Prepare for 24 Hour Comics Day, the LadyCartoonist Way

You have a stern disposition and a proclivity for masochism. You're a story teller, a dream weaver, a creator of worlds. You know the golden ratio, can recite Understanding comics panel-by-panel. You know how to use gutters and you letter by hand. You are among the exaulted; genders along the spectra want you and want to be you.
You. You are a cartoonist.
You are going to draw a 24 hour comic.

What is 24 Hour Comic Day, you ask?

Oh ho, dear reader. You may read up on it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/24-hour_comic

Step 1: Assemble Your Weapons

You are about to attempt the impossible, the amazing, the possibly lucrative. BE PUMPED.

Truly, the pen is mightier than the sword. In this endevour you must then amass a veritable iron throne's worth of cartooning cutlery to have at your disposal.

Here's my cartoonist go bag:

Sketchbook

For initial rough sketches, doodles, writings, pen-marks, brush shaping and blood letting. I *really* like to be able to sketch out panel ideas in free-form before I comit them to their panel.

Tracing paper

To flush out those rough ideas. With the tracing paper you can then move them around your page and panels to find where they fit best.

Transfer (carbon) Paper

To go from tracing paper to...

Bristol board

For finals, inking, and other wet media.

While this may seem like a complicated work flow, I find that it works best for me. It saves me a bunch of headache erasing and redrawing when I don't like position or change my mind; and leaves the final bristol nice and smooth. Find what works best for you.

Tools:

cheap brushes. You're going to abuse these then leave them for dead. Get brushes that you don't need to be precious with; it'll help you do stupid things. Stupid things sometimes turn into beautiful accidents.

fancy brushes. For when you need precision. These are Series 7; which paint just beautifully.

Pro-white. This is a thick, gooey white that will dry HARD and cover anything. It's a bitch to work with but will bury your mistakes in pure white clean slate.

Pro black. For when you need it Bane black, not just merely Batman black.

Toothbrush. for fast textures (put ink/wash on it and run your thumb backwards on it to spray it)

Art graph water soluble graphite. Great for doing large areas of grey-tone. I have dark and extra dark.

Scissors

Masking tape

Dish to get dirty

Lead holder, 2mm, and sharpener.

Papermate sharpwriter

Panopoly of inking pens. They're noted in the photo what they are.

Clear ruler. Vital.

Step 2: Non Art Supplies: You Need Them.

Your hands are going to hurt...a lot. Some sort of NSAI (non steroidal anti inflammatory)- advil, aleve, tylenol, excedrin. I like aleve and excedrin; because excedrin has caffeine in it. I like caffeine.

More caffeine. Ideally in different forms- I like green tea and yerba mate. Coffee is very acidic; and at 2 or 4 am that's going to be hell on your tummy.

Comfy clothes. I suggest the snuggy.

Computer, for reference. Ipads are great too.

Lamp. It's unlikely that the light where you're stationed will be up to your exacting standards.

Cusion. For yo' delicate bee-hind.

Food:

If you have the means, order food. You can do it in a few minutes, and order enough General Tsoa's chicken to feed you for the night.

Otherwise: I like snacks that aren't too messy. Nuts, beef jerky, shakes. Things that don't give you a food coma- so not too many starches/carbs. Berries are great; low mess, can eat with hands, not too sugary.

Step 3: Psych Yourself Up. You're a Warrior.

Meditate on this. You're going to create something from nothing. You're going to endure. Don't let those ideas for stories linger in your mind- you can't use them yet. You are the mountain; they are the clouds.

Now go. Fight. WIN.

And I'll see you on the other side.