tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6263344244356526863.post-41342963116706913132008-07-08T20:55:00.002-04:002008-07-08T21:18:01.377-04:00<p align="center"><a title="draft by Jo Stockton, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21767184@N03/2650761377/"><img height="384" alt="draft" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3123/2650761377_e1baaaf4ac.jpg" width="500" /></a></p><br />I am working on a comic for my friend Mike's zine, <a href="http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&amp;friendid=50189362">Go Metric</a>. It's about our fun-but-less-than-perfect experience at <a href="http://www.thefestfl.com/">The Fest</a> last year. I love comics and I read more than my fair share of graphic novels, but I find them incredibly frustrating to draw. Something in me doesn't understand why my obsession with amazing comics doesn't translate into an easy, personal talent when it comes to creating the same. I know, I know. It's fine to have <a href="http://youtube.com/watch?v=-hidvElQ0xE">good taste</a>. But great art actually takes practice.<br /><br />Anyway, drawing comics is a challenge for me, so it's something I'm happy to do. But man, does it ever take a long time. I started the rough draft (didn't know it was going to be the rough draft, but I got through it and decided to start all over again...) at work the other day while waiting for the techies to fix my stubbornly blue-screening computer. Then tonight I plunked myself down at the kitchen table and worked for another two hours. I got three panels done. And I mostly like them all. But trust me, they do not look like they took three hours. However! I will be proud of it when I am finished.<br /><p align="center"><a title="amateur comic stripper by Jo Stockton, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/21767184@N03/2650760789/"><img height="180" alt="amateur comic stripper" src="http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2650760789_2c4cbc061a_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><p align="left">A fringe benefit of working on the comic is getting to remember what a <a href="http://alsoatalker.blogspot.com/2007/10/so-here-i-am-back-at-home.html">fun</a> <a href="http://alsoatalker.blogspot.com/2007/10/fests-and-worsts-or-one-more-post-about.html">trip</a> it was, and also getting hyped for this coming year. Tickets go on sale soon, and I have the weekend marked down in my daytimer already. I can hardly sit still just thinking about it. </p><p align="left">J. </p><p align="left"> </p><div class="blogger-post-footer"><img width='1' height='1' src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6263344244356526863-4134296311670691313?l=alsoatalker.blogspot.com'/></div>J.http://www.blogger.com/profile/12260580747334230342noreply@blogger.com1