littledogmonday

STUDIO SALE AND FUNDRAISER

2011-01-07T13:55:00.003-05:00

Want some cheap art? Wanna support a good idea? Now's yer chance!

This summer I am going on a long road trip with my little boy to have adventures all the way across the prairies, through the desert and up the west coast! I'm also continuing research on the road for a new graphic novel. For this dream to come true, I need to buy a camper van!

Me and The Kid are moving house at the end of January.
...
So, for one day only, SUNDAY JANUARY 30, I am going to turn my old empty apartment into a gallery and attempt to sell a lot of my work in a massive fundraiser for the van.

There will be:
>>Lots and lots of original drawings from Sword of My Mouth, Unspent Love, and older projects.
>>Seriously cheap screenprinted folios of some of the chapters from Unspent Love
>>Unspent Love, the handbound multiple
>>Sword of My Mouth
>>Older bookworks of which I have a very few loose copies leftover
>>Some drawings by Willy (The Kid)
>>T shirts by Willy (The Kid)
>>Other stuff

>>Maybe some rummage too like wool and clothes!

ALL THIS WILL BE SO INEXPENSIVE IT WILL BLOW YOUR SOCKS OFF

There'll be some food and drinks too if you just want to stop by and hang out. Contributions of food and drink welcomed.

I hope you can be there!

238 SAINT CLARENS AVE, TORONTO
SUNDAY 30 JANUARY, 1PM TO 8PM

Info about the road trip project here:
http://bloodandblunder.tumblr.com/

he dreams a city street a hundred ways

2010-10-20T23:55:00.003-04:00

Recommended for a perfect night: Listen to loud music. Drink vodka-tonics (vodkas-tonic?). Draw one of your favourite people.

He ate a donut!

Almost there

2010-10-17T21:38:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the Nick Novak Scholarship in 2010, Unspent Love, Volume One is on its way to completion. Due November 4, along with an installation of artwork from the series, at Open Studio.

Incidentally, Tara Cooper, modeling in the image above, is the 2011 Nick Novak Scholar! Toot toot!

Blood and Thunder

2010-07-28T11:52:00.003-04:00

Oh, hello. I started a little companion blog to chronicle a road trip. It's over here: http://bloodandblunder.tumblr.com/

On it, with much doubt, I am going to write, post photos, speak and sing.

Talk of loneliness in quiet voices

2010-07-13T10:36:00.005-04:00

Another chapter of Unspent Love is up at Top Shelf. I'm so touched by Leigh's assessment, "With this series, Shannon is quietly stitching together a tapestry of human relationships that's devastating in its insight. In this installment, misheard lyrics mean more than the originals."

Thank you, Leigh.

BTW, the song is Lakes of Canada by The Innocence Mission. My all-time favourite band. I even love them more than Bruce Cockburn, more than Mike Doughty. I even love them more than John K Sampson.

you are perfect and i love you

2010-06-25T17:54:00.003-04:00

New strip up at Top Shelf.
Thank you stef lenk, for lending me your face.

Finally

2010-06-09T10:04:00.003-04:00

I've been planning this website for a long while and finally finished it last night. James Gauvreau, one of the world's most beautiful people, did most of the work.

Internet, meet playingdoctor.ca

The Toronto Arts Council helped this come together.

Unspent (in other words, buried)

2010-06-01T12:08:00.005-04:00

What a satisfying, productive period the summer has been so far (a summer from work for me, though not by the calendar). Current projects are shaping up pretty well, so it looks like I am going to head out for westerly parts through the month of August afterall. I am squirrelly for a break from this city!!

Unspent Love, Chapter 11 is done. This one is terrifyingly sad for me. Gulp.

Two pages excerpted above. Click images for bigger versions.

Not sure when this will appear online at Top Shelf.

28 on the 28th

2010-05-28T00:22:00.001-04:00

One of my favourite people just got a liiiittle bit older.

I miss you, Swaters

2010-05-26T23:37:00.000-04:00

I miss you, stef lenk

2010-05-14T13:07:00.005-04:00

New drawings in progress for Unspent Love. Four chapters on the go at once!

Let me draw your FACE (book)

2010-04-23T17:47:00.006-04:00

Sword of my Mouth is finally here! Available already in most comics shops! The Toronto launch party is coming up on May 6th, at 7pm, at Tequila Bookworm (512 Queen street West at Portland).

To promote the launch, I am offering to draw your facebook profile pic. Isn't that a cute one above? And below-- look at these charming little faces.

To participate, just send a hi-res Jpeg to shannon AT shannongerard DOT org. I'll make a drawing of it, then you post it as your profile avatar with a link to info about the party or book.

That info can be found on facebook HERE.

Or on the "other internet," The Internet, here:
http://nomediakings.org/sword/

Set Phasers to Stun

2010-02-15T15:37:00.004-05:00

People of the Internet: Sword of My Mouth is Done. Apocalyptic ETA: May 2010.

Draft One Complete!

2010-02-03T09:15:00.004-05:00

Move to Condition 2. Draft 1 of Sword of My Mouth -- complete! On schedule for our planned release at TCAF in May.

The End is Nigh

2010-01-25T12:00:00.002-05:00

12 pages left!

So Tired

2010-01-22T09:56:00.001-05:00

18 pages left.

How many apocalypses is this for us now?

2010-01-06T10:58:00.005-05:00

I'm behind (so behind) in finishing the last three chapters of S-word. January is going to include many 15 hour work days. I'll try to put up weekly sneak peeks here.

Standing in Tomorrow (on the runway)

2009-11-18T17:48:00.004-05:00

Look at this face! New Unspent Love on its way to completion...as...we...speak.

The Cosmos is Full Beyond Measure

2009-10-16T21:07:00.001-04:00

Proof of an elegant universe: Plaid.

WEBSITE REDESIGN!

2009-10-08T23:52:00.003-04:00

Hey internet, I redesigned my website.

Stu-studio*

2009-09-23T20:01:00.006-04:00

After a sickly summer, it feels really great to say that I am back in the studio hard and heavy-- working towards a print edition of Unspent Love. This project has languished while I've been working on S-word and because I've been seeking some funding to get it made. But, this year I won the Nick Novak Scholarship at Open Studio, an incredibly generous opportunity which affords me the space and resources to finally complete this book. Thank you Open Studio!

The skimpy 6 chapters currently up at Top Shelf will soon grow! Meanwhile, I'll be screenprinting and letterpressing my heart out (really!) to make a print edition of at least 20 of the stories in time for the Novak exhibition next Fall.

*For the record, I derisively categorize Phil Collins under the label "Old Man** Music," though, Starlee Kine could change my mind.

**No offense old men.***

***Especially old men with beards.****

****whoa.

Curses!

2009-08-27T20:49:00.005-04:00

A couple weeks ago (I'm behind), scifi blog, io9 posted an article about Sword of My Mouth.

The article is great. The comments are...recurring. So many people hate my handwriting! What do you think? Seriously? If it bothers you, if it's "effing illegible," if you wish I'd change it...I'd really like to hear some honest feedback from friends. What would you change? What features do you find most difficult about it?

It's hard to read the comments on io9 and not hear them in the voice of Comic Book Guy, so some home-brewed feedback would be amazing.

For comparison, here are two pages from the book. Page 1 from very early on in the drawing process and page 64, finished this week. As ever, clicking the images will enlarge them.

Page 1

Page 64

no restraint

2009-08-06T20:26:00.005-04:00

I can't help it-- I have to post this drawing for the cover of Issue 3. Gotta fix that fucky lip on Emma, and get The Secret Weapon to colour it in photoshop.

Speaking of restraint, I am trying to follow in the footsteps of Lisa Kisch-- an old friend from high school whom I recently found in the blogosphere-- and accept her challenge to not buy any STUFF this month. On the yes list: groceries, coffee, art supplies and booze. But nothing solid. No clutter. No STUFF. Anyone else up for it? Think we can do it??

Publish or Perish

2009-07-29T15:31:00.003-04:00

Have you read the Globe and Mail today? There's an interesting article about S-word in the review section in which writer Carla Wintersgill ponders our decision to move the series online. It's a good read on the subject except she doesn't mention the fact that the move was necessitated by IDW dropping the print series after they didn't make enough on Issue 1. We made the digital decision as a way to keep the series alive. Otherwise it would have been like: Issue 1...long silence...sproing! graphic novel.

The digital publishing model has advantages, but it is definitely a way of compensating for unfortunate realities in the industry. It's also natural evolution-- responses to deficiencies in a given industry also help to change it into something else.

Article here: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/arts/publish-online-or-perish/article1233938/

Werd.

2009-07-15T18:08:00.004-04:00

Sword of my Mouth, Issue 2 is out! In fact, it is RIGHT HERE.

Check out our super cheap digital subscription offers at No Media Kings.

Issue 3 due on the first Wednesday of September.

don't fuck with mr. zero

2009-07-07T08:58:00.002-04:00

new power converters

2009-07-01T21:21:00.001-04:00

Four Lukes of the Apocalypse.

Sword of My Mouth Issue 2

2009-06-30T00:13:00.003-04:00

I'm working like a dog (a dog with opposable thumbs) to finish chapter two of Sword of My Mouth. Or, S-Word of My Mouth as I like to call it. It should be ready by July 15. Here's a wee preview...

Flat

2009-06-25T00:27:00.007-04:00

She's Shameless launched last night at the Gladstone and was a super fun time! I'm really stoked to be keeping company with a great line up of other writers and artists.

One teeny blip is that my chapter was accidentally published without the final page! Oooooops. It's kinda hilarious since the second to last page is a set up for the conclusion, without which the meaning of the story is almost entirely missed. So, I decided to post all 5 of the pages here. Enjoy!

(clicking the images will enlarge them for easier reading)

Shameless

2009-06-23T00:56:00.005-04:00

I keep forgetting to post info about this quite amazing anthology I'm part of...

She's Shameless (Women write about growing up, rocking out and fighting back) is being launched today-- Tuesday June 23rd at 8PM at the Gladstone Hotel.

I'm reading in front of a lot of people and showing images from my piece. It's going to be a big, fun party. You should come!

Info here:
Shameless Blog
and on (sorry) Facebook

NOW Magazine

2009-05-09T22:36:00.003-04:00

A wee interview in which I stupidly claim to have been crocheting for only one year. I dunno why I wrote "last year" since I learned to crochet in 2007. Am I stuck in 2008? Obviously. In the same interview, I also wrote "Writer's and Company"-- so, 2 for 2. Doi! But Sara Titanic did a great job on the article-- Thanks Sara!

TCAF

2009-05-08T13:05:00.005-04:00

The Toronto Comic Arts Festival is happening this weekend-- Saturday and Sunday all day at the Toronto Reference Library. Details here: http://www.torontocomics.com/tcaf/

Jim and I will be releasing Issue 1 of Sword of My Mouth! Jim's posted some exciting and super cheap subscription deals at No Media Kings. Also, I made the limited edition prints shown here to sell over the weekend.

If you're around Toronto, stop by and say hi!

not AT you, WITH you

2009-03-31T22:57:00.001-04:00

easy breezy beautiful

2009-03-03T18:11:00.002-05:00

PHEWF

2009-02-24T23:01:00.006-05:00

Been a long time since I posted anything on here. I've had my head down over this amazing project-- the first chapter in Jim Munroe's post-apocalyptic graphic novel, Sword of My Mouth. Issue 1 is due out in May and now that most of the drawings are done, I'll start sneak peeking them on here.

I took some reference shots at Hazel's birthday party last weekend for the drawing above (click it! it will get bigger!) and these dudes with incredible beards posed, even though I'd just met them. It was the greatest!

Have I mentioned how much I love drawing beards!?

A bit of advance info about the book is starting to appear online:
Previews
Robot 6

Jim posted some sample pages (older drawings, now changed in the book) a while back at NoMediaKings.

Here's a sample page (unedited):

They just keep coming....

2008-11-21T16:13:00.003-05:00

Number 6 is online....
This chapter stars the lovely Genevieve and her amazing tattoo. Today also happens to be her birthday. Happy birthday Gen!

Number Five

2008-10-23T09:24:00.001-04:00

Unspent Love Number 5-- now available in hot online action.

NUMBER FOUR!

2008-10-08T10:27:00.002-04:00

Check it out HERE

Unspent Love Chapter 3

2008-09-16T21:40:00.001-04:00

Number Three is UP

pockets

2008-09-15T15:01:00.003-04:00

Smoochies

2008-09-05T12:02:00.002-04:00

In progress for Unspent Love

Unspent Love Chapter 2

2008-09-01T00:01:00.002-04:00

Chapter Two is up already! Read it HERE.

UNSPENT LOVE; Or, Things I Wish I Told You -- NOW LIVE

2008-08-19T08:37:00.001-04:00

The first chapter is live at TOP SHELF!

I remember the sound, of your November downtown

2008-08-10T16:23:00.005-04:00

and I remember the truth, of a warm December with you.

Emma Gerard is my cousin

2008-07-22T18:29:00.003-04:00

Character sketch of Emma Gerard.

More of Top Shelf

2008-07-09T15:08:00.004-04:00

Another in-progress page from my comic for Top Shelf.
This panel and the one below are excerpts of the second installment in my strip Unspent Love; Or, Things I Wish I Told You. When the first strip goes live, I'll post images from that work and link to the real deal at Top Shelf 2.0

In Progress for Top Shelf 2.0

2008-07-06T11:15:00.005-04:00

...tucking a small sweetness into the fabric of your life and ideas.

SNEAK PEEK: Working on some new comics for Top Shelf 2.0!

the right conditions are imperative

2008-04-29T20:58:00.000-04:00

and we're together. and we didn't merge into a freakish four-man siamese twin!

2008-04-21T21:28:00.003-04:00

Print exchanges are awesome! Above is my entry to this year's OCAD exchange. Title: MANWICH. The theme was "Boundaries". Yep.

Wayzgoose 2008

2008-03-21T15:35:00.011-04:00

I'm drawing the front pages of the Wayzgoose Anthology this year-- Wayzgoose being an annual Book Arts Fair at the Grimsby Public Art Gallery. This year the event is happening Saturday 26 April. Click the images above to see them bigger!

Blog Play

2008-02-25T19:28:00.002-05:00

Just playing around with image uploading. Click the picture above and it opens at a bigger size....

Now Prettier Thanks to Tea and Pie

2008-02-25T19:09:00.006-05:00

My old blog was ugly. stef 's and Becky's blogs are not ugly. I wanted a new blog that was pretty too. Ta da.