This cartoon was made by Yuliy Ganf who was best known for his cartoons in the satirical magazine Krokodil (this one 1953, #4) The four waiter (US, UK, France and West Germany) are serving piles of money to a soldier, labeled “War”. The four other tables are “Education”, “Health Care”, “Libraries” and “Art”.

This cartoon was made by Yuliy Ganf who was best known for his cartoons in the satirical magazine Krokodil

The four waiter (US, UK, France and West Germany) are serving piles of money to a soldier, labeled “War”. The four other tables are “Education”, “Health Care”, “Libraries” and “Art”.

Comic panel 1 - Neil says to Fig, “Ugh! Why are these first few months always so miserable?”

Comic panel 2 - Neil says to Fig, “Everything is gray and covered in grime”

Comic panel 3 - Neil hunches a little and sighs. Fig looks concerned.

Comic panel 4 - Fig says to Neil, “That just means it can only get better from here”

Ever start a comic when you're not in love with your design of the main character? Should I just start knowing I'll nail it down through repetition? Or should I do pages and pages of designs until it feels good?

Where is all of this winning happening and where can I get some?

Follow along for (at least weekly) updates. I'd love to get feedback during my process and offer free/discounted services to build up some work samples outside of my day job.

I've stripped Loch11.com down to start from scratch and am rebuilding to provide a more functional business website that communicates my purpose and provides a clear mission for current work and vision for the future. I'm using Wordpress for this

JAN Books read: Art Inc. - Lisa Congdon, The Win Without Pitching Manifesto - Blair Enns, How Design Makes Us Think and Feel and Do Things - Sean Adams, Pocket Full of Do - Chris Do, Designers Don't Read - Austin Howe, and Creating a Brand Identity, a Guide for Designers - Catharine Slade-Brooking

2026 is about building my creative business to put myself and my family in a better position for relationships, care, and happiness. I've been doing a weekly check-in on Facebook but I'll be shifting over to Bluesky because I'm told things are better here. Some past updates in the comments 👇

Book cover for The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns

I finished The Win Without Pitching Manifesto by Blair Enns over the weekend. A great read that I think requires slow absorption and discussion. I will be reading it more to better develop my client relationships and set boundaries, both with myself and clients. 📚

What are some must-read books for a creative-business owner? I put together a reading list for 2026 but there will be room for more.

Art Inc. by Lisa Congdon book cover

Just finished Art Inc. by Lisa Congdon as part of my 2026 design books reading list. It has some good info about self-promotion and submitting art for various opportunities. A good book for beginners or to reference specific topics to brush up. 📚🎨

Very fun designs!

About to show my kids exactly how out of shape I am at the trampoline park. Last day of school vacation for them. Possibly the beginning of sick leave for me🤞

Photo of ice patterns on car window

Zoomed in photo of ice patterns on car window

Zoomed in photo of ice patterns on red car door

Ice-covered tree branch

Our ice storm yesterday made some pretty interesting textures on my car

Some recent additions to the inspiration library. These books are full of great stuff for comics creators and any art lover

Maybe in 2026 I'll work through my to-do list. There are plenty of project ideas from the last few years I've been putting off

Strongly agree

Finished this today. Great examples of branding variations that I'll be referring back to a lot. This is what I want Loch11 to be 📚 #graphicdesign 🖋️🎨

Comic update - a wordless fart joke. 🗯️🐸

I absolutely hate making this book

but I want you to ask your local bookshop to order it.
Thanks.

Make sure you go to Granite State Comic Con on Sep 19-22 so you can pick up this sticker. I was asked to design a sticker for The Thirsty Moose Taphouse for a passport event. Lots of great local artists contributed! #comics #stickers #beer #comiccon

A retro kind of #Peacemaker in the styles of the old 60s-era cartoons!
Drawn in @procreate.com

#dcstudios #dc #johncena #eagley

Make sure you go to Granite State Comic Con on Sep 19-22 so you can pick up this sticker. I was asked to design a sticker for The Thirsty Moose Taphouse for a passport event. Lots of great local artists contributed! #comics #stickers #beer #comiccon

I just watched this today... Crazy

Guess who's back, back again— @theacohen.bsky.social, @ralfsingh.bsky.social, and I are back in the latest edition of @ssnyder1835.bsky.social Presents: The Cloakroom, published by @thornycomics.bsky.social! The Kickstarter campaign launches around 6PM EST today🤘🏻Shares are appreciated.

Why should I write better when a machine can do it for me? Because actually no one can do it for you, because your voice is unique among all the people on earth. Siri never petted a horse's neck. Alexa has never been ghosted by the captain of the football team. But you have lived, your heart is beating, you have suffered, and you have something important to say. It's a human's job, to use words, and whatever job you give to a machine, that part of your brain goes dark. Maybe it's worth it when it comes to remembering phone numbers and directions, but when that part of your brain that uses words goes dark, that's a vast area that's very close to your soul. Don't let some internet platform convince you that what you have to say and create isn't worthwhile. Words are the echo of your soul. Honing that echo matters.

this iconic advertising copywriter named Kathy Hepinstall Parks died over the weekend and I wanted to share something from her website I thought Bluesky would like

I watched Dream Scenario yesterday for the first time... What a trip. If you like the strange movies Nicholas Cage has been in, you should watch this