Put in your requests now!

I'm making prints for the upcoming First Friday Show at Novel View on 1/4 and the Book Release Show at Midnight Sun Cafe on 1/5. If you have a particular print of an old YSL comic or anything from the new books you'd like to own, let me know this week and we'll work something out.

Merry Christmas!

It's everywhere, It's everywhere!

My publisher, Cheryl Kirk writes:

"The Fighting Irish are fighting over your book and George Washington can't lie...he has your book in stock."

Oh, and I'm available through Target.com!

Book signing on January 4th at Novel View

Hey, it's a first Friday art show at Novel View at 335 E Street (the old Sweet Basil Cafe) with a bunch of illustrative works from the past two years on display, including some of my Press covers, side projects and the children's books. I'll be on hand from 5 to 7 p.m. signing my books, sketching, selling prints, and looking hansome. Really handsome. Come see. We'll both enjoy it.

Hey shut-ins, buy my book

Congratulations shut-ins. Dont' want to contact me and buy a book or go to the store. Don't. It'd probably be a huge hassle. Buy the book from these fine retailers.

Barnes and Nobles's website (Member discount!)

Titlewave's website (free delivery in Alaska!)

Fireside Books' website (Just a cool bookstore in Palmer, throw them some support)

The very best of Your Square Life is on Amazon.com

Joining "Alaska: Big and Small", "The very best of Your Square Life" is now on Amazon.com.

Book Release PARTY!

Hey, you like me, you like my book, why not see them both together. It's like a little slice of heaven for your eyes.

I'll be doing some signing and sketching at the new Midnight Sun Cafe (the defunct Lucky Monkey) from 5 to 7 p.m with music by Jared Woods and Mike Holtz. It's going to be awesome, so don't miss it.

Sale are booming

I just got a call from Titlewave yesterday. "More books now! We sold out immediately!" So, if you're trying to avoid me, each of the two Titlewave locations have seven copies a piece. If you can't find it, demand it!

In shops everywhere! [UPDATED}

Alaska Big and Small is now for sale on Amazon.com and at my etsy.com shop.

[Update] It's now on the University of California Berkley's bookstore as well. So if you hate Amazon, but like ordering from the UC of Berkley's website, your wildest dreams have come true.

All three books will be available (in limited quantities) at Titlewave later this week as well.

Alaska: Big and Small

The draft copy came back from the printers and it looks great. I should have copies for sale next week. Here are a few of my favorite pages from the book. As you can see, it's not heavy reading, but it's super cute.

Sketch Time.

Lee Signing Books (covering open fly apparenty)

Here I am at the Anchorage Museum book fair. Signing books for fans and apparently not looking after my personal appearance. As pointed out, I did include an accurate picture of myself on the signing notice, so as to avoid any confusion and to discourage imitators.

Books for Sale: with Free Sketch!

Well two of the books are in, "The best of Your Square Life" and "Lies Alaskans Tell Tourists" and I was selling them like hotcakes yesterday and today, with butter and syrup (cue rimshot!).

The good news for you is that I've added both volumes to yoursquarelife.etsy.com for purchase. They should be at the local stores and on Amazon in the next month, but with Etsy, you're ordering directly from me, so I can include a personalized dedication and sketch, in addition to my handsome signature. So if you miss one of my upcoming signings or live out of state or country, get the hookup at yoursquarelife.etsy.com.

You'll also be happy to know, I ruined a young boys dream, when I was absent at my post looking around the book show, leaving him waiting to get his book signed, then when I did make my appearance, I showed up with my fly open. I'm sure "traumatized" would be the polite term. I did have a tie on, which I think offsets the open fly. I have to look that up or just tell people that often enough it becomes true.

Dr. Sketchy No 7 (with Kelsey)

Here are some sketches from the seventh Dr. Sketchy in Anchorage, featuring the dearly departed Kelsey, who left for Portland the following morning. She was a spectacular model, and got to use some fairly large swords, which always improves the sketching immensely.

More news on the new books!

I just got word, the "Best of" book should be on Amzon for ordering in a week or two and I'm working hard with my publisher to get copies in the local Anchorage stores in the next month or so.

As far as the other books, the Suduko book I illustrated, "50 Lies told to Alaskan Tourists" is going to be out this week and the children's book, "Alaska Big and Small", should be back from the publisher in a few weeks.

So, for those who are breathless for a copy, the best bet, is the Anchorage Museum craft show, this Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I'll be around the last few days for a few hours to do some signings and give free hugs.

"Best of Your Square Life" books are out.

The first printing of the "Best of Your Square" is back from the printer today. I'll be doing signings at the Egan Center this weekend on Saturday and Sunday. I'll be at the Egan from 10:30 to ~6:00 on Saturday and there from 11:00 to 3:00 on Sunday.

Next week I'll be at the Anchorage Museum Craft fare with both the "Best of" and my new children's book, "Alaska Big and Small" from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday November 24th and noon to 5 p.m.

I'll have my sketch book with me and I'll be taking requests.

Why sharks like Americans . . .read the Press this week to find out.

Lee can you do a cover? Yes . . . (3 hours later) . . . here it is. I'm a machine.

It's coming . . . .

Sketches!

The long look back

The Press asked me to write a little statement about my time with them, and oddly enough, draw up a head shot. The headshot won't get published, but here it is in all it's humble glory:

As you may notice this week if you look at the comic page, this week marks the 300^th edition of my comic “Your Square Life” and its sixth anniversary in the Anchorage Press. Unfortunately, it also will be the last comic. Please don’t worry, it wasn’t anything you did, most likely.

Bingo Barnes asked me to comment on my time working on the strip and my rather sudden decision to pull the plug on what can only be described as my labor of love. In my effort to remain humble about my achievements with the comic strip, I have only included a small illustration of my handsome face to accompany this article. Let it be an inspiration to you.

Seriously however, I have had a phenomenal time creating “Your Square Life” for the last six years, starting when the then editor Robert Meyerowitz asked me to draft up a locally drawn strip to include in a comic page he was introducing to the paper. In the beginning, I had little idea what I was doing and, unfortunately or not, I still don’t know what I was going for most of the time. My goal throughout it all was to make something each week that at least a little funny or thought-provoking. I have no idea if I was successful or not, as I’m desperately trying to remain humble.

Over time, the strip opened many doors for me. It allowed me to do a “Your Square Life” inspired play, “the Simple Dating System”, with the infamous Duke Russell for Out North’s “Under 30”. I also had a successful retrospective show at the late, great Noble’s Diner. I even had the comic published in a few issues of a glossy art magazine in South Africa, the true measure of international fame. Apart from all my obscure accomplishments, the strip and the modest halo of fame I’ve accrued have allowed me to meet scores of people I now call friends. I even got a wife out of the whole deal. Not too shabby.

In the end, I made the decision that I need to get out from behind the drawing board, where I’ve been camped week-in, week-out for six-years, and get out of the house a bit more. Apart from all the fame and adulation I’ve described above, drawing comics is a pretty lonely, anti-social hobby. However, I’m not getting out of the art business and should have a few books coming out, including a “Best of Your Square Life” volume, in the next year. I’ll be posting my new artwork and updates for my upcoming projects at yoursquarelife.blogspot.com.

-Lee Post

Halloween

Email me photos of you dressed up for Halloween. I'm working on a sketch project and I'll be posting the finished sketches to the blog.

The FINAL Your Square Life

Here is the final Your Square Life, in color. I had no clue how I was going to end it. Just another joke, something sappy . . .? Last week I was walking to lunch, cutting through an intersection at Piper and Providence Drive, when I found this photo (see below). Magic! Thus the final comic was born.

Your Square Life - The end of an era

If you haven’t noticed, this week’s “Your Square Life” is the 300^th strip, which amounts to six years with the Anchorage Press, give or take a week.

The history:

For those not in the know, “Your Square Life” was originally a ‘zine I started after my return from college ‘98. It ran about ten issues over the course of a couple years. I distributed around town at random and I found out later, it was ravenously collected by a few and pasted around for long after. Robert Meyerowitz, who was the editor at Anchorage Press at the time, saw some of the issues and asked me if I’d be interested in doing a comic strip for the Press. I said yes, even though at that point beyond doodling in my college notebooks and a page long illustrated story in the ‘zine, I hadn’t done any formal cartooning. Thus YSL was born, becoming whatever it became over the years.

Originally, if the ‘zine was started to meet people in Anchorage after collage, then the strip was a way to meet girls. Well, I met exactly one. Within the first six months, I met and got engaged to my lovely wife Alex. I can only blame my valentine’s strip that was published the day before we met and not my dull charm.

Over time, the strip opened so many doors to me. It that allowed me to do a YSL-inspired play with Duke Russel “the Simple Dating System” for Out North’s Under 30. I plied my fame into MC’ing the last three Spenard Socials. I had a successful YSL retrospective show at the late, great Noble’s Diner. I had a few strips published as “artwork” in two issues of the South African glossy art magazine “Itch” as well as hang a piece in one of their gallery shows. I’ve got to do concert posters for a great number of local friends and their bands. Best of all, the strip and the modest halo of fame I’ve accrued have allowed me to meet scores of people I now call friends.

Now the shocking announcement:

This is going to be the last “Your Square Life” comic, in this form at least. I’ve decided to pack it in. Over the last year or so, it’s become harder and harder to produce the strip each week. Part of that may have been due to our move to a new house and my parents move out of state on top of some changes at work, but a great part of it is my need to get out from behind the drawing board/computer each weekend and to start to challenge myself in some new ways. I frankly need to exercise more, read more, get out more . . . generally take advantage of my youth and vigor.

However, I’m not getting out of the art business. Part my reason for stopping the strip, is to allow me to better focus and refine my artistic energy, rather than worrying about my weekly deadline. I’ve recently had the good fortune to be contacted by two different local publishers to produce some new work in two different veins. For one, I’ve completed illustrations for an Alaskan-themed puzzle book that should be available in stores any day now and I’m just finishing work on a children’s book, “Alaska Big and Small” that I hope will be in press before Christmas. The other publisher would like to publish a “best of” volume and wants to publish some longer-form graphic work in the future.

I’ve also started a small Etsy.com shop to sell prints and hope to update my blog much more often of whatever my project of the moment is. Go to the blog for more information about the store, the books, and my offer of commissioned illustrations for the holidays (no better gift!).

To everyone, thanks you for your all of your amazingly generous support and encouragement over the years. Hopefully I can keep giving that back to you.

Facebook

I'm now on Facebook under "Lee Post". I don't know how I feel about it yet.

Bring a little Your Square Life into your life

With "YSL" wrapping up this week, I've started an Esty.com shop, yoursquarelife.etsy.com to sell prints of past strips and other artwork.

I'm also going to start taking commissions for the holidays. I'll put a link up on the Esty.com shop, but the basics will be that I'll draw a small likeness or sketch for $50.00 or a color Your Square Life Strip with the person or persons of your choice for $100. All the prints will be on archival paper and will include the original drawing. For those who want their comic strips before Christmas, I'll be doing it on a first-come, first-served basis for up to 3 people. If you're interested, send me an email and we'll talk b'dness.

Here's an example of a strip that included my friends Buddy and Jay for Jay's birthday.

Two reasons why my life is crazy awsome

Just this week for example, I hung with stormtroopers and man-apes. I suspect you did not. I'm sure you don't want my pity.

Oh, and check out some more pictures from Dr. Sketchy's past

Here are some great photos from the past Dr. Sketchy's by Jamie Lang.

As you can see from the picture of me above (the one with the underpants on the inside) I am 1) handsome and 2) a serious artist as evidenced by my lack of leering during the exact moment of the photograph.

Dr. Sketchy this weekend (July 15th)

Don't forget. Dr. Sketchy's Big Wild Life this Sunday the 15th at Bernie's from four to eight. $10.00 to draw, $20.00 to watch.

Best of YSL #64 - The Flea

*UPDATED* Del the Funky Homosapien comes to Ak in July

I think this one turned out pretty great, esp. since I did it in an hour or two. Look for it all around town this month.

*UPDATE* Del will now be at the Anchor, Anchorage's latest downtown club. The word on the street is that it is pretty posh.

Sketch from Pan's Labrynth

This is one of my favorites.

YSL News!

If you’re in Fairbanks, go and check out the Cartoon North Sequential Art in Alaska show at the Annex. It will be running all month and features a number of my prints as well as artwork from all over Ak and the lower 48 and is currated by Jaime Smith, the artist behind Freeze-Frame, a staple of Fairbanks. Looks like a phenomenal show.

On a related note, my comics will now be appearing monthly in the Ester Republic, which I am now pronouncing as the finest newspaper in the greater Fairbanks/Ester area.

Lastly, I’m hard at work on illustrations for an Alaskan Themed suduko book for Cheryl Kirk. The theme is “lies told to tourists.” I just started on it, but it will be a quick turnaround so, it should be out sometime in July. The illustrations are shaping up beautifully and should be a fine addition to your comics and/or sudoku themed library.

more and more sketches

Best of YSL #63

This is one of my favorites.

Dr. Sketchy's Big Wild Life Innaural sitting!

Well, today was the first session of the Anchorage chapter of Dr. Sketchy and it was a blast. Danger Mouse from VaVaVoom Burlesque was our expert model. The sun was out, the drinks were cold and the artists were delightfully surly. A success all around.

The next session will be Sunday, June 17th from 4:00 to 7:00 p at Bernie's, with a special guest, Scott McCloud, of Understanding/Reinventing/Making Comics fame. It sounds like its not to be missed.

These are a few of my longer sketches, the first being in the theme of "Tatoo Flash", which netted me the prize of a free pass to the VaVaVooms next show in October. Whohoo!

Be sure to check out some photos of the session by Jamie Lang.

quizzical samurai

Huh?

Old man time!

Dr. Sketchy's Big Wild Life (Alaska Chapter)

I had the grand opportunity to design the logo for the Alaska chapter of Dr. Sketchy's Anti-Life School, a life drawing group combining booze, burlesque, pencils, and newsprint. It's going to be great!

The inaugural meeting is Saturday May 19th at 2:00 p.m. at Bernie's, as organized by Anchorage's own Bearded John. I'll be there, hopefully so will you:

"What is Dr. Sketchy's?

In the words of Dr. Sketchy founder, Ms. Molly Crabapple "Dr. Sketchy is what happens when cabaret meets art school." Its ART by Jove! Life drawing without all the fun sucked out of it.

Come and sketch. Come and draw. Come and doodle. Come and have a few drinks and a few laughs and win some prizes.

Sign up for Dr. Sketchy's Anti Art School, Saturday May 19th at the Paradise Lounge, high above Bernie's Bungalow, SoNo, Anchorage (7th & D).

Doors open at 2pm with drawing starting at 2:30p. $5 for students with college ID. $10 for artists (bring your own pens, pencils and pads; I will have a few drawing kits for sale). $20 if you just want to come and watch.

To reserve a seat or a table or a couch e-mail me[Bearded Jon, Dean of Artistic Mixology]: beardedjon@gmail.com"

ahh . . . babies

Moleoids!!!

Sketch, Sketch, Sketch!