It's February 1, which means today was Hourly Comic Day. You draw a comic for every hour that you're awake! Click the image below to read about my whole day:
This was kind of a lame year! I'm still sick, and was stuck in the house all day. There were a few bright spots, but the day ended on a dud note, too. Let's hope tomorrow is much better!
Years past are linked to here.
Hey everyone! How are you guys doing? Me, I've got the flu, which is lousy, but I wanted to share this tiny little bit of info about SISTERS: Amazon has updated the book's page! Which means you can read the story synopsis there. I've also learned that my release date has been pushed up; now it's August 26, 2014! Mark your calendars, and stay tuned for book release events!
Back to bed with me!
Happy New Year! Kinda quiet around here, I know. As it should be; January is usually when I hide away and think and read and work on stuff. This year is no different. I'll have some Sisters news for you soon, but in the meantime, there's this:
I'm part of a brand-new anthology called COMICS SQUAD! The first volume, Recess, comes out on July 8, 2014. My story is 14 pages long, and features superheroes, fire-breathing dinosaurs, soccer players, and the President, among others!
The other artists featured are my pals Jennifer Holm & Matthew Holm, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, Dav Pilkey, Dan Santat, Dave Roman, Ursula Vernon, Eric Wight, and Gene Yang, ALL of whom are cartooning superstars! You can pre-order a copy now.
Just a couple of book-related videos to share with you guys.
Dave and I were guests on the Comics Are Great video podcast, talking about some of our favorite comics from 2013 and beyond. I know it's probably too late to do any Christmas shopping, but if you get a giftcard to a bookstore, here are some suggestions of what to read.
And, here's a video Dave made around our home, featuring some of our favorite graphic novels among the decorations!
Hope you have a very happy holiday, with something good to read!
~raina
Hey guys! Just added another gift-wrapping event to my December calendar. This one's in my very own neighborhood: Astoria, Queens! Dave and I will both be wrapping books and hanging out from 5-7pm on Tuesday, December 17 at the brand-new local independent bookstore, Astoria Bookshop! We're super thrilled that the owners decided to open shop here, as our literary community is happy to have a nice place to meet and shop. They have a great graphic novel section, too!
So, come down and say hello, buy some books for people on your list, and get them wrapped by your favorite local author! All wrapping tips will be donated to charity.
ASTORIA BOOKSHOP 31-29 31st Street Astoria, NY between Broadway and 31st Ave, a short walk from the Broadway stop on the N/Q train. (718) 278-2665 (718-AST-BOOK) astoriabookshop.com Tuesday, December 17 5-7pm
Hello everyone! Just a note to remind you that I have original pages from my Baby-sitters Club graphic novels for sale! You can grab a page from any of the four books for a mere $30 plus shipping. Be sure to place your order by Monday, December 16 if you want them in time for Christmas. $5 for every page sold to will be donated to First Book.
What else is new? I went to Orlando over Thanksgiving for me and Dave's 7-year anniversary!
We went to Universal and had a great time at the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, AND Cartoon Lagoon, which is great--so many of my favorite comic strips represented, like Nancy by Ernie Bushmiller, which I don't talk nearly enough about but had a HUGE impact on my comics, in its simplicity of art and storytelling.
And here we have Dave, during our time at Disney World, paying homage to one of our favorite cartoons of all time, Pluto's Christmas Tree:
So much fun!
I'm still doing behind-the-scenes work on Sisters, and am looking forward to showing you more from the book in the new year. In the meantime: stay warm, enjoy the holidays, and here's to a fantastic 2014!
I'll be signing at two stores in the greater New York area in December! Each store will be celebrating the holidays in style, so come down, get a book signed, and join in the festivities! *****
Grasshopper's Comics 22nd annual Holiday Party & Charity Raffle! Saturday, December 7 12pm Grasshopper's Comics 76 Hillside Ave. Williston Park, Long Island, NY 11596 (516) 741-5724
Bring a new, unwrapped toy for our Charity Raffle to the afternoon signing with artists and writers, as well as appearances by Darth Vader, Stormtroopers, and members of the Justice League of America!
Saturday’s guest authors include: Jacob Chabot, Chris Giarrusso, Dave Roman, and Raina Telgemeier.
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Holiday Open House at WORD in Brooklyn Sunday, December 15 1:30-2:30pm WORD 126 Franklin St, Brooklyn, NY 11222 (718) 383-0096
Stop by for recommendations, donuts and hot chocolate, holiday movies, and more! We’ll also have authors on hand to help wrap presents, recommend books, and sign! All tips for wrapping will be donated to the Greenpoint Food Pantry.
Sunday’s guest authors include: Jami Attenberg, Dave Roman, Jeff Salane, and Raina Telgemeier.
I'm part of a graphic novel exhibit called Drawing On Character at the Allentown Art Museum, going on until December 29! Here's some video we shot there a couple of weeks ago. See some of my original art from Smile, plus work by Dave Roman, Eric Wight, and Matt Phelan!
Pages from Smile are ALSO on display at the National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature, in Abiline Texas, as part of the BAM! It's a Picture Book! exhibit. This show also features art by Matt Holm, Mark Crilley, Jarrett J. Krosoczka, and Lincoln Peirce--it's there until February 28!
I'm way behind on updating my site, I know, I know...we've been busy around here! A ton of travel during October, and then the past two weeks I've been finishing up the Sisters interior art. Now the book is in production (which I explained in detail over here), and I'm tying up all the loose ends of the project! I've got a couple of New York-area signing events coming up in December, and will post about them just as soon as I have the details confirmed. In the meantime, here are some photos from my trip to France!
Hiking the Alps in Annecy with our comics pals Flora and Bannister!
Signing copies of Souriez and En Scene! at the Quai des Bulles festival in Saint Malo.
Saint Malo is home to my favorite pastry, the kouign-amann!
It's also a sweet seafaring town.
A fan who used her birthday money to buy my book!
I've never had better croissants in my life.
We braved the wind and the chill to visit Mont Saint-Michel, an impressive landmark that looks like a Harry Potter movie set. Our travel companion in France was Ted Naifeh, creator of the Courtney Crumrin series!
Next we took a train to the town of Le Mans, home to the coolest comic book store in the WORLD: Bulle! Three floors of amazingness.
There, Ted and I signed for several hours!
With the store's owners, Samuel and Jean-Philippe, and Samuel's mom, Jeanette! Can you see how the store's shelves are made to look like comic book pages?
Finally, we spent a couple of days in Paris. There were museums and ice cream, and two more comic shop signings! This one is from Bulle de Salon! Thanks to everyone who came out to say hello!
Thanks a ton to my French publisher, Akileos, and all the wonderful people we met this year. You can see all of my photos over on Flickr. I had an amazing time and hope to be back again soon! à bientôt!
Sorry for the short notice, but I'm doing a big event in Allentown, PA, TOMORROW afternoon!!
Fall Festival: Worlds of Wonder Sunday, November 3 12-4pm
Allentown Art Museum 31 North 5th Street Allentown, PA 18101 (610) 432-4333
NY Times bestselling authors Raina Telgemeier (Smile) and Dave Roman (Astronaut Academy) will deliver a lively, visual discussion on comics & graphic novels, and how reading them as kids served as inspiration throughout their lives, fostering a love for reading and a passion to make their own books. The presentations will include a visual slideshow, live drawing demonstration, Q&A, book signing & more! Also appearing: Eric Wight (Frankie Pickle) and Matt Phelan (Storm in the Barn)!
Admission to the festival is free!!
Can't make it to the event? The museum will have the exhibit Drawing on Character: The Art of Children’s Graphic Novels, which features some of my original Smile pages and process work, up until December 29!
French readers! I'll be visiting you very soon, and signing my books in several locations around the country. I hope you'll come say 'bonjour'!
October 25-27 Quai des Bulles St.-Malo I'll be signing with my French publisher, Akileos, all weekend! Come get a copy of Souriez or En Scene! and I'll draw in it for you!
Tuesday, October 29 Signing at Bulle with Ted Naifeh 6 Rue Saint-Honoré Le Mans 16:00
Wednesday, October 30 Signing at Bulles de Salon with Ted Naifeh 39 rue Letellier 75015 Paris 16:00
Thursday, October 31 Signing at BDNet 26 rue Charonne 75011 Paris 16:00
I'm pleased to announce that Explorer: The Lost Islands is in stores now!
I drew a 16-page story for this anthology called Desert Island Playlist, which was written by Dave Roman and colored by Braden Lamb (who is also coloring Sisters!). Here's a sneak peek for you:
Look for Explorer: The Lost Islands (and the previous volume, Explorer: The Mystery Boxes) at your favorite independent book store or comic shop!
Quite a few more events coming up in the next couple of months, PLUS I'm finishing up the artwork for Sisters--so I'll keep this brief!
October 12-13 Alternative Press Expo, aka APE San Francisco, CA I'm a special guest! Find Dave and I at table 321. Here are the panels I'll be part of: CBLDF: Raising a Reader Saturday, October 12 12:00–1:00
Spotlight on Raina Telgemeier Saturday, October 12 3:45–4:30PM
Love & Comics: Working with a Spouse Sunday, October 13 12:30–1:30PM
Keeping Comics Alive: Comics for a New Generation (How did they get into comics and how they inspire new readers) Sunday, October 13 4:30–5:30PM
Saturday, October 19 Books for the Beast Baltimore, MD Adults and teens must register in advance
October 25-27 Quai des Bulles St. Malo, France I'll be signing with my French publisher, Akileos, all weekend! Come get a copy of Souriez or En Scene! and I'll draw in it for you!
Tuesday, October 29 Signing at Bulle with Ted Naifeh 6 Rue Saint-Honoré Le Mans, France 16:00
Wednesday, October 30 Signing at Bulles de Salon with Ted Naifeh 39 rue Letellier 75015 Paris 16:00
Thursday, October 31 Signing at BDNet 26 rue Charonne 75011 Paris, France 16:00
Sunday, November 3 Allentown Art Museum Allentown, PA Fall Festival: Worlds of Wonder 12-4 pm I'll be signing and presenting! More info soon!
Sunday, November 17 AASL National Conference If you're a school librarian coming to this conference, I look forward to seeing you!
Fairy Tale Comics is in stores TODAY!
I wrote and drew an 8-page Rapunzel story. Here's a short interview about my story I did with the librarian book blog, Stacked. The other stories in this book are really good, and the cartoonists who drew them are amazing! You should seek out their other work if you like what you see!
Here's a panel from my story.
Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists Various authors; edited by Chris Duffy Published by First Second Hardcover; 128 pages ISBN: 9781596438231
This weekend you can find me at TWO book festivals! Princeton Children's Book Festival Saturday, September 21 Signing in the Purple Tent from 11am-4pm Presenting my work from 2:20-2:30pm Books for sale via JaZams of Princeton!
Brooklyn Book Festival Sunday, September 22 Event: Comics Quick Draw! 11:00am Three cartoonists face off in this fast-paced battle of the sharpies. Drawing from audience suggestions, the award-winning and reader-adored Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Platypus Police Squad: the Frog who Croaked), Eisner Award-winner Raina Telgemeier (Drama), and Printz Award and National Book Award-winner, Gene Yang (Boxers & Saints) will battle with pen and pad. And, everybody wins; finished art will be gifted to some of the lucky young people in attendance. Moderated by Calvin Reid (Publishers Weekly Comics World). Location: Youth Stoop (Borough Hall Plaza/Columbus Park) Book signing immediately to follow.
This weekend is the Small Press Expo (aka SPX) in Bethesda, MD! I'm a special guest this year. You can find me at table #K1-2 both days with copies of all my books, original art, and a few t-shirts. I'll also be on the following panel: Raina Telgemeier and Gene Yang in Conversation Saturday, September 14 3:00 – 4:00 The rise of comics for younger readers has been among the most striking developments in comics publishing of the past decade. Raina Telgemeier’s YA graphic novels Smile and Drama have both been New York Times Graphics Books #1 Bestsellers; Gene Yang’s YA book American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award, among other honors. These two artists join us for a unique conversation about their work, moderated by journalist Chris Mautner. Location: White Oak Room
If you've never been to SPX before, it's one of the most welcoming small press comics events in the country. From SPX's tumblr, here's a list of first-time-attendee questions and answers!
See you there!
It's September, and the fall event circuit is gearing up. Here's where you can find me this month: September 14-15 Small Press Expo Bethesda, MD I'm a special guest at this year's SPX! You can find me at table #K1-2 both days with copies of all my books, original art, and a few t-shirts. I'll also be on the following panel:
Raina Telgemeier and Gene Yang in Conversation Saturday, September 14 3:00 – 4:00 The rise of comics for younger readers has been among the most striking developments in comics publishing of the past decade. Raina Telgemeier’s YA graphic novels Smile and Drama have both been New York Times Graphics Books #1 Bestsellers; Gene Yang’s YA book American Born Chinese was the first graphic novel to be nominated for a National Book Award, among other honors. These two artists join us for a unique conversation about their work, moderated by journalist Chris Mautner. Location: White Oak Room
If you've never been to SPX before, it's one of the most welcoming small press comics events in the country. From SPX's tumblr, here's a list of first-time-attendee questions and answers!
*****
Saturday, September 21 JUST ADDED! Princeton Children's Book Festival Princeton, NJ Check back for program and signing schedule soon!
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Sunday, September 22 Brooklyn Book Festival Brooklyn, NY
Comics Quick Draw! 11:00am Three cartoonists face off in this fast-paced battle of the sharpies. Drawing from audience suggestions, the award-winning and reader-adored Jarrett J. Krosoczka (Platypus Police Squad: the Frog who Croaked), Eisner Award-winner Raina Telgemeier (Drama), and Printz Award and National Book Award-winner, Gene Yang (Boxers & Saints) will battle with pen and pad. And, everybody wins; finished art will be gifted to some of the lucky young people in attendance. Moderated by Calvin Reid (Publishers Weekly Comics World). Location: Youth Stoop (Borough Hall Plaza/Columbus Park) Book signing immediately to follow.
*****
Sunday, September 29 Fairy Tale Comics Event and Signing Community Bookstore Brooklyn, NY 11:00am Meet three of the talented cartoonist contributors to the new comic anthology Fairy Tale Comics: Classic Tales Told by Extraordinary Cartoonists: Raina Telgemeier, Charise Mericle Harper, and Brett Helquist! Each cartoonist will introduce their fairy tale adaptation and kids will have the opportunity to participate in a brief drawing workshop. Ages four and up.
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Hope to see you! I've got more events coming in October, and I'll post about those closer to the fact. Enjoy your fall...the best season of all!
My next graphic novel, SISTERS, will be out one year from today! I know that seems like a long time, but I'm still drawing it. I'll finish up the art around New Years, then the book goes into production (more about what that means here and here), and the finished product will be in stores on September 1, 2014. I hope to announce book tour dates sometime late next summer.
I've been posting process shots over on Facebook and Instagram (@goraina). Here's just a little bit of the work in progress that is making a 200-page graphic novel...
I think it will be worth the wait!
Anyway, all is not lost! I've got short stories in several anthologies coming out between now and Sisters' release date:
Fairy Tale Comics
I wrote and drew an 8-page Rapunzel story.
In stores September 24!
Explorer: The Lost Islands
I drew a 16-page story, written by Dave and colored by Braden (who is also coloring Sisters!).
In stores October 15!
Funny Pages: Recess I wrote and drew 14 pages for this anthology. In stores July, 2014!
*****
I get letters and emails from a LOT of aspiring writers, artists, and cartoonists, asking for tips and advice. Without knowing each of you personally, it’s hard to be too specific, but I do have some general advice for budding creators that I can share!
READ.
Sounds obvious, but it bears mentioning: The best way to learn how to write is to read. The best way to learn how to write and draw comics, is to read comics. (Or manga, or graphic novels, or whatever you want to call them.) Study your favorite books. Read them out loud. Look up any words you’re unfamiliar with. What appeals to you? Why? Read outside of your favorite genres—you might discover some new favorites!
Practice, practice, practice.
Practice drawing all the time. Take classes. Keep a sketchbook. Draw from life as often as you can. Draw things you're not comfortable drawing. You'll only improve.
Sketchbook pages from a visit to Muir Woods in Northern California.
Share.
For years, I was too shy to show anyone my comics. But, once you start to share, people can enjoy them, give you feedback, and help you improve. You might even meet people who share your interests, and now you’ve got a support system! Don’t wait to start sharing your work!
I met my husband Dave through comics! He's a cartoonist, too!
Collaborate.
Not everyone is the best artist. Not everyone is the best writer. But maybe you can do one and your friend can do another. Team up to create something!
Young cartoonist collaborators in Portland, Oregon.
Small is okay.
Often, young cartoonists have ideas for long, multi-volume, epic series. They are planning out the story arcs and worldbuilding and drawing hundreds of pictures of character costumes. Why not try creating a short story using these characters and this world, instead? It’s a better and faster way to get to know them. Creating short stories (1 page, 3 pages, 10 pages…) is a great way to improve your craft.
From a silent 3-page story called Small Steps.
Self-publish.
Also known as: make mini-comics! Xerox your pages, fold and staple them into booklets, and share or sell them with your friends. You can absolutely call yourself a self-published author, because you make mini-comics! Here’s a link to a mini-comic making tutorial.
My mini-comic series, Take-Out. Each was 12 pages long, black and white. I handmade and sold/distributed about 7,000 copies, total, of my minis!
Post your comics online.
Tumblr, Facebook, Instagram, DeviantArt…pick a social networking platform, and start sharing your work online. Don’t worry too much about things like copyright. If you can give yourself some sort of schedule (one page per week; two comics per month; whatever seems comfortable), you’ll build an audience and build up a body of work before you know it.
Do it ‘cause you love it.
If you want to make comics or any kind of art...don’t let anyone stop you!
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This essay was originally posted on Inside A Dog. Copyright Raina Telgemeier.
I thought I'd share a look at my desk! It's messy, but most of the mess is stuff I reach for on a regular basis.
Here's view number one:
Stuff you can see in this photo:
•My bulletin board. Full of reference, inspiration, art from fans. •A t-shirt I designed for a Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation walk team, featuring the BSC's very own Stacey. •Below that, a cardboard box full of fan letters. I need to answer these. •My laptop. This has my script on it, plus music, reference, email, and the inevitable Twitter. •Empty teacup number one. •Old photos. I'm working on a book about my sister and I when we were little, so, old family photos are helpful! •Pens. Brushes. Lip balm. •A bunch of old sketchbooks. •The paper (Bristol board) for the pages I'm drawing. •A necklace made of sculpey, of the happy face from the cover of Smile, made by my fans/friends! •Under the desk: an old monitor somebody gave me, that I haven't found a good use for yet. And view number two:
•The page I'm working on! •My pencil, eraser, and blue layout pencil. •More photos. • Full teacup. •Little IKEA desk lamp. •iPod speaker doc. •Empty teacup number two. •Used tissue. I've had pretty bad allergies this season! •Color wheel. I don't use this much anymore, but I like it. •Cup of water for rinsing my brushes. •Bin full of ink, thumbtacks, pencil sharpener, scissors, and miscellany. •Space heater, down below. My studio is badly insulated, and FREEZING in winter! •Outside the window: Queens, New York. My view is of a couple of parking spaces, a few trees, and the apartments across the way. There are a couple of stray cats that like to sit on top of my neighbors' cars, and I like watching them. The window faces west, so I get some pretty nice sunsets here.
I don't always work at my desk!
What about you? What things are essential to your workspace?
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This essay was originally posted on Inside A Dog. Copyright Raina Telgemeier.
