Choose Comics

Sometimes life is overwhelming. I've been writing this blog for over ten years with over 200 posts. If you've followed this blog, which I don't blame you if you haven't, you'd see how my life has changed, how my art has changed, the things that I've wanted have changed. I've drawn comics off and on since I was a kid. I was constantly inspired by newspaper strips and then manga and then indie/alt/and autobio comics. But for some reason my idiot brain never realized that comics was my favorite way to express myself. I think for too long I thought that if I was going to make art, then I had to make it my career. And for most of my life comics didn't register as a career. In September 2008, in my seventh ever post, I talked about how I started taking a cartooning class and posted my first ever autobio comic. Ivan Brunetti taught that class. Everything I learned in that class and all of the cool comics I was exposed to was so inspiring. I continued to scribble comics in my sketchbooks and for fun even doodled a daily comic just as a drawing exercise. It wasn't until almost six years later, inspired by the awesome artists I met at NYC Comics Jam, that I finally realized that I could share my art with people through my comics. I printed my first ever No Pants Revolution and tabled at my first ever convention. This post is already getting too long. Long story, short: I'm so inspired by all of the artists and amazing people in my life. I love being able to share my art with people. If you factor in time and materials and table fees, I don't make any money from making comics. But sharing my comics and zines with people give me this weird human connection that I, as an awkward, anxious, depressed person, have a hard time doing in person. Last weekend was Chicago Zine Fest. And even though I've tabled at several cons and zine fests in the past, I still felt really nervous. Just as the show opened, the first person to walk past my table was Ivan Brunetti. He was the first person to buy my No Pants Revolution 4, eleven years after encouraging me to draw journal comics in the first place. 

There are so many people in my life who support me and inspire me and encourage me to continue. Thank you guys so much.  

Oh, so, Chicago Zine Fest was a great show, as always. I debuted my two new books: No Pants Revolution 4: Who Am I? and Mito and Me #3. If you didn't get the chance to see me at Zine Fest guess what?

I got into CAKE (Chicago Alternative Comics Expo)! I'm so excited and honored to be able to table at such a cool convention alongside so many amazing artists. 

Poster design by Marnie Galloway

So, I'm also tabling at Comicopolis and Grand Rapids Zine Fest and hopefully have a couple other shows for the last half of the year. I will keep yous guys posted. 

Thanks for reading.

New Mito and Me and Other Announcements!

Hey Guys! I just finished the short comic Mito and Me No. 2! I bet you are wondering how you can get your hands on a copy. Well, you are in luck! The artist collective that I am a part of, Northside Comic Artists, is tabling this weekend, March 10, at Schaumburg Comic Con. Mito and Me No.2 is a part of our group's second volume of Northside Comix, an anthology of children and family friendly short comics. 

Isn't it so pretty! Cover art by Stuart Marsh

 

I'll also be printing up copies for sale with Mito and Me No.1 at other upcoming conventions.

Speaking of other conventions, I am tabling at Chicago Zine Fest on May 19, which I mentioned in my last blog post. Also, SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT, I am tabling at CAKE on Sunday, June 3rd as part of their First Slice Table! I am super excited for this. CAKE is an awesome Chicago alternative comics convention and it is an honor to be asked to join their First Slice table for up-and-coming Chicago comic artists.

So, put those dates on your calenders, because I have a lot of fun stuff coming out in the next few months. I'm working on No Pants Revolution 3, a new short story for the Northside Comic Artists' upcoming anthology and a small sketchbook zine with some cool process art for Zine Fest. 

Also follow me on Instagram @Saturn2169 and Twitter @Saturn2169 for more day to day updates, sneak peeks and other sketchyness. Also follow Northside Comic Artists on their website NorthsideComics.org, Instagram @NorthsideComicArtists, Twitter @NSComicArtists and sign up for the newsletter.

Mini Bonus: Emprical Brewery on Foster will be having an unveiling party this Saturday March 10 for a mural I, along with other members of the Northside Comic Artists, worked on. Unfortunately the event is sold out, but the mural will be on display outside of the brewery for all to see everyday after. So check it out next time you are in the neighborhood. 

Process shot painting the mural. Mural design by Tyrell Cannon

Sketchy Magee Dump

Oh, hey. Haven't seen you in a while. Welcome back for another Sketchy Magee sketchbook sketch dump. I've been a bit busy this year... which is a good thing! Since graduating college it generally takes me a little over a year on average to fill up my regular sketchbooks. This one took a little over seven months. I still don't draw everyday, like I should, but I've been doing a lot better and feel like I've been getting a lot better. So below are some pictures I took from my sketchbook to show off some of the work I've been doing. Enjoy!

These are some character sketches from "Air Aunties" the short comic I illustrated for the Ladies Night Anthology "Sisters".

Here are a couple other sketches from various projects I worked on over the past year.

I spent a lot of time at the beach this summer, so there were quite a few beach sketches.

I've been a fan of r/RedditGetsDrawn for a while. Whenever I don't know what to draw or need to do some warm up sketches I generally turn to that subreddit. Below are some of those sketches. Some of which I posted, some I did not. These are all drawings of user submitted photos.

Doodled quite a few of my favorite characters.

And of course here are few other miscellaneous sketches that I enjoy.

Not sure what is going on here...

ughhh... You're gonna have to ask John about this.

C'mon now, you know I wasn't gonna leave you hanging without some embarrassing self portraits.

Me marveling at the magnificence of my boobs in this bridesmaid's dress.

And one of my favorites from the Rogers Park Wine Stroll.

Wow. Wasn't that great. We all had fun today. Wait, what's that? You wanna know how you can have a little piece of Andrea art. Well, you're in luck. I'm getting ready to send out this year's holiday card and you can have one for free! That's right, just private message me your address on Facebook and you will be added to the Zidek Family holiday card list. This is my ninth year designing holiday cards to send out to friends and family and now is as good of a time as ever to add your name to the list! 

What's that? You wanna know how you can get a hold of one of my comics. You're in luck with that as well, because I have BONUS NEWS!!!



B-B-B-BONUS!
This year I tabled at two conventions, got comics published in two anthologies and finished my second issue of No Pants Revolution "No Pants 2: The Revolution Continues". So how am I gonna ruin that perfect even number of two? I'm tabling at one more convention before the year is out. Say what? Come see me on December 16th at Pocket Con at the Chicago Cultural Center! I'll be selling copies of "Mito and Me", "No Pants Revolution" 1 and 2, as well as the Ladies Night Anthology "Sisters" and the Northside Comic Artists anthology "Misadventure" which feature comics drawn by me. I will also be selling stickers and original artwork. So if you're in the Chicago area, come check me out. This event is family friendly and will also feature goodie bags and events that are child friendly. Click on image for more information.

Last of the Sticky Notes

Here are the last of my September #Stickathon2014 drawings. Man, some of these are pretty bad. Enjoy!

Super last minute Mito sketch.

Went to the National Zoo and got to see real pandas!

Batman on a plane on my way to Chicago.

Of course I did one everyday except the last day of the month, 'cause fuck it. It was fun though.

Bonus: Was at the National Zoo on the 28th and got to see actual pandas. They were so cute!

 

New Comics/ Old Comics

So, since the start of the new year I've been kicking it into gear and really preparing for MoCCA Fest in April. I'm a couple pages into a new comic tentatively titled "Mito and Me". It's part autobiography, part fiction, older kids/young adult comic about a young misfit panda and his imaginary friend. I'll be debuting the first bit of it at MoCCA fest, so I don't want to post any panels here. But, here are some doodles of the main character Mito Panda.

Last week I was probably the sickest I've been in a long time. I had the flu pretty bad. So, yesterday John was reading the symptoms of H1N1 and the perfectly described my exact experience. Sorta wish I had gone to the hospital. I'll be getting flu shots from now on. Anyways, in honor of finally getting over swine flu, here's a weeks worth of journal comics from 2012 in which both John and I got sick. This was the week John and I finally moved into our first NYC apartment after 9 months in a tiny room in Jamaica, Queens. It's also the week John graduated from the academy. Good Times.

So, on top of my "Mito" comics I'll also be putting together a compilation of old journal comics for MoCCA fest. So as I go through them, scan them, and clean them up I'll probably be posting them here. Probably.