Post-Party Check-in

So THAT worked! We had a great party...

Guests arrived and left in small groups all afternoon and evening so it never got overwhelming for me. I got to talk to almost everyone. It was unseasonably humid, but still a beautiful evening.

 My daughter, Lilah, made carrot cake cupcakes that were SOOO yummy!

Laurie and my new friend Jim organized the food and decorations. 

 

I got lots of lovely birthday gifts!

 

I was able to show off my comics and sketchbooks from Cartoon School.

 As the hour got later and we consumed more cupcakes - we got a little sillier!

Meanwhile, my chalkboard received lots of great new quotes!

And I added the ones sent in by email and in the blog comments.

 There is still some space left, so feel free to give me some more quotes!

And thank you to everyone who helped get me launched on this new adventure, it means so much to me to have your support and encouragement.

And now I... BEGIN AGAIN!

Kickstarter blog... Done!
Masters of Applied Cartooning... Done!
Moved back to New Hampshire... Done!
New Art Studio... Done!

I'm going to show you the behind the scenes of the new studio, in just a second, but just in case you don't read the whole post - I'm inviting you to come see the new (tiny) Studio and help me celebrate my Birthday!

OPEN STUDIO

September 15th from 6-8 

at 40 Thorndike Street in Concord.

This part of the story starts with me looking for a new Studio space.
(I'm going to try and sell the Wingdoodle building). I found this teeny tiny space at the Concord Community Art Center (Concord, NH) which was being used by a potter. Seriously! That's a pottery wheel in there! The potter was moving to the basement, to a much larger space.

The space looked SO much larger when it was emptied out... (tiny bit of sarcasm). But I loved the idea of having a space - away from my house - to just work on comics and books. And I have always wanted to be part of an arts center.

What to do with a 6 foot by 13 foot art closet?!

I started by painting chalkboard paint - as high as I could reach with the roller - all the way around the room.

There was JUST enough space for the ladder, but it was difficult moving it around to draw the murals. And at the end of each day, I couldn't feel my legs and feet - from balancing weirdly on the skinny steps. I really need to invest in a taller ladder with wide steps!

I drew the murals just above the chalkboards. I would have loved to have painted the walls above them with a warm orangey color (to hide all the cracks) but the walls were just too high!

What to do about the big crack in the wall? Hmmmmm.... ha ha!

And the fire alarm! If I can't remove it, or hide it... then it gets some character.

The window got some blue paint and a new curtain and a screen...

Then I started adding color... and details like tangles ON the letters (see the "B").

 Christa from The Place (upstairs studio) cut a vinyl sign for my door!

I covered one of the old bulletin boards with felt and the other with magnetic paint. And brought some furniture.

 Lights! And flowers on the window...

 Notice the empty chalkboard above? I need some good quotes for it! If you come to the Open Studio - bring QUOTES!

I wrote a big quote over my work table.

And I stuck in some needle-felted creatures...

And this is where I have been drawing my comics for the last few weeks! I'll write another post about the comics next week (when I get internet for real, yeah!)

Oh - and Deb from Sew Sisters (studio next to mine) made me a curtain that I can close when I'm trying to concentrate!

Kickin' it on Kickstarter!

So - that went well! 

The first Kickstarter, for the Quo Vadis - Special Edition - comics went far enough past the goal that I was able to print some extra comics! I picked them up from the printers last week and they look great!! It is very exciting to hold one's OWN PRINTED COMICS in one's hot little hands!

Once I have finished the rest of the issues, I'll start mailing them out.

I have two weeks to finish laying out and drawing the last few comics. I'm getting really... REALLY... nervous!! Not about finishing, but the whole "the End is approaching, graduation... what are you going to do with the rest of your Life...?" That sort of stuff. Although, I did have a really AWESOME interview last week... we'll see what happens, right?

Here are the three covers for the second Kickstarter, BEGin AGAIN:

This one has about a DAY left! So if you want this set of comics - go back the Kickstarter ASAP!
There are mini-comics in each Issue AND a pull out print or paper doll. It's going to be SO COOL!!

Back to work!

BEGin AGAIN Kickstarter

OK - let's DO this!!

We got the first part of the Thesis comics funded, now I just launched the Kickstarter for the second part...

It's pretty cool to start right out of the gate as a "Project We Love" - note the heart! I'm also doing this as part of Kickstarter's March Challenge to do one-week projects with just one reward.

What is that reward?
Not ONE, but THREE comics!

I have 150+ pages of comics so far, and more in the works. The "Issues" will be separated into:

Issue #1 - August 2015 - January 2016 • The Comics Bootcamp Issue
Issue #2 - February 2016 - July 2016 • The ISSUES Issue
Issue #3 - August 2016 - February 2017 • The Thesis Issue

If you'd like a printed set of the Three Issues of BEGin AGAIN, they are yours for $35 (plus shipping).

Each magazine will have a bonus Print and a mini-comic bound-in. So - that's actually like getting SIX comics!?! [Whoa, maybe I should Up the price...]

Since this project intends to parody the layout of a Magazine, there will be Ads (pretend and real) and a Contributors page too. My Kickstarter backers will be listed here too. 

For more details check out the BEGin AGAIN project!

Here are the three covers that I am still working on...

Meanwhile... Back at School...

I'm getting scarily close to graduation and Thesis deadline. Eeeeeek!
On the happy side - I finished one of four comics for that Thesis and just launched a Kickstarter to pay for the printing.

This Kickstarter lasts for just seven days, so go take a look right now! (And Thanks!)