For Titane

While I was in Algiers at FIBDA, I met a very funny cartoonist named Titane Laurent. She is truly a world citizen... born in Morocco, grew up in Belgium, is now a citizen of New Zealand but also a permanent resident of Australia, and currently lives in Mauritius with her husband and two children.

Titane was interested in my work process, but it was difficult to explain to her without being in the studio and with a mild language barrier. (She speaks multiple languages, of course, but English is not her first language. Nonetheless, I was again put to shame for my lack of language beyond English...)

Anyway, I promised her pictures, and in creating them I thought that readers might be interested too. I am always fascinated by how others work, so, here —

We begin with the usual messy, cluttered studio.

 

The work begins with the ruled pad, where I write little dialogues or scripts. I write more than I need so that I can throw away weaker ideas. I spend much of one day writing, trying to write a week or two at a time.

For drawing, I work on a light table. This wonderful table was built for me in the 80s when I worked for a computer software company (Perfect Software) as art director. Note coffee. Or maybe Soy Chai.

 

On my Mac I created a grid for ruling the boxes of the strip and for lettering. The multi-colored vertical lines are for the different formats I might choose... 4 frames, 3, 5... whatever. The horizontal rules not only define consistent letter height, but the spacing between the lines as well (leading).

You can see my pencils just above the ruled paper. After writing and editing ideas, I spend a chunk of time sketching them all up. Since I tend to write stories that continue for a bit, it helps to write and sketch the entire week or two at a time.

Some cartoonists literally do one a day. Brian Crane of Pickles does this. But I seem to need to work in batches. It's helpful when wanting time off...

The paper I ink on is unusual for cartoonists... I use printer papers like 80-100# cover Productolith 0r Vintage Velvet... acid-free papers with a light clay coat that leaves a slick, clean line and allows me to shave off small inking errors with a sharp exacto. It's an acquired taste, I think, but what I'm used to. Again, back to those graphic design days...

 

After the lettering is done, I slip out the grid and slip in the pencil sketch I've done for this particular strip. The sketch is fairly complete, so that I don't have to make a lot of decisions while inking. However, I don't worry the sketch too much, because I want the inking to be more spontaneous than tracing.

 

I use a Gillott 303 pen nib, dipped in an ink that is half Higgins and half FW. FW has gotten kind of plasticky over the years, too sticky, but I love how BLACK it is. Higgins is easier to work with, but thinner. So, I mix.

You have to learn to work top left to bottom right on your drawing, so that you don't smear. The nib is very flexible, so that I get a lively, thick thin line. I would have loved to master the brush, but the pen came easier to me. Zits and Calvin & Hobbes are done with a brush... such beautiful control.

Finally, studio muses... everyone needs them. You can see in the window a little statue. This is a pit-fired "goddess" who has been with me since her creator, Marya, showed up on my doorstep with a "Vince my stepdad said you'd put me up" introduction. I'd been in school with her stepdad, she was coming to Eugene for graduate work in ceramics at UO. She stayed with me until she found a place... and later I bought this inspiring creation at one of her student shows.

 

And then there are the cartoon muses... my walls are littered with the work of cartoonists and artists I love. Lynn Johnston, Charles Schulz, Mike Peters, Garry Trudeau, Jules Feiffer, Michael Gilbert, Dale Messick, Paul Ollswang, Sergio Aragones, Eldon Dedini, Claire Bretecher, Edwina Dumm, Janosch... plus a smattering of other things I've collected. 

The large piece is from Delphi, Greece. It's Marilyn Monroe looking toward a classic Greek figure of the Minoan era. I suppose the Minoan woman is contemplating Marilyn... the future woman? (Minoan society, based on Crete, was matrilineal and they worshipped female dieties. One might assume that the women were in charge.)

 

Well, there it is, studio life. Back to the drawing board!

Comments

[Peter Davis]

Great post! Thanks for this glimpse into your working methods. I really enjoyed it, and will "borrow" an idea or two from you!

PFD Studio
http://www.pfdstudio.com

[Chris G.]

Ms. Eliot,

Thank you so much for sharing your space and process with us! That was a FASCINATING glimpse into your strip. You have such a fun strip and I can definitely relate to the characters.

Thank you for all your work!

Sincerely,

Chris G.
Salem, Oregon

[Jan Eliot]

As I have borrowed from others! This is how we learn... from visiting others studios either in person or virtually. Ive gleaned some very helpful tips from interviews with cartoonists, and always appreciate when they mention specifics about their work methods. Best wishes for much success...

[Jan Eliot]

Hi Chris, up in Salem! Are you seeing the same storm roll in as I am? Fresh off the ocean, dark and threatening... a good day to work!

[Vanessa Z]

That was so wonderful to read! I enjoyed the detail that you went into with your pens, ink and papers. It was fun to peak into your studio, thanks for sharing! I also liked hearing you compliment and reference other cartoonists. It makes me want to go and look at the strips again, to see if I can spot the different things you mentioned.

Vanessa
Raleigh,NC

[Jan Eliot]

Thanks, Vanessa... the response to this post has been great ... and it was actually a lot of fun to do. Thanks for reading Stone Soup!

[Brian Crane]

I enjoyed the tour, Jan. I'm amazed you have time to take pictures and write interesting entries like this after just returning from an extended break from the drawing board. Maybe I should start trying your obviously efficient method of working.

[Jan Eliot]

Brian! I think I can only do this when there is a hammer hanging over my head. I dont know! Somehow, Ive been able to do double every week. Imagine if I could do that all year!? I could take every other month off. I think that the more I have to do, the more I do...

Pickles is great, every day. You know I really admire your work!

[Karen Buchanan]

Dear Jan
Like the others thanks for sharing your work life with us. You make the drawings like fun time.
I also wish you a great Thanksgiving. Here we will have nice weather. For us we will have turkey but it will be smoked I hope with hickory my brother-in-law will be doing this.
I hope the Stone Soup charactors will have a nice Thanksgiving too.
It's also nice the family will be helping out with habitat.
Enjoy your holiday even though one day.
Sincerely
Karen B.