Comics for Beginners

When in Rome – Comics for Beginners Podcast Episode 32

Palle Schmidt — Sun, 25 Sep 2016 11:43:29 +0000

In this podcast episode I talk to writer/artist Paolo Parisi in a crowded cafe in his home city of Rome. We touch on the Italian comics scene, festivals, underground comics, the relationship between music and comics and the flip side to freelance life as well as the upsides – one of them being the freedom to work from anywhere in the World. More about Paolo at www.paoloparisi.org

What’s my motivation – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 31

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 23 Nov 2015 15:07:30 +0000

Why is it sometimes so hard to keep a schedule when creating content for the web? And how can we set a system in place to circumvent our fleeting motivation? That’s what I try to answer in this episode.

Comics for Beginners Podcast Episode 30 – Why We Quit

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 04 May 2015 13:23:08 +0000

Making comics is fun – but also hard and lonely work! What do you do when you are dissatisfied with your story or your art? How do you stay motivated, when no one seems to care? How do you stay on track when you meet resistance from within? I offer some personal advice and insights in this episode.

Mentioned in this episode:

My graphic novel The Devil’s Concubine, which was almost abandoned
My crime noir graphic novel STILETTO finally available in English! Check it out at Thrillbent
Thomas Alsop vol. 1 trade paperback (collects issues 1-4)

Drawing for a Living – Podcast episode 29

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 16:16:17 +0000

Inspired by an article Molly Crappable wrote on freelance life, I sat down and had a discussion with myself about what it takes to survive as a one-man army. If you’re a struggling freelancer or considering becoming one, this episode is for you!

Molly Crabapple’s 15 rules for creative success in the Internet age

The Dark Side – Comics for Beginners Podcast episode 28

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 09 Jan 2015 15:12:17 +0000

No time is more approriate for a little self- examination than the beginning of a new year. Sparked by a rather painful personal relationship issue, I dig deep and look on the dark side – not just only my own less-than-perfect psyche but also the general emotions like envy, the need to vent or the need for recognition – and what happens if we are not mindful about the vibes we’re sending out. I go through ten lessons I have learned in the past few years that hopefully helped me become a more positive influence and a happier person to boot.

The ten lessons:

Complaining is the first step. BUT NOT A STRATEGY FOR CHANGE
If you keep doing the same thing, you can’t expect a different result
Negativity is not helpful
Just because I have high expectations of myself, doesn’t mean I should have them on behalf of everyone else
You don’t know what lies behind a success
When you’re envious of others, it’s because there’s something there that you want
The grass is not greener
The need for recognition is not a hole that can be filled
Hurtful episodes can be turned into something positive
Being positive is just as annoying as being negative

Hopefully these painful lessons can be an inspriration and a wake up call to others.

Process, pixels and pitfalls – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 27

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 22 Dec 2014 16:13:05 +0000

I got an email from a VIP subscriber who had a bunch of questions regarding his process. What program or software do you suggest for paneling or arranging the images with boarders on a computer? How much bigger should I do my drawing than the actual panel size? Is It important that all my drawings be consistent with that rule? Should I draw out panels into the page and start working on that or draw separate images and put them together on the computer?

I try to answer these and other questions in this podcast.

A shot of my desk, as requested by Joe!

Making Comics with Patrick Yurick – Comics for Beginners Podcast episode

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 08 Dec 2014 16:38:55 +0000

“I find that art is 90 percent fear!”

Artist, teacher and CEO of MakingComics.com, Patrick Yurick, visited Copenhagen and I got to show him the better parts of the city. We also managed to record a podcast on his view on the craft, career, his experiences with teaching comics to teens, his zombie buddy comedy Hipster Picnic and the future of making comics.

Links to stuff mentioned on this episode:

My video on lessons I learned from working on Thomas Alsop

GutterTalk podcast interview

StoryForgeProductions.com

CEO of MakingComics.com Patrick Yurick (left) hanging out in Copenhagen with Palle Schmidt.

Money for nothing with Ben Dewey – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 25

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 03 Nov 2014 21:01:33 +0000

“Think about things in terms of story. Anything else is just flourish and self-promotion”

I talk to artist Ben Dewey about art, music and the Faustian aspect of working crappy jobs while pursuing a carreer in comics creation. Besides being the artist and writer of his own Tragedy Series (http://www.tradegyseries.tumblr.com), he is the artist on Tooth and Claw with writer Kurt Busiek, released this week from Image Comics. Luckily Ben is not just incredibly talented but also very articulate about the craft and the life of a creative person. Really good advice in this episode!

For a preview of Tooth and Claw, go here.

Comics for Beginners podcast episode 25 – Periscope Studio with Steve Lieber

Palle Schmidt — Mon, 11 Aug 2014 19:05:30 +0000

“There’s a reason why they punish prisoners by putting them in solitary”. Steve Lieber, long time comics pro and the current artist on The Superior Foes of Spider-Man, speaks highly of the studio environment. And as a founding member of Periscope Studio in Portland, OR, he has the experience to back it up. I talked to Steve about the advantages and the pitfalls of joining or creating a studio. For more on Periscope, go to http://www.periscopestudio.com or follow them on Twitter @periscopestudio. Steve is @steve_lieber and on www.stevelieber.com. Other resources mentioned in this episode: http://www.workmadeforhire.net/blog/

Frontpage

http://www.zanaducomics.com/

8 Steps to Comics Success – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 24

Palle Schmidt — Wed, 25 Jun 2014 16:03:59 +0000

As you may know, my first monthly book Thomas Alsop is out from BOOM! Studios and is doing very well. Hooray! But how do you get there? In the first episode of this podcast, I discussed the three biggest mistakes of my comics career. But it was a different time back then. In this episode I go into what I would do if I was starting out making comics today. Follow these 8 simple steps and your comics career is guaranteed! Er, no… But there are some good tips in this episode, that’s a promise.

Getting Feedback – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 23

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 18 Apr 2014 16:19:25 +0000

How vital is feedback from others to the creative process? How do you be constructive about it and avoid contaminating relationships? What feedback do you ignore and who do you ask? These are some of the questions I tackle in this episode. Another #makecomics solo show with writer artist Palle Schmidt.

Talent Isn’t Everything – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 22

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 04 Apr 2014 15:38:12 +0000

How good do you have to be at drawing before you start working on your first comic? What if you’re not talented enough? And how do you make the most of whatever talent you have? These are some of the questions I try to answer in this episode.

The Monthly Grind – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 21

Palle Schmidt — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 12:08:52 +0000

The rabbit is out of the hat! BOOM! Studios is releasing the first issue of creator-owned book Thomas Alsop in June 2014, an occult New York story, written by Chris Miskiewicz and drawn by yours truly. Bleeding Cool did a nice little write up here: http://www.bleedingcool.com/2014/03/12/are-you-missing-hellblazer-here-comes-thomas-alsop/. I’ve obviously known about this for a while, even recorded an interview with my friend and mentor Peter Snejbjerg (http://www.snejbjerg.com) on the topic of working on a monthly book. Listen for more details.

You can read a 12-page short featuring Thomas Alsop here: http://welcometotripcity.com/2013/05/thomas-alsop-the-case-of-dead-uncle/ and watch the live action promo at http://welcometotripcity.com/2013/05/thomas-alsop-the-hand-of-the-island-official-trailer/

Colorful sex with Jason Little – Comics for Beginners Podcast episode 20

Palle Schmidt — Thu, 27 Feb 2014 15:38:48 +0000

Jason Little is a Brooklyn-based indie comics creator, most famous for his Bee books, such as Shutterbug Follies. Although his style is colorful and uses clean lines, the books are NOT for kids – something the US audience seems to disagree with. Besides having the most impressive sideburns I’ve ever seen, Jason is extremely talented and eloquent speaking. Take a listen and see if you agree, and check out Jason’s work at http://www.beecomix.com and on his blog http://beecomix.blogspot.com.

Also in this podcast: news and more news! For tutorial videos and more on how to write and draw comics, go to https://www.comicsforbeginners.com/

Working from home – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 19

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 07 Feb 2014 16:40:41 +0000

Working out of your house can be tough – especially if you have a demanding family with little or no respect for your need to be drawing comics all the time. In this episode I offer some tips how to make it work, and some ideas how to get out of the house if it doesn’t.

Seth Kushner and Nathan Schreiber – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 18

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 31 Jan 2014 16:26:22 +0000

Seth Kushner (http://www.sethkushner.com/) is a photographer and writer, known for his awesome portraits in Leaping Tall Buildings: The Origins of American Comics and his Schmuck series and photocomics on Trip City. Nathan Schreiber (http://www.nathanschreiber.com/) is an Eisner and Harvey Awards nominated artist, whose own book Power Out won a Xeric award in 2009.

I talked to both Seth and Nathan about the art and craft while I was in New York this fall, only later realizing what a great double feature the two interviews would make, as they worked together on Seth Kushners Schmuck! Their collaboration on the Schmuck series can be found at http://welcometotripcity.com/2013/10/schmuck-14-size-11/

Seth Kushner and Nathan Schreiber’s collaboration on Schmuck : Size 11

Drawing Every Day – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 17

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 27 Dec 2013 18:06:52 +0000

In this episode I share some tips and suggestions for becoming a better artist. Drawing every day and everywhere is one thing, but what if you find yourself hating the end result? How do you get good at drawing and make it a habit? Well, click play and find out!

Hard Choices with Palle Schmidt – Comics for Beginners Podcast episode 16

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 29 Nov 2013 11:36:41 +0000

Last week I taught a comics class at the Animation Workhop in Viborg. This week’s podcast is a summary of some of the things I taught – and learned myself! The main theme is choice: what kind of choices you need to make before you start drawing, and what you can do to make the process easier for yourself. As usual, your host is writer/artist Palle Schmidt.

Dean Haspiel Short Cuts to Making Better Comics – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 15

Palle Schmidt — Thu, 07 Nov 2013 20:02:27 +0000

Emmy-award winning artist Dean Haspiel gives some insights on the craft and business of comics, the benefits of being part of a studio community and his current work on the series The Fox with writer Mark Waid. Dean also shares what he believes to be the secret to making better comics: It’s all about hair! For more about Haspiel’s work, check out http://www.deanhaspiel.com and http://www.tripcity.net .

Dean Haspiel sketching on napkins at an after NYCC event, New York 2013.

Peter Snejbjerg on making comics in France and the US – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 14

Palle Schmidt — Tue, 29 Oct 2013 14:37:21 +0000

At the French festival Quai Des Bulles (http://www.quaidesbulles.com/) I talked to seasoned comics professional Peter Snejbjerg (http://www.snejbjerg.com/) known for his work on Starman, Books of Magic, A God Somewhere, Preacher, BPRD and the recent French album series World War X. We talk about the differences between the French and the US comics scene, formats and advice for aspiring comic book artists. No one speaks French in this episode, that’s a promise!

Peter Snejbjerg sketching and signing at the Qaui Des Bulles festival in Saint Malo, France

Hanging low in Saint-Malo – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 13

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 25 Oct 2013 17:22:34 +0000

Another comic convention, another trip abroad for this tired cartoonist, reporting semi-live from Saint-Malo, France.

This episode is mostly impressions from day 1 and some tips from locals on where to go for conventions in France. For more on the festival I’m at, go to http://www.quaidesbulles.com.

Salut!

Talking Bad Karma with Seth Peck – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 12

Palle Schmidt — Wed, 23 Oct 2013 13:53:31 +0000

At NYCC I talked to Seth Peck about the Bad Karma writing collective, the succesful Kickstarter campaign behind the book Bad Karma Vol. 1 and about the importance of having partners in crime. For more info on Bad Karma and to get books and merchandice go to http://badkarmacreative.com/

The Bad Karma boys, left to right: Jeremy Haun, B. Clay Moore, Alex Grecian and Seth Peck

Tom Lyle and his Inner Voice – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 11

Palle Schmidt — Sun, 13 Oct 2013 20:04:27 +0000

We’re often told to listen to the voice inside ourselves. But what if that voice is preventing you from working on the thing you love most? This morning I went back to the New York Comic Con to talk to Tom Lyle (tomlyle.blogspot.com), comics artist known for his work on Spiderman and Batman & Robin and teacher at the Savannah College of Art & Design (https://www.scad.edu/). And I was surprised and encouraged by the fact that this 28-year comics veteran also hears voices. So it’s not just me!

Give it a listen and leave comments below.

Tom Lyle signing for one of his long time fans at NYCC 2013

Great Advice from Comics Writer Jim Zub – Comics for Beginners episode 10

Palle Schmidt — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 22:53:22 +0000

I met Jim Zub, writer of Skullkickers, Samurai Jack and the Pathfinder comics at the New York Comic Con and grilled him about why he is letting everyone in on the secret to making comics. Turns out it’s all because of roleplaying!

For more of Zub’s great advice, go to http://www.jimzub.com or follow @jimzub on Twitter.

Breaking In at the New York Comic Con – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 9

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 11 Oct 2013 20:51:42 +0000

At cons like NYCC you hear a lot of chatter about “breaking in” to comics. In this episode we get three different perspectives on the subject: from writer Kurtis Wiebe (http://kurtiswiebe.wordpress.com/), artist Rick Parker (http://rickparkercartoons.blogspot.com/) and colorist Jose Villarrubia (http://www.mica.edu/About_MICA/People/Faculty/Faculty_List_by_Last_Name/Jose_A_Villarrubia.html). Some great tips and valuable insights in this one!

JFK and Craig Frank – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 8

Palle Schmidt — Wed, 02 Oct 2013 21:21:28 +0000

Last week I talked to animation director and first time graphic novelist Craig Frank (http://www.frankfilm.dk/) about his succesful Kickstarter campaign for his upcoming book JFK Secret OPS (http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/256252644/jfk-secret-ops-the-graphic-novel) and his experience with making comics for the first time and how to avoid cramping up by painting on several canvasses at the same time.

Getting stuff done – Comics for Beginners podcast episode 7

Palle Schmidt — Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:13:47 +0000

Most of us struggle with finding time to work on our comics. In this episode I go over some productivity tips and mind hacks to help you get more stuff done. Let’s go to work!

How to Generate Ideas – Comics for Beginners Podcast Episode 6

Palle Schmidt — Wed, 07 Aug 2013 18:56:56 +0000

Writer/artist Palle Schmidt talks about his methods for coming up with story ideas, writing in his underwear, talking to himself and how to solve story problems with the use of balloons! What are YOUR story generation tips? Please share!

Con fatigue with Chris Miskiewicz – Comics For Beginners podcast episode 5

Palle Schmidt — Tue, 23 Jul 2013 13:30:14 +0000

After 4 days of Comic Con, fatigue is starting to set in. My friend and collaborator Chris Miskiewicz (www.welcometotripcity.com ) skipped out today and dragged ourselves to the park instead, and in this podcast episode we chat about going to conventions, the importance of wearing comfortable shoes, making connections, pitching and overcoming con fatigue.

Joseph Remnant – Comics For Beginners podcast episode 4

Palle Schmidt — Sun, 21 Jul 2013 18:30:30 +0000

Eisner Award nominated artist Joseph Remnant (www.josephremnant.com) talks about why he got into comics and what makes him keep going. Great insights and advice from a very humble and very talented writer/artist. Check out the Remnant illustrated book Harvey Pekar’s Cleveland and the creator-owned project Cartoon Clouds at www.theexpositorcomics.com

Reilly Brown – Comics For Beginners podcast – episode 3

Palle Schmidt — Sat, 20 Jul 2013 22:13:28 +0000

Artist and writer Reilly Brown (www.reillybrownart.com) is known for his work on Marvel books such as The Amazing Spiderman, Cable & Deadpool and his creator-owned Power Play (www.powerplaycomic.com). In this episode he talks about robots, monsters and pottery! Great insights from a great artist and a great guy.

Nate Powell & Josh Shalek – Comics For Beginners Podcast – episode 2

Palle Schmidt — Fri, 19 Jul 2013 00:08:11 +0000

Interviews conducted at Comic Con in San Diego. First Eisner Award winning Nate Powell (www.seemybrotherdance.org) talks about making comics in two-hour chunks while taking care of his 1-year old daughter. Apologies for the bad audio – totally my fault! Secondly I talked to indie creator Josh Shalek (www.joshshalek.com) about his self-published book Falling Rock National Park.

The 3 biggest mistakes I made in my comics career – Comics For Beginners Podcast – episode 1

Palle Schmidt — Wed, 17 Jul 2013 19:07:24 +0000

From Writer/artist Palle Schmidt: “The 3 biggest mistakes I made in my comics career”. The first Comics For Beginners Podcast!