I tried drawing fan art of myself

You shouldn't draw fan art of yourself.

There probably isn't any rule like that.

When we say fan art, it usually means someone drawing a work or character they like.
There is an author, there is a fan, and there is a little distance between them.
That is precisely why 'support' and 'love' take shape.

But, I suddenly thought.

What would happen if I drew fan art of myself?

Is that self-praise?
Is it narcissism?
Or is it self-derivative work?

It's a little embarrassing.
But, it's kind of interesting.
And above all, no one is stopping me.

So this time, I decided to be daring and
try drawing fan art of my own image character, Capybara-san, myselfto do it.

And it's not just about drawing it.
I made it into a fictional submission project about what would happen if fans of Capybara-san from various countries around the world drew it with crayons or colored pencils.

If it were a Japanese child, Capybara-san drinking tea in a tatami room.
If it were an American child, Capybara-san eating a hot dog in a park.
If it were a French child, Capybara-san with a croissant at a cafe.
If it were a Mexican child, Capybara-san looking like it's about to dance at a festival.
If it were a Finnish child, Capybara-san reading a book on a snowy night.

Even though it's the same Capybara-san, when the country changes, the scenery, food, and atmosphere also change.
And strangely enough, even Capybara-san's personality starts to look a little different.

This time, it's not about high-quality illustrations, but rather the setting ofhand-drawn pictures as if drawn by Capybara-san's fans.
The lines are a bit crooked.
The colors go outside the lines a bit.
The sun is unnecessarily large.
But that freedom is what's good about it.

Supporting myself.
Turning myself into a character on my own.
Expanding my own world by myself.

This is a bit of a strange game, but as a creative endeavor, it actually feels quite right.

So, this time it is a somewhat forceful and slightly defiant project called
'I tried drawing fan art of myself'
.

Please take a look at these overly free Capybara-sans, with the setting that they were drawn by Capybara-san fans from around the world.

Capybara-san Fan Art from Around the World

List of Contributor Comments

1. Pen name: Matchamochi-kun (6)

Nationality: Japan
Comment:
If Capybara-san were drinking tea on tatami, I thought it would definitely be good at sitting in seiza, so I drew it. The book looks difficult, but it might be a book about rice crackers.

2. Pen name: Sunny Jake (9)

Nationality: USA
Comment:
I thought Capybara-san looked good eating a hot dog. Even though he's in a suit, the fact that he's having a picnic makes him look like an important person on their day off.

3. Pen name: Petit Croissant (12)

Nationality: France
Comment:
Cafes suit Capybara-san. When I drew his face staring intently at a croissant, it looked like he was thinking more about breakfast than philosophy.

4. Pen name: Gelato Leo (10)

Nationality: Italy
Comment:
I wanted to make a triple-scoop gelato, so I had Capybara-san hold it. But it's too big, so I think he'll probably drop it after this.

5. Pen name: Rainy Pudding (9)

Nationality: UK
Comment:
Capybara-san doesn't seem like the type to panic even on a rainy day, so I drew him walking slowly. The tea inside the window is the real main character.

6. Pen name: Morino Pretzel (11)

Nationality: Germany
Comment:
I thought the bigger the pretzel, the happier Capybara-san would look. The point is that the forest birds look like they want to eat it too.

7. Pen name: Sol Naranja (10)

Nationality: Spain
Comment:
This is a picture of Capybara-san listening to a guitar. He probably really wants to dance, but he's holding back because he's wearing a suit.

8. Pen name: Fiesta Coco (7)

Nationality: Mexico
Comment:
Since it's a festival, I used lots of colors. Capybara-san has a serious face, but his feet are already dancing.

9. Pen name: Rio Capi (10)

Nationality: Brazil
Comment:
I drew Capybara-san taking a nap by the river. He's probably the least busy teacher in the world. But that's what makes him cool.

10. Pen name: Pampa Goal (8)

Nationality: Argentina
Comment:
I had Capybara-san play soccer. His legs are short, but his spirit is very fast. His expression is more serious than the ball.

11. Pen name: Mango Star (12)

Nationality: India
Comment:
I wanted to use all the colors of the market. Capybara-san came to buy fruit, but he stopped in front of the sweets.

12. Pen name: Geppei Panda-chan (8)

Nationality: China
Comment:
This is Kapibara-san eating a mooncake by the pond. With the round snack, round glasses, and round face, it's full of circles.

13. Pen name: Kimbap Smile-chan (12)

Nationality: South Korea
Comment:
I drew a picture of a family eating a packed lunch. Kapibara-san is holding a sandwich, but I think he'll get a little bit of everyone's side dishes too.

14. Pen name: Boat Juice-kun (39)

Nationality: Thailand
Comment:
I drew the floating market in a colorful way. Even before getting on the boat, Kapibara-san already has a face that looks satisfied with his juice.

15. Pen name: Shell Banana-chan (52)

Nationality: Indonesia
Comment:
This is Kapibara-san collecting seashells at the beach. It's strange to come to the beach in a suit, but I thought Kapibara-san wouldn't mind.

16. Pen name: Koala Picnic-kun (45)

Nationality: Australia
Comment:
I had him have a picnic with a kangaroo and a koala. Since only Kapibara-san is in a suit, he looks like the school principal on a field trip.

17. Pen name: Pyramid Map-chan (65)

Nationality: Egypt
Comment:
I gave him a map so he wouldn't get lost in the desert. But Kapibara-san might be looking at the map upside down.

18. Pen name: Sunset Zebra-kun (50)

Nationality: Kenya
Comment:
I drew the sunset large. Kapibara-san is watching the animals, but he's a little surprised because the giraffe's neck is too long.

19. Pen name: Tea Seagull-chan (75)

Nationality: Turkey
Comment:
This is Kapibara-san drinking tea in a place with a view of the sea. I drew too many snacks, so it's probably more of a snack party than a tea party.

20. Pen name: Snow Book-kun (85)

Nationality: Finland
Comment:
It looks cold with snow outside, but I made the inside of the room warm. Kapibara-san is reading a book, but he'll probably fall asleep halfway through.

Conclusion

Seeing them lined up like this, I thought about it once again.

After all, there is no rule saying you cannot draw fan art of yourself.

In fact, it was quite a fun game to re-examine the character within me from various angles.

Capybara-san in a Japanese tatami room.
Capybara-san eating a hot dog in an American park.
Capybara-san staring at a croissant in a French cafe.
Being in the desert, being by the seaside, or reading a book on a snowy night.

Capybara-san is traveling the world more than I am now.

And when I try to use lines like those drawn by a fan of Capybara-san, it feels strangely liberating.
Don't try too hard to draw well.
Don't try too hard to draw correctly.
Even if the colors go outside the lines or the shape is a little off, there is energy in it.

Perhaps that is all that is needed for creation as well.

Use yourself as material and play with it as you please.
Turn yourself into a character and expand it as you please.
Support yourself and become your own fan as you please.

It is a little strange, but it is not bad at all.

So, here is the conclusion for this time.

You can draw your own fan art.
In fact, it is fine to be your own first fan.

Capybara-san is reading a book wearing round glasses somewhere today as well.
Perhaps next, he is quietly waiting to be drawn by a fan of Capybara-san in a country yet unseen.