May 28, 2019

Laura Martin ’18, aka Larel, is a comics artist now working at Einhorn Epic Productions as creative assistant. She interned at Alternative Comics and has drawn for many Gumshoe One-2-One role-playing games, such as The Howling Fog. Laura Martin recently gave this interview with Angela Boyle ′16.

Who was your thesis advisor and why did you pick them? How was your mentee experience?

My thesis advisor was Jake Wyatt—he’s from more of an animation background, but I have always admired his fantasy webcomic, Necropolis. Our mentor/mentee relationship was amazing and incredibly supportive. One day I admitted that, “Maybe I should be drawing more serious comics,” and he immediately shot that down. He basically validated my need to draw dragons and swords all of the time, and for that I’m forever grateful.

What are your responsibilities as a creative assistant at Einhorn’s Epic Productions?

I have a variety of responsibilities at Einhorn’s Epic Productions (EEP). I’m in charge of invoicing and contract management for all of the talent that comes through. I help find new talent and provide feedback on all incoming scripts, illustrations, and other materials. And I also do some early concept development work. I’m having a lot of fun on the job!

What current project you are working on?

I have a lot of projects I’m working on, but surprisingly not many of them are comics! I’m doing digital book design and artwork for Pelgrane Press (a roleplaying game company), as well as illustrative designs for Daughters of the Forge, an artisanal creator of custom works in leather and wood. I also recently acted as a colorist for an upcoming graphic novel.

How do you balance your work at Einhorn’s Epic Production with your personal work?

At the moment, Einhorn keeps me pretty active and busy! However, I do also have a personal project under the working title Purple Skies that I try to work on in my spare time.

What are your favorite tools to draw with?

I’m a digital artist through and through (although I’m still very fond of nib and ink, which I learned at CCS). My comfort zone is Adobe Photoshop, and I have an old and trusty Wacom tablet.