Abstract Koi, Concrete Happiness, and Haiku as Travel Literature

Plus the journey from idea to haiku comic

Hello, Fellow Fish!

Do you dare enter the weird world of my mind?

life in the current
each koi’s eternal journey
is this happiness?

If you’re curious, the Chinese writing translates as “Chiang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall”.¹

Abstract Koi

You might have noticed that today’s comic is a little different from my usual work. I blame the fantastic Field Guide to Graphic Literature from The Rose Metal Press. It was just released at the end of July, and in the midst of its pages, I have found a new kind of creative kinship. This book has not only led me to many more creators that share my affinity for combining images and text in different ways, but it has given me a long list of outlets to pitch my weird stuff to that have a history of publishing similar things.

However, most importantly, the Field Guide to Graphic Literature has given me the language to describe my work. Graphic literature is right there in the title. It covers the poetry comics I share here each day, as well as so much of the other stuff I make and dream of making.

I was itching to try some new ideas and began doodling in my notebook:

I started by experimenting with different color combinations. I like to try colors that don’t immediately sound like a good pair. I was inspired by the color scheme of the Joker character in the Batman comics.

After I finished the first doodles on the left, I remembered the koi drawings Sue Clancy had shared on

A.M. Sketching

earlier that day. (Thanks for inspiring me yet again, Sue!)

I decided to experiment with drawing some abstract(ish) koi as they might look from a bird’s eye view of their pond.