More Art from the Vaults, and a Question
October 5th, 2010
Here are just a few of the hundreds of “notecard faces” I drew each morning back in the mid ’80s as daily warm-up exercises.
Bigger versions here.
I’m not sure exactly when these were done, but assuming it was in 1986, I’m curious about something: Are there readers of this blog who weren’t even born when I drew these?
Posted in Old Art
March 3, 2021
sure there are (’88)
Of course, even a french one ! (88)
I was born in 1987.
I was born in 1991! So there’s another.
very close … ’85 😀
Oh yes. I was born in 86.
Yea for 1991!
89
Another person born in 1991 here!
Yep yep, 1987 represent!
1985 here, actually today is my birthday /o/
Close – another ’85 here.
Sure, I was born in 1990!
Nice warmup idea! (’84 over here, Scott!)
1989. 🙂
Close! I would have been 2 years old when you drew these!
88 🙂
1990~
Coming in at the youngest with ’92!
I was born. But was only two years old. (born ’84). I believe my reaction would have been “lets see if this notecard will fit in my mouth.” Oddly enough, there’s a 25% chance that would still be my reaction.
So far, I seem to be the oldest reader, clocking in at ’76. Best year ever, baby.
John… I’ll see your ’76, and raise you 1954! I graduated HS in ’72!
(now, everyone … you never read that, move along, nothing to see…)
’84 here, so I was alive and drawing when you did these! …drawing with crayons, but that’s drawing!
I was 11 in 1986. How old I feel.
Merbrat barely edges me out, since I first appeared (as if by magic) in 1955.
88
I never felt so young on the internet. I’m from 1990.
’92. Wowzers.
1989. I just missed the 80’s, for better or worse. heh
Depends on what part of ’86! though there isn’t much of that year i wasn’t alive through
Close I was born in 1983, I was tiny if that counts.
88 so one more
1989
1990! Buncha babies reading your blog, Scott.
1992… heh
I like that warm up idea. I am a songwriter, and I wonder what I could do that would serve a similar purpose
I was born in 1996. I think I win. 😉
Actually, “FPTI” is the youngest (as of this writing). Born in 2000!
Um, I’m old. But I like your warm up exercises. Can you explain your warm up method(s) for us?
Basically, I just had a stack of 3 x 5 notecards by my desk in the morning and a felt tip marker or two. I set a timer for 10 minutes (I think—it was a long time ago!) and just drew until it went off. Did it for at least a year, maybe two.
Actually, looking at them again, it was probably five minutes at the most.
Was it only one face each morning, or as many faces as you could make within the 5 minutes?
Just one, IIRC.
86 right here.
may 1991 here.
’92! Comics are still strong with the young’uns 🙂
1986!
I was an infant born in ’85. I would have been amused by these, but could not appreciate them very much with my baby brain.
-86.
Born in ’89! Ooooooh!
I was but the tender age of one when these went up. I like this concept as a warm up, I could see it working well
92′
It always feel like that most of the good things were done before I was born.
I think Miyazaki, Pixar, and Chris Ware all put that theory to the test, don’t you? 😉
Touché! Maybe it’s the nostalgic feeling that makes me feel this way. But to someone from 90’s Pixar feels nostalgic already though. And by some sort of way, it’s easier to compile a decade’s work after it. Maybe someday I’ll miss these more recent works. By the way, feels really nice talking to Scott McCloud himself! I hope I’m not making too many grammar mistakes!
None that I noticed! ^^
(technically, ’90s has the apostrophe before the number but nearly everybody makes that mistake 😉
1980. My entire life has been full of these “warm-ups” and not much else.
1988, Czech Republic 🙂
1990 🙂
1963, and you betcha. Been buying your stuff since Zot! first came out.
I did try to buy a page of original art when you were still in MA, but you sent back my check (thoughtfully voided by being ripped in half) with your regrets that it had already been sold. WAIL!
’87 here. Picked up Understanding Comics at my library at the age of 11 and have been following you ever since! I even discovered your Web site early enough to see the start of Morning Improv 🙂
Your fans are all ages, Scott!
I guess that puts me at the youngest, born in the good old year of 1995.
1971. Sorry.
1972 here. gonna be 38 in a couple weeks. 😉
1994
Yeah I’m only 19, born in ’91!
1993!
Picked up Understanding Comics when it was my textbook for our school’s pictorial literature class!
Turning fourteen on Sunday!
Born in 1994!
Dec. 92′
yep, (88) and a big fan
I was born in 1991
Born in 1989
Duh… I was already on to my second career by then (having just gotten my first Texas Instrument computer… and programmed a musical christmas card in 3 part harmony with moving graphics… isn’t that what everybody does with computers?)
2000. I win.
Awesome! Thanks for joining us. ^^
’87
Are you regretting asking the question yet? 🙂
Actually, I’m really encouraged to hear all this!
I was kind of worried that my readership bottomed out in the late-30s. Especially after some of our music discussions.
Nice to know that there’s a healthy number of 20-somethings (and younger!) in the mix.
1955. Buncha babies.
I was worried I’d be among the oldest (1971), but only happen to fall in the middle.
I always hear those in their late 20s complain about getting old, though. That makes me feel great.
1979, so I guess somewhere in the middle of most your readers here. Can’t wait for your LAAFA workshops in December!
Gosh, I feel old. I just turned 57… 🙁 I graduated from high school before most of these folks were born and my oldest daughter is older than most of them… Sigh….
Waitaminnit Katbear — if 57 is old, then I’m ancient! (turning 58 in two days). You are only as old as you feel. …Or is it as old as you act? (Or maybe as old as you say you are?)
Man I’ve never felt so old — 1985, still not sure I’m actually 25. But more than that, still pretty sure people born in the 90’s are toddlers, fifth graders at most. Never been able to shake that idea.
All sorts of daily exercises intrigue me. I’ve never been able to keep any up for any length of time. Consistency has always been tough.
End of ’89 here. But hey, at least you know you’re making an impact.
1993.
Since you asked so nicely on twitter. I was born in ’83. So I was three when you drew these.
yeah… saw the twitter post.
i was born in 1989 but just to make you feel old and flattered we use your books in my college intro classes
71, so don’t feel so bad.
87. Sorry. At least you’re attracting the new generations, right?
I was 3 😉
1989 budding comic artist here. Just discovered you recently and bought Understanding Comics. Was very happy to see you have a blog and Twitter!
I was 4 and was fast at work spilling red kool-aid all over my dad’s collection of Herbie Popnecker and Little Lulu comics. If I were born later, it might have given him time to store those treasures somewhere safer!
Getting ready to graduate college in ’86, and heading off to New York City. ’65 is a sweet vintage.
Same about thinking people born in the 90s should still be kids like Ben.
1984 Should have been 1983 but I was late.
’69
I graduated from my mother’s belly in 1974.
from argentina! 1987!
1989!
1980.
1979. I was starting elementary school at around that time. 😛
1990 here.
Afraid not…
But drawing one of those every morning is a great tip!
/Mimmi born in Sweden 1988
sprouted in 1984, England
December 1985. I seem to be of average age for your readers. Perhaps this is because your book is taught in art colleges now?
I graduated from high school in 1986. Whippersnappers! Get off my lawn! LOL
JUly 1954, the same year as the Atomic Energy Act (of 1954).
Heh, reading these comments are making me feel old. =) Born in 76, around for the classics. Still play videogames and watch cartoons. Only now, I make them, too. =)
I feel old. In the summer of 1986 I had just graduated from college and was in the People’s Republic of China, and in those days you might as well have been E.T. (look it up, young’uns) in that you couldn’t phone home except in large cities…and then only if you were lucky. You couldn’t get the new issues of Watchmen either, of course, or even know if any came out. (“Wait! Watchmen is a movie, and I think maybe it was a graphic novel too.” you say? Look it up, young’uns.) So that, the end of Frank Miller’s Dark Knight Returns (look it up, young’uns), and pizza were what I looked forward to when I got back. And Zot.
Man, I thought I was doing so well at the whole “not feeling old” thing, until I read all the comments here. 😛
1973.
I was born in ’92, but what may weird you out a little more is that my parents gave me Understanding Comics for Christmas some time around fifth grade. (I don’t remember exactly, but I do remember trying to convince my friends how great it was early in middle school, and I think I’d already had it for a while then.)
I’m actually hearing that more often these days. Raina Telgemeier’s Dad even gave her a copy of UC.
But, hey, at least it wasn’t a gift from your grandparents! I’m gearing up for the first time I hear that.
I was born in 87. Found ‘Reinventing Comics’ in my college library and I’m currently pursuing my final project in reinventing comics for the digital! Thanks for all the inspiration! 🙂 Don’t really see many enthusiastic Indians out here. Am I your first? 🙂
’96! Not quite the youngest, but close… close! I only discovered you because my dad collected Zot! when it came out and had me read it last summer. When I was finished and vocally complaining about there being no more, he handed me UC and said “There. Read it.” And so I did.
Sorry about making you feel old, Scott, 1988
1987! =)
Last day of ’86, so unless you did any of them in the last eleven and a half hours of that year…
Interestingly, because I probably did one every morning of that year, you just missed them!
I was born in ’69, but first discovered Zot! in 1986 ^_^
Your question was amusing enough to get me out the closet. ’94. The only exposure I’ve had to any of your work is over the internet (at least until I get one of the books). Is that interesting?
Good ‘ol ’91. I can’t wait until I have kids so I can brag about being born in a different millennium.
End of 1991 here! 😀
But my elder brother was alive and kicking at that time XD
Just a year off! 1987
Currently a senior in high-school, born in ’93. I think I’m going to lend my copy of UC to my sophomore buddy, kids these days need all of the book-learning that they can get 😛
Shoot, ’93 here, there’s no way I was born.
Of course there are, scott. I was born in ’92
Hahaha, 1995. Almost won, but no, I’m still older than some of you.
I first read “Understanding Comics” in 2009, at my library. I was surprised how much of it I agreed with (about 94%).
I bought “Making Comics” just last month.
I have yet to read Zot! but I know I will.
I actually want to get into comics when I’m older. Eh heh, I can live on Ramen, I know I can.
’94. Hm, more 90’s kids posted than I expected. Neat. 🙂