ADVERTISEMENT

Life sometimes doesn't make any sense. We have so many ways to talk to people, yet we feel disconnected; there are a lot of single people, yet no one to date. These and many other examples are perfectly illustrated by the artist Brad, who also exaggerates and puts a funny twist to it.

Brad, also known as 'bradtjonas' on Instagram, is a 35-year-old illustrator from the United States. We reached out to Brad, and he shared about how he began to create comics. "After college and just before moving to NY I started a website to post comics called soyourlifeismeaningless.com. It was supposed to read like a self-help book title along the lines of 'So You'd Like to Quit Smoking' or something like that, but I don't know if anyone ever really got that. It eventually became a DAILY comic, more with a focus on quantity over quality, frankly, hoping to at least instill a daily work habit in myself."

So, if you are not yet familiar with Brad's work, you are in for a treat, as his unique sense of humor will keep you wanting more.

More info: Instagram | patreon.com | twitter.com

We were curious about Brad’s background and wanted to learn more about his backstory regarding comics. He wrote: “I grew up in Littleton, CO, the suburbs of Denver. I moved around a bunch for college and beyond but ended up settling in Oakland, CA for roughly the past decade now. I work as a freelance illustrator but have been focusing more on my own comics (when life allows) and building my Patreon for the past couple of years. I forget how regular human interaction works.”

He continued: “I first started making comics with my older brother Eric growing up (I have two older brothers and one younger). We had a number of Garfield and Calvin & Hobbes collections and the like, and both liked to doodle. We'd both make our own dumb comics and would even occasionally collaborate, switching off drawing each panel for fun, meandering, improvised comic adventures. Eventually, I made bad comics for the school paper in high school and was an illustrator and comic-maker for my college paper (shoutouts to the Pioneer Log at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, woo, go Pios). After graduating, I did not use my English or Psychology degrees and I moved to Brooklyn and managed to pay for rent and improv classes (lol) by doing miscellaneous illustration jobs through Craigslist using a used Wacom tablet that I got off of eBay in high school for $35 and a pirated version of Photoshop I had on a dinky emachine netbook.”

ADVERTISEMENT

“I moved around a bit and eventually a comedy news site that I was illustrating for got bought by a tech news site based out of San Francisco, so I moved to the Bay Area for a regular gig with them. They eventually ran out of money to pay me, but I stuck around in the Bay ANYWAY.”

Later on, Brad told us a story about how he created the website soyourlifeismeaningless.com. He continued by sharing what artists and themes inspired his work.

“I was inspired by artists like KC Green who had Gunshow running at the time, and James Kochalka, who was still doing his daily American Elf diary comics. If 'So Your Life Is Meaningless' wasn't a giveaway, I have also long been inspired by themes of depression and finding things to laugh at whilst dwelling in the 'SHIT', so to speak.”

#2

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Monstarr the Divisive
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ah yes, the formless, timeless rift in reality that lives with you - why do we not talk about them more?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT

As an artist, Brad has had his fair share of challenges. He opened up about what interferes with his creative process the most.

“Depression is really an all-consuming trait sometimes, so in addition to being a theme that inspires me, it is also one of the bigger challenges to my creative process. Then there are things like social media sites changing their algorithms to favor short videos over still images, or really anything that involves the marketing side of making comics... I really don't excel at selling myself. It's a wild surprise that I managed to respond to the comment that instigated this lil' post, I'm really terrible at responding to such things,” wrote Brad.

ADVERTISEMENT
#5

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
DP Nerill
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"I just want one that isn't insane" "Whatyamean, they're all like that?" "Well, how about one, that doesn't make any sound, will just stay in it's bedroom, not ask me for anything, but knows everything already?" A teenager? NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Brad also shared what he would like for people to take away from his comics: “I would like people to laugh at my work. Or at least feel better after reading my comics than they did before reading them. Or if they feel worse, I'd like them to ultimately feel better after ruminating on it for a bit... if that makes sense. I don't know. I would like my compulsion to doodle these things to not be for naught, but I can't really seem to help doing it regardless, so sorry if any of them make your life worse.”

ADVERTISEMENT

And lastly, Brad added: “I am so grateful to anyone who reads my comics. Even more so to those who leave comments and likes and all that. And if you subscribe to my Patreon, I owe you a whole friggin' hug and a half, and a heartfelt sob from a mysterious stranger at your funeral. I hope these comics help someone, in some capacity, and that I can manage to keep doing them for a while. I'm really grateful for this lil feature too, hoo dang. Thanks for looking at anything I ever drew!”

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#10

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Monstarr the Divisive
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well one has to admit, without that longlasting cult of his, who knows what Yoda would have become.... Although, a horny, green Grandad was not on my list until now.

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#24

bradtjonas Report

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Continue reading with Bored Panda Premium
Unlimited content
Ad-free browsing
Dark mode
ADVERTISEMENT
#33

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Auntriarch
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Off the tree? In a suburb of Milan? Sorry I got stuck on persimmons

#34

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Samia Guled
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

lets just hope he doesn't think that the cavity in the molar is a goomba

#35

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#38

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#40

That Competitive Spirit

That Competitive Spirit

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#42

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#43

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Auntriarch
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dad, just let me shoo these naughty children off to their room, then I'll make you a nice cup of coffee and biscuit, and check your feet

#44

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#47

Dating Apps

Dating Apps

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#50

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
TheOddPotater (she/her)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

ik those were the golden yearrrrs!!! one of the best ones was You Only Move Twice in season eight

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#52

bradtjonas Report

#55

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#57

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#58

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#60

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#61

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#62

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
#63

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
LakotaWolf (she/her)
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Donnie! Donnie! No! That's... well, actually, I guess that IS one interpretation of the verb "do"...

#64

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST
Alex Beal
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The data is limited to the physical phone! "Data" is where information is stored. It's my civic duty to spread this comprehension. When you purchase a smartphone. There's a "data plan". The smartphone IS the data. These companies sell your private information, and you pay for it. Internet, cable, and phone. Is thirty U.S. dollars a month. In Japan. Smart plan! " Smart" phone.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#65

bradtjonas Report

Add photo comments
POST