Inside the Erotic Cartoonist's Studio (5): The Nightmare - Finding inspiration.

Hello, watchers! I 

trust the new year is treating you well. Mine started with a bang, loaded with exciting projects for the year—more on that soon. Currently, I'm knee-deep in finishing the recoloring of the 'Anne-Marie' series, and the deadline is looming. Three editors eagerly await my work! Yes, deadlines are the first nightmare for cartoonists, but there's another hurdle that can halt the creative machine: inspiration. How do I conjure those brilliant ideas? I'll be sharing my secrets with you. Let's dive in!

Good soil

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with the Creator, and the Word was the Creator." 

Oh, the idea of having dominion over the words sounds enticing. Where do I sign up for that? Unfortunately, for us creatives, we're not gods or goddesses, though some might give off that vibe. We've just elevated the human quality of creativity. Let me share how I perceive this thing called inspiration. It works for me.

Well, let's envision inspiration as a seed. A seed, perhaps as simple as a word, that requires good soil to germinate. The creative's health, both physical and mental, serves as this soil. Nothing fruitful grows in stressed soil, which is why I prioritize my basic needs. For me, getting a good night's sleep requires more effort than conjuring scenes and characters. However, I'm acutely aware of the danger of neglecting the simplest things. The creative machinery could break down, leading to a creative crisis. It's not a myth; my last creative crisis lasted five years. I couldn't muster a single word. Yet, crises do bring new opportunities, so perhaps they're inherent in the creative cycle. Who knows? Maybe the soil needs fallow periods to become truly excellent. But for a creative, enduring a period of incapacity is intensely painful—it goes against our nature, our sense of being, our joy.

History reveals many bohemian and tormented artists turning to substances to fuel their creativity and escape creative crises. I won't pass judgment because I understand the intensity of these crises, but despair is not a good guide. Instant solutions may offer temporary relief, but they're not sustainable in the long run. Both body and mind can break, and the soil may be damaged, rendering it unable to nourish the little seed. So, be cautious with caffeine! Lol

Alright, we've got the good soil, an excellent soil. Now it's time to prepare it, to carve it. Learning techniques, acquiring all the necessary skills, enhancing your style, perhaps exploring various projects, and, of course, dedicating yourself to your current project. Working tirelessly, with the exception of stipulated free days and without encroaching on precious sleep. Picasso wisely said, 'Inspiration exists, but it has to find you working.' Lazy creatives might possess a good seed, but without preparing the soil through hard work, the seed won't flourish or will do so poorly. Good soil, working on the soil, and fertilizing the soil. The best fertilizers are things that stir something within you. Not worms, lol.  In my case, it's comics, manga, books, series, films, illustrations, paintings, music—essentially, the works of other artists. I connect with the artist's feelings, and in that connection, the urge to create emerges, to craft something uniquely my own. It's been this way for me from the beginning, and I believe all artists share this initial spark in their stories because we stand on the shoulders of giants.

Pleasuremeter 

After some time, the seed has grown, and we now have a lovely young plant. When you have experience and a bit of good luck, multiple seeds grow at once. You find yourself with a splendid garden of good ideas, eagerly awaiting watering with love and pleasure. Yes, pleasure, because joy is the essential secret ingredient for shaping these good ideas. If you don't relish the scene in your mind, how can anyone else? If you don't love your character, who will? How can I distinguish good ideas from bad ones? Enter the 'pleasuremeter'! I remember as a child, I could escape reality whenever needed: in class, during family gatherings, on a train journey, or at the beach. It was my powerful ability, one I still possess. Stories, characters—I never get bored! This joy propels me to bring my inner world to reality because I'm not just a dreamer; I'm a creator. I could even say that especially good and strong characters like Jezzabel cannot stay inside for too long. They could explode if I don't let them out.

But I must acknowledge that professional cartoonists have other methods, of course, like brainstorming. I've tried it, and it's a powerful tool when you're drawing a blank. However, for me, the 'pleasuremeter' works better. As a professional, I can craft a compelling scene without overthinking because of my experience. Very bad ideas grind, you know? Like chalk scraping on a blackboard. If my work doesn't grind, then it's not bad. But that's not enough for me; it doesn't satisfy me. I need more; I need characters to take control of my mind. Sometimes, I have to wait for that to happen, but I'm patient.

To continue the analogy of the plant, there are external factors that could disrupt the crop, like a dry season or a storm. After all, creative people can't live outside of the world; we are not infallible. Diseases, family issues, broken hearts, and economic crises can steal away the desire to water our garden of ideas. Not to mention bad reviews, haters, and, in my case, self-righteous. It's not a bad idea to cultivate a bit of self-esteem in the garden for the tough times. It can save the harvest.

Genius!

What's the difference between a good idea and a genius idea? Oh, my friends, I wish I knew! All publishers and producers want to crack that code! Some have a good sense of smell, but it's not infallible. Neither is mine. I believe it depends on the sign of the times. A fantastic idea in one decade may not sparkle enough in another. There are multiple factors. I genuinely think it could be a paranormal event, one in a million. Perhaps something magical, a divine spark... or an infernal spark. I've shared the story of Jezzabel's creation. Remember it? She emerged on a stormy night, so suddenly and with such strength that I doubted if it was truly my idea. What is true is that I opened the door for her and let her live inside me. Maybe that's the secret: to be open to ideas without prejudice.

Anyway, I try to be faithful to my 'pleasuremeter' and trust my instincts. It's the best advice I can give you. Maybe the work won't be a masterpiece, maybe it won't reach immortality, but nobody can take away your pleasure in creating it.

And that's all for now! I must continue to work my soil. Bye!