It's absolutely hilarious to me that, only at the tail-end of the chapter, do I actually feel like I'm doing thumbnails correctly.
Ya know, quickly testing out multiple perspectives? Noting important visual and cosmetic details? Just doing all of the things thumbnails are for? Took me long enough.
2022-10-04 17:01:00 +0000 UTC View Post
I'm becoming way more confident in my compositions.
When I'm scripting, I usually have, at best, a vague idea of what any given panel looks like. Most really aren't too specific, as was the case with the panels for this page.
But with a bit of patience and consideration, I'm getting better at placing my characters, speech, and background assets in pleasing ways. All the better when they also lead the eye.
Anyone can make comics, but the best creators out there know how to ma...
2022-09-27 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Literally getting called out immediately upon meeting Leon
2022-09-26 17:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
Action scenes are still something I'm newer at, but finding a natural and striking way to convey things, a way that leads the eye and doesn't break the flow of energy through the page? That's such a good feeling.
I'm considering trying to add a bit of color or at least shading to some thumbnails, at least ones like these where the contrast really plays into how the page looks. The blinding white of the fully-consumed Fair against the night sky wasn't something I had actually been envisi...
2022-09-20 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
That Punnet square line is one of my favorite ones I've ever written. You guys have no idea how much fun I have writing Leon
2022-09-19 17:00:08 +0000 UTC View Post
One of the most fun aspects of making comics is getting to play around with unconventional panel structures. If you're smart about how you lead the eye, you can make readers flow through a page in ways they'd almost never do naturally.
And meanwhile, even more strange ways that the bubble things seem to work...
2022-09-13 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Ms Shepard's here, Trinity's here, and now Leon's joined in too!
I'm sure Luca's feeling great about all this.
2022-09-12 17:00:11 +0000 UTC View Post
It's a fun challenge to try and really convey the sense of something looming over. We also haven't gotten a whole lot of good shots of the Fair's central pillar, so the image of it being consumed by those weird bubbles is probably a good sign that it's time to leave.
As I continue to resist the temptation to just go with my first pass on things, it opens up way more options for how to present things.
And, interestingly, we get to see a few more tricks that these things have....
2022-09-06 17:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Finally, a payoff for Luca always trying to make Leon hold her hand while they travel. Now /LEON/ is the one offering his hand. And uh, apparently just in time.
Before the script was hammered out, I was instead envisioning Leon just taking her hand and leading her away in a huff after speaking with Ms Shepard, but I'm pretty sure that's also long before I had the idea for this whole Fair Getting Consumed Scene for the end of the chapter.
If that sounds like I'm spoiling the ending...
2022-08-30 17:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Once again, as expected, Leon has it all figured ou-GOOD LORD WHAT IS HAPPENING BACK THERE??
These Weird Bubbles make for a very interesting threat in the story, since by their nature, people can't seem to remember or even really focus on them very long.
2022-08-23 17:00:04 +0000 UTC View Post
Having gotten a better handle on framing with multiple characters, it's fun to get back to playing around with expressions on characters. Ms Shepard is an interesting case, since she has chronic resting... mean face.
Though it does make her perfectly suited for skeptical and annoyed expressions.
2022-08-16 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
Leon seems to have struck a nerve.
All of those noises in the background must really be drowning each other out, huh? :3c Hope the cast isn't missing out on anything important being screamed.
2022-08-09 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
This page is going to contain one of my all-time favorite bits of wordplay I've written in the comic so far.
One thing that I'm very excited about is how much of a shift Ms Shepard is character-wise compared to the rest of the cast. When writing her dialogue, I had to be extra careful to avoid the more carefree and casual tone many others speak with.
2022-08-02 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
FINALLY, WE GET TO REVEAL MS SHEPARD.
In my early draft of the chapter, she wasn't even planned to show up, though neither was Trinity, and frankly I'm glad the pair did end up making it into the story here.
One thing I started to find challenging with setting up these pages was how to handle the huge degree of size variation with the characters. Ms Shepard is practically half Trinity's height, which makes it more difficult for her to seem quite as "cool."
2022-07-26 17:00:05 +0000 UTC View Post
In case you can't tell, I'm having a LOT of fun playing around with new angles and more interesting ways to split-off the dialogue balloons. Doing this legit makes me feel like one of those More Professional Comic Artists.
Though I think to really do that, I need to use more tall panels that take up most of the page instead of just long panels.
Hey wait who's tha-
2022-07-19 17:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
FINALLY, Leon gets the poncho he's been wearing in promo material since the beginning.
Originally he was going to get it as a second choice because Luca didn't want him to get a shirt that said "Spicy Boy" on it. But I ultimately feel this context is more effective.
Another fun fact is that in the most early, pre-alpha versions of this comic - long before it ever had its solarpunk bend - the outfit Leon ended up with in the future was much more Kingdom Hearts inspired. I'll let yo...
2022-07-18 17:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Once we get further from natural sunlight, I've struggled a bit on how to include some of that good nature. Obviously not all plantlife needs the same degree of sunlight or natural care, but it's a fun challenge anyway to think up new ways to retain that solarpunk aesthetic in spots where stuff is less likely to grow.
My answer thus far has been "put other natural stuff around." Ya know, like rocks or whatever.
Oh also hey I guess Trinity's here too.
2022-07-12 17:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Oh right I almost... /forgot/... about those things.
2022-07-05 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Nothing like GAMING to help calm the nerves and help ya think
2022-07-04 17:00:06 +0000 UTC View Post
Leon almost seems to give up on something... or does he?
2022-06-28 17:01:02 +0000 UTC View Post
Don't worry; the pile of garbage is just a prop. It actually smells really nice in that truck thing
2022-06-27 17:01:03 +0000 UTC View Post
Although most of this scene is kept in more-or-less one camera angle (primarily for the sake of readably, since it includes Leon and the screen in the shot), I am at least happy with the minor bits of variation I've managed throughout.
Man I wonder what Leon's all upset about...
2022-06-21 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
Hoping to make those last three panels some good Reaction Image fodder on the final page.
2022-06-14 17:01:01 +0000 UTC View Post
