Fruitless

Begun in June of 2008, Fruitless represents my first effort at producing a complete and published comic book. The book chronicles my frustrated attempts to be hired as an art professor during the early part of 2008, the arduous task of preparing for an MFA thesis show, and my subsequent attendance at a residency at the Kala Art Institute in Berkeley, California.

The drawings are executed in Higgins Black Magic Ink over non-photo blue. However, I have retained the non-photo blue in these reproductions, as, according to universal consensus, the drawings look better as a result.
 

A brief word about process: the story is obviously autobiographical. Whenever possible, the actual people who participate in these events will (graciously) become models for me, for the drawings. When I am geographically near these people, I personally photograph them in pre-planned poses. However, if they live in different areas of the country (or in a different country altogether) I will have them take a digital picture of themselves and send it to me through e-mail. (The internet has made a project like mine quite a bit more feasible than it once would have been.) Nonetheless, there are times when it is simply impossible to photograph the actual person who crossed my path; in these occasions, I typecast willing (and gracious) friends and acquaintances to stand in.

As of December 29, 2009, I have completed 72 of the 120 pages that will comprise the book.
 

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