Fantomen has introduced three new artists in the years 2023 and 2024 and one of them is Polish artist Kasia Nie. Her first work appeared in Fantomen 12/2024 as both the cover artist and for the interior pages.
She was gracious enough to spend some time with us answering some of our questions. You can follow her latest work at her Instagram, or even support her at her Patreon were she posts her own created comics.
Chronicle Chamber: Welcome and thank you for your time. Can you please tell us about yourself and where you come from?
Kasia Nie: I’m Kasia and I am an illustrator from Poland. I make art for comic books and video games and I also used to work as a storyboard artist. Whenever I can I go to comic conventions.
CC: Can you please tell us about your background with your art. Did you complete any studies in the industry?
KN: I studied at the art academy but left it at certain point as both comics and video games were seen there as something worse and I wasn’t happy with it in general. I am not sure if nowadays I’d make the same decision though.
As for my professional background - I started to work on illustrations, storyboards and concept art for various projects (mostly advertisements) very early in my life. Later I moved to games and finally in 2016 got to draw my first comic book for Marvel’s "Mockingbird”.
Since then I work solely for comics and video games - also plenty of time for personal projects :)
CC: What is your normal art process? Do you prefer paper and or digital? What did you work on with your Fantomen story "Byrackorna" ("Stray Dogs")?
KN: For the Fantomen story, I drew all the pages on paper and the cover was made digitally. I often make basic sketches digitally and then print it out on A3 paper using very light color for further penciling and or inking.
CC: Did you know of the Phantom prior?
KN: I did not grew up on comics in general, I started to read manga when I was a teenager and any other comics came to my life quite late. As for the Phantom, I got to know about Phantom only last year.
CC: How did you get the gig for Fantomen?
KN: While being at the comic convention in Stockholm I talked with my friend - comic book artist Karl Johnsson and he introduced me to Jacob Habinc.
CC: What did you think of this first story?
KN: I loved the story, there is a soft spot in my heart for animals and I regularly support local shelters so I really felt like this is something I genuinely am happy with working on.
CC: In this story, The Phantom is not seen in his costume. Would you have like to draw the Phantom in his costume in your next story?
KN: Absolutely yes :)
CC: Have you received any feedback on your story?
KN: As for the readers - I haven’t yet but I’m happy to hear and improve.
CC: On top of the sequential work, you also drew the cover. Tell us about the cover. What is your process for a cover?
KN: First, I sent Jacob Habinc three different sketches from which he picked one. I started to paint the final inks on paper but since I wasn’t happy with the result I redrew it digitally improving the bits I didn’t like and then also colored it digitally.
CC: Do you accept commissions?
KN: Yes I do :)
CC: How can Phantom phans follow you? Do you have any social media platforms or a website?
KN: I am mostly active on my Instagram: @kasia._.nie
CC: Thank you for joining us and we look forward to seeing more of your work on our Fantomen magazines.
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