Meet illustrator from Jakarta, Shane Tiara aka Shane Tortilla

 

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

Hi, I’m Shane Tiara, also known as Shane Tortilla. I was born and raised in Jakarta since 1994. Took graphic communication design in uni, worked in the comic industry for a while, now I’m currently working freelance as a self-proclaimed Visual Entertainer, since I mostly dive in the art entertainment business.

 

Describe the city you’re living in and what it’s like to live there.

A melting pot of chaos and inspirations. It feels like there are always new challenges to overcome.

 

A melting pot of chaos and inspirations. It feels like there are always new challenges to overcome.

 

What is the best and worst thing about living in your city?

Best; quite easy to get opportunities such as working with brands, collaborating and meeting new people in the art scene because it’s a capital city. Worst; the majority of people here still consider art as a waste of time and money.

 

Give us 3 words that describe what it’s like to be a creative in your city.

Damn, good luck.

 

How did you start your career in art?

I started off doing digital painting (learned by watching youtube tutorials) in highschool and put up my portfolio in online platforms, though at the time I only did small commissions. When I was in uni, I freelanced as a comic colorist assistant around 2014, and also made monthly comic strips for a local start-up. Not long after I hung out with people who are in the graffiti/mural scene and also found love in that media as well and wanted a change of pace (since all my works are done through monitors), also explored more urban art scenes such as custom toy designs. I’ve been on the intersection of digital and traditional art ever since.

 

I started off doing digital painting (learned by watching youtube tutorials) in highschool and put up my portfolio in online platforms, though at the time I only did small commissions. When I was in uni, I freelanced as a comic colorist assistant around 2014, and also made monthly comic strips for a local start-up. Not long after I hung out with people who are in the graffiti/mural scene and also found love in that media as well and wanted a change of pace (since all my works are done through monitors), also explored more urban art scenes such as custom toy designs. I’ve been on the intersection of digital and traditional art ever since.

 

Were the people around you supportive of your decision on working as a creative?

They weren’t at first. I had a big fight with my dad because I wanted to pursue a career in art. I even had to pay half of my college tuition alone because he kept telling me to drop out and find a better major. He believed that art is a risky business (it is!) and just wanted me to have an office job and a stable monthly income but I know that he meant well (through his own way).

 

What are some goals and ambitions you have for your future work?

I want to learn and expand my artistic explorations and make a brand of my own.

 

I want to learn and expand my artistic explorations and make a brand of my own.

 

If you could collaborate with any person in the world who would it be?

I have a list of people but it would be awesome to do a collab with Hayley Williams.

 

What are the biggest challenges you face in working as a creative?

Being a creative in a third world country is hard enough, but being a woman creative in a third world country? yikes. A lot of us had to prove double as hard for our worth. I’ve dealt with so much misogyny throughout my career. It’s either they look down on your artworks because you are a woman or they think you only get places in the art industry because you are a woman.

 

Strong, resilient, and all around wonderful.

 

How would you describe the women around you?

Strong, resilient, and all around wonderful.

 

Were there any local female creatives that you looked up to when you were growing up?

I don’t have any growing up as a kid because there weren’t many known women artists but coming into adolescence I was exposed to the local comic scene and  started to discover talented artists like Alti Firmansyah and Jessica Kholine (and ended up working in the same office as them in 2017!)

 

Don’t ever stop learning and open up to new ideas, because the art industry will keep moving and evolving. Also this one sounds like a motivational cat poster but, please, keep believing in yourself because there are a lot of people who don’t.

 

Do you have any advice for other women who are aspiring to work in your field?

Don’t ever stop learning and open up to new ideas, because the art industry will keep moving and evolving. Also this one sounds like a motivational cat poster but, please, keep believing in yourself because there are a lot of people who don’t.

 

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What type of music do you like to listen to?

I listen to a variety of genres, from k-pop to european electro swing.

 

What’s your favorite local food spot?

Anything seafood street food

 

Lisa Kogawa asks: What are your top 10 movies/books/comic/anime that motivate you?

My top 10 anime in no particular order:
-tengen toppa gurren lagan
-baccano
-one piece
-cowboy bebop
-keep your hands off eizouken
-boku no hero academia
-great pretender
-fullmetal alchemist brotherhood
-mononoke hime
-yuyu hakusho
-all pokemon series

 

NCHO asks: What is your favorite time during a day?

When I have the time to relax in bed and catch up on weekly manga

 

What question would you like us to ask the next artist?

What rituals do you do when you feel burnt out?

Who and/or what made you want to pursue art?

 

 

Photos courtesy of Shane Tiara