Thursday, January 01, 2009

Brian Fies: The Second-Best Advice I Ever Gave

My friend and award-winning graphic novelist Brian Fies does not have any pie in the sky advice. None of this "follow your bliss" or "follow your muse" kinda talk. Today, he passes along some real nuts & bolts practical advice from a panel talk he gave at the Alternative Press Expo.

In today's post at his Fies Files blog, Brian shares a bit of his thinking process and some of his mistakes behind his award winning graphic novel MOM'S CANCER:

"When my turn came, I decided to offer the most hard-headed, practical advice I could: understand the graphic requirements of whatever medium your art is destined for. Think ahead to any possible future uses for your art. Then work at the highest resolution and quality you can.

"You are welcome to conclude that I learned this lesson the hard way."

The whole thing is here.

Brian's specific real-life graphic novel experience makes me feel more hopeful after seeing some real dreadful cartooning advice online last week. And the reason it was dreadful was because it was too broad, too vague.

Cover art is from his new graphic novel WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE WORLD OF TOMORROW?, slated for April 2009 release from Abrams.

Thanks for this, Brian! And Happy New Year to you, my friend!
at

4 comments:

  1. Brian Fies1:34 AM

    Thanks, Mike. I've always appreciated your nuts-and-bolts approach to the art/craft/business and am grateful for the mention. Happy New Year back at'cha. Follow your bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mark Heath1:51 PM

    You know that feeling you get when you're about to open a basement door and you're pretty sure you hear the razor-sharp breathing of a killer on the other side? The sensation that you're about to be stabbed in the gut and left for dead?

    It took me a long moment to click on the link and discover that the cartoonist giving bad advice wasn't me.

    This time.

    Whew.

    Oh, and like Brian says, follow your bliss.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Mike Lynch1:23 PM

    Thanks for your comments. These pie-in-the-sky replies to serious questions about cartooning always troubled me, so I HAD to shine a spotlight on Brian's words: to the point, practical, specific advice for anyone who wants to be successful.

    ReplyDelete
  4. A. Taylor12:44 PM

    Looking forward to the new graphic novel, Brian.

    ReplyDelete