When it comes to Chris Allison’s successful comic series, we can appreciate his distinct art style and dark, humorous gags. He started “ToonHole ” with 3 other cartoonists, a web page where he posted his comic strips in 2010. His Instagram followers adore the way he delivers his jokes and punchlines. He also has a story on DreamWorks Feature Animation in the works and does other animations in his spare time.

Are you tired of the same old boring comics with predictable punchlines? Well, brace yourself for a wild ride because ToonHole’s artist is here to shake up your comic-reading experience. Get ready for some unexpected twists and turns because these comics will have you laughing until your sides hurt. No spoilers here, but let’s just say you’ll never look at some things the same way again.

Influences

First, we inquired as to whether he had any key influences in his life that may have aided in the development and refinement of his style. He told us, “Tom and Jerry were my initial source of inspiration. Looney Tunes, Goofy shorts, and Fleischer cartoons were among my favorites. I will most likely spend the rest of my life attempting to sketch and paint in the manner of many of those artists from the 1940s.”

Teacher Support

Chris had a lot of support from his teachers in high school, who introduced him to the arts. He had an animation class run by Paul Messerle, who went on to receive a prize for the San Diego County Teacher of the Year in 2016.

Chris also credits his life drawing teacher, Jacqueline Nicolini, as a great inspiration. After graduating, he attend

ed California State University, where he continued to study and perfect his drawing skills.

It Takes Time To Produce A Comic Strip

Because art takes a long time to practice as well as produce, we asked Chris how long it takes him to complete one of his comics.

He says, “In general, I think about 6 hours for most of my comics, but it’s hard to gauge. I’ll pencil 3 or 4 comics on watercolor paper in a couple nights, then ink them all in one night, then try to color a couple comics at a time.”

The Process

Chris continues to explain that it is easier with watercolor because you can move to the next panel while the last panel dries, and you can use the colors you just mixed to keep the panel colors uniform.

He also uses Photoshop and other computer programs to produce comics. In that case, he tries to get it done in one sitting. The complexities are different in each format, and also the time invested may vary.

Writer’s Block

Being an artist is difficult; one can easily experience a lack of inspiration, exhaustion, and other issues. We asked Chris about his comics ideas and what happens when inspiration is difficult to come about.

“Really classic artist problem: the blank page stares back at you blankly. My remedy has been embracing limitations. It’s a hard task to just “be funny” with no footing to hold onto. I pick on observable things from my everyday life.”

Carry A Sketchbook At All Times

Chris carries a small sketchbook in his back pocket, with all the topics written in the back, and a pen. This way, he can write or sketch down ideas wherever he is and not risk forgetting them when he gets home.

He does most of his writing to avoid boredom when he does chores or menial tasks such as changing the oil, waiting for his accountant to do his taxes, or even while eating lunch.

Burnout

As we all know, creative work may occasionally lead to burnout, so we inquired if he has dealt with this as well. Chris goes on to explain that while this is a struggle common to artists, he doesn’t have time to be burned out.

Since he works in animation for his day job, has a small record label, “King Volume Records,” and recently jumped to work on feature films, he doesn’t have much time left.

Simultaneous Different Projects

In his own words, Chris says: “We regularly put out ToonHole comics and have been working on animated shorts and pitching TV shows/movies of our own. Frankly, I don’t have time to be burnt out and I think that’s the thing that’s been keeping me going all these years.”

It seems as if diversifying the type of work he does keeps the stress levels at bay. He never gets bored with all those projects.

The Creative Process

Although the creative process isn’t easy, it does have some enjoyable aspects. “I honestly like the whole process. Comics are fun because I get complete control, but they’re also stressful because of it.

Writing is fun, to watch comics emerge out of nothing. Inking and coloring comics is phenomenal because I can put on music and get into a flow state.” Flow is a state of mind where you become fully immersed in an activity.

Collaboration With Other Artists

Working in animation allows Chris to collaborate with other artists and benefit from their experiences (and steal their secrets). Working with voice actors, putting drawings on a timeline to watch how they move, and adding music and sound design are all part of the process.

When reflecting about this, Chris says, “Making things is simply fun, and it adds a lot of significance to my life.” The exchange of ideas between artists keeps them inspired and motivated.