The art of nurture

Harvey came to Cebu in the mid-90s to study information technology but had to stop midway to help his family. “I needed to work to send my younger siblings to school,” he said. “I started working as a furniture designer, then at night I did web design and tattooing. I jumped into anything art-related so I can develop, and to keep my enthusiasm going.”

Insisting that creativity is a skill rather than talent, Harvey pointed out that art is something that has to be nurtured. “Everyone is born with talent but it’s only through practice that it becomes a skill,” he said.

In 2000, Harvey was presented with the opportunity to work with Cebuano artists who started Sukol Mo! and Popcorn Comics, the first step to his dream.

He eventually moved to Manila and worked with Funny Komiks, where he met and was exposed to the works of prominent Filipino comic book artists like Leinil Yu. “They taught me to understand the flow of basic anatomy and how a comic book has a flow, a story to tell,” he said.

Harvey had his first break in the international scene when he was asked to work on Robert Jordan’s New Spring. It was followed by Star Wars, Iron Man, X-Men and many more. His current projects are Green Arrow, Danger Girl and covers for Zenescope.

What kept him going, Harvey said, are those who believed in him. He eventually proved to his dad that he was able to make something of himself as an artist, likewise gaining his dad’s and mom’s support.