Whitney Wasson / @soberrabbit / comics & comedy
Merch Design
In addition to comic-making and illustration, I've also designed my own merchandise as well as items for other people, too. I print and bind items, send them to professional presses and have even (if you scroll down a bit) designed an item to be screen printed by the client.
Scroll down for examples for the design process and what I have done before.
I typically sketch the concept, send that to the client, and if we're on the same page, get a contract going and start designing for real. I've successfully pitched for individuals and organizations and as a freelancer, am always looking for more work.
If you have a project idea, please shoot me an email or use the contact form below.
Coloring Books & Workbooks
Future goals: I'd love to design a more robust, spiral bound workbook that a small press could release... *nudge, nudge!*
It cracks me up to come up with exercises and to draw little illustrations to match.
I style myself as a cartoonist, but I'm open to drawing standalone or sequential illustrations for someone else's work, too.
I have several long-term commissions at the moment for a children's book, zines, poetry chapbooks and more.
Sober Rabbit Coloring Book for Anxious Adults
My first coloring book is a send up of toxic positivity -- like the inspirational-manic tone of self-help books, but realistic! Eat some food! Take a nap! Calm down with the perfectionism! I designed and laid out this 20 page coloring book, which was printed professionally in Montana. 2023 update: these have sold out in my store, but check out Howling Pages' online/in-person to snag the final couple of copies!
Sober Rabbit Anxiety Workbook
I have been creating worksheets for my Patreon patrons and realized that non-patrons may enjoy them, as well. This 25 page workbook was professionally printed locally and is sold by me through my Big Cartel store, as well.
It has a color cover and then black and white pages, which kept the printing costs down.
I really enjoy that it can be used as a coloring book, written in without coloring or taken apart for prints. If there's any pages you particularly enjoy, you could take the booklet apart, photo-copy the pages, and pop all those pages in a binder so you could do the exercises more than once!
February, 2023 update: These have sold out, as well!
I have designed several acrylic pins. They're lighter than enamel pins, and thus less expensive! Check them all out in my Big Cartel store. I have a small run of each printed, and provide some exclusive pins for my Patreon patrons. I do take requests!
Acrylic Pins
Design Process
Mike Hover is a friend and wonderful comedian who has sent work my way a couple of ways. He asked me to design a pin based on one of this jokes about a novelty license plate. Here's the path from my sketch of his concept (I was demonstrating pin size comparisons in the photo) to the finished design to Mike's photo of the professionally printed acrylic pin.
Apparel & Accessories
Via Chicago-based t-shirt design company, Threadless, I have utilized their artist store platform to sell apparel and accessories. You can get my designs on everything from coffee mugs to phone cases. I love the color options and look of the store. You can search by item or use the Collections tab to search by character or theme. Check it out!
Design Process
Brittany from Urban Rivers reached out about a design for a screenprinting workshop. I was delighted to pitch a project that included so many things I love about Chicago - namely, the native flora and fauna of what used to be vast prairie! Urban Rivers wanted icons that represented their Wild Mile workshops AND a design that they would be able to create a screen print for to use in the workshop. Left: my design draft. Right: Brittany's photo of the print for screening! Thanks, Urban Rivers. I love how this turned out!
