Artist Soapbox podcast: “Artist Soapbox is a platform for Triangle-area artists to discuss their creative work with their own voices. Durham-based theatre-maker, Tamara Kissane, chats with artists about their work, their plans, and their manifestos.” No comics-makers on the list yet. Let’s see if we can change that!
Comics Workbook: A “new type of learning space for comics-making” that’s committed to “creating a hub for comics-making and writing about comics-making that emphasizes the healthy growth and development of its contributors and readers […] nurturing an exciting cultural space for makers by makers [and] investing in the exploration of the comics medium as a vital community form, evolving from its 20th-21st century existence as a commodity form.”
Don’t Keep Your Day Job podcast: “Are you thirsty for more joy in your everyday? Do you want to get paid to do what you love? Do you want to figure out your greatest passion, your purpose, and how to turn that into a profitable, thriving full-time career? Each week, host Cathy Heller has honest conversations with successful creative entrepreneurs about the hands-on, practical steps to make a living doing what lights you up, and build a life that you can’t wait to wake up to every single day. You’ve got so much to contribute and Cathy is here to help you do it.”
From Chaos To Creativity: Building a Productivity System for Artists and Writers by Jessie L. Kwak: a “a Getting Things Done for artists and writers, drawing on [the author’s] experience as a professional copywriter with a novel-writing habit, and from interviews with other authors, artists, musicians, and designers, to teach you how to focus on the good ideas, manage your project, make time in your life, and execute your passions to completion. Make great art by channeling your chaotic creative force into productive power and let the world see what you’re capable of!” Durham County Library patrons can request a copy here.
“Living Documents”: Drawing a 3-Panel Comic from Primary Sources: Although cartoonist Marek Bennett ostensibly wrote it for kids (and teachers of kids), this guide would be an effective introduction for anyone interested in doing nonfiction comics, and could likely be used to do adapt fiction prose as well, whether that’s an existing work or even moving from a rough draft you’ve created as prose.
Make It Then Tell Everybody podcast: A cartoonist-focused interview podcast about “the way that comic artists work, what they think about the process of making comics and how they go about making a living from that”.
Minicomics gallery at The Tiny Report: The Tiny Report is a “micro-press” for comics and also a compiler of information about micro-press comics publishing, but they’ve also got this really nice Instagram account full of lovely minicomics.
Not So Super Labs: A Facebook group with its roots firmly in the Triangle (creator Jacques Nyemb is a former resident of the area), Not So Super Labs is “a diverse group of creatives (artists, writers, publishers, podcasters…) and fans who want to grow and learn together. […] Doesn’t matter if you’re aspiring or a seasoned professional, this place is open to anyone wanting to learn and grow their craft.” Although the immediate topic is often of a practical nature, mutual support and encouragement is the group’s highest priority.
Process Party podcast: Cohosts Zack Soto and Mike Dawson ran this weekly-ish podcast from late-2016 through late-2018, and each episode featured a conversation with a working cartoonist. While filled with practical details, rambling about comics in general, and foul-mouthed asides about life, the sum of its parts is an inspirational look at the way a wide range of cartoonists work and think about their work.
Time-Saving Tips (from a guy who spent 13 YEARS drawing a comic): Tonoharu creator, Lars Martinson discusses the merits but mostly failings of his labor-intensive approach to comics-making.
The Toolbox Fallacy: A video that makes good case for the idea that waiting for “the right tools” hurts our creative endeavors.
The World Is Made of Cheese: A lovely little bit of inspirational cartooning about the uses of comics-making from The Center for Cartoon Studies’ Marek Bennet and James Sturm.