DALO is a prolific illustrator whom I had the opportunity to speak with. You can read our conversation below.

First of all, welcome to Geeks OUT! Could you tell us a little about yourself?

Hello! I’m DALO, an illustrator who works primarily in black and white line art. My goal is to create pieces that can really connect with people’s souls, and I’ve been exploring different creative fields to make that happen.

As an artist what drew you to illustrating?

I’ve been into Japanese manga and anime since I was a kid, so it felt like a natural path for me. The moment I knew “I want to draw like this” was when I read Ryu Fujisaki’s <Hoshin Engi (封神演義 / ほうしんえんぎ)>. 

In every manga, even in black and white, you could imagine and see all these different colors, and every panel had this master-level artistry that still inspires my work today.

What are some of your favorite elements of illustrating? What do you consider some of the most frustrating and/or challenging? 

What I love most is that illustrations ask questions instead of giving answers. I can visualize necessary parts in detail while still leaving room for viewers to imagine and question. Whether it’s original work or fan art, my drawings always contain details that can only be discovered upon closer inspection. My joy comes from helping viewers imagine their own little stories through those details—helping them create their own small worlds.

I truly enjoy the process of arranging elements so that many interpretations can emerge within a single drawing, and sometimes boldly omitting things.

The tough part? Probably the constant doubt about completion. Like, “Can I really complete this? Will it turn out the way I planned? What if the rough sketch was the best part?” With simpler pieces it’s not so bad, but when a drawing needs tons of detail, the work time just keeps stretching no matter how detailed my sketch was, and I can’t shake that self-doubt. Sometimes it takes longer to get past the mental block than to actually draw (work time). These days I’m trying to embrace that whole process—the doubt, the overcoming it—as part of what it means to create. Still not easy though!

As an author who or what would you say are some of your greatest creative influences and/or sources of inspiration in general?

I especially love Kentaro Miura, Kaoru Mori, H.R. Giger and Bernie Wrightson. For overall creation, I’m also heavily inspired by masters like Albrecht Dürer, Hieronymus Bosch, Pieter Bruegel the Elder and Gustave Doré,

I also love religious codes, so I enjoy looking at depictions of gods and demons, symbols, etc., regardless of whether they’re from Eastern or Western religions. I believe this world isn’t just what we can see and that there’s energy connecting us, so I draw much inspiration from spiritual things as well. 

Also, I gain inspiration from various directions by playing games with unique worldviews or solid stories. (I recently finished Kingdom Come 2—a wonderful open-world game set in medieval times!)

Honestly, I could talk about inspiration forever. Everything I experience, the people I love, the moments we share—it all feeds into my work.

Aside from your work, what are some things you would want readers to know about you?

Hmm… maybe that I’m obsessed with weird stories? Not just horror or gore with ghosts and monsters, but genuinely *strange* stories, you know? Because I am really into surreal stuff as well. In the game Control (from Remedy Entertainment), there’s this department that collects urban myths and bizarre tales from all over. I’d love to work somewhere like that someday. Haha.

Also, I really want to travel to places that are supposed to have sacred energy and meet the people who live there. If you know any good spots, please share with me!

What’s a question you haven’t been asked yet but that you wish you were asked (as well as the answer to that question)?

Fun question! I’d love to explain what my name means. DALO(달로) is Korean for “to the moon.” People still tell me I’m like an alien all the time. I’m not trying to be weird or anything, but I guess my thoughts and behavior just seem… foreign sometimes? 

While that aspect keeps me growing as an artist, but sometimes I feel this weird loneliness, like I’m the only alien who couldn’t adapt to Earth. Haha. 

And I always think there must be people somewhere who are just as lonely as I am. So I chose this name hoping my art works would someday reach many people who are lonely because they’re different. So the concept is—I’m an alien from the moon, and I draw to bring people who couldn’t quite adapt on Earth back to the moon, even if just for a moment. 

I hope my drawings can be a safe space for someone. Art with sincerity has that kind of power, doesn’t it?

What advice might you have to give for aspiring creatives out there?

First, I want to give a warm welcome as a fellow traveler on creative path!

I went through a rough phase where I saw other artists as competitors. I thought to prove myself, I had to differentiate myself from other artists, and I was obsessed with the idea that I needed to be competitive. That thinking isn’t necessarily bad, but wanting to compete with *everyone* eats you alive way too fast. You spend less time actually enjoying the creative process.

If there’s something I’ve learned through creating, it’s that no matter how healthy our competitive spirit is, competing itself isn’t the goal of this path. It’s just part of the process.

For me, what makes creating beautiful is that while you’re expressing yourself, somehow—almost magically—it touches other people’s lives too. Like how manga artists gave me courage to create. When I think of creators, I picture candles in a dark room. The messier the times, the more our work becomes meaningful light. Big or small, what matters is that you’re shining where you are. Please don’t waste time comparing yourself to brighter lights nearby. Be grateful for the creators around you, cheer loudly for the work you love, and pour your energy into expressing what *you* care about. I’m cheering for you from right here!

Are there any other projects you are working on and at liberty to speak about?

I’m scheduled to participate in two group exhibitions this year. I’m also working hard on current projects that I can’t share yet. 🙂

Finally, what books/authors would you recommend in general to the readers of Geeks OUT? 

Definitely check out Omniscient Reader’s Viewpoint—I’ve been a huge fan for years! I think it’s coming out in English now too. If you love stories and the act of reading itself, you’ll find the worldview absolutely captivating.

Thank you for having me. Have a wonderful one!