In order to make this graphic novel (graphic memoir? graphic biography?), I’ve got to draw it. I’ve had some ideas:

– Sections where I tell the story of my siblings will have sibling-specific artwork. Brother will have watercolours, Sister will have psychedelia, Older Sister will have peachy Wind in the Willows-style illustrations.

– The present could have one style, the past could have another.

However, whatever ideas I come up with, I’m the one drawing them, so: I must learn how to draw. I’ve been back in the swing of things: drawing often, drawing focused.

These aren’t great, but they’re progress. What I’m happy with is that they feel three-dimensional. While drawing these, I felt that I understood the structure of the things I was drawing. This is the most exciting part of drawing, for me: you practice with a few objects or figures, and then suddenly, bang! Your brain switches to 3D! Then, instead of a flat piece of paper, you’re looking at a tangible, knowable three-dimensional object. It feels almost exactly like the moment you “get” one of those 3D “magic eye” pictures that used to be all the rage.

[Author’s Note: if you don’t have any clue what I’m talking about, please search “Magic Eye Images”, and be prepared to cross your eyes and feel psychedelic.]

I’ve got a long way to go, but I won’t really start the proper drawing of the book’s artwork until January 2025. I’ll explain later, but essentially: I want to draw the scenes as I experience them. From now until then, I’m only working on skills. I’ll share here and there (mostly here).