Review Fix chats with writer and artist Kati Drinkwine, who discusses her career in comics, creative process and future.
Review Fix: How did you know a career in comics was for you?
Kati Drinkwine: I’ve always been extremely interested in projects where illustration meets narrative. In college, I had a professor that really got me into storyboard work, and I think this is where I started to envision stepping into the comic industry. It took me awhile to build my confidence, but eventually it led me into having a desire to pursue comic work. I started putting my sequential work out there, and had some clients that took a chance on me. And now, I’m super stoked to see where it’ll lead me!
Review Fix: Who inspires you creatively?
Drinkwine: This is a hard one, because I find so much inspiration from so many other talented folks. I’m obsessed with scrolling Instagram and seeing what my fellow creatives are up to today. But if I had to lay down some iconic names that come to mind: Hayao Miyazaki, Adam Hughes, Gerald Brom, Kim Jung Gi, and MANY others.
Review Fix: What inspired your latest round of work?
Drinkwine: In terms of work within my client space, I find myself really pushing my level of detail in my line work lately, wanting to go that extra mile. As far as personal work goes, I’ve had the goal to evolve my rendering style. It’s challenging because I often find myself wanting to explore and grow in multiple areas, so I’m trying to find that balance.
Review Fix: How is your work different or special?
Drinkwine: I’m my own biggest critic, but I’d like to think my attention to detail and constant desire to improve sets me apart. You can see the difference from one finished piece to the next, I’m always pushing it to the next level or I’m not happy with it.
Review Fix: Who do you think will dig it the most?
Drinkwine: I think one of my struggles is creating a more dedicated attachment to a social media presence, because I’m still kind of sorting out who my audience is. I’ve found that I have a lot of viewers that connect with work like Moebius and Final Fantasy, and I’m really hoping to lean more into that. I love that balance of detail vs minimalism meets high fantasy, and I hope my following will continue to get involved with my evolution in that realm.
Review Fix: How do you want it to be remembered?
Drinkwine: Dang, this one is deep hahah. If I had to simplify it, I just want people to kind of connect with the work. I was incredibly introverted up through my first year of college, and art was my way of forming that bond with others. It opened up a conversation, a unique space where people feel like they can be at ease and enjoy the imagery. That’s been a pretty big recurring theme for me since then, and I hope to continue to build that world people can escape into.
Review Fix: Anything else you’d like to add?
Drinkwine: I just want to add that, you really can pursue your dreams. It’s hard work, and sometimes we all feel like throwing our hands up. I wasn’t blessed with an easy start in life and I had to fight to be where I am now. There’s a lot of failure on the way to success, and I think what sets some people apart is that ability to see failure as a learning experience. Just keep growing, keep learning and pushing yourself. And of course, be kind to one another. I’ve spent a lot of time doing that “lone wolf” thing, but there’s a real strength in community.
Review Fix: What’s next?
Drinkwine: I think the fun (and sometimes terrifying!) part about freelance is, I’m never entirely sure. I tend to branch out into a variety of genres and projects – I’m typically currently working on anything from children’s books, to high fantasy book covers/comics and anything inbetween. I will say though, being a part of LKC is looking to be a longterm commitment for me so, you’ll be seeing a lot more comic work for sure!
Review Fix: Where can people find out more?
Drinkwine: I’m working on updating my social media again, so you can look forward to finding new updates on the following platforms:
https://www.instagram.com/xthoughtless/
https://www.artstation.com/katidrinkwine
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