Sequential Artists Workshop

Tom Hart and artists at Sequential Artists Workshop
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How do you make comics without all the frustration? SAW talks comics and community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art with Tom Hart, Jess Ruliffson, Lauren Weinstein, Georgia Webber and other amazing artists at SAW. sawcomics.substack.com

  1. 3D AGO

    The Terrible Anvil: Memories and Habits!

    Season 2 | Episode 4: Memories and Habit ! In this episode, Tom and Jess take a look back on a book they both worked on, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan, written by Brian Doerries, published by Pantheon in 2016. Jess offered some glimpses of the script, and her notes, doodles and then thumbnails and draft, and we talked about all sorts of things, including how to level up from 6 pages to 40, how to take direction, about taking reference pics (Jess, share some of those!) and how ultimately to just get the thing done! Then we looked at what we might talk about next week: What Kind of Creator are YOU? We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there! Thanks for being here! Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    44 min

  2. APR 15

    The Terrible Anvil: Detours!

    Season 2 | Episode 3: Detours! In this episode, Tom and Jess take some detours, to talk about developing one’s instincts, through deadlines. We talked about Present Tim and Future Tim (“What has Future Tim ever done for me?!”) we talked about going to the grocery store hungry, and leaving typos in your work! Being lenient with yourself! Then answered a question about how to not take free work from friends (spoiler alert: ‘No.’ is a complete sentence!) We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there! Next week on The Terrible Anvil, we will revisit a graphic novel we both worked on, The Odyssey of Sergeant Jack Brennan Thanks for being here! -------------------------------- Recorded at SAW on Zoom Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    34 min

  3. APR 9

    The Terrible Anvil: Terrible Commitments!

    The Terrible Anvil Season 2 | Episode 2: Terrible Commitments! Tom and Jess about making accidental or conscious decisions early on that we are forced to live with. Tom Hart and Jess Ruliffson love to talk about making comic-making EASIER, and in this episode, we’re talking about making terrible commitments. It’s about time management some times, but other times it might be about character design, and story choices or structure. Tom shows his examples from his comic in progress where the boys are wear buckets on their heads, the girls hide in hoodies, and the men are all rats. So everyone looks the same! How do you get out of it? Tom and Jess talk about it. We talked briefly about Chester Brown’s Underwater. Tired of drawing hair, Brown drew everyone bald, which is fine. He also wanted to draw out the lengthy mental/sensory development of an infant into childhood and adulthood. He later abandoned the project! Terrible Commitment or brave experiment, or both?! We talk momentarily about NAILED IT! -- there's great, great joy in Nailed It! People are experiencing great joy because the deadlines are so crazy. And the work is so off the mark, that it becomes a new thing, and the learning to figure out what the new thing you are developing, is part of the art of the Terrible Anvil. Then as we slid into answering questions for people either interested or IN the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive, we answered questions about navigating bad feelings in a project, about heavy choices early on, sometimes about tech questions. Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 4m
  4. The Terrible Anvil Returns!

    APR 1

    The Terrible Anvil Returns!

    Hi! Welcome back to The Terrible Anvil! Tom Hart and Jess Ruliffson love to talk about making comic-making EASIER, and in this season 2 opener, we’re talking about ART BUDGETING. It’s about how artists manage time, resources, and visual consistency when working on graphic novels. Jess’s favorite examples are from Allison Bechdel's Fun Home who love to silhouette characters, and background, and also set up details that are easily repeatable. Additionally we looked at her dad’s RUG. Jess also talked about simplifying characters for a longer story, even when she previous pulled out all the stops for realism in a previous version of the same story, seen here: Then as we slid into answering questions for people either interested or IN the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive, we answered questions about art budgeting for color. Tom showed some favorite old-time examples of working FAST which made for bold color choices, like the one below. We answered a few more questions. We hope you’ll join us in the 2026 Graphic Novel Intensive (GNI)! See you there! Next week on The Terrible Anvil, Tom will show Jess some accidental commitments he made and Jess will help him deal with the long term consequences! Thanks for being here! Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 3m

  5. MAR 29

    Drawing Health: Inner Intimacy, with Sacha Mardou

    Inner intimacy, with Sacha Mardou Have you read IFS comics yet? You’re about to. Sacha Mardou has been making journal comics about the most intimate moments in her life — the inner dialogue she has with all the parts of herself while practicing Internal Family Systems. It’s a beautiful and accessible opening of the most vulnerable intimacy, shown with her robust resource of skill.  Our conversation is mostly me complimenting Sacha -- I got a bit carried away with wanting to tell her all the things I loved about her book, Past Tense, and the IFS comics that touched my own heart. We still managed to discuss graphic memoir, asking permission to tell your own story, leaving a religion, deconstructing belief, inviting the internet into your therapy sessions, and so much more. Always more.  Sacha offers an exercise for you to try at the end, giving you a chance to experience a touch of the grace she’s learned, to feel it for yourself. = Episode Links & Resources Mardou’s therapy comics website: https://ifscomics.com/ Past Tense: https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/714479/past-tense-by-sacha-mardou/ Mardou’s instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mardou_draws/ = About the podcast Drawing Health is a podcast about the intersection of comics and health, also called Graphic Medicine. Through community interviews and guided audio practices, we explore the worlds within ourselves and without, nurturing your creative practice, inspiration, and personal health journey. Health and creativity are not at odds, they are two expressions of you.  Our music Our spring season theme music is Piling up the stones by Del Stephen, from his independently produced record, Good Spirit Inner Station. Explore Del’s many albums at https://delstephen.bandcamp.com, and be generous with him as he is so generous with us. Thank you Del! About the Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW) The Sequential Artists Workshop is a grassroots, non-profit comics school and creative community. At SAW, we teach people how to tell stories and make comics in Gainesville, Florida, USA, and around the world via our online courses and resources. Go to www.sequentialartistsworkshop.org or www.drawinghealth.com to join our community of learners and artists today! Disclaimer This podcast is for information and exploration purposes only and is never intended as medical advice. Every viewer and listener is encouraged to seek medical attention at their own discretion. This podcast and the guided practices are tools for listeners to support their whole health, and should be used with care. Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 2m

  6. MAR 22

    Drawing Health: Animal Body

    Do you know you’re still an animal? How do you care for your animal?  Listen and settle into sensation, instinct, quiet observation. Your body knows how to be animal, just listen, and draw it out. Drawing Health is a live class every Saturday from 11am - 12pm EST. Sign up to join in, at drawinghealth.com. = About the podcast Drawing Health is a podcast about the intersection of comics and health, also called Graphic Medicine. Through community interviews and guided audio practices, we explore the worlds within ourselves and without, nurturing your creative practice, inspiration, and personal health journey. Health and creativity are not at odds, they are two expressions of you.  Our music Our spring season theme music is Piling up the stones by Del Stephen, from his independently produced record, Good Spirit Inner Station. Explore Del’s many albums at https://delstephen.bandcamp.com, and be generous with him as he is so generous with us. Thank you Del! About the Sequential Artists Workshop (SAW) The Sequential Artists Workshop is a grassroots, non-profit comics school and creative community. At SAW, we teach people how to tell stories and make comics in Gainesville, Florida, USA, and around the world via our online courses and resources. Go to www.sequentialartistsworkshop.org or www.drawinghealth.com to join our community of learners and artists today! Disclaimer This podcast is for information and exploration purposes only and is never intended as medical advice. Every viewer and listener is encouraged to seek medical attention at their own discretion. This podcast and the guided practices are tools for listeners to support their whole health, and should be used with care. Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    26 min

  7. MAR 15

    Drawing Health: Creative Commons with Aaron Comeau

    For this, our last episode of the Winter 2025/26 season, we have a special one for you. I decided to share some ramblings at the start of this one, about how practice becomes skill, and skills become automatic. In this world, our burdens are enormous, and we need to find balance between effort and ease — all while living with integrity. Listen to the first 20 minutes of this episode to hear how I explain the connection between practice and skill, ease and integrity. The second half of today’s episode is a BONUS INTERVIEW with none other than Aaron Comeau, the composer of our theme music for this season: Magic Hours, from his album Fully Unformed. On the surface it seems like music and comics are very different art forms, and very different practices…but they might have more in common, and more to offer each other, than you think. F**k AI-generated art! Every season we’re gonna meet the humans behind the theme music that carries the season, and learn more about how each artist creates. Listen to the whole first season, WINTER 2025/26 with new ears after this episode. Spark new creative channels for yourself, make new connections across artistic media and genres. We make great things together! A new season of Drawing Health starts next Sunday: Spring 2026! Youtube link: Episode Links Main St. Music Library website: mainstmusiclibrary.com Main St. Music Library Bandcamp: https://acomeau.bandcamp.com/ Aaron’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aaroncomeau/ Music acknowledgement Our theme music is Magic Hours by Aaron Comeau made for the Main St. Music Library. The Main St. Music Library hosts instrumental music created with simple parameters, with scores and instructions for listeners to recreate the music themselves . Musicians, artists, & listeners are encouraged to borrow freely from the library and return the materials in a different form than they found them. Find out more at mainstmusiclibrary.com. Disclaimer This podcast is for information and exploration purposes only and is never intended as medical advice. Every viewer and listener is encouraged to seek medical attention at their own discretion. This podcast and the guided practices are tools for listeners to support their whole health, and should be used with care. #drawinghealth #thememusic #fuckaimusic #supportartists #creativehealth Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    1h 5m

  8. MAR 8

    Drawing Health: Settle Softly

    Get cozy. Lie down.  Softness is all around us, and still hard to find if we’re locked into tension. When I taught this practice, it was because I needed it desperately - and if you watch the video, you’ll see my curling up on the floor to lie down while I guide you through. We start with softness, and grow into acceptance, permission, and getting out of our own way. If you need to notice the softness today, this practice is for you.  Get cozy, get your drawing materials, and sink in. = If you want to practice in sync with others, join my live Drawing Health class every Saturday on Zoom. Sign up at sequentialartistsworkshop.org or drawinghealth.com. Our theme music is Magic Hours by Aaron Comeau made for the Main St. Music Library. The Main St. Music Library hosts instrumental music created with simple parameters, with scores and instructions for listeners to recreate the music themselves . Musicians, artists, & listeners are encouraged to borrow freely from the library and return the materials in a different form than they found them. Find out more at mainstmusiclibrary.com. Disclaimer This podcast is for information and exploration purposes only and is never intended as medical advice. Every viewer and listener is encouraged to seek medical attention at their own discretion. This podcast and the guided practices are tools for listeners to support their whole health, and should be used with care. Get full access to How to Make a Graphic Novel at sawcomics.substack.com/subscribe

    28 min
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5
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

How do you make comics without all the frustration? SAW talks comics and community, and mindset shift about what it means to make comics and art with Tom Hart, Jess Ruliffson, Lauren Weinstein, Georgia Webber and other amazing artists at SAW. sawcomics.substack.com

Information

  • Creator
    Tom Hart and artists at Sequential Artists Workshop
  • Years Active
    2024 - 2026
  • Episodes
    53
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Tom Hart
  • Show Website
    Sequential Artists Workshop

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