BEHIND THE ART
THE STORY BEHIND THE TRAIN STATION
January 17, 2026
The Inspiration
This comic was born from my own experience commuting between Cremona and Milan when I was working in Milano. Every morning started the same way - waking up exhausted before dawn, preparing myself mechanically, taking the same train, surrounded by the same tired faces.
I remember standing on the platform at Milano Centrale during those cold late autumn mornings, watching the transition into winter. The station was always full of people like me - commuters caught in the cycle of wake up, work, go home, repeat. We were all running on survival mode, not strength.
What struck me most was how invisible this exhaustion was. People would see me show up, see me functioning, and assume I was "strong." But no one asked if I was okay. No one saw the cracks beneath the surface - the coffee that replaced real rest, the smile that didn't reach my eyes, the bone-deep tiredness that never quite went away.
This comic is for everyone who has ever been told "you're so strong" when what they really needed was someone to ask "are you okay?"
The Creative Process
I chose Milano Centrale specifically because it represents a liminal space - a place between home and work, rest and duty, who we are and who we have to be. The late autumn/early winter setting mirrors the emotional tone: cold, gray, the dying of something that once had warmth.
Why This Story Matters
This is one of three comics in my Autumn collection focused on "unseen and invisible jobs, lives, and struggles." As someone who has lived this experience - working jobs that others dismissed, carrying burdens that others couldn't see, the labor which is invisible and unpaid - I wanted to create art that validates these experiences.
If you've ever felt this way, I want you to know: I see you. Your exhaustion is real. Your struggle is valid. And you don't have to call it strength if it feels like survival.
Comic Details:
Release Date: December 3, 2025
Theme: Burnout, Invisible Strength, Silent Resilience
Setting: Late Autumn/Early Winter, Milano Centrale Station
Panels: 6
Technique: Leonardo Ai and edited in Canva
đTHE STORY BEHIND THE NAPPY AND RURU'S CHRISTMAS SURPRISE
December 17, 2025
A Special Holiday ComicHello everyone! Iâm excited to share a special comic I created for the holiday season! đđ The Story Behind This Comic
This December comic features two adorable anime cats exploring beautiful destinations and seasonal landscapes around the world. It was originally inspired by real cats, but now theyâre just part of this special holiday storyâno mascot role, no series pressureâjust cute cats enjoying adventures! đâ¨đ¨ Why This Comic is Special
This comic marks their first appearance! From cozy winter nights to festive New Year celebrations, these cats bring warmth and charm to the story:đ¸ Strolling under cherry blossoms in spring
âď¸ Relaxing on sunny summer beaches
đ Playing in autumn leaves
âď¸ Discovering winter wonderlandsItâs a little celebration of the seasons, travel, and joy through anime art!đž About the CatsCurious and playful
Gentle and cozy
Together, they add charm and personality to each scene, making every panel feel alive and magical đ⨠The Creative Process
Creating this comic was a mix of fun and nostalgia. Even though Iâm far from my family, drawing these cats brought a comforting connection to home đ. I combined hand-drawn pencil elements with Leonardo AI and edited everything in Canva to bring the story to life.đ Comic DetailsReleased: December 17, 2025
Season: Autumn-Winter
Panels: 6
Technique: Leonardo AI + hand-drawn elements, edited in CanvaThis comic is a special holiday edition, so enjoy the cats exploring the world in this cozy seasonal story!
THE STORY BEHIND "THE HIJAB" - THE INVISIBLE CROWN
December 10, 2025
The Inspiration:
This comic was inspired by my dear friend Amina, a Moroccan woman and stay-at-home mother I met through our sons' friendship. They were classmates from nursery through elementary school, and through our children, Amina and I built a beautiful friendship that crossed cultures and connected our hearts.
What drew me to Amina was how she carried herself with such grace and style. I've always admired the way many Muslim women dress - the beautiful modest fashion, the way they pair hijabs with modern styles. Through Amina, I met other Muslim mothers who became my friends, and I was moved by watching how they devoted themselves completely to their families.
They would say, "I just stay at home," as if it were nothing. But I saw everything - the endless cooking, cleaning, childcare, the management of every detail of family life. I saw the exhaustion hidden behind smiles, the unpaid overtime in every folded sock and rescued burnt toast.
I saw myself in them. And I wanted the world to see what I see.
Why This Story Matters:
Being a stay-at-home mother is one of the most misunderstood roles in the world. Society asks, "What do you do?" and when you answer "I'm a stay-at-home mom," you can feel the judgment: "Oh, so you don't work."But the truth is: we work constantly. We wake before the sun. We answer little hands and voices before our first sip of tea. We see every mess, every problem, every need - all day, every day. There are no breaks, no weekends, no off-hours. The house is our office, and we're never allowed to leave.
When I worked outside the home, I had mental breaks. I could relax after work, meet friends, have separation between "work" and "home." But as a stay-at-home mother? You're always on duty. The work is invisible, unpaid, and never-ending.
This comic isn't about saying stay-at-home mothers have it harder than working mothers - all mothers sacrifice. But it is about demanding respect and recognition for work that society treats as "doing nothing."
Personal Connection:
I can deeply relate to Amina's story because I've lived it. I've worked white-collar jobs, blue-collar jobs, and now I'm a stay-at-home mother. From my experience, being home all day is more exhausting than working outside because the work never stops and you can never escape.
I was raised to be independent. I graduated with a computer engineering degree at 20 and started working immediately. I never asked my parents for anything - I had my own money, my own freedom, my own identity. Now, without my own income, I feel the loss of that independence every day. It's one of the hardest adjustments I've made.
What hurts most is being compared to others in completely different situations. Some working mothers have full-time help - grandmothers who raise their children, houses that stay clean because no one is home all day. They can take breaks, go on vacation, have time with friends. I'm happy for them! But our situations are different. We can't be compared.
I manage everything: household responsibilities, cooking, cleaning, childcare. My house is never empty - it's always needing attention. And still, some people say I'm "not doing enough" or ask why I don't work full-time.
This comic is my answer to all of that.
The Creative Process:
I chose autumn as the season for this comic intentionally. Autumn represents maturity, richness, and the quiet beauty of things often overlooked - just like the work of stay-at-home mothers.
The setting is inspired by Moroccan and Middle Eastern homes - warm, cozy spaces filled with the love and labor that make a house a home. I wanted to capture the reality: the laundry basket that's never empty, the pot simmering on the stove, the buzzing phone with messages she'll answer "later," the rare five-minute break with mint tea by the window.
For the art, I used Leonardo AI to generate the scenes, but I also incorporated hand-drawn pencil elements to add personal touches and warmth. I assembled and edited everything in Photopea and Canva, carefully crafting each panel to balance realism with emotion.
The final panel shows the quiet strength I see in every stay-at-home mother - her essence, captured in a moment of peace.
The Message:
The hijab in this comic is more than fabric - it's a crown. It represents dignity, faith, devotion, and strength. Amina and mothers like her wear this invisible crown every day as they pour love into every corner of their world.
This comic is for every stay-at-home mother who's been told she "doesn't work." For every woman who misses replies and forgets birthdays because she never misses a beat in the rhythm of her home. For every mother who dreams of just five minutes of peace.
You are seen. Your work matters. You are stronger than you know.
To Amina:
Shukran, my dear friend, for inspiring this story. You showed me that strength doesn't always roar - sometimes it's the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, "I'll try again tomorrow." You are beautiful, inside and out.
Comic Details:
Released: November 23, 2025
Season: Autumn
Location: Inspired by Moroccan home life
Panels: 6
Technique: Leonardo AI + hand-drawn pencil elements, edited in Photopea and Canva
The Story Behind "Being Seen" - A poem about validation, self-worth, and showing up anyway
December 4, 2025
For years, I created in the shadows. I drew, I painted, I designedâpouring my heart into every piece. But somewhere along the way, I started waiting. Waiting for someone to notice. Waiting for approval. Waiting for validation that what I was doing mattered.
When that validation didn't comeâor worse, when people dismissed my work, questioned my choices, or stayed silentâI began to doubt myself. Maybe I'm not good enough. Maybe this isn't real art. Maybe I should stop.
But here's what I learned: being seen isn't about other people at all.
It's not about:How many likes you get
Whether someone calls you "a real artist"
If people with degrees approve of your methods
Whether your family understands what you're doingBeing seen is about seeing yourselfâwithout shrinking, without apologizing, without waiting for permission.The Poem
This poem came from that realization. After years of feeling invisible, of having my feelings invalidated, of being told my work "doesn't count"âI finally understood:
I don't need anyone's applause to be valid.
I show up. I create. Whether it's messy or polished, whether anyone notices or notâI am here, and that matters."Being Seen"
by Chibifaceneko
Here's the secret:
being seen
is not based on others' opinions,
their thoughts,
their silence,
or their approval.
It's about choosing
to show up anywayâ
loud or quiet,
messy or healed,
you are valid
even when no one claps.
Being seen
starts with seeing yourself
without shrinking.To Everyone Creating in the Shadows
If you're creating something you loveâwhether it's art, writing, music, code, a small business, anythingâand you feel invisible, remember this:
Your worth isn't determined by who sees you.
You don't need:A degree to be an artist
Thousands of followers to matter
Someone's approval to keep goingYou just need to keep showing up.
Loud or quiet.
Messy or healed.
With an audience of millions or an audience of one (yourself).
You are valid.How I Create (Tools & Process)
Since this is a "Behind the Art" post, here's how I bring my ideas to life:My creative process:
1. Inspiration strikes (a feeling, a memory, a struggle I'm processing)
2.Write it down (poems, comic scripts, visual ideasâwhatever form it takes)
3.Bring it to life using AI tools, hand-drawing, or both
4.Edit and refine (Photopea, Canvaâmaking it exactly how I envisioned)
5.Share it (even when I'm scared, even when no one's watching)Tools I use:AI image generation (Leonardo AI, Gemini, NightCafe)
Digital editing (Photopea, Canva)
Traditional sketching (pencil, paperâwhere it all began)
My own two hands and a lot of heartThe lesson behind this poem:
After years of creating for others' validation, I finally learned to create for myself. Not because it's easyâbut because I love it.And that's enough.
That's the secret.
Being seen starts with seeing yourself.â Chibifaceneko
Anime artist, poet, storyteller
Creating seasonal art & comics inspired by life, struggle, and survival
The Story Behind "The Park" - Messages We Never Send
November 24, 2025
The Inspiration:
This comic was inspired by countless stories I encountered on TikTok - people who've been ghosted, who feel anxiety about sending messages, who overthink every text. I've experienced this myself: the paralysis of wanting to reach out but feeling frozen by fear or doubt.
One evening, scrolling through TikTok, I saw so many people sharing the same pain - "I wrote the message but couldn't send it." "They never replied." "I don't know if I should reach out." These stories stayed with me. I realized how universal this feeling is - we're all carrying unsent messages in our hearts.
Why This Story Matters:
We live in a world of constant connection, yet so many of us feel profoundly alone because we're too afraid to press "send." Sometimes the most important messages remain unsaid, not because we don't care, but because we care too much. We fear rejection, misunderstanding, or making things worse.
But this comic explores another truth:sometimes, closure doesn't come from sending the message. Sometimes, peace comes from within - from accepting that some words will remain unspoken, and that's okay too.
The Creative Process:
The autumn setting in Central Park was intentional. Autumn represents transition, letting go, and quiet reflection. I created the scenes using Leonardo AI for image generation, then assembled and edited the comic panels in Canva to match the melancholic mood of unspoken words.
The character sits alone on a bench, surrounded by falling leaves - a visual metaphor for words that drift away unsaid. I chose warm autumn colors (golden yellows, deep oranges, soft browns) to contrast with the cold feeling of emotional distance. The park is beautiful, yet lonely.
Central Park felt like the perfect setting because it's a place where millions of people pass through, yet each person carries their own private world of thoughts and unsent messages.
I wrote this story from my heart, inspired by real experiences - both my own and the countless stories I read on TikTok from people struggling with the same fears about communication.
The Message:
Not every story needs a happy ending. Not every message needs to be sent. Sometimes, the bravest thing we can do is find peace within ourselves, even without resolution. This comic is for everyone who's ever stared at their phone, finger hovering over "send," and chosen silence - and for those still wondering if they made the right choice.
Personal Reflection:
Creating this comic helped me process my own anxiety about communication. There have been times when I desperately wanted to reach out to someone but couldn't find the courage. I've been on both sides - the one waiting for a message that never came, and the one holding back words I was too afraid to share.
This story reminded me that staying quiet is also a choice - not always the right one, but a valid human response to fear of rejection or misunderstanding. And sometimes, that choice protects us while we heal.
Comic Details:
Released: October 15, 2025
Season: Autumn
Location: Central Park, New York City
Panels: 5
Š 2026 CHIBIFACENEKO. All rights reserved.