Since the last time Chris’s comics were posted in 2021, we were curious to know about any news that he would like to update us on.
Chris shared: “I've been working pretty hard in the last couple of years! A lot of people didn't know this, but a lot of my comics are analog. I use mixed media (watercolors, gouache, ink, colored pencils, etc.) on paper for a lot of my comics! Some folks noticed and I got a lot of questions about my process so I started making some videos to share that.
I've been taking my analog comics that I paint on paper and have been mounting them to wood panels, giving them a gallery finish, and am hoping to open up a store by the end of the year to sell some of them to anybody who is interested. My comics will always be free to enjoy by everyone on the internet, but I'm hoping that there might be some fans who like the comics and would like to support me while owning a piece of my legacy for their own place. It's an exciting prospect and I'm excited to share what I've been making with people!”
Creative work doesn’t come without challenges. Chris shared what usually comes in his way.
“I recently shared some thoughts about creative struggles in another video.
I think one of the biggest roadblocks for creative folks can be self-doubt. We don't want to START on an endeavor because the prospect of something not turning out perfect can feel overwhelming, so we delay getting started on something.
I've found that I really need to just hunker down and do the work. If I feel like my ideas aren't where I want them to be, I need to write 10 more ideas. Sometimes you can find the right path by doing the work when you're going through the process. It doesn't always feel great failing over and over, but that's just what happens. My challenge is just doing the work and keeping it sustainable so I don't burn out,” wrote Chris.
We wanted to know which comic is Chris’s favorite and why. Chris answered: “It's very often that my latest comics are my favorite. Here is one that is pretty fresh out of my small idea sketchbook that I haven't had a chance to do a nice, finished version of, but I hope to soon!
I've been opening up my idea sketchbook to audiences and posting my rough ideas on Twitter and Instagram. I usually like to sketch my ideas quickly and small (approx 1"x2") so I can make sure that the idea reads clearly at its most basic composition. It's been really fun to share my ideas early to see what ideas get big reactions and which ones don't. Sometimes I'm surprised that something gets a lot of love that I wasn't too confident in, or something that I really like doesn't get a lot of engagement. It's super valuable feedback and helps inform what comics I should put time into finishing!”
And lastly, Chris added: “My day job is directing/storyboarding for animated feature films (Illumination, Dreamworks, Sony, etc.). If you like the comics I make, you might also like some of the animation I've put out. I made a little short with @toonholeryan called NECKBEARD NOIR. We made a little TV show pitch for it.
I also put together some sketches. This one was with @toonholeryan and @beetlemoses. And another just by myself.
Thanks to BP for always asking fun questions and sharing my work. Hope all the wonderful folks giving this a read have a great week. I appreciate you giving my comics a shot. I'll keep drawing 'em if y'all keep reading 'em!”
