I've been doing stuff...

Hey, I have to begin with defending my lack of activity here!
It's not like I have been doing nothing, so let's do some reporting...

First:
ISV 2011 (28-30th of October)
This is the most important childrens comic festival in Malmö, and me and my friends in Nosebleed Studio had to be there, to represent! We sold our books in the market and also held a 'Drawing Battle', where the winner received a Deluxe Bag with our latest anthology and an awesome bag, poster, postcards and badge!

Photo by Anna Åhlén

Mjau! was popular among the kids, and I'm so glad for that. It makes me all warm and happy inside when I hear or see people (young and old) that appreciate what I create.
I participated in the project 'Livsviktig Konst' ('Vital Art') at the festival, where artists made artworks that later would be sold at an auction to give money to children in the Horn of Africa. Here's the picture I made for the auktion, drawing it live in front of an audience.


As soon as we got back home, I got myself to finishing a project that have been hanging over me like a dark cloud for some time now...
It is the Japanese version of my manga Circus Romantique. It's a project I started in Spring 2010 when I went to Japan and got a meeting with a Japanese editor at Ribon magazine (one of the biggest shojo manga magaziens in Japan). I had e-mail correspondance with the editor and developed the story and drew it for the Nosebleed Studio 5 Years Jubilee Anthology, but had to later redo the screen tones because for the format differences... (Ribon is B-size)

Cover of the Japanese version

This project would not have been possible if it wasn't for a bunch of warm hearted and lovely friends around me, that helped me with the translation and proof-reading:
First of all to Kristina and Johan and Elise that have helped me with correcting my e-mails. Without that help I would probalby have embarrased myself alot! Thank you!!
A huge thank you to Simon Lundström for the translation of the 32-page manga. He didn't just translate, but accualy but a lot of character into the dialogues, things I would just dream about. Thank you!!!
And thanks to everyone that proof-read the manga, and especially to Akio-san, whom as a native Japanese could give a lot of essential input. Thank you!!!

So, on monday the 14th of November 2011, I picked up my manga from the print shop and sent it to a Japanese manga magazine for the first time in my life with hope and dreams of one day being accepted for publication. I don't expect it now, but this is a first step...

Right before that, Nosebleed Studio went to J-popCon in Denmark in 11-13th of November. It is the biggest manga convention in Denmark, and they also host the Danish selection to the World Cosplay Summit, so they attract a lot of awesome cosplayers.
We met a lot of interesting people, many artists both from Denmark and from other countries, because the con in visited by more people from the continent than the Swedish cons are.

And...
This past week, I have been working as a teacher at the Comic Art School (Serieskolan) in Malmö. It's fun to be back, and to teach again at the school. I used to be the teacher during the summer course, but had to say no when I got more commissioned work as an artist.
The class was so fun to work with! Becasue this was their 'Manga Week', I was affraid that there would be people complaining because they don't like manga, but all of them was open minded and gave it a shot! Yaaay!! Thank you ~
Also, it's fun that most of them are girls! Only 5 guys in a class of 24! Wow!

So, a lot of working and finally finishing stuff, feels great!
Now it's time for some new projects... More about that in my next entry!