Bill Nichols’ Prescription:
Comics 10ccs of the Process with
Steve Stegelin

Steve is a longtime friend whose comic Boondoggle is one I’d like to see him get back to. These days he’s doing political cartoons and strips for a newspaper in Charleston, SC.  

-Bill

 

What inspires you to create and keeps you going?

 

Having weekly deadlines for the Charleston City Paper definitely helps keep me going, but I couldn’t meet those without the innate thrill of simply creating. That moment of accomplishment, when I sit back at the drawing board and see where my pencil lines and inkslinging made something out of nothing, never gets old.

 

Do you have a set routine?

Again, having weekly deadlines helps set a routine out of necessity. But even when I’m not sitting down to work up an illustration or editorial cartoon for the City Paper, I try to find reasons to draw or create something — either for fun or a paid side-gig — every day.

 

What kind of output do you try to achieve?

Depends on the deadline du jour. My daily “something” could be progress toward a piece for the City Paper, a handful of sketches for fun, pages for my friends’ or my own comic work, etc. At the heart of it, I simply strive to achieve something every day.

 

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

I usually need some sort of background noise when I create — music, TV, etc — but the “inspiration” is usually more me just trying to craft a message I feel is important with my artwork.

 

 

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

I grew up on comic strips, with Charles Schulz being an early major influence, followed by creators like Berkeley Breathed, Walt Kelly, and Bill Watterson. When my interest in comic strips expanded to comic books, Sergio Aragonés’ GROO was among the first I picked up and paved my way to become a fan of creator-owned indie comics.

 

When did you realize you could follow this path yourself?

Part of it was never realizing I couldn’t, especially when I was a kid. Add a voracious appetite for indie comics and DIY creators like Sergio, Stan Sakai, Evan Dorkin, and Jeff Smith, and I had an ample supply of influence that did little to dissuade me of that.

 

What do you find to be a challenge in creating?

There only being so many hours in the day, maybe? Between the day job and weekly deadlines for the Charleston City Paper, it’s often time to work on my own comic work that takes the hit when I sit down at the drawing table.

 

What else do you have to learn?

I feel like I’m always learning, but I think that should be the mindset of most artists. To that end, I try to find opportunities to draw new things or environments or play around with different styles. Often the best way to learn to just step out of your comfort zone and experiment.

 

What keeps you motivated to get better?

I think “getting better” really happens just by continually creating, which is part of my motivation to just do something every day.  And if I ever need a reminder of the value of striving to improve and grow as a cartoonist, just looking back at previous work (and sometimes wanting to cringe, seeing what all I didn’t know at the time) often does the trick.

 

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

 

I don’t think so. I feel like I’m always chewing on some idea, and even when I think my mind’s just on cruise control, it’ll come up with a new idea or solve the punchline I’ve been trying to figure out.

 

Booster Shots

What advice do you have for aspiring creators?

Just keep creating, every day if you can. Study and learn from creators who inspire you. Share your work with other creators and on social media. Find other artists and a supportive community that’ll help foster your creative muse.

 

Do you ever worry about running out of ideas?

Having weekly deadlines may seem daunting, but with the current administration, I’m pretty sure I’ll never be at a loss for my editorial cartoons. And when I find the time to work on my own comic pages, the larger problem is trying to decide which idea or project to pursue with that time.

 

How do you handle the slow times?

If I find myself without a looming deadline or am working through an idea, I’ll often use that time to just sketch and explore other concepts.

 

How do you feel about the industry?

The comic industry has always been one of ups-and-downs, economically-speaking, but there’s a constant underlying current of creative passion that’s undeniable. Some of my most inspirational moments are when I attend a comic convention and see the number of cartoonists and creators working on their own projects. Once it’s in your blood, it’s pretty infectious.

 

Website you would like to promote?

Sure! You can find my weekly editorial cartoon at the Charleston City Paper’s website, and you can follow along with my artwork in general on my Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/stegelin/ 

Thanks!

 

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

be reprinted or reposted without permission.