Grant Snider, the creator of Incidental Comics, has long displayed this imaginative, somewhat surreal approach to life in his work, which captures both its burdens and its moments of lightness. Now we can all see the world from Grant’s perspective through his first book, The Shape of Ideas.

>>>> Read our review of The Shape of Ideas here.

Grant has been kind enough to share a dash of his philosophy exclusively with 203challenges.com:

Grant Sinder| Photo by Mark Woolcott Photography

Who is Grant Snider and what are his dreams?

I’m a 31-year-old cartoonist, author, and orthodontist. My biggest accomplishments are my three children and my first book, The Shape of Ideas. My dream is to continue pursuing new ideas for the rest of my creative life.

I started Incidental Comics… when I had no idea how to make comics! My artistic abilities have grown and changed with me. It seems like a different person was responsible for my earliest work.

The first of my drawings that I remember… were detailed and imaginative worlds of dinosaurs, aliens, and dragons. I drew in crayon, marker, and pencil on old computer paper – early ’90s computer paper was the best.

Photo courtesy of www.incidentalcomics.com

When I started drawing, I couldn’t even imagine that… it would remain such an integral part of my life. Then again, I could never imagine giving it up.

I consider myself… a failed perfectionist. I keep trying to make something perfect, but I’m always coming up short. This dissatisfaction drives me to continually make new things.

I would never… try to draw while riding a bicycle. Too many things could go wrong.

I would always… bring a pen and sketchbook with me. I might need it at any time.

The creative process is… beautiful, mysterious, frustrating. A locked room where the key is hidden in your mind.

Photo courtesy of www.incidentalcomics.com

Ideas are born… at inopportune times. You have to be ready to catch them.

Asking questions is… something we should all keep doing, even when we know there’s no answer.

My favorite place in the world is… on a blanket under a tree in my backyard, on a spring afternoon when everything is in blossom and the mosquitoes haven’t started biting.

I never travel without… a backpack full of more books than I could possibly read during one trip.

Challenges in life are… a good source of artistic inspiration and wisdom – but only after the fact.

One challenge for anyone who is reading this: Go for a long walk with a pen and a notebook. Don’t take your phone. Don’t take your dog. Find something outside of you or within you to write or draw about. Repeat until it becomes necessary.

Photo courtesy of www.grantsnider.com

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There is probably no other city in the world that has as many comic book stores as Brussels. There is also hardly any other city where comic book characters have escaped the pages and scattered themselves around the facades of the buildings in the city center like they do here.

Lift your head up, keeping your hat in your hand, and enjoy Brussels in comics.

The love affair between Brussels and comic books has a long history. The city’s two most famous magazines – Tintin and Spirou – sprang up in the beginning of the 20th century. Some of the most beloved comic books of several generations were created here: The Smurfs, Lucky Luke, Tintin, Gaston Lagaffe…

Brussels, of course, has a comic book museum – the Belgian Comic Strip Centre, where you can learn useful and interesting information. But it is much more inspiring to just walk down the streets of the Belgian capital and get acquainted with your favorite characters in person.

The murals are so well integrated into Brussels’ architecture that you might not even notice them.

Apart from the graffiti on the walls, comic book characters are revived here in 3D form, too. A prime example is the statue of comic book hero Gaston Lagaffe on Pacheco Boulevard.

You can join some of the paid guided bike tours and walks along the comic strip route, but probably the best way to immerse yourself in comic culture is to start your own journey with a map in your hand (a perfect map is available in the bottom of this page) and enjoy your treasure hunt.

To complete a real themed day, finish at the Comic Strip Village (Stripdorp/Le Village de la BD, situated at Sablon Square) in the center of Brussels. Here you’ll find a gallery, a comic book store and a café, where you can have a rest surrounded by colorful comic strips.

You can buy a comic map from any Brussels Tourism Office (costs 1 euro), or alternatively you can take the route provided on this map below:

Pin it for later because you’re gonna need this map and it will get buried in the tons of information online:

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5 minutes of history

Charleroi was built in 1666 by the Spaniards and the city was named after Charles II of Spain, who came to the throne when he was only 4 years old and generally his entire reign cannot be remember for anything good. Fortunately, the city was not tainted by his bad fame and it was conquered by the French only a year after. Later on Napoleon himself settled in Charleroi on the eve of the Battle of Waterloo.

Comics

Charleroi is considered the capital city of the Walloon (French) comic books – some of the first Belgian stories in pictures were created here. This explains the fact that you often run into statues of popular cartoon characters here and there in the city. Lucky Luke, for instance, is seen at the entrance to the Reine Astrid Park.

The melody of 47 bells

A minute of patriotism. The beautiful building of the Town Hall has 47 bells, which play the tune of the song “Land of Charleroi – It is you I love best” every hour. We guess that the bells regularly remind the mayor and his employees what they should love the most in their life. The Town Hall is situated on Charles II Square (yes, the same Charles II, who reigned the city for one year when he was 4). The dancing fountains and the Cathedral are found here, too.

4 museums

Charleroi has a Glass Museum, which features both exquisite items of modern times and such that gradually bring you back to the past. The museum is located in Bois du Cazier – an abandoned coal mine where one of the severest incidents in the history of Belgium occurred back in 1956. A fire in the mine killed 262 people, half of whom Italians. The mine is no longer functioning and now it shelters an exhibition dedicated to the fire and the mining industry in Belgium (together with the Glass Museum). You can reach Bois du Cazier (in Marcinelle) by bus No 52 from Charleroi-Sud station or by foot for about 30 minutes.

The Town Hall houses the Museum of Fine Arts (Musée des Beaux-Arts), while the Photography Museum (Musée de la Photographie) is situated on 11 Paul Pastur Avenue.

Cartier Castle

The castle is a beautiful XVII century building, which is perfectly fitting into Charleroi’s urban architecture. The first floor shelters the city library, while the second – the offices of the administrative services of Wallonia (the French-speaking part of Belgium). There is also a nice garden with benches.

Transport

To reach Charleroi from the airport you should take bus A, which will take you to the city in 20 minutes.

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If social media posts pass in front of your eyes and get immediately lost in the sea of information, Grant Snider’s recently published book The Shape of Ideas is exactly what you need on your bedside table as a constant source of inspiration.

>>> Read our interview with Grant Snider.

The Shape of Ideas is not a book to read from cover to cover, but rather one that makes you flip through the pages out of curiosity, searching for the comic that best matches your current state of mind.

Grant’s unique approach to everyday concepts and objects is so refreshing! It reminds us of a truth that each of us used to believe in as children: that even mundane objects can become important ingredients of magical stories if we dare to invent them. A mere walk in the park or a glance at the clouds drifting across the sky turn into special events when you look at the world through Grant’s eyes.

If you try to predict the next square of any of Grant’s stories, you will fail every time. This is exactly what makes you open the book every time you see it. Take a moment to browse through Grant’s stories and you will recognize your own hopes, ambitions, reflections and inner hustle on almost every page.

Photo courtesy of www.incidentalcomics.com

The Shape of Ideas is perfect for:

– rainy Saturday mornings when you need an excuse to remain in bed (yes, the book contains one!)

– low-spirit Mondays when a reason to smile will be welcomed

– random moments of boredom

– digging in your own imagination

Remember that part about unlocking questions I mentioned at the beginning? Actually, this book provides many answers, too. All you need to do is come up with the right questions.

Photo courtesy of www.grantsnider.com

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