Slavic Cowboy Odyssey : An Interview with Rahel Suesskind

12 oct. 2024

Temps de lecture : 5 min

With the release of Nona & Masha (Ingenious Rascals 2), it’s time to have a pleasant conversation with Rahel Suesskind, Berlin-based cartoonist and illustrator.

Her work is vivid, dynamic and unapologetically modern. In Ingenious Rascals 2, we pursue the adventures of Masha, Yuri and Nona.

Q: We can find many of your illustrations in commercial publications, such as children's illustrations for Dein Spiegel, a poster for Kawa Espressobar, illustrations in Der Freitag or Le Monde Diplomatique, and so much more. There is also your zine and underground work. Do you have a preference between the commercial or the underground scene, or do you feel that you can contribute to both effectively?

My commercial work is for paying my bills. Its my business. Its like crafting. I need to draw things for other people or companies. I am glad I can do that, but it is providing a service and not always very free.

I would prefer my own underground work, because here I have the freedom to do whatever I want, and no one wants me to change things over and over.

Q: The Colorama Clubhouse had the chance of hosting several outstanding illustrators for their 21st issue, including you with an erotic minigolf contribution. How was that experience, working alongside other creators on a limited riso print poster bundle?

It was a nice experience. The Colorama people are very chill and nice people. I enjoyed spending and drawing the whole day with them. They’ve been cooking for us and gave us snacks - that was awesome, too. Also, personally, I am a person who prefers to draw alone all the time and is a bit socially awkward, so it was good to come out of my shell and be with others I don’t know. it was a cool concept they developed for the poster-comic-bundle.

Q: Whether for a pinup or a full-fledged zine, your illustrations are well orchestrated and convey a message with much ease. You do have a background in communication design. How does that background influence your artwork process?

I am not so sure if it influences me very much. I get more influence by other Artists, Cartoonists, Mangakas, Cartoons and Anime.

I learned a lot of technical stuff though which comes in handy now, like lay-outing and typo or printing process.

Q: Speaking of your background in communication design, it would be a good time to mention Faunal, your graduation work. I don’t have a copy myself, but animals have a great role in this book as per its description. You’ve expressed more enjoyment in drawing animals more than humans. How do animals enable you to convey your narratives more effectively than with human characters? Do specific animal species convey specific emotions or themes?

To me animals have more interesting attributes and characteristics. More different shapes, types, colors. That's why to me they are more fun to draw. Sometimes I am just obsessed with looking at them. At the moment I have a hyperfixation with hedgehogs. One day I want to live with a hedgehog.

Q: Ingenious Rascals 2 took the better part of a year to complete. You’ve mentioned here and there how work was getting in the way, afterall you did need to fund the book. During this year, have you found a good balance between your work and your creative output?

Not really. It was all bit too much. For my comics I have only time in my free time, the weekend or after work. The last two months have been intense - I also didn’t have time for video games.

I live alone. I need to pay for everything alone and my rent is way to high, that’s why I move into a smaller and cheaper apartment next week.

Its almost impossible to find affordable housing, so that’s why I am swapping apartments. I am looking forward to it, because I will have more time for my comics and drawings.

Q: What were some significant obstacles you encountered while working on Ingenious Rascals 2? Any shortages of Monsters energy drinks?

Haha - I can’t drink to many monsters anymore. Once a month I crack one open. The other days I take Ritalin. Not good for my heart. So sad.

Q: Was Ingenious Rascals 2 mostly drawn on your tablet or did you go analog first and then edit the scans? We would love to hear about your creative process for this book.

I was drawing everything analog. First, I do a rough sketch, then I do a clean drawing with a pencil, after that I ink it and the last step is I color it with watercolors and shadow with pencils or for some pages I only use pencils. That's why it’s taking so long. In the end I scan it and clean up mistakes in photoshop.

Q: I feel like colors play a significant role in your art. I distinctly remember Snooh dreaming of having his butt licked by a long dog and being eaten by Conny in My Friend Snooh. B&w would have certainly decreased the surreal nature of this scene. How essentials are colors to your illustration process? Do certain colors convey specific themes in your work?

Yeah, for example in my comics I use pencil coloring for dreams or memories or unreal things.

The present is mostly in watercolors. I would love to do more in pencils, but it’s getting painful at some point.

I also want to work on the next mini zine only in black and white ink. I am hyped about it because its new to me.

Q: Zelda, Monsters energy drinks and Nessi the plush toy are important parts of your personal lore. Can you tell us how these cornerstones of modern civilization came into your life and what they mean to you?

You proofed yourself to be a person of great cultures. I am obsessed with Zelda. To me these are the perfect games. I didn’t play all of them, but I am working on it! Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask will be always my favorites - I cried. But close enough to it are Wind Waker and Skyward Sword.

Twilight Princess I still need to finish it, but I love it too. I am just obsessed with the stories and the world and the characters. I listen so much to the soundtracks. The newest Zelda (Echoes of Wisdom) is amazing too!

Nessi was a gift from a friend in Montreal and its from a video game called Apex Legends. Nessies are vicious - one day they will rule the world. I love my plushies - they are my friends and not my toys. I don’t feel embarrassed about it. I can’t live without them. I also take them to work sometimes to feel safe or on trips.

Monsters and Red Bulls sadly I can’t drink them anymore - I need to take care of my health. It was a nice time.

Q: Back in July, we could find several of your illustrations in Dein Spiegel magazine, a publication aimed at children. What sparked your interest in children's illustrations?

Its a lot of fun for me to make drawings for children. Its just different and cuter and all. I like that, cause its more playful.

Q: You once confided, in 2016, that you would like to do a book for children. Is that goal still on your radar?

Yeah it is, but I need to get a funding for it. And first I want to finish more comics. This is more important for me now.