---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I just try to make comics for myself, try…"
description: "\"I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some kind of unity throughout. That often involves tiny details. I'm never sure what's going to be..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png"
---

#  I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some…

![“I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some kind of unity throughout. That often involves tiny details. I'm never sure what's going to be obvious or what nobody will ever notice. I put stuff in my comics that I thought was blatantly obvious, and nobody noticed. And things that I…” quote by Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png)

> “I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some kind of unity throughout. That often involves tiny details. I'm never sure what's going to be obvious or what nobody will ever notice. I put stuff in my comics that I thought was blatantly obvious, and nobody noticed. And things that I think are buried in the background, everybody gets it. So I try to be consistently aware of every part of the frame.”

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Strives for cohesive storytelling where every detail matters, acknowledging that what seems obvious may be missed and hidden cues can resonate.

**In simple terms:** Every comic detail matters.

Key Takeaway

Pay attention to all elements.

Themes

creativity attention to detail storytelling

Mood

introspective analytical

Type

artistic instructional

When to use this quote

- comic creation
- design work
- editing
- visual communication

Key Concepts

visual narrative artistic intent

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you decide which details to highlight?
- When should subtlety be prioritized?

A Different Perspective

Over‑analysis can stall creation.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Comic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/) [Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics/) [Comics Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics-thought-310143/) [Comics Try](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comics-try-310145/) [Consistently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistently/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Make Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-comics-310144/) [Obvious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/obvious/) [Stuff Comics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stuff-comics-310146/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Unity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unity/)

## Related quotes

> [I always had more allergies toward the superhero comics than the others. I thought those were aimed more toward the people who would beat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/art-spiegelman/i-always-had-more-allergies-toward-the-superhero-comics-than-the/)

[Art Spiegelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/art-spiegelman/)

> [Lots of comics try stuff out all year round, which is very sensible - I don't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/lots-of-comics-try-stuff-out-all-year-round-which-is-very-sensible-i/)

[Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/)

> [Personally, I wouldn't wait around for someone to tell you you're good enough before you make your own comics. Just make them, always try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-little/personally-i-wouldn-t-wait-around-for-someone-to-tell-you-you-re-good/)

[Troy Little](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-little/)

> [It's not like since I make comics I only read comics and since I make movies I will only go out and watch movies.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjane-satrapi/it-s-not-like-since-i-make-comics-i-only-read-comics-and-since-i-make/)

[Marjane Satrapi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjane-satrapi/)

> [When I was a school kid I used to read lots of comics. This started me on drawing, I would make my own comics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-dzama/when-i-was-a-school-kid-i-used-to-read-lots-of-comics-this-started-me/)

[Marcel Dzama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-dzama/)

> [More and more, I tried to make comics in the way I like to read comics, and I found that when I read comics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/more-and-more-i-tried-to-make-comics-in-the-way-i-like-to-read-comics/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [A lot of times when I sit down with the other comics and try to talk theory, they say I'm being too serious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-hodgson/a-lot-of-times-when-i-sit-down-with-the-other-comics-and-try-to-talk/)

[Joel Hodgson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-hodgson/)

> [I think that Spider-Man is a part of our culture. He's a perennial character. He's something that's constantly reexamined and there are so many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-webb/i-think-that-spider-man-is-a-part-of-our-culture-he-s-a-perennial/)

[Marc Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-webb/)

> [I'm not sure anybody's ready to see me in a drama. And loving movies so much, I've seen a lot of comics try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-m-not-sure-anybody-s-ready-to-see-me-in-a-drama-and-loving-movies/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [For me, there were a few things in the Spider-Man comics that I thought were really interesting. There's this story about Peter's parents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-webb/for-me-there-were-a-few-things-in-the-spider-man-comics-that-i/)

[Marc Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-webb/)

> [I really think I tried to capture the essence of the comics: what I thought would be the essence of Elektra. And then, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elodie-yung/i-really-think-i-tried-to-capture-the-essence-of-the-comics-what-i/)

[Elodie Yung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elodie-yung/)

> [I hate comics that try to change the world. That's not my job. That's for the king. I'm the jester. I'm there to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralphie-may/i-hate-comics-that-try-to-change-the-world-that-s-not-my-job-that-s/)

[Ralphie May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralphie-may/)

> [I came in with a very specific idea about what a Doctor Strange movie should be, which was rooted in the comics, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scott-derrickson/i-came-in-with-a-very-specific-idea-about-what-a-doctor-strange-movie/)

[Scott Derrickson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scott-derrickson/)

> [I used to watch everybody's stuff, but I found I would get slightly influenced by the other comics. I try to avoid it now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-jefferies/i-used-to-watch-everybody-s-stuff-but-i-found-i-would-get-slightly/)

[Jim Jefferies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-jefferies/)

> [I started going to the open mics every day in 2003. You make the comics laugh, they get you work, and you build up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-griffin/i-started-going-to-the-open-mics-every-day-in-2003-you-make-the/)

[Erik Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-griffin/)

## More by Daniel Clowes

> [“This is the Mona Lisa of bad diners.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/this-is-the-mona-lisa-of-bad-diners/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [I lose faith in everything else, but rarely in my work. If I start to get bored, I change it to make it more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-lose-faith-in-everything-else-but-rarely-in-my-work-if-i-start-to/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [Surely comics require more effort on the part of the reader than movies or television. I'm always learning new things you can do with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/surely-comics-require-more-effort-on-the-part-of-the-reader-than/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [You need to be, like, turning down high-paying illustration work because you want to work on your comic. That's when you know you're doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/you-need-to-be-like-turning-down-high-paying-illustration-work/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [Though to the average person that you'll meet on an airplane, if you tell them you draw comics, they'll still have sort of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/though-to-the-average-person-that-you-ll-meet-on-an-airplane-if-you/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [That'll be my claim to fame: My grandmother-in-law is the oldest iPad user!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/that-ll-be-my-claim-to-fame-my-grandmother-in-law-is-the-oldest-ipad/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [Usually when I put together a book like this Death-Ray hardcover or that Ghost World special edition, then I have to reread it and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/usually-when-i-put-together-a-book-like-this-death-ray-hardcover-or/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [I think that's what we're all most terrified about: that we'll just die and disappear and we'll leave no trace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-think-that-s-what-we-re-all-most-terrified-about-that-we-ll-just/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [When I go back and reread the stuff, I'm always floored by how deeply personal and revealing it actually is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/when-i-go-back-and-reread-the-stuff-i-m-always-floored-by-how-deeply/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [I'd always wanted to do a weekly strip, or a strip that was in installments like that. It's been fun trying to figure out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-d-always-wanted-to-do-a-weekly-strip-or-a-strip-that-was-in/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [You have to find the tone of the piece and modulate that. There are ways to indicate that - I try to incorporate the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/you-have-to-find-the-tone-of-the-piece-and-modulate-that-there-are/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [Often I'll do research just to get a time period correct, but I didn't have to for the '70s... I feel like I can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/often-i-ll-do-research-just-to-get-a-time-period-correct-but-i-didn-t/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [My feeling is that it's one of the very few things that comics can do that you really can't do in any other medium.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/my-feeling-is-that-it-s-one-of-the-very-few-things-that-comics-can-do/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [All I can say on the Guilford story - and this comes more from my perspective as a father than an artist - is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/all-i-can-say-on-the-guilford-story-and-this-comes-more-from-my/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

> [I think I've had the fantasy of a ray-gun that could erase the world from the time I was a very little kid.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-think-i-ve-had-the-fantasy-of-a-ray-gun-that-could-erase-the-world/)

[Daniel Clowes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

[Explore all 121 Daniel Clowes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/)

## More Comic quotes

> [Any incarnation of 'Batman' I am delighted to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-west/any-incarnation-of-batman-i-am-delighted-to-do/)

[Adam West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-west/)

> [I always loved as a kid reading 'Spider-Man,' and the 'Fantastic Four' would show up... it was all about that larger universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peyton-reed/i-always-loved-as-a-kid-reading-spider-man-and-the-fantastic-four/)

[Peyton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peyton-reed/)

> [One of the key characteristics of the comic book medium is that it is not brought to life by just one voice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-lee/one-of-the-key-characteristics-of-the-comic-book-medium-is-that-it-is/)

[Jim Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-lee/)

> [I identify with Superman. I am adopted, I am an only child, and I love the idea that he comes from another world, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-singer/i-identify-with-superman-i-am-adopted-i-am-an-only-child-and-i-love/)

[Bryan Singer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-singer/)

> [Before World War II, I was living a very cloistered existence, as most cartoonists do. The work I was pouring out did not come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-eisner/before-world-war-ii-i-was-living-a-very-cloistered-existence-as-most/)

[Will Eisner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-eisner/)

> [If you look at Marvel Comics, there are very few Marvel characters I would like to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garth-ennis/if-you-look-at-marvel-comics-there-are-very-few-marvel-characters-i/)

[Garth Ennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garth-ennis/)

> [The big problem for comic art is you don't want to overwork it. If a drawing is overworked it isn't funny. It's the spontaneity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-sorel/the-big-problem-for-comic-art-is-you-don-t-want-to-overwork-it-if-a/)

[Edward Sorel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-sorel/)

> [Leslie Stein's comics give readers privileged access to a complete and wholly original world of gently skewed wonders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-woodring/leslie-stein-s-comics-give-readers-privileged-access-to-a-complete/)

[Jim Woodring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-woodring/)

> [I've certainly seen a lot of my cartoonist friends embrace 'Little Lulu' in a much deeper way because their kids love it so much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth/i-ve-certainly-seen-a-lot-of-my-cartoonist-friends-embrace-little/)

[Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth/)

> [Batman doesn't have any superpowers. He's not superhuman. He's not super. So therefore he can't be a superhero.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-silvey/batman-doesn-t-have-any-superpowers-he-s-not-superhuman-he-s-not/)

[Craig Silvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-silvey/)

> [When I was writing 'Black Panther,' on one level, I was angry because DC would never let me write 'Batman,' so I was doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-priest/when-i-was-writing-black-panther-on-one-level-i-was-angry-because-dc/)

[Christopher Priest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-priest/)

> [I was really into the first 'Spider-Man' films with Tobey Maguire, so it's pretty cool how it all came full circle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-batalon/i-was-really-into-the-first-spider-man-films-with-tobey-maguire-so-it/)

[Jacob Batalon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacob-batalon/)

> [Most men are secretly still mad at their mothers for throwing away their comic books. They would be valuable now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rita-rudner/most-men-are-secretly-still-mad-at-their-mothers-for-throwing-away/)

[Rita Rudner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rita-rudner/)

> [I'll only diet for a Marvel movie. I will give up bacon and waffles to be Storm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janelle-james/i-ll-only-diet-for-a-marvel-movie-i-will-give-up-bacon-and-waffles-to/)

[Janelle James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janelle-james/)

> [You've seen the first issue and what happened in the last page. Some pretty awful stuff. I don't know why I seem to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-shalvey/you-ve-seen-the-first-issue-and-what-happened-in-the-last-page-some/)

[Declan Shalvey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-shalvey/)

[Browse all 5,841 Comic quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/comic/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some kind of unity throughout. That often involves tiny details. I'm never sure what's going to be obvious or what nobody will ever notice. I put stuff in my comics that I thought was blatantly obvious, and nobody noticed. And things that I think are buried in the background, everybody gets it. So I try to be consistently aware of every part of the frame.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Daniel Clowes"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try-to-give-it-some-kind-of/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Comic"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try-to-give-it-some-kind-of/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e94/daniel-clowes-3835_comic_i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try_2433520.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I just try to make comics for myself, try to give it some kind of unity throughout. That often involves tiny…” — Daniel Clowes",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "Daniel Clowes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-clowes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I just try to make comics...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try-to-give-it-some-kind-of/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-clowes/i-just-try-to-make-comics-for-myself-try-to-give-it-some-kind-of/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
