LET’S TALK KOMIKS: Getting cheesy with Mel Casipit

Love is indeed in the air! And for today’s feature of Let’s Talk Komiks, we picked the perfect local comic book artist that knows how to express love not only by the means of his art, but also by his quirky lines. His comics, Mukat, MLU and Ang Baboy had won the Best Grassroots award last Komikon 2011 and had won three consecutive times at Annual Philippine Comic Convention in their local Indie Comics Creation contest. This comic book writer/artist also have a passion in painting and running. It’s none other than the king of Cheesyfit, Mel Casipit!

Flipgeeks had a chance to catch up with this fascinating fellow despite of his busy schedule. Mel gave us his perky and interesting answers and also his view about his latest works and how did he come up with Cheesyfit.

FLIPGEEKS: Where did the love of comic book art started?
MEL CASIPIT: I started reading komiks way back when I was grade 1. Whenever my mother goes to the market, I always request komiks as my pasalubong instead of food.

How did you start as a comic book artist?
I was watching my favorite tv show “5 and up”. That’s where, Chyna Hortaleza, Atom Araulo, Maxene Magallona, Rayver Cruz started out. Anyway, while I was watching the show, they have featured Whilce Portacio, a Pinoy Komiks artist doing X-men. I was really impressed and inspired. So I decided to created my own fun komiks during my freshman year in high school. After a while, I learned there are a lot of Pinoy komiks artists that invaded the US comics before Whilce (Portacio) did.

Describe your beginnings as a comic book artist. What is the most memorable event that you’ve attended?
I didn’t have a lot of money when I started out so I only used bond papers and sliding folders and pens and markers. Something that typical students used. I used my classmates’ names as characters’ name, so they enjoyed reading it that was high school, I continued creating my own comics until college.

When I was hired at a call center, I didn’t have time at first to create comics, but I managed to draw komiks when I learned about the Comics Creation Contest by Komikon 2008. That was my debut as an indie comics artist in Manila. I joined the contest and won. The title of my komiks was Baboy. That was also my most memorable event as I didn’t have a lot of friends in back then.

Where did the inspiration of Cheesyfit come from?
Cheesyfit is all about being cheesy and corny and in love, but the inspiration came from being heartbroken. Instead of ranting and being down, I chose to draw cute couple artwork. I did one everyday as a therapy. If I was not able to draw I post cheesy line, or pick up lines on Facebook. That went for a while, until my friends suggested that I compiled the pick up/ cheesylines that I post.

“Lalo na pag sinabihan ka ng “Nainspire akong gumawa ng sarili kong komiks nung nabasa ko yung gawa mo”, priceless yung feeling kaya ‘di pwedeng isangla.”

Who is your favorite international comic book artist? Local comic book artist?
My favorite international comic book artist are Travist Charest, Jim Lee, Dustin Nguyen among others. From the local scene, I like the works of Lan Medina and the Masters of Pinoy Komiks like Francisco Coching and many more!

[CHECK OUT… KOMIKS INTERVIEW: Mel Casipit]

What’s your favorite software or hardware medium in making your art?
I started out as traditional artist, then I studied digital, I mostly use Photoshop and Paint tool SAI and Illustrator if the client wanted vector images.

Masaya ba ang pagiging isang freelance artist? Bakit?
Sobrang saya, iba yung feeling pag nakakakuha ng feedback like “uy nabasa ko yung komiks mo ang ganda” at lalo na pag sinabihan ka ng “Nainspire akong gumawa ng sarili kong komiks nung nabasa ko yung gawa mo”, priceless yung feeling kaya ‘di pwedeng isangla.

Tell us what Sikami is all about. Ano yung pinakaimportanteng part ng Sikami para sa’yo?
Sikami ay ang pioneer comic book anthology ng mga Pangasinense, nagpapasalamat kami lalo “sa isang artist” kasi sya ang nagpondo sa printing ng komiks na yun. Pinakaimportanteng part ng Sikami yung sales! Hahaha! Joke lang, ang pinakaimportante tingin ko ay, yung unity ng mga Pangasinense artist para makabuo ng anthology at maishare hindi lang sa Pangasinan kundi sa buong Pilipinas.

Sino sa mga lokal comic book artist ang pinaka-cheesy?
Eh di ako! #cheesyfit (shameless plugging)

May ka-Cheesyfit ka ba ngayon Valentines Day?
Wala pa nga e, sa mga nakakabasa nitong interview na single ladies just bring a valid ID and NBI clearance, with pleasing personality alam nyo na gagawin.