Alex Norris
Cartoonist, performer
Posted in cartoonist, performer, windows
Who are you, and what do you do?
My name is Alex Norris. I'm a queer cartoonist and performer based in London UK, best known for my webcomic named "Webcomic Name".
What hardware do you use?
I've always been an advocate that expensive hardware shouldn't be a barrier for artists, because so many working class/low income people feel shut out of the online art world because they don't have the 'right' equipment. I still think you can make a great webcomic by simply taking photos of sketchbook drawings with your phone. I started out drawing comics by hand with cheap pens (Staedler Pigment Liner or Uni Pin Fine Line are still my go-to). I would then scan them in using my local library scanner and colour them using a free program like GIMP.
When I moved to digital drawing I used a Wacom Intuos tablet with my cheap Acer laptop. "Webcomic Name" is made to be fully digital and drawing on the go is important for me, so I now use an iPad Pro for drawing but I still plan every comic in a small portable sketchbook and make all of my notes in there.
And what software?
I used to use GIMP because it was free, then moved to a pirated version of Photoshop. I now pay for my software (of course!) and I use Clip Studio Paint which I think is the best and simplest and most affordable drawing software for comics in my style.
What would be your dream setup?
I think I already have my dream set-up! I am not fussy and the main thing I love is writing and drawing comics without getting bogged down in technical stuff. However, I would love to have a way of drawing while cycling!