The Truth About Art School
Have you come across a creator with a style that astounds you and wished you could bottle it up for yourself? Perhaps even....devour it? Join us today as our hosts discuss the dark secret behind art school...and the truth about how they really got their webcomic powers.
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In this Episode:
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Episode Release Date: April 1, 2026
Episode Credits:
Ally Rom Colthoff (@varethane) - she/they, chirault.sevensmith.net wychwoodcomic.com
Christina Major (@delphina2k) - she/her, sombulus.com
Kristen Lee (Krispy) - she/they, https://ghostjunksickness.com https://www.lunarblight.com
Claire Niebergall (Clam) - she/her, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.
Transcription
This transcript is auto generated by our recording software.00:00.00
Krispy
extremely orgasmic episode
00:03.65
Delphina
Oh my goodness.
00:04.28
Varethane
Say that again.
00:04.86
ClaireClam
Wow.
00:05.78
Krispy
five times fast
00:05.78
Varethane
Say that again on air.
00:06.29
Delphina
Oh, we are recording. Hello. Hello. And welcome to Screen Tones, where we talk anything and everything webcomics. Today, we're going to be talking about a very important tool for webcomic creators. I'm Delphina. I use she, her pronouns, and I make the webcomic Sombulus.
00:24.19
ClaireClam
I'm Claire, also known as Clam. I use she/her pronouns as well. I make the webcomic Phantommarine.
00:29.96
Krispy
I'm Krispy. I use she /they pronouns, and I make the webcomics Ghost Junk Sickness and Lunar Blight.
00:35.86
Varethane
And I'm Verathane. I use she/they pronouns, and I make the webcomics Wychwood and Chirault.
00:42.48
Delphina
Okay, so there is nothing more important than learning from your peers and mentors. We talk about this a lot. It's important to read comics. It's important to study how things work so you can integrate techniques into your own journey. And one classic way of doing this is using your inhale ability to consume other creators and use their skills as your own. There's so much knowledge to be gained by devouring people and objects around you. So today we're gonna talk about it. So I'm going to throw the first question to you, Krispy. What is your experience with eating other creators for your artistic growth?
01:21.53
Krispy
Well, first of all, it's a wonderful source of nutrition. And sometimes I find that like when I'm feeling a little down, you know, a little sluggish, you know, I think it's just an instant pick me up.
01:33.30
Krispy
You know, you kind of just go at it with some forks and knives and it makes it really easy, especially when it's like I have a lot of artists that I look up to. And so my list is quite long.
01:44.86
Krispy
It's quite easy to, you know, find a bit of a target. I don't usually like to work use the word target. sounds a little aggressive, but you know,
01:52.09
Delphina
People kind of react to that, yeah.
01:54.01
Krispy
Yeah, yeah. So I'm going to say my inspiration. I'll just use that as a blanket kind of term for it. But, you know, I find my inspiration and, you know, yeah, I just kind of go at it. I've got some custom tools that I actually use for consumption of an artist that I really enjoy their techniques with. And, you know, I think that with the proper tools, like a good fork, a good knife, you know, you can kind of get into you know, cutting away the parts that you really do like and and just devouring them, just seeing how it tastes for your own self. I find that really helpful. So that's my experience.
02:36.44
Krispy
You know, it's kind of varied. I've been doing this for many, many, many years. And, you know, it just depends on how far you want to go.
02:53.02
Krispy
Sorry. Okay.
02:59.68
Delphina
It's true. It's so true. I mean, like you can't really, there's going to be different limits for different people. And there's no one right answer. We talk about this a lot on this podcast. There's a lot of ways to make web comics and to enhance your artistic growth. So I feel like, yeah, whatever you're comfortable with is kind of key here.
03:20.76
Krispy
Absolutely. I think that's just that's paramount is just being comfortable with, you know, those techniques and who you just go after. And, you know, I've learned that this is just great it's a great method to get over a lot of my hunger for new kind of skills. And I've grown a lot from it. It's wonderful. I would always eat people. Yeah.
03:49.30
Delphina
I mean, that's the thing that's like, great to hear. And that's what we're talking about. It's come up in our chat, too, in the Discord server. So if you're not in our Discord server already, you should definitely join in because we have really important conversations like this. I'm going to also throw it to you, Clam. What is your experience in this area, eating other creators for your artistic growth?
04:11.11
ClaireClam
I'm so glad you asked. If you hear anything outside right now that sounds like helicopters or sirens, don't worry about it. They're trying to find me because they're jealous of me trying to eat people.
04:23.85
ClaireClam
I'm really, really good at it. And I haven't gotten caught yet, but you know, they might get close.
04:28.71
Delphina
That's great. Yeah, I mean, I have heard sirens and stuff recording with you before, so
04:30.10
ClaireClam
Yeah.
04:34.07
ClaireClam
Yeah, yeah, you know secret's out. It's because I'm a cannibal. And like, the thing is, I'm just really lazy. I don't want to work hard at getting good at art.
04:45.91
ClaireClam
I just want to eat people and consume their power. I want it really badly. I think that it's like, you know, sometimes shortcuts are totally fine. And I think in today's modern landscape, everybody seems to want a shortcut to getting better at art. And some people want to destroy the environment. And I just want to, you know, just want to eat people.
05:11.61
ClaireClam
I think it's perfectly fine. I once ate a guy because I didn't want to learn how to draw hands. And Kirby style, I had a hand growing out of my forehead right after that happened. But I got really, really good at drawing hands. So, you know, it's a win-win.
05:29.94
ClaireClam
Your hand was raised.
05:31.76
Delphina
Yeah. well
05:32.83
Krispy
I couldn't stop laughing. I was going to interject, but then I just blew up. When you said that you had a hand on your forehead, I was just going to be like, oh, what would you consider a shortcut?
05:42.23
Delphina
Yeah.
05:52.98
Delphina
I mean, this is a very important conversation too in the age of AI and everyone's trying to do things. I think the cannibalism route is something that's kind of true and tested and doesn't damage the environment too much besides like one person's day, right?
06:08.89
Varethane
I know the AI guys are clearly just doing it because they want what we have.
06:13.66
ClaireClam
Yeah, they don't have good taste and they don't taste good.
06:14.54
Krispy
oh yeah
06:17.27
Varethane
No no, neither of those things.
06:17.94
Delphina
They don't taste good, I know, neither of those things. It's just, it's really gross to hear what people will do to make art. And like, I just encouraging everybody to go back to something wholesome here.
06:31.68
Delphina
Right. So, I mean, that's really important too.
06:36.19
Delphina
I'm going to throw it to you, Thame. What is your experience with devouring other creators for your artistic growth?
06:42.23
Varethane
Well, I feel like the bulk of my own eating experiences were long enough ago that, like, they kind of fade into the past, but I did my time in the mines of eating many other creators. I would idolize cool stuff that I saw other people doing, like… this coloring style, It's just so cool. Like, this like graphic approach to it. It's hard choosing between different styles and finding your own voice in your artwork. So… you know. I simply ate people who had what I wanted to, to obtain it for myself.
07:17.30
Varethane
But it definitely get tricky after a certain point because after you've consumed enough other creators, you start really having to look over your shoulder for other people trying to do the same to you. I just can't even think of how many times I've had to fend off Krispy from eating my eyebrows off. I keep regrowing them, but like, it's tough.
07:37.68
Krispy
They're so delicious.
07:38.01
Varethane
They're starting to lose hairs.
07:38.60
Krispy
Oh my god.
07:41.14
Varethane
They're not growing back properly anymore. So, you know, you gotta watch yourself as well. It's one of the caveats to this strategy. It's very effective though.
07:52.25
Varethane
I can't recommend it enough.
07:52.38
ClaireClam
Krispy, what powers do you get from eating Thane's eyebrows? I've always wondered if it feels like it should be very powerful. Like what do you unlock?
08:05.46
Krispy
I actually get kind of a time variant. So when I started to eat people's eyebrows, the really cool thing is that, I think, so we are not aware of our time on this earth. But when I eat eyebrows, there's a plus five that happens. And that's like a five extra minutes. So when I eat an eyebrow, I get an extra five minutes. So it's why it's a delicacy to me personally. I could become immortal.
08:33.27
Krispy
I choose not to though.
08:35.10
Varethane
Yeah, it is unfortunately something unique just to my eyebrows because I really focused a lot of my, I min maxed, so to speak, a lot of the other creatives that I ate. I was aiming towards a speed build, like to get really fast at doing art. So unfortunately, that's my trait.
08:53.05
Varethane
But don't even think about it, listeners, you're not getting any of this.
08:57.88
Delphina
Yeah, for sure. It's difficult. I've tried to eat Thane's eyebrows before. She's very fast and she has a bike and she can ride away super fast as soon as she thinks that you're going to come up and eat her eyebrows. It's yeah, I feel like that can be a challenge for me. For my own experience, I feel like really it started in school. I was an art major and there were just, I wasn't really going the traditional drawing route. I was doing more graphic design stuff, but even there I was seeing skills and things that could help me on a comic journey. So at the end of the semester, a lot of the professors were like, yeah, okay, you can eat me. I'll respond. And so we're like, great. And so all the students devoured the professors and kind of gained their experiences. So that was kind of my first experience. And I know a lot of people have this kind of weird thing about, oh, self-taught versus going to a school or university or something.
09:57.72
Delphina
There's advantages to both, but I will say in a more formalized way, like it's kind of more banquet style when you're going, in a, in a college or or art school situation, you can kind of split up things and it's a little more orderly as opposed to when you're kind of going it alone and you're trying to be self-taught and you're trying to eat people off the street. Like that can be really tricky and informal. It kind of takes the right brain to do this. I t just kind of depends on your style. There's all kinds of ways to go about it.
10:46.79
Delphina
And I'm really, like, super curious just to ask around other helpful techniques you've learned from devouring other creators. We talked about the plus five that Krispy gets from Thane's eyebrows, but, you know, what else? Like, do you get laser beams? Do you get, like, the ability to draw hands, like Clam was saying? Like, what other things are out there when you eat other people?
11:04.54
Krispy
It's interesting because it varies so much. And, you know, I think that you do have to be a little picky when it comes to devouring people because, you know, I think of inspiration boards. You know, you kind of come together and you put together kind of a menu. You know what I'd call it a menu of sorts. And, you know, I think of putting together images, artists that have techniques that I want, and I'd like to see it all together, all on and an image. And, you know, from there, that helps, you know, get into that mindset. That helps with your trajectory and getting your tools ready and knowing where to go. You know, when Clam was talking about how successful she was getting to these artists, you know, that blew me away because, you know, there's a curve to get there. It's not just, you know, okay, that's it. Like, you know, we were talking about the AI bros where they just, they skip the most important steps and those steps are what make you as an artist, I think.
12:16.25
Varethane
And that's why they're so unnutritious.
12:18.44
Krispy
Mm-hmm. Absolutely. Absolutely. And, you know, it's a lot of it is always actually not a lot of it. It's always going to be about the journey. So, you know, as far as like powers or or things that I've learned, it's just vast.
12:33.84
Krispy
It's vast. When I build that menu, I'm curating it. I'm just like, OK, you know, I love how this artist draws hair and, you know, look out. because I'm gonna get you, and I do. And it's great because you know those are just the skills that you've learned you can get to that point that you get that artist and you watch how they draw and then comes their time where you– sorry oh I'm so sorry holy shit.
13:07.16
Varethane
You got this.
13:10.42
Krispy
Then comes their time where, you know, you get that, that skill, you devour them, you know, bit by bit. And again, it is about curating, sorry, a bit of being particular about the menu that you've created to get those skills. Cause you can get many skills. You can get hands, you can get, you know, plus fives.
13:36.63
Krispy
That's different. I think, the eyebrows kind of aspect when you're getting picky with, you know, specifics. That's a secret. I don't know if I can, I don't want to reveal that in a podcast to be quite honest.
13:49.30
Delphina
That's understandable. Yeah, it's everybody kind of got their ways of going about it and their different techniques. And you do have to be careful about how you approach this for sure. I'm going to throw it to Clam like things that I'm also going to ask, techniques that you've gained that really worked for you and techniques that did not work for you at all. Like you consumed somebody and you tried to use their ability and it just did not work for you.
14:18.20
ClaireClam
Yeah, so I made the mistake one time of eating too many people. And when that happens, your style kind of gets all, like, insane and crazy. And, like, there's, it's not very coherent once you get past, like, ten guys.
14:36.18
ClaireClam
And...
14:41.32
Krispy
It's so good! good!
14:44.22
Delphina
It really isn't. It's just, it kind of gets muddled. I've done the same thing. It's just so that like, they kind of kind of rumble around in your tummy and you're like, Oh, that that was too much.
14:56.86
Delphina
But I think it's important to have that too-much moment, like, because then you know where your limits are, right? Then you know, this is what's important to me.
15:05.14
Varethane
You got to really take care with the specs on your build.
15:02.58
ClaireClam
Yeah. And I think it, that's true.
15:09.50
ClaireClam
I do think it had kind of a weird effect because I suddenly got really good at collage and like, that's something that I never really thought would happen because suddenly you have like all these different styles all fighting for each other and you're like, wait, what am I going to do with this?
15:24.98
ClaireClam
And then you look at a magazine and you're like, oh, I know what to do with this. And suddenly you make a really good collage because that's the souls of 10 people all fighting inside of your body for dominance.
15:36.35
ClaireClam
And they can all have a little piece of the pie. So that's totally fine.
15:39.58
Delphina
Is that how mixed media works? Is that how they've been?
15:41.78
ClaireClam
I think so.
15:43.20
Delphina
Oh.
15:44.01
ClaireClam
I think I've always, like when I was in art school and I looked at the mixed media side of the class, I was always like, hmm, they're eating...
15:53.59
ClaireClam
Really too much like I would see them constantly eating and I'm just like I where's all of that going but then you look at their art and you're like I understand like there is there is there is a method to this madness and I don't think it works for me because mixed media is not really my thing but if it is yours then maybe that is something for you to consider
16:18.62
Delphina
Absolutely. I feel anything can kind of work in the world of web comics. And you know, just considering different things, trying them out, see what doesn't work.
16:31.25
Delphina
You know, it's okay. It's okay to experiment. It's okay to devour anything and everything that you want. So yeah, I'm going to throw it to you, Thane. What kinds of things, abilities have you gained from, devouring other people or objects or what really worked for you and what didn't work for you.
16:54.58
Varethane
Well, I mean, like I said earlier, I really specced into a very speed focused build and I've been actually thinking that I really need to kind of go back in the other direction. So I'm keeping my eye out now for something that is more kind of render oriented that can really get into the details and like you know, those big, like impressive paintings.
17:30.68
Varethane
So I'm kind of keeping an eye out for possible targets in that line, just because, you know, if you focus too much on one type of artist to devour, you can end up with a lot of the same skill and you sort of lose focus in other areas. So that can be one, a bit of a bit of a pitfall, I guess, because I did get very fast out of the bargain, but I need to, I lost some of the detail. So I've got to regain that somehow.
17:48.65
Varethane
Making my list.
17:49.88
Delphina
Yeah, yeah, I feel that. And for me, I was just, like I've been working on Sombulus. It's coming up on like 16 years at this point. And it's, it's a lot. And I've learned so much. I've met so many wonderful artists over the years that I've later consumed.
18:10.44
Delphina
And I think that it all helped me in the end, but it took a while. And so I feel like maybe being a little more deliberate, making that menu, like Krispy said, to really focus on what powers I want for what scene would be a good idea. That's kind of one of my regrets for webcomics.
18:42.90
Delphina
But I've gotten a lot of... speed, I've gotten a lot of good character interactions. Like if you eat two people at once, like if they're friends or something like that, I think you kind of get that voice for dialogue that you might have otherwise, like you might not have with just one person.
18:57.70
Delphina
So like eating in pairs kind of works for me. But yeah, there's a lot of different ways to go about it, I guess. I keep saying that, but it's true. It's so true.
19:08.48
Delphina
And I just want people to know that their culinary experience can be as vast as they need it to be for sure.
19:18.52
Varethane
Eating in pairs, wow. That's impressive.
19:08.54
Delphina
I mean, yeah, you kind of have to open your mouth a little wider, and stretch your face out a little bit. It looks a little eldritch not gonna lie.
19:29.69
Varethane
Unhinge the jaw, I see, I see.
19:31.35
Delphina
Yeah, unhinged like a snake, you kind of get that snake jaw thing going on and just devour people. I think it works. But it takes practice for sure. So you're just keeping it in mind seeing what's comfortable for you. And as you grow, you'll be able to eat more and more people. So I'm going move on like what's your advice to someone who's having trouble finding ways of eating other creators maybe it feels like there's a morality issue there or for whatever reason is struggling do you have any techniques or or things to kind of make that easier for people I'll throw it to you Krispy
20:12.28
Krispy
Well, first things first is that, you know, all of our journeys are going to be different. All of our techniques are going to be different. And how you get from to B is going to be different from someone who does the journey from A to C. It's just interesting. So, you know, when you're creating that palette, that menu and you are going to have that certain palette, it's going to be different. And that's OK. That's OK. You're not going to have the same effects too as eating a creator, even if it's the same one, because, you know, like we've established, they do kind of revive. There is like a hub that creators do come back when they are devoured. It's really cool. Kind of like a Vita chamber. Anyway, So, you know, they come back and, you know, someone else wants to devour them like the professors all at once. But you're not going to come and walk away with the same ah technique that someone else did, because, you know, like I said, it's about picking and choosing and all artists have different kinds of things that. you know, you're kind of attracted to what you want in your own art. So say one artist has a really amazing technique with hands, but someone's like, the way they color is where I want to be. And so, you know, you're, you're just kind of picking and choosing from that. And sometimes, sometimes the feast is unsuccessful. And, you know, when I say that the feast is unsuccessful,
21:40.97
Krispy
That's not meaning it's a failure. You're still learning from it. But, you know, you're not going to just automatically walk away with an incredible hand technique. So you're going to have to just kind of expand that menu a little bit. Look at some more artists that fit, you know, what you're going for. And sometimes, you know, you're going to find something somewhere else, you know, off menu or just somewhere where you weren't thinking or like Clam has experienced become a different artist altogether. So, you know, I just think that that's really important to keep in mind and not be so stressed when you're thinking about, you know, your artist's journey and eating people. It's important to eat.
22:34.67
Delphina
It's important to eat. I think we all needed to hear that for sure. And I kind of want that on a t-shirt right now. But I'm going to throw it to you, Clam. What kinds of advice do you have to give someone who's struggling with finding ways of eating other creators, or for whatever reason?
22:53.18
ClaireClam
So one thing that I think a lot of people are struggling with today is this idea of separating the art from the artist. Because there's a lot of people that make really, really amazing art that are actually not good people.
23:07.42
ClaireClam
And I think the method of like finding them and eating them is actually a really, really good way of being like, okay, like maybe there's a morality issue, maybe it feels weird, but like at least I'm eating somebody who's mean and I'm absorbing whatever is good about them and I'm taking it from for myself.
23:25.78
ClaireClam
So ultimately like that is a good way of getting more comfortable with it. And then you can take the things about their art that you really like and just take it for yourself and put it out there and be like, it's mine now. And because it's been removed from the bad person, it's better. And, you know, I think everybody is going to struggle with the idea, you know, the first couple of times where you're just like, I really want to get better at this thing. I really like it. But I think that is one technique that I find is really, really good for just kind of dipping your toes in and being like, hmm, how can I justify this? Oh, wait, this person made something I love and I hate them.
24:07.56
ClaireClam
I'll just eat them.
24:08.98
Varethane
The Death Note approach.
24:10.45
Delphina
Well, I was going to say the Audrey 2 approach.
24:10.46
ClaireClam
Yes.
24:12.70
Delphina
I mean, I think either or. Like, you can kind of get started on that path anywhere. But that's a really good point that separating the art from the artist and being able to tell, like this is a technique I can use.
24:26.52
Delphina
I don't need to like this person. But it's still something that I can use and learn even if I don't agree with them. And you know to that end, they are contributing to your dietary needs.
24:40.14
Delphina
So I think that's really cool to hear.
24:40.40
ClaireClam
Yeah.
24:43.30
Delphina
Thane, I'm going to throw it to you. What kinds of, like, do you have any advice or recipes or something for people who are having trouble with eating other creators?
24:55.61
Varethane
Well, I mean, it's funny that you should mention that because there's something I've been thinking about for a while, and you could say it's a potentially infinite source, once it can be perfected. I like to call it the perfect recipe for Mother's Day.
25:08.92
Varethane
Water, 35 litres. Carbon, 20 kilograms. Ammonia, 4 litres. Lime. 1.5 kilograms, phosphorus 800 grams, salt 250 grams, saltpeter 100 grams, sulfur 80 grams, fluorine 7.5 grams, iron 5 grams, silicon 3 grams, trace amounts 15 other elements.
25:36.61
Delphina
Uh, that sounds, that sounds familiar. Oh. Oh God. Okay. We're going to have to edit this out. I don't, I don't think we can…
25:47.26
Delphina
No, dear God.
25:48.31
Varethane
Feel free to try this out at home, and let me know the results. I'm very curious.
25:49.88
Delphina
No.
25:50.04
Krispy
Can I have a print of that?
25:52.12
Krispy
I would love to get that printed.
25:53.18
Varethane
Oh yes, I'll share it with everyone.
25:54.52
Krispy
Thank you.
25:54.81
Delphina
No.
25:55.56
Krispy
Infinite.
25:55.68
ClaireClam
It sounds delicious, please.
25:55.84
Delphina
Oh God.
25:56.95
Krispy
Yeah.
25:59.51
Delphina
Okay. Yeah, I was gonna say something about I don't even know what I was gonna say anymore. Oh, God, I have to stare at a wall. I'll be right back.
26:16.89
Varethane
You okay, Delphie?
26:18.71
Delphina
Yeah, yeah.
26:19.83
Varethane
Are you going to go try the recipe?
26:19.99
Delphina
Oh…
26:21.03
Varethane
Please let me know what happens when you do.
26:23.45
Delphina
Yeah… yeah that's what I'm going to do… It's going to be great. So is that a chicken Caesar salad wrap? Or...
26:35.64
Varethane
Are you sure it's chicken?
26:40.91
ClaireClam
Oh, asking the right questions.
26:49.18
Delphina
No, it's probably not. But I've been Delphina. You can find my webcomic, Sombulus, at Sombulus.com.
26:59.47
ClaireClam
I've been Claire Clam. You can find me at phantomarine.com.
27:03.56
Krispy
Hmm. I'm always going to be Krispy, fortunately. And you can find my work at ghostjunksickness.com and lunarblight.com.
27:13.10
Varethane
I'm Varethane and you can find my work at wychwoodcomic.com and chirault.sevensmith.net for at least as long as I continue to have my eyebrows.
27:22.49
Krispy
Oh yeah. Right.
27:23.93
Delphina
I mean, but they grow back. It's fine.
27:26.97
Varethane
For now.
27:29.14
ClaireClam
So is this episode going up on August 8th or is it going up sooner?
27:33.98
Delphina
We can bump it up to maybe April, I think.
27:37.18
ClaireClam
Okay okay, we've got room.
27:38.42
Delphina
But August 8th is a good idea.
27:38.95
Varethane
Sounds good.
27:40.02
Krispy
yeah August 8th