Info on Comic Updates and Projects

Ok... just some quick info on what to expect from my upcoming comic projects, what my goals are, and where this is heading. I have a couple of comic stories planned out. The first, as you've just seen is titled Hot Shit High!, and will play off of some American stereotypes and ero-doujin story elements.

This will be a hentai comic first and foremost, and should feature plenty of action, but there will also be some plot elements, character building, and non-erotic scenes as well. I'm planning for this book to be around 16 pages or so, with a possible sequel depending on how it goes. My goal here is to bring you something different and unique (and also a little familiar) while simultaneously using my experience to bring you better and better content.

Comic pages will be uploaded to Patreon a week earlier than they are anywhere else. You'll get to see them here first (and your feedback on these is always welcome)! For the time being, comic updates will be limited to two pages per update. This is mainly because I am aiming for high quality (or at least, the highest quality that I am capable of). And I am also trying to teach myself how to do these along the way, as I've come to discover that creating comics is a more complex task than I imagined. Despite their simple appearance, about as much work goes into a two page update as does a full color illustration. If I'm able to upload more than two at a time I will, but for now the goal is quality over quantity.

The comics I have planned will primarily feature black and white screen tones (but a colored comic is planned for the future if I'm able to reach my second milestone). There are two reasons for this. One, it's a far more efficient way for me to work as I can allocate more time focusing on the panel art, and challenging myself to produce the best drawings that I can (because color takes me an inordinate amount of time). And two... I really like it. A long time ago I fell in love with the screen tone look of Japanese manga, and have always wanted to try working this way. As I continue to practice, I'll become better at mastering this style in my own way, giving it more flair and confidence.

As I alluded to early, the craft of creating comics from scratch requires an intense body of knowledge and expertise, not only in drawing and writing, but also in planning, forethought, and execution. Here's a short list of some of the things I'm trying to think about and improve on as I work on building these pages.

-How to write and distill dialog for speech bubbles. How to build scenes and compositions to accommodate them on page in a natural and unobtrusive way.

-Framing a panel. What to show, and from what angle. There's overall page composition, and then there's compositions for each panel. What type of panel should be used for each scene, and what kind of difference it makes.

-Panel placement for proper juxtaposition. How to suggest short passages of time versus longer ones. How to effectively use insert panels.

-Designing page composition around readability. How well does the page flow? Is the reader's eye guided to the next intended target? Is it obvious which speech bubble comes next? Characters who speak first in a panel are typically placed on the left, but what If composition doesn't allow for this?

-Better use of perspective / environments. This is another area of study I'm still trying to learn and utilize effectively, as I've never had any classes or formal study on the matter. Placing and scaling characters in proper perspective is something I can do, but I still haven't come close to mastering it, and creating scenes requires a bit of study beforehand.

-Better use of movement and gesture. How to keep characters inside of panels from feeling stiff? How to suggest motion.

-Better use of dynamics, contrast, blacks, and sound effects. When and where to allow characters or elements to overlap others. How to make the page “pop” when it needs to.

-Time management. How much time to spend on the panel sketches vs line work. Am I spending too much time perfecting a sketch when I could move on to the lines sooner?

-Telling a story effectively. What are the essential elements of the story? How do I create a story that both revolves around sexual actions and a character's story?

Perhaps it seems like I'm taking this all a bit too seriously, but my primary goal in tackling these projects is to improve as an artist. I want to create spectacular things, and doing so requires study and dedication I hope you will enjoy the coming updates to my story, as well as my illustrative work and sketches as well.

As always thank-you so much for your support. If you are still reading this know that I wouldn't be doing any of this without you. If you have any questions or comments about any of this please drop a line below!