Several years ago, when things were bad as they are now, I made a comic about art and community in the face of hate. Today feels like a time to reshare. 1/5

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Chapter One, 1/6





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This is a really common question, probably because the library/author relationship can seem pretty opaque from the outside. But libraries do benefit authors! A lot! Here’s how-

https://twitter.com/shaggysurvives/status/1786564242067570730

First, libraries buy their books, often in bulk. Large library systems, like the New York Public Library, buy a LOT of copies of the same book. This can be a huge boost to an author’s quarterly sales report. AND the more a book is checked out, the more copies the library will buy

The Goblin.
A short comic about a mysterious creature living among the monks of a secluded abbey. 1/5



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With everyone excited about The Green Knight, here's a thread on the myth behind it. It's a story about strange games, beheadings, and a lot more gay kissing than you'd expect (spoilers, I guess? For a centuries old story???) It's New Years Eve, and King Arthur and his court are gathered to celebrate. Everyone's hanging out, probably getting a bit tipsy, and the party is starting to drag. King Arthur asks for a wonder, something marvelous to ring in the new year. That's when the door is kicked in.

A friendly reminder for my fellow freelancers in the US; the recently passed pandemic survival bill extends special Unemployment benefits for freelancers through at least March! It's a tough time for us all, and any help is helpful, so remember to apply if help is what you need. There's been very little outreach to freelancers during this pandemic to let them know that they could qualify assistance under the new bills. The pandemic is a disruptive force, gigs fall through, deadlines and payments are indefinitely pushed back. Use what help you can get.

I've lately seen folks on here say they've felt guilty for getting books (mine and other authors) from the library, or people insinuating some authors might be against libraries. This is nonsense, and here's a thread on how using your local library supports authors. It's easy to see why people would think, at first glance, that getting books from the library is depriving a writer of their dues. It's free, after all! You're not paying anything, so how would the author be getting paid anything for your reading? This is a misconception.

Really usefully info, and I humbly submit we don't break ourselves to boost the traffic a company that couldn't care less about us. My tip is diversify your social media presence, and focus on the ones that give you what you're looking for without demanding your life in return.

https://twitter.com/rainylune/status/1341184419957116928

Tumblr's actually still really fun and good to post art to, and while I find TikTok's navigation kind of inscrutable, people on there have been really lovely and nice and it's been great chatting with them. In the meantime, keep an eye for new platforms with less corporate ideals

I'm deep into production on my new graphic novel, which require long hours and can be rough on the body. So, here's a thread on practical health and wellness advice for creatives! First, the disclaimers: I'm not a health expert. My advice comes from my own experience, and from the experience and wisdom of my peers. Also, not everything will be helpful for everyone. Adapt as needed to your own circumstances.

I flew up and over 10,000 followers overnight! Thank you all so much for your interest and incredible support. There's a lot more stories and comics to come, and I hope you'll enjoy them. I live-streamed the creation of this thank-you drawing! Here's the video on demand:

https://twitter.com/EthanMAldridge/status/1309568459076825089?s=20

For my graphic novel "The Legend Of Brightblade" I've been creating environment reference with Townscaper, the procedural town builder by @OskSta. I make color keys and rough sketches, design a town in the program to match, and use it for perspective/layout reference in the final I use it as a very rough reference, adapting it as I need to in order to suite the environment and story. The procedural generation in Townscaper also helps add little elements to composition I wouldn't necessarily have thought of, which can liven up the illustration.

I have a TikTok account now! I'll be using it as a place to collect timelapse and art process videos. I'm still not totally sure how to use it, but you can find me @ ethanmaldridge Hmm I think...I might have become Old somewhere along the way.

The Goblin
(Ink on watercolor paper) Details

I think part of what made #BOTW so compelling was its subversion of the typical epic fantasy plot. A chosen hero must rise up against a terrible force of darkness, overcome insurmountable odds, face his ultimate foe, and he...fails. The kingdom falls, the world as they know it is destroyed. Link, for all intents and purposes, dies. Cut to a century later-

I've started a side account! It's to collect random bits of history and ephemera that spark my imagination. Give it a follow- @hearthspell I'm not an academic or a historian, but I wanted a dedicated space to collect all of the odd little tidbits that inspire me. It will sometimes be odd, or grotesque, but hopefully always interesting. Maybe some of it will inspire you too.

I spent a long afternoon in one of my favorite places in the city; Argosy Books, the oldest independent bookshop in NYC! They specialize in rare, out of print, and hard to find books, manuscripts, prints and maps. One of my favorite bits is where they've taken apart damaged or misprinted books, and you can buy the illustrations, covers, or marbled endpapers from them. I got 2 Rackhams and a Dulac.

All right cartoonists, let's talk about what goes into putting together a graphic novel pitch package to send to potential publishers. THREAD INCOMING! First, the disclaimers; I'm tweeting from my experience, so this will be what's worked for me. Different cartoonists pitch in different ways. This thread will also assume the writer and illustrator are the same person (though you can adapt the advice here for a team).

I've never missed @FlameCon, and I don't intend to start now!
Here's a thread of some of the things I'd have at my table, and where you can get them online. First, digital short comics, pay what you think is fair! gumroad.com/ethanmaldridge ... #FCOpenFlame High quality art prints of my work are available now in my INPRNT shop! I've recently uploaded new ones, so check it out for all of your fantasy needs! inprnt.com/gallery/ethana… ...#FCOpenFlame

My husband was furloughed from his job in March, and just received notice of termination. I'm the sole earner for our family right now. If you can, consider picking up art prints or digital comics! RTs appreciated!

Comics: gumroad.com/ethanmaldridge

Prints: inprnt.com/gallery/ethana… You can also subscribe to my Patreon, which is loaded with tutorials, long process videos, sneak peaks at future projects, and insights into how I work. Thank you! patreon.com/ethanaldridge

I've actually been getting questions like this about the Estranged series a lot lately, especially in light of the announcement of "The Legend Of Brightblade," so I thought I'd address some questions in a short thread-

https://twitter.com/simplyallytea/status/1292782212014694401

As of now, there are no official plans for a 3rd "Estranged" book. The original book deal was for a 2 book series, and that's what we did! I'm so grateful to my editor and the whole team at Harper for helping me tell a fantasy action-adventure that centered queer protagonists.--

In the book NAUSICAA: WATERCOLOR IMPRESSIONS, Hayao Miyazaki penned commentary for many of the images. Here are a few of my favorites (thread): "I know I'm the one who drew this, but I don't really like this picture."