In this episode, I chat with Argentinean illustrator, writer, and comic artist Eugenia Viti. Eugenia lives in Chicago with her husband and toddler, while working as an artist and a part-time HR rep. She's been published in The New Yorker and is the author of Be Pregnant: An Illustrated Companion for Moms-to-Be. I'm so excited for this conversation, so keep on listening to hear us talk about growing up with hard-to-pronounce Latina names, her complex family immigration story, and how she broke into the New Yorker comics scene.
In this episode, I chat with Argentinean illustrator, writer, and comic artist Eugenia Viti. Eugenia lives in Chicago with her husband and toddler, while working as an artist and a part-time HR rep. She's been published in The New Yorker and is the author of Be Pregnant: An Illustrated Companion for Moms-to-Be. I'm so excited for this conversation, so keep on listening to hear us talk about growing up with hard-to-pronounce Latina names, her complex family immigration story, and how she broke into the New Yorker comics scene.
EPISODE LINKS
- Watch this Episode on Youtube
- Support [Draws in Spanish] on Patreon
- Host: Follow Fabiola on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok
- Guest: Follow Eugenia Viti on Instagram
- View Episode Transcript & Extended Notes
EPISODE NOTES
If you dread explaining how to pronounce your name to people, you’re going to feel right at home with this episode!
In this episode, I chat with Argentinean Illustrator and Cartoonist Eugenia Lazo. Off the bat, Eugenia and I bond over having tough-to-pronounce English names that are actually really normal and common in Spanish-speaking countries. To those with easily English-ified names, it may seem like a petty conversation, but your name really impacts your everyday identity and how you see yourself in the world.
Aside from discussing our “weird” names, we also chat about how she took her love for cartoons into a full-fledged creative career once she realized that her illustrations could be strengthened if she paired them with her writing. With a push from her creative friends, she was able to eventually get published in The New Yorker, one of the most prestigious publications for cartooning.
Nowadays, Eugenia has a part-time role in HR and regularly contributes to The New Yorker. Her work is witty, quirky, and a little out there but so fun and vulnerable.
Tune into this episode to hear Eugenia and I talk about growing up with hard-to-pronounce Latina names, her complex family immigration story, and how she broke into the New Yorker comics scene despite feeling unprepared.
Listen to the episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or on your favorite podcast platform.
00:00:10:14 - 00:00:32:21
Fabiola Lara
Hey, friends, you're listening to [Draws in Spanish] if you're new here. Hi. I'm so excited to have you here. Thanks for joining us. I'm your host, Fabiola Lara. That's Fabiola Lara. I'm an illustrator and podcaster based in Philly. And on this show, [Draws in Spanish]. I chat with Latinx visual artists and designers to discuss everything from their identity and culture to their creative process and work.
00:00:33:05 - 00:00:51:20
Fabiola Lara
Something new for the show this season is that [Draws in Spanish] is now also available on YouTube as a video podcast. So if you want to watch us talk today instead of just listening, be sure to check out my YouTube channel app @fabiolitadraws to watch the latest episodes. Of course, I'll leave a link to it in the show notes in case you want to go check it out.
00:00:52:15 - 00:01:15:11
Fabiola Lara
Now, today I'm chatting with Argentinian cartoonist Eugenia Viti. Eugenia is a writer, illustrator, comic artist and cartoonist who lives in Chicago with her husband and toddler. She's published in The New Yorker and author of Be Pregnant An Illustrated Companion for Moms to Be. Her comics are truly so approachable and sincere while being really clever and witty, so I'm just thrilled to get a chance to talk to her today.
00:01:16:00 - 00:01:41:06
Fabiola Lara
Keep on listening to hear us talk about what it's like to grow up Argentinian in the Chicago area, how she found her way to cartooning, and what it's like balancing motherhood and having a creative career. Let's get into it, you guys. Let's go. Okay. Hello, Eugenia. How are you doing today? How's your day been?
00:01:41:23 - 00:01:42:18
Fabiola Lara
Good, good.
00:01:42:18 - 00:01:57:06
Eugenia Viti
I have a good day today. So far, it's my art day. So I have a I have a two year old. And so he's with his nanny and his nanny share buddy. And so I have the day to myself to do what I want. And that's those are the best days.
00:01:58:11 - 00:02:33:07
Fabiola Lara
Amazing. I want to know so much more about that. Actually, it's in my list of questions. No, but before we get into that, I wanted to ask you like to tell me a little bit about your background, like where did you grow up and just like a little bit more about your childhood. Just I think, you know, listeners, it's really it's really fun for me when I get to share about different kind of backgrounds because everyone that I interview on the show is an artist, but I love knowing like kind of where they came from so that we know just a little bit more and kind of have diverse backgrounds and everything.
00:02:33:18 - 00:02:52:21
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, absolutely. I grew up in Oak Park, which is a suburb of Chicago, but before that I had lived in Spain. My parents are from Argentina. It's very confusing. My parents are from Argentina, but I was born in Spain. I lived there till I was four and then we moved to the suburb of Chicago, which is Oak Park.
00:02:54:01 - 00:03:13:12
Fabiola Lara
Interesting. I love hearing complicated things like that because you know, my parents are from Chile. I was born in Chile. I grew up in Florida. I live in Chile. I have a similar kind of like convoluted background. You know, and I think a lot of listeners do too. So it's always like nice and you feel like, okay.
00:03:14:03 - 00:03:14:13
Fabiola Lara
You know.
00:03:14:20 - 00:03:21:12
Fabiola Lara
Scene, but can you tell me like, so do you remember anything about living in Spain? I assume.
00:03:21:12 - 00:03:22:09
Fabiola Lara
Not really.
00:03:22:09 - 00:03:47:12
Eugenia Viti
But I, I think because it was such a big change, like from Spain to Oak Park, I do remember maybe more than most kids do, like from 3 to 4 age, age range kind of. I remember I was like a very like outgoing kid. I had lots of friends there and then coming back, coming to Oak Park. I was really, really shy because my name was really hard to pronounce and nobody could say it.
00:03:47:12 - 00:03:57:15
Eugenia Viti
And so I was I never wanted to introduce myself because it was just like this very, very awkward, weird moment. So I didn't really have that many friends.
00:03:57:15 - 00:04:04:04
Fabiola Lara
You are so right. You are so right. I can see that. I can. I can totally see that happening. How do people say your name in English? Usually.
00:04:04:12 - 00:04:22:17
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. So normally I explain it. It's Eugenia, which is similar to Eugenia just a little, a little bit kind of easier for Americans and then that kind of merged into Ayo. So Ayo is my nickname in American or in English.
00:04:23:21 - 00:04:27:18
Fabiola Lara
My mind is exploding, right now. Wow.
00:04:27:20 - 00:04:40:22
Fabiola Lara
Because I just have so much to say about this. I feel like I feel like I totally feel you. My name is Fabiola. I get when I tell people that, like, they don't hear it, you know, you can see it in their eyes that it's like, well, I.
00:04:40:22 - 00:04:42:07
Eugenia Viti
Love that they don't hear it.
00:04:42:07 - 00:04:50:21
Fabiola Lara
Like, they just don't. It's like not processing in their mind. I, I always loved meeting other people that have a.
00:04:50:22 - 00:04:52:23
Fabiola Lara
Similar, similar experience.
00:04:54:00 - 00:04:59:23
Fabiola Lara
Do you have like a name that you give? Like an easy name that you give? Is it ayo or do you have like another name?
00:05:00:15 - 00:05:27:04
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. So if, if I'm just like, I don't know at the post office or, or like ups or something, I just say Eugenia because that's what people would read it as in English. So I just I never have. It's, I did like a whole comic about it on Instagram and like how my name has affected my life. And it was really cool because other Alaina is like wrote in the comments and they're like, Oh, I go by this, I go by that.
00:05:27:04 - 00:05:35:21
Eugenia Viti
And it was just cool to see how people with a kind of difficult to say name evolved and say like have what it what they say their name is.
00:05:35:22 - 00:05:36:13
Fabiola Lara
Oh, my.
00:05:36:13 - 00:05:52:12
Fabiola Lara
Gosh, I love that. That's like a beautiful shared experience, but it's like such a specific experience, especially like people with your own name that's like super specific, because I feel like I've met maybe one Fabiola in my life. Have you met that many Ukrainians?
00:05:53:15 - 00:06:15:09
Eugenia Viti
Well, in Spain, it's a really common name. It's like Maria Eugenia is like, I don't know, like the 10th most popular name. So in Spain there are some, but here. No, not really. In the U.S., it's not. I've heard like evgeniya like it's also like a, I don't know, like maybe Eastern European or like Russian name sometimes, but not a lot of alien.
00:06:15:10 - 00:06:18:21
Eugenia Viti
Yes. And that no. Fabulous. I had never met one before.
00:06:19:04 - 00:06:21:05
Fabiola Lara
Before now. Yeah, I've only met one.
00:06:21:05 - 00:06:25:06
Fabiola Lara
It was like at church in Miami. So is like the perfect place to possibly.
00:06:25:06 - 00:06:26:01
Fabiola Lara
Meet one, you know?
00:06:26:05 - 00:06:45:12
Fabiola Lara
Yeah. I feel like it's underrated how much having like a very Spanish name can be like, really affects day to day living and. Yeah, how do you feel about it now that you're older? Like, you know, I'm sure you've had a lot of ups and downs with it over the years.
00:06:45:12 - 00:07:06:15
Eugenia Viti
Absolutely. So it's funny because like I if you look at me, you're like, I don't I don't know, you necessarily think that I'm Latina or like or because I have like blondish hair and and I have, like, American accent, like, I grew up here, so. But then my name is, like, so weird. So people are like, what are you like?
00:07:06:15 - 00:07:13:13
Eugenia Viti
I've heard, you know, have you ever had people be like, what are you? And it's such a weird question to be asked, like, like.
00:07:14:05 - 00:07:16:20
Fabiola Lara
Where are you really from, your family from?
00:07:17:03 - 00:07:18:09
Fabiola Lara
Yeah. Like it's a secret.
00:07:18:20 - 00:07:31:11
Fabiola Lara
Also, I don't know if you feel this way. Tell me this how I feel. You can tell me if you relate to it. I feel like. Like you said, like I am really white, right? Like maybe. Maybe in the summer, someone. I think I'm Italian, right?
00:07:31:14 - 00:07:35:00
Eugenia Viti
I know. Like you are whiter than me for sure. Like I'm orange.
00:07:35:17 - 00:07:38:18
Fabiola Lara
So I do have really good lighting. So now.
00:07:40:04 - 00:07:42:17
Fabiola Lara
But yeah, if you're watching on YouTube.
00:07:42:17 - 00:08:05:20
Fabiola Lara
You can rate our skin tones. But because of that, I feel like having my name helps contextualize me as a person, right? Like so, you know, I'm not just Jessica. Nothing wrong with the name Jessica, but I feel like it would take away from any separate me even further from.
00:08:05:20 - 00:08:06:06
Fabiola Lara
My.
00:08:06:15 - 00:08:09:13
Fabiola Lara
Identity as a Latina. How do you feel about that?
00:08:10:04 - 00:08:31:12
Eugenia Viti
I think you're right. I really agree with that. I think that that's true. It helps kind of like identify you or me, as like kind of more unique. And also like when I think I don't know if you can relate, but like when you go to a Spanish speaking country, when you go back to Chile or anywhere and people are like saying your name correctly, it kind of like I what makes you happy?
00:08:31:12 - 00:08:39:12
Eugenia Viti
Like you're like, okay, like I kind of belong here maybe because you didn't live there your whole life, but at least like people understand you in a different way.
00:08:39:23 - 00:08:56:05
Fabiola Lara
Yes. I think you're so, so right. I've never personally gone back to Chile, a whole other story. But I did. I was in I lived in Barcelona for a bit and people thought it was like so liberating to just say like Fabio that and people just like, got.
00:08:56:05 - 00:08:57:02
Fabiola Lara
It like, yeah.
00:08:57:02 - 00:09:12:15
Fabiola Lara
There's no second guessing. It's like, yeah, it definitely does make you feel like included and even in the tiniest way. One time I was transcribing something with Adobe and I put it in Spanish and it got my name right, and I was like.
00:09:12:15 - 00:09:18:05
Fabiola Lara
Oh, like protected this checkmark. Like the, the.
00:09:18:11 - 00:09:28:19
Fabiola Lara
Artificial intelligence and Spanish check got it. Yes. So you should try that if you ever need to feel a little validated, just like, you know, do a little Spanish and you'll feel seen again.
00:09:29:01 - 00:09:30:10
Eugenia Viti
Oh, my gosh. That's so funny.
00:09:31:04 - 00:09:49:22
Fabiola Lara
So I want to talk about. So I came to the U.S. as a baby and I know you did, too. So how has your identity been like, you know, coming here from a different country at a young age, but then like growing up fully immersed in American culture? Like, what has your relationship been to like feeling Latina?
00:09:50:17 - 00:10:24:00
Eugenia Viti
Hmm, that's a good question. So I think at first, like coming here at Oak Park is a very like culturally diverse and accepting and just like just a very nice place to grow up from, like having the ESL class where they were all kids from all their, all of their countries like Turkey, you know, Japan, Russia. And I don't necessarily think at first I thought of myself as like Latino.
00:10:24:00 - 00:10:42:21
Eugenia Viti
I thought of myself as just different because there weren't that many other Latino kids at my school, even though we were it was a diverse school. It didn't have like a bunch of it wasn't like 20% Latino or anything. It was like me and one other girl. So I think at first I just kind of felt like an outsider.
00:10:43:04 - 00:11:10:22
Eugenia Viti
And then being able I do go back to Argentina, like pretty often being able to go back and like relate to the culture. When I go back there and like kind of also laugh at like the chaos of some of their culture, like the, the warmth of the culture. I think that over time I've grown to like love that part of me and like learn more about like what that's like to be a Latina in my own way.
00:11:11:07 - 00:11:16:00
Eugenia Viti
So it's funny because I think at first I didn't understand that or I didn't think of it.
00:11:16:00 - 00:11:30:15
Fabiola Lara
I want to know, like, what brought you and your family to the U.S. and I want like just a little bit more about that because it is kind of uncommon for people from Chile or from Argentina or from certain parts of South America to come to the U.S.. So I just want to know more.
00:11:30:20 - 00:11:47:08
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, absolutely. That's a great question. And and I think that that question kind of shows like why people are confused about like where I mean, you are probably from because not that many Argentinians live here. Like there's there's not that many a Chileans like you. Probably even less I think.
00:11:48:05 - 00:11:50:17
Fabiola Lara
I think so too. But. Well, yeah, the facts.
00:11:51:12 - 00:11:55:09
Fabiola Lara
I know who's more rare. Yeah, I'm kidding. I'm kidding.
00:11:55:09 - 00:12:18:20
Eugenia Viti
And so it's kind of an interesting story. So my dad worked for Andersen Consulting and he had like a business trip where he went to Chicago and like 1984. And when he came here for that business learning trip thing, he roomed with somebody else. And the person in the hotel room was a Spanish guy, and so they kind of became friends.
00:12:18:20 - 00:12:20:08
Eugenia Viti
My dad is a very social.
00:12:20:10 - 00:12:21:23
Fabiola Lara
I how.
00:12:22:06 - 00:12:42:20
Eugenia Viti
And so then the dad travels back to Argentina, gets together with my mom and my dad has an opportunity to work in the Philippines. So my mom and my dad moved to the Philippines and they lived there for about a year and a half maybe, and my brother is born there, so my brother is actually born in the Philippines.
00:12:43:19 - 00:12:46:01
Fabiola Lara
Oh wow, that is crazy.
00:12:46:05 - 00:13:13:16
Eugenia Viti
But even like like after having a kid, I'm like, I can't believe my mom, like, just went to like the Philippines in the eighties and like I was pregnant and gave birth in like this country by herself. Like, all of it is like just mind blowing as an adult. But anyway, so while they were in the Philippines, my dad's friend that he made in Chicago contacted him and was like, hey, in Spain, they're they're interviewing for someone like with your qualifications, like do you want to interview?
00:13:14:01 - 00:13:47:08
Eugenia Viti
And he was like, yes, like that. Amazing. So he went there and he did get that job. And so then that's when we moved to Spain and then we lived there for about then the last I was born there and they lived there for about like six years. And then he got an opportunity. I think he was like, he's a project manager, so he was managing like some project and that went to the U.S. and so they were like, okay, you need to go to the U.S. for a year and like lead this project in the U.S. But my dad did tell me, like when he was sent to the U.S., his company was somebody
00:13:47:08 - 00:13:54:23
Eugenia Viti
that his company, maybe his boss, I don't know, was like, you better find a new job while you're there because, like, we don't like you basically like he's here.
00:13:55:13 - 00:13:57:12
Fabiola Lara
But this it.
00:13:57:22 - 00:14:02:21
Eugenia Viti
I said, yeah, but so yeah, he moved to the U.S. We had like green cards. And then.
00:14:03:04 - 00:14:04:00
Fabiola Lara
He.
00:14:05:04 - 00:14:06:10
Eugenia Viti
He found another permanent.
00:14:06:10 - 00:14:34:07
Fabiola Lara
Job that's like really interesting to immigrate on under those conditions because it is so rare for people from Latin America to come to the U.S. with legal status like that is on its own, like a huge rarity because first off, the U.S. doesn't give those the statuses out easily. And second, to qualify and the expense of it all is like enormous, essentially.
00:14:34:07 - 00:14:51:01
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely. I mean, my dad worked his ass off to like be able to do that for sure. So he had like, you know, it was like one of those jobs where that would happen, like they were able to afford it. But yeah, it was crazy like to think about like the journey that, you know, Philippines speed.
00:14:51:10 - 00:14:52:01
Eugenia Viti
Chicago.
00:14:52:01 - 00:15:10:22
Fabiola Lara
Yes. Yeah. A long trip to think of doing that similar trip yourself seems like in like just out of this world. So I totally get what you mean. Do you think that, like, your family was hoping to move to the U.S. like it was a goal of theirs or do you think it was just like the trajectory of their life?
00:15:11:16 - 00:15:28:21
Eugenia Viti
I think it was my dad's goal. I think I asked him before and he was like, I think a lot of people in Argentina think of the U.S. as like the greatest place to live. And there are so many, you know, opportunities and the American dream and stuff like that. So I think it was his goal to do it.
00:15:29:04 - 00:15:38:06
Fabiola Lara
You're saying, no, that's awesome. I mean, I get it. I totally get it. How are you feeling now about your outlook on the U.S. and living here? I'm just curious.
00:15:39:12 - 00:16:03:20
Eugenia Viti
It's such a mixed bag. I think that the U.S. is a wonderful place. There's so many opportunities here, more than many other countries in certain ways. And even going back to Argentina, just like inflation is just insane. Like it was like $200 to like a dollar and then it was like $300 to a dollar like the next week.
00:16:04:01 - 00:16:30:07
Eugenia Viti
So just like thinking about living in that type of uncertainty, I'm so thankful to live here just to have like a little bit more stability. But, you know, with like recent political changes in the U.S. and like Roe v Wade and like know gun violence and how divided the country is, it doesn't make me like sad. And and think about like, is the U.S. like getting like a worse place to live?
00:16:30:07 - 00:16:52:04
Eugenia Viti
Like, what do we want to live like in Canada? Like, is Canada the right place now or why isn't there, like health care yet? Like like ironically, my dad lives in Spain now. Like he he retired in Spain because there's like better health care, like there's just a kind of a better life for older people there. That isn't really something that the U.S. has to offer as much for older people.
00:16:52:04 - 00:17:05:13
Fabiola Lara
Yes, I think about that all the time because I really do think like being old in the U.S. is like pretty messed up. Like, I'm sorry to the elders.
00:17:05:13 - 00:17:08:10
Eugenia Viti
I love being old in the U.S. is messed up.
00:17:08:18 - 00:17:10:06
Fabiola Lara
It really is. Like.
00:17:10:16 - 00:17:37:16
Fabiola Lara
I just I remember when I was in Barcelona like, you know, there's there's like grandpas and grandmas living in the city and they're doing good, you know, because they're stairs, there's elevators, there's transportation, there's services, there's health care. So there's all these things that help you continue to have like a rich life while you're old versus here. Like, it's like very isolated and you're kind of on your own because we have such an individual as society.
00:17:37:16 - 00:17:56:08
Fabiola Lara
So I just love hearing from like you have such you have like a lot of different perspectives. That's why I wanted to ask you that question, because a lot of people, like if you only live here and you strived your whole life to live here personally. Right. It's hard to then leave to be like, I'm going to leave.
00:17:56:08 - 00:18:15:05
Fabiola Lara
I don't know how you feel about this, but like as an illustrator and like a creative person, I think being in the U.S. is one of the best places you can be because we have such a big industry for those things where you can get paid like, you know, in the five or six figures for a project. And that might be unheard of in other countries.
00:18:15:12 - 00:18:19:18
Fabiola Lara
So like, you know, that's something to be majorly grateful for.
00:18:20:10 - 00:18:41:11
Eugenia Viti
One Yeah, 100%. Like we being able to be in The New Yorker like that one, that's like a dream come true. And that I don't think that would have happened if I grew up in Argentina or Spain. Like there's a lot of UK artists in The New Yorker, but you have to like go to New York and like be there and you know, do that.
00:18:42:02 - 00:18:43:16
Eugenia Viti
Yes. You able to do that?
00:18:43:22 - 00:19:04:18
Fabiola Lara
Yes. Yes, yes. Okay. Before we get into your creative career and like everything that you've done, can you tell me what your relationship to cartooning was as a child? It's time for a little break, because I need to remind you that if you want to listen to an extra 30 minutes of this conversation with Ohana VIP, then Head over to the drawers in Spanish Patria.
00:19:04:18 - 00:19:28:08
Fabiola Lara
And by joining The Patriot at the second or third tier, you'll get access to past and future extended episodes. So if you're craving a little more drama in Spanish, a little bit more conversation, longer episodes, going deeper into my conversations with each guest, go check out our patriot. You can find it right there. All right. That's all for now.
00:19:28:12 - 00:19:32:18
Fabiola Lara
I had to I just had to tell you in case you wanted it. But now let's get back into the show.
00:19:34:04 - 00:19:34:12
Fabiola Lara
Yes.
00:19:34:16 - 00:19:58:01
Eugenia Viti
Yes. So I was listening to a Pepitas interview, like to get ready for this. And it kind of looks like what I say. So I always loved to draw. That was like my favorite thing to do. And I would do like comics and all kinds of drawings as a kid. And I just and I loved cartoons. Like, I wouldn't watch TV where there was like, people on the, on the screen.
00:19:58:01 - 00:19:59:05
Eugenia Viti
I like hated any.
00:20:00:00 - 00:20:02:00
Fabiola Lara
Yeah. Just like no to realism, please.
00:20:02:03 - 00:20:10:01
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. One, I was like, no, like the like, do you remember? I dream of Jeannie and like, Bewitched. Yes.
00:20:10:01 - 00:20:13:12
Fabiola Lara
Yes, I do. So is this one right? Looks like this. Yes, yes, yes.
00:20:13:12 - 00:20:24:20
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. So, like, the beginning of those are always cartoons. And so I would always like be like, oh, maybe this time it'll be a cartoon. Because in the beginning, as a cartoon.
00:20:24:20 - 00:20:26:06
Fabiola Lara
I love that optimism.
00:20:26:11 - 00:20:39:07
Eugenia Viti
Yes. I watched every single I was like, oh, maybe this, maybe this time. So I just would never I loved I've always loved drawing and cartoons and and that was something that I always like, really connected with.
00:20:40:12 - 00:20:41:00
Fabiola Lara
I love that.
00:20:41:00 - 00:20:42:00
Fabiola Lara
It's beautiful.
00:20:42:06 - 00:21:04:09
Fabiola Lara
It's just like so endearing to see people take that, like, tiny spark of an interest they had as a child and like, really, like, go into it and not just, like, let it fizzle out. It just makes my heart burst. And I hope people who are listening, young kids who are listening that like, love, like a certain animation or a certain cartoon or a certain graphic novel like you don't have to let that go.
00:21:04:10 - 00:21:06:04
Fabiola Lara
You can, like, carry that forever.
00:21:07:01 - 00:21:25:04
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, I agree. Like, I'm a big I think The Simpsons was a very big influence for me. And I love The Simpsons so much. And I still like try and like I always think about Simpsons jokes and try to bring that into my art. Even the colors like the colors are so good in The Simpsons, like the.
00:21:25:04 - 00:21:26:13
Fabiola Lara
Pink and purple and the. Oh.
00:21:27:04 - 00:21:45:10
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, The Simpsons landscapes. I think that's like Instagram is dedicated to this because they're they're beautiful. They're gorgeous. I think I listen or I watch a lot of Ren and Stimpy even I was like not allowed to watch it. Yes. But I was still like try to watch it and I understood nothing. Like I didn't know what was going on.
00:21:45:10 - 00:21:47:23
Fabiola Lara
I was just like, I'm not allowed to watch this. And it looks crazy.
00:21:49:00 - 00:21:50:13
Fabiola Lara
But it's so funny that you weren't.
00:21:50:13 - 00:21:51:19
Eugenia Viti
Allowed to watch that.
00:21:52:04 - 00:21:53:18
Fabiola Lara
That Ren and Stimpy is the one that's.
00:21:53:18 - 00:21:54:12
Eugenia Viti
Like it's gross.
00:21:55:02 - 00:22:16:23
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, it's gross. Yeah. Yeah, for sure. I think like I was allowed to watch it at home because I like my mom to know was happening. But when I would go to friends houses, which I was at often they'd be like, No, no, Ren and Stimpy. So I remember being like some something good is happening in there that I can't watch, but I wanted to ask you, how did you get started with cartooning?
00:22:16:23 - 00:22:24:02
Fabiola Lara
You know, you were interested in cartoons. How did you actually get to start making cartoons and then and then making them professionally?
00:22:24:15 - 00:22:34:12
Eugenia Viti
I always like to draw, but then when it was time to like go to college, I didn't study art. I studied business.
00:22:34:12 - 00:22:37:04
Fabiola Lara
I am, you know, how happy I am to hear that.
00:22:37:04 - 00:22:42:04
Fabiola Lara
I love that. That's so cool. Okay, tell me everything. Wow. Good. How did that happen?
00:22:42:21 - 00:22:58:19
Eugenia Viti
Well, I think, like, part of it is like, what if a lot of people are like, what is my parent, what's my parent's jobs? And I'll do that. And I didn't even though I love art so much, I didn't think that I could really make any money doing it, which I still don't make tons of money doing. All right.
00:22:58:19 - 00:23:05:00
Eugenia Viti
But, um, so I studied business and it was really funny because I didn't.
00:23:05:00 - 00:23:05:18
Fabiola Lara
Fit in at all.
00:23:06:05 - 00:23:12:18
Eugenia Viti
I would be like, drawing, like, in my, like it would be like a business class, and I'd be like drawing in the, in my notebook.
00:23:12:23 - 00:23:13:08
Fabiola Lara
Yeah.
00:23:14:18 - 00:23:32:12
Eugenia Viti
And then I, I got like a nice, like, job out of college. That was an advertising job, like a research advertising job. And I really liked it and it was really nice, but I was really kind of felt a little bit like empty. Like I wasn't doing what I was supposed to be doing.
00:23:32:23 - 00:23:40:22
Fabiola Lara
You're just like going through the motions. You were doing a good job. You were doing a good job going through the motions. You went to school, you finished school, you got the job.
00:23:41:13 - 00:24:01:22
Eugenia Viti
100%, yeah. So I was like doing all the things that you're supposed to do that I thought, well, I suppose that I thought I was supposed to do, but I wasn't happy doing that. I was I felt I was happy enough, but I felt like something was missing. I felt like I was kind of wasting my time in a weird way.
00:24:02:11 - 00:24:02:21
Eugenia Viti
Oh.
00:24:03:12 - 00:24:22:06
Fabiola Lara
I feel that because I. I mean, I went to school for advertising and then I worked in the field. So I like totally relate to you. How did you like. Okay, one, what was that feeling like? And you know, like let's talk more about that feeling for anyone listening who thinks they are feeling that but they're not sure.
00:24:23:08 - 00:24:24:00
Fabiola Lara
Yeah.
00:24:24:23 - 00:24:34:04
Eugenia Viti
I guess it sounds this it sounds embarrassing, but like, you know, and the beauty and the beast, like one bell is like there's got to be like something else. Like.
00:24:34:10 - 00:24:34:18
Fabiola Lara
No.
00:24:35:08 - 00:24:36:05
Eugenia Viti
That's just like.
00:24:36:05 - 00:24:38:14
Fabiola Lara
Else I need more from this.
00:24:38:14 - 00:24:39:05
Fabiola Lara
Life.
00:24:39:07 - 00:24:44:00
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, yeah. I was, like, this longing for something else.
00:24:44:02 - 00:24:51:15
Fabiola Lara
And then how did you, like, process that? And, like, start shifting it? Like, what told me about that period of time?
00:24:51:23 - 00:25:04:00
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. So that was kind of a hard period for me. I quit my job, I moved to Spain and I lived I lived in San Sebastian for like ten or for like a month and a half, maybe.
00:25:05:08 - 00:25:09:04
Fabiola Lara
Just for fun. Like, did you have a plan there or was it just like, did you know?
00:25:09:04 - 00:25:24:02
Eugenia Viti
I like worked at the hostel, I worked at a hostel there and I was just trying to like be like, how could I be an artist? Like, do I have to, like, quit my job and live in Spain to be able to be an artist? Like, I didn't know. I was just trying to do what I, what I actually wanted to do.
00:25:24:02 - 00:25:26:15
Eugenia Viti
But I didn't know how, how to get there.
00:25:26:22 - 00:25:27:18
Fabiola Lara
Wow.
00:25:28:10 - 00:25:40:01
Fabiola Lara
I think we're like sisters or something, because I left my job in New York to go study in Spain, to study art in Spain. I went to Barcelona, but still very close.
00:25:40:06 - 00:25:41:23
Fabiola Lara
Close, kind of close.
00:25:43:09 - 00:25:44:21
Fabiola Lara
Like a breakdown.
00:25:45:02 - 00:25:49:05
Fabiola Lara
Like similar breakdown. Yeah, very similar, actually. Yes, yes.
00:25:49:05 - 00:25:59:16
Fabiola Lara
Oh, okay. So you went there kind of seeking answers, like trying to reconnect with yourself and well, what was the outcome like? What what ended up happening?
00:26:00:05 - 00:26:23:11
Eugenia Viti
So it's kind of funny. I've made like a couple really good friends. Like I'm still like friends with someone who I meet there and her name is Orla and she kind of like explained to me like kind of what we talked about. Like you studied marketing because you thought that that's what you needed to do. Like that's what's important in the U.S., like commercials and and buying and capitalism.
00:26:23:11 - 00:26:33:02
Eugenia Viti
And so that's why you did that. And she kind of had this like it was crazy because I had just met her really like that month, but she kind of explained my whole life to me in like, in like a short.
00:26:33:20 - 00:26:36:18
Fabiola Lara
It's like I've been reading you and I get it.
00:26:37:06 - 00:26:38:12
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, yeah.
00:26:38:12 - 00:27:00:07
Eugenia Viti
And so I learned a lot, but I also wasn't very happy there. Like San Sebastian is a very rainy place and it just wasn't really like I think I was just in a lot of turmoil. Like I had quit my job. I was away from everyone I knew. There was just like a lot of things going on. So I came back and then I had like a period of time where I got like a different job.
00:27:00:07 - 00:27:14:08
Eugenia Viti
And then I was working part time jobs and I was doing and that's when I started to really like do art, like started to try more like making time for it, just spending more time doing my yeah, yeah.
00:27:14:08 - 00:27:42:05
Fabiola Lara
Got it. Okay. Okay. Wow. So yeah, I feel like sometimes it does take those big shifts to kind of like recenter yourself because a lot of the time I feel like I feel like there's like the path from, like high school to college to like, real world. Let's say when you're not in these like, sheltered environments that like, you're kind of doing what you're supposed to be doing, but if you don't ever reconnect with yourself, it's hard to know what you're doing in the real world.
00:27:42:05 - 00:27:58:12
Fabiola Lara
And I think, like, you know, it's very common to have that moment of like, hold on, pause. I need to, like, reassess. Everything that's going on is that, you know, once you got back, is that when you started cartooning or like what kind of art were you making in that period?
00:27:58:20 - 00:28:21:20
Eugenia Viti
That's a good question. That's when I started to do more like watercolor and ink and like developed my style more. And then I think, like, I realized that I could get more work if like it was like a cartoon or it was like a comic. And I think I heard like Lisa Hanawalt say that too. Like when she started drawing, there's just so many illustrators out there.
00:28:21:20 - 00:28:26:03
Eugenia Viti
Like, the competition is so fierce sometimes telling a story.
00:28:26:03 - 00:28:42:05
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, your strength, like leaning into your strength and storytelling can just, like, pivot you a little bit. And I love Lisa Hanawalt, who I am trying to get her for the podcast, everyone for listening. Lisa Oh yeah.
00:28:42:06 - 00:28:44:13
Eugenia Viti
Think her family's from Argentina too?
00:28:44:17 - 00:28:51:01
Fabiola Lara
I know, yeah. It blows my mind and I'm just like, Oh, I need more. I think right here.
00:28:51:01 - 00:29:22:01
Fabiola Lara
Those are her most of her books. I think I have all of her books. But is anyway, that's irrelevant. We're talking about you here. You're the Argentina of the moment. But okay, so that's how you started because so you saw like the commercial possibility of cartooning and how did how did you like. Okay. Because, you know, what I'm trying to get to here is that you went from like, oh, yeah, I can make cartoons to making cartoons for The New Yorker, which is like the ultimate place to make cartoons.
00:29:22:08 - 00:29:25:02
Fabiola Lara
So she'll connect the dots for me.
00:29:25:02 - 00:29:25:09
Fabiola Lara
Yeah.
00:29:26:05 - 00:29:54:21
Eugenia Viti
Absolutely. Yeah. So I don't know if they do this anymore, but the New Yorker had I'm like on Tuesday mornings, they have it's not a secret. It's like on the Internet where they they'll let you proprietary information. Yeah it's that you're not hearing it here first it is true like I didn't look at it in the internet if you do your research they did have like Tuesday morning meetings I think from like 10 to 12 you could go to.
00:29:55:04 - 00:29:59:16
Eugenia Viti
I think it's one whatever the building that they're in the biggest building in New York.
00:30:00:11 - 00:30:01:12
Fabiola Lara
Probably one world trade.
00:30:01:19 - 00:30:09:12
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, one world trade. And and you could go there and show the editors your cartoons or the editor.
00:30:11:00 - 00:30:21:20
Fabiola Lara
I have no idea about that. To me, that's proprietary information. I lived in New York for forever, for like four years. I had no idea. So. Okay, so did you go like, is that well?
00:30:21:20 - 00:30:40:08
Eugenia Viti
So I was in New York, I was living in Brooklyn for like a month because my I think I don't think we were married then, but my husband boyfriend at the time is a developer and he had a project with Etsy. And so that was like in Brooklyn. So he was like, I'm going to go there like for a month.
00:30:40:08 - 00:31:01:06
Eugenia Viti
Do you want to just come stay at the Airbnb with me? And I was doing like a part time job that I could do remotely, so I was like, Yeah, definitely. So I was living there. I, I had become friends friendly with Liana Finck, who is in The New Yorker. She's huge. And she lives in mean. I guess I shouldn't say where exactly she lives.
00:31:01:06 - 00:31:02:21
Eugenia Viti
So she lives there around there.
00:31:04:01 - 00:31:07:17
Fabiola Lara
And she lives on the corner of. Yeah.
00:31:08:00 - 00:31:28:05
Eugenia Viti
I don't know where she lives, but she she lives in New York area. And protecting people's privacy is, I think, important. And so she she was kind enough to, like, get a drink with me because we were kind of fans for each other on Instagram. When we met up, she was like, You should go to The New Yorker tomorrow.
00:31:28:05 - 00:31:45:06
Eugenia Viti
They're doing the open, the open show your cartoons. And I had known about it because I'm a big nerd and I had like researched the whole thing, kind of like, you are with your podcast and like all the details I had like dreamt of being in The New Yorker and had researched everything and I was just like not feeling ready.
00:31:45:06 - 00:31:53:07
Eugenia Viti
Like, you know, when you want to do something and you really want it, but you're like, Well, I'm not good enough to do that. It's like, Yeah, know. Yeah.
00:31:53:07 - 00:31:55:22
Fabiola Lara
So what you mean I feel that way about cartooning sometimes.
00:31:56:02 - 00:31:56:17
Fabiola Lara
Yeah.
00:31:56:17 - 00:32:12:23
Eugenia Viti
So I was just like, well, if Liana thinks I can go, like, maybe I like, I have to go now, like she thinks I can do it, like I should just do it even though I like, would have never, like, thought I was, like, good enough to do it.
00:32:12:23 - 00:32:33:15
Fabiola Lara
Sometimes you need that encouragement from other people that are just like, Hey, I see the potential in you and it's real. And like, it takes someone else validating it, someone with like someone with authority, right? In the, in that specific industry. Right? Because like, I'm sure, like your mom already said, like you could do it, but like, you're like those I can't, you know.
00:32:33:15 - 00:32:38:06
Fabiola Lara
Like my mom doesn't know anything like about New Yorker cartoon. So and someone with.
00:32:38:06 - 00:32:39:06
Fabiola Lara
Some sort of, like.
00:32:39:06 - 00:32:41:09
Fabiola Lara
Credibility gives you.
00:32:41:09 - 00:32:45:13
Fabiola Lara
Their, like, permission to go. It does.
00:32:45:13 - 00:32:46:05
Fabiola Lara
Feel.
00:32:46:18 - 00:32:52:20
Fabiola Lara
Like very extreme. So her encouragement alone helped you get there?
00:32:53:08 - 00:33:24:19
Eugenia Viti
Absolutely. Yeah. And I totally. Yes. So I went and like I, I just had like some drawings to show. I didn't really have, like, cartoons, you know, it wasn't like you're supposed to go with, like, a batch of ten cartoons, but because, like, Liana had encouraged me, I was like, okay, I can do this. I can just meet them and and that like opened up the door and then I was able to, like, you know, work through and submit, like I think I submitted for like a whole year before they like bought one.
00:33:24:19 - 00:33:37:07
Eugenia Viti
So I mean, it still took a long time after that, but it was just getting that door open and having that encouragement to like believe in myself just the tiniest bit more so that I would. Wow.
00:33:37:17 - 00:33:54:23
Fabiola Lara
I love that story so much because I think it's so realistic because what you hear a lot of the times is like, I just emailed one cartoon and they bought it and then they bought every other cartoon I've ever seen and it just worked.
00:33:54:23 - 00:33:59:06
Fabiola Lara
And you're just like, Wow, yeah, this isn't having it. And I think, you know.
00:33:59:06 - 00:34:20:12
Fabiola Lara
Like showing your tenacity, I guess, and like dedication and persistence is so encouraging for other people, even just like for me, honestly, like I've pitched to them before, but I pitched like like two at a time and you know, I just kind of was like, I didn't hear back. So I'm never doing that again. And even hearing your story, I'm just like.
00:34:20:12 - 00:34:21:01
Fabiola Lara
Maybe I.
00:34:21:01 - 00:34:21:12
Fabiola Lara
Should, like.
00:34:21:12 - 00:34:21:22
Fabiola Lara
Think of.
00:34:21:22 - 00:34:23:01
Fabiola Lara
Something and like, send.
00:34:23:01 - 00:34:25:05
Fabiola Lara
It. But it's, I.
00:34:25:05 - 00:34:50:00
Fabiola Lara
Honestly, it is so hard to understand, like, just like what they want is very specific. And even coming up with an idea that you see as suitable for The New Yorker is just like a whole other challenge. So but I just love that your your approach of just like you just have to, you know, keep at it is so, so just like relatable.
00:34:50:00 - 00:34:51:03
Fabiola Lara
Yeah. Yeah.
00:34:51:03 - 00:35:04:01
Eugenia Viti
And I've watched like documentaries and I think like someone else who's a very, like, common cartoonist now, like submitted stuff for like, I want to see like 30 years, but maybe it was like ten years, like.
00:35:04:02 - 00:35:06:06
Fabiola Lara
Tyler Way ten or 30 is a lot.
00:35:06:15 - 00:35:07:09
Fabiola Lara
He would go.
00:35:07:09 - 00:35:19:09
Eugenia Viti
In for ten years like every week with like cartoons and be like rejected like each time. And then he's like finally got one and now he's like there all the time. But it's, yeah, it's that easy.
00:35:19:09 - 00:35:40:13
Fabiola Lara
Oh, my gosh. I think a lot of it too is like you're not only competing with other people who want to be in The New Yorker, you're competing with people who are already like constantly in The New Yorker, right? So like, you have to come up with something that's so groundbreaking to get your foot in the door, essentially, and that's just going to take trial and error as.
00:35:40:14 - 00:35:48:05
Fabiola Lara
Yes, you know, we're talking about here, which is I mean, it makes sense because, you know, there are high there are the highest bar. I feel like.
00:35:48:05 - 00:36:09:20
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, I think so. And like I've always been like a big researcher and like big nerd about stuff. And I even like found like Barry BLITT who was like a huge person in The New Yorker. Like, I found his email and like, he was really nice and like responded and and he I remember asking him for advice because when I first started trying to be an artist, I just would email people and ask them for it.
00:36:09:20 - 00:36:24:10
Eugenia Viti
I'm like, How did you do it? Kind of like your podcast. Yeah. Is that basically like it? And he was like, I remember his one of his things he said was like, you have to be really lucky. Like it's just luck. And I was like, I'm really lucky I could do that.
00:36:24:10 - 00:36:27:17
Fabiola Lara
Like, you're like, Well, thankfully I'm lucky. Yeah.
00:36:28:18 - 00:36:32:03
Eugenia Viti
I was like, Good. I do have that going for me. I am lucky. So.
00:36:32:16 - 00:36:34:11
Fabiola Lara
But oh my gosh, no.
00:36:34:11 - 00:36:45:00
Fabiola Lara
I mean, I totally can see that because a lot of it is like an editor just like vibing with your work that day. Yeah. Or nothing else. Like better than your work coming in that day, which is luck, right?
00:36:45:00 - 00:36:47:03
Eugenia Viti
Like true. Yeah. Yeah.
00:36:47:13 - 00:37:08:06
Fabiola Lara
Wow. Okay, amazing. So how did you develop? Like you're, let's say, like you're winning in terms of getting into The New Yorker comic ideas, like how did you kind of create that routine to make so many? Because that's something that I find really hard is like the volume that you have to make.
00:37:08:20 - 00:37:30:20
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. So I think like for the first year, like while I was like getting used to submitting, I really didn't understand how to do it. Like I would just do like, I don't know, like a comic about like a calendar and how like the calendar months are like created like, like March is this and January is that and like how those started.
00:37:30:20 - 00:37:36:02
Fabiola Lara
And then you kind of have to that's a very specific example. Yeah.
00:37:36:12 - 00:37:57:14
Eugenia Viti
I would just, I would make kind of all kinds of stuff because I didn't really know what I think. It's kind of how you said like you have to just keep making and that's like what I did. I would just like make and make and make. And then I think at 1.0, Pest Babies was the first one that got published, which is like a raccoon body and like a baby face in front of it.
00:37:58:00 - 00:38:11:09
Fabiola Lara
Interesting. For those watching on YouTube, I'll be sure to include it here. And anyone listening, I'll I'll link it somehow in the show notes, but. Okay, tell me more. So that was like your first accepted comic?
00:38:11:14 - 00:38:31:12
Eugenia Viti
Mm hmm. Yeah. So it was like, I remember my my boyfriend husband at the time. Boyfriend at the time was like, why did you draw this? It's like. It's like a cart. It's like a raccoon with, like, a baby's face or like a pigeon with a baby's face. And it was really, like, disturbing. Like, what is this? And that's what his feeling, what he's like, what is this?
00:38:31:17 - 00:38:37:09
Eugenia Viti
And I was like, he's like, Why did you draw this? I'm like, it's it's it's funny. I don't know.
00:38:38:13 - 00:38:39:18
Fabiola Lara
You don't understand humor.
00:38:40:04 - 00:38:40:17
Fabiola Lara
Yeah.
00:38:41:04 - 00:39:05:06
Eugenia Viti
So I drew that and then I kind of was like, okay, these can be something. I'll just draw like five of these or something. And then I was like explaining what they were. And I sent it to one of my friends, Smith, who is like really funny. She has like a band called Varsity and she's, she's just like very talented and she's like, why don't you make it like how millennials, like, don't have babies?
00:39:05:06 - 00:39:11:03
Eugenia Viti
But they had these instead. I was like, Oh, yeah, like she kind of tied it to, like, a bigger story.
00:39:11:03 - 00:39:12:22
Fabiola Lara
Like, bigger, yeah. Okay. Okay.
00:39:12:23 - 00:39:25:16
Eugenia Viti
Like what's happening in world. She tied it to that. So once so that was accepted and I was like, so if you like gay again, like that little push to like feel like you're good enough or feel like it or like to make something good enough.
00:39:25:22 - 00:39:27:08
Fabiola Lara
Like you're onto something.
00:39:27:18 - 00:39:28:17
Fabiola Lara
Mm. Mm hmm.
00:39:29:08 - 00:39:47:03
Eugenia Viti
I think I needed, like, like someone else's perspective to kind shift it just slightly so that it wasn't, like, totally random. I think, like, my ideas are good because I can think of, like, really random weird stuff, but sometimes it needs to be linked to something bigger or make more sense.
00:39:47:03 - 00:40:00:03
Fabiola Lara
And that's something topical because I do feel like there is like something news newsy and like relevant to New Yorker comics where it's like very timely to, to the culture that we're in. And so that makes a lot of sense.
00:40:00:12 - 00:40:09:18
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, exactly. It's called Daily Shouts. It's like about the daily, what's happening? Like what's what's going on right now. So yeah, it is. It's exactly that.
00:40:10:14 - 00:40:36:23
Fabiola Lara
Wow. Okay. And I know that even now you collaborate a lot on comics with other people, which blows my mind because as an illustrator, I'm like, I work by myself. Like, other than this podcast, everything is just me. Or like, you know, it's very like few instances where I collaborate on my actual output of artwork. So can you tell me about your experience working collaboratively?
00:40:37:16 - 00:40:40:01
Fabiola Lara
Because it just blows my mind.
00:40:40:17 - 00:41:03:05
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, I love I love that you said that because I feel like I'm that way too. Generally, I don't like to share. Like, I'm like, okay, I want it to be this way. I think as an illustrator, like creative person, having all of the control and what something is like is part of the fun. Like part of why you want to be an illustrator, why you like to create.
00:41:03:05 - 00:41:28:01
Eugenia Viti
Collaborating is really cool because you get to talk to and meet like all kinds of cool people like Irving. Ron He's like a friend, a friend of mine that I made through collaborating for The New Yorker. And he's like, just so nice and friendly and so funny, and it's cool to, like, bounce ideas off one another. Or like Ginny Hogan, like, she's really funny too, and I've collaborated a lot with her.
00:41:28:18 - 00:41:41:10
Eugenia Viti
So I sometimes do like a little bit of like a call kind of with if I'm going to collaborate with someone, I'll be like, okay, let me get you on the phone for like half an hour and just chat because you learn from people like kind of like doing this podcast. You can like.
00:41:41:11 - 00:42:09:18
Fabiola Lara
Oh, interesting. That's fascinating. Just because like to me is really hard to envision the process of like I can, I'm open to approaching someone and being like, Do you want to collaborate with me? And then like entering the agreement? But like how do you then execute? Said collaboration? Like what is your process for collaborating on comics? I'm just so curious because it seems hard like my mind like does not compute how that's fun.
00:42:10:08 - 00:42:31:20
Eugenia Viti
Yes. Okay, so calorie it really depends. Like some people are just writers, so they will be like, hey, an illustrator for this thing. And I'll be like, sure. Okay. So that's like kind of the most simple way to collaborate with someone. Then it can be because I am a writer, an illustrator, I don't mind like also being involved in the writing or ideas portion of it.
00:42:31:20 - 00:43:04:12
Eugenia Viti
So it can, it can start. I guess it could be as simple as like, here's what I've written. Do a few illustrations to see if it gets spot to like, I have this idea, can you like help me write it out? And so then like, well, we'll usually start like a Google doc and the person will have like their idea there and like, you know, the comics are split up like, yeah, you're going to have like six certain you'll have like this, this main idea and then like these details to it and then maybe like you're like, Oh, this would be funnier if it's like this.
00:43:04:12 - 00:43:08:18
Eugenia Viti
So then you just like write it in. And so we kind of like just write up the comic.
00:43:08:18 - 00:43:33:12
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, I know. It seems like. I know. Like, while you're saying it, it seems very, like, obvious, but like, it's really I feel like for me, even hearing this, it's really not obvious because I always feel like, you know, like people are really precious with their ideas or precious with the vision. And so it's, it's cool to think like, oh, just like a doc where we can collaborate and, like, bounce ideas off each other.
00:43:33:12 - 00:43:44:16
Fabiola Lara
And even what you said, like getting on the phone to kind of catch a vibe or read on like if an idea like has legs or if it's kind of like, yeah, that's just like one thing we can't make anything.
00:43:44:16 - 00:43:46:11
Fabiola Lara
Out right is.
00:43:46:11 - 00:43:59:04
Fabiola Lara
Really, really cool to know. And I'm like inspired to want to collaborate more because I do think like something that I'm sure other people struggle with this, but I know I personally do is having like kind of an.
00:43:59:04 - 00:44:00:06
Fabiola Lara
Idea and.
00:44:00:06 - 00:44:18:10
Fabiola Lara
You're like, this thing is funny like this, but I don't know how to say it. Like, is it for panels or is it like one single panel or is it like is it just like a caption to something? And there's no, you know, like how to execute like the joke in the funniest way possible or or the message in the best way possible.
00:44:18:10 - 00:44:34:19
Fabiola Lara
Right. So I love I love that. I mean, I'm so inspired and I hope anyone listening who's like, I'm a writer, but I'm not a I'm not an artist or I'm an artist, but I'm not the best writer. Like teaming up. Have you felt that that's improved your the quality of your comic making like pairing with other people?
00:44:35:17 - 00:44:53:22
Eugenia Viti
I think so. Like there's people who like studied humor and like started humor writing. But I worked with someone and she and she was like, this could be like a runner. Like this could be a runner through the comic. And a runner is like, I guess, like a funny thing that kind of keeps appearing throughout, but I never learned about that.
00:44:53:22 - 00:44:56:15
Eugenia Viti
I'm like, Oh, cool, a runner. Like, I got this now, like.
00:44:56:18 - 00:45:00:20
Fabiola Lara
Right, right. Because they're like, Yeah, yeah. I always forget. Like, there's people who study, like, right.
00:45:01:10 - 00:45:05:11
Fabiola Lara
And like, there's people who study like drivers, small study writing and.
00:45:05:11 - 00:45:24:00
Fabiola Lara
Like it can be related to comics. I always think comics as like an artist first medium and not as like a writer first medium. But yeah, that makes it makes a lot of sense. I can already think of like comic artists who only do the writing portion. So I don't know why in my head it's so divided. Well, it's.
00:45:24:07 - 00:46:01:11
Eugenia Viti
It's kind of interesting how that is like is it's such a visual thing. But yeah, there's people who are just like more writers. They can visualize it, they can't draw it. Um, I think I'm stronger in the drawing. Like that's, I think where my strength is more and it just comes more naturally to me. But I think I found like kind of going back to what we talked about, like Lisa having a wall and like finding a place to be, I think writing has helped me be able to draw like it's kind of like a tool that I use to actually get to draw because if I was just drawing it, you know, people aren't
00:46:01:11 - 00:46:02:00
Eugenia Viti
as interested.
00:46:02:19 - 00:46:34:22
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, I think I think what you're getting at is like you're able to like the message that which is in the writing most of the time can really strengthen your drawing and not be like, you're not an amazing artist because you are. But like it does help sell the drawing to a broader audience because even like on the most basic like example, whenever I post like a comic to Instagram people who don't usually like my drawings, it gets to them because they, they like the message, right?
00:46:35:03 - 00:46:51:07
Fabiola Lara
Even if they're not artistic people or they don't follow illustrators or, you know, it's the message that really like can go across audiences versus sometimes just with illustrations. Like it's not as like kind of broadly consumable.
00:46:51:20 - 00:46:53:22
Fabiola Lara
MM Yeah.
00:46:53:22 - 00:47:03:20
Eugenia Viti
I think that's true and it's kind of funny because you wouldn't think that you think just a picture would be like so broad for somebody, but then, but it has like a center.
00:47:03:20 - 00:47:05:06
Fabiola Lara
To like interpret it, you know.
00:47:05:06 - 00:47:05:21
Eugenia Viti
Like, yeah.
00:47:06:00 - 00:47:10:23
Fabiola Lara
And some people don't care to interpret it and they don't want to be like lost in the mystery. They're just like, what?
00:47:11:07 - 00:47:21:02
Eugenia Viti
Want to write? I like the past baby. Like it's a baby with a cartoon like gross body. You're like, What is that? But then if it's written, then you're like, Oh, it's.
00:47:21:16 - 00:47:25:06
Fabiola Lara
It's a joke. I get. Yes, exactly, exactly.
00:47:25:06 - 00:47:47:20
Fabiola Lara
Exactly. So speaking of like writing and everything, I know you've recently published your book Be Pregnant, an illustrated Companion for Moms to Be. So what compelled you to want to write that book? Like going from cartoons, which can be like kind of short to a full on book? Seems like a huge undertaking. Yeah. Tell me about it.
00:47:48:00 - 00:48:05:08
Eugenia Viti
Yes, very, very, very, very large undertaking. Basically, like it's kind of a long story. But when I was pregnant, I didn't a lot of the books that I came across or that were gifted to me were really scary or like full of unnecessary information.
00:48:07:00 - 00:48:07:22
Fabiola Lara
What do you mean?
00:48:08:07 - 00:48:10:12
Fabiola Lara
Like, I've been pregnant before, so I'm not familiar.
00:48:10:19 - 00:48:30:12
Eugenia Viti
Okay, so, like, one of the like, it would just tell you, like, every single thing that could go wrong with your baby or your pregnancy. Sometimes in books. Not all, not all, but some. Some books were that way. Or just very preachy. Like, you need to eat this many grams of protein each day or like.
00:48:30:12 - 00:48:33:07
Fabiola Lara
Scientific and like, yeah, okay. I could see that.
00:48:33:13 - 00:48:47:13
Eugenia Viti
Yeah. Like scientific and just missing the feelings of cold pregnancy. Cold, cold. Yeah. Cold is the right word. So kind of cold. Cold and, like, scold me.
00:48:47:20 - 00:48:48:08
Fabiola Lara
Like.
00:48:48:22 - 00:49:12:10
Eugenia Viti
Even like that. Yeah. For the biggest pregnancy book, the what to Expect book, it's huge. And, and it shows everything and some of it is really helpful. But like I would open to like a random page and it was like type of make up you should wear while pregnant. I like why do does a book need to tell me what kind of makeup I need to be wearing when I like why?
00:49:12:12 - 00:49:43:13
Eugenia Viti
First of all, you're assuming that I need to wear makeup like just like kind of lots of things. So I did a book like more about what it feels like to be pregnant, what, what kind of situations like you will go through or you might go through as being pregnant. And then everything that I did that was like scientific, like miscarriage or pre preemies or, you know, anything that I showed something that maybe was on the scarier side.
00:49:43:13 - 00:50:04:19
Eugenia Viti
I always tried to show, like a positive light to it. Like what? You know what? You know, there's support groups for you. If you're have a preemie baby or the chances of, you know, having I forget what it's called. So your your baby has the that organ that it gets like all the nutrients from, again, the the organ that gives your baby all its nutrients.
00:50:05:00 - 00:50:09:10
Eugenia Viti
It can be like in front of you, in front of like the part where your baby's supposed to come.
00:50:09:10 - 00:50:11:09
Fabiola Lara
Out of, like the plasma. Like, no. Yeah.
00:50:11:13 - 00:50:12:05
Eugenia Viti
Placenta.
00:50:12:05 - 00:50:12:22
Fabiola Lara
Placenta.
00:50:13:04 - 00:50:13:12
Eugenia Viti
Yes.
00:50:13:12 - 00:50:14:09
Fabiola Lara
Got it, nailed it.
00:50:15:00 - 00:50:15:23
Fabiola Lara
Nailed it. Thank you.
00:50:16:06 - 00:50:36:20
Eugenia Viti
So so your placenta could be like in front of, like where the baby's supposed to come out and and that could be a problem for you. Like, that's a thing that most pregnant people should know about, but the chances of that happening are pretty low. So just like to be able to be told something could happen, but here's like the chances of it or here's what your support.
00:50:36:20 - 00:50:38:16
Fabiola Lara
You're not trying to scare people.
00:50:39:06 - 00:50:48:18
Eugenia Viti
Yeah, because you're already scared enough like you're growing a baby. You're going to have to deliver this baby like it's already overwhelming. You don't want to be more overwhelmed. Yeah.
00:50:48:22 - 00:51:12:01
Fabiola Lara
Okay. Okay, beautiful. That's a really good point. Like, I'm so glad that you kind of took what was missing and what you felt was missing and, like, turn that into, like, an opportunity to put your work out there and and like, create something that you really needed at the time. I think that's kind of like where the best ideas come from is being like, why doesn't this exist?
00:51:12:01 - 00:51:13:12
Fabiola Lara
And just like making it exist.
00:51:13:22 - 00:51:15:06
Fabiola Lara
Yeah, we've.
00:51:15:06 - 00:51:34:01
Fabiola Lara
Talked so much. We've gone over like everything. We went over your career, we went over your culture, we went over cartooning and motherhood and everything. And I just want to thank you so much for bringing your perspective onto the show. And I want to ask you one last thing, which is like, how can people support your work today?
00:51:35:00 - 00:51:35:06
Fabiola Lara
Oh.
00:51:35:17 - 00:51:45:06
Eugenia Viti
Nice. Oh, thank you so much, too, for having me. It's really a pleasure to speak with you and thank you for letting me talk about myself for like an hour and a half. Obviously loved it.
00:51:45:18 - 00:51:49:12
Fabiola Lara
Enjoyed it, great experience.
00:51:49:12 - 00:52:17:03
Eugenia Viti
Kind of talking about myself some more. Okay. Anyway, I guess people can support me by buying my book be pregnant. It's out like almost everywhere. Like Barnes Noble, Amazon and your neighborhood bookstore. Follow me on Instagram. Eugenia Beattie and I guess that's it. I mean, I don't have like a marketplace right now. I don't have like posters or anything.
00:52:17:03 - 00:52:20:21
Eugenia Viti
So just supporting my book sales I think would probably be the best place to go.
00:52:21:01 - 00:52:32:12
Fabiola Lara
Amazing. I'll be sure to leave everything in the shownotes if you're watching on YouTube, it's linked to below so you can find Oceania wherever you need her. And that's it for today.
00:52:33:01 - 00:52:34:22
Fabiola Lara
Thank you so much. Thank you so.
00:52:34:22 - 00:52:36:02
Eugenia Viti
Much. I appreciate it.
00:52:36:18 - 00:52:53:06
Fabiola Lara
All right, everyone, that's all have for you and for today. I hope you enjoyed this conversation with comic artist and cartoonist Ohana, sweetie. And before you go, take a moment and remember to subscribe to the show if you like. This episode subscribing is free and really helps me out so I can keep making the show for you for free.
00:52:53:14 - 00:53:11:18
Fabiola Lara
Now if you want to connect with other Latin artist in our drawers in Spanish community. Head over to my Patriots. You can join our Discord Channel and access a ton of other perks. That's all I have for you for this episode as the La Proxima. Miguel's never moll proxima madness. Let's see you next Tuesday for my English listeners out there.
00:53:11:18 - 00:53:27:03
Fabiola Lara
Thank you so much. See you next time.