Surprise, it’s another Cyber League Baseball artwork. This is also less than exclusive because this is one of the three promo cards I will print to promote the series at Cons and in shops.
STARDUST
I got to work on a cool project, the Stardust Anthology, put together by Van Jensen. It will feature dozens of stories from renowned artists like Mike Allred, Robert Wilson IV, Jesse Lonergan, and others. I colored the work of my dear friend, Keith Browning, here are two panels from page one that I can share.
CYBER LEAGUE BASEBALL (CLB)
All in baby! The series will launch on the Webtoons App on March 28th (MLB Opening Day). And I need your help!
The best viewing experience will be on your phone in the Webtoons app.
!STOP SKIMMING! Please take 5 minutes (I timed my wife) and visit this LINK to the series page and do these five things:
Read the Teaser
Comment on the Teaser
Like the Teaser
Rate the Series 10 stars
Subscribe to the Series
Pushing these silly buttons will help more people find the series and help hit it out of the ballpark!
I also genuinely want to hear what you think about the Teaser, even if you are my mom. When you leave a comment, ask me a question about the Augments, Fuel, the mysterious ‘B’ person, or anything else you want to know.
JP CREATIVE
I’ve been coloring Jake Parker’s Robot comic, here is the opening panel of the series with my fresh paint. He directed me to add the steam.
CHILDREN’S BOOK
I am thumbnailing the Beaver Book. Here is a test illustration I did to vibe check with the writer.
PATREON
Do you know the name Andries de Graeff?
I didn’t either, but Rembrandt knew that name. De Graeff was Rembrandt’s chief patron and supporter during his artistic career in the Netherlands.
Would you like to be my Andries de Graeff?
Patreon is a monthly subscription that helps creatives like me earn patronage from fans like you for making their art. I will be launching mine at the beginning of March.
It won’t be for everybody, I know that not all my fans are affluent enough to support a comic artist every month, and to those fans, I want to say thank you for the moral support and kind words in the comments. I hope that you will enjoy my Cyber League Baseball webcomic as I plan to keep that free.
De Graeff didn’t patronize Rembrandt out of charity. De Graeff received priceless artworks and stories from the Dutch master because of his support. I want to make sure that my patrons get the most bang for their buck. I have already put together some exciting reward tiers including some exclusive comics, rants, and art. But, I would love to hear in the comments what you would want from a Patreon subscription and I will see what I can do.
WATCH: Leave the World Behind
Not for kids. This movie was nerve-racking. I loved the setup and discomfort that was built and released throughout the movie, but I was nervous that it couldn’t stick the landing. Ultimately, I was pleased with the ending; just enough ambiguity to feel natural, but enough clarity to feel satisfied.
LISTEN: How to Train Your Dragon OST
I talked about inspiring movies with my buddies on our monthly livestream and I mentioned How to Train Your Dragon, specifically the music. This soundtrack is gold and a wonderful listen if you need nonlyrical music.
READ: The Old Man and the Sea
I am surprised I have never mentioned this book as it is in my all-time top reads. A classic case of the journey is better than the destination, this short story speaks to my soul as an artist, struggling against the sharks and tides of social media, editors, and the market. Just to reel in the skeleton of an idea.
PLAY: Hues and Cues
I got this game for Christmas and have since played it only twice, but it is a super fun game that is probably infuriating to play with an artist. Essentially you are trying to guess the color square based on a single word clue (no color names).
Guest rant today by Anderson’s delightful wife, Laura, in honor of Valentine’s and my birthday month. Anderson thought I’d be well qualified to rant about being married to an artist, so here goes!
The first time I met Anderson, he made a move immediately by trying to show off his comics. In my head I did a quick calculation: “he’s probably a SCAD student. He’s probably angsty and emotional, and I don’t need that.” We were married 8 months later.
Ironically, I was 100% right about him, and wrong about myself. At the time, he was a SCAD student, and he was (and continues to be) angsty and emotional. But it turns out that he was exactly what I needed.
I live in a world of dollar signs and statistics. When I conduct an audit, I become a CPA Hercules Poirot, logically deducing what must have happened. There are set rules (lots of them!), and nothing happens randomly or without cause. My world is finite, predictable, and very safe.
Anderson is a wonderful spouse (and father), because he cultivates his curiosity and creativity. He asks constant questions and tells stories with the answers he finds. He takes what is and imagines what could be until he finds something that interests him enough to write a story.
In the past 6 years of marriage, I have learned that even though I am not an artist, in many ways, art is “our” career. Since Anderson carries a huge burden working for himself, I do my best to complement him with my skills. I keep track of our social calendar, taxes, insurance, and budgeting. I also work the booth at comic conventions whenever I can, and I watch our children so that he can travel to conventions as needed throughout the year. I often proofread his newsletter as well as his comics. I engage in seemingly endless conversations about Cyber League Baseball, because that’s all he can think about these days.
In our house, there is no such thing as “work” and “life” balance. Everything is work and everything is life. The total immersion can be frustrating and even feel stifling sometimes. But I think it’s best to lean in and find an angle about it that I can enjoy too (just like Harold Prince). It’s also critical to have good friends and other hobbies when Anderson descends into his single-minded creative mode. That way I can get some distance from his obsession without shutting him down or demanding that he think about something else.
As with any marriage, when I fall, he picks me up, and when he falls, I pick him up. We share all our burdens, and that’s what makes it work. The artist's lows are incredibly low, and the angst cannot be exaggerated, but the highs created by his curiosity help take me out of my safe, hum-drum existence and remind me how to imagine and how to live. I have never regretted marrying an artist.
Kisses,
Laura