I think it was Pete Correale who said, “I would think playing the guitar is impossible if I didn’t know people who could do it.” There are folks who think the same about you and your art. To some, you’re more than an artist—you’re a MAGICIAN.

Music, books, movies, TV shows, video games, and comics. These are the things that keep me hopeful.

Some of the bravest people I know are the ones who make art and share it with people.

Brené Brown says two of the most powerful words are “Me too.” And I think that’s what art does. Your story, through your art, is telling someone else “Me too.” How rad is that? Don’t ever think your art doesn’t matter!

Right now you’re making something awesome, but a voice in your head is telling you it’s too much like [insert name of popular property]. And maybe that’s true. But I promise you that no one has ever seen that art from YOUR perspective. Keep making the thing!

DREAMING is great and all, but that’s the easy part. It’s the DOING that presents the biggest challenge. Here’s the good news, though: you have the ability and the time to make real progress on your goals. You just gotta muster the will!

Every time you draw it’s progress. Whether it’s a finished comic page or a doodle on a napkin, each piece of art moves you one step closer to mastery (if such a thing exists—but that’s a topic for another day).

Have a dream. Set a goal. Do the work.

When you create art you create a dialogue. Some people will agree with you, and others will disagree. Perhaps vehemently. The trick is to remain true to yourself.

I will be selling books and hanging out at @cartooncrossroads.bsky.social this weekend! Come to the main library downtown Columbus on Saturday & Sunday. I will be near my good buddies, @scottkurtz.bsky.social and @wesmolebash.com. Also... IT'S FREE!

You have to make crappy art before you can make better art. And you won’t know you’re making better art until you look back on the crappy art. So have a little respect for all of it.

The *more* you work the easier it becomes to *do* the work. Set reachable goals. Establish routines. Push yourself to make art even when you don’t feel like it. Your creative work will become less and less daunting, and you will gain more and more stamina.

All of the quirks and idiosyncrasies that make you a unique person are what help you to make unique art.

Whenever I start to feel down about all the things I haven’t yet accomplished, I think about how my 13-year-old self would be PSYCHED by all the experiences I’ve had!

All artists are storytellers. Some of our art tells simple stories while others are complex epics. Your art will always say *something* and that is why it will always connect with *someone*.

When it comes to creative projects, they say the first one is the worst one. Which is true. It’s also the *hardest* one. But once you get that first project under your belt, it doesn’t seem as daunting anymore.

Brainstorming can be an invigorating part of the creative process. There are no guardrails. Anything can happen because you haven’t defined the rules of your universe. Or, if you have defined the rules, it’s still early enough to scrap them.

Jon Acuff once shared a piece of awesome advice: Don’t compare your Beginning to someone else’s Middle. For that matter, don’t compare your Middle to someone else’s Third Act! Comparison is poison. Keep your eyes on your paper and do the work!

Your portfolio is growing all the time. The question is: Are you updating it?

I think fan fiction is a great way to write a story that you want to see. Then, take the idea out of that established universe and put it into one of your own creation. This is not a new practice, but I think it could work very well for creators who are intentional about it.

I can proudly say I’ve never drawn a cartoon for Jeffrey Epstein’s birthday.

No matter where you stand politically, I think we can all agree that Donald Trump sucks at figure drawing.

The way you work is as unique as your artistic style. Learn as much as you can about how other artists organize their time, but don’t be ashamed to make a routine that works for you and your goals (5AM wake-up times just don’t work for everyone!).

The shelf-life of an artist is considerably longer than most professions. If you can still hold a pencil, type on a keyboard, or play your instrument, it’s likely you haven’t yet created your greatest work. Keep at it!

Sometimes I like to draw old characters I created a long time ago. Characters I haven’t seen in a while. It’s always interesting to see how Present Wes would draw the creations of Past Wes.

I’m struggling to be more vulnerable with my comics. It’s terrifying! But I know the best art comes from raw, honest emotions. We’re still allowed to have boundaries, though, right? Finding that line between “honesty” and “safety” feels pretty elusive most of the time.

I’m not always proud of my finished art, but I am proud of my style. It’s very satisfying when someone recognizes one of my cartoons by the way it was drawn.

One of the best ways to gather ideas is by collecting experiences. Go on a trip, visit a museum, try your hand at a car repair. The experiences can vary in size, but they can all have huge impact on your creativity!

Don’t rush yourself. Overnight successes don’t happen. The creators who seemingly come out of nowhere have been in the game for years; you just never heard of them. Keep your eyes on your own work and trust that you’re right where you need to be.

Kidlit is for everyone.

When you’re in a creative slump, the last thing you want to do is look through old sketchbooks and ideas. But I’ve found that practice to be one of the best ways to kickstart the creative process.

My parents have a bunch of my childhood art hanging in their house. I cringe at the crudeness of it, but I envy the no-guardrails imagination I had when I was younger. Old Wes can draw circles around Young Wes, but my older self could learn a few things about imagination from the young me.

It is imperative to regularly exercise your imagination, ESPECIALLY as you get older. Life has a way of making us more cynical as we age, and we artists have to push against that as hard as possible to avoid getting trapped inside a box.

My favorite Bible verse and my favorite quote are kinda similar: “Do not grow weary while doing good, for in due season you will reap a harvest.” — Galatians 6:9 “Keep moving forward!” — Walt Disney

When I’m feeling lethargic, a nice nap is usually just what I need to renew my creative vigor.

New post at the ol’ newsletter that contains a whole mess o’ updates from the summer! Check it out right here: thewesmolebash.substack.com/p/end-of-sum...

I finally landed an agent when I was 40. My debut graphic novel was published when I was 43. Still haven’t achieved all my goals, but I continue to pursue them at 45 and for the foreseeable future. Life’s too short to worry if you’re too old to pursue a dream. Get to work!

It’s a Social Distortion kinda morning.

I remember when “author cliques” used to be called “webcomics collectives”.

I bought a Powerball ticket and here’s why: I have a 1-in-300-million chance of writing a bestselling graphic novel. I have a 1-in-292-million chance of winning the lottery. So, yeah, I like those odds.

Perfection is a myth. You will never be as good an artist or writer or whatever as you want to be. Chasing this ideal will destroy you. I’m giving you permission to stop pursuing it.

Share your progress with the people who are excited about the stuff you make. Not only are they eagerly awaiting your next masterpiece, but they want to cheer you along during the creative process.

The #Crew96 tactic all season has been to dribble the ball into the box with space, and then pass to a teammate that has three or four defenders on him.

Be selective about the folks with whom you discuss your goals and dreams. Not everybody is gonna “get it”. And even if they do, they may not share your enthusiasm. And that perceived lack of support could take the wind out of your sails. Find your safe people and keep them close.

OK, so, this is NOT judgement… This is just me seeking some confirmation on what I’ve been observing lately… Shaving our eyebrows is a *thing* now, right?

As you get better at drawing the process will become “easier.” The trick is to not become stagnant. Use the skills you’ve developed as a platform for learning new tricks and techniques.

It’s OK to have a little bit of an ego as an artist. In fact, you could argue it’s absolutely necessary. If you want to run with the pros, you have to have enough confidence in your work to think that you can hang with them. Or that you’re at least not far behind.

Sometimes, when I’m going through my old sketchbooks and half-finished stories, the most random drawings and bits of text will spark a fresh idea. It’s so important to hold on to your unfinished work, even if it embarrasses you. Yesterday’s silly doodle could be tomorrow’s big idea!

Sketchbooks are sacred spaces. Share them or don’t share them, it’s up to you. But know this: You don’t owe ANYONE a glimpse inside your sacred creative spaces. Some art is for you and you alone.

If you’re making kidlit, never underestimate a child’s intellect. Kids can handle weighty topics and philosophical ideas. The trick is figuring out how to deliver these themes in a way that engages their imaginations instead of boring them to death. It’s not easy, but it’s a fun challenge!