Tight Pencils is a podcast about the creative process. Host Kevin Budnik sits down with a friends, strangers, creators established and aspiring to talk about how they got where they are and where they want to go. We are all artists, storytellers, makers in our own right.
Sophie Yanow joins Kevin to talk about The Contradictions, her new graphic novel from Drawn & Quarterly. The ContradictionsSophie's Website
Rachel Dukes and Mike Sweater join us to talk about their new books Frankie Comics and The Wizerd, coming out in October from Oni PressWe talk about a lot of other stuff, too.Links:Rachel DukesMichael SweaterThe Wizerd Frankie Comics
Becca Hillburn joins Kevin to talk about her comic 7" Kara - the second volume is now on Kickstarter. We also talk about the nature of comics as an accessible medium, adult ADHD and bad twitter brain. Pledge to Becca's Kickstarter for 7" Kara Vol. 2! - https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/beccahillburn/7-inch-kara-volume-2
https://shannon-wright.com/Shannon on Twitter: https://twitter.com/shannondrewthisTwins from Scholastic Books! https://kids.scholastic.com/kids/book/twins-9781338236170/
Popular Science Katie's Website
Andrea's website: http://www.apearsonart.com/Andrea on instagram: https://www.instagram.com/saturn2169/
Emily's website: http://www.emilykardamis.com/Steamed Veggies (Emily's Comics): http://steamedveggies.artfulhypothesis.com/Guilty Treasures (Emily's Podcast): https://guiltytreasures.libsyn.com/Emily's Rec: Masters of Mayhem https://www.stitcher.com/podcast/earwolf-premium/masters-of-mayhem
Gisele Weaver on TwitterStar TripHiveworks ComicsNabi H AliKevin on TwitterThe Past is Another Planet
Mike's websiteFind Mike's work in the most recent issue of The Nib, "Animals" in comic shops now. Follow Mike Centeno on instagram and twitter @mike_centenoFollow Kevin on twitter @knittedsweater and on instagram @kevin_budnikFollow Tight Pencils on twitter @tight_pencils
New show art by Lauren GallagherTheme by The Past Is Another Planet
Sara Goetter is the author of the webcomic Boozle and co-author of Dungeon Critters (coming in 2020 from First Second). Sara joins Kevin to talk about frogs, Goombas, and Bowsette. Sara's website: http://sgoetter.com/about/ Hell Yell Comics on itch.io https://hellyellcomics.itch.io/ Bowsette: An Introduction - Petrana Radulovic (Polygon.com) https://www.deviantart.com/allthestuffilike94/art/Princess-Peach-Goomba-203588159
Paloma Hernando is half of the Dandelion Wine Collective. Kevin and Paloma talk about children's movies, staying connected online, discord, AIM, and FlameCon Paloma's website https://www.palomahernando.com/ Dandelion Wine Collective on Twitter @soolagna_ebooks Marge Simpson Anime
Leigh Luna is a cartoonist, colorist, writer, background painter, and product designer living in Los Angeles Leigh's website: http://leighlunacomics.com/ Read Cursed Forever, Leigh's weekly diary comic: https://www.gocomics.com/cursed-forever
Sunmi is a cartoonist living in Baltimore, currently visiting Chicago for the TRANSIT artist residency program. Kevin and Sunmi talk about community-building and comics culture. http://sunmiflowers.com/
Nick Drnaso joins Kevin to talk about his new book Sabrina, and his relationship with the inward and outward facing aspects of being a working cartoonist If you're in Chicago on May 24th, come to the book release event and pick up a copy of Sabrina at Quimby's Bookstore, 1854 W North Ave. 7pm
Kate Sheridan joins Kevin to talk about the intersecting worlds of comics and roleplaying games Kate's website: http://katesheridanart.com/
Rayne Klar joins Kevin for a conversation about setting deadlines and queer/non-binary representation Rayne's website: http://rayne-klar.squarespace.com/
Liz Bolduc joins Kevin to talk about the therapeutic nature of journal comics Liz's website
Vreni Stollberger joins Kevin to talk about online argument anxiety and friendship Vreni's website What does your favorite Sailor Moon Character Say About Your Romantic Inner Life - POMEmag The Nib
Iasmin Omar Ata joins Kevin to talk about Mis(h)adra, the dystopian world of the trivia app HQ, and fandoms Isamin's website Iasmin Omar Ata is a Middle Eastern / Muslim / epileptic comics artist, game designer, and illustrator who creates art about coping with illness, understanding identity, dismantling oppressive structures, and Arab-Islamic futurism. best of 2017s So Pretty Very Rotten - An Nguyen and Jane Mai Pashmina - Nidi Chanani La Raza - edited by Fat Fajardo and Pablo Castro Buncha Jokers - Kris Mukai My Brother's Husband - Gengoroh Tagame You & A Bike & A Road - Eleanor Davis
Eric Kostiuk Williams is a cartoonist based in Toronto. His books babybel wax bodysuit and condo heartbreak disco are out now from Retrofit and Koyama Press, respectively Eric joins Kevin to talk a little about working from home, online persona's, the comics, zines, and drag community Eric's Website Buy Eric's comics
Laura Lannes joins Kevin to talk about art school and autobio comics Follow Laura on Twitter Laura's website 2dcloud
Kat Fajardo is a grant-winning comic artist and illustrator based in NYC. In this episode, Kat joins Kevin to compare entrances into comics and talk about the importance of community and zines show notes: la raza anthology school of the visual arts columbia college chicago printers resource (chiprc) cartoon crossroads columbus (cxc) bandida the first rule of punk
Annie Mok joins Kevin to talk a little bit about new york comic com, superhero comics, propaganda, emotion in comics, and movies Annie's Website Annie's Gumroad
Sarah Graley (Our Super Adventure, Kim Reaper, Rick and Morty Lil' Poopy Superstar) joins Kevin to talk about convention travel and internet comments Sarah's website
Lucie and Kevin compare notes on diary comics and learning as you go Lucie's Website Lucie on Patreon
Tom and Sara McHenry join Kevin to talk about Twin Peaks, creating casts of characters, humor, a personal internet histories. Support Tom and Sara on Patreon Find their comics and zines on Etsy and Gumroad Show notes Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me Twin Peaks: The Return Joe McAdam's Analog Twitter The Andy Griffith Show
Micael Sweater joins Kevin to talk about embarking on large projects and the negative influences of social media on art. Michael's Website Show Notes: Benji Nate Silver Sprocket Locust Moon Rob Woods Frank Santoro grid Fundamentals The Oatmeal Adam Ellis - guy who draws the same comics over and over for Buzzfeed Ctrl+Alt+Del
John-Charles Holmes joins Kevin to talk about writing fun characters and personality driven comics John-Charles' website read Spookydate notes: Oreo Os Waffle Crisp American Elf
Andrea Bell talks to Kevin about work habits, social media pros & cons, and processing emotions through vulnerability. Andrea's Website Andrea on Instagram Discussed in this episode: The Pomodoro Technique Scott McCloud Brené Brown TED Talks
Bianca Xunise joins Kevin to talk about listening. Also discussed in the episode - representation for women of color, our relationship with the police, comics as a way to open up conversation between cultures, and Cool Spot. Bianca is on twitter @biancaxunise Find her work, including her pieces for The Nib on her website biancaxunise.com mentioned in this episode: Samurai Champloo Amanda Scurti's piece Disability in the Age of Trump via The Nib Tight Pencils Episode 51 w/ Amanda Scurti Tank Girl The Gorillaz Clerks Freaks and Geeks
Kate Leth is a bestselling writing and cartoonist living in LA, by way of Canada, specializing in teen and all-ages stories for both page and screen. You can find her licensed comics work in Patsy Walker AKA Hellcat for Marvel, as well as series such as Vampirella, Girl Over Paris, Edward Scissorhands, Fraggle Rock and three Adventure Time graphic novels. Her creator-owned work includes the all-ages Power Up from Boom Studios, the romantic high school adventure School Spirit, and the supernatural teen thriller Spell on Wheelsfrom Dark Horse. She is also currently working on several web and television animation projects, none of which she can talk about because of NDAs. Ain't that just the way! Kate's Website
Shivana Sookdeo joins Kevin to talk about generation resentment between artists, creating while living with depression, and a background in psychology that she utilizes to cope with her depression Shivana's Website
Shan Murphy is an illustrator, cartoonist, and recent graduate from the New Hampshire Institute of Art. Shan makes poignant comics about loneliness and personal growth. In this episode, Shan and Kevin talk about the universal feelings of insecurity and trying to find a place in comics. Shan's Website
Sara Lautman sits down to talk about how she started drawing cartoons Sara Lautman is an artist living in Baltimore. Her cartoons are published with The New Yorker, Mad, Playboy, Jezebel and on her own blog. Her most recent collection, Black and White Diary Comics, February-December 2017, is available from Birdcage Bottom Books. http://saralautman.com/
Eric Kubli is a graphic designer and illustrator from Ohio. Now living in Oakland California, Eric has been working on a comic series called Northlake Magic. Issue three of Northlake was just released digitally, and in this episode Eric talks to us about how he began the series. We also talk about video games and communicating with your friends over the internet, two things that provide inspiration and support for Eric in his work Eric' Website Visit Eric's Gumroad shop to download Northlake Magic 3, and a ton of other good stuff
Hannah Fisher is a cartoonist based in Seattle. She is the author of the webcomic Cosmoknights and is currently coloring Coady and the Creepies, for Boom! In this episode Hannah joins Kevin to talk about nerdy genre comics and giving agency to female characters. Hannah's Website Read Cosmoknights
Kelsey Wroten is a freelance illustrator and comics artist from Kansas City, MO, now living in Brooklyn, NY. We talk about the grand philosophy of storytelling through comics, and a little peek at Kelsey's book with Uncivilized Books slated to come out in 2018 Also, a beer and some cat noises find more of Kelsey's work at kelseywroten.com
In this episode, I talk to my Dad about how it felt raising a child who wants to pursue a career in art
Amanda Scurti is a Queens, NY based illustrator and cartoonist. She has worked as a colorist for Fresh Romance, and We Can Never Go Home. She is currently drawing FABIOLA & YLINI, a YA graphic novel, for Oni Press. In this episode, Amanda tells us about her experience freelancing as well as working on a team. Also, Kevin clumsily editorializes about art school and the future of illustration. Find more of Amanda's work on here website: http://www.amandascurti.com/ Follow Amanda on twitter @amandascurti Follow Kevin on twitter @knittedsweater Tight Pencils is also on twitter @tight_pencils, but tweets are very infrequent. Thanks to the Chicago Podcast Cooperative Music for Tight Pencils by The Past is Another Planet
Carta Monir makes intimate comics about identity and technology. She self-published "Meet n' Fuck," a comic about sex-sim games, in 2016. Her new work, "Secure Connect" will be available soon from 2d cloud. Carta is also the co-host of We Should Be Friends, a sincere and positive podcast about comics In this episode Carta reflects on her experiences writing about trans identity, sexuality on the internet, and struggling with the question of whether or not her comics could or should alienate the people they're about. Carta's website Carta's books are available from 2d cloud We Should Be Friends Oh, hey. It's episode 50.
Meredith Park is a cartoonist and illustrator living in Hamilton, Ontario. Her diary comics capture dream-like sequences of anxiety, love, and depression. She uses impressionistic color to convey moods and feelings that and depth to her fragile words and lines. In this episode, Kevin and Meredith compare and contrast their philosophies on journal comics Meredith's website
Rob Kirby is an accomplished cartoonist, and an editor of several anthologies including QU33R (Ignatz winner 2014, best anthology), What's Your Sign, Girl?, and The Shirley Jackson Project. We talk about Rob's origins in the alternative comics community. Through the culture of queer zines and journal comics, Rob found a place and a voice that marries the two worlds. Rob's Website QU33R, available from Northwest Press What's Your Sign, Girl? and The Shirley Jackson Project, available from Ninth Art Press Rob's Favorite Comics of 2016 can be found here: http://robkirbycomics.com/RobKirbyComics/Blog/Entries/2016/12/12_Robs_6th_Annual_Top_20_Comics_List__the_2016_Edition.html Kevin's Favorite Comics of 2016 can be found in this twitter thread: https://twitter.com/knittedsweater/status/808413137934450692
Aatmaja Pandya is the guest! We talk about her work on the visual novel Rose of Winter, as well as her webcomic Travelogue. Also, we discuss webcomics in general, and the way we've learned to tell stories through comics. Aatmaja's website Rose of Winter on Steam Travelogue Gawain's Girlfriend and the Green Knight by Polly Guo Connor Brown, author of The Grrls Are All Right - that comic Kevin got at CALA Mystery Flavor Podcast - Hosted by Kristine Thune and Eric Kubli Amuse Bouche Podcast - Hosted by Lauren Jordan All music for Tight Pencils is by The Past is Another Planet
This episode's guest is Kevin Czap, cartoonist and publisher. Kevin's imprint, Czap Books, is one of the growing forces for good in the alternative comics community.The tone of this episode is a little somber. It's very hard to see good in the world right now, but the only way through it is by surrounding yourselves with people you love and admire.Czap Books websiteKevin's Website
Kevin is joined by Cartoonist, Editor, and Comics Journalist Whitney Taylor In this episode we talk about the benefits of picking up other tools, learning from your peers, and imbuing your work with a sense that you care about the subject. Whit's Website Subscribe to Tight Pencils on iTunes
Daryl Seitchik's new book Exits just debuted from Koyama Press. Kevin and Daryl sit down to talk about focusing outward in order to develop their work and the thoughts they direct inward. Exits on the Koyama website Daryl's Website
Keiler Roberts is an Ignatz Award winning cartoonist whose autobiographical comics series, Powdered Milk, focuses on her family, her daughter Xia and husband Scott, and her childhood memories. I talked to Keiler about how she started Powdered Milk, now a 15-volume, seven year series. We discuss comics and mental health, and the way the latter effects our processes. Keiler Roberts Website Buy Miseryland on Amazon Issues of Powdered Milk are available through Spit and Half Other links: Tight Pencils on Twitter Kevin on Twitter This episode is sponsored by Basecamp Tight Pencils is a proud member of the Chicago Podcast Cooperative
Kevin and Casey talk about The Small Press Expo and The Ignatz Awards (in which they're nominated against eachother!)Other topics covered in this episode include the vary nature of awards, the romanticized notion of working oneself to death, and the timeless work of Tillie Walden.Casey's recent comic, Diana's Electric Tongue, is included in the second bespoke comics-subscription Short Box - There are a few on sale now.Casey is also a co-host of the wonderful comics roundtable podcast We Should Be FriendsCasey's websiteTillie WaldenThe 2016 Ignatz nomineessome other links:Follow Tight Pencils on SoundcloudFollow Tight Pencils on TwitterFollow Kevin on Twitter
Kevin talks with Matt Cummings and Lauren Jordan about working lifestyles and freelancing. There's a lot of good cat-noise in this one. Matt's website Follow Matt on Twitter Support Matt on Patreon Lauren's website Follow Lauren on Twitter Lauren's new show - Amuse Bouche Podcast Lauren's Shop The Small Press Expo This episode is sponsored by Basecamp, and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative Follow Tight Pencils on twitter @tight_pencils Follow Kevin on twitter @knittedsweater
Kevin interviews Jessi Zabarsky about her artistic influences including plant-life and creating ecosystems surrounding characters. Jessi’s comics focus on small stories that may seem inconsequential to the grand scheme of the world, but have a distinct emotional significance to the characters involved. Witchlight is Jessi Zabarsky’s lushly illustrated shoujo-adventure comic that introduces Lelek the witch as she blows through town one day, kidnapping the peasant girl Sanja. The unlikely pair grow more entangled as they travel together, looking for the missing half of Lelek’s soul – the source of her true magical abilities. Both women are seeking to learn, in their own ways, how to be whole again. – Czap Books Jessi’s Tumblr Donate to the Czap Books Kickstarter Balderdash by Victoria Grace Elliot This episode is sponsored by Cards Against Humanity and the Chicago Podcast Cooperative