Zen and the art of cartooning

In February 2012, just 10 days after his pet project had kicked off, Gavin Aung Than posted comic number 10. The first of the three-part 'Poetic Justice Saga' saw William Ernest Henley's Invictus adapted into a graphic story about school bullying. The narrative in related strips – comics 21 and 45 – revolved around Rudyard Kipling's If and Walt Whitman's O Me! O Life!.

For many, the 'Poetic Justice Saga' was the gateway to Than's Zen Pencils, where poems, speeches, stand-up acts and quotes transform into the Australian cartoonist's interpretations of the originals. At 187 cartoons and counting, Zen Pencils, along with Cyanide & Happiness, xkcd and The Oatmeal is one of the most popular web comics ever – one whose reach goes beyond the web comic fan space.

"Many comics cater to specific niches: gaming, geek culture, fantasy. These have a more general appeal and can be enjoyed by people who don't usually read comics," feels Than, when asked why other great web comics don't have a wider appeal. "Also, they also have self-contained strips which are not part of a long, ongoing narrative – which helps reach a wider audience."

Than started Zen Pencils after eight years as a graphic designer in two Australian newspapers. At the time, he had his own syndicated comics, Dan and Pete and Boys Will Be Boys. The demands of a job he's described as "soul-crushing" meant he'd turn to the more democratic, but crowded world of web comics, equipping stock motivation with sucker punches that moisten the eye.

Nowhere is the impact of Than's work felt as greatly as in the silent panels. Take for instance comic 104, on Malala Yousafzai. Handpicking quotes from her blog, an interview and a documentary on her life, he made a cartoon that was as straightforward as they come, but whose 14 of 19 panels were devoid of typography. The hardest-hitting bit: a panel featuring nothing but the teen's fear-stricken eyes and the reflection of the Taliban gunman's weapon in them. Zen Pencils may have been borne of the power of words but its maker relies, more often than not, on the power of silence – most notably in comic 108, where anti-Nazi crusader Sophie Scholl's (disputed) quote, 'The Fire Within', was adapted into a strip on Occupy Wall Street.

But Than doesn't downplay the importance of typography; quite the opposite. "It's very important in comics because it can dictate the flow and pace of the story," he explains. "It's the first thing the reader's eye is drawn to. I have an appreciation for beautiful typography and try to put some thought and effort in it."

So successful is Zen Pencils that its compendiums, Zen Pencils: Cartoon Quotes from Inspirational Folks and Zen Pencils Volume Two: Dream The Impossible Dream, have flown off shelves worldwide. But like all cartoonists, Than is no stranger to rigour. Ideating on quotes takes weeks and even longer, the artist outlines. "CP Cavafy's Ithaka was particularly difficult to adapt. I had the poem saved for over a year before I figured how to do it." Also challenging were Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot, Bill Hicks' It's Just a Ride and Shakespeare's All the World's a Stage.

Putting his idea to paper is an eight-step process involving drawing thumbnails and roughs, referencing, more pencilling, finalising panels, inking, lettering and colouring. The last – the most tedious step of all – is his least favourite.

"I don't hate colouring, but I don't enjoy it as much as drawing or inking. Digital colouring is monotonous and labour-intensive," says Than. "It's painful, but the rewards are huge as colours bring comics to life."

He also lets one in on his artistic Achilles heels: drawing feet, cars, buildings and animals aren't his strong suits, he admits, and neither are crowds. Than has also drawn flak from some quarters for allegedly taking some quotes out of context and labelling legitimate criticism as trolling in his The Artist-Troll War series. But such episodes have given him a thicker skin, he insists. "An artist can't please everyone. Now I'm confident to just do the comics I want to do, put them out into the world and try not to think too much of what everyone else thinks."

His Burmese roots may not have huge bearing on his approach to art, but Than expresses his inclination to visit Myanmar in the future. As for Zen Pencils being an indefinite project, he's unsure: "I'd like to write my own stories, using my words and dialogue – but no plans for that anytime soon. I absolutely love working on Zen Pencils and see myself continuing it for the foreseeable future."

Gavin Aung Than has used his childhood and subsequent cartooning influences – Looney Tunes, The Simpsons, MAD, Beano and Dandy, Tintin, Asterix, Peanuts and his all-time pick, Calvin and Hobbes, to shape him into an artist delivering feel-good nuggets far superior than hand-me-down motivational phrases. Ask him about the genesis of the name Zen Pencils and the accompanying logo of a meditating Buddhist monk, and the artist, like his work, doesn't even try being grandiose:

"I had the name 'Cartoon Liberation' in mind and had designed the logo. I decided to show it to my friends, and one of them, who hated the name, suggested 'Zen Pencils' instead. I'm eternally grateful to that friend now."

Gavin Aung Than will be part of 'The Power of Web Comics' panel (12.45pm) and 'Special Session with Zen Pencils' (2.15pm) at the Mumbai Comic Con today.