Are you my mother?

It's my mom's birthday this week. Happy birthday, mom! She is a funny lady.

[ The Police - Mother ]

Weekend Workpost: Comics Workshop!

One of the perks of my current job is the opportunity to try my hand at hosting my own stuff. This includes comics workshops, the second of which took place on Wednesday. The concept was getting French and German-speaking participants to write a short comic together about cultural differences they'd experienced in either Germany or France. The comics that came out of this were "bang on" (as the saying goes) and it was incredible to watch everyone putting together a comic.

I also got to expound a bit on different writing techniques I've observed and used in writing my own comics. I illustrated my points with samples of my own stuff (including a sneak-peek of something coming up in January 2013... shhhhh), as well as material by C. Spike Trotman and Natalie Nourigat (used with gracious permission).

All in all, it's something I could totally envision doing on a regular basis.

(The brilliant pictures on the wall are by my friend Sarah.)

Random Friday Post: Consider This A Fair Warning

This week Halloween happened and so I dressed up on Wednesday as Lisbeth Salander. I had to go to work in this outfit so I nixed the black makeup and dyeing my hair, but I did wear a fake nose ring all day and a shirt with the "ARMAGEDDON WAS YESTERDAY TODAY WE HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM" slogan. I plan on wearing this shirt on my flight to Stockholm on Dec. 21 (a day early, yes, but it's for effect).

One of the things I struggle with when I draw people is correct posture: as you can see, one half of Lisbeth is facing one direction, her legs and shoes are doing I-don't-know-what. I am attempting to fix this by drawing from life more.

[ Chumbawumba - Tubthumping ]

Identifying

To meet time constraints this week, this is an old comic from last year that I never posted (as can be guessed from my hair - it is now nearly shoulder-length!).

[ El Perro del Mar feat. Lykke Li - Change of Heart ]

Musiker-Auszeit Sketches

Just got back (give or take a few hours) from Gussow, Brandenburg, where I spent the weekend on a retreat with other musicians from my church. I made a point to pull out my sketchpads during downtimes and get ahead on my drawing.

Never sit next to me when I have a sketchpad or a journal handy, ever.

I have a hankering to just go and spend another weekend in the woods with an iPod and my writing tools, actually.

[ Sonic bonus ]

of boundaries

The sadness of
not being able to connect
makes me sorry
makes me sad

the thought of
paths to not tread
wistfulness
in heart and head

the knowledge of you knowing me
seeing things I don't want you to see
it takes away too much from me
I'd rather it not live

I try to be open and kind
and share a part of the divine
but I know all too well what's mine
and I can't let you draw the line.

Berlin, 10.2012

This Is ***ing Urgent

***

I'm still taking commissions! Details here.

[ Bonus sonore ]

Random Friday Post: Bedroom Sketch

A little inking exercise I did last week.

I've lived in this room for nearly two years. That hasn't happened since I finished high school. I like living in it.

[ Bonus sonore ]

***

I'm still taking commissions! Details here.

Also, I'm looking for a German musician who would be interested in collaborating with me on a comic-and-music project for a Franco-German grant. The application deadline for the grant itself is October 31st, 2012. More on it over here! Done and done!

Acting

As a disclaimer: I wrote this back in June. Always put a buffer on your emo comics, that's how I roll.

[ Musique de circonstance ]

It is a smörgåsbord of posts these days! Have a happy weekend, everybody.

***

Have you checked out The Help Claire Pay For Things Drive?

[ Bonus sonore ]