Back in 2003, I was living in the suburbs of Boston without a cell phone or car. The internet was new and slow, but at least it was available.
AOL Instant Messenger was the best way for a teenager to connect. For me, AIM was a restrictive lifeline. I thrived on that link, but wanted it to be more than text. In a time before memes, I decided to create my own images of expression.
Sibbles was started with a copy of Adobe Photoshop CS and a tiny Wacom graphic tablet. I used a quick-draw style on a 400x300 canvas (mostly). Initially, each Sibble was intentionally banged out as quickly as possible. I wanted to capture whatever wild idea came into my head before the conversation moved on.
Be warned: Some Sibbles were basically the reflexive brain child of a hormonal teenage boy. Some of them are crass, or downright offensive, but some are sweet or beautiful in their way. At least for me.
I made Sibbles for 7 years. It was a wild ride and I personally grew along with the drawings. Here it is, presented in no particular order.
