COFFEE AND COMICS: DAILY NUANCE WITH SYD LOW

By Calley Nelson

Syd Low creates and self-publishes comics, a large part of which are about working as a barista. They took Wren McDonald’s Minicomics: From the Page to Production (VNC-2362-A) with me over the past summer semester, and I was enthralled by their comics detailing bike rides; relationship highs and lows; the pitfalls of working in customer service; and Portrait Studies, their magical realism minicomic about haunted paintings.

When do you know you have a good idea for a comic?

For me a good comic usually comes from something that’s goofy or unique that makes for a fun story or something that’s relatable to a certain group—in my case, most often food service workers. There’s a kind of catharsis from drawing some deranged customer acting out and then having people online commiserate and also feel represented for a change. I used to worry about being too niche or needing to give more background, but, increasingly, I think the way to interesting work is specificity.

You took Wren McDonald’s RisoLAB course on minicomics. How did that influence your practice?

Wren’s course was helpful in that it forced me to sit down and put time into one comic; it let me take the process more seriously and slowly than I usually do and proved to me that I could! I’m more interested in creating longer pieces now and, especially, in printing them and really trying to participate in comic zine circulation. For anything even a touch longer, I really try to do at least a thumbnail or two now and give myself the time to see if, say, one layout or another would be better.

Is there anything that you’re working on—or planning to work on—that you’re really excited about?

I’m trying to compile a zine of all my coffee comics; I think it’d be fun to see all together and maybe would let me get barista comics out of my system for a bit. I know that’s how most people find me, so it’s a little scary to not focus on, but it’s easy to excuse staying in a rut.

I’d like to do another short story like I did for the Riso minicomics course—multiple pages (not formatted for Instagram!) with original characters. I’m also a fan of informational zines, and I’m working on one zine about tips and tricks for doing your HRT injections, since doctors and nurses often leave us in the lurch to figure it out. Hopefully, all of these schemes will be ready to share in print soon at syds.website and @quicknip! ◆

Photo of Syd Low.

Courtesy of the artist.

Halloween digital comic by Syd Low, 2023.

Lunar New Year ink stamp by Syd Low, 2022.

Portrait Studies, a Risograph printed comic by Syd Low, created in Wren McDonald's Minicomics course in the summer of 2023.

Pen and ink self-portrait of the barista using screen tones, 2023.

Risograph printed holiday card by Syd Low, 2023.

Digital illustration for stickers created by Syd Low, 2022.

Syd Low, Less Ice, 2023, risograph print, 8.5" x 11".

Warm Wishes Risograph holiday card by Syd Low, printed in 2023.

Syd Low, Walk Home, 2021, pen, ink and screen tones, 8.3" x 11.7".

Digital scan of the hand-drawn comic Take Out by Syd Low.

Syd Low, Juice Run, 2023, acrylic, 8" x 10".

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