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The Q&A: Tomer Hanuka

By Peggy Roalf   Monday August 24, 2015

Q: What are some of your favorite things about living and working in Israel?

A: It’s great to have my family around.

Q: Do you keep a sketchbook? What is the balance between the art you create on paper versus in the computer?

A: I’m 100% digital these days, but uses a sketchbook on occasion, especially if I’m blocked creatively and can’t get my head around tackling a new project.

Q: What is the most important item in your studio?

A: 24hd Cintiq.

Q: What do you like best about your workspace?

A: It’s facing an private garden between buildings so it’s very quite except for the birds and an occasional visit from the gardener. 

Q: Do you think it needs improvement, if so, what would you change?

A: An expresso machine would be nice.


Q: How do you know when the art is finished?

A: The deadline!

Q: What makes you happy?

A: When work surprises me.  

Q: What was your favorite book as a child?

A: Any Tarzan comics.

Q: What is the best book you’ve recently read?

A: 10:04 by Ben Lerner.


Q: If you had to choose one medium to work in for an entire year, eliminating all others, what medium would you choose?

A: Digital.

Q: If you could time travel to any era, any place, where would you go?

A: Late 90’s, NYC, to my collage dormitory room.  

Q: What is preoccupying you at the moment?

A: The launch of a graphic novel I’ve been working on for years, with my brother Asaf and writer Boaz Lavie. The book is called The Divine.

Q: What are some of your favorite places/books/blogs/websites for inspiration?

A: This website that archives the entire run of turn of the century German political magazine Simplicissimus is crazy good.

Q: What was the [Thunderbolt] painting or drawing or film or otherwise that most affected your approach to art? 

A: Akira, the film, and then the comics.

Q: What advice would you give a young artist about applying to an art school or college?

A: Once you’re there, become best friends with the kids you hate—those who are better than you, and with time will make you better.

Q: What would be your last supper?

A: Spaghetti vongole with any red wine.

 

NY Times best selling illustrator Tomer Hanuka has worked on the Oscar nominated animated documentary, Waltz with Bashir, and has illustrated many covers of New Yorker Magazine. A monograph of his work titled Overkill was published in 2012 by Gingko press. The Divine, a graphic novel he created with Asaf Hanuka and Boaz Lavie was published this July from First Second. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TropicalToxic


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