Heya Patreon Pals!
Did you know that you will get to see yours and every other commission I get via the Mind Astray 2022 Kickstarter come to life in a speed drawing video? Just one of the exclusive perks of being awesome!
It’s important to let people know how you feel about them, after all!
XXOO
-Nathan
Got a little silly and overdramatic this time around. Hope you like it!
And once you’re done watching, CLICK HERE to go to the Kickstarter page!
The day after tomorrow, Friday, February 3, my 2022 sketchbook Mind Astray launches on Kickstarter. And you know what? I don’t think I’ve been this nervous about a launch since my first one 3 years ago.
CLICK HERE and hit the button to get notified as soon as it launches, BTW.
Why am I nervous?
This is my eighth Kickstarter, after all. I should have this down to a process by now, right?
Well, perhaps you’ve heard of this little thing called A.I. Art? Kinda blew up the internet a couple months back. All the kids were talking about it. For just a couple bucks you can get a computer algorithm to make a piece of art for you that looks anywhere from pretty good to good enough. Not only that, but you can get it to mimic the style of your favorite artist as well. Quite frankly, it’s hard for a human artist to compete with.
Last year, when I launched the first Mind Astray, I envisioned it not only as a way to share my lesser seen artwork and processes with people, but also as my big commission drive for the year. Made especially special because commissions purchased through the Kickstarter would actually wind up in backers’ books! Thus each and every copy of Mind Astray would be unique to the backer!
But then, right as I was starting to think about the 2022 edition, BOOM! A.I. Art comes and blows up and the whole art community is on edge! Now I’m left wondering, is anyone even going to want a drawing from me when they can just go get a computer to poop something out for a couple bucks? Or even free? Is anyone going to want me to draw their TTRPG character anymore? Or give life to the funny little idea they have in their head?
So that’s it in a nutshell. It’s daunting having not just one’s career, but one’s very identity supplanted by a machine. The John Henry moment has finally come for the art world. The djinn is out of the bottle and it ain’t going back in.
Hence why the tagline for Mind Astray 2022 is “Rage Against the Machines”. It’s adapt or die time. Personally I choose the latter. Will we fly or will we fall? All I know is, I’m going down swinging.
So I hope you will follow along, share the campaign, and CLICK HERE to get notified when we launch.
A.I. Art is the new game in town. Now it’s time to see if town is big enough for the two of us.
Hope I see you Friday!
Till then, be good!
But not too good 😉
– Nathan
In just ten days, that’s a week from Friday, on February 3 ( 2-3-2023 ), I will be launching the Kickstarter for Mind Astray 2022!
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CLICK HERE and hit the button to get notified as soon as it launches!
Bigger and better than before! All my favorite, sketches, drawings, doodles, cartoons, commissions, and miscellaneous artistic brain farts from 2022! And it won’t be complete without your edition to it! Just like last year, if you get a commission as a part of this campaign, it will be in your copy! That’s right, no two books will be the same! Your copy will be unique to you!
And you are most definitely going to want to get notified when it launches, because everyone who backs at a physical tier before the end of the first 24 hours is going to get this exclusive signed mini print of the cover art with their reward!
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And on top ofthat, every backer will be getting a handpicked bonus bundle of digital comics, created by my awesome indie artist friends!
Last year was the first time I ever did a sketchbook campaign, and almost 100 backers made it a smashing success! I’ve got a fun bonus in store for everyone if we can get over 100 backers this year!
Will we make it? I don’t know! But I’m going to need your help to do it!
Here’s that link one more time:
See you next Friday!
Till then, be good!
But not too good 😉
– Nathan
The print proof for Concrete Arcanum has arrived! That’s exciting in and of itself! But what’s even more exciting is that I just today launched a campaign for Concrete Arcanum on Indiegogo!
CLICK HERE to gogo to the Indiegogo!
Now I know most of my Patreon Pals have probably already secured themselves a copy of Concrete Arcanum, but this is the perfect opportunity for anyone who missed out on the Kickstarter. If you could do me one teeny tiny little favor and give it a mention on the social medias or, better yet, to any friends you might have who are big into The Dresden Files, Supernatural, or Carnival Row, that would really help this true awesome anthology collection reach an even bigger audience.
Here’s that link for your copy/pasting convenience:
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/concrete-arcanum
Thanks in advance and thanks to everyone who has already made Concrete Arcanum a success! Y’all are the wind beneath my wings!
So this is a bit of a departure for me and I want to get your opinion on it…
A children’s book. It started as a game I’d play with my young daughters. Whenever they do something that needs correcting, rather than just scold them, I ask if they would do the opposite in the reverse situation.
For example:
“Do you take a bath in the toilet?
No?
Then don’t pee in the bath!”
“Do you watch TV on the jungle gym?
No?
Then don’t climb around on the couch!”
“Do you eat your toys?
No?
Then don’t play with your food!“
It usually gets a laugh and gets the message across without shaming them. Soon it dawned on me that this might make a good children’s book.
Here’s an example of the illustration style that I’ve used for past children’s books I’ve worked on so’s you can visualize:
The only thing I’m not sure about is whether or not the interest is there. Most people know me for fantasy and comics and this book is neither of those.
So I figured I’d ask you. Leave your answers below. Honest answers only, please.
Would you back Do You Take a Bath in the Toilet? on Kickstarter?
I hope your holidays were fun, that you’re easing comfortably into the new year, that you’ve finally recovered from your food induced coma.
Next week I want to fill you in on my plans for 2023, but first, I have one more list of my favorite things from 2022 that I wanted to share with you. And this week, we’re looking at Podcasts. Whether you’ve got a long commute or you have a job where you need to keep your mind busy, I got just the thing to put in your ear holes.
So, without further adieu…
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things, 2022
Podcast edition!
Note: These are not necessarily podcasts I discovered in 2022 (though some are), rather it’s the stuff I listened to most.
In no particular order…
I often joke about how I don’t have time to read comics because I’m too busy making them, so having a way to keeping up with industry news and listening to reviews from people who’s opinions I respect is a valuable asset for me. The panelists are witty and each brings an interesting and unique perspective to every episode. They also have a great network of interesting podcasts to listen to including…
Pre-dating most other real-play RPG podcasts out there, I stumbled on to Critical Hit when I was between groups and looking for a fix of D&D shenanigans. What I found was a podcast that was actually kinda better than most gaming experiences I’ve had. The stories are intricate and well thought out, the group dynamic is great and, unlike most groups I’ve been a part of, they actually stay on task (mostly).
You may think that a podcast about psychology, neuroscience and sociology would be a rather dry topic or get stale quickly, but you would be very wrong. Hidden Brain tackles topics ranging from why wealthy people don’t think they’re wealthy to why we remember things the way we do. If you’re like me and you are fascinated by the complex mystery that is humans, I cannot recommend this show enough. I’ve learned as much about myself as I have others by listening to it.
I love mythology. I was always the kid in the back of the classroom with a big book of Greek or Norse myths. Spent most of my hours in church reading the old testament where all the crazy epic stuff happens. The Myths and Legends podcast is exactly what it sounds like, featuring retellings of lore from around the world and seasoned with snarky anachronistic asides that will keep modern audiences engaged. The host even makes a legit effort into arranging the different canons into a consistent continuity timeline, which… just… respect.
Again, this podcast is exactly what it says it is. Every week LeVar Burton reads a short story by some of the greatest authors out there. Neil Gaiman, N.K. Jemision, Stephen King, Ken Liu, just to name a few. If you’ve ever wished you could have Mr. Burton personally read you a bedtime story, this is as close as you will probably ever get. But you don’t have to take my word for it.
Hope that gives you some ideas for your listening pleasure in 2023! I’ll be back next week to share with you my slate of projects that I plan on launching this year! I have some good stuff on the way, that I really think you’ll like, and I can’t wait to tell you all about them!
Till then, be good!
But not too good 😉
– Nathan
So this year I think I’m going to start up a new tradition. With the impending end of the year upon us, ‘tis the traditional season of reflection on the year that was. Ergo for the next couple weeks, rather than focus on the things that I have made, I’d like to share my favorite things that other people have made. Media that I have consumed this year, that has stuck with me, and influenced my outlook and my work.
So, without further ado,
These Are a Few of My Favorite Things, 2022
(Movies and Series edition)
Note: This is not necessarily stuff that came out in 2022, rather it’s stuff that I consumed in 2022.
Let’s take it away! In no particular order…
The Sandman
I have been hoping for some kind of live action (or animated) adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s comic opus for literally decades and, against all odds, the Netflix series was worth the wait. Not only that, it stands as a testament to Gaiman’s vision, his ownership and control of his work, and his dedication to creating the best possible version of it or none at all. A rare example of the behind the scenes stuff being just as interesting as the work itself. I watched it, I went back and read the comic series, and then I watched it again. In an age in which we are spoiled for adaptations, The Sandman, stands next to Lord of the Rings, and Interview with the Vampire as gold standard examples of how to do it right.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks
Together these two shows reminded me of what I love about Star Trek: It’s optimism. A lot of stuff has trended toward grimmer and darker material of late, and between Star Trek: Discovery and the reboot movies, I had emotionally parted ways with my favorite sci-fi franchise. Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks brought me back to the fold, though. There’s been a lot of fear and uncertainty in the world for a while now, so it’s only natural for that to be reflected in art and media. But that’s also why we need stuff like Star Trek. To give us hope, show us that things can get better, and that one day we will outgrow all the problems that hold us back.
And speaking of optimism…
Ted Lasso
I resisted watching this show soooo hard. I’m not a sports guy, I don’t go for saccharine stuff, and relationship dramas just don’t do it for me. So trying to get me to watch a feel-good interpersonal drama about soccer/football was going to be a hard sell. But, when I was finally made to watch it, I was hooked halfway through the first episode. Ted’s unreasonable positivity, the wittiness of the writing, an unending torrent of dad jokes, characters that handle their problems like adults (mostly) and come together in emotionally intelligent ways, all conspire to make Ted Lasso a show that consistently defies my expectations with plot twists and by being just really damn charming. I have yet to meet anyone who has seen this series and doesn’t love it.
She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
I’m not even going to use the “I have daughters excuse” for this one because the truth is I tried to get them to watch it, they weren’t interested, so I binged the whole thing on my own. And holy crap She-Ra nails it, inspiring both my childhood desire to jump up and join the action and my adult appreciation for sophisticated stories. Magical girl transformations with kick-ass music, long form anime-style story arcs, self aware humor, fun action, and oh my god I could write a psychological profile on each of these characters’ damage. Beneath the bright colors and light-hearted girly charm is a show about trauma, cycles of abuse, and the coping mechanisms each character uses to manage their issues. This is a show that will simultaneously entertain your inner child while surprising your jaded adult.
Shin Godzilla
This was my sleeper favorite for the year. I’d been aware of Shin Godzilla for a while, but only really had a passing interest in watching it until I discovered that it was written and directed by Hideaki Anno, creator and show runner of Neon Genesis Evangelion, probably my all time favorite anime. Anno takes the king of the monsters back to his roots as a metaphor for man-made disaster (specifically nuclear ones) and takes plenty of digs at the inability of governmental bureaucracy to handle them. Prescient much? Fans of Evangelion will appreciate Anno’s distinctive visual style and tropes which translate well to live action, as well as a few musical spikes lifted directly from the anime. Even if you’re not a fan of Godzilla or Evangelion, this is worth a watch. It is the big guy at his best, not battling other kaiju, but showing us more than we’d like to admit about ourselves. It’s the smartest Godzilla movie in years and my personal favorite since the 1954 original.
Hope that gives you some good ideas for your 2023 watchlist. Did you see anything good this year? What spoke to you? Or what was the worst thing you saw?
Coming soon: My favorite books of 2022!
I returned to the hallowed halls of my alma matter (The Minneapolis College of Art and Design) this week to give a talk about crowdfunding, art entrepreneurship, and most importantly, How (not) To Make Webcomics. Some interested faces and some interesting questions. Hope I got my message across.
Of course, $24/month Patrons can already access that talk in the tutorial vault 😉 …
Cyber Monday was the name of a Shadowrun character concept I had for a while. She was a moody 14 year old girl that had been in an accident, had most of her body replaced by cyberware, and became a Runner to pay off the debt. Think Wednesday Adams by way of Ghost in the Shell.
#cybermonday #shadowrun #originalcharacter #wednesdayadams #writing
