Hello everyone, Happy Halloween! This year, I’m dressing up as a tired cartoonist with a deadline for a 200-pages comic and many, many more projects. And it’s not a figure of speech, I DO have a costume ready 😛

You probably guessed by this time that I spent all of October hunched over the penultimate chapter of Utown. I managed to pencil, ink, letter and tone all 21 pages in the same amount of days, weekends included, from morning to night. Now, I’m just stating a fact, not complaining! I’m close to finishing my project, so while this is hard on the body, I’m just having a blast. To keep me glued to my chair, I decided to start watching a French-language cop drama we get here called District 31, while I was working . A lot of people made fun of me (it’s considered really cheesy) but it was just engaging enough to stop my brain from getting bored of drawing. I normally don’t watch anything while on the job (you end up half-watching and half-working) but considering the state of fatigue I’m in, I allowed it. I dream of police precincts a lot now, though.

My friend Mel was able to book our now yearly cottage getaway for 4 days. It felt nice to relax for a weekend, even though I had brought a few pages to pencil (but no computer!) and well… you can hardly call this “work” now, can you.

Some projects are starting, some are ending! My friend Phil and I met with our publisher concerning a book project (hint about its subject: it’s coming out on April 20th…) and I’m jumping on the illustrations full time next week. Bertrand et Moi, the children’s book I’ve been illustrating this summer, is done! Done done! I can’t wait to reveal some of the illustrations!

Oh, and some smart people talked about Hiver Nucléaire during a presentation held at la BAnQ (National Archival Library), as part of a lecture on dystopian cities in comics. Good thing I had a mask on because I had a huge smile all throughout the talk! I can’t believe my books were used a thesis subject, holy shit!

So yeah, that’s been my month. Energy is low, but morale is good! Here’s what kept me going this month.

On the small screen: I already answered that above, but I squeezed in the second Kid Cosmic season. I’m taking a lot of mental notes from this show.
On the big screen: Dune, what else. I won’t even attempt to review it because the best summary has already been written.
Artists: Okay, listen to this. Last week or so, someone comments on my Instagram page saying they’ve been following me and reading Utown on DeviantArt as a teen (it was text at that time). He then says I inspired him to pick up pen and ink and I think “aww, that’s cute”, as I check out his stuff and *insert spit take* HOLY CRAP!! HE’S SO GOOD! Like, I’d rather have him do my comic than me- good. Check out Giles Crawford, is all I’m saying.
And check out C.M Thomas on IG for spooky, slightly unsettling photos on this Halloween day!

Hello, bonjour! September was on steroids, I feel like 4 months happened at once. I’m writing this on a rainy Saturday morning, and I can guarantee a nap WILL happen in a the near future.

The month was off to a weird start when one afternoon, as I was getting out of my apartment, I almost tripped on a tiny cat-goblin right outside my front door. It was clearly lost, so I took it in, started to look for its owner and pretty much had the most exciting week-end in a long time. Part investigation, part you know… having a cat in my house for the first time ever! I eventually found its owner, a neighbour, but I had a good cry the night before we parted. Yuki (its real name) was one ugly-cute cat with bad breath, but dear god, what an adorable little critter he was. I’m glad he was reunited with its owner at the end though!

I spent most of the month working on the Utown chapter 8 storyboard. It took so damn long, I must be the least efficient person at layouts ever! At least I’m fast when it comes to pencils and ink, so that’s a slight consolation. Only once chapter left after this one! When end of project fatigue settles in, I remember that I got very good news concerning Utown this month 😉 More later…!

The four Fonfon books are also almost done as well. I think I colored something like 34 pages in two days this week? I put on District 31 (a daily drama show with cops that has like… 900 episodes) and just… work work work! Anyway, I can’t wait to be able to show some of the illustrations!

And remember when I said I’d taken my old film camera out? Well, I got 3 rolls of film processed and I think I still need a lot of practice! I’m so used to being in total control of my medium and getting immediate result (digital art will do that) that this whole process feels very strange to me. Humbling, that’s for sure. The important thing is that I had fun going out on photo safaris throughout the city.

Will I ever recover from September? Of course I will! In the name of ART!! Here’s what got me excited this month!

On paper: The Dark Knight Returns, by Frank Miller. Fun fact, it’s my first time reading a Batman comic! Analog Photography, by Andrew Bell. It’s like graphic design/film photography porn.
On the little screen: Finished bingeing Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D and got my sleep schedule back.
At the THEATRE!: Le manuel de la vie sauvage. Great adaptation of a great book. I can’t remember the last time I went to see an actual play so this was really refreshing!
Artist: Ash Szymanik. I love the clutter she draws and the proportions of her animal characters. It’s very charming!

Hello everyone! As I’m writing this, we just came out of a 2 week-long, insufferable heatwave. It was so hot that every patch of vegetation pretty much died, and the trees started losing their leaves. I was losing my mind. Working on a warm display tablet became a chore and I fled to my friends swimming pool whenever I could. Thank god it’s over (for now!)

I still managed to get some work done, sluggishly. I finished and sent my Aggretsuko cover in a record time. The FonFon kid book is coming along great, with the sketches done and approved for all four books. While that’s going on, I’m also working on illustrations for a book about WEED. Because apparently I’ve become someone who does kid’s books one day and draws chain-smoking stoners the other day. Everyone seems to be fine with this so *shrug*?!

Also, I went out and bought film for this little beauty again. Not sure at how it’s gonna turn out (I already ruined a film, which got me in a bad mood for DAYS), but I’m having a lot of fun rediscovering photography.

And as you can tell, it’s a bit of a theme…

Lastly, I filled a page of my big, doodle pad! For me, it’s the equivalent of finishing a sketchbook, except it’s all on one page. When there’s no more room, I get the x-acto knife out and cut out whatever sketch I deem worthy of scanning. There’s something incredibly satisfying about salvaging the good parts and being left with the paper equivalent of a Swiss cheese afterwards. It’s silly, but crumpling the rejects with no afterthoughts feels great. Not everything has to be shown!

The long days of summer are slowly fading and I can’t use the heat as an excuse to procrastinate and eat ice cream sandwiches for much longer. Still, this is what I liked this month!

On the big screen: This month, I also made a grand return to the MOVIES. And by grand, I mean, seeing three movies in two weeks. Suicide Squad was okay, not great. Free Guy was way better, thanks to Ryan Reynold’s performance. Green Knight though, was the ultimate palate cleanser. I’m really happy I saw it in an actual theatre!
On the small screen: Still bingeing Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. because it’s a show where literally EVERYTHING happens, all the time.
In my ears: Nothing Much Happens, the podcast that got me out of a god-awful loop of night-time anxiety attacks. It’s what I needed to stop hyper focusing on my breath and heartbeat and I can’t recommend it enough.
Under my thumbs: Been playing Sonic Mania a lot and it’s kicking my ass. I used to power through the original Genesis Sonic levels like it was nothing but now, holy shit! It’s way tougher?! I’m having a lot of fun though! And I got into Rounds, a rogue-like(ish) VS shooter by Landfall Games, who did Stick Fight, a game I played A LOT LOT LOT in the last year!
Artist of the month: Sometimes, an artist who’s good at pretty much everything appears on my radar. This time, it’s Dinah Kalaha! She has a super energetic line and a sense for concept work. I love her stuff!

Hiya everyone, welcome to the dog days of summer. We have no term to describe the middle of summer up here in Quebec (‘cept the Construction Holidays, which isn’t as poetic). I always get the summer blues around this time of the year; most of my friends are away on vacation while I sulk at home because I don’t drive. I’ve been biking a lot, to see parts of the city that are actually nice for a change. It’s good for my glutes and my mood!

I had a little freak out about deadlines earlier this month (crunching during the summer is kinda disheartening, see above) but everything’s starting to fall into place (it always does). All I can do now is wait for my publishers to come back from vacation and look over the sketches I’ve done. Those include a new cover gig for Aggretsuko! I obviously can’t show the ongoing cover, but here’s a glimpse at the first cover I did for them, last year!

2021 is also the first year where most of my projects are actual books. It hit me not too long ago, and honestly, I’m very happy that I get to illustrate books and make comics for a living. Post-college me wouldn’t have believed it was possible!

Oh and I’ve been taking so much pictures. There was a great apocalyptic smog over Montreal a few days ago and I thought it’ be a great idea to go for a jog, ruin my lungs and take a few pics. I messed around in Light Room a bit but I got mad at how bad my old iPhone for pictures. I’m thinking about going back to film for now, but what I really want is a medium-level digital camera. Alas, I can’t justify the expense right now -_- Until then, I took a lot of pictures with the intention of drawing characters in them… when I get the time!

Oh and here are a few doodles from the scratchpad.

I’m looking forward to August, my second favourite month of the year. Here’s what I’ve been up to in July!

Reading: The Deleted Years, a great article about all those forgotten and lost MP3 files between Napster and iTunes Music and the arrival of Spotify. I have a tiny iPod which is full of music I don’t own anymore. The Rapture, Maximo Park, Friendly Fires, Ladytron, etc. Thank god I kept my CD collection up to this day.
Watching: Loki, one of my favorite Marvel “thing” so far. I even made old school desktop wallpapers with the ending credits. James Acaster’s Repertoire is wonderfully fringe and funny. And lately, Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D got me hooked, even though I can’t get over how absurdly good-looking everyone is, for no good damn reason. A hacker chick who lives in a van can’t look like she’s going to Coachella on episode two.
Listening: No Swoon, which I purchased after just one glorious listen. That good. Waaves has a new album, rejoice! Mark Ronson’s interview with Damon Albarn is crazy inspiring. I have the utmost respect for team players like these two, who thrive on being curious and collaborating. One sounds like a toothless scholar, the other, like a stoned prodigy. Very surreal!
Artist: Micheal Sweater. I have a soft spot for comics about dirt bags and I love his style!

Hello everyone! I usually start with talking about the weather, but seeing how most of North America is on literal fire, I’ll just skip ahead this time.

I spent most of the month pencilling and inking Utown. The next chapter is 27 pages-long (they normally run at 21-22 pages) and I felt it. I even ran out of ink at one point!

After all of the manual labor was over, I took time off one morning to do a drawing that had been on my mind since the beginning of the month. It’s been a while since I’d done colors!

I wanted to repost this old 2017 drawing but ended up reworking it for the fun of it. Some people say revisiting old work is a waste of time, but once in a while I like to measure how much I’ve improved by doing just that. It doesn’t serve any real purpose (I’m gonna update the print on Etsy at one point, but that’s about it) other than my own enjoyment. It’s the kind of exercise that reminds me that drawing is still fun!

Other than that, I received some good news concerning a (surprise!) new project that I can’t really talk about. Yep, being vague is also a specialty of mine. Until then, here’s what got me excited this month:

Reading: Deadly Class 4 & 5. Still incredible. For the love of Men by Liz Plank, a very revealing investigation on toxic masculinity. I’m not even halfway done and I’ve been quoting this book every 5 minutes. Princess Jellyfish vol.4,
On my screen: Sweet Tooth, the brilliant adaptation of the graphic novel by Jeff Lemire.
On the BIG SCREEN!: That’s right, I went back to the movies for the first time in a year and a half. To see Demon Slayer: Mugen Train because I’m a NERD and because I COULD.
In my ears: Guess who released a new album? Again? King Gizzard of course! Who else am I ever gonna write about here? Seriously, their new album Butterfly 3000 is FANTASTIC, poppy, trippy, summery, I’m obsessed. I also saw Alias live (gasp!!) and loved it. I can’t wait for an actual album. 60 songs that explain the 90’s is my new favorite podcast. Rob Harvilla’s texts are funny and dry and his deadpan delivery is exactly my jam. He does so much more than talk about a song: he provides context, trivia, musical excerpts mixed with self-deprecating bits about his life as a shitty teen in the 90’s. I love it.

Hello everyone! Are you all doing alright? I got the good juice earlier this month, and whew! It sure lifted a weight off of my shoulders. To top it off, the curfew was lifted a little less than a week ago and life is slowly starting to come back to normal. Yeah… I’m ready… *laughs nervously*

Like the light at the end of the tunnel, May was the month were live events started popping up in my calendar. Events like the Pop-Up des Cools, a 4-weekends long pop-up shop in St-Henri, which was a success! Signing books and talking to people, how I’ve missed it. The MCAF festival also ended a few days ago and I got the chance to participate in a few remote-drawing activities as well. It’s not the same as in person but it was still very fun! And lastly, we did a signing event at our lovely, new local bookshop, Le Renard Perché. Did I ever tell you how much I love bookshops?

I also went on another vacant lot safari (it’s for research! I’m not weird!) and the thought of one day doing something with the hundreds and hundreds of photos I’ve taken over the year, started blooming in my head. When I get a better idea of what it’d be like, I’ll let you know! In the meantime, here’s one of the nice vistas Montréal-Est has to offer!

Since I was working on the next Utown chapter, I haven’t done much drawing this month. I tried to, got mad and quit during a sketch, which doesn’t happen a lot. Sometimes, it’s better not to push it. Besides, the Utown storyboard was a huge undertaking by itself (it’s long and it’s stuffy) so I don’t feel too bad. It’s a background-heavy chapter, and I honestly can’t wait to get to the pencils. For once, I kinda wish it was a colour comic…

…But seeing how much work it was to colour 9 pages of comic for a pitch, I’m not too sad about doing Utown in black and white!

…Holy shit! It was a BUSY MONTH! Here’s what got me pumped up in May!

In my ears: A lot! In the Spirit World, by Ceremony, A delightful post-punk album. Pink Dogs on the Green Grass, by Paul Jacobs. Another discovery, which I think will be one of the summer’s best soundtrack.
On the screen: Call my Agent (10 pour cent in its French version). My new obsession is a French drama series about an acting agency. One of the best written shows I’ve seen in a long time, that tackles very current subjects head-on. An absolute must-watch.
To read: Occupez-vous des chats, j’pars! by Iris. Iris travelled a lot, drew her trips and drew the food she ate. A lot of food. It is both amazing and cruel.
Artist: Adam Volker, aka @volketron . He’s a master draftsman who can draw pretty much anything using energic colored lines. I love his concept art on Stonefly (that just came out!)

Bonjour, hi! Last month, I learned my mom HATES the month of April. Like, with a passion. Normally, if you ask around, people would rather erase March from all the calendars, but my mom says the unpredictable weather of April has her on edge for 30 days. I thought she was overreacting, but it freakin’ SNOWED during two days, so yeah, mom knows best.

After having been invited to participate in an upcoming Pop-Up shop event in St-Henri, I decided to draw one of the neighbourhood’s most iconic landmark, the Greenspot Restaurant. People really seem to enjoy my illustrated storefronts and apartment portraits, so I drew this one specifically for the event. The print is already up for sale but I’ll be at the event on May 15 and 16 to sell’em in person, as well as a bunch of books and prints. It’ll be my first “tabling” event in more than a year, so I’ really looking forward to it.

A thing I used to do back at the studio was to leave a big 18×24 paper pad on my drawing table, at all time. This made doodling on a whim a lot easier, as I didn’t have to look for a sketchbook each time I felt like scribbling. I got back into this habit last week, after buying a good ol’ 5$ pad of cheap cartridge paper. This got me drawing for fun again, something I dearly missed in the past months. Pencil, ballpoint pen, half-dead markers, old crayons and the occasional halftone sheets each get their moment of fame when I’m sitting at my drawing table. The hardest part is trying to keep this space somewhat tidy! Anyway, here are a few Utown-related pics that I photographed and spruced up.

Lastly, I spent an entire week working exclusively on digital inking of our comic pitch (go back and read the previous few entries to know what I’m talking about). It’s my first time inking such a complicated project using a display tablet, and it’s miles away from what I’m used to, but it’s a fun experience. I think I downloaded about 12 Clip Studio brushes, as well as going over my extensive collection to find THE ONE. You just know when you find the right one, you know? (I still like inking by hand better, don’t tell!)

That’s all for now! Here’s what piqued my interest this month. I hope you find something you enjoy!

To read: After seeing Wes Craig’s incredible new cover for Deadly Class, I decided to get the first three trades. It’s even better than the first time I read it!
On the screen: Shadow & Bone and Uncanny Counter, because it seems I love shows about ordinary people who can conjure VFX to get out of trouble.
In my ears: Citizen’s Life in Your Glass World, a catchy, energetic album that’s been on heavy rotation this month.
Artist: Adam, alias @kumerish. He has such a cute and efficient style!

Hello! March, aka the Final Boss of winter, is over! Although I can’t complain, it’s been abnormally nice and dry (snow-wise). I even got to wear SHOES?! Very pleasant.

Want to have some more exciting sleep apnea-related news? I know you do! Well, this month, I had a bunch of appointment’s, which led to seeing a surgeon for a possible maxillo-facial surgery. According to the doctor, I’m a good candidate for this kind of procedure, which involves a lot of bone sawing, titanium screws and morphine. Apparently, it’s far from being a walk in the park, but is safe and yields good results. If anything, I might delay the surgery until fall, when eating soup for two months sounds less nightmarish. I also scored a CPAP machine and I’m starting to see the light at the end of this sleepless tunnel. To be continued!

I’ve spent pretty much all of the month working on Utown. Chapter 6 was pretty hardcore to draw and ink, but I think it’s gonna look amazing. I’m slowly starting to think about what’s coming after Utown. It’s weird! Anyway, I posted a little inking video on Instagram, to show the process. Check it out if you haven’t!

Also, I finally received my copies of the Invader Zim alternate cover I drew like.. two years ago! So here it is, along with the sketches that didn’t make the cut. God, I love making covers. I wanna do more!

March has been defeated, gain 300 XP points and the will to start jogging again. Here is what got me excited this month!

To read: Princess Jellyfish Vol. 2. It keeps on being charming and delightfully funny!
On the screen: Knights and Bikes. Perfect co-op game for a rainy weekend, with absolutely stunning artwork. What a treat!
On the screen again: Parks and Recreation! Amy Poehler is a national treasure.
In my ears: Graywave. Sad, sad sad girl music.
(Hopefully) on my wall: Helvetica Blanc. I discovered their work a week ago and I almost did a spit take. The perfect blend of graphic and weird hit the right chord.

Hello everyone! Isn’t it fun?! It’s been a whole year since the pandemic hit! Boy oh boy, I sure am not getting tired of reliving the same day over and over, and wearing every legging/sweater combo possible. THE FUN WE’RE HAVING!

A while back, I mentioned having problems sleeping, due to what I suspected to be obstructive apnea. After a particularly bad week this month, I snapped and decided to book an appointment at a sleep clinic. Turns out I stop breathing like… A LOT, during the night. No wonder I wake up feeling I got run over by a truck… Anyway, this saga is far from being over, I suppose.

Topic change! I finished all of my commissioned comics, which all went incredibly well. The week I sent in my last invoice, I got an email from a children’s book publisher interested in working with me. Never stop not stopping, as we say in the bizz! It seems that once you do one children’s book in Quebec, you are put on A List! We had our first meeting last week and I’m really excited about the opportunity. I can’t say who it is just yet, but I think it’s gonna be delightful. The text itself is just so charming!

Some Utown news: I’m almost done storyboarding Chapter 6, which features a pivotal moment of the book. It has crowds and cars and tons of backgrounds and it’s taking FOREVER to do. Fun fact: comics absolutely do not get easier with time. There’s always a daunting scene to plan and draw! Anyway, there will be two or three chapters left after this one. It’s starting to feel like the end, which is SUPER WEIRD!

Oh and lastly, after months of preparation, I started pencilling the pages for the pitch Axelle and I are putting together. Starting a new project always makes me giddy but this one… is something else. Maybe I’ll be able to post a few excerpts once I’m further along.

So yeah. I waltzed through February in a sleep-deprived state but here are my favorite things:

To read: Naruto! Even though I watched most of the animated series, I’d never read the manga. It’s both endearing and humbling to see Masashi’s Kishimoto’ debut.
On the screen: Kid Cosmic. That’s cartooning done right. The background art!!
On the screen again: Space Sweepers! Oh how I needed a less-than-subtle sci-fi flick that checks those boxes: 1) the spaceship has pedals 2) and we get to see the engine 3) the crew is broke 4) but ridiculously competent at everything. Bonus for having country-specific ships filled with stereotypes.
In my ears: Sweeping Promises and the new King Gizzard album. Both wildly different, both acquired tastes?
In my mouth: I make a goddamn good chicken soup, you guys.

Hello everyone! We made it! We actually made it through January, the month that lasts 59 days. This time, during a particularly dreadful game of pandemic lottery, Quebec won its first ever curfew. No more going out after 8 PM, while most non-essential stores remain closed. The sun sets at around 5, it’s been dreadfully cold, we can’t visit anyone or indulge in retail therapy so this month has been B O R I N G. Not that I’m running out of things to do; it’s just, there are so many days in a row where I can do the exact same thing without losing my mind.

With this said, it was as good time as any to be swamped with work. First off was a gig from Les Débrouillards, which included a cover, a one-page comic and a header illustration. Feeling energized from taking time off during the holidays, I aced this in no time. Then, there was another one-pager for an exhibition in Quebec. I took a week to work on Utown, finished the heck out of Chapter 5 and then… I had no choice but to tackle the final gig. I had come up with the concept while in the shower (a film noir thriller starring… typography terms. Don’t ask.) I had a vague idea of what I wanted it to look like but I didn’t know if I could pull it off, so I spent a few days stubbornly refusing to start the damn thing. But as always the deadline was motivation enough and little by little, I got around to it and I can now say it’s one of my favorite commissioned comic ever. All the while I kept thinking back, yet again, to Austin Kleon, who wrote about doing the work in front of you. No need to overthink, just… do the work. The added difficulty is that I insist on changing style and tools each time I get a new comic gig. It’s the perfect occasion to try out new things! It’s time-consuming but it’s a great learning experience in the end.

So while this was all happening, I upgrades my working gear! I bought a second-hand Huion tablet from fellow cartoonist Axelle Lenoir. It’s my first real display tablet, can you believe it?! It wasn’t long until a whole slew of new back pain appeared, so I got a kneeling chair as well. One thing for sure, it can’t make my posture any worst! In any case, here’s what I drew to test out the tablet.

Other than work, I fell in love with mangas again this month. I got Princess Jellyfish by Akiko Higashimura for Christmas and finished her amazing auto-bio Blank Canvas at the same time. And then, I started reading Bakuman and I was hooked! At some point I had to hold back from shouting “I KNOW WHAT IT FEELS LIKE!!” at the book. I watched a few Man Ben episodes as well (it’s a show that follows the artistic process of selected manga-kas) and I felt this profound love for the craft. Making comics is just the fucking best.

Which brings me to my last and most important news! Utown is gonna be published!! In French for now, by Nouvelle Adresse. I can’t wait to hold this nice little brick in my hands. But until then… there’s SO MUCH WORK LEFT! Gotta keep at it 😀

January was long, too long, but here are my favorite things this month:

Books: Bakuman by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata. Princess Jellyfish and Blank Canvas by Akiko Higashimura.
On the screen: Pretend it’s a City, featuring a slightly saltier version of myself in the form of Fran Lebowitz. I loved every second of it.
In my headphones: A lot of jazzy Youtube playlists because I don’t have the mental space to hunt for new music. Fell back into Interpol again.
In my mouth: Lemon pie/lemon cake.
In my house: Space heater that is 3 feet away from my butt.

Hello everyone! I thought I’d do the same exercise I did last year to start off the year fresh! It’s been a hell of a year for everyone, but pandemic or not, time did not stop (although it felt like it at points!). I took my daily planner out and spent a moment looking over the year and what I had accomplished. It felt more important than ever to be reminded that, in spite of it all, I made it. So here’s a little recap of the year, what went right and what went differently than expected. The things that got me through this wretched year and finally, a few goals!

Monthly recap

January

• For the second part of the school year, I now tackle color theory with my students. I come across Johannes Itten’s Art of Color by a karmic stroke of luck in a used bookstore. At this point, I spend most of my time working on my classes.
• On January 23, I launch the Utown website and the webcomic to the public. It’s a huge step for me.

February

• I kinda lose it because of the school workload. My anxiety peaks and I consider quitting the teaching gig. It’s a shit month.

March

• Thank god for the Spring break. I spend a long week-end with friends in a cottage, watching the news about a certain pandemic. On my return, school’s cancelled and thus begins the spring quarantine.
• My favorite coffee shop launches a funding campaign in order to stay open. I promote a print I’ve made of their storefront and raise about 1400$. The people at the post office become my second family.
• I get a Switch from my friend Boum! I discover Animal Crossing and I am never the same person again.

April

• I get an Aggretsuko cover gig from Oni Press.
• I start working on CSI Ruelle 2.
• Mustering all my courage, I send the Utown pitch to Top Shelf. It gets rejected in its actual form and even though I understand why, this response plunges me in an abyss of self-doubt. I can’t write for weeks.
• I take my bike out and my mood immediately gets better.

May

• I eventually start writing Utown again.
• The Montreal Comic Art Festival is entirely virtual. I get my ass kicked during a drawing battle with Alex A. I watch a lot of interviews and panels.
• Confinement measures loosen up. I start going back to the studio and seeing friends.

June

• I make stickers!
• My classes end. I’m sad I didn’t get to see my students in person in the end. I’m super proud of their progress and I get a little emotional!
• Studio Lounak moves! We empty out our crusty local and drag our junk three floors down, where I used to teach (the irony isn’t lost on me).
• I finish CSI 2. I’m absolutely burnt-out and announce a hiatus on Patreon.

July

• Summer happens. I see friends, I bike, I go to the studio and I go to my friend’s pool. It’s a wonderful period.
• I leave for an entire week at a summer house with friends. Probably one of the best month of the year.

August

• I get a rush concept art gig for a TV series pitch.
• After close to 8 years of residency, I take the heartbreaking decision of leaving Studio Lounak.

September

• I start working more seriously on a new comic project with Axelle.
• I’m tasked with updating the Front Froid logo.
• The government announces a strict, 28-days quarantine. I get the last of my stuff back home for the studio. I have a little cry about it.

October

• For the first time in years, I decide to skip Inktober.
• I work on character designs for our new project.
• I wreck my back and promise myself to be more careful…

November

• With the holidays around the corner, I set up my most ambitious merch promo plan. I make new prints and get ready for Black friday sales.
• I draw Christmas cards!
• I go to the post office and the printer’s weekly! Yay!

December

• Holidays!! Cooking! Gifts!
• I have to re-storyboard part of my fifth Utown chapter. Making comics, amirite?
• I get one last illustration gig. I’m exhausted from the year and I give up on trying to reason my now deliriously anxious brain. I wait for the year to end.
• It does! I survived 😀

Highlights

• Launching the Utown official site. I wanted a nice-looking website, even though webcomics are most often found on social media or Webtoon-sorta platforms now. This website is a perfect collaborative work between me, who did the design and Ken Mallar, who did the web development.
• I set a 800km bike goal this year and I totally did it (more even!) I also started working out at home and I’m absolutely seeing a difference. Goodbye back pain!
• It was a very good year on Etsy!
• I’m extremely lucky to have been able to keep a steady flow of work despite the pandemic.
• More cooking! And getting better at it!
• The friends I have, holy shit. They are the best and the walks around the neighbourhood were all moments of great joy.
• One of my goals last year was to say no more often and geez, did I follow through with that!

Lows

• I wish my first experience as a teacher had been easier. Everything that could’ve gone wrong, did. I was left on my own, given very little material to build a course and had to switch to remote teaching halfway through. It was overall very rewarding, I liked my students, but the context was so difficult. This entire endeavour took so much out of me that all my plans concerning Utown have been disrupted.
• Putting out a webcomic in 2020 ain’t the same as it was in 2013. I had this big ambition that writing it in English was gonna get me tons of readers and that I’d at least see a nice, steady increase in visitors and pledgers. It wasn’t the case. I found it very disheartening because I was always convinced that good work inevitably gets noticed. I guess that when algorithms and private interests are at stake, that nice sentiment is no longer relevant. Ultimately, I realize that social media have done close to nothing in helping me push my comic. It’s a crisis of faith for me, because I’m a DeviantArt kid, and putting art online has always been a source of joy. But now, I’m at a crossroad and wondering if I should still invest time and effort in promoting myself online or if I should just slowly focus my energy elsewhere.
• It’s only recently that I came to peace with the fact that I have some sort of anxiety problem. Even if acknowledging it is the first step, I still feel powerless when things don’t go as planned and my chest starts to tighten. The pandemic made it even more difficult to even think about consulting.
• I got lonely a lot.

Oufff! That was a bit of a (necessary) bummer! It wasn’t all that bad though. As a proof, here are some awesome things that lightened up the last months.

Favorite things

• Schitt’s Creek
• Great Pretender
• Taskmaster
• Ryan George, a Montreal treasure
• Animal Crossing
• Hades
• The Invader Zim artbook
• 99 Percent Invisible City book
• My bike, which I got at Vélomane
• My mom’s quilt
• Café Hélico
• Café Atomic
• Brossard Bagels to ease the grief I no longer work in the Mile-End.
• Rediscovering Bandcamp
• Inking with G-Nibs
• The Groceries podcast

Goals

1. Learn to deal with guilt and recognize that it’s a pattern that’s been influencing my decisions all my life. I used to think it was a good motivator but I’ve learned that doing things because I want to, and not because I have to, has even greater power.
2. Taking time off, more than ever. Away from screens, away from The Noise (aka, everything), whenever the need arises.
3. Make time for physical activities. Since I don’t commute anymore, I have a feeling the ol’ running shoes are gonna make a comeback!
4. Fall in love with music again.

So I hope it might inspired a few people to take some time off to reflect on the past year. Thank you for sticking with me, thanks for reading, for commenting and such. I wish you all to reach your goals, to be kind to yourself and to have fun! That’s my motto for this year!

Deck the hall and something something, falala lala la la (that’s my French Canadian version of the song). Hi! I hope everyone had a decent Christmas night/day/other! My Christmas was relatively quiet, so I took on the task of making a traditional meal regardless. Amidst all the gift shoppin’ and food buyin’, the time spent in my kitchen, making meatballs and gravy was one of my favorite moment of the month.

Last month, I prepared for my most aggressive Etsy promo/marketing plan ever. I wrote how the Thanksgiving sale was a success in the November recap. I’m happy to report that it kept going STRONG in December, even more than I had expected! Twice I had to go back and get another batch of cards printed! (Maybe I should’ve planned I was gonna mess up folding a cutting a few ones…. whoops!). I’m very grateful for everyone who ordered and I’m sure my prints found good homes.

After food was made, gifts wrapped and last emails answered, I allowed myself to do a little holiday drawing. It’s been a bit of a tradition of mine over the years but 2020 needed something extra cute.

The next thing on my list is to make a goal and recap post for 2020. I’m excited to revisit the year nonetheless. It’s always an enlightening exercice!

December was a race to the end, but here’s what got me excited this month.

Reading: The Remain of Days, by Kazuo Ishiguro. It feels like an ocean of calm during these crazy times.
Watching: Bill and Ted, which I watched on Christmas Eve. Don’t ask, dude!
Listening: K.G by King Gizzard and the Electric Wizard. It’s… hard to describe but it’s absolutely worth a listen!