What I listen when I color.

I’m at a stage in the process of making my graphic novel that involves very little thinking. I’ve sketched everything, inked it for the most part, now I just have to finish it. Who knew one could be nostalgic for the days of pacing around and tossing balls of paper towards the bin?

It wasn’t always fun, but at least it wasn’t boring…

When I color my daily comics, it takes me maybe 15 minutes per page. But then I rarely have much of a background and I don’t have to worry about continuity. Obviously, in a book about climate action, I can’t give myself eighty pairs of shoes, so I have to check back to see what color they were last time.

As you can see, I made the decision to color my word balloons, like I do in my dailies. It makes the coloring process SO much more complicated. I’m not even sure it’s working, so I might revert that decision and go for regular balloons. What do you think?

(N.B, the balloons don’t fit well because I made an English translation to post it here.)

All this to say, I have a lot of time to listen to podcasts. With everything that’s happening in the world, I’m desperately trying to understand why. I refuse to believe that people are purely evil and I want to know what makes them do what they do. Unfortunately, not all those people are making autobio comics, but I’ve found these podcasts helpful as well:

• Alternate Realities by Embedded is made by a journalist who’s father is radicalising. While the family is falling apart, there are some really tender conversations between father and son.

• Join or Die with Robert Putman is an incredible conversation between Trevor Noah, Christiana Mbakwe and Robert Putman about why community is so important for democracy - it makes me want to read Putman’s book ‘Bowling Alone’.

• The New Zuckerberg by Search Engine is trying to find out what makes Zuckerberg support Trump all of the sudden. And while we’re at it, What Musk Wants by Ezra Klein does the same for Musk in a conversation with Kara Swisher.

• Don’t Believe Him by Ezra Klein is only fourteen minutes and it explains what Trump is trying to do - I found it important and hopeful.

• Let’s end with a fun one that has very little to do with politics: What is Jawmaxxing by Search Engine

Any other podcasts I should try?

With love,