Behind the Comics XIII - Amanda Baeza

'Behind the Comics' is back with an insight into the work of š! #14 'Sports' contributor and cover artist Amanda Baeza.

Amanda Baeza // *1990, Chile. Amanda grew up in two different hemispheres and currently lives in Lisbon, Portugal, where she obtained a degree in graphic design. She makes zines with her siblings, together they are known as Los Spoquitos. Amanda eats comics for breakfast and plays the baritone saxophone at lunch.

Make sure to also follow her tumblr and read this nice interview on Future Positive. 

My creative process is led by my curiosity. I feel the need to explore different techniques for each comic I make. Even though this sounds pretty random, I try to choose techniques that fits with the story I'm working on.

My workplace right now is our floor. I feel comfortable spreading my sketches all over it and sometimes I find nice friends lying over there while I'm drawing. They give me the best tips.

I can't start a comic without words. I need to connect my visual junk with serious books or with children poems  Everything works. I also write and/or draw the storyboard in old pieces of paper.

After that I define the comic structure. For me, it is as important as the characters since you can play with its meaning. In this case, it can be as simple as the representation of a table tennis table.

Finally, I like to work with different layers. I draw and paint them separately, with pencil or ink, and then I assemble them on the computer. The more pieces you have, the more roads you can explore!

The finished comics by Amanda you can read in š! #14 'Sports'. Try also to keep up with her excellent family zine Mr.Spoqui. But you got to be fast, it is usually sold out very quickly.

Next week 'Behind the Comics' continues with an insight into the colorful world of š! #14 contributor Jeroen Funke.