The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-Fox

The Busy Creator Podcast, ep. 5 w/guest Josh Latta

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The Busy Creator Podcast, episode 5 with Cartoonist & Illustrator Josh Latta

Prescott speaks to Cartoonist & Illustrator Josh Latta, on how he got started in art, his daily workflow and routine, and making a name for himself on the Internet. We also dissect the difference between a cartoonist and an illustrator, and question the use of hand-drawn vs. typeset lettering in comics.

Avatard of Prescott Perez-Fox (and Buzz!), by Josh Latta

 

Show Notes & Links
  • Josh Latta (@joshlatta), Cartoonist & Illustrator
  • The Brimstones, Josh’s new comic series
  • Ads, commissions, apparel — some of his other work
  • Not so much with logo design or commercial work
  • Avatards, an ongoing caricature project for the Internet
  • Josh still draws by hand
  • Informal education — dropping out of high school and take an apprenticeship
  • Took a while to develop a creative rhythm — ”it’s just so un-punk rock”
  • Josh is naturally skinny, but his fiancée wakes up early to work out.
  • Head-nod to the day-job warriors. Josh works at a coffee shop in addition to drawing.
  • The Oatmeal, a successful web comic
  • The Brads, a very funny web comic
  • XKCD, a widely-known web comic
  • Harvest and FreshBooks, online invoicing tools to stay organised
  • Josh loves hand-lettered text in comics, hates computer fonts
  • Drawing tip: put the hands and feet in first, for better energy and dynamic pose
  • The Busy Creator mascot, tentatively called “Buzz”, but we’ll see what the lawyers say
  • In art, “90% of the time, you can use your mistakes.”
  • “You might think it’s crap, but that crap can become fertilizer.”
  • Lattaland the website, and on Facebook
    • Tools
    • Adobe Photoshop
    • Blue pencil, especially in accordance with dark ink and a scanner
    • PayPal, the much-aligned online payment system
    • Harvest, online invoicing and payments system
    • FreshBooks, a competitor to Harvest
    • A lightbox, to trace drawings and see detail
    • Wacom tablet for drawing and colouring in Photoshop or Illustrator
    • Ames Lettering Guides
    • Comic Book Fonts, a website with massive selection
      • Techniques
      • Use tracing paper, copy paper, cheap bit pens
      • First an idea, then a few sketches/doodles
      • Scan to Photoshop, print out enlarged. Trace the printout and add inks. Scan again.
      • Use two pencil tones for logo design
      • Avoid debt to avoid having a day job
      • Promote yourself online, even if it feels awkward
      • Use calendar reminds for online/social media promotion
      • Use a whiteboard to keep a list of “what’s next”
      • PayPal keeps track of incoming payments
      • Draw the construction of a cartoon, action lines
        • Habits
        • Find a formula that works, even if it takes years
        • Wake up early if you better work in the morning (night time is for TV-watching)
        • Do something in the morning
        • Illustrators should try their own typeface or lettering
          • ...more
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          The Busy Creator Podcast with Prescott Perez-FoxBy Prescott Perez-Fox & friends