Rider’s Lens #003: Bikepacking Comics by Panthea Read

compose Logan Watts
time Mar 1, 2016
comment 9

“Comics—simplified, short, and succinct—are my preferred process for working through inner thoughts and turmoil.

I like how they reduce an abstract experience down to the tangible facts, making it relatable (and hopefully enjoyable) for other people. Bikepacking trips with Skyler provide plenty of content, so bikepacking comics seemed like a natural progression. My favorite part of making them is always the planning: picking out the essential storyline for a chosen topic and discarding the filler fluff. My least favorite part would have to be drawing bikes… bikes are hard, especially bikepacking bikes—Skyler and I wouldn’t get very far in our travels if we were tasked with riding the squished forks and wonky wheels that I draw for us.

“Morning Coffee”

For drawing tools I like to use landscape sketchbooks (their rectangular shape is perfect for layouts), mechanical drafting pencils for initial sketches, chunky erasures for undoing wheel wonk, and micron pens of varying thicknesses for inking and shading. Another essential tool is Skyler’s photography—I use his images as references, most often for bikes. Color is a new addition, I’ve been playing around most recently with watercolors and watercolor pencils though sometimes I like prismacolor markers.” — Panthea Read

“The Grand Canyon”

“Bikepacking Pets”

“Mental Clutter”

Follow Panthea’s travels alongside Skyler Des Roches at OffRoute.ca.

And, if you know somebody making photography, drawings, or anything else creative while out riding, let us know.