Nate Taylor

Whenever I hear someone say AI.

Just thinking about how creating something “completely unprompted” is probably going to have two meanings soon.

Because of that show, my copy of the Technical Manual went everywhere with me for many years. Your name will never leave my memory, you genius!

There’s nothing like the stomping of a 5-year-old who has to go UPSTAIRS to get dressed, ugh fine.

Illustrated comic by Yeppenny Doodles of a cute bunny reluctant to rest, and a cat tucking the bunny into a blanket and reminding them that rest isn’t a reward but rather it is part of their progress.

You deserve rest 💙 #art #comics

Generative Al is being marketed as a tool designed to reduce or eliminate the need for developed, cognitive skillsets. It uses the work of others to simulate human output, except that it lacks grasp of nuance, contains grievous errors, and ultimately serves the goal of human beings being neurologically weaker due to the promise of the machine being better equipped than the humans using it would ever exert the effort to be. The people that use generative Al for art have no interest in being an artist; they simply want product to consume and forget about when the next piece of product goes by their eyes. The people that use generative Al to make music have no interest in being a musician; they simply want a machine to make them something to listen to until they get bored and want the machine to make some other disposable slop for them to pass the time with. The people that use generative Al to write things for them have no interest in writing. The people that use generative Al to find factoids have no interest in actual facts. The people that use generative Al to socialize have no interest in actual socialization. In every case, they've handed over the cognitive load of developing a necessary, creative human skillset to a machine that promises to ease the sweat equity cost of struggle. Using generative Al is like asking a machine to lift weights on your behalf and then calling yourself a bodybuilder when it's done with the reps. You build nothing in terms of muscle, you are not stronger, you are not faster, you are not in better shape. You're just deluding yourself while experiencing a slow decline due to self-inflicted atrophy.

re: generative AI

I have finally fully and accurately explained my problem with how it’s marketed and used.

And now, you can use it, too.

Ugh. That makes me double-tired.

Ah, a rainy PNW day, perfect for staying in with a cozy blanket and a hot drink.

Ah, a blisteringly hot PNW day, perfect for staying in with AC and an iced drink.

A cartoon drawing of Red Sonja slapping a dragon who has snagged her chainmail bikini.

A black and white drawing of Rey from The Rise of Skywalker along with the words “Confronting Fear is the Destiny of a Jedi.”

A drawing of a large elephantine alien tapping at a computer terminal and a tattooed woman with sci-fi pistols. Words on the computer screen say “Access Denied.” They are yelling at each other while a police officer approaches around the corner with their weapon drawn.

A black and white ink wash drawing of a mummy stalking toward you. It holds a pair of sunglasses in one hand and a speech bubble says “ Waiiiiiit…”

60k is fantastic! May your comments section always be positive!

A caricature of George Wendt as Norm from Cheers, lifting a beer stein in a toast.

Here’s lookin’ at you, Norm.

Aaah, Natalie, thank you! I’m so sorry I missed this. I hope your birthday was just as wonderful and fulfilling. Miss you, birthday buddy!

Just heard a door slam upstairs, and all house occupants are confirmed either asleep or downstairs. Been in this house 12 years, so isn’t it a bit late for a ghost to come around?

A cartoon ink drawing of Princess Leia, Chewbacca, C-3PO, and R2-D2 from their escape from Cloud City in The Empire Strikes Back.

May the 4th be with us. Rebel.

It’s almost here! Join us THIS SATURDAY for free comics, face painting, fund raising for Pierce the Darkness, and huge sales!

Thanks! Though this is only what he looks like to me.

A collage of sketches of characters from the novel “Legends and Lattes” by Travis Baldree: Viv, Tandri, Cal, Thimble, Hem, Pendry, Lack, Kellin, and the Madrigal.

Re-reading Legends and Lattes by @travisbaldree.bsky.social and I can do character sketches this time!
It’s only an obsession if I can’t stop.

I can’t stop myself from laughing every time I see one. My 4 yo has started calling them “Daddy’s happy car.”

Also had the pleasure of once being flipped off by the driver when they saw me laughing. It’s never not funny.

I can only speak for myself, but I love it because your shape work is so yummy and the characters are consistently delightful, even when they’re serious. Rest up! I love what you make!

This feels like karmic retribution for all the printers that failed to print on command. That tiny machine will suffer for their insolence.

Pencil portrait montage of Val Kilmer from Willow, Real Genius, and Tombstone.

It was a sad day to lose such a talented actor. My childhood wouldn’t have been the same without the roguish swordsman, hedonist gambler, and mouthy genius. RIP Val Kilmer.

Nate Taylor sits at the Grim Oak Press convention booth drawing inside a special edition copy of the Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss.

It was a very good Saturday at ECCC! I got to meet new people, talk with good friends I don’t get to see often enough, and even connect with one of my new favorite authors, Travis Baldree. I am so grateful for everyone I was lucky enough to hang out with yesterday.

I’ve been terrible about updates, but I WILL be at ECCC today! Signing at Grim Oak at 11am, then hunting down friends and favorite creators. Hope to see you there!

Hey NYTimes — *now* you’re lighting the beacons? NOW?!? After months of “Sauron: Avatar Of Evil… Or Extreme Uniter?” thumbsucker reporting you’re screaming what we’ve known since 2015? Fuck all the way off.

If you see this, QRP with #portrait #art

If you like creature design, you will LOVE this Kickstarter.

Egg Heist sounds like an awesome tabletop game.

Just keep moving forward!

Remarques are done after a book’s production so it has to be traditional media. In this case, it was done with a Prismacolor black pencil which doesn’t smudge as much as graphite, but also can’t be erased as easily. Thanks for the question!