Artist injects her style into My Little Pony comic books
It was not always sunshine and rainbows for the comic book artist of My Little Pony .
Agnes Garbowska, 33, was born in Poland and moved to Canada at a young age. Being an only child and not proficient in English, she escaped into a world of books, cartoons and comics.
Garbowska would attend comic book conventions and draw anything she saw.
"My mother would buy me dollar store supplies, and I would use everything," she said.
"I grew up with the original My Little Pony, I watched the shows and I loved them."
She lives in California and is best known for her work on DC Super Hero Girls and My Little Pony, including Ponyville Mysteries and Friendship Is Magic.
Garbowska said: "When I first started out, an editor told me I was never going to make it. But I was persistent."
For much of her early 20s, she worked on small projects.
She was also self-publishing when she first got her big break in 2009 with Marvel.
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Her projects generally start the same way, with a script from the writer. Garbowska will then lay out the pages, bearing in mind what will encourage readers to keep flipping.
She generally keeps the individual panels quite loose and inks them digitally.
"But I do still do my covers traditionally and colour them," she said.
In the industry, one of the biggest motivators is deadlines.
"You must always be on time. If a company is counting on you to turn in a page or work by a certain date, it must be done by then."
Garbowska said when it comes to My Little Pony, she has injected a little bit of herself into the characters and style.
She said: "I have injected the cute - the eyes are bigger, hands rounder, there is a little bit of me in the clothes and poses I put the ponies in."
Garbowska said it is difficult to balance her career as a comic book artist and everyday life.
"Working freelance or from home, it is easy to shut off. I must remind myself there is a world outside my office because I can lock myself in the office for too long," she said.
Her favourite character is Pinky Pie.
"She reminds me of myself, I want to be as positive as possible," said Garbowska:
She is grateful and touched by the support of the fans.
Garbowska said: "If not for the fans, I don't think I will be able to do this."
Fans can get a chance to meet Garbowska at Singapore Toy, Game and Comic Convention 2018 on Sept 8 and 9 at the Marina Bay Sands Expo.
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