Michael Archives

Cool Yule Arty Party!
Saturday, Dec. 12th
1 to 7pm
artdc.org Gallery at the Lustine Center
5710 Baltimore Avenue
Hyattsville, MD 20781

An indoor celebration of art, live music and festive fun! And lots of affordable comics and arty gifts for the holidays available for purchase!

SPX stands for "Small Press Expo" and serves as the preeminent showcase for the exhibition of independent comic books and the discovery of new creative talent. SPX 2009 will be held the weekend of September 26 and 27, 2009 at the Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

The DC Conspiracy will, of course, be there with our latest creations. Stop by and say hello! For details, visit: http://www.spxpo.com/

For directions to the Counter Culture Festival, visit:
www.soundry.net/directions.html

Important:
Viva Vienna shuts down Church St. so the easiest way to get to Dominion from 123 is to turn on Lawyers Road and take a right on Ayr Hill Ave (about 1/4 mile down Lawyers). Stay on Ayr Hill until you come to the stop sign at Ayr Hill and Dominion. Turn left on Dominion and the Soundry is on the right... #316

The Counter Culture Festival is from 10am to 10pm
Hope to see you there!

1. How did you get involved in making comics?

My first comic making was done in middle school - at first it was a whole lot of nonsense; helicopters shooting tanks and huge explosions. Eventually those doodles evolved into a cadre of shapeshifting, smiley-faced blobs that could turn their arms into guns and lasers. It was around that time that I started reading X-men and Spider Man, but the one story that really caught my attention was the Maximum Carnage arch.

I continued making comics throughout my high school life, I tried to make a strip for the school newspaper, but I didn't have a story to tell and I stopped after one strip. Damn, I think I was like 15 at that point.

Not much else happened between then and now, except for the fact that I lived in Japan for two years and was heavily affected by the manga art style.

I've taken up comics again, but this time I'm making them for the web. The learning curve is steep, especially with all of the digital re-touching that is possible these days. My current project, is a journal-style comic on the relationship between my wife Keisha and myself. It's been on hiatus for a while now, because I'm looking for a permanent webspace for my comic, and I'm experimenting with some different styles of illustration that would make my process easier.

2. Do you have a "routine" for when you draw (i.e., make a pot of coffee, do sketches first, etc.)?

I have no routine when I draw. I just get an idea in my head and I go crazy until I have a chance to get it out on paper.

The most helpful thing for me is a playlist of MP3s that help pass the time. Songs help me focus my ideas on what I'm working on, rather than on all the other thoughts and static that I'm normally filtering.

If I have trouble drawing the comic, I usually draw in another scrapbook that I keep nearby my work desk.

Of course, the most regular event in my comic making process is the dogs whining to go outside for another walk!

3. Other than pen and ink, do you use any other type of media?

Right now I'm experimenting with different types of coloring and media in Sticky Rice.

I use Sharpie Pens, which are nice and thick, to do the outlines of Lucien and Coco.

I used to do a lot of retouching using Gimp and my PC, but I want each comic to take less time, and maybe be a little more sloppy-looking. It's a journal comic, so I want the strips to fit in with my current events rather than linger in my mind until I eventually mange to scribble them out.

Nearly all of the other artistic work that I create involves a serious amount of mixed media and, when it comes to comic making, I've been feeling way too myopic about working with just pen and pencil.

1. What has been the greatest help to your art? (influences, people, training)

There are many wonderful art museums and galleries in the greater D.C.
area. Seeing those works in person is inspiring. The Stackler Museum
is one of my favorites. Meeting other artists has also been critical
to my development. My friend and local artist Steve Loya has had the
most influence on me in recent years. He's introduced me to a variety
of styles, media, techniques and tools, even if it's just to dabble
in.

2. What resources do you feel are essential to selling artwork?

I rarely sell original artwork. The few pieces that I've parted with I
sold at comic shows and a few auctions for charity. However, I am
planning on selling more works this year because they are starting to
accumulate. For that, I plan test a few local galleries and see how
that goes.

3. If you could go on all expense paid drinking binge for three days
with three historical figures (an artist, a writer and one free
choice) who would you choose for drinking buddies?

Alex Raymond, H.G. Wells and Andre the Giant. Raymond's 'Flash Gordon'
pages were one of the most beautifully illustrated strips of all time.
You have to see an original to truly appreciate his work. Re: Wells,
I've always enjoyed science fiction set in the Victorian era. His
works were genius. As far as Andre the Giant goes, he was larger than
life. Just his presence would stop anything. And his drinking binges
are legendary!