Went to a chat today by Peggy Burns, who is the marketing person for Drawn and Quarterly Books in Montreal, speaking at the Atwater Library. She talked about the history of Drawn and Quarterly, some of their artists such as Chester Brown, Daniel Clowes, Adrian Tomine, and Lynda Barry. Also got into a little of what it takes to get a graphic project published with their press. Very inspiring, actually. Even though webcomics are becoming more important as a way to get your work seen, it’s still good to have something paper such as a zine to be able to send, which they can hold in their hands.
They also like productions from a single artist, rather than the assembly-line or collaboration mode that many more mainstream comics are created with. Something slightly dismaying for yours truly was the idea that “funny” does not go along with graphic novels in North America. Still, I’m not going to change the sorts of things that I like to do, but do more of it, hoping that people like it.
I’m leaving the little notes I jotted here along with my sketches; samples of my horrible handwriting. That’s Peggy up above, and the rest are faces in the crowd. Look at all the arty people! It’s pleasant to draw them while they are paying attention to something. Thanks to ALEAQ for hosting the event.
Tags: ballpoint pen, comics, current events, montreal, sketches