Check Out Sandy Pennson’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Sandy Pennson.

Hi Sandy, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Like pretty much every little kid, I would make simple little doodles from time to time. It was nothing crazy. However, when I was ten years old, I became interested in combining my drawings with a story of my own. And what better way to do that than to make comics? When I was at school, I would fold three pieces of paper in half and staple them into a booklet. Then, I would create my very own comic books. And that’s just the beginning. When I was twelve, I discovered ‘WEBTOON’ and spent lots of my free time reading webcomics on the platform. I was so fascinated by this medium of art, that I wanted to make my own. All I had was an iPad, a free drawing app known as ‘IbisPaint X’, and a dream. As I went through my middle and high school years, I never stopped creating digital art and comics. Throughout my high school years, I created several series and many episodes. On my sophomore year of high school, my webcomic ‘Cafe Classroom’ was featured in the ‘Hidden Gems’ section of WEBTOON’s front page and I gained a huge following and my series got thousands of reads. I’ve learned so much. My webcomics have helped me improve my art, push me out of my comfort zone, and balance personal projects with school.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
There were definitely some obstacles. Of course, school did often get in the way. I was never able to dedicate all my time and energy to my comic because I still had homework and assignments for school. But I’d have to say one of my biggest struggles was procrastination. I’ve never been the most focused person, and I didn’t always use my free time wisely. Sometimes, I would neglect both my webcomic and school because I wanted to play video games or watch movies and shows. I’ve definitely gotten much better at managing my time over the years, but it definitely isn’t easy to overcome.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I create digital art and specialize in webcomic creation in particular. I’m known for my titles ‘Cafe Classroom’ and ‘Apocalypse Moms’ on WEBTOON Canvas, a self-publishing comic platform. I’m most proud of my improvement since I’ve started. Webcomic creation is a hobby I cherish very dearly. I feel like what sets me apart from others is my unique, personal style of art and storytelling. I create the stories I wish to consume. Stories that I wish existed. I create my stories for me, because life is too short to create things only because I think others will like it.

Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My advice for people who want to start making webcomics is to just keep going. And if you feel stuck, you can start over. There have been times where I fell out of love with my webcomic, and felt like I was no longer the person I was when I created it. I made a new comic, one that I was more interested in working on. It’s okay to start over. Don’t think of your old work as a waste of time. At least you have something to look back at. It’s better to do something than to overthink, because the time will pass anyways, and at least you spent it doing something you enjoyed at the time!

Another piece of advice I have is to surround yourself with people who genuinely want you to improve and succeed. I understand how patronizing the average person is to the pursuit of art in general, and that’s why it’s so important to find yourself a supportive community or group that reminds you why you do what you do.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://sandypenpen.carrd.co/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sandypenpen/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@sandypenpen