This is great—thanks Kelcey. I started doing graphic memoir/memoir comics a few years back when I had a show coming up about my mother's Lewy Body dementia and death (and my relationship with her). I wanted to make a "visual memoir", though I still didn't know what that would mean. I started trying to do memoir comics because it seemed the best way to *illustrate* (pun intended) the stories I had to tell, but it was extremely frustrating for me at first. I was trying to work too small, I was too stuck on making everything look "realistic", and I'd set up these very rigid panels to work within. As I worked toward the show, I eventually both loosened up and also started to make much larger pieces (the largest graphic memoir piece in the show was 42 by 78 inches). Now I'm working my way back to the graphic memoir (in book form) that I started when the show ended, and I'm hoping for it to be very loose and painterly. I'm so rusty with painting though, it's scary just thinking about it! But I'll get there.
I relate to all of this and love hearing how you explored the same topic in different formats and sizes! It's interesting that had to work bigger and bigger for the show and now have to scale down a bit (but still stay loose!). I love loose and painterly comics and would love to see what you do. Are some of the pieces from the show on your website?
Hi Kelcey—yes indeed, you can see photos of the work and the show here: https://www.balampman.com/#/lifeswork/. As I mention on my website, another thing I did to loosen up was to switch to a cheap bamboo brush that I intentionally made even worse by chopping up the bristles a bit, haha. It worked! It forced me to give up on trying to make things look "perfect" (whatever that is), and it pushed me places I'd never gone artistically. By the end, I had painted my mother's face so many times I could practically do it with my eyes closed, anyway. Right now I wouldn't be able to do it to save my life!
None of the work in the show is quite how I envision the graphic memoir, mind you.
I'm going to apply for funding from the Canada Council for the Arts to do the work, but I'll be doing it whether I get the funding or not.
Oh my gosh, B.A., what a stunning and moving project! I love the variety of sizes and the way it all suggests both the impossibility and the seemingly desperate need to share the story. The triptych of large portraits of your mother are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Thanks Kelcey. Your comment about “the way it all suggests both the impossibility and the seemingly desperate need to share the story” is interesting because that’s the first time I’ve heard it described that way. I’m always intrigued by the endlessly different ways people interpret/feel about art.
Kelcey, this is really perfect timing for me, thanks! I am curious about the process of workshopping visual stories...what kinds of feedback do you think are most important about the graphic parts of the piece vs. the words? Also, I have been workshopping my words for a long time now and have a good sense of what feedback is valuable...but I feel a little tender about asking for feedback on the visual art side of things...any tips for a newbie?
Thanks, Paula. This is a great question. It can be hard to get feedback on visuals, and especially if you feel vulnerable. But I think the best feedback is not about whether graphic elements are "good" or not, but whether they are helping tell the story. What information is communicated through the visuals and how do they complement or enhance the story? How does the color palette or style relate to the mood and atmosphere? How is the pacing--too many images or words? too few? Is there visual variety but also unity? These kinds of questions make it more about effective storytelling than about whether the visuals are "good" or not.
Kelcey, can you recommend any computer program that's handy for creating a drawing for those of us with very little artistic talent but willing to edit our way towards what we want?
I love EVERYTHING about this essay! I collage my journal covers (I use spiral bound notebooks and literally make collages on the covers and they get worn and a little tattered as the book fills up. I’ve always wanted to do art journaling, too. This is inspiring!
This is exactly what I needed right now. I took a little break from digital art, but I've been wanting to get back into it and make some for my publication. Thank you, Kelcey! 😊
I love the way you found your path with this, and how you can translate your own experience into steps we can take! So mind-expanding as I transition from being only a writer (who started out as an artist, with a comics focus) to focusing on comics. The dance between what’s best represented by image and what needs text, and how much, is one of the greatest creative thrills of my life. Thanks for feeding and fueling the thrills! 🙏
Oh my gosh, yes! I love how you phrase that: it IS a dance between image and text, and it’s so fun to put them together into a story. I didn’t realize you’d separated them at times as well!
Thanks, Emily! Keep dabbling--it's addictive! 😁
🙌🙌🙌❤️
This is great—thanks Kelcey. I started doing graphic memoir/memoir comics a few years back when I had a show coming up about my mother's Lewy Body dementia and death (and my relationship with her). I wanted to make a "visual memoir", though I still didn't know what that would mean. I started trying to do memoir comics because it seemed the best way to *illustrate* (pun intended) the stories I had to tell, but it was extremely frustrating for me at first. I was trying to work too small, I was too stuck on making everything look "realistic", and I'd set up these very rigid panels to work within. As I worked toward the show, I eventually both loosened up and also started to make much larger pieces (the largest graphic memoir piece in the show was 42 by 78 inches). Now I'm working my way back to the graphic memoir (in book form) that I started when the show ended, and I'm hoping for it to be very loose and painterly. I'm so rusty with painting though, it's scary just thinking about it! But I'll get there.
I relate to all of this and love hearing how you explored the same topic in different formats and sizes! It's interesting that had to work bigger and bigger for the show and now have to scale down a bit (but still stay loose!). I love loose and painterly comics and would love to see what you do. Are some of the pieces from the show on your website?
Hi Kelcey—yes indeed, you can see photos of the work and the show here: https://www.balampman.com/#/lifeswork/. As I mention on my website, another thing I did to loosen up was to switch to a cheap bamboo brush that I intentionally made even worse by chopping up the bristles a bit, haha. It worked! It forced me to give up on trying to make things look "perfect" (whatever that is), and it pushed me places I'd never gone artistically. By the end, I had painted my mother's face so many times I could practically do it with my eyes closed, anyway. Right now I wouldn't be able to do it to save my life!
None of the work in the show is quite how I envision the graphic memoir, mind you.
I'm going to apply for funding from the Canada Council for the Arts to do the work, but I'll be doing it whether I get the funding or not.
Oh my gosh, B.A., what a stunning and moving project! I love the variety of sizes and the way it all suggests both the impossibility and the seemingly desperate need to share the story. The triptych of large portraits of your mother are so beautiful. Thank you for sharing. ❤️
Thanks Kelcey. Your comment about “the way it all suggests both the impossibility and the seemingly desperate need to share the story” is interesting because that’s the first time I’ve heard it described that way. I’m always intrigued by the endlessly different ways people interpret/feel about art.
I might have been totally off! But I felt a really lovely tension in viewing your powerful work.
There is no “off”! It’s what you saw. Totally VALID 🤩
Thank you for this article. I have to slow down to appreciate every line, and that what makes it unique.
That's nice to hear! Thank you!
Inspiring! ♥️
Hi Ashley! Thank you!
Wonderful article and visual essay. Great title too :)
I'm still not sure it was the right title! 😂
Thank you, Kelcey!! I loved the drawing of you sleeping with a long enough color pencil which reaches the ceiling, hahah. Very inspiring!
Haha, thank you!
I love this. Well, actually, I love everything you do. So cool.
Aw shucks! Thanks, Barb! 🥰
Kelcey, this is really perfect timing for me, thanks! I am curious about the process of workshopping visual stories...what kinds of feedback do you think are most important about the graphic parts of the piece vs. the words? Also, I have been workshopping my words for a long time now and have a good sense of what feedback is valuable...but I feel a little tender about asking for feedback on the visual art side of things...any tips for a newbie?
Thanks, Paula. This is a great question. It can be hard to get feedback on visuals, and especially if you feel vulnerable. But I think the best feedback is not about whether graphic elements are "good" or not, but whether they are helping tell the story. What information is communicated through the visuals and how do they complement or enhance the story? How does the color palette or style relate to the mood and atmosphere? How is the pacing--too many images or words? too few? Is there visual variety but also unity? These kinds of questions make it more about effective storytelling than about whether the visuals are "good" or not.
Kelcey, can you recommend any computer program that's handy for creating a drawing for those of us with very little artistic talent but willing to edit our way towards what we want?
I use Procreate on my iPad. The app costs $12. (the iPad and Apple pencil are obviously more expensive!) At the end of this post, I linked to an earlier one where I show I use Procreate for my Substack posts: https://kelceyervick.substack.com/p/how-i-create-my-illustrated-stories
Thank you for sharing! I was very curious how you created you stories.
Thank you!
Thank you Kelcey.
Looks amazing! Are you teaching any workshops this summer?
Thanks, Martha! I’m still lining things up but excited about this one (it’s pretty deluxe!): https://www.shakerag.org/workshops/summer-workshops/words-images-explore-visual-storytelling-and-mixed-media-poetry
I love EVERYTHING about this essay! I collage my journal covers (I use spiral bound notebooks and literally make collages on the covers and they get worn and a little tattered as the book fills up. I’ve always wanted to do art journaling, too. This is inspiring!
Thanks so much, Shelley! Your collage-covered journals sound amazing! Like a door decorated for the holidays welcoming you inside :)
as always, very inspiring. thank you.
Thanks, Jeanne!
This is exactly what I needed right now. I took a little break from digital art, but I've been wanting to get back into it and make some for my publication. Thank you, Kelcey! 😊
Glad to hear it’s helpful! We all need breaks, but I’m glad you’re ready to get back to it!
Wonderful and encouraging tips! Thanks so much for sharing! I am increasingly drawn to this genre. (pun intended.)
Haha, nice pun indeed! It’s been a busy semester but I still really want to make prints with you!
Yes. I haven’t forgotten! Let’s try and squeeze it in before the year is over!
I love the way you found your path with this, and how you can translate your own experience into steps we can take! So mind-expanding as I transition from being only a writer (who started out as an artist, with a comics focus) to focusing on comics. The dance between what’s best represented by image and what needs text, and how much, is one of the greatest creative thrills of my life. Thanks for feeding and fueling the thrills! 🙏
Oh my gosh, yes! I love how you phrase that: it IS a dance between image and text, and it’s so fun to put them together into a story. I didn’t realize you’d separated them at times as well!