Kim Jung Gi's (opens in new tab) virtuoso drawing skills have made him a YouTube sensation. His time-lapse videos show the art and design graduate covering vast canvases in intricate freehand sketches. His work has appeared in numerous short stories and comic books, including the six-volume Tiger the Long Tail, as well as his own exhibitions.
Here, he opens up his Moleskine (opens in new tab) and shares some incredible sketches, each showing how the South Korean spins a complex web of interwoven images ...
My new book
This drawing shows me receiving delivery of my 2013 sketchbook collection. It's the third one I've released. I hope it sells well.
Thoughts from abroad
This drawing is also based on real-life events. It shows me shopping for souvenirs in Malaysia, where I recently visited. It's a really nice country.
Unseen forces
Like all men in South Korea, I had to do national service. I was in the Special Forces section, where I memorised an amazing number of vehicles and weapons. I've always enjoyed drawing mechanical parts. This is more of a military dream – I'd love to be part of a history-making operation.
My world
I was born in Goyang-Si, in the South Korean province of Kyongki-Do. This is part of a comic series about my neighbourhood. This is what it's really like. I saw it with my own eyes!
Career path
I'm the oldest son of the family, so my parents didn't allow me to choose art as an occupation. It's kind of a Korean tradition that the oldest son tends to be the bread winner. But I was always doodling with my pencil, and eventually they realised that I was never meant to be a scholar.
The humble pen
I often draw using a ballpoint pen, which I really like. But I also use felt pens. It depends on the sketch. My advice: have fun while you're drawing. Don't force it.
Speed drawing
I have a lot of fun sketching at speed. This drawing, for example, took me just 40 minutes to complete.
Words: Kim Jung Gi (opens in new tab)
South Korea Kim’s virtuoso drawing skills have made him a YouTube sensation (opens in new tab). His work has appeared in numerous short stories and comic books, including the six-volume Tiger the Long Tail, as well as his own exhibitions. This article originally appeared in ImagineFX (opens in new tab) magazine issue 104.
