A feature on artist and gamer, Gian Cañeba

Before you meet Gian Cañeba—better known online and in the FGC and the art community as KuyangLongHair—you’ll meet his art first. That’s exactly how he wants it. His signature visuals are loud, packed, chaotic, nostalgic, and deeply Filipino. They’re the kind of pieces you can stare at for minutes, even hours, discovering tiny stories hidden in the corners.

This style has a name: Wimmelbild—a “busy picture” art form that features dozens, even hundreds, of characters, objects, and micro-scenes interacting within one massive illustration. To Gian, it’s more than a style. It’s identity, memory, and self-expression drawn all at once.

“In a way, I treat both art and gaming as ways to express myself. There are so many creative and fun paths you can take in any game. I explore many playstyles that sometimes playing a certain way means more to me than winning the game itself.”

The same philosophy applies to his Wimmelbild: he draws worlds the way he remembers them—alive, noisy, imperfect, and overflowing with soul.

THE MOMENT A CHILD SAW A WORLD INSIDE A PAGE

Gian’s love for crowded illustrations began as early as Grade 1 or Grade 2. Back then, he discovered a school magazine from Ateneo de Naga called Ang Maogmang Lugar. The cover was a vibrant, character-filled scene that he got completely lost in.

It wasn’t just an artwork—it was a world.

That single moment changed him. He began creating his own Wimmelbild-style drawings, photocopying them, and selling them to classmates. From anime influences to the artists his siblings’ friends introduced him to, Gian’s earliest years were tied to art, curiosity, and the thrill of finding little stories hidden inside a larger picture.

He’s been selling art ever since.

Becoming “KuyangLongHair”

College gave him two things: creative freedom and long hair. Really long hair. Long enough that everyone on campus started calling him Kuyang Long Hair. He embraced it—as an IGN, as a persona, and eventually as the name that would follow his art everywhere.

A particularly memorable moment? He once won 3rd place in a Ryan Rems look-alike contest, even performing as him on the show. The humor, the vibe, the image—they all blended seamlessly into the artist he is today.

Finding his own style in a sea of styles

While many around him grew up drawing realism or hardcore anime, Gian wanted something different. Something that flowed. Something spontaneous. He gravitated toward artists like Kim Jung Gi and Larry Alcala—creators whose art didn’t just tell stories but contained them.

His process today is inspired by theirs: he doesn’t plan the canvas. He just draws. He lets the lines spill out of him, layer over layer, character over character—tiny details forming a larger narrative.

Wimmelbild became the perfect outlet. A place for his memories, pop culture references, gaming influences, and Filipino humor to all collide in one frame.

The Turning Point: Art or Nothing

Like many creatives, Gian didn’t begin as a full-time artist. He started with a standard 9–5 job—until burnout pushed him to a cliff-edge decision during the 2020 pandemic.

“I went from working a normal 9-5 to being a full time freelance artist. Honestly, it was a dumb and irresponsible decision. I don’t advise anyone to do it the way I did. But in my case, the fear and pressure forced me to grow up fast. It made me commit. It made me take my art seriously.”

He continues,
“Chase your dreams, but also be realistic. Know your limits. Build a plan. Don’t romanticize the struggle the way I did.”

The transition wasn’t smooth. His first challenge was finding his niche on Upwork—until he realized Wimmelbild helped him stand out.

The second challenge was sustaining it. He had to sell what would sell—and love what he created. He even sold his musician gear to fuel his art career. But every sacrifice helped him build a stable lane as an illustrator.

Gaming: Not a Hobby, But a Language

Gaming has always been a part of Gian’s identity—from Pokémon and Super Mario to League Of Legends, shooters, and now, a deep love for the FGC and Tekken. Those games frequently appear in his Wimmelbild pieces, because he naturally illustrates the worlds that shaped him.

One of his breakthrough works is a parody of the Ginebra Gin label—where the iconic angel slaying the devil is replaced with Tekken characters. It blew up on social media, leading him to create merch and expand his audience.

It’s proof that pop culture, humor, and Filipino creativity make up the spine of his art.

Drawing a Filipino Time Machine

Though Gian’s current body of work often leans toward gaming, pop culture, and the chaos of the worlds he loves—Tekken, anime, nostalgia, and everything in between—he carries a bigger dream for the future.

One day, he hopes to create a full Filipino treasure-hunt puzzle book in pure Wimmelbild form. Not just inspired by Filipino life, but built entirely around it—Manila’s streets, its noise, its humor, its people, its heart. A proudly local Wimmelbild that future generations of Filipinos can point to and say, “Ayan, Pilipinas ’yan.”

He imagines pages overflowing with easter eggs, characters, cultural quirks, and hidden narratives—much like the school magazine cover that first sparked his love for crowded illustrations when he was a kid.

This vision isn’t just a project. It’s what he wants his legacy to be:
a strictly Filipino Wimmelbild series that encourages Filipinos to love, celebrate, and rediscover Filipino art.

For now, his art thrives in gaming and pop culture. But someday, he hopes to draw a Filipino time capsule—one intricate, chaotic, heartfelt Wimmelbild at a time.

“WHAT DO YOU DO?”

To those unfamiliar with fighting games or crowded illustrations, Gian explains his craft simply:

“To put it simply, majority kasi ng artwork ko based din sa favorite memories ko or experiences sa buhay. So to put it simply, drinidrawing ko siya based on how I remember it.”

Every Wimmelbild he creates is a memory map—an emotional collage.

Filipino Artists Have Space – And He’s Proof

Gian is honest about how hard it is to be an artist in the Philippines. Lowballing, unrealistic demands, and the misconception that art is just a hobby make it painful for newcomers.

But he also knows there is space—because he found his.

Supportive communities, niche audiences, and people who genuinely love Filipino creativity helped shape his career. And the demand is growing.

People want art that feels like home. Gian draws exactly that.

Worlds Within Worlds

In the end, Gian Cañeba doesn’t just draw pictures—he draws universes. Tiny stories inside bigger stories. Characters living inside memories. Filipino life captured in its beautiful chaos.

His Wimmelbild isn’t just a style. It’s how he tells the world who he is.

And as long as there are memories to capture and corners of Manila left to illustrate, KuyangLongHair will keep drawing worlds within worlds—inviting us to look closer, search deeper, and find ourselves somewhere inside.

Social Media

Twitter: https://x.com/kynglnghr
Instagram: instagram.com/kuyanglonghair/
Facebook: facebook.com/sikuyanglonghair 
Behance: https://www.behance.net/kuyanglonghair
Merchandise: https://shopee.ph/gian.caneba