The 6 Steps to Genius: Secrets of the Creative Process

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Good morning, friends, and welcome back to Comics Odyssey—thanks for joining me as we dive into this week’s chapter of of Understanding Comics.

I’m glad to be back in the martial arts discipline but it means cutting back on internet habits. Expect fewer appearances in Substack notes so don’t rely on that feed to stay up to date with Comics Odyssey, make sure to subscribe.

time stamps

Schedule Adjustments (00:00:37 - 00:01:41): Discusses returning to martial arts, its mental health benefits, and the need to sacrifice internet usage for ,ore productive pursuits.

Spirit Girl Progress (00:01:46 - 00:02:51): Updates on inking Spirit Girl 3, showing progress (half or more inked), and plans for washes, whites, and lettering, emphasizing the loving process.

McCloud’s Art Theory (00:03:22 - 00:04:15): Skips the initial art theory section, calling it silly and wrong, while appreciating McCloud’s brilliance and inviting paid subscribers for a chat.

Six Steps of Creativity (00:04:28 - 00:08:14): Explores McCloud’s six creative process steps—Idea, Form, Idiom, Structure, Craft, Surface—explaining their non-linear nature with examples like comics vs. sculpture.

Artist Evolution (00:09:02 - 00:14:22): Discusses how comic makers evolve, from surface-focused beginners to masters balancing idea, form, and craft, using personal music/martial arts teaching insights.

Creative Archetypes (00:17:21 - 00:20:32): Introduces McCloud’s four archetypes from Making Comics—Classicists, Animists, Formalists, Iconoclasts—reflecting on personal alignment (Animist/Iconoclast) and inviting viewer input.

Future Plans (00:21:52 - 00:23:10): Teases paid previews of Spirit Girl 3, a mapping/worldbuilding project with a geography expert, and potential live streams, sparked by bike rides for block data.

music is by ‪@Futurescape‬ s