comprehensive desk porn

Yesterday I posted about my desk at Pizza Island and some folks asked about all my other previous work spaces and I love talking about my old apartments and desk spaces and myself, so here they are, in order, from 2004 to 2012:

This was my shittiest workspace where I first started drawing comics in my impossibly small studio apartment in San Francisco in 2005. The desk was crammed between the kitchen and bathroom and had no natural light. The comics I drew back then were pretty rough. I shelved them for 7 years only to redraw them now for my book coming out with Koyama Press this September. A quick note about the Register newspaper clip on the fridge at the bottom right: A high school friend once posted a bunch of flyers around town that said “Lose 30 Cats in 30 Days!” with his ex-girlfriend’s number on it. Somehow it became a story worthy of front page news story with the headline “Cryptic Flyers Perplex Town.” It’s one of the most genius pranks I’ve ever seen, and once my brother pranked me good by putting the entire contents of my pantry in my bed, so my prank standards are pretty high. And yeah, that is indeed a drawing of Tank Girl that I did when I was 19.

There was a window by my bed, so often just drew there. I’ve always had a problem with reading just one book at a time and instead opt to read a bunch at once and only finish a few of them.

In 2006 I moved out of the studio and into a great apartment on Eddy Street that I shared with the lovely and talented cartoonist Tessa Brunton. Sandwiched between the Tenderloin and the Western Addition, was atop a hill next to Jefferson Square park so we had great views of the city, snoozing bums and daily car window smashings. This office set up was by far the best one I’ve ever had.

I did minimal bed doodling in this apartment because my room was a walk in closet.

Between moving to New York and living in San Francisco, I holed up at my mom’s house for a few weeks, during which time I lived in the garage attic. I used the small wood desk near the window which looks out over the hills and there was something charmingly depressing about drawing comics there.

Here’s a photo of the view, taken from the front porch, the garage is off to the right.

But the wood desk was too small and I often ended up, once again, just drawing in bed.

My first apartment in NYC was in Brooklyn on the border of Bed-Stuy and Bushwick. It was two rooms with a windowless hallway connecting them that served as a kitchen. It was the worst. After I moved out, I heard that the bathtub from our apartment fell through the floor and into the apartment below. I thought that only happened in movies but apparently it happens in real life too.

This was the view from the window in my room. It was depressing as shit.

I left that apartment and spent a few months in Alec Longstreth‘s old room in an railroad apartment way too close to Bedford Ave than I found acceptable. My workspace was in a windowless middle room. It was pretty good space, but I had to have natural light. I also had to have no roommates because I’m cranky and hate sharing, so I moved out and into…

…the studio in Greenpoint where I have lived for 4 years now. The setup is pretty good and has plenty of natural light, although this photo makes it look kinda dark. It was cloudy out. I use a portable drawing board now to try to correct my posture, but I always find a way to slouch. I tried to use a back brace awhile ago and while I recommend it, I couldn’t stick with it. Mostly cause it felt ridiculous. I think the drawing board helps a little though but I love that it’s adjustable  and portable, so everything else can stay on my flat desk except the page I’m working on. It’s pricey but I highly recommend it.

The view from my desk is pretty great, considering most views from rooms in NYC are brick or shitty backyards. It’s especially lovely in winter. The only problem is I’m not allowed to go in the backyard so it mostly just exists to drive me crazy and give me cabin fever.

and yes, I still draw in my bed sometimes. I suppose that’s a habit I’ll never shake. Notice I’ve had the same pillowcase throughout all the apartments aaaarg who cares? So that’s that! All my drawing spaces since I started drawing comics.