This month we’re absolutely delighted to have published Peanut, Butter & Crackers – Puppy Problems – a sweet and hilarious graphic novel by Paige Braddock about life seen through the eyes of pets. And today, we’re very excited to be sharing a guest post from Paige!
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Hello, fellow comics lovers!
Comics have been a part of my life since as far back as I can remember. I read all the comics I could find. Which for me meant sifting through lots of newspapers for the comics section. What could be better? Well, at the age of seven, I knew nothing could be, and I vowed then and there to become a cartoonist. And I did!
Early in my career, I took advantage of every art opportunity that presented itself. You just never know what will come from putting yourself out there. Swim in the stream.
Lucky for me, my stream included lots of great mentors, and I eventually got to work with the creator of my all-time favorite comic strip, Peanuts. It was while working alongside Charles Schulz that I gained the confidence I needed to make my own comics. That’s because making comics was considered an art form in his studio, as it should be.
Lately, most of my comics feature animal characters. When I’m trying to come up with animal characters for stories I usually begin by sketching from photos of real animals. I then simplify those drawings into cartoon characters.
My advice to anyone who wants to create characters and comics, pay attention to the little things. The fun is in the details, and if you study animals, they each have funny little personality traits. For example, our cat loves boxes. Our little dog with the button ears whose cartoon persona is Crackers in Peanut, Butter, & Crackers, can’t stand squirrels. Our puppy does this cute little thing where he pauses and lifts one paw when he’s nervous. Peanut does the same thing. These small details help create a more fleshed-out, well-rounded character. It’s also good to think about other aspects of a character: What are their favorite things? What are they afraid of? What are their hopes and dreams? All of these can be springboards for story ideas.
In summary:
- Be open to opportunities.
- Seek mentors.
- Pay attention to the little things.
- Sketch from photos and real life.
- Keep a sketchbook with all your drawings and ideas.
- Just keep making comics.
As with anything else, practice will improve your skills!
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Thank you, Paige!
Take a look inside:
