Had a long Skype conversation with Jose Pimienta and I'm going to extend the opening of Bucket of Glass a bit while he retools some of the art so that the setting looks a bit more Australian. My fault for not providing enough photoref, but he's been very cool about it and is prepared to do what it takes to get this looking right. So... onwards. I've written the new dialogue for the opening scene and now I just have to integrate it back into the script.
More edits to Metempsychosis.
Received some inked artwork from Paul Abstruse, which I have posted in my worklog thread and on facebook.
Been trying out Manga studio and find it a tad frustrating. especially trying to figure out the short cut keys and/or trying to figure out how to re-program them. Does anyone know where I can do this in the program??? errrgh!
On the positive side, I can really see how this could improve some of my inking/drawing. it seems like a wonderful program once you get the hang of its quirks (like exporting to photoshop- why the hell can't you just "save as" a photoshop doc???)
@AnthonyPeruzzo I don't think you can rebind the shortcut keys. One thing I really, really love about MS is the vanishing point tool. The fact that you can setup 2 or 3 point perspective in any given panel in about 4 seconds is insanely helpful.
Printed a proof of DAILY GRIND and caught what I think are two final errors, both of which should be easily fixed. I also e-mailed the printer I want to use and requested a quote. Ideally, I'll have the books in time for Animezing in June.
@AnthonyPeruzzo SteveWallace:You can change key assignments in Manga Studio EX (not Debut). In the Windows version (which is at hand) it's under File, Shortcut Settings. Probably someplace similar in the Mac version.
I'd guess the lack of an export-to-Photoshop option is based on the belief that you shouldn't need Photoshop.
Daily Grind is laid out, and I got a great quote from the printer ($1.12 per unit for 100 copies, $1 for 200). I'll drop the pdf's off this week. very excited.
I've been doing the work. A lot of the work lately.
Over the course of this past weekend I've almost started and finished a sketchbook worth of thumbnails.
I was talking with one of my friends who suggested I buckle down and start putting out more books more often. Which means a much more rigid schedule, including a publish what you've got format of book. This is supposed to force me to try to get stories more quickly started and resolved or risk leaving off in the middle of somewhere bizarre (like in the middle of a conversation between two characters) I think it ought to be an interesting challenge.
Worked on the next German webcomic updates: tomorrow's Gate Crash, which is basically a merch concept presentation (hence, not that much work), and Monday's Conny van Ehlsing, which is my contribution to a ... thingy that came up today. (It's secret at the moment, so no details.)
Yes, I should have worked on Friday's Conny page rather than next Monday's, but this looked like it'd be fun and not much work. It was fun, all right.
I also kinda wrote a blog entry about the things you're missing out on at my site if you visit it with ad blockers or NoScript on. There was a discussion at the Webcomic List forum a while ago about how to deal with people who use ad blockers - call them out on it or not, treat them like dicks or not. I think it's none of my business if a reader feels more comfortable with an ad blocker on. Anyway, my spin on it was to write a brief presentation of what they might be missing, but it turned out there isn't that much. Most of the site still works fine even with the most restrictive NoScript settings. So there may not be a blog post, after all.
been trying out manga studio and I'm not sure it's really the right thing for me just now. The brush settings, while interesting, just don't do what I want them to. Granted, I haven't really played that much with it, but so far it doesn't replace my old standbys.
I DID finish inking a page today. Will be for THE BIG PITCH. Still need to color it. Will share when that is done.
OH and i promised to share a colored version of a cover I showed earlier. Here it tis:
This will be in NIGHTMARE WORLD VOL 3 Coming out in October from Shadowline. Yipeee!
Finished first draft of my piece for Henry Pop, "Abashiri". Came out a coupel of pages longer than I wanted (10pp). Quite proud that there's only dialogue on 2 pages. I still need to clean it up, check some the historical details, and package up the photoref materials but the hard work is done... unless I decide it needs to be cut back to 8 pages, in which case I'm in for some pain and agony. We'll see what Henry reckons.
Today: scanning and praying that the Mustek will hold out. (I have to keep promising my roommates that I am not killing a small animal every time I scan something)
I make sounds with my mouth when I draw explosions. Pssshhhooo! I'm slogging along with this here six page comic and I'm mega grumpy about it. But the only way to draw better comics is to clear my plate first.
HIIIIII guys and gals. It's been a while since I checked in, so this is less a daily check-in than a summary of the last month: - Developed three pitches for a well-regarded publisher after being solicited by their editor. Don't want to say much more, but I'm actively developing those outlines and scripts just in case. - Signed on the first feature for the second volume of the "Omega Comics Presents" anthology, which is being written by Alex De-Gruchy and drawn by our own Marv Mann. - Launching another one-shot anthology featuring all-Las Vegas talent for this year's Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival. Currently working with writers to flesh out a structure for the book's theme. (Russell, I really wish you lived here -- it's a NOIR CRIME anthology, and you would LOVE IT)
That's it for now comic-wise. I've been really busy with magazine features, video production, etc., but trying to get back into the comics game on the creative side as much as possible.
Holy shit. Monday I finished my first screenplay. Well, really, the first draft. Clocking in at 93 pages. I started rewrites yesterday, now it's at 95--and incidentally, I've decided to liberally use ALL CAPS IN THE ACTIONS SEQUENCES...
I've read some scripts where this is implemented, others where it's not. I personally find it makes important props, sounds, etc, POP OUT.
All this while an artist--Erik Thompson, to be exact--is working on a 24 pg script (FC/All Ages) that'll be used for a pitch package come, oh, I dunno, end of July? Pages will be coming forthwith.
Tomorrow I should finish Friday's page, so I'm now wrapping up the pencils. Wait, didn't I write that last Wednesday, too? At least I might have. It is a weekly...
Also mapped out a possible blog entry about that Pressfield (and, at least in my book, Godin) meme we've been discussing in the Inspiration devices thread. Wanted to get that out today at first, then reconsidered and decided I should read the Godin book I keep pointing at first. (It isn't so much the book I point at as the main argument, which is available off-book, so I'm not hustling here.) Also, there was a cheap Marketplace offer. The book should arrive before the weekend. By then, I should have most of the post ready, too.
Oh, and I almost forgot: Instead of working on any of the other projects I've mapped out in my worklog, I've outlined a rough plot that could resurrect an entirely different comic project, one that I abandoned in 2003 and kept meaning to get back to till at least 2005.
Worked on finalizing the backgrounds on "Fountain", a two-page toilet-humor pantomime. Realized that the bathroom mirror needs to show a reflection (duh), and discovered that in one panel that meant drawing a view of the figure in exactly the same pose from a different perspective. Which fortunately included a little peekaboo.
@pjperez seems like crime noir is in the air, lately...
Some editor duties yesterday and today, plus I cranked a 5 page McBlack short called "The Delucci Bambino." I'm pleased with it, but I don't know when I'll get to draw next, so it's a backup at this point.
Spent some time sprucing up my website, adding pages from which to link essays and interviews.
Bit of work on Tom Bonin's script, but this one isn't coming easily. The characters are a mix of Tom's own and historical figures and I'm still swimming in all of the background information a bit. It's not full script, just dialogue and a very brief action breakdown, but it's taken me longer to write half a page of it than it took me to do the McBlack story yesterday.
@pjperez — WD #1 comes out June 29. So we've got three weeks and some change before the numbers will be set in stone.
Did lots of stuff today. Worked on a script. Did research. Approved some thumbnails, and did preliminary lettering on six pages of the next WD issue. Put a whole bunch of dates in our Basecamp calendar. Replied to emails.
Comments
On the positive side, I can really see how this could improve some of my inking/drawing. it seems like a wonderful program once you get the hang of its quirks (like exporting to photoshop- why the hell can't you just "save as" a photoshop doc???)
I'd guess the lack of an export-to-Photoshop option is based on the belief that you shouldn't need Photoshop.
Yes, I should have worked on Friday's Conny page rather than next Monday's, but this looked like it'd be fun and not much work. It was fun, all right.
I also kinda wrote a blog entry about the things you're missing out on at my site if you visit it with ad blockers or NoScript on. There was a discussion at the Webcomic List forum a while ago about how to deal with people who use ad blockers - call them out on it or not, treat them like dicks or not. I think it's none of my business if a reader feels more comfortable with an ad blocker on. Anyway, my spin on it was to write a brief presentation of what they might be missing, but it turned out there isn't that much. Most of the site still works fine even with the most restrictive NoScript settings. So there may not be a blog post, after all.
I DID finish inking a page today. Will be for THE BIG PITCH. Still need to color it. Will share when that is done.
OH and i promised to share a colored version of a cover I showed earlier. Here it tis:
This will be in NIGHTMARE WORLD VOL 3 Coming out in October from Shadowline. Yipeee!
Kkaboooom!
Eisner is one of my heroes. Got to steal from the best. Actually it IS more of a title page, as this won't be the cover for the anthology.
- Developed three pitches for a well-regarded publisher after being solicited by their editor. Don't want to say much more, but I'm actively developing those outlines and scripts just in case.
- Signed on the first feature for the second volume of the "Omega Comics Presents" anthology, which is being written by Alex De-Gruchy and drawn by our own Marv Mann.
- Launching another one-shot anthology featuring all-Las Vegas talent for this year's Vegas Valley Comic Book Festival. Currently working with writers to flesh out a structure for the book's theme. (Russell, I really wish you lived here -- it's a NOIR CRIME anthology, and you would LOVE IT)
That's it for now comic-wise. I've been really busy with magazine features, video production, etc., but trying to get back into the comics game on the creative side as much as possible.
Also mapped out a possible blog entry about that Pressfield (and, at least in my book, Godin) meme we've been discussing in the Inspiration devices thread. Wanted to get that out today at first, then reconsidered and decided I should read the Godin book I keep pointing at first. (It isn't so much the book I point at as the main argument, which is available off-book, so I'm not hustling here.) Also, there was a cheap Marketplace offer. The book should arrive before the weekend. By then, I should have most of the post ready, too.
Oh, and I almost forgot: Instead of working on any of the other projects I've mapped out in my worklog, I've outlined a rough plot that could resurrect an entirely different comic project, one that I abandoned in 2003 and kept meaning to get back to till at least 2005.
By the way, I may be visiting Las Vegas this summer, I'll let you know. We can meet for drinks and blackjack.