Johnny Yat-Kiu Chan, who also goes by “Thank Kiu Very Much” online, is a senior BFA Illustration student here at SCAD Atlanta originally from Hong Kong. Chan’s particular talent is creating humorous and quirky illustrations that aim to bring the best part of the works’ stories out for viewers to enjoy and laugh with. When asking Chan why he loves doing funny illustrations, he quotes Heath Ledger’s Joker, “Why so serious?”
Chan creates his illustrations using a process well-known in the comics world, which is using traditional ink and coloring it digitally, however while most comic artists we see like to ink using clean lines that replicate cel-shading, Chan tends to dilute the ink to add a wider range of values to his work. His process is inspired by upbringing, which was full of him reading comics and other graphic novels as he believes it is more accessible and easily digestible compared to traditional books.
Chan began illustrating with this question on his mind, “what do horses do after a horse race?” His answer, “probably a hot bath.” We see two horses enjoying their separate baths while smoking cigars, presumably after a grueling race. Chan aimed to showcase a possible human side of these animals, or in another perspective that he offers, an animalistic side to a human?
Chan also created an “E.T.” 40th Anniversary illustration. He was inspired by the original E.T. design, which is completely different from the cute and friendly-looking E.T. design that we are all familiar with and love. The piece was intended for a cover for MAD Magazine, an American humor magazine. The work featured its mascot, Alfred E. Neuman, based on the original scene where the titular alien was found on earth.
Chan has also created a fan variant cover for the infamous “Kick Ass” comic. Chan illustrated the violent nature of the comic, which is not usually shown in the published comic covers. Illustrating a decapitated head making a silly face as it gets torn off its body, Chan decided to add extra blood splashes to create an even more dramatic and violent scene so the genre of ‘comedy horror’ was better portrayed.
It’s easy to see why so many people find joy in Chan’s entertaining illustrations. If you want to see more, you can check out his Instagram @thank.kiu.very.much