Getting Started

Yes, I've been reading American Elf by James Kochalka.  I am experimenting in ways to get my ideas down faster.  Cardstock instead of bristol. Markers instead of dip pens (sometimes).  I have too many ideas that I think would make good comics that never get to paper.  I'm going to try going daily for a while.  We'll see how long I can keep it up. 

The Whole Spectrum

Question and Answer

I have been reading Kochalka's American Elf. For ten years, he has created a "diary strip" every single day. I'm going to give this at try. The rule for myself is to do on, but to give myself permission to be less than perfect.

 

 

Cezanne: Expressions

This comic strip illustrates an anecdote I read in "Renoir, My Father" by Jean Renoir.

Cartoon Expressions

We did a lesson with cartooning facial expressions. Everybody made up a character and then drew the same character with different expressions. This is my teacher's example.

Van Gogh & Gauguin comic -- In color!

Once in a while, someone will look through one of my comics (that take about a year to make) and say, "It's too bad it's not in color."  To which I reply, "YOU are a COLOR SNOB!"

Actually, I have nothing against color.  But there are certain comics that I like that I think look great in black and white, and I don't think everything has to be in color.  These comics have an aesthetic of their own.

I wouldn't be against coloring my comics, but it would definitely slow down my output to color each comic, and make each comic cost about four times as much.  However, I do like to experiment with it from time to time in my comics.  I colored this comic with Crayola markers and Prismacolor pencils.  I enjoyed experimenting with Van Gogh style lines and colors to suggest emotional states.

Matisse & The Three Bathers

 This comic strip is a true story about how Matisse bought a Cezanne painting early in his career.  Much of the text is his own words.  Owning an original work of art by an artist you really admire can provide a lot of inspiration.