I have really enjoyed taking something that I really like, and breaking it down so that I can explain why I like it. I can’t wait to introduce you all to more artists and their comics. But I digress… here’s the final installment of the Sketch Comedy Feature Series!

So in the three installments, I’ve talked about Sketch Comedy‘s lack of a fourth wall, use of highly detailed panels, and hilarious expressions. For this last post, I wanted to draw your attention to the backgrounds. Unlike many webcomics where there’s usually only one punchline all the time,  Jackson Ferrell (Twitter, Google Plus, Facebook) occasionally hides little mini-jokes within panels. It takes form in many ways. Sometimes it’s the movements of some background characters who bump into each other, sometimes it’s like the comic below and there’s a light reaction from another character, sometimes it’s a little note or graph that just emphasizes something. Either way, I really like it.

It’s like these small asides that keep you re-reading his comics. You just never know what’s going to happen the second time through. I’ve been reading his comic for a while now, and every now and then, I’ll still stumble upon something in the backgrounds that cracks me up. It’s the small moments like this that round-out the humor of Sketch Comedy for me. Overall, his comic makes me happy, and for that, I love it.

Phasing Out

Interview Part 4:

Q. Who is your hero, and why?

I have a lot of respect for David Willis as a cartoonist, and he’s particularly impressed me with his work on Dumbing of Age. The comic showcases his strength in characterization through dialogue, body language and facial expression. His backgrounds are solid too–it really looks like his characters are inhabiting physical college spaces. Granted, sometimes I read a strip and say to myself, “Another sex joke? Willis is using his talent for this?” but the fact is he knows how to bring his writing and art together to make quality comics, and he developed this talent by drawing comics relentlessly for over fifteen years. Sometimes I wonder if the only way to succeed as a cartoonist is to have a really terrible sleep schedule.

Q. As an artist, where do you draw value from your work?

Obviously, it’s great to share my work and see others enjoy it. Comics are communication! But the creative process–the mechanical routine of penciling, inking, laying out word bubbles and adding tone and shading–can be almost therapeutic for me, and as much as I love interacting with my readers via comics and comments, I’d probably keep cartooning even if I were the only one reading my stuff.

And of course, it’s great to see that people value the stuff I make when they buy a t-shirt or original artwork. I don’t know why it feels like money-grubbing to say that, but the fact is that ink, paper, brushes and pens, tablets, printers, scanners and software all cost money–cartooning isn’t free. When people donate, commission, or buy stuff from my store, it helps me make better comics more frequently, and I really appreciate their support.

In Conclusion…

I hope you’ve enjoyed learning more about Sketch Comedy and its creator, Jackson Ferrell! It updates on Mondays and Thursdays, so go read it!

Next month, we’ll take a look at another comic and artist! I’m excited about this series!