MoCCA Fest Postponed & How to Work From Home

I feel like this is kind of old news by now, as the corona virus changes life for us daily. I aim to blog about once a week, not daily, but a week feels like an eternity now! Just to clear some things up, MoCCA Arts Festival is POSTPONED, not cancelled completely. Lots of events are being outright cancelled, but being postponed just means that the event will happen at a later date. Life will eventually return to “normal” for us, but none of us knows when.

Meanwhile, I was just talking with my room mate (who is now working from home) that sometimes my life as a freelancer seems chaotic compared to a stable job. Now, I’m feeling more stable compared to people with “normal” 9-to-5s that aren’t used to working from home. But I figured I’d share some tips on how to best work from home!

Business Tips: Working From Home

• Structure your day in some way. If you’re not quarantined, get out and jog or take a walk first thing in the morning instead of your commute. If you are quarantined, get yourself moving inside (also helps minimize depression).

• Take regular breaks & eat at regular times so life doesn’t seem like one long continuous day and you either snack on crap all day or forget to eat.

• Minimize distractions. Bosses are not hovering over your shoulder, maybe your pets or kids are around, and of course the internet is ever present. Working from home has its benefits but also challenges to focus. You WILL get distracted, but the key is to recognize when it’s happening and go back to your work. Example from today - my room mate got a text from her sister about the name of a character her son likes, so my room mate asked me about it. I realized the character was from Voltron, so I showed my roomie a clip of the show’s intro instead of explaining the whole thing in words. When the clip was over, I admit it was DIFFICULT to NOT delve into other Voltron clips! But I recognized this as a productivity trap and made the conscious choice to close the Voltron tab on my browser and get back to work. Now here’s a challenge for you: are you going to click on the Voltron link and binge watch the show, or are you going to get back to work?

MoCCA Fest This Weekend!

NYC’s biggest indie comics festival is here - MoCCA Fest is this weekend! I’ll be tabling with my friend Nadia Burgess of ToughSpirit Creations once again at table H260. I’ll also have AER HEAD prints for sale! I’ll still take commissions but am transitioning to become more AER HEAD focused. Here’s some info for MoCCA Fest:

Dates: Sat 4/6, 11a-7p. Sun 4/7, 11a-6p

Location: Metropolitan West (West 46th Street between 11th and 12 Avenues) 

Site: https://www.societyillustrators.org/mocca-arts-festival

Hope to see you there!

MoCCA Fest THIS WEEKEND!

It's springtime, and that means the start of the comic convention season!  This weekend, I'm tabling once again with my friend Nadia Burgess of Toughspirit Creations at MoCCA Arts Festival!  Here are the details:

Sat April 7, 11A-7P

Sun April 8, 11A-6P

at Metropolitan West 639 W 46th st.

We're at table E174 on the first floor near the Wacom booth.

Tickets are just $7 per day!

https://www.societyillustrators.org/mocca-arts-festival

I was just emailing someone today about some differences between MoCCA Fest and other comic cons.  It's an indie comics festival, so you'll see lots of self-published comics focusing on personal stories, rather than a more hard-core comic con with Marvel/DC stuff.  But there's something fun for everyone at MoCCA Fest!  There's a Wacom booth where you can try the latest tablet gadgets, Patreon Lounge where you can learn about all the awesome stuff Patreon does (and if you're a freelancer, you SHOULD know about Patreon), and a RisoLab.  There are panelists who will talk about issues like "Comics, Community and Career", and everything from the New Yorker comics to experimental comics.  Hope to see you there!

MoCCA Fest THIS WEEKEND!

This weekend I'll be exhibiting at MoCCA Fest with my friend Nadia Burgess of Toughspirit Creations!  We're table i265 on the 2nd floor.  MoCCA Fest will be this weekend April 1 - 2nd from 11:00AM - 6:00PM.  It's held once again at Metropolitan West, on West 46th Street between 11th and 12th Avenues.  Admission is $5 per day and will grant attendees access to the Fest including the Exhibitors Hall, on-site Gallery space, and programming. Tickets will be available for purchase at the door. Children under ten are free.  Besides awesome artists creating unique indie comics in the main floors, there's tons of great programming going on at Ink48 Hotel nearby, including Reading Without Walls: Diversity in Comics, Saturday 12:30PM / Garamond Room and
Covering Trump: Steve Brodner Edel Rodriguez in Conversation, Saturday 2:00PM / Helvetica Room.  

Hope to see you there!

MoCCA Fest THIS WEEKEND!

My friend Nadia "Toughspirit" Burgess and I will be sharing a table at MoCCA Fest this weekend!  Table D153 ... on the FIRST floor this time!  Not 4th like last year... the new venue only has 2 floors thank God.  It's at "Metropolitan West" 639 West 46th St, right by the Highline and the Intrepid!  Only $5 per day to get in!  Kids under 12 are free.  Saturday April 2 and Sunday April 3 from 11A-6P both days. 

A major special guest this year is my former cartooning professor, Phoebe Gloeckner!!  Her work The Diary of a Teenage Girl, an account of her teen years in prose and pictures, was recently adapted into a critically-acclaimed and award-winning film!  The book "received notable recognition as well as controversy for its honest portrayal of teenage sexuality with themes of drug use and childhood traumas.She'll be part of the official programming, going on at Ink48, around the corner from the fest (653 11th Avenue at 48th Street).  VERY EXCITING!!

But MoCCA Fest isn't an April Fool's - that's happening for real ;)

MoCCA Fest Recap

MoCCA Fest turned out OK, despite being on the 4th floor, I didn't suffer a loss like I feared.  But I certainly didn't do as well as in previous years, where all the vendors were on one floor in the Armory.  At Center 548, the stairs were really steep, there was only one small elevator, and lots of people didn't even know there was a 4th floor.  I think it's best for conventions to keep all the vendors in one floor, and have programming be on another floor if need be. 

But I sold 16 copies of my new comic "Apartment Hunt!"  I ended up swapping lots of crazy apartment hunting stories with people.  It's something everyone can relate to in NYC.  I did talk to some who got a great deal because they knew a landlord... note to self - befriend some landlords.  I wonder how well the comic will sell when I exhibit in other cities.  Apartment hunting in general is a pain, but nothing... NOTHING compares to the ridiculousness that is the NYC hunt.

Apartment Hunt Hot Off the Press! MoCCA Fest THIS WEEKEND!

I've just finished printing my newest comic:  "APARTMENT HUNT!!"  I made this comic to warn people of all the crazy stuff you may encounter while apartment hunting in NYC.  Based on a true story!  You may find it helpful if you'll be on the hunt yourself.  Be one of the first ones to get a copy this weekend at MoCCA Fest! 

I'm sharing table 416 with Nadia Burgess on the 4th floor (Blue Zone).  This year, the fest is 3 floors, and I'm on the top floor.  Please make sure you come up to see us and all the great cartoonists on the 3rd and 4th floors!  You won't want to miss out on a hidden treasure you may find there!

MoCCA Fest is at Center 548:  548 West 22nd Street in Manhattan.  See you there!

MoCCA Fest this Weekend!

I'm excited to exhibit at MoCCA Fest again this year!  I'll be tabling again with my friend Nadia Burgess both days April 11th and 12th from 11AM to 6PM.  MoCCA Fest is at a new location this year, across town at Center 548 near the Highline park in Chelsea - West 22nd St. between 10th & 11th ave.  Only $5 admission - very affordable! 

They have lots of awesome guests and festivities going on this week end the weekend as well: Aline Kominsky-Crumb, Scott McCloud, Raina Telgemeier, and lots of great international cartoonists too.  The Society of Illustrators has coordinated a "Comic and Cartoon Art Week" this week with screenings, presentations, sketch nights, and great networking opportunities!  See more on the Society's website.

I'm almost done with my newest comic, "Apartment Hunt," to premiere at MoCCA Fest!  It's crazy how much work goes into even a short story.  This one is based on real life, and has by far the most text of my stories. 

See you this weekend!

MoCCA Fest was AWESOME!

Charlie Brown, licking his lips about to feast upon all the MoCCA-festers.

Finally am recovering from MoCCA Fest.  It was SO GREAT this year!  Met some inspiring indie comic creators, reconnected with old friends, sold some of my comics, got some interest in my freelance services.  I heard there were over 4,000 attendees on Saturday alone, which was more than both days last year!  I felt very honored to be a part of such an amazing festival.  Everywhere you looked there was someone's comic/merch/fun stuff they poured their heart into. 

Mindy indy and Nadia Burgess

Thank you to everyone who got any of my mini comics, got a sketch, or just stopped by to say "Hi!"  Shared a table with my friend Nadia again.  We both had new merch!  She had new bookmarks and prints, and I was promoting my custom comics (in the frame) and finished my new story in time!  Literally spent all of the Friday before finishing it up.  Thank God for 24-hour Staples ;)

The Lucky Penny:  Unlucky in Love?

This is a page from the 5 page mini comic:  "The Lucky Penny:  Unlucky in Love?"  I made sure not to title it "The Lucky Penny 2" because "The Misfortune Cookie 2" doesn't sell as well as the original "Misfortune Cookie" even though it's a self-contained story, people think you have to get the first one and aren't gonna buy the second one alone.  "Unlucky in Love?" sold pretty well!  I'm very proud of this story - the main character expresses thoughts I'm going through, and I challenged myself with drawings (those hands at the bottom were tricky) and perspective.  Super glad I finished it on time and had something "hot off the press" I could tell people excitedly about :)

Also did my usual sketching.  It wasn't as crazy non-stop like NYCC, but it was pretty good.  This one came out the best, and the kid was absolutely thrilled :)

Ever since the Society of Illustrators took over MoCCA Fest, it's gotten better and better.  I think my favorite part this year was such a nice reception with free food and booze for all the creators and volunteers.  It was wonderful to be treated to something like that and I got to make friends and network and just talk about comics and animation and all that cool stuff.  I wish MoCCA was more than just once a year, because it has an underground, artsy vibe that NYCC or the more "fanboy" shows don't have.  I want to get into more indie fests.  Didn't get into SPX this year to exhibit, but maybe I'll go just for fun.

MoCCA Arts Fest TOMORROW! And Sunday!

MoCCA Fest is almost here!  I'm almost done inking the second Lucky Penny story.  Here's a little pencil sketch preview:  This was a bit tricky to draw, but still not as tricky as trying to bend perspective to my will for the city building backgrounds :/

See you at MoCCA Fest this weekend!  Here's the facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/680867505305370/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

New Site!

I've been tweaking my new Squarespace site for awhile, but now it has all the necessary info that I'm satisfied with it's state for MoCCA Fest!  If you're reading this blog post in an email or from another social media site, check out www.mindyindy.com !  I finally "pointed" the domain name in the right direction.  Now it's more of a professional folio site, with the main page being my work and not my blog, as in Wordpress.  And I'm not as constrained space-wise to a narrow strip - check out the custom comics section, where you can see the comic pages in their entirety and not chopped up.

Also inking the second Lucky Penny story!  I think I can get it done in time.... Inking is my least favorite part of the comics process because it's just tracing.  If I ever hire another artist to grow in my work and get it done faster, I think I'd hire an inker, FYI to any inkers out there :P

COME TO MOCCA ARTS FEST THIS WEEKEND!  I made a FB event:  https://www.facebook.com/events/680867505305370/?ref_dashboard_filter=upcoming

MoCCA Arts Fest THIS WEEKEND!

I'm going to exhibit in MoCCA Arts Fest this weekend!  This year the fest looks 10 times more amazing than it did last year!  Check it out:  http://www.societyillustrators.org/Mocca_Event.aspx?id=10561 

It's Saturday and Sunday April 5th and 6th from 11AM to 6PM.  ONLY $5 ADMISSION!  That's crazy cheap compared to previous years, and there's a whole lot more going on.  Fiona Staples of "Saga" fame will be a special guest, Art Spiegleman is giving a talk on Saturday at 2PM, the Macy's parade Charlie Brown balloon will be INSIDE the fest, lots of affordable food, a new Wacom lounge (!!!!!) and Kid Zone.  Take a look at the map:

I'm sharing a table with my friend Nadia Burgess at table D9 - right smack dab in the MIDDLE of everything!  Being right on the corner of the main aisle is an amazing opportunity for prime exposure. 

MoCCA Fest is held in Manhattan at:

The 69th Regiment Armory

68 Lexington Avenue

between E. 25th & E. 26th Street

New York, NY 10010

Take the 6 train to 23rd or 28th St.

Also, this week is COMIC & CARTOON ART WEEK!  Check out the list of all these crazy events going on leading up to MoCCA Fest!  http://www.societyillustrators.org/Mocca_Event.aspx?id=11290

So yesterday I included color in The Daily Misfortune as something different for April Fool's, but I kind of like it.  I AM a colorist, after all, and I do have a bit more time recently to play with it.  We'll see how long I keep up different crazy colors...  In the meantime, gotta prepare stuff for MoCCA Fest this weekend - hope to see you there!