Bored Panda got in touch with the artist to find out more about his recent work. First, we wanted to know what Nate considers some of the most rewarding aspects of being a comic artist. Fakes shared with us: “Creating something that entertains an audience is the most rewarding part of what I do. I love getting messages about how a comic made a person's day or they shared my work with someone. It's always nice to hear that my work can have a positive impact in one way or the other.”

Nate told us also a bit more about what keeps him motivated to continue creating: “I'm motivated always to create comics because I feel the need to. There are days I don't have ideas or don't particularly feel like drawing; however, the motivation always comes back. I think it's just instilled in me to be a cartoonist, and there's no running away from that. I guess, as they say, it's my passion.”

We were wondering how Fakes' art style evolved over time, and what factors influenced these changes. The artist said: “My style fluctuates slightly as I experiment with things. Digital art tools have many cool features that I play with occasionally. Eventually, I decide whether to implement them often or not. Also, my style does change, or I adjust depending on various projects. For example, my graphic novel, A Fade of Light, was done in black and white. It looks quite a bit different than my gag comics.”

Asked how he balances the creative aspects of his work with the business side of things, such as marketing and promotion, Nate told us: “I try to incorporate both when I can to get a natural balance. By posting on Instagram daily, it's a great marketing tool — along with entertainment. I've picked up many projects just by companies or people finding me on social media.”

We were curious how the artist stays up to date with current trends and developments in the comic industry, and how he sees the industry evolving in the future. We found out that: “The comics industry has changed dramatically from what I originally wanted to be. I grew up just wanting to be in newspapers, but newspapers are dying. So, syndicated cartooning isn't exactly thriving at the moment, and I honestly don't see much of a future in it (newspaper cartooning). Therefore, I've ventured into graphic novels and animation. In fact, I'm currently enrolled in the LA Film School to get a BS in Animation. I feel this is the best way to learn the newest technology and get established in that field.

Lastly, Nate added: “With books, I have a few cartoon collections and more graphic novels on the way! Stay tooned…”