Art of Comics
March already?
Still no sequential art I can show, but I’ve been doing a few covers for small presses as freelance.
I’m deep into the first bit of SOME DID REST at the moment, inking the second half of the chapter and prepping files. It seems like script revisions never end, and I’m just lucky that the ones I’m thinking about right now won’t result in what I’ve drawn so far going into the trash. My days are spent hunched over my lightbox, drawing rubble…
Things are coming together for IN MAPS & LEGENDS, though I still don’t have anything I’m allowed to share. Soon, though! I’ve even tricked collaborator Mike Jasper into doing a few pages of thumbnails. Poor guy doesn’t realize he’s been swindled into doing the least enjoyable part of comics for me~ ;) We’re both eager to move forward with the story.
Fellow Cleveland Institute of Art grad and comics guy Kevin Czapiewski is teaching a continuing education class called The Art of Comics right now at CIA, and he recently asked me if I was interested in stopping by and getting involved. He’s got a great curriculum planned, and those who sign up go through the process of building a comic from a script and series of thumbnails all the way to a finished story.
I’m hoping to help out with next week’s session, where Kevin’s talking about how time can be portrayed in sequential art. He plans on teaching the class again during the summer, so I’ll be sure to post more info when I have it so anyone local can take a look. Who says Cleveland doesn’t have a comics scene?
And while you’re at it, take a look at Kevin’s long-scrolling webcomic, SPOILERS! We’re both what you get when you combine fine arts majors with a love of comics.
I also recently did an extensive update to the list of literary agents who represent graphic novels, going through it to fix links and remove names of those who are no longer in the business– as well as adding a few agents. So take a look if you’ve got a graphic novel ready to query. (But please– I’m not an agent! Queries that come to me don’t get you anywhere!)
Splitting My Focus
It’s been a crazy winter. I spent a wonderful three weeks in Germany, visiting friends and family, and, most importantly, getting married. :) It was the perfect way to cool down from the crazy ride that was the Zuda competition.
Speaking of which, things have started moving with IN MAPS & LEGENDS! Writer Michael Jasper is hard at work on the script for season 1, and we’re waiting to hear back from our editor about the path we want to take MAPS down. I’ve started doing sketches of the new characters that will be introduced in the upcoming pages, one of whom you can see to the right. He may be old and crotchety, but he’s good at what he does… We hope to launch the first season within a few months.
I’ve also been hard at work on SOME DID REST. I just finished some major script revisions, and I hope to start on the sample chapter’s art for the pitch soon. I really want this book to go places. For now, I’m keeping it tightly under wraps.
Zuda Winners!
IN MAPS & LEGENDS is the November 2009 Zuda.com Winner!
Thank you to everyone for your support– for signing up and voting, faving, rating and spreading the word! And most of all for reading it and enjoying it. We couldn’t have done it without you. :)
So what does this mean? Well, writer Michael Jasper and I have won a contract to start serializing MAPS on the Zuda website! We’ll probably spend a bit of time telling the editors where we plan on taking it, and in a few months new pages should start rolling out. IN MAPS & LEGENDS will still be free to read and enjoy online (and if it’s successful enough with Zuda readers, maybe someday we’ll have a print copy available for you too. ;))
Final Week of Zuda!
It’s the last week of the November Zuda competition, so if you’re interested in voting for IN MAPS & LEGENDS, now is the time to take a look!
Remember, vote, rate, fave and let us know what you think. :) I threw together a new sketch of Kait this morning as some extra encouragement.
November’s been a crazy month, with a lot of support pouring in from all over. Mike and I have done a couple in-depth interviews about the Zuda process and IN MAPS & LEGENDS.
Robot 6: Zudist Colony- Talking with November’s Zuda Contestants
Hypergeek: An Interview with Michael Jasper & Niki Smith
And a new review:
MPD57: In Maps & Legends
I’ve been keeping busy with projects outside of Zuda too. The script for SOME DID REST is in the early stages of revisions, and I recently went to the launch party for Faber Castell’s new line of coloring books, which I was invited to be a part of this spring. My book is out on Amazon now, so pick up a copy for any horse-loving kids you may know.
I’ve also updated the list of literary agents who represent graphic novels, so if you’re trying to get your comic published, be sure to take a look. There are a handful of new agencies, and almost all of them are open to queries.
Remember, vote, rate and fave! If the Zuda site confuses you, it’s all cleared up here.
Zuda Update: Week 2
The ZUDA.com competition is still running, and if you haven’t had the time to take a look, please do! IN MAPS & LEGENDS is only a short 8 pages, with the potential for a sprawling ride ahead– but only if we win! You’ve got until the end of November to make your vote count.
Maps play a big part in this story, with the most prominent one carved into the walls of Kait’s apartment… so I put together a quick promotional pin-up of our lead girl, tools in hand.
Here are some of the great reviews of IN MAPS & LEGENDS so far:
Hypergeek Endorses In Maps & Legends
Art Sequential
The Left Films Blog
Week two of the competition is underway, and so far IN MAPS & LEGENDS has survived two rankings updates. There’s still close to three weeks left to vote, however, so we could easily be shaken off our rather precarious perch. If you haven’t already, click your way over to the comic’s Zuda page and sign up & vote!
If you’re confused, I put together a visual guide to the Zuda site. Think of it as a map. ;)
Don’t forget: Vote, Rate, Fave and Comment! We’d love to hear what you think.
RSS FEED