Hey, Your Bobby Hill Comic Was Recently Re-posted On Reddit, And It's The First Time I've Seen It Since

I'd really like to tell you I'm happy I found your art blog. I guess I want to say that I find your self reflections to be really interesting and your approach as well. I just really happy to be following you! Thank you!

Thank you for taking the time to message me! It really does mean a lot.

charismaticoutcast said: These are really neat! Do you mind me asking how you put your artwork on shirts/other accessories like this? Is it silk screening? I tried doing this awhile back and failed miserablyXD

No problem!

I use a printing service -- society6. I size my images to their specifications and they print and ship the product for me. They use, at least for the cloth products, a "direct to fabric" printer. I've ordered shirts from them before, but only on white so I can't speak for the other shirt colors, and the images have always been well printed and pretty darn colorfast.

However, because they do the printing and shipping, I only get a portion of the payment. But, compared to other printing services, their prices are pretty good. At society6 a 21x28 inch print costs $35 and I earn $8.65. You can raise the prices on your prints so that you earn more, but I try not to price myself out. Compare that to the print services at DeviantArt where the standard cost of a 24x24 inch print is $45 and the artist earns $7.50.

I haven't done screenprinting before, but I have used linocuts and fabric ink. If I ever chose to sell those, other prints that I created myself, or original pieces, I would sell them somewhere like etsy or storenvy, where I would just pay for hosting on their website and would be able to set the product prices myself.

I regret to inform you that I have begun scripting and thumbnailing another Simpson’s comic. Not directly/explicitly related to my previous comics. No idea on how long it will take to complete. So, y‘know, watch this space.

I’m working on drawings for several zines that I hope to get riosgraph printed. I thought a neat way to get some interest for these future projects would be to show my work.

Watch me draw and listen to me ramble!

The face I’m drawing comes from a photo in “Artist’s Models 8: Practical Poses for the Working Artist.”

...aaaand here’s what I’m aiming for the final pieces to look like.

Also, I should have more copies of my “R. J. Hill: Therapist” comic for sale later in the week.

My Etsy: LINK / My Ko-Fi: LINK

how do you feel about your bart/chris/bobby comic being low-key iconic in some circles? I just read it again and it really brings me totears

I'm glad you find the comic so meaningful.

On one hand, it's gratifying as an artist, to know that my work has resonated with so many people. Based on some of the messages I've gotten from people, the comic has been part of how they processed their own childhood experiences or part of what inspires them to start their own therapy. That's amazing! It's not like I set out with that being the goal of the comic or anything!

On the other hand, it's given me a small experience of "death of the author." I didn't conceive of the comic as a sweeping critique of the "nuclear family animated comedy" or depictions of violence, trauma, or abusive relationships in media. I have LOTS of complex and contradictory opinions on "difficult" subjects in art. I created the comic while taking a class on family and couples therapy, and was inspired by the class to explore how real family/relationship dynamics might occur if I approached these cartoons as real families. I think a lot of people get this backwards -- they see the comic as using a lens of psychology/counseling to critique popular media. My actual experience of thinking up the comic was using popular media to explore what I was learning about psychology/counseling.

That said, I recognize that once something is out in the world, I can't completely control how it's interpreted or used. The positive messages I've received greatly outweigh my ambivalence about how some people view/interpret the comic.

I’m considering this done. Just needs a coat of varnish.

Another painting in progress

commission for @meowth812 who was super cool about me taking foreverrrr because I moved and didn’t have a scanner

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Sneak peek at a new technique I'm using for a comic that will debut at the @shortrunseattle

This scribbly ghostly mess will ultimately be a full-color twelve page comic book.

Trying to finish work for that while also moving!

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Tomorrow at ass o’clock in the morning I will be getting on a plane to OK to pack my boyfriend, his stuff, two snakes, and a cat into a truck and then roadtrip it all the way back to the PNW!!!

Inaugurating this beautiful sketchbook made for me by my beautiful boyfriend with some gesture drawings.

1 min, 2 min, 5 min.

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