fort foot

another preview panel from The Grimes Sisters Murders, debuting...

Wed, 22 May 2013 14:30:09 -0400

another preview panel from The Grimes Sisters Murders, debuting at CAKE.

panel in progress, from the story “like pulling...

Wed, 15 May 2013 16:24:50 -0400

panel in progress, from the story “like pulling teeth,” which will be printed in the forthcoming collection rememberies. debuting at CAKE!

What kind of drawing pens do you use? Also, how do you format the panels on the paper? do you use a ruler or? Thank you!

Mon, 13 May 2013 10:48:18 -0400

Hey, thank you for your questions! I’m going to delve into this a little bit, because I like it when other artists go into how they work and what tools they use.

If I could, I’d carry hundreds of nib pens and brush pens and pencils and whatever else with me at all times, just to have a range of choices. But since that is highly impractical most of the time, this is what I carry with me when I’m out of the house, the bare bones of what I need to work:

Almost all of my line work is done with the black Faber-Castell Pitt Artist Pen, in Superfine. Sometimes I’ll use the Fine nib for thicker panel outlines, but not very often because I keep several Superfine nibs around at different stages of degradation for different line qualities. For any cross-hatching, patterning on clothing or backgrounds, faces, hair, and really anything else, I use a size 02 Micron. I used to use Microns exclusively when I first started making comics, but I wasn’t having luck with longevity of use with larger nibs. I learned from answers much like this one that other artists I enjoyed used the Pitt Pens, so I gave them a go and they’re perfect for how I like to work.

For panel formatting, it depends. If I’m outlining an entire page, I use a ruler and a lot of simple math to make sure things look even and succinct on the page. If I’m just making a small 2-4 panel comic in a sketchbook or something, I’ve taken to traveling with these:

Just little scraps of bristol board, cut to specific dimensions that I use frequently, and labeled so I know what I’m working with. I initially made several of these for Hourly Comic Day 2012 when I knew I’d be at work all day, but still wanted a uniform look for my panels, and now I just keep them along with all of my other drawing stuff for quick guides.

Whew, there ya go! Sorry this got a little long-winded!

Finding the blank cards and envelopes at Dick Blick has really...

Thu, 09 May 2013 15:02:59 -0400

Finding the blank cards and envelopes at Dick Blick has really changed my gift-giving game.

strangerdistro: Stranger Danger is back open & lookin’...

Tue, 07 May 2013 14:43:42 -0400

strangerdistro:

Stranger Danger is back open & lookin’ good! A HUGE THANK YOU to Caro Griffin for the website redesign and also to Jaclyn Miller for the sweet new banner that you see up top! Best dudes! Best zines! Best life!

Aw yeah, a thing I made! But who even cares about that when you can head over to Stranger Danger and buy so many incredible zines by some of the best writers and creators around! Get to it!

Found at my parents’ house this week. Probably the first comic I...

Mon, 06 May 2013 14:31:07 -0400

Found at my parents’ house this week. Probably the first comic I ever made, ca. 1994? 1995? I sincerely hope my cartooning has improved since then, hah.

But then again, I don’t know that it gets much better than this; afterall, the title clearly states that this is a Cool Comic, so… you be the judge.

Beginning

Wed, 01 May 2013 17:30:40 -0400

Beginning

little panel from The Grimes Sisters Murders, one of the minis...

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:30:22 -0400

little panel from The Grimes Sisters Murders, one of the minis i’ll be debuting at CAKE!

it’s been really quiet around here while i’m in...

Fri, 26 Apr 2013 12:34:04 -0400

it’s been really quiet around here while i’m in go-mode preparing for CAKE. i’m about to start inking rememberies, at which point i can post some process images (right now it’s just faint blue lines on paper—not a lot to look at).

but until then, i’ve worked up a few little things to share! first is this commission for my cousin’s family, of their two boys. i really like doing these small portraits, they’re always a lot of fun, and make for some good water color practice.

i’ll try not to stay away so long anymore. and hello and thank you to the recent new followers!

Testing out the blocks for the Grimes Sisters covers//still a...

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 15:39:10 -0400

Testing out the blocks for the Grimes Sisters covers//still a work in progress.

i made this portrait of my sister’s parrotlet, bishop, for...

Fri, 29 Mar 2013 15:14:00 -0400

i made this portrait of my sister’s parrotlet, bishop, for her birthday (which was yesterday). happy birthday, hilary! i love you, and your bird with the rude ‘tude.

make-up has always intrigued me as well as escaped me entirely....

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:25:20 -0400

make-up has always intrigued me as well as escaped me entirely. i feel like i could write an entire dissertation on my feelings about make-up and how it relates to identity and masking and confidence and everything else. basically i admire it on everyone who chooses to wear it, but when i try to be part of that, i feel like a clown grandma.

i’m about six pages into my pencils for rememberies. gotta...

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:42:14 -0400

i’m about six pages into my pencils for rememberies. gotta kick it into high gear if i want it ready for CAKE. this is a panel from a story about pulling out my teeth when i was a kid.

posts will probably continue to be slow, but i’ll keep sharing samples from the new mini until its release in june!

chicagozinefest: Glitter Guts posted the pictures from Chicago...

Mon, 11 Mar 2013 19:57:00 -0400

chicagozinefest:

Glitter Guts posted the pictures from Chicago Zine Fest’s Zine Exhibition. You can check them out here.

i love my czf 2013 organizer family. and family is a really great word for it- sometimes it’s awesome and sometimes it can be difficult, but you stick it out and make good things happen.

thanks to everyone who attended, tabled, volunteered, or otherwise participated. i’m so happy to have organized such a successful and fulfilling fest, and to have gotten to know these great people.

chicagozinefest: It’s here! It’s here! Today’s events! All...

Fri, 08 Mar 2013 10:04:41 -0500

chicagozinefest:

It’s here! It’s here!

Today’s events! All free and open to the public!

Friday, March 8, 2013:

1:00 pm – 3:00 pm: Writing about Health, Disability, and Accessibility in Zines: A Panel with Kerri Radley, Maranda Elizabeth, and Dave Roche at the Conaway Center, Columbia College 1104 S Wabash

6:00 pm – 7:00 pm: Youth Reading at 826 CHI 1331 N Milwaukee

7:00 pm – 9:00 pm: Exhibitor Reading at 826 CHI 1331 N Milwaukee

9:30 pm – 12:00 am: Zine, Lose, or Draw!: A game show hosted by Neil Brideau at Quimby’s Bookstore 1854 W North

ahhh! here we go, it’s gonna be great!

come hear me read about the mystery surrounding the...

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 15:00:29 -0500

come hear me read about the mystery surrounding the disappearance and murders of the grimes sisters tonight at hungry brain (2319 w belmont), 9pm! facebook event here. it might be weird, who even knows.

chicagozinefest: Two Cookie Minimum Chicago Zine Fest...

Wed, 27 Feb 2013 14:13:15 -0500

chicagozinefest:

Two Cookie Minimum Chicago Zine Fest fundraiser.

featuring Grant Reynolds reading Unholy Oath, Krystal DiFronzo readingBlack Sheep Coat, Jonas Cannon with issue #4 of Cheer the Eff Up, Georgi Johnston off her year long road trip reading from Georgi and the Haunted Minivan, poet Collin Brennan with issue #2 of Continental Interlude, and CZF organizer Jaclyn Miller with new comic work.

As always Two Cookie will have free cookies for all at the Hungry Brain 2319 W. Belmont at 9pm. Donations will be accepted going to CZF. Hosting is the insufferable Johnny Misfit.

Facebook event here.

I will be doing my first ever comic reading next week! I’m nervous and excited and maybe you’d like to come see me and some other great readers at Hungry Brain on March 5? I’ll be taking a step away from the usual autobio stuff to read a comic retelling of the unsolved Grimes sisters murders- pretty chilling stuff! Hope to see you there!

thoughts and feelings a la gramstagram.

Wed, 20 Feb 2013 15:02:30 -0500

thoughts and feelings a la gramstagram.

strangerdistro: chicagozinefest: WANT TO VOLUNTEER AT THE...

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 11:57:46 -0500

strangerdistro:

chicagozinefest:

WANT TO VOLUNTEER AT THE CHICAGO ZINE FEST?

We’re still filling volunteer roles for CZF! Have a few hours to spare during the zine fest on March 9th? We’d love you forever & ever! It’s SUPER easy & most shifts are just two hours. Email us at chicagozinefest AT gmail.com to get a list of the roles & shifts!

Oh, and if free stuff sways you, all volunteers get a free CZF tote bag! Designed by Laura Berger! Loved by all!

Help a zine fest (& a volunteer coordinator) out! I’m not kidding about the eternal love.

If you’re feeling helpful, send those vibes our way!

jmrickert: first run: 20 of each… almost all folded and...

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 19:24:30 -0500

jmrickert:

first run: 20 of each… almost all folded and stapled!

you can buy them here in a day or two: jmrick.bigcartel.com

thank you jaclyn miller for the skullcats fan art cover! buy her comics here: fortfootcomix.bigcartel.com

jen rickert used the fan art i made for her comic SKULLCATS as the cover for her print copies! click the link above to buy jen’s comics, i really love everything she makes!