You refer to yourself as an FFXIV content creator (who loves cats!), but were you active in other art circles or fandoms before XIV?
Why Maige: I was active in a lot of fandoms waaay before FFXIV! I was first introduced to the internet when I played Ragnarok Online with my dad and siblings. I started writing a diary with doodles of my experiences and friends in the game. Eventually, I made my own website with my RO artworks and roamed the forums to share my art (under my dad’s supervision! Since I was a child xD). This love for RO and participation in the fandom lasted until I was in my late teens where I started to take custom RO Avatar Commissions while working as our RO guild’s artist (everyone in the guild had an avatar in the forums drawn by me! heheh). Earlier within that time frame, I started commissions in GaiaOnline where I sold traditional-scanned art/paintings, digital art, and pixel art in exchange for in-game gear (ah yes, glamour has always been the end game).
I was also part of the NARUTO fandom where I ran the Temari, and ShikaTema fan club with a friend for a couple of years. I started making websites with fanarts and graphics of the series – then I eventually joined DeviantArt where I met more BEYBLADE fans! Throughout and until now, I still proudly consider myself a devoted part of the Bakuten Shoot BEYBLADE fandom/circle actively celebrating the series! Back then I made hundreds of BEYBLADE fanarts and comics because I love the characters so much! Then eventually made my own BEYBLADE AU where I re-imagined the characters in a fantasy setting with weapons and magic and stuff – it’s still an ongoing project until today and I’m happy about its reception. xD Though I change my identity when I hop from one fandom to another, some people are able to find me because they recognize the art style. People can be very sharp!! I appreciate their support all these years too. QmQ)b
Was there any particular game or story that inspired you to start drawing, or have you been drawing long before that?
Why Maige: My mom said that I’ve been drawing since I was three years old. Aside from drawing cats and costume designs, I liked drawing fan art of my favorite characters from anime and games; I tend to become fond of them too much! Character designs with well-thought-of and unique outfits always amuse me! The main inspiration for my designs and illustration styles are Lee Myung-Jin’s character art for Ragnarok Manhwa and Ragnarok Online, and Tetsuya Nomura’s character visual designs in the Final Fantasy series. For more chibi or comical styles, I take a lot of inspiration from Monster GoGo’s art mostly seen in Ragnarok Online promotional images and short comics. I also take a lot of inspiration from the prevalent anime style in the 90s. I would like this expressive style to carry on, so I make sure not to forget it! It will always be a style that’s beautiful and full of life in my eyes. (n_n)
What are your main materials or software you use for drawing, and how have they evolved or changed over the years?
Why Maige: As an artist, I think I started pretty late in using the tablet and digital software. While the other highschoolers were on their tablets and Photoshop, I mostly drew with pencil/ink on paper back then, and some watercolor/markers. I drew in MS Paint until I was 14, and with the mouse until I was 17 years old. I got my first tablet on my 18th birthday and started catching up with everyone else. xD I briefly worked with Flash for animation, but I realized that I might not have the patience to pursue further refined animating. @u@
For Why Maige, I started out using MS Paint and colored them in Photoshop. I still use MS Paint for quicker doodles, but I wanted to try to improve the quality of the style and decided to work with SAI for a neater but more vibrant look! I don’t really stick to just one software, but MS Paint will always be close to my heart. ❤
The oldest XIV comic I can find of yours was back in May of 2018 when you joined Twitter. The comic would be humorously incomprehensible to newer players, when accuracy was a stat and juggling DPS with cleric stance was the core of the healing meta in-game. You’ve said that your friends encouraged you to start creating comics of your XIV observations and jokes, but had you already been playing for a while before then, and were you creating any other XIV art at the time?
Why Maige: I’ve been playing FFXIV ever since A Realm Reborn. I’ve made a few gift illustrations for friends, but I rarely drew as much back then since I was more focused on making it to law school. My classmate in university was my FFXIV healer senpai when I was a sprout; he taught me how to “stance dance” as a WHM while dpsing, healing, and managing MP. He also knew I was a bit of a more aggressive player despite usually being a healer in a team in games. I’ve always looked forward to savage raiding, but when I got out there to join party finder and eventually my first static – they all disliked how I played WHM. (;a;) I was told that I should just stand there and not cast anything but heals/Medica II uptime because the other better experienced WHMs in savage would do that. They would also kick me out of parties after looking at my full-ACC melded WHM gear… It was criticism over criticism and while I kept my mouth shut and bowed my head to avoid conflict, it was filling my limit break!! I knew how to manage my MP and I knew how to keep everyone alive and comfortable! I was not doing anything wrong… The excitement I sought in playing WHM is how I can pull back overhealing while doing the most damage I can.
The Astrologian job patched in Heavensward, and WHMs back then were more unwanted than ever… “Why play White Mage?” I was asked this many times in-game. While I would answer with a smile, it made me angry! The meta made me angry!! Eventually, I’ve had enough!!! I rage-doodled a comic (the one involving a bard criticizing my DPS), showed it to some friends, and they all encouraged me to push through with the rage blog. (=w=) It took me a while before I found the courage to start my pages… I used “Why Maige” as an alias – a sort of mockery of the question tossed at me again and again by other players. After my blog’s launch, I guess it became a term among players – both people who disliked and liked White Mages. xD You could imagine how happy I am nowadays though – truly the FFXIV healer’s golden years. Gone are those primeval days where WHMs were told to only heal~ (UvU)
Even long before I was active in the XIV fandom, I remember often seeing your comics shared around by my friends; it’s easy to say your work has been delighting the community from the day you started posting it! You have a lot more content available on your Patreon, however, which you started fairly soon after you joined Twitter. What made you decide to start using Patreon at the time, and how has creating your Patreon community transformed your creative process over the last four years?
Why Maige: Thank you for enjoying my work m(_ _)m!! Starting Why Maige, I had the intention of unleashing my rage and making it a vent/hate blog under anonymity. To my great surprise, people were actually very nice and supportive, saying that they can relate, or find my content funny! The idea of Patreon was from friends and followers, who suggested that they wanted to toss me some coins for what I do… I was nervous AF, and was trying to cheer myself up and find confidence because I was trying to boost my self-esteem during that time. ‘-’)9”
I remember opening Patreon in secret first with one patron (hi Sozoko!) just to test things out. xD Then eventually announced it. Thanks to support from my Patreon and everyone’s cheers, I became more disciplined in releasing content consistently on a monthly basis! My patrons have been supporting me generously for years, and I always hold myself accountable for their sake too. They’re pretty chill about schedules or delays, but I’d like to stick to my due dates! They are also the people I trust a lot, so if there are some things that are a bit more personal or not related to FFXIV, I would post some blogs there for them to read~ As confident as I seem, I get a lot of hidden stage fright, so it helps to mitigate the nervousness by releasing things to a small group of people first! I also didn’t expect Why Maige to grow as much as it is today so I’m thankful for my patrons for holding my hand every release. m(_ _)m Like, I was very nervous with my merchandise and they’re one of those who helped me gain my confidence since a bunch of them ordered during my soft opening for patrons! I really would like to spoil them some more. QwQ) ❤
Recently you’ve been exploring merchandise creation—the most adorable Why Maige pins I’ve maybe ever seen, as well as shirts, mugs, and stickers. What’s it been like getting to design personal merch of your character? Was it something you’ve wanted to do for awhile?
Why Maige: Thank youuu m(_ _)m OH YES, I’ve always wanted to do that ever since I was a kid! I’ve always loved designing and selling what I’ve created! Brand and aesthetic are important to me, so it’s a lot of fun working around a theme! But the ultimo best part is seeing my items reach people to make them happy! It’s like I’m spreading the joy I feel with masses of people around the world… kind of like “LOOK LOOK WHAT I MADE!! It makes me happy! I hope it makes you happy too!!” I’d also see them take pictures of the merch and I’d think, “Aww man I packed those with my own hands, and now they’re in a cool person’s hands who also wanted to help cats! As if I’m shaking their hand and thanking them!!” Ohh man, I sound so excited – I am. I really am. It’s one of my childhood dreams to open up a merch store with a strong brand and aesthetic, and I’m getting the chance to start out right now thanks to enthusiastic customers! The enamel pins were actually made years ago before I started selling them. As mentioned, I get a lot of stage fright, and for this, I was worried about a lot of things like shipping or parcels getting lost or not being able to reach a profit because of lack of interest. I was eventually pushed to finally sell them out there so that the cats get cat food! But really, this is all possible thanks to everyone’s help! m(_ _)m
Though of course your style has evolved over the years you’ve been drawing your comics, the sweet but bloodthirsty personality of your Why Maige character and your lighthearted observations of XIV gameplay as experienced by the players has stayed the same. Is that lighthearted tone always something you strive to write into your comics?
Why Maige: Mwehehehe >:3 Why Maige has always been meant to be satire or parody. At first, I planned for it to be a rage blog or vent dump and was ready for more knives aimed at me as a White Mage HAHAHA! But people have been so kind and supportive so it became something perceived to bring out laughter rather than anger. xD I personally have a hard time considering myself humorous and my humor can be a bit dark… I also always have very critical thoughts that I often don’t voice out outside very close peers. For some reason, there are still people who find me funny for these regardless. I guess I was able to mix all these into the content. It does make me giggle sometimes that while my comics are actually often mocking, criticizing, or making fun of situations, people seem to forgive me because of the “lighthearted” artstyle, HAHAHA! >u>;
You’ve been commissioned to draw so many Warriors of Light that it’s impossible for me to even guess how many. Despite that, your attention to detail for these WoLs never wavers—you nail everything from the exact shape of their eyes to each minute detail in their outfits (which is not insubstantial, given XIV’s complex designs). With drawing so many characters at the rate you do, how do you approach each new drawing with a fresh outlook to make that character’s personality shine?
Why Maige: Ehehe, it IS a lot huh xD But really, I’m glad that so many people like my work or love cats enough to commission me! The love they toss this way is what motivates me to keep going and do my best! I’ve always been someone who enjoys drawing people’s original characters, or custom in-game avatars. I can see the care, thought, and personality put into each avatar. Seeing people recreate a part of them or expression of their preferences in this form excites me a lot; it’s like that little spark in all of us wanting to be a hero in our story, or wanting to be part of an exciting journey. This is why I take all the great care I can when drawing their custom avatars. I take it very seriously.
In drawing characters, aside from the details like name, personality/expression, feature/appearance, I try to acquire their “vibe.” One character’s “smug” might be different from the other one’s. The reference may say “shy and quiet” but the level and vibe of shy and quiet can vary. Oftentimes, the avatar is loosely based on their player creator too, so taking notice of their demeanor when communicating their references and descriptions like the way they talk in chat, or their personality as you know them, or their preferences in media or aesthetic, or even their favorite NPCs are all factors I take into account! Aaa~ it’s a bit difficult to elaborate on everything in one paragraph because I take in as much info as I can with information made accessible! I get a bit nervous when I send the finished art out. I always hoped I got to illustrate them the way they wanted! It’s not just about drawing what I see on the 3D model. Personality and vibe are what I want to shine in every piece so that whoever sees it kind of gets to know the character better, as if viewing the piece changes the air around it!
Every artist develops their own commission process that works for them, but it’s not uncommon to struggle with maintaining consistency in regards to how long to spend on a commission and how to price their work. Having an intimate understanding of your drawing workflow in order to objectively schedule queues and set appropriate prices is essential as your commission business expands. Because you often have an extensive queue of commissions, you’re very precise about calculating when finished art will be delivered. Can you talk about how you’ve developed a style that balances the artistic quality you want to maintain alongside the deadlines and workflow you want to manage?
Why Maige: Hmm… I’m a bit accustomed to a lot of deadlines and having to always force a good workflow because of my rigorous academic background where I always had to competitively meet a grade in a demanding course (those days… o+< HAHAHA!). Right now, cats’ lives are on the line so I have to apply the discipline I had growing up as a student. My main motivation right now to work on a lot of commissions on a strict deadline is supporting the cats on a daily basis. We need quite the amount everyday for about a hundred rescues and so I’m always pushed to find some coin. So if I take too long on orders, the ETA will be rescheduled and less people will be interested because it will take more than half a year before they get their order. Knowing that I will be working on loads of orders on such a tight schedule with the risk of burnout, I picked a style that is quick to finish while easy and fun to draw that people seem to like. The style is mostly inspired by how I drew with pen/ink on paper since I was a kid so it isn’t exactly a new style. ^^; Just a variation of what I always used to do when I would open emergency commissions for stuff years ago before Why Maige. Even back then, a lot of people seemed to like that style. I am grateful m(_ _)m!!
I love drawing character expressions and features so making it a portrait/headshot crop is the way to go! As for maintaining the quality, my inspiration is the clients because they have been so kind and understanding! It’s one of those things where good and considerate words are not necessary, but they make an effort to keep the communication fun and always try to cheer me on! So y’know, I wouldn’t forgive myself if I’d just give them art that is subpar or make something “just to get it over with”! They deserve quality! For the schedule, I set them as monthly deadlines so I don’t feel too pressured cuz days in a week can go by real fast! Working on different styles (headshots, chibi icons, Patreon tier rewards, and doodly icons and bigger art on my main style) takes a lot of time and juggling so I try not to move my schedule too drastically. My lil sibs, KarotteRave and StarryWrite, would also sometimes volunteer to help with the base coloring when they’re not busy just to help me with the queue for cat funds. I also take this opportunity to practice my speed and consistency for a future webcomic I’m hoping to write! Right now, I’d say I’m glad I went through a hardcore academic life because it’s what’s helping me get through this mountain of workload. And so right now I’m hoping that one day, I will also look back to these times and be thankful because I’m able to work on the webcomic at the speed and quality I’d like! Here’s hoping I get there. ‘^’)9”
You’re very open about how rough life has been recently—politically, economically, often hitting very close to home for you. You also talk often about admiring the strength in characters like Aerith (from FF7) and Michiru (from Sailor Moon), which is understandable given that we gain strength and resilience from the stories that mean the most to us. Playing FFXIV now, with the world being in very uncertain times, do you find the same kind of strength and inspiration in its story and characters, particularly our Warriors of Light? Does the community itself reflect that as well?
Why Maige: My mom would always remind me to never forget my core, and I think my core as a child was about choosing to be brave and keeping integrity. Growing up and leaving childhood, life can shape us into different things and maybe even stray us from our core strength. I look up to characters like Aerith and Michiru because they were my favorite characters back then that I related to. So remembering them is like reminding myself of the core I never wanted to lose even if life would toss me around. Ever since I was a kid, my family always encouraged bravery, strength, resilience, and helping others in tough times. FFXIV’s message is pretty much what my parents have been teaching me all my life, so it was interesting to be able to relate and be almost fully immersed with the sentiments our WoL and the Scions had to fulfill. I found myself heavily invested in Stormblood’s MSQ since I could relate a lot to Yugiri ever since I met her. xD I wanted to help her too! Endwalker patched during very hard times, so it was more of a reminder to us. We spoke to our parents about it when me and my sibs finished the MSQ; they were happy that such a wonderful message exists in games today~ Thank you, FFXIV, for giving us hope! m(_ _)m
But even with all this good stuff, there are days where I would find myself feeling defeated. And then the community starts sending messages of hope and kindness with the greatest of sincerity. That’s how I get back on my feet! Even if times are extremely tough and unforgiving nowadays, I think I’m still happy to see so many good people. Fiction is not the only one reminding me about strength anymore, n_n) It means a lot to me, especially since growing up – I always had the mindset that I could get through life flying solo (I was a bit of a loner who did her own thing, hehe!). Times and reality may be hard and dark, but there are always stars around to bring you light and guide you around.
Thank you so much for taking the time to tell us so much about your work! Last but not least, tell us about your Warrior of Light! What is your favorite way to spend time in Eorzea?
Why Maige: Thank you for having me! m(_ _)m Your questions were awesome and fun to answer! While I continue to keep my IGN secret, you can call me Why Maige! Sometimes you can recognize my avatar in game even if I sneaku… I play FFXIV mostly for end game content, and of course-for the MSQ. I love Raiding- Ultimate and Savage. The more difficult the fight, the better~ I’m currently maining Astrologian for the current savage tier, and for Dragonsong’s Reprise Ultimate. I mostly play White Mage and Summoner too! I always look forward to more difficult duties that try to get necessary heals out of me while shooting for a new high score!
You can find Why Maige on Twitter, support her art through her online shop or Patreon, and check out her carrd for everywhere else! All funds are currently going towards her family’s cat rescue sanctuary, which you can find out more about and support through their Ko-fi, the Catterbox!
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