Frantic Live : Mykel “Mue” Lukasiewicz in the spotlight
Some great webcomics are haunted by a fascinating character. Frantic Live tells the story of Michael Rust, a charismatic Rock band singer. Mykel Lukasiewicz has created a living legend.
The Fiction of the real.
Hi Mykel, welcome on Art Of Webcomics !
– Where do you come from ?
I’m from NRW, Germany.
– How old are you ? ( tell it or not !)
Born in 1989 – currently 28 years old.
– Influences ?
Takehiko Inoue (Vagabond, Slam Dunk), Brendon Small (Metalocalypse), Shirow Miwa (Dogs), Kaneoya Sachiko
– Art school or not ?
Never been to art school. I went to school for media design and attempted to study computer science (albeit unsuccessfully).
– Favorite digital art software ?
Clip Studio Paint Pro, by far!
– Your working method ?
It’s kinda messy: I have a notebook for story notes that I carry everywhere. Then, there’s the actual script in Google Docs. For storyboards I have a different, small notebook. All further steps – from paneling to coloring and le
ttering – are done digitally on my PC and iPad Pro.
ttering – are done digitally on my PC and iPad Pro.– What your webcomic is about, in a symbolic way, the hidden sense ?
Frantic Live is a story about ambition, mental health, recovery and finding yourself. It’s a story about making mistakes and dealing with the consequences. There is also a big (queer) romance element which will be introduced a bit later.
I wanted to tell a story about people in their late 20s to mid 30s who don’t have everything figured out – as is often the case in real life!
– Tell us more about your main character, the hero !
Michael Rust – mostly just called Mitch – is an US-american/German rock singer for the band Frantic. He’s charismatic and leads a chaotic life due to his mental illness, which was left undiagnosed until he hit his thirties. After losing his band he gets diagnosed with bipolar 2 disorder and enters the path of recovery, all while holding onto his dream of getting back on stage someday.
– How do you see your future ? Hopefully I will be able to live as a freelance artist and illustrator, earning a living doing what I love.
– Your next goal ?
Finishing volume 1 of Frantic Live and printing it. And who knows, maybe even reaching my first Patreon goal so I can stream my comic drawing process privately for my supporters. 🙂
– Advices for beginners ?Whatever you’re working on – be it a drawing or an entire story – there will be a point at which you will hate your project. It’s a critical time that is unavoidable, but you have to push through it.
Set your project aside for a while if you have to, but don’t give up on it! Before making “perfect” things, work on making finished things – it’s an important skill you will need in the future.
– Your technical secret trick ?
Never shy away from references or shortcuts. Using your own photos or SketchUp to construct backgrounds isn’t cheating – it’s efficient. Personally, I often use SketchUp if I need help with perspective, interiors and complex objects like vehicles. Saves a ton of time!
– Your social links and website ?
Webcomic: franticlive.artbymue.com
Tapas: tapas.io/series/franticlive
Portfolio: www.artbymue.com
Patreon: patreon.com/muepin
Twitter: twitter.com/muepin
Instagram: instagram.com/muedraws
…
Thanks to Mykel “Mue” Lukasiewicz, one of the great creators to follow.
