tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41449992024-03-13T15:05:24.293+08:00The Carver's HouseMy little space on the web where I blog about comics and comic books, drawing and illustration, graphic design, writing stories, and a few tips and tutorials from time to time about them. I'll also share bits about movies, theater, music, (maybe even cooking!) and whatever strikes my fancy.Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.comBlogger1184125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-85301802718953552222022-11-30T17:18:00.002+08:002022-11-30T17:19:07.841+08:00Two Weeks Since BurnoutI think it all started in late-2021. I had been feeling huge bouts of depression in the years prior to that, which had prevented me from making comics. But a friend gave me a tip that enabled me to reassess what I had been going through, and that helped a lot. I ended 2021 with writing and drawing a short comic "Zsazsa Zaturnnah sa PNU," commissioned by the Philippine Normal University. It was a Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-47013856998084366292022-09-26T18:47:00.008+08:002022-09-26T18:54:28.564+08:00International and "Special" Orders: Zaturnnah sa Kalakhang MaynilaThe special ordering page at the Avenida Books
website is live for international orders as well as special orders. You have to
register with the site so that you can order.
There are two ordering pages. For both pages, you
can add your special discount code AVENZZ150 when you check out. (Gumroad peeps
can use their special discount code.) You will be emailed about payment options
and shipping Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-24801673697273322222021-10-19T16:19:00.002+08:002021-10-19T16:24:04.765+08:00How To Become More Creative (Part 2)Image from Pixabay, Pexels.In the previous blogpost, we went through the first step in becoming more creative, which is Loading. What I need to add here is another important source of information, and that is our interactions with people, whether they be family members, friends, co-workers, or any person we engage with in everyday life. In many instances, you might find that the experiences of Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-69999703843090419132021-10-08T11:26:00.012+08:002021-10-19T16:19:57.955+08:00How to Become More Creative (Part 1)Photo by Vanessa Garcia from PexelsIn my line of work, creativity is a non-negotiable. I draw, I design, and I write stories, so the more creativity I can tap, the more I'm able to do what I do. Even the less "artistic" fields, say teaching and instructional design, which I also do, demands a good level of creativity. In fact, it's not even bound by work. Creativity permeates Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-18099263309125956632021-10-07T10:00:00.002+08:002021-10-07T10:00:00.224+08:00Venturing Into The Other Side of The ClassroomAcademic Year 2018-2019 was the beginning of my journey as a college instructor. Specifically, for the De La Salle - College of St. Benilde's Multimedia Arts Program. As of this writing, I am now in my fourth year with CSB.Admittedly, my main reason for taking this leap is financial in nature. While I do call myself a professional freelancer (with official receipts and an accountant at that), Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-25658395239626257302021-10-06T06:42:00.002+08:002021-10-19T16:32:08.431+08:00Creating AlterNativaMock-up of a Cover for the anthology (It's not done yet.)It all started in early-2019. I have no memory of what I was doing on that day. All I remember was drawing a tikbalang and posting it on Facebook. It wasn't the usual way one would draw a tikbalang. Normally, this half-man, half-horse creature would be trim and slim and toned and naked. In other versions, he would be wearing some kind Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-33380256107349423912021-10-05T03:20:00.003+08:002021-10-05T05:49:01.542+08:00When Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp Go DownI woke up at around 1:15 in the morning. It had just rained, so the air was quite cool. I'd normally wake up sweaty, especially during the summers even with the fan on. Last April, I finally, finally, invested in an airconditioner, an appliance I swore I would never need or buy, but the heat was getting in the way of work.Sad to say, the first thing I do is pick up my phone and check social mediaCarverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-21282375905347130732021-02-14T19:50:00.006+08:002021-02-15T05:23:24.103+08:00How Artists Sell Digital Art for Thousands of DollarsLast January 18, "Rick and Morty" creator Justin Rolland sold digital art on the online auction platform Nifty Gateway. His collection earned him over a million dollars. Selling digital art for gobs of money has been a huge challenge for many artists. However, there appears to be a new hope. At least, for the more tech-savvy.Digital art, by nature, can be duplicated. And by conventionalCarverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-90426071055935245912021-02-11T13:30:00.224+08:002021-02-11T13:30:00.265+08:00Finding Your Own Art StyleTrying something. I ripped the pattern off of Vectorstock, but I'll be replacing it for the final (if ever I get to it). I've also added the original drawing.It's a concern many young artists have: "How do I find my art style?" And I addressed this concern in a Facebook post some months ago.You're familiar with the elements of art--line, shape, form, texture, shade, color, space. And every art Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-83380855136699722382021-02-10T13:30:00.013+08:002021-02-10T13:30:01.161+08:00How I Deal With a Creative SlumpIn the mid-2000s, well over a decade ago, a friend of mine told me something about life cycles. I don't remember if it was a Chinese thing or some other, but it was one from an ancient tradition, the kind that certain folks come up with by observing the patterns of people's lives. Yes, them ancient folks had enough free time to do that.It basically says that the peaks and lows of a person's life Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-36610079497166429532021-02-09T13:30:00.012+08:002021-02-09T16:12:54.741+08:00Why Making Graphic Novels Still Appeals to Me (even if I stopped)On many occasions, I've expressed (quite desperately) wanting to quit comics, and for many people, it would seem that all I've been doing is being dramatic about it. On one end, I understand the sentiment, as it brings forth my indecisiveness, and on the other end, it's true. I've been quite dramatic about it, to the point of self-sabotage.But I don't regret it, because keeping mum about it wouldCarverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-24751649232340364112021-02-08T16:26:00.004+08:002021-02-08T16:26:56.867+08:00When the Generalist Turns 50I'm the kind of person who believes that age is but a number. Even though I turned fifty last month, I don't feel it, at least mentally. It's only when the physical manifestations of age creep up and make themselves known that I briefly acknowledge the fact that half a century has passed.Half a century. That seems like a long time. And it is. But more than that, there's something about that Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-39159481501595184222019-01-14T21:00:00.001+08:002019-01-14T21:05:30.176+08:00When a Publisher Closes DoorsA number of you may heard that Visual Print Enterprises, or Visprint, the publisher of my books, will be closing its doors in 2021. They will no longer be accepting new manuscripts, and will be focusing their efforts on releasing their last batch of books and selling off old stocks.
My final project with them will be Zaturnnah sa Maynila Part Three.
The reason for their closing is simple Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-39801132674652822192018-12-30T05:42:00.002+08:002018-12-30T05:52:16.342+08:00Abolish the MMFF? or, What To Do With the Artistic Film?There's a nip in the air today, and a drizzle. It's been drizzling all day, in fact, somewhat unusual this time of year. But I'm still going to the mall, pay a utility bill, get some dog food, and maybe catch a Metro Manila Film Festival entry.
This year's festival has the following films in its line-up:
Aurora by Yam Laranas (Horror, Thriller, Suspense)
Fantastica by Barry Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-76954919372415532342018-12-22T05:58:00.001+08:002018-12-22T06:23:55.307+08:00It Had To Come To ThisIn January 2017, I posted a note on Facebook where I talked about quitting comics. That post got a lot of exposure, more than what any of my posts usually get. With that kind of response, one would think that there's still hope.
However, close to two years later, yesterday, I posted this on Facebook.
Unless a miracle happens, I'll be stopping after Zaturnnah sa Maynila. Making comics has been Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-3083571234862368462018-01-26T00:01:00.001+08:002018-01-26T00:05:44.467+08:00What Happened Since May 2017It's been more than six months since I posted. I blame the time-sucking black hole that is social media. :-)
Here are some of the highlights from last year:
1) "I Heart Davao," the 40-episode television series aired on GMA 7. I was given the opportunity to write a number of episodes for that show, but I insisted that I could only do ten. My primary reason was that I had never written for Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-37910653818086625732017-05-04T21:25:00.000+08:002017-05-04T21:28:41.668+08:00Curious Question to Those Who Want to Make Graphic Novels...There are a lot of people who want to make comics, or have tried to make comics but end up frustrated. I certainly struggled some when I started out, and it's no secret that there have been bumps on the road now and then.
I'm just curious to find out from you: What aspects of making stories and comics do you find yourself struggling with?
If you write your questions in the comments section, Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-32556292671915617112017-01-19T12:02:00.001+08:002017-01-19T12:02:49.549+08:00My Bittersweet, Melodramatic Gay Comic Book
For the 2017 digital edition, I changed the cover.
Back in 2001, when social media wasn't a thing yet, I self-published my first comic book called "One Night In Purgatory." It's a simple story about a gay guy and a straight guy--best friends--who spend a night talking about a turning point in their friendship.
That 56-page story earned me my first book award citation, a finalist slot for a Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-341679658963356682017-01-17T21:04:00.000+08:002017-01-17T21:04:20.142+08:00Why I'm Thinking of Quitting ComicsI wrote this post as a note on Facebook. Surprisingly, it was shared 160 times as of this writing. I'm copy-pasting the text here.
- - - - - -
Let me begin with a story.
Yesterday, I met with the organizers of Komikon, and during that meeting we talked about the challenges that local comic book makers are currently facing. Suffice to say, there's a lot.
Later that day, I was in a coffee shop Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-21646945801953429732016-10-27T21:50:00.002+08:002016-10-28T16:10:33.333+08:00The Zaturnnah "Cover Girl" Print: How To Order
Thanks for dropping by! If you're interested in getting your own giclée print of the Zaturnnah artwork that appears on one of the October covers of Esquire Philippines, please read the information provided below.
A giclée print (zhee-clay) is a fancy term for an image printed on archival paper using one of those huge top-of-the-line inkjet printers that most of us can't afford. Those who Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-30514952355214898432016-10-01T03:38:00.000+08:002016-10-01T03:41:11.078+08:00Zsazsa Zaturnnah: Cover Girl
So this happened. How often does a superhero make the cover of a men's lifestyle magazine?
The October 2016 issue of Esquire Philippines is also their anniversary issue. It will be all-illustrated, and will have five covers. Four of them will feature the works of some of our finest artists, namely Annie Cabigting (painting), Blic (street art), Gary-Ross Pastrana (sculpture), and Derek Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-35754189557041483312016-09-27T06:56:00.004+08:002016-09-27T07:01:30.964+08:00Writing My First Commercial ScreenplayI never thought the day would come.
Yesterday, I submitted a sequence treatment to a film company. This is my first commercial screenplay project. I don't consider the Zaturnnah movie as the first as I'm only credited for "story," and I've only gone as far as making dialogue suggestions for that. A few years ago, I did write a full-length screenplay for an animation company, but they didn't Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-57406559188169335172016-09-25T01:31:00.000+08:002016-10-06T09:06:19.711+08:00Why telling GMA-7 to check out local komiks is a wrong approachGMA-7 recently premiered Alyas Robin Hood, a Filipino superhero drama series which raised the hackles of a number of Filipino comics fans because of the teasers' resemblance to the American show Arrow. Admittedly, I was one of those who objected to the idea, wondering why they couldn't use any of our local martial arts or weaponry. Some netizens went even as far as engaging in online arguments Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-13611064250121845102016-07-20T22:36:00.001+08:002016-07-20T22:41:17.307+08:00Virgin Labfest 12: BinyagApart from continuing my drawing chores for Zaturnnah sa Maynila, I spent some time at the Cultural Center of the Philippines over the last few weeks to take part in the Virgin Labfest proceedings.
The distance that I needed to cover to get to the CCP has always been daunting, making me unable to watch all the featured plays. My normal commute would be to take the LRT-2 from Santolan to Pureza, Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4144999.post-45569600206508793122016-06-18T18:04:00.000+08:002016-06-18T18:15:20.594+08:00My New Play: "Mula sa Kulimliman"Writing for the theatre isn't something one would expect from a comics creator, but since I had my little stint as a professional stage actor for a few productions, I guess playwriting would eventually sneak in there. So far, I've written four, three of which have been staged, with the fourth one going through rehearsals for this year's Virgin Labfest.
The play is called, "Mula sa Carverhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15990427797756098507noreply@blogger.com0