Welcome to Creating comics!
I want artists to create more and feel less bad about themselves in the process. In my newsletter, I share the tools, structure, and mindset I use to overcome creative obstacles.
My name is K. Woodman-Maynard I’ve spent my adult life making a living in creative fields—first as an animator, then graphic designer, and now as a graphic novelist.
Mainly through comics, I share the insights I wish I’d known when I was starting out as an artist as well as what I’m currently grappling with as a creator and person. While I share struggles, I try to do it in uplifting and action-focused way. I’m all about personal and creative growth.
What I believe:
I believe in the power of self-expression, especially through art. By keeping your art inside, you’re not benefiting yourself or the world. The world needs your art!
I believe we can grow as artists and people if we face internal barriers. So much of making art is about developing confidence and bravery as well as fighting the inner critic. But I believe we can all grow and get better at this.
I believe in embracing “good enough” art. Creating structure and habits are key to fighting perfectionism and creating a sustainable creative practice.
I believe in the power of comics as a way to express and process emotions in a fun and accessible way.
A bit about me…
I am a watercolor graphic novelist, leader of workshops, comics consultant, and worked for many years as a designer and animator. I have a graphic novel adaptation of Natalie Babbitt’s Tuck Everlasting coming from Farrar, Straus & Giroux (Macmillan) in the Fall of 2025. My debut, The Great Gatsby: A Graphic Novel Adaptation (Candlewick Press) was called, “hugely rewarding” by The Wall Street Journal and was featured in the New York Times, Guardian, and Times Literary Supplement.
Although much of my process is digital, I traditionally watercolor my graphic novels because I love the whimsical mood it evokes, as well as the joyful experience of creating it.
For over a decade, I worked as a designer and animator, while also working on becoming a graphic novelist. I've done work for a diverse set of clients such as Capital One, Nickelodeon, and TOMS Shoes as well as a variety of startups. I'm co-creator of TKAMI: Talk to Kids About Mental Illness, a free resource for helping adults talk to kids about mental illness through comics. I live in Minneapolis with my spouse and energetic one-eyed dog (who appears weekly in my newsletters). You can also find me on Instagram and WoodmanMaynard.com.
Thank you for being here!
-K. (or Katharine)
