May 23 0 comments

12 Questions with Ben Snakepit

Snakepit is an autobiographical journal comic by Austin, Texas resident, Ben Snakepit. Every day, he draws three panels about what happened to him that day, even on the days where nothing much happens. Despite his claims of it being boring, it’s a fascinating read and an interesting voyeuristic peek into the daily life of an artist and musician.

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Ben just released “Snakepit Gets Old,” his sixth book, which chronicles years 10, 11 and 12 of Snakepit comics. I asked Ben a few questions about Snakepit, autobiographical comics, and doing the same damn thing every day for twelve long years.

Disclosure: My husband was college roommates with Ben, and our former publishing company, Young American Comics, published Snakepit for a few years.

1. 12 years is a long time for an autobiographical comic. It seems like most of the time, the kind of artists who make autobio comics are also pretty fragile people and can’t keep it up for long. (Myself included.) Why do you think you’ve been able to make Snakepit for so long?

Well, you know how Snakepit is kinda boring? I think that’s my secret. other people that do diary comics usually try to change it up to keep it from getting boring, so they’ll focus on one event from each day, or they’ll try to get super introspective or go off on a crazy tangent, and eventually they lose what they were going for in the first place. Snakepit is what it is. what I do every day, broken down into its most basic form, you either like it or you don’t, I couldn’t care less. I’m gonna keep doing what works for me.

2. James Kochalka recently ended his autobio strip, American Elf, after 14 years. I recall reading that Kochalka got some negative feedback as the strip (ie: his life) changed – the early days vs. after his children were born. Your life and your comic have obviously changed a lot since you started as well – have you received negative feedback from fans as the comic has changed over the years?

Yeah I’ve had people tell me it got boring after I settled down and got married. Again, I don’t care. I draw these comics because I want to, not because I want to please a specific audience or make money or do anything other than simply chronicle what I do each day. I ripped off this idea from Jim’s Journal. I saw what made that strip work and why it was so compelling, and it’s because he wasn’t trying to please anyone but himself.

3. Everyone you interact with must feel like they know you a whole lot better than you know them. Does it ever get a little Truman Show?

Sort of, but nobody that reads the comic knows anything I didn’t choose to tell them. People always say "I know you so much better than you know me" and I reply "you only know what I want you to know about me."

4. You’ve created and shared music and comics with your fan base for years. In this collection, you got really sick and were able to raise money to help cover medical bills from your fans through social networking. That must have been pretty moving.

It was amazing. I am still completely floored at how many people were so thoughtful and giving. I really wasn’t expecting anything like that. When I went through all that crap with my kidney stone, figured I’d put it on the blog and make a few bucks. at the end I made almost enough to pay for the entire thing, it was really incredible and still blows my mind that anyone would care that much about my dumb ass.

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5. Is there a semi-fictionalized version of Ben vs. the "real you,” a la Stephen Colbert?

About a year and a half into drawing these comics, I decided to get "serious" about it and make it a life-long project. Back then I thought that it was important to keep doing interesting things to keep the comics interesting, so I would occasionally make stupid decisions because they would make good comics. Later on I realized that I’m not trying to make good comics. I’m not trying to do anything at all, I’m just drawing what I want to draw.

6. Do you ever go back and re-read old Snakepit?

Sometimes it comes in really handy, like if I need to know when I got my last raise or when the lease on my apartment is up, it’s actually a useful reference material. I don’t really ever read it for pleasure though. Next year, my first book (The Snakepit Book) is getting re-issued after being out of print for six or seven years. I went back and re-read those comics and realized how much I’ve changed over that span of time. I wrote a new afterward for the book, and I don’t wanna spoil it or anything, but I had a pretty important revelation about myself and where I am in my life now versus then.

7. The title of this collection is a play on the old Garfield collections. I know you’re a big fan of Charles Schultz, as well. How have he and Jim Davis impacted your work? What other artists/writers are you inspired by?

Actually it’s a tip of the hat to Bloom County. There’s a Bloom County strip where they make fun of Garfield, and Opus is reading a book called "Garfield Gets Old, his 80th book"… I’ve honestly never been too much of a Garfield fan but I LOVE Bloom County, and Berke Breathed is one of the main reasons I wanted to start drawing comics in the first place. Charles Schultz is, of course, on a completely different level. He totally changed the idea of what a comic strip can be. Pretty much all "alternative" comic artists owe him a debt.

8. What advice do you give to artists/writers who are just getting started with zines/comix & self-publishing?

Don’t wait for somebody to do it for you. Draw that shit and scan it or make copies or however you want to do it, and just put it out there for people to see. If it’s good, people will like it. If it’s not good, keep doing it for a long time and eventually people will like it.

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9. What advice do you give to musicians who are out there getting started playing shows?

This is gonna sound harsh but it’s true… Don’t expect anything but rejection and failure for decades and decades. The only person in the whole world that gives a crap about hearing your music is you, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon. (I think it’s pretty obvious where I’ve succeeded and failed in my creative endeavors, ha ha.)

10. Austin, Texas is such a cultural hot-spot, and certainly an important part of Snakepit. In this book you celebrated living ten years in Austin and also talked about maybe leaving someday. Do you see that happening? Where would you like to move to?

I’ve kicked around the idea of moving away. Austin has changed a lot in the last ten years, but then again, so has everywhere else. For all things I used to like about this town that I now hate, there are also new things that I love. I think that while I might bitch about it sometimes, I still love it here and I don’t really plan on leaving anytime soon.

11. Will we ever see Snakepit: the Movie? Would it be a documentary? In a fictionalized, Big-Budget Hollywood version, who would you want to direct? Who would you cast as yourself?

There was talk about a Snakepit movie once. It never got past the talking-about phase, but I was pretty flattered that anyone even cared enough to write a script. If I could have a Snakepit movie be made any way I wanted, I’d want Mike Judge to do it, animated, in black and white with minimal scenery, just like the comics. Mike Judge because eveything he’s ever done is totally awesome, and he lives in Austin.

12. What’s next for you? Any big projects on the horizon?

Reissuing the first book next year, I got a few little comics coming out in various anthologies, and I still do my regular column in Razorcake. Other than that I’m just plugging along and hope to keep drawing three panels a day until I’m dead.

Snakepit Gets Old is available now from Bird Cage Bottom Books. You can also find Ben Snakepit’s comics in Razorcake!

Feb 13 0 comments

Free Printable Valentines!

Hello, friends! In honor of Valentines Day tomorrow, I thought I’d share these cute Illustrated Valentines that I made a few years back. There are five different sheets of four valentines, which you can print, cut and give away! Each page has a color version, and a black &white “coloring book” version. You can either cut them out and write on the back, or glue them to a notecard for a folding card.

Click the links below to download and enjoy!

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bear_bees_bear_bear_mockup
Color – Black & White

deer_rabbit_beaver_squirrel_mockup
Color – Black & White

owl_robin_duck_owl_mockup
Color – Black & White

raccoon_hedgehog_skunk_fox_mockup
Color – Black & White

toad_butterfly_snail_turtles_mockup
Color – Black & White

Dec 17 5 comments

Follow-up: The SCIENCE of Self-Care

This morning, I received this comment in my blog:

Lucy is referring to masturbation. Everything else that follows is CM’s quasi-spiritual hippie poseur bullshit.

Rudeness and intent to offend notwithstanding, as I said on Saturday, I intended to talk a little more about the 12 Self-Care Basics yesterday, but spent most of yesterday hanging out with my son playing video games and painting and wasn’t able to find the quiet time to sit down and write.

But today he’s at school, so now I can write a bit more about each of these tips, and show you the science behind each of them as well.

Carl Sagan famously said,

“Science is not only compatible with spirituality; it is a profound source of spirituality.”

and this statement very much illustrates my own personal beliefs.

Over the last few years, I’ve read as much as I could get my hands on about the brain, about happiness and what humans can do to “achieve” it. I’ve listened to lectures, read essays, and stumbled my way through technical scientific papers. While these are in no way “official credentials” and I make exactly zero claims to be an expert on any of this, it’s easy for me to conclude that there IS a science to happiness, one which is compatible with spirituality and yet, plainly scientifically documented.

But, scientific claims must be supported and sources cited. So that’s what I’ll do today. Guys, I wasn’t making this stuff up. Everything here is researched. I would have loved to include all of these sources in the comic itself, but that would’ve been a whole lot to write into a 13-panel page. ;)

So! On with the facts about self-care and happiness!

PS: I think masturbation is awesome and empowering and is absolutely a great part of a self-care routine… (Great consensual sex with a trusted partner can be, too!) ..but maybe not one I want to illustrate in an auto-biographical way… :)

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1. Eat Healthy Food

Your body needs fuel. Here’s what the USDA recommend in their Food Pyramid and Sample Menus.

2. Drink Water

Ever been hung over? The head-ache and irritability are due to dehydration. Here’s more about Hydration and Why It’s Important.

3. Get Some Sleep

This is another “no-brainer,” but I feel like it’s important to mention because the time when many people either start or increase their self-care routine is during times of high stress. It can be hard to sleep, or we stay up way-too-late to study for finals, because it seems like that’s the only way to find the time. But NOT getting enough can be detrimental not only to our happiness but also to our health and even our safety. This article cites several studies which support and provide more background to these statements.

4. Be Active

When we engage in exercise and get our heart-rate going, our body releases endorphins in our brains. Endorphins are a neurotransmitter whose job is little else but to make us FEEL GOOD. More about Exercise and Happiness and more about Endorphins.

5. Interact with Nature

Biophilia is a hypothesis that states that human beings have an inherent connection to nature and natural things, as well as a built-in urge to interact with plants, animals, scenery and weather. While it’d be difficult to “prove” this theory, we can see these ideas supported in a famous study where “[Post-surgery] patients with bedside windows looking out on leafy trees healed, on average, a day faster, needed significantly less pain medication and had fewer postsurgical complications than patients who instead saw a brick wall.” (Source)

6. Hang Out with an Animal Friend

Continuing with the theme of Biophilia, human beings seem to have a seemingly built-in connection with animals (especially our fellow mammals) and animals have been used as part of therapy and recovery in a number of studies. Some studies show that when we spend time with animals, we get increased levels of oxytocin, a powerful hormone which makes us feel happy and trusting. (Source)

7. Read (for Fun)

Bibliotherapy, or using reading (often in conjunction with writing) as a healing technique is as old as the ancient Greeks. Today, it’s frequently associated with reading self-help books, but interesting studies show how many parts of our brain light up during an fMRI scan while we read, and others suggest that the act of reading may increase the neuroplasticity of our brain (simply put, the brain’s ability to change and grow, both physically and functionally.)

While reading blogs or using e-readers may engage our brain in similar ways, I suggest reading books or magazines if your goal is to relax. While screens have gotten better over the years, eye-strain still occurs for some, and if you’ve spent all day working at a computer screen, it’s easier to “escape” into a book than another screen. Again, I’m not saying that reading on an e-reader or computer screen is UNEFFECTIVE, but if your goal is relaxation, it may be MORE effective to read a physical book.

8. Meditate (or Pray)

Sit somewhere comfortably. Be quiet. Focus your thoughts.

fMRI studies show that when we engage in this behavior, physiologic changes occur, including: lowering of the pulse and respiratory rates, a decrease in oxygen consumption and blood lactate levels, and changes in EEG patterns. (Source)

While science can’t study nor prove the effects of prayer beyond what happens in our brain – the act of an individual engaging in prayer (regardless of choice of god or gods) seems to stimulate the brain as meditation does. "The psychological benefits of prayer may help reduce stress and anxiety, promote a more positive outlook, and strengthen the will to live." (Source)

9. Keep a Journal

Obviously I’m a big proponent for art-journaling for creative types, but at it’s most simple, the mere act of jotting down a few thoughts every day can have a profound therapeutic effect. Putting our thoughts down on paper helps us to organize and make sense of them. Add to that the cumulative nature of flipping back through old pages and seeing your own growth, and the benefits of journaling become apparent.

“People who engage in expressive writing report feeling happier and less negative than before writing. Similarly, reports of depressive symptoms, rumination, and general anxiety tend to drop in the weeks and months after writing about emotional upheavals.” (Source)

10. Listen to Music

There are a number of studies about music and why it is therapeutic. “Music has been shown to significantly decrease the levels of the stress hormone cortisol, leading to improved affect, mood, and cognitive functioning.” (Source)

11. Talk to Yourself

Giving yourself a pep-talk is a simple way to get the benefits of visualization – in other words, you’re projecting a positive outcome to your day. Scientists are interested in the idea of visualization, which is categorized as a form of CAM, or  Complimentary Alternative Medicine, (an alternative medicine that shows results, when combined with other medicine/therapy.)

Studies show that visualization can impact healing, and even effect the outcome of athletic performance. (Source)

12. Be Mindful

Mindfulness is a Buddhist concept that is far more complex than described in the comic above. It has to do with awareness of mental and physical functions and maintaining deliberate focus. It has also been studied as a part of Western Modern Psychology since the 1970’s.

“The current research does suggest that mindfulness practices are useful in the treatment of pain, stress, anxiety, depressive relapse, disordered eating, and addiction, among others. Mindfulness has been investigated for its potential benefit for individuals who do not experience these disorders, as well, with positive results. Mindfulness practice improves the immune system and alters activation symmetries in the prefrontal cortex, a change previously associated with an increase in positive affect and a faster recovery from a negative experience.” (Source)

Dec 15 2 comments

What IS Self-Care, Anyway?

What IS Self-Care, Anyway?

What IS Self-Care, Anyway?

(Hi guys! I’ll post some text to go with this tomorrow, but I wanted to make sure it got posted today!! <3)

Jul 19 0 comments

Watercolor Walk

Went outside to paint in the park for a while.

The other day I went for a walk and brought my water colors with me. I’ve done this a couple of times now and it’s really wonderful to work outside under direct natural light.

I took a few pages from an illustrated book about birds and painted these little dudes. 

I can’t wait to go on another “Watercolor Walk.” next time I’ll have to remember to bring my art journal, and a snack!

Do you ever work outside or in a new environment? Where’s your favorite place to seek inspiration?

Here are some more birds.

Here are some birds! :)

Proof I go outside sometimes.

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