Jason Little

Angoulême Day 1: Art Spiegelman, President

2012-01-27T17:54:00.000-08:00

I shot so many pictures on day one, and also because what follows is so important that I'm going to spin Art Spiegelman's exhibit into this separate post.

Every year the Festival de la Bande Dessinee elects a President of the Jury who leads the decisions about which new books get what prize. The office of President of Angoulême is also an extremely high honor, and requires the recipient to have had an exceptionally influential career. It's perhaps the highest honor one can receive in comics in the Western World. The only other Americans to be elected President of Angoulême were Will Eisner in '75 and R. Crumb in '99.

The President is invested with the power to shape much of the programming that year, particularly the exhibitions. The President also cooperates with the curation of a special retrospective exhibition of his or her own work.

This year Spiegelman's retrospective was astonishing, and shed much light on a very distinguished and pioneering career, but also a very misunderstood one.

On my last visit to Angoulême in 2004 this space was devoted to the Musee Imaginaire de la Bande Dessinee. The space is huge, and Spiegelman filled it easily.

Here are original boards from experimental comics from Arcade and Young Lust that were collected into Breakdowns. I read all those stories in Arcade years ago, but never bothered to buy Breakdowns because I thought I owned it all already. However, reading those stories all at once this year for the first time made me realize that Spiegelman is really the first fully self-actualized avant-garde cartoonist.

Here is a whole sequence of roughs showing the development of a Raw cover.

This is a marker rough for an appreciation of Ken Jacobs, Spiegelman's film teacher and mentor at SUNY Binghamton. Note that Spieg picked up the technique of layering with colored markers on tracing paper from Harvey Kurtzman (see the appendix to the 2nd volume of Little Annie Fannie). I noticed that R. Sikoryak has in turn borrowed the technique from Art.

These are color studies for the introduction to the Pantheon edition of Breakdowns. I find that I also like to do two-color work with orange and blue.

A compound frame of complete tearsheets of Two-Fisted Painters, a Raw one-shot. Has this been reprinted anywhere? It's essential.

Collaged color studies for "Dead Dick" from Raw.

More marker roughs for the cover of Read Yourself Raw.

This is an early dream comic, here Art is borrowing a lot of cartooning ideas from Kurzman in "Hey Look!" mode, with a bit of Skip Williamson influence as well.

Polaroids (rescued from a fire?) of photo reference for the cover of Breakdowns.

The Maus room had prints of every (?) page, many with original marker layouts and studies above and below.

I've read Maus a number of times, so didn't think I needed to spend much time in this room, but I could not help but get sucked into the story again and experience a very strong emotional response to it.

By way of epilogue here is some of the commercial work Art did for Topps in the '70s and '80s. I hadn't seen these cool monster letter sticker cards before.

And these are little color minicomic joke books that must've been included in trading card packets.

Art gets a lot of flak for, on the surface, doing Maus and then failing to follow it up with anything of a comparable ambition. The illusion is that he has been relatively idle since Maus came out. This exhibit hurls that sentiment resoundingly into the trash. It is though Art said, "you want to know what I've been up to? Okay, here." Note that I only shot my very favorite stuff in the exhibit (mostly stuff that reveals process). These photos represent maybe 2% of what's on the walls.

This exhibit will be up for a few months after the close of the festival, so it is well worth a pilgrimage to Angoulême.

Poitiers and Bulles D'Encre

2012-01-25T15:09:00.000-08:00

This morning Tony and I took the train from Le Mans to Poitiers. I spent the time well critiquing student plot treatments via email. We were met at the station by Audrey, our effervescent interpreter/driver/hostess/tourguide.

She took us at breakneck speed through the winding streets of Poitiers to Bulles D'Encre, a shop in the same league as Le Mans's Bulle, but instead of a 500 year old building, this one looked to be only about 300 years old.

We met up with Brice, a local librarian, regular customer at Bulles D'Encre and part of the shop's extended family. The four of us went out for crepes at the charming Breton restaurant a few doors down. The food was great, and there was Breton folk music playing on the stereo with lots of nasal crumhorns and bleating bagpipes, so I really enjoyed myself.

A gigantic bellows hung above the fireplace. It is indeed larger than the tables below it.

Tony and I settled in for another four-hour book signing, which seems to be par for the course. We were busy the whole time.

One fellow asked me to draw Bee on a unicycle, and I am pleased to say that I did not screw it up despite it being late in the day.

After the signing Audrey took us out. We strolled from our hotel to the center of town, with more stunning medieval buildings.

And she fed us a hearty dinner at a Quebecois restaurant, and kept us entertained with her unflagging energy. Extra huge thanks to Audrey for keeping us well fed and happy all day long.

Now I must collapse into bed and rest up for the craziness begins in earnest tomorrow with day one of Le Festival International de la Bande Dessinee.

France comics tour: wined and dined in Le Mans

2012-01-24T16:44:00.000-08:00

Bulle!

Wow, where to begin. I'm writing this from my classy hotel in Le Mans, France, after a whirlwind day of honored-guest treatment. I began the morning meeting Tony Cliff in our hotel in Paris; together we took the train to Le Mans. We were met at the station in Le Mans by Samuel Chauveau, who owns Bulle, the premiere comics shop in Le Mans.

Bulle window display.

Samuel is an extraordinarily warm, generous, and hilarious fellow. His hilarity is his most immediately recognizable attribute, as, despite his partial command of English, he was able to bust us up constantly. Samuel wined and dined us all day. His constant companion is his mother Ginette, who works at Bulle and provides the shop with a wonderful maternal touch.

Wall-to-wall Bee en Français, editions Akileos.

Samuel drove us into the heart of Le Mans, which, it turns out, is the most beautiful Medieval town in France. Bulle is right in the middle of the old town. We then were interviewed by two separate television crews, brought to the studios of France Bleu radio for more interview, given a tour of the old town, and then settled into the lobby of a disco across the street from Bulle for four hours of signing books. I estimated that I drew pictures in about forty books. Samuel's regular customers are a loyal lot. The weather was drizzly all evening, and people had to wait in line out in the street, but still the turnout was impressive. Samuel was very pleased with the event. I was ecstatic.

The famous House of the Red Pillar

Besides the Le Mans car race, it's other claim to fame is pate.

Olivier (a journalist who wrote an article about us and gave us a tour of Le Mans), Tony Cliff, Xavier (who performed translation above and beyond the call of duty)

Xavier, Samuel and Ginette

Xavier and Tony at France Bleu studios

Xavier at work at France Bleu

A menhir leaning against the cathedral.

This tiny house was built over the narrow street.

My chair, and Tony signing books in the lobby of the disco across the street from Bulle.

Tony relaxes after the signing.

More wining and dining with Samuel and his friends Fifi, Mimi, and Dominique.

Many thanks to Samuel and his crew at Bulle, all the journalists who interviewed us, and Akileos for putting us in their hospitable hands. Tomorrow, Poitiers, Thursday, Angoulême.

Little French Tour: Le Mans, Poitiers, Angoulême

2012-01-20T13:39:00.000-08:00

My French publisher, Akileos, is sending me on a little tour, including the Angoulême festival! It's been eight years since my last trip to Angoulême, and I'm pretty excited. Here's my schedule:

Mon Jan 23: Arriving Paris noon. Will probably hit the Louvre.
Tues Jan 24, Train to Le Mans.

3 pm: Signing at Bulle ("Balloon") with Tony Cliff, author of Delilah Dirk and the Turkish Lieutenant.
Bulle is at:
6 rue St Honoré
72000 Le Mans, France

Weds Jan 25: Train to Poitiers.

3 pm: Signing at Bulles d'Encre ("Ink Balloons") with Tony Cliff.
Bulles d'Encre is at:
63 rue de la Cathédrale
86000 Poitiers, France

Thurs Jan 26: Train to Angoulême.

Thurs 26 - Sun 29: Festival International de la Bande Dessinee.

I'll be signing books at the Akileos table at some point during the four day festival, will blog about it when I know the schedule.

Art Spiegelman is the President of the Festival this year. This is a very big deal. The festival is exciting in and of itself, but Spiegelman looms large in my thinking about comics, so I'm glad to be going this year. He basically was the first self-actualized avant-garde cartoonist.

For my first reaction to the Festival, read the travelogue of my last trip to Angoulême at Bill Kartalopolous's Indy Magazine.

Mon Jan 30: A last day in Paris. Probably some café sitting, maybe hit the cinematheque. I also have to bang out a back page comic for Bomb magazine (in collaboration with the illustrious Myla Goldberg) while I'm travelling, so that might occupy my café time.

Bertozzi collaboration

2011-12-29T11:54:00.000-08:00

Here's the final piece of sample art for a proposed Bertozzi-Little children's book collaboration. It's about ready to shop around.

Raunch, lampreys.

2011-12-28T13:30:00.000-08:00

Here are two more images. Starting inks now.

Selbstbildnis Walpurgisnacht Bildungsroman.

2011-12-23T08:27:00.000-08:00

I'm back on this thing again. Will finish penciling today. I'm doing this as a slideshow on Jan. 5 (2012). It will be in 3d if we have a well-calibrated video projector.

Meet me at APE

2011-09-24T13:13:00.001-07:00

I'll be at APE next weekend, and here's what my table will look like. You can see that my new poster takes up half the table! I took this photo at SPX, catching my former student and swell cartoonist Katie Rose Leon in the frame.

Come meet me at the Alternative Press Expo, Sat Oct. 1, 11 am - 7 pm, and Sun Oct 2, 11 am - 6 pm., at The Concourse Exhibition Center, 635 8th Street, San Francisco. Directions here.

BEE poster at Small Press Expo

2011-09-09T12:07:00.000-07:00

I made this poster to celebrate the publication of Motel Art Improvement Service. It's offset litho on matte cardstock, 18 x 24" . You can come see/read/buy it from me in person this weekend (Sept. 10 & 11, 2011) at the Small Press Expo, Marriott Bethesda North Hotel & Conference Center, 5701 Marinelli Road, North Bethesda, Maryland. Sat 11 am - 7 pm, Sun noon - 6 pm. Directions here.

Motel Art spotted in French shops

2011-08-22T04:46:00.000-07:00

I just got back from Paris. While there I was thrilled to spot freshly minted copies of the French edition at Superheros, and in the window at BDnet.

Vice likes Motel Art

2011-07-28T07:44:00.000-07:00

Nicholas Gazin (above, with moustache) has written the best review of Motel Art I could possibly have hoped for, for the Vice website, no less. He included photos of my favorite (that is, most prurient) pages in the book. We did a short interview as well, and he asked really good questions.

In addition to writing for Vice, Nicholas is an illustrator and cartoonist and also likes to take pictures of girls.

French edition of Motel Art

2011-07-26T07:26:00.000-07:00

The French translation of Motel Art Improvement Service has been published by Akileos Editions, and has been written up nicely in a number of French blogs. You can purchase a copy through Akileos's Amazon.fr boutique. North Americans may wish to wait until Aug. 15 when Amazon.ca will have the Akileos edition.

And it looks like I will be going out to the Angoulême festival this January to promote this edition. I'm excited.

Review & Interview in French

2011-06-02T04:06:00.000-07:00

Benjamin Berton conducted an interview with me (translated into French) for the website Fluctuat.net, and provided a glowing review of Motel Art Improvement Service. This heralds the publication of that book's French edition later this month from Editions Akileos.

Little & Bertozzi at BookCourt May 27

2011-05-11T19:00:00.000-07:00

Cousin Corinne's LIVE COMIX BLOCK launches

with a presentation of

Nick Bertozzi's LEWIS & CLARK and

Jason Little's MOTEL ART IMPROVEMENT SERVICE

on Friday, May 27th at 7pm

at BookCourt,

163 Court street (between Pacific & Dean), Brooklyn

718.875.3677

Mr. Little does Carousel at TCAF

2011-05-06T14:39:00.000-07:00

And while at TCAF on Sunday be sure to finish out your day by watching me perform with Carousel, R. Sikoryak's rousing cartoon slide show.

Sunday, May 8, at 4:10 pm

Also on the bill will be Kate Beaton, Jess Fink, Jeffrey Lewis, and host R. Sikoryak.

At: The Pilot Tavern, 22 Cumberland Street (Across the street from Toronto Reference Library).

Mr. Little at The Toronto Comic Arts Festival

2011-05-06T14:21:00.000-07:00

Attention nice Canadians: please come and meet me and get your book signed this weekend at:

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival

Saturday May 7th, 9am-5pm
Sunday May 8th, 11am-5pm

At the Toronto Reference Library
789 Yonge St., Toronto, Canada
416-533-9168
Admission is Free!

Directions here.

How about that poster by Jillian Tamaki? Pretty great, eh?

Color & 3d Tests

2011-04-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

Here are color, 2d and 3d tests for "Selbstbildnis Walpurgisnacht Bildungsroman", 7 pp, silent short story in-process. I figure I'll shop around the 2d version to print, and run the 3d version on the web.

Finished layouts

2011-04-18T14:30:00.001-07:00

I finished layouts on this new 7-page story. Here's a sample, page 6.

Laying out a new short piece

2011-04-14T13:30:00.001-07:00

This is a new silent story I'm working on. I wanted to draw something where the story grew out of the images. It will be 7 pp color, anaglyph stereo. Will make a non-3d version for print as well.

Motel Art nominated for Eisner Award

2011-04-08T10:33:00.000-07:00

Motel Art Improvement Service has been nominated for an Eisner Award in the category of "Best Graphic Album—Reprint". Voting will begin soon, I will post a link to the online ballot once it is made public. Winners will be announced among the latex, leather, and lace-clad exhibitionists at this summer's San Diego Comic Con. Read the complete list of nominees.

This is Motel Art's second Eisner nomination, the first being for "Best Online Comic" back in '07.

Motel Art, Gimmick Illustrated at Mocca Art Fest

2011-04-07T07:26:00.000-07:00

Come see me at the Mocca Art Fest this weekend. I'll have books for sale (Motel Art, Gimmick Illustrated), free tchotchkes like stickers and buttons, and will be delighted to draw you a little something. I'll also be working the Mocca sketch table from noon - 1 pm on Sunday.

Saturday April 9th and Sunday April 10th, 2011, 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

At the Lexington Avenue Armory

68 Lexington Ave (Between 25th & 26th Streets)

New York City.

Motel Art Reading & Signing at Desert Island

2011-03-15T09:49:00.000-07:00

We invite you to attend a

CARTOON LECTURE

and

DRAMATIC READING

JASON LITTLE

to celebrate the publication of two new volumes in the same season:

the robust, color

MOTEL ART IMPROVEMENT SERVICE (Dark Horse Comics)

and the slim, monochrome

GIMMICK ILLUSTRATED NO. 1 (Beekeeper Cartoon Amusements)

DESERT ISLAND

540 Metropolitan Avenue

Williamsburgh, Brooklyn

Wednesday, March 23, 2011, 7 - 8 p.m.

(Refreshments will be served).

Little interviewed in Washington City Paper

2011-02-24T19:04:00.000-08:00

Mike Rhode has posted a nice little interview with me at the Washington City Paper website, in anticipation of this Saturday's signing of Motel Art Improvement Service at Big Planet Comics in Bethesda. It is lavishly illustrated with prurient images.

Little and Bertozzi sign books at Big Planet

2011-02-23T07:51:00.000-08:00

Confidential to all D.C.-area readers: I will be signing copies of Motel Art Improvement Service this Saturday at Big Planet Comics in Bethesda, Maryland. I am proud to be joining Nick Bertozzi who will be debuting his Lewis and Clark. I Can't wait to read it — I can just smell the gunpowder and bear grease already. Nick will perform an historical presentation to contextualize his book, and I will perform an excerpt from Motel Art. Join us at Big Planet Comics, 4908 Fairmont Avenue, Bethesda, Maryland, on Saturday, February 26 2011, 4 - 6 p.m. Directions here.

Ben Hutchings's 3d images

2011-01-16T17:29:00.000-08:00

Australian cartoonist Ben Hutchings was kind enough to send me some encouraging mail this week. I was delighted to discover that he also happens to be interested in stereography, and his blog is chock-a-block with remarkable 3d drawings, photos, and dioramas--all areas of giddy excitement for me.

P.O.P. reviews Motel Art.

2011-01-15T17:18:00.000-08:00

Jason Kerouac has chosen his review of Motel Art Improvement Service as his concluding post in his "52 Pick-up" project, in which he read one new comic book "outside his comfort zone" per week and reviewed it at PanelsOnPages.com ("POP").

Popdose reviews Motel Art

2011-01-14T17:12:00.000-08:00

Mr. Johnny Bacardi at Popdose has written a review of Motel Art Improvement Service.

Jason Little interview at Newsarama

2011-01-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

Chris Arrant of Newsarama.com interviewed me. Chris managed to milk me for details on experiential origins of characters and plot germs that I might not have realized otherwise. Influential figures are discussed, including Daupo (who did the modified lenticular image above), Jack Cole, and Franz Kafka.

Portland Mercury reviews Motel Art

2011-01-10T07:29:00.001-08:00

I managed to penetrate the skeptical defenses of reviewer Alison Hallett (pictured) of the Portland Mercury. Read her review of Motel Art Improvement Service.

Hornswoggler reviews Motel Art

2011-01-09T07:36:00.000-08:00

Read Andrew Wheeler's review of Motel Art Improvement Service, at The Antick Musings of G.B.H. Hornswoggler, Gentleman.

Homage from peers

2011-01-06T20:02:00.000-08:00

Somehow I managed to miss this when it was fresh: four of my studio mates (George O'Connor, Nathan Schreiber, Simon Fraser, and Tim Hamilton) celebrated the release of Motel Art Improvement Service with drawings of Bee on the Drawbridge blog. Thanks fellas!

Bee in a towel

Bee!

Motel Art Improvement Service: 3DBee

Jason Little

Vlak at Carousel Jan 19

2011-01-06T05:48:00.000-08:00

Dixon Place presents...

CAROUSEL
Cartoon slide shows & other projected pictures
presented by a glittering array of artists, performers, graphic novelists, & other characters.

Hosted by R. Sikoryak

Featuring:
Eric Drysdale
James Godwin
Lisa Hanawalt
Lizz Hickey
Jason Little
Kriota Willberg
and more!

Wednesday, January 19, 2010
7:30 pm

at
Dixon Place
161 A Chrystie Street
(btwn Rivington & Delancey)
NY, NY

Tickets:
$15 each
or TDF; or $12 student/senior
or $25 for 2 with Carousel postcard

Advance tickets & more info:
www.dixonplace.org
(212) 219-0736

Carousel Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6301533565&ref=ts

2011-01-03T05:35:00.000-08:00

I was asked to contribute a "best of 2010" list to Comic Book Resources. You can probably guess what I listed, but more importantly, I was also asked to name "overlooked" cartoonists who are quietly doing great work. Read my writeups on Hob, Damien Jay, Hellen Jo, Tom Kaczyinski, Jon Lewis, T. Motley, Josh Simmons, and Dan Zettwoch. The page is a really long scroll, and I'm the fifth contributor from the bottom, or so.

Critical essay on Motel Art at The Great God Pan is Dead

2010-12-29T18:40:00.000-08:00

Robert Boyd has written a great little critical piece on Motel Art Improvement Service at his art blog The Great God Pan is Dead. It is profusely illustrated with scans from the book, many pages of which are unavailable elsewhere on the 'net at present.

Little Interviewed at Robot 6

2010-12-20T19:33:00.000-08:00

Tim O'Shea conducted a nice interview with me on the Robot 6 blog, hosted at Comic Book Resources. I talk mostly about a) music and b) other cartoonists, but manage to get around to talking about my work a little too. There are a variety of links and images for your amusement.

Little Interviewed at Publishers Weekly

2010-12-15T19:07:00.000-08:00

John Seven of Publishers Weekly and I had a pleasant conversation that he massaged into a really nice little feature that sheds some light on the past, present and future of Bee.

Motel Art reviewed at Comic Book Resources

2010-12-11T19:06:00.000-08:00

Comic Book Resources has published a nice review of Motel Art Improvement Service.

Little guest-blogs at Dark Horse

2010-12-11T18:48:00.000-08:00

I wrote a long post about making Motel Art Improvement Service at the Dark Horse blog. I wrote about the evolution of the plot over several drafts, and dressed the whole thing up with some unusual odds-and-ends and process images.

Gimmick Illustrated no. 1 to debut at BCGF

2010-11-29T11:51:00.000-08:00

My new minicomic series, Gimmick Illustrated, will debut at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics festival this Friday alongside Motel Art. "Vlak" will take up the first three issues. It's a picaresque. And a Kafkaesque. It's a picarafkaesque. 30 pp b&w.

Motel Art postcard

2010-11-29T11:46:00.000-08:00

I had 5 x 7" postcards made to advertise Motel Art Improvement Service, at 4over4. New art, not in the book.

Bee stickers

2010-11-29T11:44:00.000-08:00

I had vinyl silkscreen Bee stickers made by Stickerobot. I'm amazed at the detail they can get with screenprinting.

New business cards.

2010-11-29T11:41:00.000-08:00

New business cards, letterpressed by the Mandate Press. Image redrawn from the original by Pieter Breugel the elder.

Motel Art to debut at BCGF

2010-11-28T15:24:00.000-08:00

Motel Art Improvement Service will be debuting at the Brooklyn Comics and Graphics Festival this Saturday, December 4, 2010. Open 12 noon - 9 pm at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel Church, 275 North 8th Street, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Directions here.

Publishers Weekly exceprts Motel Art Improvement Service

2010-11-12T18:06:00.000-08:00

Publishers Weekly posted eight pages of Motel Art Improvement Service as the latest in their "Panel Mania" series.

A.V. Club Likes Motel Art

2010-11-06T12:51:00.001-07:00

The Onion's A.V. Club wrote a glowing review of Motel Art Improvement Service as part of a roundup including books by Lynda Barry, Charles Burns, Mike Mignola, James Kochalka and Kazu Kibuishi.

Bee buttons

2010-11-03T12:17:00.000-07:00

I made buttons of Bee crawing through a storm drain. Four different designs.

Motel Art Improvement Service advance copy

2010-11-01T10:01:00.000-07:00

Dark Horse sent me an advance copy of Motel Art, so I photographed it all nice.

Bee & Carousel at New York Public Library

2010-10-18T10:02:00.000-07:00

I will be performing an excerpt from Motel Art Improvement Service as well as the short story The Abduction Announcement (in 3d, if the technology comes together) along with R. Sikoryak (Masterpiece Comics) and Danica Novgorodoff (Refresh, Refresh) as part of Carousel at the New York Public Library's Mulberry Street Branch. Today, Monday October 18, 2010, at 4 pm. Directions here.

No advance copies yet

2010-10-08T14:37:00.000-07:00

Advance copies of Motel Art Improvement Service won't be ready in time for New York Comic Con after all. Sorry to get everyone all excited. In any case, the book will debut properly on or around December 1, 2010.

Indie Cred panel at New York Comic Con

2010-10-06T08:46:00.000-07:00

Come see Julia Wertz (Drinking at the Movies) and me in conversation with the Ink Panthers—the podcasting team of Mike Dawson (Troop 142) and Alex Robinson (Tricked). Our topic will be "Indie Cred: Why Indie Comics Matter." The panel will be moderated by Mike's Gabagool collaborator, Chris Radke.
At the New York Comic Con, Saturday October, 2010, at 7:30 pm, in room 1A17. Directions here.

BEE at MySpace Dark Horse Presents

2010-07-12T18:23:00.000-07:00

I am celebrating Dark Horse's acquisition of Motel Art Improvement Service with "Bee in...The Ramble", a new short story at MySpace Dark Horse Presents. I am honored to be included in the final offering from this venue for web comics. The good news, though, is that Dark Horse is reviving Dark Horse Presents as a genuine print anthology. Look for more web comics on the Dark Horse site at some point in the future, as well.

This story is the implementation of a new practice I call "putting it all in there." There's more variety in this story than in my previous work; this is a direction in which I'm going to push Bee, henceforth.

Try to identify some of my peers in the final scene, and dig out your 3d glasses for a brief stereo moment.

2010-05-07T07:20:00.000-07:00

I will be premiering a new "Bee" story at...

CAROUSEL
Cartoon slide shows & other projected pictures
presented by a glittering array of artists, performers, graphic novelists, & other characters.

Hosted by R. Sikoryak

Featuring:
Patrick Hambrecht & John Mathias
Dean Haspiel
M. Sweeney Lawless
Jason Little
Neil Numberman
Doug Skinner
R.S.
and more!

Wednesday, May 12, 2010
8 pm
(door opens at 7:30 pm)

at
Dixon Place
161A Chrystie Street
(btwn Rivington & Delancey)
NY, NY

Tickets:
$15 each
or $12 student/senior with valid ID
or TDF
or $25 for 2 with Carousel postcard

Advance tickets & more info:
www.dixonplace.org
(212) 219-0736

Carousel Facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=6301533565&ref=ts

Jason Little Interview at Graphic NYC

2010-03-31T12:13:00.000-07:00

Seth Kushner photographed me and Christopher Irving interviewed me for a profile at Graphic NYC.

We discussed titillation, conceptual art, the Renaissance, modern architecture, and parenting strategies.

Ugly Americans

2010-03-30T20:31:00.000-07:00

Aaron Augenblick and I, coincidentally, won the Xeric grant around the same time, and also worked on Daria at MTV animation around the turn of the last century. Since then Aaron and his studio have thrived. Recently, I did a storyboarding stint for him on a few episodes of Devin Clark's "Ugly Americans". I was delighted to discover that television has become extremely dirty since I've been away from it. Weds 10:30 Eastern time on Comedy Central.

NeoIntegrity: Comics Edition

2010-03-30T20:08:00.000-07:00

Neointegrity: Comics Edition is an exhibition curated by SVA's cartooning coordinator Keith Mayerson that includes over 210 cartoonists, illustrators, animators, and fine artists. I'm one of the cartoonists. All six pages of the art from the heretofore unpublished "Man Shy" are framed and hanging. Look for it behind the saloon doors. March 12 – May 30, 2010 (Tues - Sun 12 pm - 5 pm), at MoCCA, the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art, 594 Broadway, Suite 401 (btwn. Houston and Prince), New York City.

Motel Art Improvement Service to be published by Dark Horse Comics

2010-03-08T15:03:00.000-08:00

Finally I have found exactly the right publisher for Motel Art Improvement Service in Dark Horse Comics. Expect publication in hardcover in November 2010. Look for me hither and yon throughout 2011 at all the North American independent comics conventions.

Jason Little Interview at KittySneezes.com

2009-11-10T08:50:00.000-08:00

The Reverend Syung Myung Me conducted an email interview with yours truly. It is heavily laden with links to all manner of visual and musical enrichments. Visit kittysneezes.com .

Conversational Comics at Union Pool

2009-06-29T11:20:00.000-07:00

The Comic Book Legal Defense Fund presents Conversational Comics, a new summer speaker series taking place at Union Pool in Williamsburgh, Brooklyn. Join us for lively panel discussions with artists currently changing the face of comics. Then stick around to get a book signed, hit the taco truck, and sip a summer drink with our featured cartoonists.

On July 11 at 2:00 pm: "Telling Stories: Fiction in Comics". Jessica Abel (Artbabe, La Perdida), Jason Little (Shutterbug Follies) and Matthew Thurber (1-800-Mice, Kramer's Ergot) will talk about the nature of narrative and fiction in comics. We'll consider forms of storytelling that comics can adapt, and others that comics can generate. Moderated by Bill Kartalopoulos (The New School, Print Magazine). Proceeds benefit the Comic Book Legal Defense fund.

Union Pool is at 484 Union Avenue, Brooklyn, one block from the Lorimer-Metropolitan G and L station.

Censored in Chandler, AZ

2009-06-29T11:14:00.000-07:00

Ryon, in Chandler, Arizona writes: "Every time I findShutterbug Follies in a library . . . I sit and read it, and I love it every time. Unfortunately, the most recent time I've read it . . . someone, either in the library or at home, has physically cut out significant sections of it to the point of completely removing pages . . . I find it hilarious and sad, since the panels and page are, I suppose, prurient in nature and all the panels with violence and blood have been left in.

Thanks to the Chandler Public Library for including my book in its collection. Library patrons may read the excised panels and pages here.

Jon Lewis Collaboration

2009-06-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

I'm working on preliminary designs for a collaborative proposal with cartoonist Jon Lewis. Jon will write and I will draw. Too early for details, naturally. To get a taste of Jon's remarkable voice and visionary images, pick up The Power of 6.

More Jon Lewis Characters

2009-06-25T13:22:00.000-07:00

More character studies for a collaborative graphic novel proposal with Jon Lewis.

Bertozzi Collaboration

2009-06-22T05:37:00.000-07:00

Nick Bertozzi and I are collaborating on a children's picture book. It's still at the proposal stage, but we're pretty excited about these images.

New 3d cartoon

2009-04-02T09:10:00.000-07:00

It's been ten years since I did any stereo images, and I've finally gotten back into it. You'll need red/cyan or red/blue 3d glasses to get the full effect. Click for the big version.

I'm interested in 3-d architectural spaces, and so making one into a stereogram was an exciting challenge. I also like the juxtoposition of sensual images and cold, hard, geometry.

The overall cartoon idea is an homage to Abner Dean and his incredible meisterstück What Am I Doing Here? The beach imagery is cribbed from Paul Cadmus's paintings from the period when he was hanging out on Fire Island with Margaret and Jared French. And the building is in large part inspired by paintings by Peter Blume. The pen technique was an attempt at emulating Will Elder during the Humbug period.

You can read "The Abduction Announcement", my full-color eye-crossing stereogram comic at www.beecomix.com (click on the "comics" tab).

2009-03-11T07:57:00.000-07:00

Uli Pröfrock asked me to draw a sticker image advertising his comics shop in Frieburg, Germany.

NOTE TO COMICS SHOPPERS: that sticker address is now out of date. Instead visit X für U at:

X für U Buchhandlung GmbH
Rempartstr. 7

79098 Frieburg

Germany

Fon : 0761 - 36741
Fax : 0761 - 3674

2009-03-11T07:49:00.000-07:00

Patrick Penta asked me to design the logo and draw the cover to the debut issue of Oddfellow magazine. The embroidered logo is borrowed from the logo to Parkett magazine. I thought it was appropriate because the masonic culture that the title evokes seems to be all about embroidered regalia.

2009-03-11T07:40:00.000-07:00

This is an illustration I did for Myla Goldberg's story "In Every Girl's Heart" when it was republished in Danny Hellman's Legal Action Comics. It's about a miserable girl at horse camp. It's black and white ink on grey paper.

2009-03-11T07:30:00.000-07:00

James Sturm asked me to do a poster promoting the Center for Cartoon Studies in White River Junction, Vermont. Needless to say, I jumped at the opportunity. I cribbed the background atmosphere and type aesthetic from WPA posters for National Parks. The small type is lettered using an actual Leroy Lettering set that belonged to my father.

2009-03-11T07:27:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I drew the cover to Busted, the newsletter of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund. It's black ink plus a Pantone orange.

2009-03-10T15:24:00.000-07:00

I drew fourteen pages of comics for a book called Taxi '07: Roads Forward. I wanted to get away from straightforward literal storytelling for this, and used techniques that were more typical of an illustrator. Basically I tried to think like Paul Karasik did in his adaptation of City of Glass. These are all ink and wash with flat Photoshop color, but using only magenta and yellow inks. No cyan allowed.

The hack-up.

Transportation icons of great cities of the world.

Heavy driver turnover.

The taxi partition.

Jefferson Market Library in Greenwich Village.

Old New York cabs live a second life in Chicago.

New hybrid cabs outstrip the old Ford Crown Vic.

Miscellaneous communication icons.

2009-03-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

I designed a promotional T-shirt for the autobiographical sex comics anthology True Porn.

2009-03-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

I did this for Nickelodeon Magazine, colored with watercolor. I'm interested in liberating myself from Photoshop, after spending a decade honing my color sense in that safe space. Henceforth safety's name is "electric eraser".

2009-03-09T09:58:00.000-07:00

I also did a promotional pop-up card for the OPOLIS show. Here are some quick images I took with a video camera. On the front of the card we have (clockwise from top left) Damien Jay, Bishakh Som, Andrea Dezso, and Ellen Lindner. I did the overall design and interior art. It's a very simple v-fold pop-up. I've learned a lot about pop-ups since then, and would do something much more ambitious these days. This card was ambitious, though, I suppose, in that I had a team of volunteers hand-cut and assemble about a hundred of these things.

2009-03-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

Here's a poster design for the "Opolis" exhibit I curated a few years ago at the Flux Factory. It was screenprinted by Damien Jay and myself. The background is composed of diagrams made by the participating artists. The drawings in the balloons are by (left to right) Ellen Lindner, Howard John Arey, Damien Jay, Joan Reilly, Andrea Dezso, and Gregory Benton. The drawing at lower right is by Gregory Benton. The design and type, and OPOLIS logo with oblique buildings is all me.

2009-03-09T09:21:00.000-07:00

Here's a portrait I did of some friends. They provided me with photos from the '30s of people dressed for Adirondack backwoods life. The background was inspired by colored photo postcards from the same period. I just acquired an electric eraser, and it saved the watercoloring from disaster a number of times.

2009-03-09T09:14:00.000-07:00

Hello readers. This blog will be a place for me to post illustrations, sketches, ideas, works-in-progress, favorite inspiring images, and maybe even little essays on favorite visual topics.