As promised, so I have delivered. Getting this ready took more time than expected (on account of having to learn how to build this blog from scratch, as I could not find anyone willing to do the work). But now the front page blog I’ve mentioned as part of my 2013 plans is finally here. (Read more…)
Last night I had the pleasure of participating in a roundtable discussion with the Comic Clinic at the Mount Sinai Medical Center in New York City. Though perhaps “participating” isn’t quite the right word. I had been invited by the group’s founders back in October. They stopped by my table at the New York Comic Con, and one particular member was drawn by the Indian-ness of the art for Chadhiyana. They felt I would be a good speaker to bring in, and I was all too happy to agree. (Read more…)
What does one write when he has nothing to write about? I’ve often asked this question of myself, in various forms, when considering the problem of marketing myself constantly. It’s not that I feel self-conscious about marketing myself. (No, indeed! If you ask people who are close to me, very many of them will laugh and tell you how shameless I can be about it. You have to be!) It’s that I often question what really is news worthy, or at least worth the time to blog, tweet or post about. (Read more…)
Recently, I began posting pages from the first Chadhiyana comic on Newgrounds.com, in my renewed efforts to give more attention to a website I’m unexpectedly quite visible on (especially in comparison to every other art and social media site I’m a member of). Last week, I posted the first page of Chadhiyana’s first story, “A Saviour in the Dark,” which produced some fairly strong reactions. Some found the page powerful, whilst others were completely appalled by the scene it depicted. (You can see the page and read the reactions on Newgrounds.com here: http://www.newgrounds.com/art/view/jmdesantis/a-saviour-in-the-dark-page-1) (Read more…)
A little less than a month ago, I said good-bye to my long-term position as a substitute teacher for, ironically enough, one of my former high school classmates who was out on maternity leave. However, the real interesting bit in this story is the subject matter I was teaching: fashion. (Read more…)
I know there are some of you who are wondering when the next Chadhiyana book or story is coming. After all, the first Chadhiyana comic is set up as a “glimpse” of the character and her world, and though the responses have generally been favourable, it’s only just enough to whet people’s appetite for my new character. (Read more…)
A week ago today I made the most amazing discovery. I say that (or write it rather) without so much as a second thought. Certainly it was the strangest discovery of my entire career. You see, last Wednesday I was on my Newgrounds.com account to make a post about the recent changes to jmdesantis.com and stumbled upon a most astounding fact: my work is getting more attention there than on Facebook, Twitter and deviantART COMBINED! (Read more…)
Wishing you all a happy, healthy and successful 2013!
The changes to jmdesantis.com are complete! Almost. The intention was to include a blog on the front-page (something I’ve wanted since I launched this site seven years ago), however, despite the increasing ease of creating blogs, I’m still having trouble programming it myself or finding someone who can (I’m not versed in PHP, nor do I wish to use a ready-made template or a separate blog provider). The blog’s inclusion would have needlessly delayed the launch of this new design, so I will leave it at this: the blog will be added, but it’s going to take some more time. (Read more…)
My latest publication is now available: “Steampunk Originals” from Arcana, featuring my two-page comic story, “Diwali,” a steampunk yarn about a revolt against the East India Trading Company in India. This is also the first time I’ve written and not illustrated a comic story of mine!
