I’m toying with the idea of starting my own web comic strip in addition to what I’m doing here at DrewLitton.com. One of the things I have found that it’s important for me to diversify as much as I can. Here’s the scoop straight from the brand new Creator’s Incubator website. Just click on the image.

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Welcome to the first ever Creator’s Incubator. Since it’s the inaugural edition, I thought it would be appropriate to give you a few behind the scenes stuff about my creative process.

Sparks:
Individual cartoons have their own set of sparks, so I thought I’d give you some of the everyday variety.
I like to surround myself with cartoon collectibles and cartoon art in the studio. It makes me feel at home.Here’s just a few samples from my home studio.

Five things that help me Create:
1. Reading. Newspapers, magazines, websites, billboards, t-shirts, movie posters, anything visual It’s the most important part of creating sports cartoons. After I read I let it soak in for a while.
2. Silence is golden for thinking up ideas. I can listen to music or CNN after I pencil the cartoon and I’m ready to ink, but not before.
3. Word play. I write down topics and free associate a visual metaphor for what it is I want to say in the cartoon. In my case it’s usually an opinion I have about a topic I’m drawing on.
4. Ink don’t think. The worst thing to do is force an idea. Ideas form when you’re most relaxed, even if you are under deadline. If I get really stuck I’ll put the subject I’m drawing about in the most outrageous situation I can imagine. Case in point. This Phelps cartoon.

5. Bang my head up against the wall and hope that something besides hair comes out.

Creativational Quote of the day: An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail.
Edwin Land

Created on this date: 1963 – Beatles record “She Loves You” & “I’ll Get You”

The Rhino Recommends: This fantastic book about the founding of Pixar and the innovation and creativity it took to pull it all together.

There you have it. I hope you’ll join us here at DrewLitton.com for the next edition of the Creator’s Incubator

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Welcome to my Laboratory, “The Creator’s Incubator”.
Starting July 1 the Incubator will join my daily cartoons as a part of the unique content available only on DrewLitton.com. It will also have it’s very own home at www.creatorsincubator.com which is, um, well, currently being created.

What’s it all about?
The single most asked question I get as a cartoonist is “Where do you get your ideas”? Aside from the answer “ I drink a lot and sleep late” once given in jest by cartoonist Gahan Wilson, I’ve always stumbled my way through it.

I’ve long been intrigued by the creative process and have often wanted to find a way to answer that elusive “ideas” question. So I decided why not feature daily insights, tips, and suggestions about this thing called creativity and how we can all apply it to our daily lives. Why not go “inside-the-lab” with stories about other creators and how they hatch their amazing works of art. We’ll delve into it all, including music, writing, character development, movie and TV show development, cartoons, comics, comedy and just about anything else that can be created. We’ll make it interactive, so that you too can share your own creative thoughts and insights. Think of it as one big Creative Community. A Creators Incubator. That said, it’s time for the grand tour.

The Creator’s Incubator upcoming Features
Sparks: Those things that inspire creativity. For instance, one of the most fascinating stories about the creation process of the Beatles infamous Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club album revolved around the John Lennon song, “For the Benefit of Mr. Kite”. The songs lyrics came directly from a circus poster Lennon had found in an antiques store. That’s a spark.

Creativational Quotes: Quotes to motivate the creative spirit in us all, like this:
“A creation of importance can only be produced when its author isolates himself, it is a child of solitude.”
-Johann Wolfgang von Goethe-

Created on this date: Highlights of the worlds most creative achievements, like this:
On June 29, 1964 the 1st draft of Star Trek’s pilot “Cage” was released.

Creative tips: Like this one… Ever read billboards? Sometimes they can provide great ways to create powerful, well defined ways to communicate ideas. The key is in the simplicity and in the way one grabs your attention. Just don’t drive off the road doing it.

The Rhino Recommends: Once a week the Incubator will give it’s recommendation of a book, a movie, cd or blog that can offer something valuable to the creative process. Not exactly Oprah, but you get the idea.

Inside-the-Lab.: We’ll go behind the scenes into someone’s creative process giving you some cool information about how other creative people come up with their stuff and how you might use it at work or in your daily lives.be sure to read my daily cartoons as well.

Readers comments, tips and insights.: The interactive part of the Incubator.
Ask the Rhino.: Send in your questions about creativity directly to the Rhino. He’ll answer one good one a week.

There you have it. I hope you’ll join us here at DrewLitton.com for the Creator’s Incubator starting July 1.

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