Weekly Update - number 8

Another week already.  Let's dig in.

Comic stuff

I managed to re-ink the comic panels I had done, and discovered what it was that was bugging me about my previous attempts.  Essentially I was inking and colouring in a style that just didn't fit in with doing a comic about 'adventures in a tropical land'.  In fact it was all coming out a bit to Frank Miller for what I wanted.  As a result the colours started becoming overly complicated, which I had promised myself not to do since painted panels would take a long time to complete.

I should have previews up to show the new inks.  I'm going with a less overly shaded/overly contrasted look.  Simple line art that shows enough detail that colour won't be detracted from.  I'm hoping for a sort of 'storybook style' with this whole endeavor.

That said, I should have figured out the style I wanted before jumping headlong into the project.  It caused a delay, and for that I'm sorry.

Lastly on the comic front, I've had some advice given to me that I think is actually pretty accurate.  I was told it's hard to get people's interest in a project if I just paywall everything.  I limit the audience severely that way, and while it's a reward for people generous enough to donate each month, it's also not easy for other's to have much interest in it if they can't see it.  For that reason I'm going to wait for a couple months before posting the low-res versions of the pages on additional free sites.  People here will still get the CSV and high resolution/non-scaled versions of the comic no matter what tier they are on, and they'll get it right away, but it gives a chance for the project to be seen outside of just Patreon.

The Arty Bits

I'm starting to want to focus on some of the more magical things of the world this time around.  Including noting about how magic is derived in a world like Felwroth.  Hence the image of Cinders conversing with one of the travelling voices, chroniclers and keepers of lore for centuries.  And dragons in their own right are pretty powerful fonts of direct magic of the world.  So perhaps more dragons!  As well as some of the mystical places and things of the world.  From implements to artifacts of legend (Cinders' stone of the song of earth, for instance).

I've been a bit delayed due to weather.  The west of Canada is under a pretty sweeping series of sweltering days, and there's no AC in the studio space.  That should be rectified this month as AC will be put in (come hell or high water) and it'll let me not worry about my work machine bursting into flames every time I turn it on.

Enjoy the inked pic!  I should have the colours up soon after.  It's been a while since I did a full painting and I'm itching to get back at it.

Lastly, a happy fourth for all the U.S. folks on the list!  May there be bbq's and much celebrating!

-T.J.