We had the pleasure of chatting with Alav the creator of the comic Paradoxum Tricker! Check it out to learn more about their creative journey, the comic, and goals! Be sure to support the creator as well by following all of their links!
I go by Alav and I’m working on my sci-fi webcomic, Paradoxum tricker!
Artwork: Paradoxum Tricker
1. What initially inspired you to become a creator, and how has that inspiration evolved throughout your creative journey?
I’ve always daydreamed and made up worlds and stories ever since I was little, and it’s part of the package of being an artist/creator. You want to share those stories and tell some aspect of yourself with your characters and world. That idea is what inspired me to share my stuff. I’m not a very extroverted person so this is my way of connecting with people.
2. Can you share a specific moment or experience that fueled your passion for your current creative project?
I think a specific moment that helped me fuel my creativity in writing aside from drawing is when I entered a story-writing contest at my school years ago and won a high grade for it. I then realized something, ‘’maybe I can be good at something else.’’
I still don’t consider myself a skilled writer, but I do love jotting down ideas, thoughts, and interactions between characters from my webcomic. When something just clicks, I immediately have to get to my phone on a note app or find some pen and paper to write down what I have in mind.
3. What challenges have you encountered as an indie creator, and how have they shaped your approach to your work?
The biggest challenge I’ve encountered as an indie creator would be…myself. But at some point in our creative journey we do unfortunately become our worst enemy, and I’m very much guilty of that. There were moments in my creative endeavors where I just wanted to drop everything and say, “I’m tired of trying, I give up.”
But surprisingly I always bounce back up. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m too stubborn, or there’s an aspect of myself that doesn’t want to stop just yet, but I always listen to that part of me. Even when I feel discouraged or feel like I’m not doing as well as I’m supposed to, I get that motivation back once I clear my head. Your mind can be your worst enemy and influencer, so learning to acknowledge those negative thoughts, feel them, and also taking a break has helped me from burning out. Part of approaching your work is not just forcing yourself to be positive about it, but also acknowledging your insecurities. They’re there to help you find what’s missing.
4. Are there any particular creators who have significantly influenced your style or approach? How do you incorporate those influences into your own unique voice?
Oh gosh! I honestly can’t list everyone here because the list will never end! I’ve come across so many passionate creators that inspired me along my journey, it almost feels overwhelming! But I think what significantly introduced me to the current trends and artists I appreciate today would be the animated shows I used to watch late at night, like Toonami. I was maybe around 13 or 15 when I came across Paranoia Agent and instantly got hooked with the narration. I learned about Satoshi Kon and his other works, like Paprika, Tokyo Godfathers, and Perfect Blue. A lot of his work incorporated many psychological, thriller, light-hearted, and sci-fi tones that I still enjoy to this day.
5. How do you navigate the balance between staying true to your artistic vision and adapting to feedback from your audience or collaborators?
I believe it’s fair to always stay in the middle ground when being loyal to my artistic vision and acknowledging how my readers view my work. I want to follow my ideas and share my artistic views, but I also want to respect my audience and listen to what they think. Sometimes they have a different perspective that I’m not familiar with and it’s interesting to see their point-of-view. Of course, that doesn’t mean I have to bend my back and completely change my vision to appease everyone. Not everyone is going to enjoy my work, and that’s perfectly fine.
6. Can you recall a memorable success story or milestone in your indie creator journey that stands out as a turning point for you?
I got so excited when I reached 1k readers on Webtoon! This was my main milestone too because at that point I felt like I finally garnered an audience.
7. What role do setbacks or failures play in your creative process, and how do you overcome them to keep moving forward?
There is no finish line to creating, unless you want it to be. I hold this belief that being a creator is not an easy job or journey because it’s less about crossing the line and more about discovering and growing. There will be moments where you’ll start second-guessing yourself and start comparing yourself to others. And you know what? That just means you are improving, so don’t stop there, there’s so much more to learn! I overcome this by looking back at my old art and seeing just how much my art has grown alongside me. My old former self would be ecstatic to see what I can create today. I’m not a robot so I can’t expect myself to be on the same journey as everyone else.
8. How do you manage your time and energy to sustain a consistent creative output while juggling other aspects of life?
Take breaks! Spend time with friends, spend time with your family, or even with yourself and a hobby without the need to finish a project. If you force yourself to work on something just to get it done, it’s going to end up feeling like a chore. I manage my time by making a list and putting what’s more important at the top and then going down the list. I also make notes on my calendar and put reminders. In-between doing multiple things in a day, I try to find a moment to pause to refresh my mind.
9. Have you found any unexpected joys or rewards in the indie creator community, and how has it contributed to your overall experience?
There is so much joy in being able to share my stories and connect with other creators, readers, and befriend them. I feel like I hold a privilege in being able to tell a story through my characters and having people tell me they enjoy seeing what I can do. There is no greater feeling than someone telling you how much they enjoy your work.
10. If you could give one piece of advice to aspiring creators, what would it be based on your own lessons learned?
The biggest advice I can give to aspiring creators, and anyone else, is to stick to finishing something. Don’t give promises to a crowd, instead, give it to yourself and see how much you’ll be able to get something done. Also, don’t be afraid to experiment! Art and creation should be about growth, so if there is a technique or new look you want to try with your work, go for it, it just might be the thing that clicks with you.
11. What are your thoughts on All Ages of Geek? What are some things we should change/do? What are some things you enjoy about our website?
I don’t think I can give any advice about your site, it’s very well-organized!
12. Goals for 2024?
I made a comment on my twitter account that 2024 will be my renovation year, which involves changing my art style a bit. There are also plans I have for Paradoxum Tricker, like completing part 2. Overall, I want to keep myself busy but still have fun this year.
Links
Carrd: https://alavidere.carrd.co/
Webcomic page: https://paradoxum-tricker.carrd.co/
