference wireframe of the figure before arriving at the final version, and I can see how much more dimension it has versus drawings where I’m flying by the seat of my pants (hah) without any regard for form.

I want to keep doing studies like these until they become memorized, reflexive; that’s my level-up goal right now.

Worth Your Time

Urszula Dudziak’s self-titled album (1975)

I first heard the opening track, Papaya, played in a live set by Bobby Ghanoush. That made me curious enough to check out the album it’s from, which I say was well worth the dig. It’s Corea/Return to Forever tangential; cosmic, intense fusion.

Listening to this album is like smoking a joint and riding the high. Some of the early tracks following Papaya are so anxiety-provoking and abstract that you may want to escape as soon as you can. But just like you can’t escape a high, I’d encourage you to ride it out and give it a chance. There are some memorable, incredible, satisfying grooves inside! There are also vocal effects and techniques I’ve heard used on Todd Terje’s Album Time. Without proper verification on my part, I wonder if this album was an inspiration to him.

If you give the Dudziak album a spin, I want to hear your thoughts. Have a great week!

Sketches from the Week

My daily baseline is a 90-minute workout: 45 minutes of study, 27 minutes of illustration, 18 minutes of comics. Eventually, I want to increase this minimum.

This is a redraw of one of Miyazaki’s concept pieces for a village elder in Princess Mononoke. I’m in awe of what he does with so little; the simplicity, the signature, the way character appears from his lines.

Two quick studies of Shirow Masamune mechs. His illustrations are genuinely complicated; I can see a weight and clear originality in the direction he takes. I’m working on a mech design of my own right now, and spending time with his work is equal parts inspiring and humbling.

This was a redraw from a photo I timeboxed. I’m a little frustrated with my speed right now, and that’s because I remember how quick I can be at peak practice.

I’m happy with how this one turned out! Also used photo reference here. Since I’ve been obsessed with Tower Dungeon, I’ve been toying around with fantasy drawing.

Worth Your Time

Elaenia — Floating Points

Happy Birthday, Elaenia!

Ten years ago, I saw this performed live at the Doug Fir Lounge in Portland. There was a light-reactive screen behind the band and a laser tracing patterns onto it in time with the music. I’ve never seen anything like it before or since. Elaenia has been an ideal musical north star for me; I love jazz-adjacent work.

Chainsaw Man

This comic ended, and some people are salty at how sudden it was. I find that “discourse” dumb and will now share some of my favorite pages, where I can still remember how they made me feel:

There’s something really special about how Fujimoto draws blur. And how clean the art is. And the balanced design of the pages. And the -

This page made me slack-jawed; it doesn’t get much better than this!

Who’s someone whose work you’re just grateful exists?

Process

In making this, I leaned into a philosophy I picked up when reading the thoughts of one of art’s greatest teachers, Andrew Loomis:

“Both light and shadow areas must be simplified and painted in the fewest possible values. The object is to make all the lighted areas hold together as one group, as opposed to the shadow areas as another group. If the values of the two groups are not thus separated and held apart, the subject is bound to lose solidity and form, no matter how well modeled and how well drawn.”

- Andrew Loomis, from Creative Illustration - The Form Principle (page 22)

This greatly informed how I drew the following study for the setting, which was inspired by a photo of The Moss Temple in Kyoto (Photo is from Introducing Kyoto by Herbert E. Plutschow):

The highlighted parts show the highlights in the original photograph, or where the light is brightest.

The next important aspect was the layout design, which Loomis also discusses at length in the same book. I made a simple 3x3 grid, added some lines for a simple diamond shape, and redid the drawing along with the subject, which gives me more control over establishing a focal point:

Finally, I use a lightbox to transfer the underdrawing onto watercolor paper, this time with ink. This is then taped down with washi tape to prevent warping as I put in the color:

Gradually, I add on colors, one by one, throughout the process. This is something I picked up from Bryce Kho.

Eventually, after reworking the colors and adjusting the value, I get to the finished picture:

This is the most I’ve committed to a deeper process, and I like the results! I’m looking forward to my next attempt and seeing how different things are.

The road to finished work at the time of conception can feel really slow, but I that the final payoff was much more satisfying than work I’ve finished in the past.

I’m curious if you're interested in hearing more about this type of process stuff, let me know!

Worth Your Time

Tower Dungeon - Tsutomu Nihei

This comic rules! Longtime manga bud Brett introduced me to this, and I just reread the first volume and devoured the following three, which are available in English from Kodansha.

I’m used to this author killing off new/beloved characters at the drop of a hat, resulting in heartbreak, but this is much different. There’s still a little of that, but for the most part, it’s packed with a brand new style, lots of funny moments, and this great sprinkling of unexplained mystery. If you like dark fantasy, do not sleep on it!!

I painted the above anglerfish for him this week. I’ve seen him frightened before, but this animal brings him some sort of comfort for some reason.

When I showed him this and the Goldbug drawing from last week, he was euphoric and kept shouting, “DUMP IT!”

Worth Your Time

Jim Woodring is one of America’s greatest artists. His primary body of work centers on the character Frank, a vaguely anthropomorphic animal entity who moves through a surreal world called the Unifactor. Words will fail me, so here’s a great example:

Jim recently made card art for Magic: The Gathering’s Secret Lair series, which is such an unexpected yet invigorating collaboration:

Woodring also ran a self-titled zine called JIM. As described on his own site, “Vher-Umst-Pknipfer” was one of the magazine’s most popular images:

A long time ago, I interviewed him in college over email. What sticks out to me is his answer to my closing question:

If you were to advise your younger self, what would you say?

“Aim high, have faith in yourself and don’t take advice that doesn’t sound right. And practice constantly.”

I lost this email for nearly a decade before recently finding it again. I may not be the young artist I was back then, but Jim’s response reminds me how to stay on a reliable path with creative work.

On Work Itself

I’ve been trying to rebuild my creative practice. At the heart of this is the need for deep, uninterrupted space for at least 1-2 hours at a time. The golden days of free time, whether from the open hours of youth or an economy that actually afforded it, feel increasingly out of reach. My focus has been on salvaging that time, and technology is the first place to look.

I remember how stoked I was when I upgraded from an iPhone 5 to the iPhone X. This new monolith would certainly bring me into a new era of prosperous creativity, a sidekick to my creative journey. The slick camera and vibrant, expansive display felt like the fulfillment of Jobs' bicycle-for-the-mind promise. That and you could play Fortnite on it!

But the caveat (maybe an obvious one now) is that social media became the main application for these devices for most people. This fact preceded the iPhone X, of course - but the larger screen was a major jump from its predecessors. Endless scrolling is the inevitable answer to larger screens and faster delivery. We have gone from bicycles of the mind to dopamine cycles that consume the best hours of our days.

The iPhone X dropped in 2017, and it’s 2026 now. While Apple has made real efforts with tools like Screen Time, the problem of endless scrolling apps has yet to be seriously addressed.

We talk a lot about how bad it is for kids (as we should), but what about adults?

What about our aging parents, now on Facebook and addicted to Reels; scrolling pimple videos, cute animals, AI babies that look like the world’s authoritarians?

Looking back, I’ve noticed my average daily screen time has increased over the last three years. I wondered - will it continue to increase?

Will companies like Meta continue to develop ways to make their services demand more of our precious lifespan?

(yes)

Most of us have an addiction we can acknowledge but have a hard time changing.

I’m in awe of creators I consider mentors and the benchmarks they have set. Hayao Miyazaki doesn’t have a smartphone or a laptop. While some computers were used in his later films, the work still starts on paper. His take on AI is well known at this point, but what stays with me is his notion that AI's use is tied to humanity’s lack of faith in itself.

Wait, what was that advice from Uncle Jim from before?

Oh, yeah.

For now, I’m stuck on a phone plan that won’t let me switch to a dumb phone, and I still need authentication tools for the job that support my family. So I’ve leaned on Screen Zen and its accompanying hardware, the Halo, for blocking my access to social media in my workspace. Culling distraction and getting back to the stuff I actually care about, sans algorithmic influence, is at the heart of where I’m heading.

What’s something you’ve had to get ruthless about protecting? Was it time, attention, space, or something else? Curious what that looks like for other people.

Drawings for my son

My wife and I talked recently about how our son’s room needs to change from its current nursery state. He’s getting older, a sibling is on the way (!!!), and it’s time the room grew up a little.

One idea is to make some new wall art. I started with what he talks about most — Goldbug from Cars and Trucks and Things That Go.

Since I made a Moebius master study last year, it only seemed appropriate to try Richard Scarry next. Here’s my drawing of Goldbug in his dump truck, drawn at a wildly larger scale with Bimoji and Copic markers:

I’m also working on some drawings using POSCA markers with the subject being his favorite animals - like tortoises, pufferfish, anglerfish (???). He loves that creepy fish for some reason.

It is refreshing to make drawings for kids and fun to work with bright, simple colors.

Worth your Time

Stop!! Hibari-Kun! — Hisashi Eguchi (Peow2)

Peow2 and specifically Patrick Crotty are renowned for excellent book design, and this manga is no exception. I love the oversized obi on this volume.

No manga published in English has ever been treated this well! They even commissioned an animated opening — a pro production. I hope other publishers are watching. I love how much they love manga.

The story itself is something special. Hibari — the trans heroine — is smart, calm, cool. Reading it for the first time had me laughing and reminded me how I fell in love with manga to begin with. Peow has volumes 2 and 3 coming this year and I can't wait.

By coincidence, there was a Hisashi Eguchi quote on 3/7/2026 in my Hobonichi Cousin Planner, which I’ll share with you today:

Perhaps I’m always looking to depict a sensuality that can’t be seen. There is a certain seductiveness in the dirt or the slightly aged look of a cityscape. Wabi-sabi likely has to do with it, as does the presence of things that are fading or about to fade — the presence, too, of things you don’t want to forget, and of the passing of time.

— Hisashi Eguchi
manga artist/illustrator
”Hisashi Eguchi on Girls”

Gary Wilson — You Think You Really Know Me

I wish I remembered how I found this, but I can say for certain my first listen was unforgettable. It’s a weird album that stops you mid-listen: what the fuck is going on?

After my first play-through I learned about his underground influence, how Beck referenced him on Where It’s At and the Stones Throw reissue landed with Odd Future and others. I hadn’t listened to it for a while until I saw he recently played live with Jim E. Brown.

You Think You Really Know Me is a notable portrait of an emotionally sensitive young weirdo who is obsessed with women and romance. There’s a creepy ambience pervaded by a self-awareness that’s both parts funny and alarming. Beyond this, the musical skill is impressive, with Gary Wilson playing most of the instruments on the album. “You Were Too Good to Be True” is one of my favorite fusion tracks, it really hits for me. This documentary shed a lot of light on the story.

Until next time,
Zach

I appreciate wordless music for what it can do. It’s helpful to embody feelings, and then separately witness them through hearing. I trip up on my own words regularly and find it’s easier to express through sounds and pictures.

Anyways, I hope you enjoy:

Hosono House — Haruomi Hosono (1973)

This came to me years ago from Landfill Records in Portland, carrying the Light in the Attic reprint. Early on I would play this while making dinner, and I still insist it’s very good for that. Each song so different, yet each one a hit.

I’m grateful for the work Light in the Attic did — especially in telling the story of its conception. The joy and sheer talent it must have taken to make this moves me every time.

This is my favorite album to share with people, so today I’m encouraging you to give it a listen if you haven’t yet. It comes in and out of streaming availability — a licensing thing, I think. If you can find a place to listen, check it out.

Running

I’ve started running again now that it’s getting sunnier. I work from home, so getting out of the house feels like breaking out of a small country. I put on music and go.

I always second-guess the time it takes — like I should be working instead. But somewhere around the halfway point something shifts, and by the time I’m back I’m better for it in every way.

Hello, world. I goofed around on a melodica, starting with its lowest F as a drone, then adding notes as I felt like it. Kept things simple — light drums punched into a quantizer by Neil!

Worth Your Time

I first heard Nergal on Cornelius’ Radio Kyoto Alpha Station. After that first listen I checked out the whole album and played it every day for a month.

I was already a Chick Corea/Return to Forever fan, and this matched up nicely — but it also sounds futuristic in a way that genuinely baffles me. Recorded in 1976 in Rio and unreleased for 45 years, Marcos Resende handed over the tapes in 2018 after the label (Far Out Recordings) spent 25 years begging him. He died of cancer in November 2020, weeks before it came out. He never got to see people lose their minds over it.

Nergal hits like a person falling forward and catching themselves in a shuffle. The congas and vibraslap, in combination with the synth work, are some of the best use of those instruments I’ve ever heard. Then the band takes over: funk guitar placed exactly what’s needed, bass hooks that repeat until you’re bobbing along, great Rhodes integration, and a horn section that comes out from the shadows. I wish I could see it live. I genuinely hope a high school jazz band covers it someday (there are more of those than adult performing groups if you think about it).

This album makes me feel way cooler than I actually am. Check it out!

Marcos Resende & Index — Bandcamp

Ah shit, here we go again

Pokemon Fire Red and Leaf Green are back tomorrow for Nintendo Switch, and it’s had me pacing on a trip down memory lane.

My parents gave me Pokémon Red for my eighth birthday. While playing, I could barely comprehend what was happening, and for the longest time didn’t know how to catch Pokémon — either because I wasn’t paying attention or because I couldn’t read. Probably both. My parents, not knowing Blue was essentially the same game, got me that for Christmas a few months later at my request. Those few months made an incredible difference — while school definitely helped me build the comprehension I needed, the games gave me the motive and interest to keep going and learn more.

Here’s what I’ve been thinking about for years: Pokémon gives kids what society won’t let them have. Total freedom to go wherever you want, do whatever you want, and spend time with animals. I look at my 18-month-old son and watch him lose his mind over every animal he sees. At our core when we’re born, most of us simply love animals. Pokémon nails that. You want to know all of them. Be friends with all of them. You want to challenge yourself, grow, and take down an evil organization until they’re questioning their own purpose and respecting you. This game is a chance for kids to be free at a time when kids they so restrained by school, society, and its rules. I’d play for hours on weekends and hear the music ringing in my head until I fell asleep. And Lavender Tower’s ghost genuinely scared me (but not enough to stop playing forever).

27+ years ago this game changed my life and I’m looking forward to learning why again.

Shoutout to Nob, the original English translator, who followed me back when I found his account on Substack. I don’t know if he ever reads this, but it’s worth mentioning that I learned to read from his work. Thank you, Nob.

What’s your Pokemon story? Let me know in the comments!

Wishing you many returns in the year of the fire horse.

This is a comic I drew to help me understand my relationship with art and social media. At first glance, this might read as a cry for solitude. And while that might be partly true, I’m working out that I easily get distracted and wear the hat of Captain instead of the coconut of Castaway - even though the latter is my preference.

Keeping a ferry running (so to speak) is important - I want to share my art and ideas and connect it with people who enjoy it. But I also think it’s easy to hop on said ferry and get obsessed with its controls and destinations. Ironically this can keep an artist away from the island they are ideally nurturing with most of their time.

I’m trying to realign my life in a way where I can stay on the island and keep building things that are worthwhile for people on the ferry to come out and see.

In the meantime, I’m hoping Adventurous Dad from Survival Kids (Konami, GBC, 1999) can set me up with the tools I need for long term success.

Recently, I’ve been in a period of study, reflection, and creative input. This summer is busy, so I feel lucky whenever I can make the time to enjoy art.

Homework

I’ve been working on anatomy studies recently—I’ve had previous practice drawing models from life, but have never sat down to memorize or make shorthand of the human figure. That aspect of practice has been a lot of fun.

Short Program - Mitsuru Adachi

My friend Sam recommended Short Program by Mitsuru Adachi a while ago, and I managed to find a few Japanese copies online.

While reviewing Treasure Blitz, Sam encouraged me to give stories more room to breathe. Reading Adachi really made that click, check it out:

His storytelling is simple, quiet, and grounded in a love for people. I’ve been slowly translating as I go, looking up kanji I don’t know, but I’m still working through the denser sections. Really looking forward to diving into more of his stuff! Here is the artist in his natural habitat:

Death Stranding 2

I started playing Death Stranding 2 recently. No spoilers here—but it’s emotional, engrossing, and fun. Definitely a welcome return to something familiar I missed. I care deeply about the characters and it’s nice to be back in that world.

That’s where I’ve been lately. Slow progress, small studies, and some time for nice things. Thanks for reading!

This past week I worked on a turnaround for a character named Parm—he runs a pizza spot:

This version is a cleaned-up take on a freehand sketch I did a while back:

Clip Studio Conundrum

I made an embarrassing (but revealing) mistake in Clip Studio this week.

While working on a 300 DPI canvas, I tried to scale a single image layer—only to get stuck in a never-ending loading bar:

This threw me off. Even though my MacBook Pro is getting up there in years, it usually handles Clip Studio Paint like a champ.

So what happened? Turns out I meant to make an A3-sized doc (400mm x 297mm)… but accidentally set it to 400cm x 297cm, which is 10x the desired size. No amount of Googling could save me from myself. The only way out was to go back to the beginning and double-check everything.

The A3 template’s fixed now, and hopefully it’ll be a while before I run into my next humbling digital blunder.

Manben

Although the above mistake was ultimately on me, it reminded me of this great moment with Naoki Urasawa in this Manben episode featuring Inio Asano.

Open for Projects

In case you missed it, I quietly launched a new services menu over on Big Cartel. I’m open for hire now—illustration, music, even one-on-one creative consults if you want a second brain on something ambitious or offbeat. If your project could use a little Chromatic Arcana energy, you know where to find me.

I wrapped up the study in May, but only now am getting around to sharing it here. (Hey, better late than never, right?)

Finishing the Study

Completing this master study turned out to be a real growth moment. It added some new tools to my belt and helped me better understand not just what made Moebius tick, but what I personally value (and don’t) in this kind of deep-copying process.

Side-by-Side Comparison

While making the study taught me plenty on its own, I wanted to go further and reflect on it with fresh eyes. Sometimes you can’t see what went sideways until you're staring down a finished piece.

And yes—there’s always the temptation to chase perfection. But from the outset, I chose to timebox the work. I wanted to go deep, not drown. These kinds of studies are rewarding, but I’ve got original work I want to make too.

Critique

One of the biggest wins for me was practicing with gradients—and playing with Perlin noise to mimic that lush, physical-media texture. That said, there’s still a certain digital sharpness I haven’t quite shaken. And while I managed to match some colors well, it’s far from a perfect recreation.

What really stood out, though, was the posture. I overlaid a yellow skeleton below to show how mine diverges from Moebius’ original.

That “slump” in the original figure totally eluded me. I couldn’t perceive it while I was drawing, but now? I can’t unsee it. It’s a powerful reminder: the underdrawing is the piece. If the bones aren’t right, everything else feels just a bit off.

And honestly, this connects with feedback I got early on with Treasure Blitz regarding anatomy and consistency. It's a cornerstone of good comic art, and something I clearly need to revisit when I can.

Closing Note

On another (and extremely on-theme) note: I just got the first issue of the new Métal Hurlant in the mail! Finally—some Moebius stories in English back in print, including The Airtight Garage. About time.

Made in Clip Studio!

This was drawn digitally, which helped me in two areas:

Speed

I was able to work much faster than if I were using physical media. The Lasso and Scale tools made it easy to quickly adjust proportion errors and the like.

Practice

Previously, I’d avoided inking on a computer, worried it wouldn’t look like my drawings on paper. After getting some solid practice in, I’m not so sure I feel that way anymore.

What do you think?

Newfound appreciation of Moebius’ Craft

While working, I had some new ideas and thoughts that hadn’t come to me before. Let’s look at the original again before diving in:

Realistic Knowledge of Texture and Weight

Quilted clothing with embroidery, ropes, and bulges —for a cartoon, it looks and feels incredibly believable.

The concrete setting really hits home, like you could feel the cool, rough surface with your hands. I’ve never seen Moebius’ practice sketches or studies (has anyone?), but it’s clear he had an intimate knowledge of the objects he drew. Look at those boots and tell me they don’t look like real leather.

Simple Perspective That’s Very Effective

What a great use of one-point perspective! After pouring over Desert B, I knew he loved his horizons—and I can see why. The central figure is obviously the main draw, but the surroundings frame and complete the piece in a way that’s just so satisfying.

Light and Shadow

I’m excited (and a little intimidated) to finish the linework and move on to painting. The lighting adds so much drama, and his use of gradients is masterful. It’s wild how many color variations pop up when you Google Moebius Starwatcher—I’m sticking with the reference image I’ve chosen, but the lighter versions are also really appealing.

Magical Symbolism Found in Objects.

A book, two pens, a canned drink… why do these look like objects on the Magician’s table from the Tarot to me? The pens feel personal to Moebius - and the book leaves me wondering if it’s some sort of magick tome.

And then there’s that box holding what I perceive is a star—easily one of the most mystical parts of the entire piece.

Aside from the subject’s garb, these items really drive home the fantasy element.

From a composition perspective, our brains love simple objects—cubes, cylinders, pyramids—when they’re done well. And here, they’re arranged in such an appealing way. I really admire that.

After Thoughts

There’s still a ton I don’t know about Jean Giraud. A lot of his comics are hard to find, and of course, part of the appeal is that intentional mystery etched into the work.

Dark Horse did put out a wonderfully translated collection of interviews by Numa Sadoul, and this excerpt left me very curious:

I hadn’t heard of Castaneda before, but maybe diving into his stuff isn’t such a bad idea.

Hope you’re having a great week!

—Chromatic Arcana

Don’t worry—I’m not talking about AI. Come take a break with me.

If the goal is to learn, then studying the masters can be deeply inspiring and invigorate new ideas.

Still, I’ve heard plenty of opposition to copying. Some folks say it’ll water down your individuality, or worse—that it “degrades the soul” of the copier.

If that were true, then half our favorite creators would be husks wandering the earth by now.

It’s funny how taboo this can feel in visual arts, when in music, it’s just... expected. From day one, kids are taught to recite existing music.

How often are beginner musicians asked to write something totally new? Unless they’re in jazz band or experimenting at home, a lot of students go through years of music classes without composing a single original thing - and no one thinks that’s a problem.

There’s great value in playing what’s already been written—or transcribing an existing piece. Most musicians will tell you it sharpens your instincts and deepens your skills.

So, yeah—I think it makes total sense for visual artists to study the greats. Not as a shortcut, but as a way to bridge the gaps when instruction or critique aren’t always on hand. Like it says in The Shonen Jump Guide to Making Manga:

"Of course, [copying] for a contest or official submission without express permission would get you in trouble. I'm just talking about a way to practice and learn how a given manga is put together on the most basic level. It can show you how an author approaches every page of their story with intention, and how they utilize specific elements in deliberate ways."

With that in mind, I decided to copy a spread from the Wano arc of One Piece.

And wow—humbling doesn’t even begin to cover it. It was a lot of work, but there’s no substitute for what happens when you move your hand across the page.

Original panel from One Piece:

My attempt at recreating it:

Ack! The proportions are off all over the place—but I hope some of the feeling still comes through. I used a smaller art board to save some time, and I’m glad that I did for a study. I’m deeply inspired by the coordination the One Piece team must have to deliver stories like this every week.

For my next study, I want to try my hand at Moebius' Starwatcher:

or maybe Miyazaki’s concept art for Nausicaa:

What about you?

Ever copied a master’s work to learn? Got strong feelings either way? I’d love to hear your take.

Thanks for reading.

I just dropped something I've been excited (and honestly a little anxious) to share with you—the first chapter of Treasure Blitz is now available on Pixiv.

This release feels extra special because your feedback and support gave me the confidence to submit Treasure Blitz to the Pixiv x Clip Studio Paint Global Comic Awards 2025.

Here's a fresh sneak peek at the cover:

You can jump straight into the action by reading Chapter 1 here. I recommend reading this on a computer monitor or tablet for the best experience, as a phone will break up page spreads.

Seriously grateful for all your encouragement. Can't wait to hear your thoughts!

I saw some artists using a 8bitdo micro controller as a (cheap!) shortcut remote for Procreate and was curious. So far, it’s been nice enough that I’ll keep using it. Here’s how I set my up my remote:

What’s also cool about 8bitdo’s software is the ability to create multiple layouts, which can be used in other programs (Procreate Dreams, Nomad Sculpt, etc.)

Phone Studies

In an effort to grow, I’ve been studying everyday objects I enjoy with the intent of committing them to memory. One of my first attempts was of an old rotary phone, which to me is both simple and yet also has some nice nuance to its design - like the subtle tilt of its speaker and microphone heads. This thing just seems so much more ergonomic than the smart phones we all tote around today.

After drawing this, I picked my favorite examples and colored them in Procreate:

This form of study has been an interest of mine since taking Bryce Kho’s art course, which introduced a lot of knowledge and work philosophy that I was ignoring over the years. Thanks Bryce!

Currently Reading: Urusei Yatsura

What an excellent and cozy read this series is. I’ll have more to say another time but for now, I’ll share one of my favorite expressions from Lum:

Until next time,

Chromatic Arcana

Hello!

Wow, let me start by saying it’s good to be here - thanks for checking this newsletter out.

Every week, I like to write about what I have been drawing and share art that inspires me. Reflection is good for the soul, and it is also nice to connect with you in a way that’s deeper than a one-off social media post.

Treasure Blitz

After taking a break, I’m getting back to making comics whenever I can. Every day of working on a story can feel a bit different, and I’m especially grateful for the days when it’s a lot of fun.

For Treasure Blitz, It has been paramount to cram it with stuff I love as much as possible. In this case I settled on dinosaurs, spaceships, and adventure. This makes it easier to get back to the drawing board!

Similar to any exercise, artists can face a lot of resistance when they put a piece down for a while (e.g., days, weeks, or months) and then try to start it again. Work feels more fluid if I’m able to contribute to it every day, even if it’s just for 15 minutes.

Recent Thoughts on Keeping a Sketchbook

I love analog stuff! Some of my best days are spent getting away from screens and having this bag nearby:

It’s easy to grab with one hand and fits my sketchbook and a ton of pens with room to spare.

There is something really useful about the scale, too. Drawing smaller allows me to get ideas out faster, and the portability means I can toss the bag into a larger backpack. Being able to use it anywhere, at any time, is huge.

Yoichi Nishikawa - Wanderlust

I’ve wanted to check this out for a while, and I’m glad I finally picked it up! It’s nice to be able to soak in these paintings; I especially enjoyed the liner notes.

The Nucleus Gallery store also has a bunch of prints which aren't in the book that are worth checking out. I love this one:

Have a great rest of the week, see you next time!

-Chromatic Arcana

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