Cartooning Tips: The Practical Studio + "The Life & Times of the Modern Comic Book Artist"

Stirring Creative Juices

This humble implement gets a lot of use around me: whether touted while teaching, by doing demos or even appearing in a piece. The ubiquitous and omnipresent tool, while disposable, is indispensable. And waterproof.

Reposting a few excerpts and linking to this great piece by David Harper, Associate Editor at Multiversity Comics, on the trails and tribulations of being a comics artist:

“In the immortal words of Seth, it’s a good life, if you don’t weaken, and much of making a life in comics stems from making careful decisions that are fulfilling to you both financially and creatively. It’s easy in theory, but not so easy in execution.”

Pretty much all of the points in the article can be just as easily extended to cover any career in the visual arts, as there is some sound insights and practical considerations from the perspective of people who pursue their passion (and get paid). It's a must-read piece for potential practitioners of the craft, and I think also anyone with any experience in the field will agree on the salient observations.

"Above all, I want you to leave you with one idea, and that’s that when you look at a comic, or when you walk by a comic artist at a con, or when you’re writing a review, or you’re commenting on a message board, these are people who deserve great respect for their craft and efforts. These are tremendously gifted people who go through a lot to bring these stories to life, and I for one hope I never stop being astounded by their gifts."