Hey! A few of you have asked about what Laura’s planning on covering, so here are a few snippets:
Lettering: Laura will take guide you through the basics of developing an alphabet. Then, take you beyond the basics to consider how lettering gives an extra emotional depth to comics and lettering a compositional tool.
Color: Aside from watercolor demos, Laura will talk on color’s role in telling a story. She’ll walk you through, “Things like using color because it can offer a different and (maybe) more immediate connection to your story. And how color can be used for rhythm.”
Memory: Whether you’re an autobio cartoonist or not, you still use memory to create your comics. Laura will talk about her own work and experience creating comics from memory. Different exercises will explore different ways of narrating memories.
1. Cut anything that you’ve already said before once. Readers do not need to be hit over the head with things. I know, I know. There are a lot of writers who do this, and it makes for an easier read because you can skip every second paragraph, since the writer will only tell you again. But my standards of good writing decry this.
2. Make sure everything you say is absolutely clear. Sometimes we get this idea as writers that if we take a long time to say something, use lots of metaphors, and have characters talk about it, it is clear. Not true. Clear is simple. It is also not confused later on by second or third revisions of the text that mix things up. If your characters are confused, make it clear that this is so. Also make it clear when they are no longer confused.
3. He said/she said. “Said” is a great word because it’s invisible. Use it as much as possible in dialog.
4. Tell details that are interesting and unique. One little detail is sometimes all that is necessary. Anything that is not interesting and unique as a detail should be cut out, or changed for one that is unique.
5. Cut out all the boring parts. If you as the writer are tempted to glaze over a section, this is a big warning sign.
6. Write in English. Especially a temptation in genre writing, but it bleeds into other writing, as well. Psychological explanations that go into jargon–don’t do it. Courtroom jargon–cut. You are not writing an article in a magazine for experts. You are writing for the layperson.
7. Watch for dangling participles and noun/verb agreement. There are phrases in English that work colloquially in speech that don’t work in a novel. You sometimes have to write around them. Someone doesn’t want their coat, for example. Yuck.
8. Check for repetitions. Repetitious sentence structure and word choice are examples of this.
9. Read aloud. I do this sometimes at the computer, sometimes on paper. But the point is, sometimes things sound differently read aloud, and it will give you another angle to check your prose.
10. Check and double check spelling. Just because it is a word according to your word processor, that doesn’t mean it’s the right word. It’s/its, theirs/there’s, and so on. The editor in me comes out fiercely when I read manuscripts that make what seem to me to be simple mistakes. You want to look like a professional when presenting a manuscript to an editor or agent.
While I’m telling you every day that I have a new book, my friends in the publishing world are knocking it out of the park, and this fall especially seems like an explosion of activity. The links are to Amazon for quick reference, but keep an eye out for these in stores and anywhere you like to get books. To have a new book in fall 2016 feels like I’m on a championship team. So I want to tell you what is up!
Cat Rackham is the beloved creation of a much loved cartoonist, and I’m over the moon that this book is coming out. Steve is a shining star of talent and his stories are full of feeling and humour and I can’t say enough good things about them. Basically everyone I know is pumped that a Cat Rackham book is finally here. Of course Koyama Press is publishing this book, because they publish the best.
To be a fan of Vera’s work is inevitable, all you have to do is look at something she made and you wish you made it yourself, then you follow everything she makes like a lost puppy. This book is so bright and funny and sassy and perfect, just perfect. And we all need some alone time, I feel that grandma. I still need alone time and I work from my house.
I love this book. A little boy with a big imagination and a story taking on the joy of that imagination along with the sadness of life, while the reader figures out what is really on his mind, where Burt is trying to get to. It is a beautiful book.
This came out in the summer but I didn’t mention it much then, so I am making up for lost time. Ryan’s humour is among my most favourites, witty and clever and irreverent but always welcoming and fun.
Sarah is one of my girls, of ole Pizza Island, famed Brooklyn studio that I miss terribly. I used to watch her work and listen to her talk about it, and her dedication to telling very human stories while always concerning herself about how to tell them right, for what purpose should she tell them, how to do it best, etc - I’ve always been impressed. She frames people’s voices beautifully in a journalistic sense, while using her own to guide you through the narrative with warmth, humour, empathy.
This book needs maybe the least introduction as Jon is the current picture book king even though he would hate that I said that. The “hat” books were always going to be a trilogy, so here is the final instalment at last. I’ve seen the way Jon works on picture books and I have never seen anyone apply so much theory, of image and text and idea, into it, so no wonder his books are such gems. He’s like, “I think this book is about the nature of human relationships” and I’m like “my book is about a farting horse.”
When I met Carson Ellis, I had been such a fan for such a long time that I tried to play it cool but I sincerely doubt it read that way in person, because I was probably sweaty-palming that handshake with a dose of nervous cackling and stammering. She’s the greatest. At Book Expo America where all the fall books were previewed last spring, I sent my friend Seth to go look at this book and he made a dotted line to her table and then a dotted line back to me and said I LOVE THIS BOOK in one fluid motion. You will love it too.
Not a fall release but a continuing one, this is, in my opinion, which is the correct opinion, the greatest comic series out there right now. I am ravenously reading every Octopus Pie update as the web series draws to a close and Meredith delivers her master strokes of storytelling, which floor me consistently. But the books are there to love forever! Another Pizza Islander being the greatest.
What Kate said! These are all books I’m looking forward to as well!
a small story i did last year for Monkey magazine. Monkey is a Japanese magazine, so that is why the action goes right-to-left. Happy Halloween you guys.
Recently I’ve been asked a lot about how to make it as a freelance illustrator / cartoonist, which made me realize that I’ve been doing this “professionally” for 10 years now! Here are some tips that I hope will be helpful for anyone aspiring to take this weird life path…
*If you have doubts about becoming a professional artist… don’t
I’m not saying you give up on all creative activies, on the contrary I think EVERYONE should have some sort of creative outlet. But enjoying a hobby is not the same as doing something for a living. Being a “professional” artist does not guarantee you any sort of social or economic stability. There will be moments (specially at the beginning) when you will have to compromise your passion to pay the bills by drawing things that may be quite boring and uninspiring. If you are not able to do that, then maybe you should find another job to pay the bills and keep your art making on your free time.
*Talent is nothing without hard work
Be consistent! Draw every day, as much as you can! No one is born being good, every illustrator or cartoonist you admire has worked hard to get where they are.
*Having an “art block” is an excuse
Don’t fall into this trap. If you really want to become a pro, you have to be able to make yourself to draw even when you don’t feel like it. If you’re frustrated creatively, go for a walk, clean your working space, draw stuff from life (objects, nature, people), stay productive.
*Allow yourself to doodle mindlessly
Not everything you make has to be an ultimate finished masterpiece. Some of my best ideas come from just making horrible doodles in my sketchbook that no one will ever see.
*Draw for yourself and be your own best critic
Learn to accept criticism and opinions, but remember that in the end you will never be able to please EVERYONE. And that’s ok. Strive to make stuff that YOU like, stuff that YOU want to see in this world. Trends will come and go, stay true to yourself.
*Take inspiration from EVERYWHERE
Don’t just stare at your favourite artists’ tumblr all day. Open your mind to as many sources of inspiration as you can: old artists, new artists, nature, dreams, memories, ancient cultures, modern atrocities, outerspace, literature, movies, etc. The more you take in, the more you will allow your work to grow and the more original it will become
*Experiment with as many mediums as you can
Don’t close yourself to one medium, colour scheme, format, style, etc. Try everything once, enjoy it with no expectations rather than to experiment!
*Strive for consistency rather than having a “style”
Don’t obssess over finding your “style”. Allow it to keep evolving at its own pace, it will keep changing naturally. Focus more on just drawing, and drawing a lot!
*It doesn’t matter if you go to school or not
If academia works for you, and you can afford it, go for it. If not, then as long as you keep working, you have a chance to make it. I only have a high school “degree” but thanks to the internet I’ve been able to learn whatever I want for free, like how to use Photoshop or build websites. Having a degree does not guarantee you will make it as a professional illustrator. Working hard and “networking” are a better bet.
*Expensive tools aren’t mandatory
I draw all my comics with just a mechanical pencil and I have a 10 year old wacom tablet. I only splurge on nice Fabriano paper. This is what I’ve found that works for me. Find whatever works best for YOU, it doesn’t have to be the same as what other people use!
*Share your work anywhere you can
If you can go to fests or shows, that’s great, but if you can’t, use the internet! I grew up in Mexico City where there is no “comics scene” but I was still able to make it because I’ve been consistently posting my work on the internet for years. Commit yourself to posting your work on Tumblr, Twitter or Instagram as often as you can. Try to have a separate account for your professional work that doesn’t feature a million photos of your beautiful cat and the delicious breakfast you made today.
*Make merch
What a better way to share your work than making merch? If you don’t know anywhere to get it made locally, you can easily get anything done through the internet (just google “custom… patches/pins/stickers/etc.”) and sell it through Etsy, Storenvy or Bigcartel. It’s a great way to distribute your work and start make some money off of it. I started selling stickers with my drawings when I was in high school to get money for beers and now I pay my rent (partly) from that!
*Don’t work for free
Unless you really want to, because it’s for a good cause, or it’s your moms’ birthday, or you owe someone a favor. But otherwise, don’t. Always ask for at least half of what you’re charging IN ADVANCE to avoid wasting your time with flakes / ruining friendships.
NEVER STOP DRAWING, NEVER STOP MAKING, DON’T LET ANYTHING DISCOURAGE YOU! STAY TRUE TO YOURSELF!
Hey it’s the end of the day but we’re still celebrating Edmund Unravels’ birthday!
In honour of being one year old today, I’m gonna do a small contest for a signed (and personalized, if you’d like!) copy of the book!
Alls you gotta do: • Like this post • Reblog this post • Include all this boring text in the reblog • Accomplish this before Friday, March 11th 8:00pm EST
That’s it. I’ll pick a winner an hour after the deadline and message them for details. Now go eat some cake and happy Thursday!
