Itsmingway - Creator Interview
Today, we have the pleasure of introducing you to an extraordinary artist who blew us away from the very first art we saw of theirs, ITSMINGWAY.
Their library of art really just stood out to us, and we knew we had to do a full feature on them. From the androids of Nier: Automata, the battle-worn heroes of Final Fantasy, the sleek sci-fi of Stellarblade, and many more; Mingway’s art becomes an anime filtered portal to parallel universe. What sets Itsmingway apart is their unique anime art style that is instantly recognizable as a "mingway piece".
Join us for their journey, process, and fan arts, in this Gi Creator Interview...
Itsmingway Interview:
Miscellaneous Fan Arts - Star Wars, Mass Effect, Overwatch, Other...
(I love the wide diverse cast of characters that Itsmingway pulls off from so many fandoms. Their Mass Effect x Destiny 2 mash up is super unique. Kena was such an underated indie gem that doesn't get enough fan art. I really like their Star Wars pieces as well!)
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Game Infinite: What draws you to fan art creation?Tell us about your passion for bringing characters to life?. What led you to create fan art?
Itsmingway: I started drawing at a very young age and growing up I've always loved anime/manga and videogames so to me it felt only natural to combine these hobbies. By drawing fanart we can create even more content for our favorite characters and even put them in scenes we would normally never see them in or even worlds they usually don't exist in. I feel like fanart connects people of a fandom, whether you're an artist yourself or not - anyone can enjoy this sort of content and it makes me incredibly happy to see when people actually like my fanart.
Nier Automata
(Itsmingway has some absolutely stunning and next level Nier fan arts. They always manage to make each one feel unique and different, bring a sense of variety to such a commonly drawn and popular set of characters.)
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Gi: 2B from NieR: Automata has become an iconic character. For our Nier Infinite Gi Channel community, Could you share your creative process when capturing her essence in your art? What aspects of 2B resonate with you?
Itsmingway: 2B's design is not super complex but still iconic and unique and to me as an artist that's really inspiring. As for her personality, she seems cold-hearted at first and it takes a while to figure out what kind of person she is but deep inside she's strong-willed, loyal and has a good heart. I try to convey both sides of her in my art usually drawing her in or right before battle, like in my latest piece surrounded by rubble and machines yet still standing her ground.
Final Fantasy
(Another gaming universe that itsmingway really excels in is their clear passion for all things Final Fantasy. Their Tifa, FFXIV, and Aerith pieces are nothing short of incredible)
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Gi: Final Fantasy VII is another beloved Franchise. We love your amazing Final Fantasy fan arts. For our Gi Channel Final Fantasy Infinite community, can you tell us more about your Tifa? How do you approach portraying her strength, elegance, and complexity in your artwork? Any specific moments or features you enjoy most?
Itsmingway: What I love about Tifa is she's compassionate and kind, but also strong and determined. She's experienced many bad things in her life but still she remains positive. I feel like that's a very admirable trait and that's why in my art I tend to draw her both smiling and ready to fight. Playing Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth right now, she quickly became one of my favorite characters again.
Stellar Blade - Eve
(Stellar Blade isn't even out yet, and it is already breaking sales / pre-order records, already out pacing the more establish FF7 Rebirth numbers. It is crazy to see how much such an anticipated game is already inspiring art pre-launch. We are already seeing the fan art community deliver amazing fan arts, and Mingway's take is such a high tier take on the game's protagonist Eve.)
Gi: Your recent fan art of Eve from Stellar Blade caught our attention. What inspired you to depict this character? Did you play the demo? We have been following the game since back when it was still Project Eve, and we are excited to already see fan art for Eve. Do you plan do more of her?
Itsmingway: Of course, Eve's design is the first thing that made me wanna draw her. She has all these different, extremely detailed skins in game and I honestly wish that I could draw every single one of them. After playing the new demo it's clear there's also a lot more to her personality and character and I cannot wait to see more of her story and character development in Stellar Blade.
Gi: More on Stellar Blade: Could you share your thoughts on the game’s aesthetics, world-building, or any specific elements that resonate with you? What draws you to this upcoming PS5 exclusive?
Itsmingway: Stellar Blade already caught my attention back when it was announced as Project Eve. Playing the demo - which was amazing! - then convinced me to pre-order the game. It reminded me of NieR Automata and Bayonetta but at the same time almost felt soulslike. The world looks beautiful, the character and enemy designs are incredible and I can already see myself playing hours and hours of this game.
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Gi: Lastly, as a fan artist, tell us about how you developed your personal style? You have a unique look that is instantly recognizable, how do you develop that?
Itsmingway: I think as artists we always get influenced by the things we like and our artstyles are ever evolving and improving. When people ask me for advice I always tell them to analyze what exactly they like about their favorite anime or artist's style. What they like about their OWN art style that they developed so far. Try to combine features that you like, try using different colors, brushes and eventually you will know what you prefer and enjoy drawing.
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