I’ve mentioned this a few times in the past but will very much make a point of spelling it out here.
I hit, prior to covid, on a strategy I called “Two Things” (A terrible none-name but describes it perfectly) basically making sure every day had two objectives in it, and then when I do those things, that’s it. Thats your day done. Relax.
Now, the reason for this, for me, was that I’d very often do quite a bit more than two things, spend all day in the studio and fret and worry that I haven’t done enough. Two things was about setting a boundary around the work that I do to ensure that a) I get enough done, and b) I don’t beat myself up for getting too much done.
Two things can be any two substantial things, for me, just emailing my accountant is a thing – the cognative load of which can knock me out for a few hours. Drawing a page in pencil is one whole thing. About 12 pages of layouts is one thing.
So one productive day could look like emailing accountant and 12 pages of layouts.
Now, this stood me well, given my day was often broken up into fractured moments because… well… two young kids and wife working from home.
BUT – I’m now operating in a new normal. Wife and kids all out all day, either working (in case of wife and eldest) or school.
(In fact eldest making plans for a trip to Japan in the summer, youngest making plans for trip to London in summer means for the first time my wife and I can plan a weekend break at some point without worrying about babysitters. )
So my day now looks like:
9-12 work. One THING.
1-5 work. Another THING.
And then every one is home.
If I can do that on a schedule, that will solidly help you draw 30 pages per month.
Now, this means I might successfully hit the dream goal of a 9-5 and then relax in the evening. But I won’t because the free time will become extra time, time to play with for things like creator owned work. But the nice thing is, since I’ll have done my TWO required things, anything extra is EXTRA. No matter how much or how little I do.
That’s the plan this week. Let’s see if it works!
When Harry Met Sally
I watched this a couple of days ago, I can’t remember when exactly I saw it first, but I will say I was 18 when it came out and it wouldn’t have been much long after that. I suspect it left a deeper lasting impression on me than I’ve ever realised. I’ve seen it a few times since over the decades, but not for a long long time. This and Sleepless in Seattle – two of Nora Ephrom’s finest romcoms, I think both heavily imprinted on me. I suspect I fancied myself as something like Harry, acerbic and funny (but really slightly lonely and bitter) but was surprised in the recent viewing to see how New Years Eve is such an important fulcrum in the film – and I love New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve is a new leaf, fresh start. A reboot. It’s unboxing a brand new computer, taking the cellophane off a new drawing book, that first stroke with a brand new brush pen. Love it. My wife, conversely hates it.
When my wife and I met, I think I was banging on about watching An Affair to Remember (which was the movie referenced through out Sleepless in Seattle).
I should watch both again.
Kobo in Kolour
My wife bought a Kobo ebook and it arrived yesterday. I will say, it’s actually a love little device. She got it because it integrates with Libby and she can borrow books on it. (More on borrowing books in a second!)
The box it was packaged in though, what in the name of chinese-puzzle-boxes was up with that. It looked unopenable. I eventually figured out it opens from the bottom (!)
I hadn’t really noticed on the cover (though it’s there for those with eyes to look) that it was colour! Blimey. I bought my kindle white in about 2016 and I think the cheapest colour ereaders where in the five to six hundred quid area then. This thing was £150. (My kindle paper white at the time was £100 which in 2016 was a lot of money, but in the present, a thousand years later, that’s just the price of a nice lunch for two)
I haven’t tried comics on it, but I WILL! I WILL!
Public Lending Rights
When the library lends a book out, that you have contributed to, you can get a little bit of cash for it to happen. It’s amazing. This happens regardless of whether you’re the copyright owner. So if you’re a comic artist, it’s perfectly reasonable to go on there and sign up and tell it which books you’ve contributed to and what percentage (for books with me as sole artists I do 50% for books where I’ve contributed a portion, I calculate it pro rata and do that percentage).
Now not every book will make much money, but Bad Magic, the book did a couple of years ago seems to be very popular in the library – at least according to the statement I’ve just received. Now, it’s not enough money to buy a kindly. BUT it is enough to pay for a reasonable lunch for two. You should go sign up here.
Yesterday in Social Media
Oh, speaking of great films, Excaliber! What a flick – here’s a great article I stumbled across on the Socials by Tin Phelan (I mean absoloutly worth it even just to see that high res poster in all its glory!)
And er.. that’s it. But, it was Cary Grant’s birthday yesterday (he of An Affair To Remember – wait… it’s like my subconcious is making connections!) and WaltyDunlop over on bluesky posted this delightful photo.
