ROSANA! Artist Spotlight: Osa
Updated: Oct 25, 2019
The Artist Spotlight series showcases the artists working on the ROSANA! You can follow Osa on Twitter and Instagram.
1. Tell us about yourself and your background in art.
Hi! My name is Osa and I’m an illustrator and cartoonist. I was born and raised in Jakarta, Indonesia and moved to the United States around 3 years ago to pursue an education in art. I studied sequential arts and recently graduated a few months ago!
I specialize in 2D illustrations and comics, character design, and traditional inking. My inspiration ranges from video games to folklore and mythology, to bugs and reptiles and other wonders of the natural world, so I’d like to think that I have a flexible art style as a result. Most of my online content consists of fanart for my favorite games and cartoons, but for original content, my favorite things to draw are interesting characters and monster designs.
2. What made you join ROSANA? Was it how you expected it turn out? In what way?
It was actually a friend of mine who linked me to Jess’ call for Indonesian cartoonists last year and convinced me to apply. I wasn’t even sure whether if I’ll be accepted or not, but an Indonesian superhero comic that involves local folklore is something I really want to be part of, so I kind of applied without thinking… and here I am now!
I’ve always loved collaborating with other artists and writers, and this comic is no different. My role is mainly as the background illustrator, but I also help out with the character inking, so I guess I’m also like Baji’s inking assistant! It’s been great working together with Baji and Chong, I feel like we’re constantly learning to work with each other’s art style and to improving to streamline our comic-making process. And of course, it’s an honor to help bring Jess’ story to life! Even though we have the privilege of knowing a bit more about the plot than the average reader, I’m still excited for every new page.
3. What’s your favourite thing about Rosana - the character?
Oh man, where do I start! I think ever since Baji finalized her character design, I realized that she’s a one-of-a-kind character and that we’re all working on something special. I love that her design looks traditional but also athletic, it makes her look like the perfect cross between the superhero and silat genre. So far we’ve only seen her in hero mode, but I’m excited to delve into her backstory and show her in a more casual setting.
4. Tell us about other projects you’re working on, outside of the comic.
I have my own collection of short comics that you can read for free on Gumroad or on my portfolio site, take a look if you want! (I recommend starting with Grassboy, my first comic, or Bog Queen, my most recent.) I’m also currently working on a new short comic titled Lonely Monster Hearts, a romcom featuring Godzilla and other monsters. It’s… definitely not your usual romance story, but I put a lot of heart into it, so please look forward to it! Other than that, I also very recently opened commissions for the first time, so consider taking a peek at that too.
Thank you again to everyone keeping up with Rosana’s story, and to Jess for having me in this amazing project! Here’s to a bright future for us and for ROSANA!
- Osa
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