{Late} Thought Bubble {Post}

This is only the second year I've been to Thought Bubble, I honestly would not have even known about it if my foundation tutors hadn't told me. This is the first year I have been to any of the panels and I found them really interesting in regards to my practice as illustrators discuss their techniques in creating work and working as a freelance illustrator.

Sketching Spotlight:
At the sketching spotlight was Babs Tarr, Emily Carroll, Boulet and another person I do not remember the name of - first name Dani, I think. I took some notes of what they said about working in the industry.

{Whats a general day like working as a freelance illustrator?}
 Since they run their own timetable most of the panel agreed that they wake up slowly and then work until they fall asleep. (Boulet says: "I watch cartoons until I hate myself and then I get on with my work")

{Media}
A lot of the artists use a combination of traditional and digital methods to create their work. A technique I'd like to try is scanning ink washes into photoshop to add colour onto linework digitally. The moderator said something about photoshop being cheating; the panel retorted that photoshop is not cheating but just another tool used for making art.

Boulet likes to use watercolour because it's quick, cheap, 'lazy' and people will think you're cultured when you use it (his words not mine)

{other}

Doing things for fun like webcomics can be adapted into books if they're popular enough (and earn you some money)

Drawing from life informs your practice!

Having an intern is really hard because "you can't wake up at noon and say to them 'well I'm just going to watch Buffy today' you have to actually do some work" - Boulet is a comical man.

Diversity In Comics
I lost my pen and couldn't take any notes here but it was really interesting and relevent to my cop project as there was a lot of speak about women within comics.

Donya Todd said that living in an internet age makes it easier for women to get involved with comics as there are more self publishing opportunities if you aren't interested in going into mainstream comics.

Another thing I remember is talk of the new female Thor comic. One of the panel members found that there were no women actually working on it and while it's a step forward having the character female - it may have been more interesting to her if the comic had women working on it.