Oh, gosh. Ivan Brunetti again. I love this guy and his book on cartooning.

Ivan was interviewed on The Comics Journal about teaching cartooning and his involvement with comics and writing. He mentions how some beginners tend to get too wrapped up in “technical stuff right off the bat” (which is true in nearly all forms of creation) and offers: “I think it’s best to develop narrative skills early on, and also to encourage an open atmosphere in the classroom, where the students can feel OK about exploring any topic they wish.”

One of my favorite comments follows, where he talks about artists worried about being unique, or showing off their voice or finding their style. “Originality is not something to strain for. I quote Marcella Hazan, who says that it should not be an explicit goal, but it can certainly be a consequence of your intuitions. The book is all about developing those intuitions. Originality will arise, naturally, from doing the exercises and assignments and paying attention to one’s own process.”

You can check out the full interview here and you can get Ivan’s wonderfully helpful book, Cartooning Philosophy and Practice from Yale University Press.