Audio journals on making and teaching comics.
Today I respond to something Chris Oatley talked about in episode 47 of his ArtCast. Can you have too many “irons in the fire”? If so, why do we do this, and how do we prevent it from happening? I explore some of the pros and cons of unbridled creativity and propose some questions we ask ourselves in terms of project management.
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Thunder Punch Daily 45 – Monogamy and Keeping the Faith Read More »
Today I share some thoughts on a topic that eats at me from time to time; namely, when people try to defuse a comics debate with the phrase “It’s just comics”. I think this phrase and the psychology behind it comes from a bit of a self-esteem issue the comics community has in general (in no small part thanks to Fredric Wertham), and if we can overcome this, we’ll all find that we all have plenty to say about our craft and will be able to speak to it more readily.
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Thunder Punch Daily 44 – Never Apologize Read More »
Today I submit an creative exercise that I think makes for better writing. And the best part? It’s probably something you already do. Take a TV show you really love, and talk to someone who loves it as much once a week. During your conversations you should be looking for character inconsistencies between episodes. As you find these inconsistencies, ask yourself if they suggest some deeper aspect to the character that isn’t apparent within the context of the show itself. As usual, I highlight some of my own experiences to back up my points.
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Thunder Punch Daily 42 – Nerdy Fascinations Read More »
Today I share some thoughts and experiences from my professional illustration career to dig at the notion of working in a “style”. Do we have our own styles? If so, are they what we do “wrong”, or are they what we fall back on?
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Thunder Punch Daily 41 – 1,000 ft to Better Illustration Read More »
Today I share some thoughts on the value of a good hook for your story or project, tying that in to how we can think of the “character” of your story or project as a means to keep yourself on track with the spadework of seeing the project through.
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Thunder Punch Daily 40 – Hook and Character Read More »
Inspired by a recent Art & Story Extreme!! conversation I had with Sara Turner, I share some thoughts on wiping the slate clean by having a mid-year set of resolutions, and a reminder to myself (as well as you) about some of the things we should consider when taking on new creative projects.
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Thunder Punch Daily 39 – Clean Slate and New Projects Read More »
Today I leap on some thoughts that occur to me as I head in to Kids Read Comics 2010 and the ongoing convention season. A convention is a great place to meet cartoonists you respect and admire as well as a place to do some healthy self-promotion. I highlight a few unhealthy ways people approach these subjects and share a few reasons why I feel that way.
I did a rantier version on the former topic in an old Art & Story Extreme!!
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Thunder Punch Daily 38 – Celebrity and Self-Promotion Read More »
Today I answer a question from Rene van Belzen about how to keep the fires burning when working on a long-form comic. I share some of my personal experiences in letting old projects go until I found the story that made me say “…and it’s gonna be awesome!” Afterwards I share a few thoughts on the importance of taking on tons of small projects until you find that awesome story.
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Thunder Punch Daily 37 – Keeping The Fire Burning Read More »
Today I respond to a post in the forum by Jon David Guerra, which was essentially a question about how concerned we cartoonists should be about our style changing over time in a comics project. If you use the word “evolving” instead of “changing”, how does that alter our perception of the question? I share a few thoughts with my own experiences on the subject.
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Thunder Punch Daily 36 – Style Evolution Read More »
Today I share some thoughts about how we’re hired for our imaginations as much as our skills with the pen in contractual employment. Illustration skill is important, but you need a highly developed imagination in order to beat those nearly impossible jobs and scripts. As usual, I share a few anecdotes to demonstrate how I learned this and to back up my point.
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Thunder Punch Daily 35 – Freelance Imagination Read More »