Profile: Jaye Frisina

 Madbadcat’s Note: The first time I saw Jaye Frisina’s work, I laughed out loud. How is it possible for that whimsical ninja to be endearing and threatening at the same time? The answer to that question is probably the essence of Ms. Frisina’s talent.

::: Artist(s) Name:::
Jaye Frisina

::: Title of Work(s:::
FIN cartoons, and Thirteenth Story zines

::: Publisher:::
Self-published

::: Website:::
ThirteenthStory.com

::: 1 ::: Tell us about yourself. Where did you grow up? What’s your favorite color? When did you first realize you were an artist? Did you draw as a kid? Color outside the lines?

I grew up in Boston, and have not left yet. And oh yes, I have been drawing since I was a child! I used to draw on furniture with those scented Mr. Sketch markers, and I once drew on my white cat with red chapstick. Those endeavors didn’t go over too well. But art has been a constant part of my life, and I am grateful for it.

::: 2 ::: What comic book genres interest you the most? Who is your favorite comic book artist and/or writer? How have they influenced your work

Comic books interest me, period. There is no one genre that I gravitate towards, and the diversity of storytelling within comics brings me much joy.

My favorite contemporary comic book artists are Mike Mignola and Min-Woo Hyung. They, along with classic artists like Alex Toth and Bernie Krigstein, have taught me how to use black ink to the fullest, how to lay out a page, and how to use hard lines without compromising the softness of an image.

::: 3 ::: How did you get involved in comics? What was your first comic?

My first comic was Prince Valiant, which I read strip-by-strip in the daily newspaper at home. Hal Forester didn’t skimp on illustration, and each panel gave me a lot to spend time with visually. It would be a while before I found the local comic shops, though when I did, visiting them became a habit.

::: 4 ::: What is your favorite self-published creation?

Right now I am working on the fourth issue of my art zine called Thirteenth Story. Making this zine has been a tremendous learning experience in regards to deadlines, publishing costs, and distribution. I’ve taken some hits, both financial ones and critical ones, and the process itself has made me grow as a person.

If I find something interesting enough, or important enough, or visually pleasing enough to put out there in this mini-magazine form, I will. But that doesn’t mean its worth any money to other people, and even selling them for $1 each has been difficult. I think I have given more away than I have sold! And that is okay for now. Each issue strives to fill in where the previous issue fell short. For example, the first three were sixteen pages long, which has been considered short, and this fourth one will be twenty-four pages. There is a lot of trial and error, but I am proud of the end product, and energized while making a new issue.

::: 5 ::: How did you come up with the concept for FIN ?

There is something about telling a story with sequential illustration that calls to me. I was often writing scripts, designing characters, and doing thumbnail sketches of comics that never came to be. I realized I was setting my sights too high and that to start out in comics with a novel-sized story line was just too overwhelming, and I never got past page one in ink. After much thought, I decided that if I were to do a cartoon in the drawing style that people were already so responsive to, then I could keep a manageable pace and feel what it is like to create consistently with the same characters and within the same world. The decision to have a ninja as the main character is solely based on being able to use a lot of black ink, for black ink is my obsession.

FIN is still new- there are only six official panels so far, and my schedule is a simple monthly one. But I have been selling limited edition prints of these cartoons, and FIN is getting a lot of attention. It bodes well for more comics from me in the future, and for re-visiting those longer scripts and sketches I have in my files.

::: 6 ::: What was the hardest part of creating your comic book? What hardware (computer, scanner, printer, etc) do you use? What software?

The technical process of creating this cartoon is pretty clear-cut. The originals are all five inches by five inches, your typical square. I draw in pencil on Bristol Board, then ink the blacks. The colors are all done with acrylic paints applied with a dry-brush style. If I had to choose a most difficult aspect, it would be the lettering, but only because I have to use a ruler and do some math. I letter in my own handwriting, because I like the original pages to be complete. So although I have the Adobe Create Suite, I only use it for removing dust marks and giving the drawing a thick black border.

::: 7 ::: How have you handled the business side of being an artist? How do you promote your book/website/comic? What’s the best and worst parts of being a full time, working artist?

Well, I am no longer a full time artist. I did try that for a few months, and decided that I need to save up a lot more money before I can devote myself to art full time; plus I needed a health care plan, which is the law in Massachusetts. So I picked up some work as a Personal Assistant to the president of a local company and I make the most of the flexible schedule.

Someone once told me that being a full time artist is 50% administrative and 50% creative. I am still trying to strike that balance between business time and drawing time. The best thing I have done is to limit my hours online. Before, if I logged-on in the morning, it would be dark out before I realized it. Keeping tabs on that has helped protect my drawing time. Its difficult because most of my online time is spent on art business (on forums, blogs, and processing internet orders), but being realistic about the time spent in front of the computer is critical to my success.

I also sell my art in stores, galleries, and at craft fairs. Much of the promotion for those venues is done by folks other than me, which is a huge relief- but being prepared and organized for these situations is just as time consuming. I’m still making adjustments to where my energy goes, and I’m sure those adjustments will continue for quite some time, at least until I need to hire my own personal assistant.

::: 8 ::: Has the Internet helped your career as an artist? If so, how?

Years ago, I participated in a pin-up contest for Runes of Ragnan, and it was the first comic-related drawing that I had shared with anyone. There was a gallery with all of the entries, the feedback was instant. It was a big moment when someone said that my drawing was now their desktop background. That quiet comment from god-knows-where changed everything for me. That beginning gave me the confidence to keep posting my artwork, and all responses since then, positive and negative, have helped me grow immeasurably.

::: 9 ::: What is one stereotype about comic book writers/artists that is absolutely wrong?

We’re not shut-ins. I find that living life is important to the process, and its much harder to keep creativity alive if worldly experience ceases.

::: 10 ::: What one stereotype is dead on?

The notion of the struggling, starving artist. Its not easy making a living at making art in this world, but luckily we are a creative bunch and can figure something out.