Friday 26 December 2008

Autobiography Research

I'm sure you're aware of my diary (if not here's a shameless plug, I've done a ton I'll scan or photograph tommorrow, Awkward Days ) I got a few books over christmas and I've been generally looking at other peoples work to inspire it.

Jeffrey Brown
Pretty well known for his comics, Jeffrey Brown focuses on the relationships in his life (from losing his virginity to being in a long distance relationship) in a very swift liney style. I got Unlikely (the virginity one) for christmas as well as Cat Getting Out of a Bag (a study of the quirks of cats that all cat owners can relate to). Both are amusing but one of the most noticable things about it is how he creates awkwardness and general tension in his strips, the sort of awkwardness of a new relationship etc.

James Kolchalka
I also got American Elf Volume 2 which kept me amused all christmas day...I love his strips and read about them when I was researching for my dissertation. The way he thinks reminds me of myself...though his strips are much better drawn...and colour...>.> maybe someday I'll be that good XP I'd recommend it anyway, he updates very regularly (as this proves) and can be found here http://www.americanelf.com/
Two things that particularly stand out about his work are, most diary comics are black and white (probably mostly for a time scale thing) and most are rather irregularly posted. He's been doing it ten years and hasn't missed a day (from what I can see) and also his colours make it stand out immensely. Hence why I love him and his stories!

Marc Ellerby

I met Marc Ellerby at Leeds Thought Bubble festival (he gave a talk on independent/alternative comics and had a stall) and then emailed him reguarding my dissertation and he is a lovely (if very busy) person. He does a similar thing to the other's (diary comics are generally pretty formulaic from what I've seen...what makes them good is the person writing them). He's pretty witty and his drawing whilst not quite as interesting as American Elf (I can't help it...i love those bright pictures!) lends itself well to the medium...He currently sells selected comics (called Ellerbisms) at conventions (£3.50 I think)... He recommended me doing it, since they consist of self printed covers (colour, on his A3 printer) with simple black and white copies inside which he makes up himself. I'm hoping to do a similar thing with mine in the coming year...Hopefully I can convince Chiu to sell them >.>! Marc Ellerby's Ellerbisms can be found here.

Adam Cadwell

I also met this guy at Thought Bubble (you really should go because you'd be surprised how many people even a social retard like myself manages to meet). I didn't really chat as much but I did buy one of his little comics (because they were £1) which was printed on really nice comics. Again pretty standard diary format, a strip done about the days on his life. Again black and white...and can be found here The Everyday

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