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Interview with Min Rho
Featured Artist for September 2001
Would you introduce yourself and give a little personal background?
Hi, thanks for having me. My name is Min Rho. I'm an aspiring artist/illustrator living in
California. How boring is that, eh?
How long have you been an artist? How long have you been creating fantasy art?
I've always been a pretentious little snot. I've been drawing since I was two, and since then I've had the
gall to call myself an artist. Up until the age of ... oh, 20, I was always obsessed with re-creating realism in art, and its only in the past year that I've become fixated on fantasy-- Which I'm grateful for. It's broadened my sheltered view of art.
Have you had any formal training in the fine arts?
Well, I'm largely self taught, but I'm not above the pursuit of artistic knowledge. Lately I've been taking computer graphics classes. Photoshop mostly, and I'm trying to learn Photoshop 6. But the class that really changed my life was Life Drawing when I was 19. I wish I had taken it earlier in my life.
What are your biggest artistic influences and inspirations?
Lately it's been Anime, Manga, and Art Nouveau.
Can you describe your creative process - how you come up with ideas for a new drawing and how you take those ideas and create a finished piece of art.
I carry a small sketchbook with me in my purse where ever I go. And I'll sketch out random ideas, even the ones that seem stupid at the time. But mostly I'll doodle in an almost "stream of consciousness" sort of thing, which is good for ideas and all, but I'd love to be skilled enough to pull those ideas off technically, you know?
Do you have a favorite fantasy artist or an artist you admire?
Oh, hundreds, easily. Mainly-- lately, it's been Hiroaki Samura, of the "Blade of the
Immortal mangas. Yukito Kishiro, of "Battle Angel Gunm." Aubrey Beardsley, and Alphonse Mucha who are my favorite Art Nouveau
artists, CLAMP, and Alan Lee.
What advice would you give to young artists who are just starting out?
I'd have no credible advice to give, but if you want advice from a quack, here goes:
Get your hands dirty, then try the computer based media's. It's more fun, and more effective than the other way around.
If you could be a character from a fantasy novel, movie or game, who would you be?
Oh, that's a dangerous question. SO MANY! I'd be Alita, or Gally from Gunm. Or Eowyn from
'Lord of the Rings'.
Finally, what cartoons did you watch as a kid?
Hey, I'm still a kid! A big, 22 year old kid.... My Little Pony, She-Ra,
Spiderman (had a huge crush on Spiderman), Carebears, Smurfs, Thundercats, Johnny Quest, Gumby and Pokey... there wasn't any cartoon that I didn't watch.
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