100: The Pledge

Wherein we discuss 100 weeks of Draw or Die and a challenge...

Feb 18, 2024

Welcome to week 100 of the Draw or Die newsletter. I guess "100" is quite a milestone to pause and celebrate.

100 Weeks of the Draw or Die Club Newsletter

Over the past 100 weeks through this Draw or Die brand I've encouraged thousands of artists to stay encouraged, get motivated, and draw every damn day.

I've also been a bit more vulnerable here, talking about my own past struggles with anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and a host of issues that so many artists silently wrestle with.

Countless conversations with artists from all walks of life, via e-mail, video calls, DMs, face-to-face. Some of those conversations were happy, and others very sad.

I didn't realize there was such a need for "encouragement" for artists. I think it really hit home to me when 40 strangers showed up for the in-person "draw club" and many said they were starving for a sense of community or belonging. Because only WE really know what it’s like to live with these artistic brains of ours.

The mirror

The biggest thing I've learned since 2020 is that we are mirrors. The reflection of myself, deep down, is who I am really speaking to. My soul as an artist, dreamer and maker, really longs to speak to other artists and makers. It's always been this way, it was just less clear to me. And that’s why I “connect”.

For you, it may be something different. Whatever adversity you’re facing, or have faced, it’s part of your unique story that you can speak to, and others can connect with… if you’re brave enough to take the leap.

I was afraid.

I was in a deep creative funk.
I never thought I'd be running something like this. In fact, before I started it, I was trying to get AWAY from talking to artists.

Everything had just become so cut throat feeling to me in comics and entertainment. I was feeling very disillusioned by it all.

I decided to do some creative coaching with my new friend Lennon Bone. My main purpose for consulting with him, or so I thought, was that I was sick to death of putting so much work into my comics but my audience was pretty much all primarily OTHER artists or creators in the little comics industry sandbox. I wanted to find a bigger audience audience for my work, not just "people who wanted to be me"

I think he thought that was bullshit.
Lennon confronted me about it (in the nicest way possible). Why wouldn't I want to help other artists find their way? Why did I think they wouldn't enjoy my comics too?

He made the great point, that nobody understood the struggle of an artist in my shoes like someone who's been through the shit like I have. Artists would reach out to me because it seemed like I had some answers.

I was back to thinking about that mirror.
I was running from my own reflection because I felt like a failure.
But deep down? I knew that wasn’t true. I only felt that way because other people made me feel this way.

DEFEATING MY FUNK

Lennon gave me a challenge to develop a "product" in 2 weeks. Something I could sell or give away. I didn’t want to sell anything. In this case it was using what I already knew how to do—- How to get artists "out of a funk" and drawing again.

9 times out of 10 these exercises worked like a charm for any art friends I showed them to.

The 3 exercises are:

Draw it out (Scribble Challenge!)
Re-Draw!
4-Panel Storytelling

(you can still access that here https://comics.gumroad.com/l/funk FREE!)

I put out a call for some "art friends" to test it, and received glowing feedback.

When I put it out to the public, quickly hundreds of artists were signing up to get that. This felt like I was really doing something worth a damn.

I enjoyed writing about these topics and the interactions with my new "art friends", that I thought a weekly letter would be a good thing for all of us.

And so this newsletter was born.

I didn't want to sell you things. Although we do have some sweet merch and a daily drawing club, but only because the community asked for it.

The mission here remains unchanged:
Help artists stay encouraged so they can put more art out into the world.

DRAW... OR DIE.

You may know by now, the name “Draw or Die” came from how I described my day to day... that as an artist, on days I didn't get to draw or create, I felt DEAD inside. For me it always felt like DRAW or DIE.

And I knew that even the littlest bit of creativity per day (draw small!) really made my days better. Especially stuck at a day job. It was like a drug to me in many ways.

What you don’t know about the name "Draw or Die" is that when I said it made me feel "dead" inside, I didn’t mean it made me feel mopey or depressed... it made me downright angry and highly irritable. Unpleasant to be around. Too much of that would make me channel my creativity in bad ways.

I was NOT the encouraging fella you know and love now. :D I was jaded, cynical. Dark. And I didn’t love myself that way.

The good news is, like I said, when I figured out what the problem was, I knew how to treat it. I needed to put ME first. Even for just a few minutes per day and it really changed my life and outlook.

The Pledge

This weekly ritual has really become a big part of my life, and I see no end to that in sight.

My pledge to you, art friends, is that I'll keep showing up through thick and thin. I'll try my best to help you as much as I can to stay encouraged and motivated to make more art. I’ll try to answer every message I get. (thanks for your patience! I get busy!)

I also pledge to lead by example.

For example, last February, I put out my "Future of Comics" manifesto video, wherein I really pushed live streaming as a big part of the future for artists. I didn't have a lot of time to put that into action. Fast forward to NOW, and I'm in a day job making daily comic strips AND doing multiple livestreams per week for VeeFriends.

I'm even toying with the idea of being live EVERY damn morning. A little "comics and coffee" kinda start to your day. Crazy right?

I know that's not for everyone. But I at least hope it inspires YOU in some way to pick up a pencil and draw SOMETHING!

Hey, you can start right now with…

🔥Our WEEKLY DRAWING CHALLENGE!

This week either draw this in your style, OR your own “Wizard of Scribbles”

Help us celebrate 100 weeks by tagging up your version of this art this week on social media #drawordieclub or encourage other artists to join the free newsletter at www.drawordie.club