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COVID-19

Artist turns COVID doodle diary into self-published book

Victoria Craig Jan 29, 2021
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An uncapped pen rests on a blank page of "Vic Lee's Corona Diary," a book of illustrations chronicling life under the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Vic Lee
COVID-19

Artist turns COVID doodle diary into self-published book

Victoria Craig Jan 29, 2021
Heard on:
An uncapped pen rests on a blank page of "Vic Lee's Corona Diary," a book of illustrations chronicling life under the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Vic Lee
HTML EMBED:
COPY

When the coronavirus pandemic began to take hold around the world, artist Vic Lee started chronicling the events from his South London home.

Rather than putting pen to paper and writing down words to describe what he heard, saw and experienced, he sketched. And he sketched. And he sketched.

Eventually, he shared a few photos on the professional networking site LinkedIn. Thousands of commenters encouraged him to publish his drawings, and he took their advice, choosing to self-publish and self-promote the book he called “Vic Lee’s Corona Diary.”

A hand hold opens the book "Vic Lee's Corona Diary," a set of illustrations chronicling the pandemic in 2020.
“Vic Lee’s Corona Diary.” (Photo by Lee)

The 88-page book tells the story of the pandemic year — the highs and the lows, from clapping campaigns for front-line workers to toilet paper shortages and the vaccine rollout efforts.

Like many authors who published books in 2020, Lee wasn’t able to hold a launch event complete with champagne, canapes and people milling about. But, that didn’t stop him from publicizing the book, which he gave his own flourish from his home bathroom.

During the event, which he did live on Instagram, he said it was the perfect way to launch his project in such an usual year.

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