Bored Panda reached out to Eckyo, the conversation with the artist delving into his transition from realistic to cute art style! Eckyo describes this transition as “quite an interesting journey for me. It came with its own set of challenges but was also incredibly rewarding.”

Regarding the transition, Eckyo elaborated, “One of the main challenges was shifting my mindset. Realistic art often focuses on precision and capturing the details of the object, while cute art emphasizes simplicity and exaggeration of features. Consequently, I had to let go of my perfectionist tendencies and embrace a simpler, more playful approach in my drawing style.” He also had to “re-learn how to draw basic shapes and characters in a cute way,” experimenting with “different proportions, colors, and expressions!” The key, he said, was “persistence and patience.”

The comic artist also reflected on how emotions influence his work, saying, “Just like everyone else, I have my ups and downs, and those feelings often find their way into my work. When I'm feeling happy and positive, my art tends to reflect that with vibrant colors and cheerful themes.” Even during challenging times, Eckyo sees value in channeling emotions through art, stating, “Creating art becomes a way to channel those emotions and work through them.”

He shared a personal anecdote that significantly influenced a comic piece: “There was this one time when I was at my desk, really worried about problems happening in my family... So much time was wasted without finding any solution except to worry... So, I started doodling a heart character who was worried about something, mirroring my situation.” This act of creation didn’t resolve the problem but “kept me going.”

When discussing the importance of follower feedback, Eckyo explained to Bored Panda, “Feedback from my followers has played a significant role in shaping my work over time. It's been an incredible source of inspiration and improvement.” This feedback sparked the creation of comics on similar topics, which encouraged deeper exploration into themes enjoyed by the audience.

Regarding his upcoming eBook and drawing course, Eckyo hopes to offer stress management through drawing, saying, “Drawing is actually a good method to help manage stress. This is one of my goals for anyone who wants to learn cute drawing as well as gain good drawing skills.” The eBook promises a more enjoyable drawing experience with varied and somewhat complex cute characters and objects, offering “fresher material.”