In this episode, we’re asking “Who do you think you are?" meaning,

Thanks for being here!

--------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time?

With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

In this episode, we’re asking “What’s the worst that could happen?”

We're talking about the fear of failure and utter collapse of our mental understanding of our own self-esteem. We're talking about large and small audiences, and envisioning the "fiery crash" of those potential failures, finding that a lot of times, they don't actually hurt. But some do, and we talk about avoiding those! Finally we talk about how communities (like SAW) provide readers and support, and that's what art is about!

Thanks for being here!

--------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time?

With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

In this episode, Tom and Jess talk about the things we should -and shouldn’t- keep to ourselves. Is it ok to make work in private? Is it ok to say and draw weird things? Is it ok to need to have someone draw it out of us? Is it ok to make something unmarketable?

Tom and Jess make a connection with Henry Darger, but also butts and swear words and socially inappropriate thoughts...

Is it ok to bring “nothing of value to the table” except everything we have inside?

And finally we read Nancy’s story from the chat about a kid who only wanted to fix broken staplers and is now a happy doctor in Cleveland. Go kid!

What do you keep inside?

Thanks for being here!

--------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time?

With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

In this episode, Tom and Jess talk about the things we should -and shouldn’t- keep to ourselves. Is it ok to make work in private? Is it ok to say and draw weird things? Is it ok to need to have someone draw it out of us? Is it ok to make something unmarketable?

Tom and Jess make a connection with Henry Darger, but also butts and swear words and socially inappropriate thoughts...

Is it ok to bring “nothing of value to the table” except everything we have inside?

And finally we read Nancy’s story from the chat about a kid who only wanted to fix broken staplers and is now a happy doctor in Cleveland. Go kid!

What do you keep inside?

Thanks for being here!

--------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time?

With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

In this episode, Tom and Jess take a look back on a book they both worked on, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan, written by Brian Doerries, published by Pantheon in 2016.

Jess offered some glimpses of the script, and her notes, doodles and then thumbnails and draft, and we talked about all sorts of things, including how to level up from 6 pages to 40, how to take direction, about taking reference pics (Jess, share some of those!) and how ultimately to just get the thing done!

Then we looked at what we might talk about next week: What Kind of Creator are YOU?

We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

Thanks for being here!

In this episode, Tom and Jess take some detours, to talk about developing one’s instincts, through deadlines.

We talked about Present Tim and Future Tim (“What has Future Tim ever done for me?!”) we talked about going to the grocery store hungry, and leaving typos in your work! Being lenient with yourself!

Then answered a question about how to not take free work from friends (spoiler alert: ‘No.’ is a complete sentence!)

We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

Next week on The Terrible Anvil, we will revisit a graphic novel we both worked on, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan

Thanks for being here!

--------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Tom and Jess about making accidental or conscious decisions early on that we are forced to live with.

Tom Hart and Jess Ruliffson love to talk about making comic-making EASIER, and in this episode, we’re talking about making terrible commitments.

It’s about time management some times, but other times it might be about character design, and story choices or structure.

Tom shows his examples from his comic in progress where the boys are wear buckets on their heads, the girls hide in hoodies, and the men are all rats. So everyone looks the same! How do you get out of it?

Tom and Jess talk about it.

We talked briefly about Chester Brown’s Underwater. Tired of drawing hair, Brown drew everyone bald, which is fine. He also wanted to draw out the lengthy mental/sensory development of an infant into childhood and adulthood. He later abandoned the project! Terrible Commitment or brave experiment, or both?!

We talk momentarily about NAILED IT! -- there's great, great joy in Nailed It! People are experiencing great joy because the deadlines are so crazy. And the work is so off the mark, that it becomes a new thing, and the learning to figure out what the new thing you are developing, is part of the art of the Terrible Anvil.

Then as we slid into answering questions for people either interested or IN the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive, we answered questions about navigating bad feelings in a project, about heavy choices early on, sometimes about tech questions.

Hi! Welcome back to The Terrible Anvil! Tom Hart and Jess Ruliffson love to talk about making comic-making EASIER, and in this season 2 opener, we’re talking about ART BUDGETING.

It’s about how artists manage time, resources, and visual consistency when working on graphic novels.

Jess’s favorite examples are from Allison Bechdel's Fun Home who love to silhouette characters, and background, and also set up details that are easily repeatable.

Additionally we looked at her dad’s RUG.

Jess also talked about simplifying characters for a longer story, even when she previous pulled out all the stops for realism in a previous version of the same story, seen here:

Then as we slid into answering questions for people either interested or IN the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive, we answered questions about art budgeting for color.

Tom showed some favorite old-time examples of working FAST which made for bold color choices, like the one below.

We answered a few more questions. We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there!

Next week on The Terrible Anvil, Tom will show Jess some accidental commitments he made and Jess will help him deal with the long term consequences!

Thanks for being here!

In this wide-ranging talk, we talk about the Canadian grant system (they have grants there!) and jury assessment tools

We get into teaching visual literacy in comics editing and fair compensation for artists and then a little bit about audiences and impact and a digression into Graphic Medicine.

Free-ranging. Come join in!

Other topics, according to the Zoom Bots:

Canada's Artist Grant Evaluation Criteria

Improving Comics Grant Assessment

Comics Creation Process Understanding

Challenges in Comics Editing

Understanding Health Through Cultural Lenses

Comic Creation and Medical Collaboration

Graphic Medicine and Comics Review

Fair Artist Compensation in Grants

Thanks for being here!

Give it a listen !

This is the end of this season!

This one goes deep!

Give it a listen !

And come back for more.

We’ll be answering a different student each week for a few more weeks! Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

Pam wanted to talk about traumatic sense memory in comics, and we discussed the difference between a feeling and a narrative memory, and we discussed the role of adult and child, and her she serves both roles, as her main job is art teacher in New Jersey high school. And how learning how to handle the teens there has helped her help her childhood self needing expression.

Then we welcomed SAW member Michael Aschner. We talked about finishing our work, about why Michael has loads and loads of unfinished work on his computer, and we talked at length about adult diagnoses of ADHD.

Give it a listen !

And come back for more.

We’ll be answering a different student each week for a few more weeks! Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

Then we welcomed SAW member Janice Goldberg, to talk about imposter syndrome, and about when it’s ok to take a break on a very intense, personal story. This led to a discussion about “telling our story” vs daily therapeutic aspects of drawing and writing, about catharsis, about improv, about personal transformation, and about all the things we go through when tackling intense situations in our art.

Give it a listen !

And come back for more.

We’ll be answering a different student each week for a few more weeks! Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

We really explored the usual path of becoming published. Turns out the MFA Poetry World has more gatekeepers than we do in comics. Robert is hitting that point where he knows when something is finished, now he just needs to make the thing, put it into print, bind, it post it whatever, and build a network. We give him lots of tips!

This episode went deep, as Lauren described “un-fact-checking” with her old friends, and what it’s like to time travel as you make a memoir. We agreed Kayte needed new energy, new ready-for-it, excited-to-be-working energy, and she’s got it.

Give it a listen !

Lauren, calling in from Ireland where she is secretly spying on her old high school friends, gives great advice as always, and Tom tells a story about how he felt after finishing his grief memoir, a story he’s never shared with anyone.

Tom and Lauren talk to Jeannie Mecorney, who is telling a story of a troubled childhood, but she also caused trouble for her children as a result. How do you tell this story?

Lauren as always, gives great advice, about drawing some work with no intention of showing it to anyone, and Tom recommends a couple approaches to bringing the children into the process.

Give it a listen and come back for more.

We’ll be answering a different student each week for 1 or maybe 2 more weeks! Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Thanks for listening!

In episode four of Comics Karma, Tom and Lauren talk about to Dusty McGowan, a genuine therapist! -who is having a crisis of identity.

Dusty is doing a comic about a toy he remembers from his childhood but seems to be a figment of his imagination. Or is it? Is this a story about a toy or about identity or what? We get into it, giving therapy to the therapist!

Lauren as always, is an expert in this stuff and gives her really good advice. Give it a listen and come back for more. We’ll be answering a different student each week for 2 more weeks!

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

Tom and Lauren talk about their own work, and in the case of Lauren - a project that has taken more than 20 years, and then they welcome Lynn Bernstein, who has been doing a fascinating memoir about series of events in her marriage over 30 years ago. Lynn wants to know how to not feel the awful feelings she was feeling then, while revisiting these moments in her memoir. She also doesn’t want to out particular players in the story; she wants to know how to avoid these things.

Luckily, Lauren is an expert in this stuff and gives her really good advice. Tom just stands by waiting to bad mouth an old friend. (Joke! We love you Ed!)

Give it a listen and come back for more. We’ll be answering a different student each week for 3 more weeks!

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

Tom and Lauren talk about their own work, and in the case of Lauren - a project that has taken more than 20 years, and then they welcome Sally Charette, who has been working on a long story about her long-lived parrot, Dodger, but she has other ideas too.

We talk about all of these things. We talked about life, death, politics, loss and rowing and crew! Lauren gave us the metaphor of the Coxswain who is in charge of the rowing crew. We all need a coxswain!

Lauren also guided us through her 5 questions about whether it’s worth it to do a side project.

* Is it interesting work? (Will I learn something new, is it related to what I MOST want to do?)

* How much TIME will it take? Be honest.

* Who will see it?

* How much does it pay?

* How much will it take away from my big project ?

Tom said stuff too!

Give it a listen and come back for more. We’ll be answering a different student each week for 4 more weeks!

Thanks for listening!

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

Tom and Lauren talk about their own work, and in the case of Lauren - a project that has taken more than 20 years, and then they welcome Brandon Hankins, whose webcomic Autumn Wing is delightful, fun and sincere. We love it.

Brandon wants to know how to define success, how to keep going, how to know if it’s right to want validation, and how to finds an editor who won’t chop out the heart of his story. We talk about all of these things. We talked about sentiment, nature and silence in comics too.

Give it a listen and come back for more. We’ll be answering a different student each week for 6 weeks!

Thanks for listening

As always, you can participate live, by joining us in the COMICS FLOW + PUBLISH section of SAW Comics, or just visit us at sawcomics.org

We tried to tie a bow around the business of comics by offering ideas on HOW TO KEEP GOING (FOREVER), AKA making your own sustainable comics practice amidst inner/outer turmoil and also remembering to wash the dishes.

A big takeaway from this episode: CELEBRATE SMALL WINS!

Other thoughts from the call:

* Forming bonds with others and keeping each other going is a great form of sustainable accountability

* DEADLINES also keep us going - we can't forget the TERRIBLE ANVIL!

* You can have accountability buddies in near strangers too, like SAW's organically-formed online meeting spaces

* Body doubling is a great hack!

* Wanting to impress your friends can be a great motivator too (you don’t have to impress the whole world!)

There's more from this final episode, so check it out—and catch up on any others you've missed!

And don't worry, this isn't goodbye. It's see you later! Stay tuned for a sequel season of The Terrible Anvil podcast!

In the meantime, consider joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

As always, happy making!!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

Art (slightly adapted) from Jess Ruliffson!

The words we use and how they are arranged on the page can guide readers' understanding of our comics and influence how they feel about a story and its characters. But how do you pick the right words? How much is too much dialogue? How can you make sure readers understand your text the way you intend?

Tune in for answers to these questions and more from Jess and Tom!

Some quick tips:

* If you've got a lot of dialogue from one speaker, break up the text into multiple balloons to give readers space to digest what they're saying

* Read your dialogue out loud to make sure it sounds natural

* Try not to repeat information that the images are already conveying, unless the text is there to clarify what's happening in the visuals—if your drawing is lousy, a good caption will help the reader 'believe' the story!

There's even more on the call, so give it a listen! And join us on Friday for the FINAL EPISODE!!!!

You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published!

Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

See you for the finale!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

(Watercolor illustration by Jess!)

Here's a quick look at our tips for approaching color (in comics or otherwise) as a newbie:

* Pick just one color at first, especially if working in a new medium/with new tools. If that's not interesting, try two colors, maybe three. By using limited color palettes you will gain confidence and figure out what works with color!

* Are you color confused? Color curious? When in doubt, think about CONTRAST! Jess's hot take: if something is the 'right' value, it doesn't really matter what color it is.

* Err on the side of a lighter color: reading the lines and artwork/what is happening in the panel is more important than the color itself.

* Start with an "anchor" color: if something NEEDS to be a certain color (nursing scrubs in Jess's hospital comics are seal blue, for example) start there. Then each choice after that informs the rest of the palette.

* Steal a palette from a comic you love!

There's more to love and learn in the full episode, so give it a listen!

Aaaand join us next week for our next (penultimate??) episode, where we'll talk all about DIALOGUE! (and scripting and writing comics!)

You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

Until then, happy making!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

(Watercolor illustration by Jess Ruliffson)

What medium feels gratifying, what feels satisfying, what is too labor intensive right now? Maybe you are still learning a new medium, and figuring out how to make short experiments to get fluent and/or fast. Try practicing it every day—returning to the "terrible anvil of daily deadlines" to establish your style!

Hyena Hell once said to avoid using materials that present more of a block to you. Working in the ‘wrong’ medium, i.e. one we are unfamiliar with, can be a kind of defensive armor against finishing the work: "Once I get good at this I will start/finish my comic."

Don’t wait, call today! WHAT DO YOU HAVE IN YOUR HANDS RIGHT NOW? Use that first.

Some tips or things to try when choosing a medium for your comics:

* Do what works for you, not what people say you should use

* Find the tools that feel good in your hand and help you express yourself

* Set parameters for yourself to not get overwhelmed by choice

* Play with 'weirder' mediums like photo comics and collage

* Use whatever materials are available to you (financially, spatially)

* Get the fancy stuff if you want!

* Change mediums between projects

There's lots more on the call, so give it a listen!

And join us for next week's episode as we get deep into COLOR!

You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

See you next time!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

Criticism and rejection are inevitable parts of the creative process—so how can we make them more bearable?

Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart share their advice on when (and who) to ask for feedback and how to go about it, offer tools for managing your inner critic, and discuss how to distinguish between constructive feedback and unhelpful criticism.

This episode of the Terrible Anvil is chock-full of relatable anecdotes and practical tips, so give it a listen!

And join us next episode as Jess and Tom talk comics MEDIUM—Digital, Analog, and Everything In Between!

You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published!

Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

Happy making!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

[Note: We had a couple technical difficulties this episode, and there’s a bit of silence from 52:14 to 52:38!]

Comics can often be a solitary endeavor, but you'll find lots of ways to collaborate with other people—be it editors, writers, artists, colorists, copy editors, designers, publishers or co-creators!

Collaboration in any art form can be a great way to breathe new life into the creative process. They can be scary or uncomfortable if you're used to having total control over your creative projects, or this shared control might feel liberating. Either way, there's lots to gain from working with others on a shared project, from morale boosts and accountability systems, to practical knowledge sharing and the creative alchemy of multiple minds coming together.

But how do collaborations happen? How do you make them successful? How can you maximize fun and minimize pain in the process?

There's lots of advice in this episode, but the core of it is to establish clear communication and boundaries and to have a shared goal with your collaborators.

Tune in for even more wisdom (and shenanigans) from Eisner-nominees Tom Hart and Jess Ruliffson in this episode of the Terrible Anvil!

And join us next week as we cover rejection, criticism, and deadlines in the comics process! You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published!

Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

Happy making!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...Thank you for being here!

Hi, Friends!

This week on The Terrible Anvil, Tom Hart and I dug deep on the topic of STARTING OVER. We noted there's a few different types of starting over:

1) Restarting an old, old, project2) Starting a new project after you finish one you've been working on (or even working in a series or across multiple comics pages)3) Completely rethinking a project you have sunk a lot of enthusiasm and hours into

Have you ever started over? Tom said he sorta started over in his approach to his graphic novel, and also while he was working on an outline for a follow-up memoir that one small dream sequence within it became a longer series, B is Dying. I noted that I when I was making comics  about veterans, originally I envisioned myself as a character and removed myself once my personal narrative got too long and tangential to hook to the main story (it ended up being the idea for a different book that I didn't make!) 

Sometimes, particularly on freelance/shorter work, I will keep going to the finish line and use the information of what was less than ideal as inspiration for future comics. It's not a starting over but a way to gain insights into a better working process.

Here's some gems from the chat, and thanks Meg Lentz our fabulous note taker!

Oneita brought up a good question:

What about starting over in the middle of what you are doing for a deadline but still be true to the pitch? Like how close do the thumbnails have to be to the pitch?  What if I’m veering too far away from my pitch? And I don’t like my pitch anymore?

I was thinking that the best course might be to #keepgoing and get it over with, and then take those desires forward to the next project. And keep your collaborators informed if you really veer off topic! But mostly, I just try to finish stuff quickly and Tom Hart said book publishing editors are more committed to getting a book rather than the exact thing you pitched!

Tom talked about building a personal archive of ideas to mine later - maybe that book proposal didn't  "work out" but there's a lot of good stuff to revisit!

In thinking about the big scary restart, I mused that rather than starting over on my projects, I usually just stop to clarify what I'm working on and being more intentional + specific - letting go of the things that don’t serve the main goal

Jim Hamilton shared: I plan on using the upcoming Graphic Novel Intensive to decide whether an idea I have has legs. I think maybe it won't, but it may take me in some other worthwhile direction.

Carole McKee Armen observed that: Getting feedback from valued critique partners can lead to a difficult decision whether or not to “start over” or stay the course

(Tom mentioned this awesome 'cinema shack' by the filmmaker Agnes Varda)

Tom Hart also talked about The Garden of Unfinished Projects - a playground where one could keep dreaming with other cartoonists about the nascent beanpoles of ideas quietly mulching in the comics backyard, getting bigger and riper.

Tom and myself both noticed the magic of thinking about PROCESS with others (versus PRODUCT, the final work). Tom said he's curious about the future of art and wonders if projects have to have clear beginnings middles and ends, or if they can be more about creating something and being in the company of others.

There’s always opportunities for starting over in a variety of ways. Doubt is an important part of the creative process (I joked that "doubt is the sexy part of faith" haha.)

We also thought about TOILING (it's value and maybe enjoyment?) and FROLICKING...

I asked Tom Hart: Starting vs starting over - what’s harder? are they the same thing? Tom says starting is harder - there’s more uncertainty and insecurity. A big takeaway from this Tom mentioned: Don't start from scratch, don't start with a blank page! What sort of artsy detritus can you unearth from your garden of ideas? Maybe start there first, less pressure, more fun.

There's lots more fun on the podcast, you can catch recordings via SAW's awesome YouTube channel and wherever you stream podcasts. Next week, we're talking about COLLABORATING!

Happy Making!

💬Did you know SAW is a SCHOOL!

Find our ONLINE CLASSES at https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...Thank you for being here!

How do you make your own artistic style? How long does it take? Do you need to stick to one at all?

We go over these questions and more as we unpack what role style plays in cartooning and our expectations around our work.

We also revisit topics like moving past our inner critics, forging daily creative routines, and staying curious about the possibilities of our work. As always, a nice mix of philosophy and practicality!

Join us next week as we talk about STARTING OVER—both redoing projects that came to a halt, and getting started on a new project after finishing one!

You can watch the call live by joining the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll also get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published!

Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/c...

See you next week! --------------------------------

💬ONLINE COURSES SAW is a SCHOOL!

Find our ONLINE CLASSES at https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics   ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate ➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s... Thank you for being here! --------------------------------

Meg Lentz’s amazing thumbnail for this episode!

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💬SAW is a SCHOOL! Find our ONLINE CLASSES at https://learn.sawcomics.org/

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Recorded at SAW on Zoom, April 4, 2024

This week on The Terrible Anvil, we talked about BACKGROUNDS! When and How and Why to draw them, maybe also hopefully indirectly answering Oneita's great questions from the pre-call post over in Comics FLOW and PUBLISH:

"Personally love backgrounds and I like having them in my comics but I tend to get lost between deep perspective and foreground objects. I’m not wanting to take away from my characters but I also want to have more than a blank throwaway type environment.  I’m often weighing how much detail in the background?  How do I make my characters pop?  What’s most important ,words or the characters or the silence?"

(Some other great comments from the pre-call post!)

We talked about the link between last week's topic, EXPECTATIONS and backgrounds: what we THINK backgrounds should look like, as well as what readers might expect, hence this fun John Byrne example of a fight in a snowstorm:

Jess mentioned that OBJECTS can also serve a similar purpose to backgrounds and that, as also is the case in improv theater, and also perhaps radio theater sound-effects (thanks Walter Hudsick!) that objects can be CHARGED WITH NARRATIVE. (aka PROPS!) And thought of the value of words and pictures paired together: when the caption says "We're back at the spaceship command room" and the panel has a steering wheel, I know that is the steering wheel to aforementioned spaceship and not a Honda Civic.

Regarding expectations of what backgrounds (and maybe also comics) can or should do, it's often thought that backgrounds should be IMMERSIVE and REALISTIC. Tom and Jess underlined the idea that one can draw comics that are immersive without being explicitly detailed or realistic. Something that Jess will often refer to as ART BUDGETING - asking each panel how much and what kind of information it wants to impart, and to what end. Every panel is a choice - the ones preceding and coming after inform that choice as well. You get to decide how and when to make something look a certain way, or what to emphasize.

Carole McKee Armen mentioned the backgrounds of KrazyKat and how they frequently change, and Tom added how that approach impacts the storytelling and narrative itself.

Tom mentioned the minimal backgrounds of Peanuts and how that shaped how he often would draw backgrounds when starting out. This example of Sally kicking the school building was a recurring scenario that Tom loved.

There's lots more on this episode! Tune in on our YouTube channel and listen wherever you stream your podcasts.

Happy Making!

Jess (+ Tom)

This week's episode of The Terrible Anvil was streamed LIVE on YouTube (I dunno if we will do that regularly, but if you've been wanting to catch a live call and aren't part of the SAW Comics FLOW + PUBLISH group, check that page out. It's also where we archive the video recordings!)

Ok, what did we talk about this week? EXPECTATIONS!

A few episodes back Tom said:  "There are a lot of reasons to feel bad while making art. Most of those are expectations of results, expectations, rewards"

There were three ideas we touched on in this episode:

-Time is the medium of possibility (give yourself more time)

-Inevitability versus possibility (don’t mandate results before, during, or after the work)

- It's ok to be ambitious! (But normalize your mediocrity too. That old adage, shoot for the moon, land among the stars...but you could also stay in grassy field dreaming and stargazing)

Sometimes things don't end up how we planned (see the plentiful "expectations vs reality" memes, this one is my favorite:)

...and sometimes things go better than we think they might!

Some highlights from the chat this week:

Maria Fitzgerald said: "If one makes a deadline it gives one something to aim for.  It makes the project suddenly seem possible."

From Jess: "we often tell ourselves we have to become like the great masters before we can finish our work, when really we can work with what we have now"

Michi Mathias said: "We always see our own work as mediocre bcs it never matches what was in our heads. But when we dare to show it to other people, they see it as fantastic! The hard part is accepting that, not negating it…."

Which reminded me of this Ira Glass quote:

Tom Hart said that GOALS and EXPECTATIONS are “Wiggly terms” - have to define them and negotiate them for ourselves"

But maybe we have more control over our goals; expectations are often derived from comparing ourselves to others

Now more than ever, art-making and publishing and sharing is more accessible than before. Tom thinks "Having so many options makes art making more accessible and should be fun!"

Jess mused "If your expectations are open-ended and steeped more in possibility than inevitability, they can be easier to manage"

We talked about our expectations: wanting to draw like Charles Schulz (consistently, magnificently) wanting a regular, steady job teaching art in higher ed, or expectations within an experience like an MFA program--

Tom had a good bit of advice, if you take nothing else with you:

How to deal with expectations? Lower them!

One way to do this:

Tom recommends making small things that are easier to finish

I joked about embracing mediocrity but there's something to this about being authentic, showing up, working how YOU work (not how you wish you worked, or how Charles Schulz worked) and trying not to get too cynical about the whole process. Stay curious, be kind to yourself and your inability to draw hands/cars/backgrounds--

Alison Kent said: "One of the most valuable things about SAW is the community cheerleading, it’s not a red ocean (full of sharks) vs. blue ocean. (Unlike a lot of MFA programs)"

Tom mentioned this movie:

Tom set his expectations for undergrad on this film - wanted to be surrounded by curious artistic minds and found that his classmates just wanted to essentially draw Hulk + Superwoman porn 

Jess was also thinking about the repetition or expectation of something happening more than once (RESULTS): SOMETIMES vs ALWAYS and NEVER - things happen sometimes, but rarely always and rarely never

Oneita Parker said: "Its ok to create here"

Adrean Clark said: "sometimes we make things thinking it’ll go somewhere but in the end it goes in a different direction"

Walter Hudsick wondered: "Is there an aspect especial to comics/cartooning that creates an expectation of publishing? Plenty of people paint for fun without ever expecting to sell a painting or be in a museum, for example. But comics really only exist when published?"

On goals, Jim Hamilton said: "I set a modest goal that I am pretty sure I can meet: selling 100 books this year. I'm up to 39 books sold now and I have two events that should get me a lot closer in the next couple of weeks. (I have also given away 21 books to family, libraries, mentors, etc..)"

There's LOADS more in this episode, we thank you for listening. Thanks for being here!

In this episode we talk about some of the most social fun one can have as a cartoonist: TABLING!

Tune in for tips on navigating comics conventions, zine fairs, and press expos of all seasons and sizes. Learn about attending conventions to share your work, expand your network, have fun, and see what's out there in the world of comics.

Whether attending, volunteering, tabling, speaking in a panel, or hosting your own, we've got you covered!

Have any burning questions about comics making?

Want a say in what we cover in future episodes?

Leave a comment below or in the SAW Mighty Network!

Want to leave comments and heckle us in real time during our live calls? Join us at our SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group—and get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published!

Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

See you next week! --------------------------------

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➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/saw-sustaining-member-donation

-------------------------------

Recorded at SAW on Zoom, March 14, 2024

The internet can be a lovely way to connect with friends and family, make new connections, support fellow cartoonists, and publish your comics. There are great benefits to serializing a webcomic or routinely sharing your work.

But social media can also be a source of pressure, discouragement, and creative doubt.

Do you need to move to NYC and gain a million followers on Instagram to be a commercially successful artist? Do you have to work tirelessly on gaming the algorithm to get your work seen? Do you have to monetize your comics at all?

Listen in for answers to questions like these and more!

And join us next week for our episode on TABLING!

You can join the call live by subscribing to the SAW FLOW + PUBLISH member group, where you'll get access to a supportive community and expert guidance on getting your comics published! Sign up here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/comics-flow-group

As always, happy making!!

💬 DONATIONS SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations to keep arts education accessible! You can support us on: ➡️ Patreon:   / sawcomics  ➡️ PayPal: https://learn.sawcomics.org/pages/donate➡️ Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/s...

Thank you for being here!

This week Jess and I continued our discussion of PITCHING, and about feeling weird and lousy and under pressure and low boundary and high maintenance and under the gun and everything else!

Tune in next week to for Episode 8 of The Terrible Anvil: Monetizing Every Moment of Waking Existence on Instagram (What Could Go Wrong?)

I believe a transcript will be posted with this!?

Cheers’ y’all

Here’s some random thoughts we hit

We talked about both creators and publishers creating realistic expectations and boundaries--if a publisher doesn't give you a deadline, don't wait for them to hand you one! You might need to build you own. I thought having a looming book deal would give me the accountability to stay on track, and while it sort of did, it mostly stressed me out. I'm so grateful I was able to publish a beautiful book, but it was a lot more difficult than I thought it would be (see those pesky "feelings" Cara Gormally mentioned above.)

Tom Hart talked about his second-book slump where he tasked himself with outlining a sequel to his beautiful graphic memoir, Rosalie Lightning. At the end of his twenty-some page outline, Tom didn't want to make that book! It ended up becoming the seed for his book The Art of the Graphic Memoir.

Tom said a paraphrase of a great quote, whose origins are unknown to me:

"How to get a book deal? First get famous!"

I chimed in: "“If I’m not going to make any money I might as well make comics!""

Later on the call Tom Hart and I tried to speak to this great idea from Adrean Clark :

"I wonder if it's possible to talk about transforming our work -- not everything has to be something to "go big or go home" on. An idea can be a self-published zine, can be a comic feature in a newspaper, and so on. Thinking about the full range of pitches, whether to pitch to ourselves or to others. Does that make sense?"

Tom Hart read this quote I sent him from an article, via J.F. Martel:

I also added: "spend time with your own work for a long time before launching it from the (marketing) cannon!"

We remembered the awesome Pro Call with Laura Gao, you can see the recording over here! Their process and the timeline for their book deal (Messy Roots) was super-duper fast and a ton of work all at once after their comic went viral. (thanks Jim for the Pro Call link!!!)

Tom Hart mentioned the art critic Heidi MacDonald's podcast interview with comics creator Box Brown. Box said: "I feel stupid for following my dreams!" Re: capitalism can kinda make things feel cruddy. 

Tom noted that  "There are a lot of reasons to feel bad while making art. Most of those are expectations of results, expectations, rewards"

He noted the value of self publishing and Jim added: "I agree with Tom! I just ordered 100 of my books from Lulu. And that was after a couple of proofing cycles."

I asked Tom is art-making might be a form of mental illness and he said, "Art is not a mental illness but a sane response to an insane world."

Leonie Sharrock asked:Question re 'form' … what happens when you want to go hybrid? how do we pitch hybrid works?Tom Hart said:Leonie, those are more difficult but slowly people catch on… 🙂

Some really great ideas from the chat that we hope to touch on in episode seven (a sort of sequel, with maybe more of a focus on BOOK pitching.)

Tom mentioned the expectations of what a book contract or publishing project will do for us

Sally mused: If we're not bankable, maybe we're MORE relevant.

Tom shared a link to CHILL SUBS, where you can look for places that publish short comics: 

https://www.chillsubs.com/

 and spoke about the FLOW anthology pitching process (theme relevance, no pay, a round of roughs and finishes with some small edits)

Alison Kent also had a good point on networking versus making real connections:  I think it was Jay Sherer or Caleb Monroe said that building relationships -- friendships, not networking necessarily -- is key. Share info, refer your friends. They said it was the most important thing

Some Quick Tips on Cold Emails (or DM-ing art directors)

1) Write a letter.

 2) Be a fan of the editor’s work! 

3) Be authentic, "might like my work, or I’m working on a book, maybe we can work together" etc 

4) Share your work via URL to website or previously published work (not PDFs or JPGs unless they ask)

Remember: *Be polite, be brief, but no need to undersell your stuff or apologize!*

Alison also shared: Sharing your pitch ideas with friends seems to be a great way to focus your pitch

Sally  remembered: Emil Wilson  said in an Sunday Open Studios conversation something really helpful to me. Rather than seeing a call (for entries) and trying to generate an idea, it's easier to if the call reminds you of something that you have already come up with. So it makes all that stuff we create without obvious goals is resource building.

Jim had a great comment: Pitching as a nobody is a challenge. I feel like I have to create a resume (so to speak) before I have enough credibility to be considered as an actual cartoonist. The SAW themed anthologies are helpful in building a reputation.

Sally and Leonie  were also wondering if the pitch should include the 'end' or the 'why' for the comic, what was learned in the process of investigating the topic of the work, etc. I find I leave that stuff out for short form pitches, and include it in book proposals.

 Jim  also said: I would be interested in hearing what others are doing to promote their self-published work. In one sense, I feel like the actress in La La Land who stages a one-women show, which she feels is a total disaster until it turns out that there was a Hollywood casting director in the audience. I'm hoping that a talk I give to a handful of people at a library or senior center might turn into something like that. A guy can dream, right?

Sally  also said this:

It's good to try to frame the experience as offering something of value rather than begging for support/validation/etc.

And stay tuned for even MORE ABOUT PITCHING in next week's episode!

We talked a lot about IDEAS as SPELLS, and that ideas assert themselves. And Ideas are invitations to act. But they don’t all have to be acted upon. They come and they go.

We answered from the crowd: If you have too many ideas whirling around your head, what's a good way of picking one out to work on? 

and

How do you reconcile what’s in your head and what you put on paper?

--------------------------------

The Terrible Anvil!

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time? With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

💬ONLINE COURSES SAW is a SCHOOL with loads of online courses you can see here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬COMMUNITY REMINDERS! You can also join hundreds of people sharing their work at our free members site

https://members.sawcomics.org/share/F6BBQeyGUGE0g-Qk?utm_source=manual

💬 DONATIONS Thanks so much for being here! SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations! You can support these workshops, plus the many many ways in which we strive to meet our mission of training and supporting graphic novelists.

You can support us on Patreon or PayPal, here: https://www.paypal.me/comicsworkshop

https://patreon.com/sawcomics

Venmo: sequentialartists-workshop Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/saw-sustaining-member-donation

Recorded at SAW on Zoom, Feb 2024

THANKS!

What follows are Jess’s recap and then the ZOOM AI recap….

JESS’s RECAP

We were answering two good questions this week about IDEAS and also we FINALLY talked a little bit about lettering.

Deanna asked:

If you have too many ideas whirling around your head, what's a good way of picking one out to work on? 

My friend Fionnuala at the University of Edinburgh asked:

How to reconcile what’s in your head and what you put on paper?

Some highlights from the call chat:

Our ideas----->I'm a bit of a hoarder when it comes to ideas- TomAlso Tom: I have two answers: randomness and cards, but also--ideas are bossy!Carole McKee Armen:Ideas choose me

Leonie Sharrock:sometimes I have to wait for another idea to trigger an old idea into life … like one idea finds its soulmate idea, then we're cooking!! 😀

Jess thinking about the astonishing ideas vs the ordinary onesTom: Sometimes am worried ideas my skitter away - putting it off might release it of its creative charge, which is a little sad. ideas are like spells that wear off re: a lot of our mental attachments are spells and they fade

From Maria Fitzgerald:Maybe some ideas are just perfect for how you think at a certain time, but then as time goes by your thinking changes.

Jess: ideas like fireworks, ideas that are like bossy siblingsSometimes many ideas live in your book draft. Then you realize 2 are a book, 1 is a different book. As you work, things become more clearAn idea is an invitation to act - Tom Hart 

From Donna:I can’t finish a project until I have an outline (from which to deviate)

Tom mentioned the perils of an old idea that is super mapped out - hard to act on itFrom Maria: I kind of keep my ideas to myself until I get something down on paper…Because talking about an idea is not the same as actually writing it or drawing it yourself.

Carole also said:Sometimes talking about an idea makes it lose its mojo. Don’t know why…Tom: sometimes it's ok if an idea is just cool to talk about and you don't make something. Or what about an idea steeped in curiosity, steeped in a question?Tom says: start wherever you can!-----Question Two------!How to reconcile what’s in your head and what you put on paper?

Jim Hamilton:Falling was a side topic that came up while I was researching a different book. I only became obsessed with it over time.Tom: we're creatures! We make stuff! (Create-tures?)I mentioned my love for the competitive baking show, Nailed It! As well as the Trump cake that makes me wheeze with laughter:

Which Tom eloquently paraphrased as: when we try to make the professional art it looks like amateur baking show cakeI wondered:“Are you inviting the audience in too soon?”

Maria had a good point:I wonder is it true that the reader gets more involved if they have to interpret the art a little…. if it is not just perfectly representational.

One of our nonfiction students Ellen, said about her work: "I have to have fun doing it!" which is really useful.

Tom shared this quote via Austin Kleon, from Will Oldham:“Part of the idea in making a record is to freeze lots of moments of learning and discovery so that it really is like every time you press “play” you are opening up this experiment again.”

Tom further opined:honoring imagination with a certain amount of liveliness - the fun of it is learning and doing something unexpected - rereading it later, can relive that moment, what it was like to discover somethingTom says Try not to separate the process from the finalJess: as working professionals we forget to have fun

ON THE TOPIC OF FUN--- WHAT ABOUT LETTERING?!Some Lettering tips: 

* Don't put it off til the very end

* Do leave lots of space

* Don’t do long Hindenburg lines of text! (giant ovals of dialogue balloons)

Jess used to be afraid of lettering. But if she does it first she now thinks “wow this looks like a real comic!Alison Kent asked:Wondering how many people produce scripts separate from the drawings?Jim does! (Jim said: But it may not be the kind of script you are asking about. I lay out the text for each page and then trace it before adding drawings.)

Jess mentioned: if i have a clear script, lettering is WAY easier too! Sometimes the fear of lettering is the fear of clarifying the scriptTom asked: What is the lettering for? Communicators/creatures - it doesn't have to look a certain way - don't fall into the trap of using Arial font and not being specific - treat the lettering like it's part  of the work (or communication/expression of the work)Can generate your own font here at Calligraphr (thanks Adrean!)Good resources out there for lettering! For example (Nate Piekos' BLAMBOT!)

Alison Kent:Re: scripts — I heard a podcast about making comic book scripts and this gives client a good sense of what’s going to be there before you spend 3 years drawing. (Or before the client gives you a contract)Adrean added:I think sometimes we research things too much when we really should be playing and experimenting with it. Things like lettering, etc — requires “do it” time to build up the skills and knowledgeTune in for next week's episode: PITCHING!

From Sally Charette:How about talking about pitching since pitching for the next FLOW anthology is coming up? (TROUBLED HISTORIES)

ZOOM Quick AI recap

The discussion between Jess and SAW Comics focused on the challenges of creativity, idea generation, selection, and execution. They shared their experiences of working on their podcast and book, "The Bootleggers Guide to Comics", and the process of crafting Tom's memoir. They also touched upon the importance of enjoying the creative process, not taking oneself too seriously, and the significance of lettering in comics. Towards the end, they decided on the topic for their next meeting, which is how to pitch ideas more effectively.

Summary

Podcasting and Idea Generation

Jess and Tom had a detailed discussion about the content of their podcast, focusing on the topic of lettering which was decided to be postponed. They addressed questions from their audience, including one from Deanna Feinstein about handling too many ideas, and another from a friend at the University of Edinburgh. They shared their experiences with idea generation and selection, and the challenges of finding ideas, especially when faced with deadlines. Jess and SAW Comics, also known as Tom, also discussed their process of crafting a book titled "The Bootleggers Guide to Comics", using a podcast to workshop ideas and setting weekly check-ins to keep progress on track. They concluded the discussion by sharing their idea generation and selection process for Tom’s memoir.

Ideas and Creative Processes

Jess and Tom had a lively discussion about the nature of ideas and their creative processes. They shared their experiences of having multiple ideas and the challenge of deciding which ones to pursue. They agreed that not all ideas are awesome and sometimes need to be separated. They also discussed the thrill and excitement of having a new idea, often even more than the final product. They emphasized that an idea can exist in various forms, including as a conversation, and wondered about the conventional structure of novels. They also touched upon the challenges of maintaining motivation and focus when working on a project. Towards the end, they discussed the sensitivity and privacy associated with creative ideas, and the importance of keeping some ideas to oneself to preserve their magic.

Creative Process vs. Expectations

The meeting revolved around a conversation between SAW Comics and Jess on the challenges of reconciling ideas in one's head with their execution on paper. SAW Comics shared his perspective, emphasizing the importance of being present and curious in the creative process, rather than adhering to expectations or preconceived notions. Jess agreed and tied this into a previous conversation they'd had about the satisfaction derived from the process of creation rather than the product itself. The discussion was punctuated by Jim's input on a different question via the chat.

Nailed It!: Inspiring Lighthearted Creativity

Jess and SAW Comics had a conversation about the Netflix show "Nailed It!", which is hosted by Nicole Beyer and Jacques Torres. The show involves amateur bakers attempting to construct elaborate cakes under pressure. Jess drew parallels between the show's lighthearted approach to baking and their creative processes, emphasizing the importance of not taking oneself too seriously and embracing the joy of the process. SAW Comics noted that the show is full of laughter and joy, and shared how the concept of side projects has influenced their work, mentioning Megan Kelso's shift towards short stories after realizing their potential.

Creativity, Joy, and Balance in Artistic Process

Jess and SAW Comics had a discussion about the importance of enjoying the creative process. Jess shared her personal struggle with taking her art too seriously and how she found joy in making it a bit silly. She highlighted the importance of maintaining a childlike mindset and not being too critical of the outcome. They explored the challenges of balancing self-acceptance and self-improvement in their work. SAW Comics emphasized the importance of capturing moments of learning and discovery during the creation process. The conversation also touched upon the idea of monetizing their work, and how it can sometimes lead to a more transactional approach rather than being driven by curiosity and enjoyment.

Lettering in Comics: Artistic Expression and Communication

Jess and SAW Comics discussed the importance of lettering in comics, emphasizing that it should not be overlooked. Jess shared her method of creating layouts to show editors quickly, using a font generator based on handwriting. SAW Comics added that lettering is a form of communication and a part of their artistic expression, rather than just a decorative element. They also reflected on the significance of lettering in their earliest drawing experiences and proposed that recalling these experiences could be beneficial.

Comics Lettering and Scripting Discussion

SAW Comics and Jess explored the topic of lettering in comics, discussing how it reflects personality and the challenges of conveying meaning beyond conventional letters. Jess suggested that fear or avoidance of lettering might be linked to unclear scripts. They agreed that there are various styles of lettering that can effectively communicate ideas. Jess also discussed her interest in creating clean scripts, emphasizing the importance of designing panels and determining the appropriate word count. She shared her preference for clear parameters on scripts, like length and medium, to guide her creative process. Jess concluded by suggesting a possible episode about pitching short form comics or a book proposal.

Work, Experiment, Pitch: Importance and Effectiveness

The discussion also touched on the importance of doing the work and experimenting rather than just researching. Towards the end, they decided on the topic for the next meeting, which is how to pitch ideas more effectively, in light of an upcoming anthology.

Next steps

Jess and SAW will revisit the topic of their book, The Bootleggers Guide to Comics, and discuss how to work on it more effectively. They will also consider the topic of pitching for the next anthology and how to make ideas more actionable.

THANKS!

Today on Episode Four of The Terrible Anvil, we tried to tackle the topic of making a sustainable creative physical space and habits to make work.

And as usual we veered off topic and expanded and waxed philosophical on all the different types of "castles" creatives build: the physical workspace, the vision for the work itself, the audience you hope to reach.

I (Jess) also am editing a book (The Bootlegger's Guide to Comics!) and we took a topic from the early draft wondering: What's the purpose of an audience or editor, and when to open the door of your castle to share work?

Lots more on the show page here: https://members.sawcomics.org/posts/the-terrible-anvil-episode-4-building-the-dream-castle-50384315

THE ZOOM AI made this summary and it’s not bad:

Meeting summary for The terrible Anvil Episode 4 (02/08/2024)Quick recap

Tom and Jess discussed their podcast format and an upcoming episode focusing on the concept of 'building a dreamcastle' in relation to creating an optimal workspace. They also touched upon the value of editors and audience in the creative process. The discussion also included feedback and maintaining conversation flow. They considered the importance of having a space that inspires them and makes them feel proud and safe. They discussed the tension between creating for oneself and considering the audience and potential editors. They also explored the impact of social media on the creative process.

SummaryPodcasting and Comics: Building Dreamcastles and Balancing Feedback

Tom and Jess discussed their podcast format and an upcoming episode where they plan to discuss the concept of 'building a dreamcastle' in relation to creating an optimal workspace. They also mentioned a future project, The Bootleggers Guide to Making Comics, which involves testing material for a book. The discussion also touched upon the value of editors and audience in the creative process. They were open to feedback and planned to strike a balance between answering questions and maintaining the flow of the conversation.

Dreamcastles: Ideal Workspace Concept

Tom Hart @ SAW and Jess discussed the concept of "dreamcastles," a metaphorical term they use to describe the ideal workspace for creating and managing their projects. They talked about the importance of having a space that inspires them and makes them feel proud and safe. Jess shared her experience of showcasing her workspace to others and how it can lead to discussions about tools and techniques. Tom mentioned visiting artists who use color-coded systems on their walls to manage their stories. The conversation ended with the idea of using the "dreamcastle" metaphor to represent the process of creating a project, not just the physical space.

Creative Process and Social Media Influence

Jess and Tom discussed the creative process, focusing on the creation of a 'dream castle' as a metaphor for their artistic vision. They explored the tension between creating for oneself and considering the audience and potential editors. Jess emphasized the importance of creating a first draft without the pressure of audience expectations before making edits. They also discussed the impact of social media on the creative process, with Jess highlighting the pressure to share polished work on platforms such as Instagram. On the other hand, platforms like Patreon and the Mighty Network provide a space for sharing works-in-progress. The conversation concluded without a definitive answer on how to balance these influences.

Graphic Novel and Memoir Project Discussion

Tom and Jess discussed their ongoing project involving lettering and storytelling. Jess shared her experience of completing her graphic novel and feeling a need for a new project, which led her to collaborate with her partner on a memoir that she felt would be better suited as a comic. She also mentioned her interest in a larger project that could encapsulate stories from healthcare workers. Tom suggested focusing on the creative process first before considering its relevance to the broader world. They both agreed that the importance of their work should come before its cultural relevance.

Breaking Into Animation: Challenges and Advice

Tom Hart @ SAW shared his experiences with trying to break into the animation industry and the advice he received from a woman who ran Cartoon Network at the time. He highlighted the challenge of finding a unique angle for a project that commercial institutions like Cartoon Network would be interested in. Jess agreed with Tom's perspective and discussed the difficulty of creating stories that stand out in a crowded market. They also touched upon the importance of focusing on the creative process and not overthinking the audience or potential editors. Towards the end, Jess suggested the idea of a three-month nonfiction class featuring Tom, but noted that it was likely too late to implement the change.

Questions, Narratives, and Behind-the-Scenes in Creative Works

Jess and Tom Hart @ SAW engaged in a discussion about the utility of questions in organizing and synthesizing information, especially in large bodies of work. They emphasized the importance of personal narratives in creative works, noting that they will naturally seep into the work if deeply ingrained. They also discussed the balance between stats and facts in storytelling, particularly in the context of comics and graphic novels. They concluded by noting the trend of including behind-the-scenes content in books.

Art, Community, and Digital Tools

Tom Hart @ SAW and Jess had a discussion about the value of personal, ritualistic art and its role in community building. They emphasized the importance of transparency in the creative process and the communal aspect of art. They also touched upon their preferences in creating comics and their observations about the different ways people work. They both agreed on the potential of portability in tools and workspaces, and the convenience of working on digital platforms. Towards the end, they discussed the importance of lettering in comics and agreed to reconvene next week to discuss it. They also considered starting a thread on the Mighty Network about workspaces and potential book projects.

Next steps• 

Jess will create a recap of the discussion and consider starting a thread on the Mighty Network about workspaces.

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The Terrible Anvil!

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time? With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

💬ONLINE COURSES SAW is a SCHOOL with loads of online courses you can see here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬COMMUNITY REMINDERS! You can also join hundreds of people sharing their work at our free members site

https://members.sawcomics.org/share/F6BBQeyGUGE0g-Qk?utm_source=manual

💬 DONATIONS Thanks so much for being here! SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations! You can support these workshops, plus the many many ways in which we strive to meet our mission of training and supporting graphic novelists.

You can support us on Patreon or PayPal, here: https://www.paypal.me/comicsworkshop

https://patreon.com/sawcomics

Venmo: sequentialartists-workshop Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/saw-sustaining-member-donation

Recorded at SAW on Zoom, Feb 2024

THANKS!

We had THREE topics that were somewhat braided together:

* A thought Jess had: Become more interested in DOING what you're doing than KNOWING what you're doing.

* A quote I wrote down: "I often find myself writing long meandering first drafts, that drift around a bit before settling down into a state of baffling indecision." - George Saunders

* (and a quote Tom had handy): "Write down everything that happens in the story, and then in your second draft make it look like you knew what you were doing all along." - Neil Gaiman Lots more on the show page here: https://members.sawcomics.org/posts/49998503

In this episode we talk a lot more about early drafts in non-fiction and fiction.

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The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration?

Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time? With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art. Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

💬ONLINE COURSES SAW is a SCHOOL with loads of online courses you can see here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬COMMUNITY REMINDERS!

You can also join hundreds of people sharing their work at our free members site https://members.sawcomics.org/share/F6BBQeyGUGE0g-Qk?utm_source=manual

💬 DONATIONS Thanks so much for being here! SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations! You can support these workshops, plus the many many ways in which we strive to meet our mission of training and supporting graphic novelists.

You can support us on Patreon

or PayPal, here: https://www.paypal.me/comicsworkshop https://patreon.com/sawcomics

Venmo: sequentialartists-workshop

Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/saw-sustaining-member-donation Recorded at SAW on Zoom

In the Comics FLOW + PUBLISH group we asked around: how do you lean in when the going gets weird? What parts are EXTRA UNFUN, and how do you navigate it?

Helen asked about deadlines.

Oneita asked about guilt.

Virginia asked about backgrounds.

We spoke on all these topics, as well as the role of ritual and community in answering these three questions. We cooked up ideas on how to make a home there in the ruins, being okay with badly-drawn hands, what to embrace when we're working.

Join us over in Comics Flow + Publish for the next TERRIBLE ANVIL live call, on February 1 at 11 am Eastern! Happy Making, Jess

The Terrible Anvil

How do you make comics without all the frustration? Without feeling lousy and inadequate all the time?

With the Terrible Anvil of daily deadlines! And a community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art.

Jess Ruliffson and Tom Hart are working through the whole process, one piece at a time, turning frustration into fun and glee.

💬ONLINE COURSES SAW is a SCHOOL with loads of online courses you can see here: https://learn.sawcomics.org/

💬COMMUNITY REMINDERS! You can also join hundreds of people sharing their work at our free members site https://members.sawcomics.org/share/F6BBQeyGUGE0g-Qk?utm_source=manual

💬 DONATIONS Thanks so much for being here! SAW Comics is a 501C-3 non-profit and we thrive on your support and donations!

You can support these workshops, plus the many many ways in which we strive to meet our mission of training and supporting graphic novelists.

You can support us on Patreon or PayPal, here: https://www.paypal.me/comicsworkshop https://patreon.com/sawcomics Venmo: sequentialartists-workshop

Or become a sustaining donor: https://learn.sawcomics.org/courses/saw-sustaining-member-donation Recorded at SAW on Zoom

Episode 1 - What Part of Comics is the Hardest?

Recorded at SAW on Zoom

What is The Terrible Anvil?

Tom and I were bantering one day on a call and one of us said HEY WE SHOULD MAKE A PODCAST LIKE THIS!

So, it's a podcast.

Each week, we grapple with the BIG QUESTIONS about making comics. The "terrible anvil" itself is from nineteenth century badboy Emile Zola, who opined, "One forges one style on the terrible anvil of daily deadlines."

(Emile looks a little unimpressed with us, but I am deeply impressed with his immaculate sense of style here in this 1902 photograph.)

What is this podcast like?

We record with a live (Zoom) audience, so there's some participation in that sense, but mostly, we build the structure of each week's episodes by soliciting questions from members of the SAW community in the Comics Flow and Publish group.

This week's question was: What Part of Comics is Hardest?

We talked about drawing, suffering, self-doubt, the inner critic, LOTS of good stuff! See below for a little recap of the first podcast!

What is "bootleggers"?

Jess Ruliffson is one of SAW's instructors and she's making a book! The Bootlegger's Guide to Comics.

What is a bootlegger? A bootlegger is someone who by hook or crook will make their art, abandoning the gatekeepers, rules, inner and external critics, literary best practices, and any other sort of puffery or obstacle that's cluttering the way to making their best work. Basically, being the kind of unfancy version of yourself and making art IS THE BEST VERSION of yourself to make the story you want to tell.

How do we decrease suffering when we make our comics?

What is the hardest part of the struggle?

Some responses from our COMICS and FLOW crew:

Uli B: "Convincing people that the thing you want to tell is worth telling."

Beth T: "I love every part of making comics in the comics sense of thing. In terms of the whole creative process, it's in the early stages of a project, wrangling some sense into the many too many ideas I have that always frustrates me most. I always just want things to solidify FASTER so I can get to work (or to parts of the process that feel more like work). I am not a patient person. "

Sarah W: "For me, the worst part is drawing, but also feeling driven to tell stories that I am not sure people really want to hear. So then I end up in a morass of despair because I feel like I MUST but then, because I’m not sure anyone really wants to hear it, I also feel cringey and vulnerable."

Some little bits and highlights from our call:

Jess: Leverage the things that are weird.

Nancy M: I think you are giving us permission to be artists or graphic novelists without being published? that our work doesn't have to live up to a publisher's standard to put it out there. I feel like that standard keeps me from starting.

Tom: Who are these people you think don't want to hear your ideas?

Austin Kleon!

Katherine B: "I heard Linda Barry, in a podcast, say (something like) it's not the author's job to judge the work, just make it." Jess: Judge vs audience (can we be either of those to ourselves?)

Tom: do we do a thing if something like it already exists? Are we perhaps worried we're not unique BUT TOTALLY WEIRD instead?

Also Tom (one of my favorite moments): "I'm not the artist my writer wish he was."

Jess: Draw the worst version purposely in the thumbnails and it delights me Plus, this is already so bad, how can it be worse?? ......intentionally exaggerating the badness of it. Exposure therapy.

Greatness is what I'm striving for, but badness is already inside me. Make the bad version, exaggerate it, let it be a communication device....

Darlene: That’s why it’s important for me to have community and share work because someone else always sees something in my work I didn’t see or even understand.

To join us on a live call, find us over in the events section of the Comics FLOW + PUBLISH group over here.

https://learn.sawcomics.org/

The recordings will soon be a podcast that you can listen to on your favorite podcast platform. Happy Making! Jess

#TerribleAnvil #Bootleggers