Jason Loves Life Podcast – Helping Your WebComic L

Today on the show we have Sarah Roark After Daylight – The Webcomic After Daylight – Volume 1 Kickstarter Sarah Roark is the creator of the vampire comedy After Daylight In this episode we talk about Sarah’s writing process, how she shades her comics by hand, why she choose Kickstarter, and more. Things mentioned in this episode Kickstarter Kickstarter is a global crowdfunding site. IndieGoGo Indiegogo is also a global crowdfunding site. Patreon Patreon enables fans to give ongoing financial support to their favorite creators. Copic Grayscale Markers What Sarah uses for shading her comic. Manga Studio Manga Studio is an illustration program that many webcomic creators use. Adobe Photoshop Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe. Used by many digital artists to edit photos or clean up art scans. It is also known to be used for webcomic coloring. Adobe Illustrator Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor developed and marketed by Adobe. Adobe Creative Cloud Adobe Creative Cloud is a software as a service offering from Adobe Systems that gives users access to a collection of software for graphic design, video editing, web development, photography, and cloud services. In Creative Cloud, a monthly or annual subscription service is delivered over the Internet. Top Web Comics Top Web Comics is a website that lists webcomics in order of votes. Family Man (Graphic Novel) A graphic novel by Dylan Meconis Some of Sarah’s Comic Influences: Bloom County Calvin and Hobbes For Better or for Worse Dykes to Watch Out For Fun Home Sarah’s Favorite Vampire Movies/TV Shows True Blood Dark Shadows (Movie) Bram Stokers Dracula Interview with the Vampire Visit Sarah’s Kickstarter campaign HERE

  Today on the show we have Mark Stokes Zombie Boy Comics Zombie Boy Comics Volume 1 Kickstarter Mark on Twitter @krash_pow Mark Stokes creates the comic Zombie Boy. He is also a freelance artist, children’s book illustrator, and animator. In this episode we talk about Mark’s process for creating his comic strips, choosing colors, self-prublishing his first comic, and his Kickstarter campaign which just launched. Things mentioned in this episode Mark Propst Writer, penciller, inker, cover artist, and Mike Stokes’ friend. Dede Weldon Casad Author of The Abecedarian Book for Kids, which is the book Mark Stokes illustrated. She is the author of several other books. Adobe Photoshop What Mark uses to color his comic and make adjustments to his strips. ULINE Where Jason purchased his poster tubes. They sell shipping and packaging supplies. Antarctic Press A comic book publishing company that published one of Mark’s Zombie Boy comics. Diamond Distribution Distributes comics to comic book stores. Visit Mark’s Kickstarter campaign HERE

Today on the show we have Keiler Roberts keilerroberts.com Keiler’s Books Available on Amazon Keiler Roberts creates the autobiographical comic series “Powdered Milk”. She also teaches a variety of topics at a variety of colleges/universities in the Chicago area. Things mentioned in this episode ElectricGecko Interview Jason mentions this early Jason Loves Life interview when referring to issues related to being a parent of a baby and/or toddler. Vanessa Davis An American illustrator, humorist, and cartoonist of alternative comic books. CreateSpace CreateSpace provides free tools to help you self-publish and distribute your books through Amazon and other places. Gabrielle Bell Gabrielle Bell is a British-American alternative cartoonist known for her surrealist, melancholy semi-autobiographical stories. John Porcellino’s Interview Keiler mentions at the end the John Porcellino’s interview (episode 11). Events & Groups Keiler Attends Cake Chicago Alternative Comics Expo Chicago Zine Fest An independent event for small press and independent publishers to showcase their work. Brain Frame Brain Frame is a series of comic/zine readings and performance art held in Chicago. Autoptic Autoptic is curating a small, one-day exhibition and sale featuring zines, independent comics, books, prints, and more! Trubble Club A group of comic and zine creators who create cool stuff together.

Today on the show we have Frank Page Bob the Squirrel Squirrelosophy Webcomic Alliance Frank Page has been a cartoonist his entire adult life. Frank currently works for his local newspaper doing graphics, layout, or whatever else needs to be done that day. On his very limited free time, he is able to create a daily comic called Bob the Squirrel (over 12 years running). To add to his crazy schedule, he also creates a comic called squirrelosophy. Things mentioned in this episode Bob the Squirrel on Go Comics GoComics is home to many of the most popular comics and cartoons in the world. They have the web’s largest catalog of syndicated newspaper strips and web comics, offering new, fresh and free content every day. Comics Sherpa The Comics Sherpa lets cartoonists post their webcomics. It is connected with GoComics, so it helps build exposure and more opportunity for feedback. Garry Trudeau Creator of Doonesbury. Comic Press ComicPress is a WordPress theme designed for webcomics. Comic Easel Comic Easel is a WordPress Plugin for webcomics Dan Thompson Creator of Lost Sheep and Rip Haywire Jet Pens An amazing pen, pencil, and markers online store. Vermont College of Fine Art Where Frank Page earned his MFA. Frank Page on How to Create a Strip Go out and do something. Record ideas in notebook while doing things. Take the scenario and write dialogue for that event. Make sure the writing is good. Draw on bristol board with blue pencil. Ink and letter by hand. Scan in. Small touch-ups.

The Niche Site Journal Podcast documents the experience of three guys taking brand new niche sites from idea to profitable businesses. Join Jason, Lior, and Dennis as they share their unique processes and insights into the incredible opportunity of building niche websites. If you have any questions about the things we mention in this episode, feel free to post it in the comment section below. We read them all and will answer your question in the comment section or on the next podcast episode. Those in the Master Mind Group: Lior at musevsmuse.com Dennis at castleforgemedia.com Jason at jasonloveslife.com Things Mentioned in the Show: Businessmanagementdegreehq.com – Jason’s most recent Niche Site experiment. Rich Dad Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki – Anyone stuck in the rat-race of living paycheck to paycheck, enslaved by the house mortgage and bills, will appreciate this breath of fresh air. Learn about the methods that have created more than a few millionaires. Linchpin: Are You Indispensable? by Seth Godin – There used to be two teams in every workplace: management and labor. Now there’s a third team, the linchpins. These people figure out what to do when there’s no rule book. They delight and challenge their customers and peers. They love their work, pour their best selves into it, and turn each day into a kind of art. Pocket Google App – When you find something on the web that you want to view later, put it in Pocket. It automatically syncs to your phone, tablet or computer so you can view it at any time, even without an internet connection. Dunkin Donut’s Coffee – Dennis’ coffee of choice. The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg – Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business Interview with Jason Van Orden – Our chat with Jason from Internet Business Mastery. Brian Brushwood – An American magician, podcaster, author and comedian. The host of Scam School. Fizzle.co: Podcast and blog on Online Business. The Art of Non-conformity: Based on Chris Guillebeau’s popular online manifesto “A Brief Guide to World Domination,” The Art of Non-Conformity defies common assumptions about life and work while arming you with the tools to live differently. John Saddington – educator, writer, entrepreneur, engineer, and more. 1,000 true fans article –  Art discussing how creators, such as an artist, musician, photographer, craftsperson, performer, animator, designer, videomaker, or author – in other words, anyone producing works of art – needs to acquire only 1,000 True Fans to make a living. Video Production on the Cheap – Dennis’ free ebook on how to produce great video when you are on a budget. bluesharmonica.com – David Barrett’s blues harmonica tutorial site. Resource Recommendation pixlr.com – Website where you edit photos online. Dennis video mentioned in the podcast:

Today on the show we have Robin Childs LeyLines Moko Press, LLC Webcomic Alliance Robin Childs is a writer, illustrator, and the Co-owner of Moko Press. Robin has a cool story in that she was a Mechanical Engineer who loved to create comics, tell stories, and create art. Recently she left that Engineering job (which she didn’t like) to become a part-time paraprofessional at a local elementary school giving her more time to work on her comic and her business. Things mentioned in this episode Paperwing Podcast Blog & Podcast on topics related to creator-owned comics & graphic novels. Quitter: Closing the Gap Between Your Day Job & Your Dream Job by Jon Acuff A book on making the switch from a day job to a dream job (or business). The Cinematography of “The Incredibles” A case study of the shot compositions from Pixar’s film “The Incredibles. 1000 true fans An article on what on what is needed to make a living as a creator. LeyLines Volume Two Kickstarter LeyLines Volume Three Kickstarter Robin’s Convention Schedule: Feb 28, 2014 – Animeland Wasabi Mar 28, 2014 – Emerald City Comicon Apr 12, 2014 – Colorado Springs Comic & Toy Con May 2, 2014 – Comic Fest Jun 05, 2014 – Phoenix Comicon Jun 13, 2014 – Denver Comic Con

Today on the show we have Drezz Rodriguez Drezzworks.com El-Cuervo Avatarnoir.com Webcomic Alliance I’m stealing this description from his Facebook Page: Drezz Rodriguez is the creator of online graphic novels such as EL CUERVO and THE FIX. and he is a featured columnist and podcast personality at the WEBCOMIC ALLIANCE. Drezz has an online gallery of his illustrated pop-culture portraits called AVATAR NOIR. During the day, he is an award winning creative director for a brand image and marketing firm, a doting husband and loving father, and an enthusiastic creative type whose gears never stop turning. Things mentioned in this episode: Aaron Johnson Interview Jason’s Interviewing the Aaron Johnson of “What the Duck” Stephen Bliss Artist and Illustrator Tapastic A platform for visual stories. BONUS QUESTION!!! From Twitter @jasonloveslife @DrezzRodriguez What are the benefits to the Comic Blog Elite? — All for a Punchline (@allforapunchlin) February 4, 2014 Answer from Drezz: The Comic Blog Elite is set up similar to a toplist – and although it was originally meant for blogs and websites that talk ABOUT comics, there are actually quite a large number of comics on there. When I had my blog, I was actually in the top 5 sites on there – but I moved into doing El Cuervo and working with the Webcomic Alliance, and it dropped off the radar. I don’t know who uses the site to find new comics, but it serves as a way to count traffic going in and out through their site + button. So I guess it works somewhat. -Drezz

This weeks guest is Chris Flick csfgraphics.com capesnbabes.com webcomicalliance.com Chris is a Graphic Designer, Web Designer, an illustrator, and a wecbomic creator. In this episode we chat about changes in how websites are created, how Chris creates his webcomic, finding time for side projects, conventions, and more. Things mentioned in this episode: jasonlenox.com Chris’ friend and fellow illustrator. Patrick Strange’s YouTube Channel Does interviews with comic creators and puts on promotions for Comic Book Shops. Adobe Fireworks Smashing Magazine article The article Chris mentions in the show when talking about Adobe Fireworks.

Welcome to another Amazing Adventure of the Jason Loves Life Podcast! This week we chat with Dawn Griffin. Dawn is a graphic designer, illustrator, and webcomic creator. She is best known for the Webcomic Zorphbert and Fred, as the illustrator of Abby’s Adventures, and as a co-founding member of the Webcomic Alliance. Where you can find Dawn Griffin: Dawn Griffin Studios Zorphbert and Fred Abby’s Adventures webcomicalliance.com Dawn Griffin’s Advice for New Artist: Just start doing it! It doesn’t have to be perfect because it will never be perfect. Take it one step at a time and get it done…. What are you waiting for? Things mentioned in this episode: Drunk Duck: A webcomics hosting site featuring many comics and a great webcomics community.. Philadelphia Comic Con Dawn’s “best” comic con she goes to. Want to share your Art? Feel free to send your art to me through twitter at twitter.com/jasonloveslife

Welcome to Episode 20! In this episode of Jason Loves Life Podcast we have Byron Wilkins; Illustrator of comics, builder of models, editor of video/audio, capitalist pig, and drinker of beer. Byron shares insider secrets to being a freelancer, improving your artistic skills, and marketing yourself. Make sure to check out his websites below and if you get the chance, say hello to him at a comic convention (his 2014 schedule listed below) or on twitter (@tr1byron) Where you can find Byron Wilkins online: tr1studios.com 1977thecomic.com webcomicalliance.com tgtmedia.com Twitter @tr1byron Byron Wilkins’ Advice for New Artist: Hone Your Craft Market Yourself Be Patient Things mentioned in this episode: Dawn Griffin Zorphber and Fred Software Mentioned: Manga Studio EX 5 Adobe Photoshop CS6  Adobe Flash Pro CS6 Events where you can see Byron this year (2014) Indiana Comic Con March 14-16, 2014 in Indianapolis, IN NWI Comic-Con February 23, 2014 in Schererville, IN Pop Expo May 16 – 18 in Cleveland, OH

The Niche Site Journal Podcast documents the experience of three guys taking brand new niche sites from idea to profitable businesses. Join Jason, Lior, and Dennis as they share their unique processes and insights into the incredible opportunity of building niche websites. In this episode we talk about User Experience If you have any questions about the things we mention in this episode, feel free to post it in the comment section below. We read them all and will answer your question in the comment section or on the next podcast episode. Those in the Master Mind Group: Lior at musevsmuse.com Dennis at castleforgemedia.com Jason at jasonloveslife.com Need SEO? If you are looking to improve your SEO guaranteed, contact Lior at lior@liorohayon.com Things Mentioned in the Show: Textbroker.com: A place to hire short term ghost writers. Buffer: Allows you to schedule Social Media posts in a super easy way. Waukesha 4-H: Where Jason is working temporarily Like the facebook page and make Jason look good for his bosses. helpareporter.com: Connect with Journalist and get sweet backlinks to your site. Fiverr: The place for people to share things they’re willing to do for $5.  Entrepreneurs-journey.com with Yaro interviewing Pat Flynn Pat Flynn’s Auto Responder Strategy Post E-Cards from Facebook

This is the first episode of 2014 for the Jason Loves Life Podcast. In this episode Jason covers his goals for 2014, projects he has coming out in 2014, and talks about how you can create SMART goals. SMART Goals S = specific M = measurable A = achievable R = relevant T = timely If you are looking for webhosting and want to support the show, go to jasonlovehosting.com to get the best deal and use the same company I am using for my hosting. Also, we get a few dollars put towards hosting this site.

Drew Christie is an animator and an illustrator. He has been featured on The New York Times, The Huffington Post, The Atlantic, Drawn, Cartoon Brew, and Juxtapoz. Where you can find Drew Christie online: DrewChristie.com Drew Christie on Vimeo Drew Christie on Facebook Drew Christie on Twitter Things mentioned in this episode: Cheap Animator – Jason’s Animation Workshop he does with Libraries. Freaks (film) – A 1932 American horror film about sideshow performers, directed and produced by Tod Browning and released by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, with a cast mostly composed of actual carnival performers. Vanity Fair – 1940’s The Magical Life of Long Tack Sam – The documentary mentioned in the podcast about a magician. New York Times Opt-Docs – Op-Docs is The New York Times editorial department’s forum for short, opinionated documentaries, produced with wide creative latitude and a range of artistic styles, covering current affairs, contemporary life and historical subjects. (Description from NY Times Website) Evergreen State College UW-Milwaukee Film School CU Boulder Film Dragon Frame Animation, Comics and Graphic Novels: A Great Evergreen Tradition Video  

I’ve been following Bill Plympton’s career since my early days in film school. Bill being an individual who is able to make a living directly from the art he wants to make, I was instantly drawn to him. I searched out every interview of him I could find, read his book “Independently Animated: Bill Plympton“, and seeked out DVD’s that contained his work. Today, I had the honor to chat with him over the phone. I hope you enjoy the interview, learn a lot, and then go out to buy his book “Make Toons That Sell Without Selling Out“ Where you can find Bill online: Bill’s Website Bill’s Facebook Page Bill’s Twitter Page Bill’s Blog Spot Things mentioned in this episode: Make Toons That Sell Without Selling Out Learn the secrets behind independent animation from the “The King of Independent Animation” – Academy Award-nominated Bill Plympton. This living legend breaks down how to make a career outside of the world of corporate animation – and without compromise. Learn time-saving techniques, the secrets to good storytelling, and the business-side of short and feature-length animation films. Independently Animated: Bill Plympton: The Life and Art of the King of Indie Animation The life and art of “the King of Indie Animation.” The only modern animator to personally hand-draw every frame in all of his work, Academy Award–nominee Bill Plympton eschewed a career in the high-paying but soul-crushing Hollywood animation industry to explore his own creativity as an independent filmmaker. Called “mischievous, mordant, analytical, and ceaselessly imaginative” by the New York Times, and hailed simply as “God” by Simpsons creator Matt Groening, Plympton is widely regarded as the hardest-working, most prolific animator in the business. PES: PES is a stop-motion filmmaker. Sitges Film Festival A Spanish film festival that is one of the most recognizable ones held in Europe, considered the world’s foremost international festival specializing in fantasy and horror movies. Annecy International Animated Film Festival The Annecy International Animation Film Festival was created in 1960 and takes place at the beginning of June in the town of Annecy, France. Bill’s Kickstarter Campaigns: Winsor McCay Resurrection Project Bill Plympton’s CHEATIN’ – An Animated Feature Film Cheatn’ Production Blog: Episode 1: Intro Episode 2: Outline Episode 3: Storyboard Episode 4: Layout Episode 5: Layout Demonstration Episode 6: Character Design – “Ella” Episode 7: Character Design – “Jake” Episode 8: Character Design – “El Merto” Episode 9: Character Design – “Thug” Episode 10: Animation, Part 1 Episode 11: Animation, Part 2 Guest Episode: Signe Baumane, Part 1 Guest Episode: Signe Baumane, Part 2 Guest Episode – Signe Baumane, Part 3

Today’s guest it the very funny Mark Malkoff! Mark Malkoff is a comedy filmmaker/online personality. He has been featured on the Today Show, Good Morning America, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, NPR, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, Huffington Post, USA Today, Mashable and more…. Some of his stunts include Visited and consumed purchases at all 171 Starbucks locations in Manhattan in less than 24 hours Lived and slept in an IKEA store in Paramus, New Jersey for an entire week Stayed on an AirTran airplane for an entire month to get over his fear of flying Physically carried 9.4 miles in Manhattan by 155 individuals Brought a goat to the Apple Store Where you can see Mark markmalkoff.com The Bill Murray Show Mark’s My Damn Channel Links Mentions in the Chat My Damn Channel Craigs List mandy.com  

In this weeks Jason Loves Life, I’m excited to chat with ElectricGecko the creator of the webcomic Puck. This episode is jam packed with great information on monetizing a webcomic, buying ads space, getting on webcomic lists, his thoughts on social media, and more… Say hello to ElectricGecko at: Puck comics Website Electricgecko Deviant Art Puck Facebook Page geckoelectric Twitter Page Links Mentioned in this Episode: Top Web Comics : A website designed for promoting webcomics. Webcomics are ranked by number of votes from most to least. Google Adsense: Google’s ad publishing service. It allows you to place Ads on your website from ad buyers through Google Adwords. Project Wonderful: Project Wonderful is an online advertising broker. With project wonderful you buy ad space instead of paying per click. Google Adwords: A space to purchase ads through Google. Ads will be displayed in Google Searches and on other websites. CorelDRAW: The software ElectricGecko uses to create his webcomic Puck. Tripp: A Webcomic ElectricGecko mentioned during our discussion. The Webcomic List: Show a list of webcomics and when they update. “Show @GeckoElectric some twitter Love!” Click Here to Tweet  

This week our guest is Leslie Samuel! Leslie is a Biology Professor who is making money online by creating educational videos and blogging. He teaches biology at interactive biology and teaches blogging at become a blogger. Leslie’s website Interactive Biology Become a Blogger Learning with Leslie Podcast Links Mentioned Become a Blogger’s 2012 Year End Review : Leslie shares his income numbers from his businesses. FreeBloggingVideos.com : Learn how to start a blog. Elance : A place to hire freelancers. Odesk : A place to hire freelancers Aweber : Email Marketing Service Pinterest Article Mentioned: One of the best articles I’ve read on pinterest for bloggers. Some Take Aways from Leslie Software Leslie Uses for his Videos Powerpoint Screen Flow Keynote Omni Dazzle 4 Ways to get your viewers to watch your videos What will people be searching for? Make this the title of your video.  Have a call to action for watchers to visit your website. Your videos need to be valuable to the viewer. Network and connect with others blogging on or making videos on a similar subject. Share Time What great educational sites, youtube channels, or blogs are currently catching your eye? Please share them in the comments below.

I am excited to welcome to the show Jennie Wood. She is the writer and producer of the Graphic Novel Flutter (named one of the year’s best LGBT graphic novels by The Advocate). She is a talented musician, Song writer, author, artist, and more… We talk about the benefits of having a comic book publisher, how she found her book agent, transmedia storytelling, LGBT in mainstream comics, and more… Her website is Jenniewood.com Links Mentioned in the Podcast Flutter Jennie Wood’s Graphic Novel published by 215 Ink The Fictory Comics The comic portion of The Fictory and where Jennie’s comic started as a webcomic. Jeff McComsey An American illustrator and author of graphic novels, animations, and video game art. His most notable works include American Terror, a graphic novel series published through Alterna Comics and the self-published work FUBAR. (Description from his Wikipedia page at en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeff_McComsey) 215Ink Comic book publisher animoto The easy way to create and share extraordinary videos of your life. Our online video maker turns your photos, video clips and music into video in minutes. grub street Grub Street is the second largest independent center for creative writing in the United States. Their mission is to be an innovative, rigorous, and welcoming community for writers who together create their best work, find audience, and elevate the literary arts for all.

This week we have special guest Michael Corley. Michael is a webcomic creator, voice actor, magician, podcaster and more…. all while holding down a day job. Michael is one of those guys who is amazing at getting his name out there. He kept popping up on my radar every few days until I decided I needed to bring him on the show. We talk about ways he uses to market his webcomic, ethics of being a magician, and a peak into what it is like to do voice acting. Michael Corley’s Websites: voxboxcomics.com freefacebookportrait.com michaelcorley.com Things Mentioned in the Podcast: Bitstrips: An easy way to create comic strips with no drawing skills needed. Interview with Andhedrew DC Comics Guide to …: A series of how-to books by DC Comics. The Wombmates The Amazing Randi The Million Dollar Challenge Stuff You Missed in History Class Podcast Answer Man How to Become a Graphic Designer Other Podcasts Michael has been on: Webcomic Beacon Nutty Bites super villain Corner If you enjoy the podcast, please share it with someone you know who might also enjoy the show. It gives them something new to listen to and helps us out immensely. Thanks for your help, Jason Love  

Today’s interview is with John Porcellino of Spit and a Half Distribution and King-Cat Comics. John is a self-published full time comic (zine) creator and distributes other people independent comic works. The first King-Cat Comic was created in 1989, making it one of the best-known and longest-running “zine” series today. In this episode we cover the zine scene, the importance of festivals, John’s artistic process, and more. You can learn more about John’s comic at: king-cat.net Or check out other comics he distributes at: spitandahalf.blogspot.com Here are links to some of the events mentioned in the podcast: Twin Cities Book Fest Milwaukee Zine Fest Twin Cities Book Festival Bonus Question for John? Unfortunately I missed a question from the twitter feed. John was nice enough to answer it after the podcast went up on the blog & iTunes   @jasonloveslife For John, from Andrew L, “How did growing up in Illinois shape you as an artist?”. Thanks! — Andrew (@AndrewAvocado) October 16, 2013 John’s Answer: Being exposed to the Chicago Imagists when I was in high school had a huge impact on me beginning to think about comics in new ways, directly leading up to the start of King-Cat.  I think also the plainness, and kind of understated milieu of the Midwest has certainly played a big part in the way I approach art and life.  I’m a Midwesterner through and through. -John Porcellino