My Favorite Things Right Now

an ink drawing of a tree's twisting branches

I have been talking about myself a LOT lately. So to balance the scales, I want to share some of my favorite things right now – movies, books, podcasts, music, anything that you should check out if you haven’t heard about it already!

First, Music.

Let’s get the “big names” out of the way: you should give the Sonic 3 and Knuckles soundtrack a listen. Yes, I sound like a weeb, but hear me out. Because the team who worked with Michael Jackson composed some of these tracks. Now, who EXACTLY composed what songs is a mystery that has confounded the Sonic fandom for 20+ years (apparently). But I cannot deny that the music theory behind Angel Island zone Acts 1 and 2 AND Marble Gardens is borderline genius. Also, Ice Cap Zone Act 1 is a bop and an earworm. That got stuck in my head for DAYS.

Maybe you need more hip hop though? Then check out this Native American hip-hop artist DJ Shub and his track featuring the Northern Cree singers, Indomitable. Also, the Mother’s Day song, I Hope You Know from Supaman and Ashley Hall is great, and the music video is sweet.

Or maybe you want something that will confuse your ear? I can’t recommend Caravan Palace enough. They do a little bit of everything, but all under the electro-jazz umbrella. If you want to start simple, try their singles Melancholia, Moonshine, and Rock It For Me. Also, each music video is gorgeously animated.

Second, Podcasts.

For a while, I listened to the Overly Sarcastic Podcast. In each episode, they talk about the behind-the-scenes work they did for particular episodes, answer listener questions, and goof around. It’s silly and fun.

Recently, I rediscovered my love for The Dollop, a history podcast where the host reads a story of American History out loud to an oblivious stand-up comedian. This podcast does GREAT live shows. I’ve been listening to episode 323, the 1908 New York to Paris Car Race. The event is an utter disaster and the riffs are hilarious. They even did an episode about the Stonewall Riots (which I still need to listen to).

Third, Books.

I have a low-key reading goal: read 60 books before the end of the year. Right now, I’m at 51 books completed. And, surprisingly, some of these books have been great!

The Mermaid, The Witch, and the Sea by Maggie Tokuda-Hall has a “meh” rating on Goodreads, which I kinda’ sorta’ get? This is the story of a genderqueer pirate and a court girl who fall in love, rescue a mermaid, learn magic, and take revenge against a notorious pirate captain and his crew. Apparently, Goodreads decided it’s not for everyone, but I argue otherwise. Also, READ ALL THE WAY TO THE END. It has a fake-out ending where it looks like the lesbian couple does not survive to the end, but READ IT because THEY DO.

Since I’ve read over 50 books so far this year, maybe I’ll write a separate post just for book recommendations. Otherwise, this post will last forever.

Need more? Check out my list of favorite black artists. This list touches on a diverse range of creators, from cosplayers to comic artists.

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading! Be sure to check out these very cool projects, and let me know in the comments what you thought of them!

You. Are. Awesome.

Mid-Year Check-In on My 2021 Goals

Remember when I set my goals for 2021? Well now’s the time to do a mid-year check-in and see how things are going.

Number 1: Make 5 New Craft Pieces

Are we talking about 5 craft projects TOTAL? Yes! This goal is achieved.

But are we talking about the specific craft projects I wrote for myself to do? No.

See, I wanted to make…

  • a kitty-sized sweater for BreeBree (why? Because she’s neurotic and wants hugs ALL THE TIME. I thought a kitty sweater would help)…
  • a patchwork skirt…
  • a bikini top made from upcycled T-shirts…
  • a crochet shawl covered in crochet donuts and cookies (why? I was inspired by a shawl I saw in the live-action The Grinch movie)…
  • and a scrapbook for my graduations. I’ve had these graduation keepsakes for 10+ years and I want to put them in a book instead of a box.

Those first 3? Those are done. I even made 2 bikini tops. The shawl base is also done, but now it needs cookies and donuts.

Number 2: Make 5 Videos that are NOT Live Streams

Honestly, I dropped this goal. Would I love to make animatics? Absolutely. But I need to study how to make animations in Clip Studio Paint. I have no idea what I’m doing.

Number 3: Make 5 Large Prints

I have finished 1 print so far!

an image of a modern-day Valkyrie flying in the air. Their skin is dark, hair white, wings gold and silver, and they wield two swords. The clouds part behind them and divine light shines upon them.

Unfortunately, 2 prints had to be put on hold because they need more work than I expected. The Cryptid of Leaves print is more of a time-sink than I thought because of all the details. The Fighting Game roster I want to draw will require more research and character mock-ups.

So 1 print is done. But that leaves 4 left to do.

I have 2 other ideas in mind. Both are for personal projects. We’ll see how that pans out.

Number 4: Make 5 Books

Slow and Steady wins THIS race!

The Legend of Jamie Roberts, volume 1 has its own updates going on KickStarter. The same goes for Less Than Secret: A Cryptid Anthology (which I did a short story for).

The book I’m designing for Sean…all of it is edited! Now comes actually putting it into PDF form.

But while we’re here…

I’m thinking of NOT doing Inktober this year.

Shock! I know! I’ve done Inktober every year since 2017. And every year, after Inktober wraps up, I put those sketches into a book. I’ve done Witches, Gods & Spirits, AND Dragons.

2020 threw off those plans. As for this year? I’m thinking of not doing Inktober. Because I would LOVE to get the Roxie comics I did for Validation into a book. Those…and Tiny Unicorn.

Number 5: Make 5 Minicomics

HOT DANG, this took a minute to figure out WHAT minicomics I wanted to make.

For this goal, here’s what I want to make:

  • The Legend of Azu-Mi (for KickStarter backers)
  • The Character Compendium (a personal project I talk about sometimes on Instagram)
  • A Mr. Dino story
  • A Kitties By Kelci story
  • And a NEW art sketchbook zine

I have a LOT of zines on clearance on Ko-Fi because I want to make more room for these new minicomics. (If you’re interested, get them before they’re gone forever!)

Here’s hoping I can still make these goals by the end of the year!

How are your goals going? Let me know in the comments.

Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.

New Ideas All At Once – The Genghis Con Mini Pop-Up Event

pictured is an artist alley table set up at a mini pop up event hosted by Genghis Con. This event happened at Superscript Comics and Games in Lakewood, OH.

This past Saturday, I showcased my work at the Genghis Con Mini Pop Up Event. Being surrounded by comics readers and fans…talking to other creators…it gave me so many ideas, all at once.

It just felt GOOD to be back in the comics scene at a live event.

But How Was the Show?

We got a bigger turnout than expected! I sold out of a handful of small things, like stickers. And The Case of the Wendigo was the most popular book on my table!

I want to give a quick shout-out to my friend Deci Belfry. They designed, printed, AND cut my new business cards. Plus they printed and cut new Mr. Dino postcards for the table! (This reminds me: I’ll be sending a portion of proceeds to Margie’s Hope. They’re a local nonprofit serving the trans and nonbinary community).

New Mr. Dino Postcards! A portion of sales of these will go towards Margie's Hope in Lakewood, OH. On the postcard is a dinosaur holding a transgender pride flag.
New Mr. Dino Postcards! A portion of sales of these will go towards Margie’s Hope in Lakewood, OH
Here's one of the business cards that Deci Belfry designed for me! Pictured is a stylized velociraptor jumping on a business card, with the text "You. Are. Awesome." Below that text is IG: @mrdinoandfriends as well as kelcidcrawford.com
Here’s one of the business cards that Deci Belfry designed for me!

What Kind of Ideas Did I Get?

SO MANY.

I’ve mentioned on Instagram that I have a personal project, called the Character Compendium. I’ve decided that the first batch of compendiums will be zines. They’ll be easier to assemble, print, and share that way (instead of making one large book. The book was the original idea, but zines are faster).

Speaking of zines, I need to give a shout-out to Matt, aka haberfish on Instagram. His perzine inspired me with the idea of a Mr. Dino “anthology” zine. He also makes delightful cartoons, and you should follow his work.

Not only am I thinking of a Mr. Dino perzine…but Matt and Deci gave me another idea…

My personal project, Kitties By Kelci? What if there’s a comic strip with those witch kitties? I will say: if I move forward on a Kitties By Kelci comic strip, they’ll post once a week on my email newsletter. That’s how I first published Thoughtful Dinosaur and Charlie & Clow: The Bonus Arc. I think it’s high-time that another email comic strip happens. Don’t you?

Cool! But Don’t I Have a Lot Going On?

Honestly? Yeah. That’s why I’m going to make some of these new ideas small projects, like zines. (Actually, this ties in nicely to one of my 2021 goals: make more minicomics). Small projects are easier and faster to finish.

When it comes to making and finishing things, I just need to remember: One Thing At A Time. It’s been my mantra for a while now, and I find it helpful in times like this.

That’s all I have for now. Be sure to stay up-to-date by hopping on my email newsletter, where I talk about current and upcoming projects. Like new books.

And be sure to check out Deci and Matt online! I also want to give a shout-out to a few other artists from the pop-up event: Caleb from Village Comics (he has a KickStarter next month!). Lindsey J Bryan. And Quill. (I know I’m forgetting other cool peeps, so tag yourself in the comments).

Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.

My Projects for The Rest of 2021

Last Saturday, on my livestream (which you can watch because it’s archived here), I announced a LOT of projects. To make the list more understandable, here’s the broad strokes.

Group 1: The Books

Last week I announced my departure from NeverEnding. For reasons listed here. Now that I have left, that means more time to fulfill KickStarter rewards.

So, yes! The Legend of Jamie Roberts, volume 1 will get done MUCH faster!

Less Than Secret: A Cryptid Anthology is coming together well. That said, this book is being handled by my comic buddies Ben and Rainer. So most of the production is out of my hands now.

I also have a small list of books I would LOVE to see released before the end of the year. So come back later for more info on those!

(Spoilers: A couple of them may be collaborations I’ve done with CB, co-creator of Validation. We’ll be collaborating on new projects soon!)

Group 2: The Illustrations

BreeBree Bootique is back, with a modified release schedule. Why?

Because Mr. Dino & Friends will be getting their own RedBubble store AND Instagram soon!

These two projects will have alternating release schedules: one Friday will have a new BreeBree Bootique design. The next Friday will have a Mr. Dino and Friends design. Then the cycle repeats.

Also, there are still large prints to make as part of my 2021 goals. One is already done (and you can watch me work on THAT in this archived stream). That leaves 4 more to go – and I will livestream working on those!

Group 3: The Everything Else

I’m ready to livestream on a regular schedule again! I had to take a break after the frenzy of promoting Less Than Secret. Now, livestreams will be coming back.

So be sure to subscribe to my YouTube channel and hit that bell. I’ll be streaming every Saturday at 1 pm EDT. This weekend I’m streaming Clip Studio Paint Tips and Tricks.

As for other projects…well, there are new podcasts on the horizon. I’ll keep you posted as those shows come together. If you like tabletop RPGs, I hope you’ll stick around for these new podcasts.

Speaking of Tabletop RPGS…I’m putting together an NPC Compendium. This resource will be for all the game masters out there who need non-player characters to populate their worlds. Follow me on Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, or Ko-Fi as I draw these characters!

And the Blog?

I’m updating this blog more often so you know how things are going! I hope you stick around.

(Or you can subscribe to my email newsletter. It’ll have updates on ALL of these projects at the end of each week.)

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.

What I Want to Do in 2021

I think we can all agree that we’re SO HAPPY to leave 2020. Granted, the first week of January’s been a hot mess, too. I chalk that up to 2020’s final gasps of desperation, like the attention gremlin it is.

With 2020 out of the way

What’s Next?

This year, I’m going to have a theme for the year, not resolutions.

For me, the theme for 2021 is GROWTH. I want to grow my book catalog, my minicomic collection, and a LOT more. And I want to grow into new subjects and mediums.

To get there, I decided to play with numerology. I set 5 separate goals, because 2+0+2+1=5. And in those goals, I intend on making 5 things. Let me illustrate:

GOAL 1: Make 5 New Craft Pieces

I’ve been getting more hands-on this past year. But that also means unfinished craft projects. So I want to finish some crochet, sewing, and scrapbooking projects that have stuck around for too dang long.

GOAL 2: Release 5 New Minicomics

Funny story; a few weeks ago, I followed up with Quimby’s, whom I sell on consignment with. As I made minicomics to send to them for restocking their shelves, I realized something…

The stuff they wanted restocks for were over 5 years old.

My art has changed in the last 5 years. And I want my minicomics to reflect that growth. Also, there’s some story ideas and art tools that would work better in short form, rather than in graphic novels or novellas.

GOAL 3: Make 5 New 11×17 inch (or Larger) Prints

Real talk…I’ve been writing a lot more prose in 2020. But the art bug keeps biting me with those stories. These stories don’t want to be told as comics, though, so I’m going to draw select scenes and moments as large prints.

Also I have colored pencils and watercolors that I REALLY want to use to make more art. So these prints would be a good candidate for those. (Who knows? Maybe I’ll make some minicomics with these tools, too.)

GOAL 4: Release 5 New Books

This book count includes my own books, PLUS Sean’s book and a comics anthology project I’ve joined recently. I just really want Fantasyville Productions to grow its foundation of authors and creatives! And the world needs BOOKS!

GOAL 5: Make 5 Videos on YouTube

NO, NOT LIVESTREAMS. Livestreams are fun, but they don’t count for this goal.

Instead, I want to grow into making animatics and short animations. And since I’ve joined TikTok recently, I may even make compilation videos of some of my own TikToks and post them on YouTube. (btw follow me on TikTok at kelcidc.)

“This is a lot of making stuff,” you might be thinking. “Why not have your theme be ‘Make’?”

Because I want to grow into new mediums, subject matter, and topics and challenges this year. Making things is the vehicle to grow into those challenges.

Will things get uncomfortable on the journey? I guarantee it. When trying out new things, there’s always discomfort. But I look forward to the challenge. After the trials of 2020, I look forward to seeing what this year will do.

Since this is a LOT of stuff I want to make, I’ll be blogging and posting on social media more often. So stay tuned for more updates!

That’s all for now. Thank you for reading!

You. Are. Awesome.