Today we’d like to introduce you to Wei Vivian Lu.
Hi Wei Vivian, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I am Wei Vivian, I am illustrator and comic artist originally from Taiwan, and I am currently based in Minneapolis, MN. When I was young, I wanted to become a comic artist from reading many, many Shojo Manga, but I never committed to the idea of becoming one. When I moved to the US, I was having trouble learning English and assimilating. I turned to drawing and painting as a way to help coping with the difficult time. I created a lot of characters and wrote some ideas for my own story. I enroll into an art and design college to study animation to continue my interest in art.
I worked as a 3D technical artist for a few years, and when my contract with the company came to an end, I returned to school for a Master’s of Fine Arts program. It offered two years of curriculum and studio space for students to explore their creative practice. I chose to dedicate the entire program to creating my first original comic, Fireheart. I wanted to craft a story inspired by Han Dynasty history and elements of my family’s past.
Although I had experience in illustrations, animations and writing, comic art was a brand-new medium for me. There were so many challenges at the beginning, but I was determined to create an authentic story and produce a high quality book. By the end of the program, I completed two chapters of Fireheart and held a final thesis exhibition to showcase my work.
Currently, I publish Fireheart at local events such as the MNCBA Spring and Fall Cons, and I am also publishing digital chapters of Fireheart on Tapas.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Fireheart is my first comic. There were so many obstacles at the beginning. I was struggling to figure out the right pacing for my story, designing page layouts, all the while writing the story that feels both grounded and magical. I wanted to create a fantasy story drawing inspiration from personal family history, current and historical events. The story explores the theme of heritage, cultural identity, and pacifism. I spent a lot of time on research and development to make sure the character’s motives and the environments in the story feels authentic.
I had a lot of support along the way. My partner is also an artist, and it became part of our routine to share ideas for the story when we go on walks with our dog. He comes from a different culture background, it’s so great to gain new perspective when we work together. I also have a great mentor through the Master’s program. She is an incredibly experienced comic artist in the Twin Cities. We met weekly to check in on progress, and she gave me lots of resources to support the comics.
Collaboration was truly the main reason I was able to overcome these obstacles. The best way to improve narrative work is to have someone else read it and get feedback!
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Fireheart is a fantasy story about a young girl Yora venturing through war-torn land of YinYuan Peninsula to recover artifacts that were stolen from her culture in order to restore the life of the dying Dragon Ridge Forest. I’m most proud of the illustrations and characters I created in the comics. I wanted both my culture and personal illustrative style to shine through, and I am especially happy with the way they turned out in the final books.
I created the comics with the intention of producing physical books, and I’ve bound my own comic books as well. I value quality in my craft. I spent a considerable amount of time designing the details of the physical book. I do publish digitally online to reach a bigger audience, but I will always have physical copies so that people own my work. I firmly believe in the importance of owning physical media in this digital world today. Many artists I work with share the same view. We print books to sell at conventions and festivals as our main form of marketing.
I’m proud to be an independent artist. It gives me the opportunities to interact with people in my community and connect to those who are interested in my work. For that, I’m ever grateful for the people in the Twin Cities who always make room for artists.
Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
When I decided to pursue comic art for my Master’s degree, I felt like I was taking a bit of a risk. I wasn’t sure how my manga-inspired illustrative style would be received in a fine-arts-focused institution, or how to present that kind of work in a gallery setting. Fortunately, the faculty and students were incredibly supportive of my vision. Many of them even shared my enthusiasm for Japanese, Chinese, and Korean comics, which made me feel welcomed and understood. With their support, I felt comfortable experimenting methods of showcasing my work in the gallery, and I was especially proud of my final thesis exhibition. In the end, the risks I thought I was taking led me to new connections, both with people who shared similar interests and with unexpected audience members who found resonance in my work.
I believe artists who choose to pursue art as part of their career are all risk-takers. Being an artists isn’t always a clearly-defined path. It involves spending time, money and emotional investments, often not knowing what the outcome will be. Everyone has different interests and aesthetic, so it takes time for artists to find their audience. I admire artists who faithfully contribute to this unpredictable journey, even when it takes a while to blossom into something sustainable.
However challenging the process may be, I’ve met so many wonderful people along the way who also believe in the importance of creative work. The world will always love new arts.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/weivivianim/
- Other: https://tapas.io/series/lemoncaptcha-Fireheart
