Bill Nichols’ Prescription:
Comics
10ccs of the Process with
Jasmine Redford

 

What inspires you to create and keeps you going? 

Mortality, honestly.  I have so many projects and ideas swimming in my head and the idea that many of them will die with me is relatively distressing albeit realistic.  

 

Do you have a set routine? 

I try to hold onto routines in order to keep my work, family, creative, and school live(s) each moving forward, but, eventually, one fire begins to burn hotter than the others and those projects are the ones that trample all over my well-intended routines.  The closer the deadline, the more the project dominates the routine. 

 

What kind of output do you try to achieve? 

I aspire to personally archive a large collection of physical artworks; all my illustrations and layouts are hand-drawn, inked, and, sometimes, painted.  My output takes on this form for several reasons but the dominant two are because (1) I simply prefer to create hard copies and (2) I’ve never been good with art software (but I am in awe of those who are). 

 

What inspires you WHEN you create? Music? Noise? Silence? 

Realistically? Deadlines!  But, when I do create, I like to do it in a comfortable, quiet hobbit-hole with background music or television. 

 

Who was the first comic book creator that influenced you to pursue this? 

Wendy Pini.  I remember reading ElfQuest thinking that if she could do it, perhaps I could as well.

 

When did you realize you could follow this path yourself? 

High school, back in the 90s.  I created my own comics, photocopied them, and peddled them around to local retailers.  I’d like to do that again one day when I have the time. 

 

What do you find to be a challenge in creating? 

Finding the time!  I keep aspiring towards some sort of set routine where I can devote a section of each day to creating illustrations and comics, but the demands of life, work, school, and family in a single-parent household are, well, heavy and consuming.  The biggest challenge I have regarding artistic creation/expression is learning how to give it priority in my life when there are so many other responsibilities.  It’s a process I’m still trying to figure out. 

 

What else do you have to learn?

Aside from time management?  Everything.  I know when it comes to comics creation, I have a few areas of strength and many areas of weakness.  I am not particularly good with computers, I absolutely stink at self-promotion, and my understanding of the comics as an industry is dated; I still think like a small-time self-publisher from the early 90s.  But I know enough to know what I don’t know!  I have projects on the go and, should I see them through to completion, I know that I likely will need to reach out for help in those areas (such as promotion and whatnot) where I am not particularly knowledgeable. 

 

What keeps you motivated to get better? 

Personal satisfaction.  I create, study, and write about comics simply because I love them, and I know I’m continually learning more.

 

Can you turn your brain (creativity) off (and on)?

I had to think about this one for a while and I realized the answer is “No, no I cannot.”  I’m forever thinking of the projects I could do, the projects I want to do, how I could work what I’m currently working on into my comics, and, at night, my brain continually world builds.  It’s almost like I can’t turn my creative brain off—I’m honestly never bored—but I have to push those thoughts to the side as best as I can in order to work on my other responsibilities.  

 

Booster Shots

 

What advice do you have for aspiring creators? 

Be independently wealthy!  Then you’ll have time and money to create.  But, aside from that, develop a sustainable and reliable work routine that enables you to continually move forward on your projects every day even if it’s just a little bit at a time.  Don’t be deadline-driven like me.

 

Do you ever worry about running out of ideas? 

Never.  Never ever.  My biggest worry is which ones I have the time to give attention to. 

 

How do you handle the slow times? 

I think my situation is different than what this question may be alluding to.  I do not prioritize personal illustration in my life (to my eternal sorrow and chagrin) and don’t have a work/income/freelance framework built around it.  Instead, I’m working my way through various degrees and, to keep comics close, I write about the medium that I wish I was more immersed in.  However, since most of my illustration time would be categorized as existing in “the slow times,” I am also not overly pressured, which is nice. 

 

How do you feel about the industry? And do you have a website you would want to direct folks to?

The industry has been changing consistently at breakneck speed and, regarding my personal understanding of the industry today, I’ve been struggling to catch up.  This is not entirely a negative thing; I’m looking forward to learning more about the industry as a whole in order to better understand the cultural capital of comics and how our so-called “low art” is responsible for dynamic shifts in society. 

 

Do you have a website you would like to promote?

 I have links to some of my papers on the subject on my website: www.msminjaz.com

 

DISCLAIMER: The opinions expressed by the above creator are theirs. This interview may not 

be reprinted or reposted without permission. 

Bill Nichols

Author, Artist, Editor for ShoutFyre.com
Bill is the creator of Arteest & Ursula comics, writer for Ringtail Cafe, co-creator of Savage Family, writer and inker of HellGirl: Demonseed. Editor for ShoutFyre and Sketch Magazine. Co-author of Camelot Forever novel series.