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More Art from the Vaults, and a Question

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?


Discussion (127)¬

  1. fedora says:

    sure there are (’88)

  2. Syd says:

    Of course, even a french one ! (88)

  3. Ahmed says:

    I was born in 1987.

  4. Anonymous says:

    I was born in 1991! So there’s another.

  5. Hannes says:

    very close … ’85 πŸ˜€

  6. Oh yes. I was born in 86.

  7. Micmit says:

    Yea for 1991!

  8. Wannabe_Marysue says:

    Another person born in 1991 here!

  9. Anthony says:

    Yep yep, 1987 represent!

  10. Scalzilli says:

    1985 here, actually today is my birthday /o/

  11. Rica says:

    Close – another ’85 here.

  12. gypsymaria says:

    Nice warmup idea! (’84 over here, Scott!)

  13. kvweber says:

    1989. πŸ™‚

  14. Paul says:

    Close! I would have been 2 years old when you drew these!

  15. Paloma says:

    88 πŸ™‚

  16. Owen says:

    Coming in at the youngest with ’92!

  17. Sean says:

    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.

  18. John says:

    So far, I seem to be the oldest reader, clocking in at ’76. Best year ever, baby.

  19. Merbrat says:

    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…)

  20. Kate says:

    ’84 here, so I was alive and drawing when you did these! …drawing with crayons, but that’s drawing!

  21. peatbogyeri says:

    I was 11 in 1986. How old I feel.

  22. Chuck says:

    Merbrat barely edges me out, since I first appeared (as if by magic) in 1955.

  23. Coentje says:

    I never felt so young on the internet. I’m from 1990.

  24. Jamie says:

    ’92. Wowzers.

  25. Dorian says:

    1989. I just missed the 80’s, for better or worse. heh

  26. King says:

    Depends on what part of ’86! though there isn’t much of that year i wasn’t alive through

  27. Christina says:

    Close I was born in 1983, I was tiny if that counts.

  28. chris says:

    88 so one more

  29. Velde says:

    1989

  30. sequeirismat says:

    1990! Buncha babies reading your blog, Scott.

  31. Jon-Marc LaRue says:

    1992… heh

  32. chris says:

    I like that warm up idea. I am a songwriter, and I wonder what I could do that would serve a similar purpose

  33. JW Blake says:

    I was born in 1996. I think I win. πŸ˜‰

  34. rhonda says:

    Um, I’m old. But I like your warm up exercises. Can you explain your warm up method(s) for us?

  35. Dan S says:

    86 right here.

  36. K-0s says:

    may 1991 here.

  37. Kate Chuu says:

    ’92! Comics are still strong with the young’uns πŸ™‚

  38. Hames Jebert says:

    1986!

  39. Raptorix says:

    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.

  40. DiCola says:

    -86.

  41. Theresa says:

    Born in ’89! Ooooooh!

  42. Kat says:

    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

  43. 92′
    It always feel like that most of the good things were done before I was born.

    • Scott says:

      I think Miyazaki, Pixar, and Chris Ware all put that theory to the test, don’t you? πŸ˜‰

      • TouchΓ©! 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!

        • Scott says:

          None that I noticed! ^^

          (technically, ’90s has the apostrophe before the number but nearly everybody makes that mistake πŸ˜‰

  44. Kingofsiam says:

    1980. My entire life has been full of these “warm-ups” and not much else.

  45. Luke says:

    1988, Czech Republic πŸ™‚

  46. Joseph says:

    1990 πŸ™‚

  47. joe c says:

    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!

  48. Katy says:

    ’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 πŸ™‚

    Your fans are all ages, Scott!

  49. DoctorMusic says:

    I guess that puts me at the youngest, born in the good old year of 1995.

  50. ScottE says:

    1971. Sorry.

  51. Theo Macdonald says:

    1994

  52. Nickie says:

    Yeah I’m only 19, born in ’91!

  53. Zandra says:

    1993!
    Picked up Understanding Comics when it was my textbook for our school’s pictorial literature class!

  54. Fin says:

    Turning fourteen on Sunday!

  55. Annabel says:

    Born in 1994!

  56. JacobWFordham says:

    Dec. 92′

  57. micksirjue says:

    yep, (88) and a big fan

  58. Tom says:

    I was born in 1991

  59. Alvin says:

    Born in 1989

  60. picturina says:

    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?)

  61. FPTI says:

    2000. I win.

  62. Matthew Marcus says:

    ’87

    Are you regretting asking the question yet? πŸ™‚

    • Scott says:

      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.

  63. mmgood says:

    1955. Buncha babies.

  64. 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.

  65. RΓ©gis says:

    1979, so I guess somewhere in the middle of most your readers here. Can’t wait for your LAAFA workshops in December!

  66. Katbear says:

    Gosh, I feel old. I just turned 57… πŸ™ I graduated from high school before most of these folks were born and my oldest daughter is older than most of them… Sigh….

    • picturina says:

      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?)

  67. Ben says:

    Man I’ve never felt so old β€” 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.

  68. MQ says:

    End of ’89 here. But hey, at least you know you’re making an impact.

  69. Dennis says:

    Since you asked so nicely on twitter. I was born in ’83. So I was three when you drew these.

  70. Meghasissues says:

    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. Chris Howard says:

    71, so don’t feel so bad.

  72. Perri says:

    87. Sorry. At least you’re attracting the new generations, right?

  73. LouieGeetoo says:

    1989 budding comic artist here. Just discovered you recently and bought Understanding Comics. Was very happy to see you have a blog and Twitter!

  74. Jeff Markley says:

    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!

  75. Ronda Voorhis says:

    Getting ready to graduate college in ’86, and heading off to New York City. ’65 is a sweet vintage.

  76. KB says:

    Same about thinking people born in the 90s should still be kids like Ben.

    1984 Should have been 1983 but I was late.

  77. Sam says:

    I graduated from my mother’s belly in 1974.

  78. san says:

    from argentina! 1987!

  79. Laura says:

    1979. I was starting elementary school at around that time. πŸ˜›

  80. Alex says:

    1990 here.

  81. Mimmi says:

    Afraid not…
    But drawing one of those every morning is a great tip!
    /Mimmi born in Sweden 1988

  82. Ste Hitchen says:

    sprouted in 1984, England

  83. Severin says:

    December 1985. I seem to be of average age for your readers. Perhaps this is because your book is taught in art colleges now?

  84. Bill Gathen says:

    I graduated from high school in 1986. Whippersnappers! Get off my lawn! LOL

  85. Steve Tait says:

    JUly 1954, the same year as the Atomic Energy Act (of 1954).

  86. Davemon says:

    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. =)

  87. Jim O. says:

    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.

  88. Mistress Mousey says:

    Man, I thought I was doing so well at the whole “not feeling old” thing, until I read all the comments here. πŸ˜›
    1973.

  89. Tili S. says:

    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.)

    • Scott says:

      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.

  90. Anuradha Reddy says:

    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! πŸ™‚ Don’t really see many enthusiastic Indians out here. Am I your first? πŸ™‚

  91. theriverlady says:

    ’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.

  92. Will Curwin says:

    Sorry about making you feel old, Scott, 1988

  93. LuVi says:

    1987! =)

  94. Wyatt says:

    Last day of ’86, so unless you did any of them in the last eleven and a half hours of that year…

  95. dAb says:

    I was born in ’69, but first discovered Zot! in 1986 ^_^

  96. Offendi says:

    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?

  97. karl jon says:

    Good ‘ol ’91. I can’t wait until I have kids so I can brag about being born in a different millennium.

  98. Karaii says:

    End of 1991 here! πŸ˜€
    But my elder brother was alive and kicking at that time XD

  99. Hitmage says:

    Just a year off! 1987

  100. Steampunkish says:

    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 πŸ˜›

  101. Chicago Ted says:

    Shoot, ’93 here, there’s no way I was born.

  102. Nick says:

    Of course there are, scott. I was born in ’92

  103. Sam says:

    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.

  104. Rachel says:

    ’94. Hm, more 90’s kids posted than I expected. Neat. πŸ™‚