Can you tell us a bit about the story and whether there was something about the subject that felt better suited to images than words?
 

I find myself quite often trying to understand human actions which encompass those that are neither attractive nor socially supported. Depicting, through illustration, behaviours that cause such a stir in the social fabric – and are overshadowed by violence and ostracism – reroutes the tone of the story to something softer. 

 

In the piece there’s a vignette picturing the pillow talk between Gabriel and the other character. They delve into each other’s minds. They both open up in a way that allows Gabriel’s remorse from his past life to surface. This moment challenges the dichotomous way of thinking, gently dismantling the binary structures through which the other character sees the world. I have consciously chosen the colour palette and the shadows to convey the drama that this interaction deserved rather relying on than laconic descriptions.

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Was there a moment in the process when the story changed direction because of something you drew – or tried to draw?
 
There was a point when I wondered if my approach to these matters – drugs, kidnapping, slaughter – could drive readers to think I’m biased for not condemning certain atrocities. How could I achieve a depiction which was not loaded with blind relativism, yet was human enough to create a channel for understanding? At times, I find myself moralizing while drawing. Nevertheless, I devised the plot, or at least I tried, avoiding both endorsement and judgement. Gabriel’s portrayal involves his inner battle, struggling with the violence he committed and the ways he is haunted by it. The narrative invites questions rather than answers.
 

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How does your approach to storytelling change – if it does – when you draw?
 

There are plenty of subtle details that verbal language is unable to decode or to build exclusively through words, which drawing easily achieves.

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Using drawings as storytelling allows you to tap into the nature of colours and figures to arouse emotions directly at a glance.
 

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How do you decide what to show visually and what to leave to the text or dialogue?
 
The most aggressive and violent actions, such as the murder-to-be scene, gets easier to assimilate when it’s shown visually. I aimed to leave room for personal opinions. When it comes to external dialogue, text is the main medium. I tried to stick to the actual conversations and real excerpts from the storytelling.
 

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Are there specific authors, visual influences or stylistic references that have inspired and/or influenced your work? How and why?
 

Yes – Egon Schiele, Rafael Zabaleta, György Kovásznai. I have been inspired by their colours, their lines and the provocative and stirring subjects they worked on.