Kim Jung Gi

Kim Jung Gi (legally Kim Jung Ki; ; 7 February 1975 – 3 October 2022) was a South Korean illustrator, cartoonist, and manhwa artist. He was famous for his large, highly detailed illustrations, often drawn only from imagination.

Biography Early life Kim was born in 1975 in Goyang, a suburb of Seoul. He was inspired to begin drawing after viewing an illustration from Dr. Slump, a manga drawn by Akira Toriyama. In school, his teachers often chastised him for not paying attention, as he was busy doodling in his notes.

At the age of 19, he pursued a fine arts education at Dong-Eui University, located in Busan: until he studied here he had not learned the mathematical principles of perspective, something he had previously done by intuition. and in 2016 did the same for McCurry, NYC, 9/11. and 10th-anniversary illustrations for League of Legends. and taught at the AniChanga Art School, He also taught at and provided video content for the Kazone Art Academy, a private secondary art school located in Los Angeles.

In 2021, Kim designed a mural for the newly established Centre for Comics and Interactive Narrative in Łódź. His complex design was transferred onto the facades of the building's cooling towers. The artist designed an elaborate, monochromatic composition – a black-and-white drawing telling a story which visitors can follow, starting at the entrance to the building. The mural is a permanent feature of the museum facade. In 2022, the artist was also a guest at the International Festival of Comics and Games in Łódź.

Kim died in Paris of a heart attack on October 3rd 2022, after experiencing chest pains.

Technique

Kim was famous for his detailed illustrations, ink and brush artistic style, and skill at drawing from memory. He could complete his drawings entirely from his imagination, without the use of sketches, visual references, or other preparatory aids, and often used exotic forms of perspective, such as curvilinear perspective.

Kim drew in a variety of sizes, but he was especially well known for his large drawings. He drew these pictures directly on paper without the use of sketching or other preparation, improvising them as he went.

Kim primarily drew in ink, and used a variety of pens including fineliners, brush pens, and ballpoint pens. Before starting a drawing he would imagine various compositions in his mind's eye, and relate the subjects to simple shapes like boxes and grids. If there were not any obvious indicators of depth in a subject, he would use smaller details like clothing folds to establish it.

When asked, Kim claimed that his skill came from his habit of constantly drawing, rather than his choice of pen; he also denied claims that he had a photographic memory or was an autistic savant.

2023/24: Kim Jung Gi Live (17 October 2023 – 17 April 2024) 2024/25: Filling and Emptiness (1 May 2024 – 1 February 2025)

Publications The following is an incomplete list of works Kim has authored or contributed to: Solo works

Collaborative works

(variant covers)