“What I Did Yesterday” by Chris Fason is a graphic novel Kickstarter that just launched. I backed it and you should too. Chris is amazingly talented.
He agreed to sit-down and answer a few questions for me about himself, the project, and the future. Hope you enjoy (and you support his Kickstarter)!
What inspired you to work on this project?
I wouldn’t say “inspired,” I approached “What I Did Yesterday” more like a therapeutic art project, exploring my mental health struggles and trying to piece together something that tells a story or has some meaning, 4 wordless panels at a time. I went through a divorce in 2022 and I’m a very hands-on Dad, so losing that everyday contact with my two youngest boys was (and still is) very hard. I was sad and lonely but still working, then the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes happened; most of my income is from film & television gigs as a Graphic Designer and Illustrator; so I no longer had the work. I’ve been steadily applying for work since December 2022 and have only found a handful of small freelance gigs – definitely not enough to stay afloat. I lost my apartment, I’m months behind on other bills, I now live an hour away from my kids… I’ve had some dark days. I guess if I was inspired, it’s by my own depression and this is an effort to pierce through the fog. It’s my cry for help, maybe.
Is there a message you’re looking to share with this work or your work in general?
In general, I just want to put out stuff that’s fun. With WIDY, it’s honestly more about my own self-preservation. I’m finding healing through art. But by putting it out into the world, I hope people find it relatable and honest. If there’s a message, it’s to take care of yourselves and take care of each other; life can smash you in the face pretty hard but there’s ways back. Draw a picture, take a walk, talk to somebody.
Why run a Kickstarter?
Crowdfunding is by far the best way to get small projects like this funded. I could post it online for free, but I love books. I want to make books.
Have you done similar work previously?
I’ve drawn comics for over 20 years but this is the first autobiographical or even non-fiction work I’ve done.
What motivates you to create?
That’s like the BIG question people have been asking for thousands of years, right? These are all insufficient answers but I want to make something cool, I want to tell stories, I want to leave something meaningful behind. And I enjoy the act of it; world-building, creating interesting characters, trying (and failing) to get the pictures out of my head for others to see.
Do you have a favorite medium?
I really love inking digitally but I also enjoy working in ink with watercolor when I have the materials.
How do you define success as an artist?
I’ll let you know when I find any. But I imagine being successful to me would being able to pick my own projects while being able to also be financially stable and comfortable. I’m not looking for million-dollar success, but hey Hollywood, I’ve got a bunch of projects ripe for adaptation!
What’s on the horizon for you after this project is wrapped up?
“What I Did Yesterday” is already wrapped. The book is finished and simply needs funding to become a real world product. I’m currently about 30 pages in to a redux of a kids’ book, “Elkbar,” then I have a post-apocalyptic-scifi-western I’d love to put some work into. But really, I’ll be happy once I’m catching regular gigs, spending time with my sons, and making comics.
You can see some of Chris’s other work on his Instagram: @fasonart
You can contact him for work (or interviews) via email: fasonart [at] gmail.com
And, of course, his Kickstarter can be found at: http://kck.st/49hEyO7