18 posts tagged “squid row”
Everything is alright... even for a monday... although it's early yet.
WebcomicsNation is back up and running. There's a kajillion relieved webtooners breathing a lot easier. I found some noise about it on the web... but alas... all is well. Whew! Keep staying tooned! But.... follow www.squidrowcomics.com for a daily blog and cartoon elaboration... (dawg-on-it, there's just more fun at squidrowcomics.com! come see!)
Where's Webcomics Nation? Um, it was there a minute ago...
So I go to upload some toons... and my link takes me to this website expiration page... What? What do you mean? Squid Row lives there! (as well as www.squidrowcomics.com).... The full Squid archive lives (or used to live) at WCN.
Okay, okay... I KNOW that the technical peeps over there are scrambling to get this fixed! (They must be... because I didn't get any notice that this was going to happen!) and I know that the ComicSpace site and Webcomicsnation site were to merge all together at some point... my fingers are crossed... and I will keep you posted.
So, if you're a Squid fan... you can find the comic here and there is a blog and it's regular-like... in fact, it's the official site! And I'm not just squirting ink!
This is the first time around in Cartoonery 205. The space seems a tad smaller, but it's certainly more intimate... a fireplace will do that. Ya just wanna sink into a warm chair with a glass of fine cream sherry and stare into the pretend fire in the fireplace, or the lava lamp, as the case may be.
As the new home of Squid Row Comics.... the Cartoonery walls are more "squiddy", if you will. I think the change is nice... you can tell me what you think.
Anyhow... Judy has gone and made her famous oatmeal, cranberry, raisin, flaxseed cookies that inspire multiple return trips to the cookie jar. I'm doing something a bit different with beverages... what means this, you ask? You'll just have to come down to
5 E. Gabilan, suite 205, Oldtown Salinas and see for yourself. For best results, plan your visit between 5 and 8 pm this friday, June 5th.
This weekend Squid Row got a boost... thanks to the local paper! ...and thanks to the writer that wrote the article, Marc Cabrera... (Thanks Mr. Lost Boy!)
duck in at...
http://www.montereyherald.com/entertainment/ci_12337901?source=email
No April Fools!
April 1, 2009
Okay Squid has reached a milestone... It's Squid Row's 500th cartoon strip!
For the big ol' fat 500th strip, I wanted to do something different... not just a joke... I wanted to have the gang doing something... with color and stuff. It worked out perty okay, I think... no real funny... just a "hey! look! 500!"
AND... I want to thank all my readers out there! ... if you have time, drop me an' email; I'd love to hear any comments or suggestions you have about the strip!
February 7th, 2009
Art receptions are loads of fun... food, wine, friends & family, art & art enthusiasts... what's not to like? And despite the wet weather, so many people came to the show's reception. I hope everyone who came had as much fun as I did!
The air was full of jazz and the sound of conversation. I love listening to
people enjoying each others company. The floor was crowded with friends,
family, folks that've dropped by "The Cartoonery" on other First Fridays,
and lots of folks that I only first met. Art is such a bringer-together... Greg
often reminds me of how he envisions a more art-centered downtown, with
local artists gathering there at his studio, and the new and burgeoning art establishments right there nearby (Destination Salinas with Trish and Dan). Cafes, murals, art... creative people mingling with other down-towners... on
a regular basis... not just on First Fridays, or at occasional artist receptions...
doesn't that sound nice?
January 26 2009.
In January of 2002, I went on a visit that changed my life. I was dropping in on my sister who was attending Ohio State. She had told me about their Cartoon Research Library... and that Bill Watterson's exhibition: "Calvin and Hobbes" Sunday Pages 1985-1995" was about to end... and that we should go.
ONE: I was amazed that OSU even had a Cartoon Research Library.
TWO... Bill Watterson's original artwork was there?!!!
There they were, nicely framed originals, waiting for adoring eyes to see. Every pencil mark needed studying... every blotch of white out to be recognized... I was amazed... entranced and bewildered. The work flowed... Calvin and his stuffed tiger were alive!
But something else happened. I found that seeing "the behind the scenes" work, made Watterson human... Seeing all the screw ups and mis-inks made him a cartoonist and not entirely divine.
What happened is.... I thought to myself... I WANT TO DO THIS! I CAN do this (not as well as he, but I could do it). I was so energized and excited that I threw my hat in the ring!
Squid Row has been my baby... I started it when I returned from that trip.... almost 6 years ago. I was bent on syndication... I did the homework, I read all the "How to" books on the subject matter. I sent out the submissions and got my rejection notices. It was disheartening at first. I felt so sure that I was going to get in the papers. Now that I look back at those first submissions, I thank the editors for being so kind.
Like many things I have done, I started Squid and then put it down. It was partly over discouragement, partly "life got in the way." I would play with it a bit... then do the submissions and... then put it down.
But then came the internet. It was suggested to me by one of my peoples, Katie, that I should go webcomic. Brilliant! So.... I have had Squid Row up on Webcomics Nation for over a year now. I committed (or have I been committed?) to doing it daily. I threw my entire self into it... ignoring cramping fingers and long hours toiling over the drawing table. I have had so much encouragement from my loved ones... (and hand rubs!)
Today Squid has made it up to #17 on the WCN's Top 25 webcomics. The list fluctuates during the day... but this past week was the first I have seen it even on the list! Needless to say, I am friggin' ecstatic!!!
I just want to thank everyone who has been reading the strip, and those who have encouraged me along the way. As the strip keeps growing, so does my gratitude. (And Thanks, God!)
And Esther: thank you for taking me to the Cartoon Research Library. It changed my life.
January 12, 2009
With the new year comes new opportunities and challenges. That's the way you ought to start off a new year, right?
I got my first rejection letter of the year... from UClick. I loved their wording:
"I regret to inform you that while we enjoyed reading your submission, we do not feel strongly enough about your work to take it on here at uclick."
It's okay though. I am earning my stripes one by one. I was reminded by my friend Cheryl that Dr. Seuss was rejected 80 times before getting published. I keep all my rejection notices in a binder. It will remind me someday of just how hard I worked to get "Squid Row" out there.
So that was the "challenge" part (you know, not to give up!), and the opportunity part is a show at my friend Greg's new art studio in Oldtown Salinas. It's a new art space in an old building. There are lime green walls, terra cotta colored floors and inviting hanging plants by the front window.
The show's name is "You Gatta Draw the Line Somewhere" Drawings and Cartoons by Bridgett Spicer. I have been spending the last two weeks drawing feverishly and planning and buying frames. I've decided to frame some "Squidies" with the original black and white toon on top, and the finished colored print on the bottom. I am also doing some new Squid originals in pen and ink and watercolor.
Besides Squid stuff, I will have the next drawing in the series "Woe Is Me Theatre"... it's called "Hallelujah Playhouse, Count Your Blessings". It's hardcore cross-hatching and linework. There's no room for mistakes, so I am taking my time with it.
Meanwhile... I'm falling behind on Squid!!!
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