Inspiration board 43

 

Hey fam, I hope you're well. It has been a rough one for me lately but trying to hold on to it. Check out some of these things that have been dope to me recently. Keep going.

Starting from top to bottom, left to right:

1. Major Taylor Iron Riders -video by The Pro's Closet (Cycling/Fitness)

2. Odessa- Middle grade graphic novel by Jonathan Hill (book)

3. Giant Robot- Doc about an AAPI magazine/store (film)

4. Monica Martin- Vocalist, songwriter from the midwest (music)

5. El Michel's Affair x Black Thought- I'm still somehow (music)

6. 1000% Me- Doc about being mixed by W. Kamau Bell (film)

7. Art of Cam Kendell from Fart Quest (art)

8. Hidari- Stop motion animated samurai (stop mo animation)

9. The Nakba- Educational video about the Nakba in Palestine (history)

10. Chang Can Dunk- Narrative film about personal goals (film)

11. Cymone Wilder- is an incredible lettering artist (lettering)

12. This Was Our Pact- All ages graphic novel by Ryan Andrews (book)

13.  Moon Girl and the Devil Dinosaur- Animated show based on comic (tv)

14. Endea Owens - Where the Nubians Grow (music)

15. Turning Red- Animated film by Pixar (animation)

16. The Last of Us- Post apocalyptic tv show based on video game (tv)

Did you miss the previous inspiration board? Here it is, plus a few more 

Inspiration board 42

Inspiration board 41

Inspiration board 40

 

What's this? This inspiration board is one of the ways I stay inspired and sane through all of life's trials, and tribulations, work, etc. I've been making inspiration boards full of films, books, music, events, people, artists, movements, and more for over a decade. Do you have an inspiration board? Please share in the comments.

Who am I? My name is Rob Liu-Trujillo and I'm an artist working in kid lit, public art, and other disciplines. Go to my website, or follow me on IG or YouTube. You can also cop my first art book here.

Christina "Steenz" Stewart - Inspiring

 

I nervously met Steenz while walking around the Toronto Comics & Arts Fest and their work is amazing. I believe they identify as both she and they but I'll use they. Steenz is a comics writer, cartoonist, and editor from St. Louis (My Grandma's hometown). Not only that but they teach it which is so freaking cool!

Here is their website

And here's a video of a presentation they made about how writers and artists can collaborate to make better comics. Insightful!!

Dig this? Check out this post about artist Bea Gifted

Virtuous Con- Virtual convention Feb 25-26th

 

Hey folks, I'm going to be a virtual vendor at the third "Virtuous Con". I'm excited to participate, check out the panels, and to interact with attendees. Once you register for this event you'll be able to virtually interact with the different creators and vendors. More info and registration here.

What is this?
Virtuous Con is a company created by Cerece Rennie Murphy that produces and hosts virtual events, as a vehicle for independent science fiction, fantasy, and comics creators to grow an audience for their work. Each event venue creates an authentic experience for attendees including virtual “booths” for vendors to interact live with attendees about their products and live panel rooms to interact in real-time discussions. Murphy created Virtuous Con out of a need to help many of her BIPOC creative colleagues and friends whose businesses were disproportionally impacted by the COVID-19 shutdowns.

Dig this? Check out this virtual panel I did as one of the organizers of the Social Justice Children's Book Holiday Fair

Inspiring Artist- Victoria Ying

 

Victoria Ying is an incredible artist and author from the LA area who I came across when she was working at Disney many years ago. I remember seeing a project she lead called "Extra Curricular Activities". Then I saw her in the "Lovely" book with women working in animation. I have been a big fan ever since and I loved her books "City of Secrets" and "Meow". Check out some of her beautiful paintings and drawings.

Yo, if you're new: This is where I share artists that have been inspiring to me in my work sometimes directly and other times indirectly. Do yourself a favor and check out Victoria's site here. There you can catch some of the amazing books she's created such as "City of Secrets" and hear some interviews such as this one where she talks about her process for creating her graphic novel.

If you missed the last inspiring artist I posted, check out Ami Thompson or Elizabeth Catlett's work! And if you're still looking for more inspiration peep inspiration board 41 I made because everybody gets stuck. 

PS: Victoria teaches!! You can take a class she teaches on visual development here :)

VIDEO: My Favorite Art Books 3

 

Hey everyone its been awhile since I did one of these and I'm excited to share it.  The aim of these is to inspire you, inspire artists, young readers, and more. Art books to me are books using visual art, photography, design, collage, and words to highlight a topic, art form, person, place, genre, discipline, or medium. 

They are a great way to unplug when you've been staring at screens too long. They're great for traveling, road trips, flights, etc. They're great for getting inspired and they're a great way to get young people reading; as long as its about a topic they LOVE. Please watch and share.

I discuss 13 books in the video including my own art book:
"The Art of Tekkenkinkreet / Black & White" - Shinji Kimura
"Supreme Glamour"- Mary Wilson
"The Art of Juanjo Guarnido" - Juanjo Guarnido
"Shelter in Place" - Avy Jetter
"Dinotopia" - James Gurney
"Painting The Streets-Oakland Uprising in the Time of Rebellion"- Nomadic Press
"Creations Vol. 1" - Derek Laufman
"Iguana Bay" - Claire Wendling
"Black Champions in Cycling" - Marlon Lee Moncrieffe
"Maestrapiece- San Francisco's Monumental Feminist Mural" -Heyday Books
"Art of Rob" - Robert Liu-Trujillo
"Prince of Cats" - Ronald Wimberly 

Dig this? Check out "My Favorite Art Books 2" the second video in this series. And if your local bookstore or library doesn't have any of the art books you're looking for, politely request them :)

If you'd like to purchase some of them I suggest ordering them from your local bookstore, Bookshop.org, or StuartNg Books in LA.

Video-Oakland Creates interview (snippet)

 

Yo, heres a snippet of a longer interview I did with Oakland Creates founder Avy Jetter! Stay tuned for the whole ting soon and come to the Oakland Creates Art, Comics, and Zine fests happening Dec 4th in Oakland Ca.

Link for more INFO

Dig this? Check out this video describing the event

Oakland Creates Art, Zine, Comics Fair

 

I'm excited to be one of many artists tabling at this year's Oakland Creates show. It will be my first time attending but I have been hearing about the show through its creator Avy Jetter for many years. Starting several years ago, this show gives artists, artisans, comics & zine makers a way to showcase their work with the people of Oakland. Most of the creators are Oakland based and I'm excited to be there. Check out the drawing I did for this year's merch. 

Oakland Creates Art, Comics and Zine Fest began as a vision about bringing folks together through art and giving them an opportunity to present their best selves, learn how to make a living while both interacting and serving their community with positive action. A vision to help empower folks to learn about themselves and develop themselves in multiple areas of the lives whether it’s education, healing, leadership or fulfilling their own art vision.

Oakland Creates prioritizes women of color, Queer, Disabled, Black artists and or any underrepresented artists whether they be new or emerging artists just starting out or artists that just have not been given proper promotion or marketing. Oakland Creates holds space and gives opportunities to amazing creative folk who have something awesome to say to the world and our local community. Oakland Creates celebrates storytelling and positive engagement. Let’s keep the conversation going. Because if we don’t tell our own stories, then who will?

Time: 11:00am - 5:00pm

Where: OakStop 1721 Broadway, Oakland, CA

Twitter:@Oakland_Creates

IG: @oaklandcreates

Check out this video of creators expressing their love for the show!

Here is the FACEBOOK invite

Here is a GoFund Me fundraising page to support the show

Inspiring Artist - Lorena Alvarez

 

I came across Lorena Alvarez work with her graphic novel "Nightlights" in 2016. Ever since then I have been eagerly awaiting any new work from the Colombiana. Originally from Bogotá she studied there and here in the states. 

One of the things I love most about her work besides its incredible sense of imagination, is her use of color. It is delicious to look at. Listen to this interview with her on the Children's Book Podcast.

video link

OK, thats some of her illustration work which is both digital and traditional. You can follow her on IG here. Her portfolio is here, and you can cop her comics Hicotea and Nightlights at most book stores. She's worked on some other books too, but I don't know them as well.

If you liked this check out some of the other ladies I've shared:

-Claire Wendling

-Bisa Butler

-Ami Thompson

Looking for more inspiration, here's my last Inspiration Board from August of 2022

Mini comic 1 - Time

 

Fam, here's a new published piece! "Time". It's 8 pages long and I completed it in a few days. It's a mini comic and a zine of sorts. I started working on my first zine in 2007 and did quite a few until the early 2010's which is when I started getting work as a kids book illustrator and self publishing my own kids books. I 'm trying to strengthen my comics muscle so I decided to make this mini as I work on other comic shorts. Its much looser than I would even draw, but the goal was to finish it. Which I failed at before. And I got to debut it at TCAF (Toronto Comics and Arts Fest). 

Its about a theoretical crush and is very nostalgic as I was thinking of the days of jr high and high school when I would get dressed hoping to sit next to my crush in class. Its a PG comic so most kids can read it. 

Cop one here.

Here's a post I wrote last yr about past zines.

tbt- New Frontiers Comics Anthology

 

Yo, several years ago I got to work on my first comics anthology for Jeff Yang and Keith Chow who were putting together "NEW FRONTIERS" -The Many Worlds of George Takei! I was recently reminded of it somehow and I forgot to post it. Jeff and Keith did the Secret Identities anthology which is a ground breaking book of Asian American comics artists. Check out some process art.

Looking at my piece now although I feel like I can do so much better, I'm glad for the opportunity to contribute to the book and to talk about being taken and forcefully separated from ones family as George Takei experienced during world war 2. This book came at a time when the forced separations of families was being expanded by both the Obama and the Trump administration. And I hope it serves as a way for young readers to understand the horrors and triumphs of it. Props to all the Japanese Americans who stood with Muslim and Latinx immigrants. Here's my piece.

There are so many great artists in the book such as Ming Dolye, David Walker, Edgardo Miranda-Rodriguez, Cory Thomas, Ron Chan, Chris Visions, and so many more. Real talk, when this first dropped there were some accusations of sexual assault against George, so I paused as a lot of folks did. But I believe those charges have been proven to be false. I'm not a trekkie, but I've always appreciated George's stance on family separations, using his platform to speak out against injustice, and for being a proud gay Asian man. And shout out to Keith and Jeff for giving me chance.

You can get a copy here: Japanese American National Museum

And you can read more about the book via Nerds of Color

Digs this? Check out my mini comics Time and Ride Again

TCAF 2021

 

Check out the poster for the 2021 Toronto Comics Arts Festival. The fest poster is by Cole Pauls. You can follow TCAF on Instagram or find out more info on their site. I'm excited to be a vendor for this year's virtual event. Stay tuned...

Video: SOL Con Panel

 

Here's a video recording of a panel discussion I did which was fun featuring artists from Ohio and other places across the US for the annual SOL-CON. Shout out to Katlin Marisol Sweeney for moderating!

Projects worth supporting-Comics & Books

 

John Jennings on Afrofuturism

This is such a great talk by John about the history of Afrofuturism and Black independent comics. I feel a sense of revitalization from this talk. Its a helpful reminder that our people have been doing this and continue to make stories with or without attention.

Inspiring Artist - Afu Chan

Peace just sharing an artist who's work inspires me. Check out Afu Chan here. More of his work below.

Have you seen the work of Rudy Gutierrez?

Bookmark 10 - Leer Comícs

Check it out, new book mark. En Español for my Spanish speaking readers and bilingual students. 

BUY here

Did you see there are two bilingual bookmark packs?

Here is the most recent one from 2020

and

here is the pack from 2019

Bookmark Pack 2

Yo, just finished a new pack of bilingual bookmarks for the readers of all ages. This time with a focus on comics. This is a pack so you can get one of each, 3, 5, or more. Check out the close ups of the bookmarks and...

Buy a Pack HERE

Did you see the previous pack of bilingual bookmarks? Here it is LINK.

Bookmark 9 - Read Comics

Here's a new comic to encourage readers of all ages to read comics. I know some will say it's not educational or that they're not real books but who cares. If you enjoy reading them, read em! And for those who haven't fully seen what comics can do, this is to give them a nudge.

Purchase HERE

Did you see the last bilingual bookmark set?

Latinx Comics Arts Festival- Modesto

Yo, juiced to be at Modesto Community College again this year for the Latinx Comic Arts Festival. There will be lots of creators tabling so bring your folks, homies, etc. March 20-21st! EVENT Invite LINK

Here's a link to an article about the show

SOL CON! - Columbus OH

Yooooo. I'm so excited to announce that I will be at this years 5th annual SOL CON in Columbus Ohio. This is an amazing comic con and creative festival featuring Black and Brown creatives from the midwest, the East Coast, the West Coast, Mexico, and so many more places. I met the festival's organizer Dr Frederick Luis Aldama at the last Latino Comics Expo! This event will be held at the Ohio State University and sponsored by the Office of Diversity & Inclusion, Billy Ireland Cartoon Research library, and Cartoon Crossroads Columbus. I

f you're in the area or know someone who is, please invite them!! Here is the website link to see who's there and some of the workshops. 

Check out this video:

Check out this other poster!!