Page 4 of 5.
The whites here were put in photoshop after the fact, as while I was drawing this the deadline was looming and I decided to just finish the story and do the highlight work later. It didn't take more than half an hour later on at home with photoshop, but you'd be surprised what strange judgment calls you make on what is worth doing after 20 hours of drawing or so.
If you notice this page is generally more discreetly drawn, it is because I switched mostly from the pentel brush to a regular 0.2 and 0.1 pigment marker. This is my usual style really, the brush is something of a new thing. So when I revert to markers, there's instantly more control. I still used the pentel for the SEAS OF UNCOMFORT and the EMOTIONAL RAIN effect. A half-empty pentel + textured paper = lots of interesting dry brush effects one can try.
I am really fond of the 'longing stare' panel. The little Beholder thought bubbles are a nice visual trick I think that really explain the mentality in question.
Sadly for anyone who might to reassemble the girls in photoshop, I think I kinda confused myself at some point so it might not work out completely. Still the point carries through, I hope.
Kyfisia is just an Athenian suburb, 'high-class'. It is my stepping stone from downtown Athens to home (I live in Drosia, even further out, "with the wolves" as we say). It takes me about 30 minutes to get from Athens to Kyfisia with the train, spanning about 15 stops along the way. I didn't think it would be possible to meet her again given that she'd probably get off at any point between these 15 stops, so this is why the inner conflict quickly turned academic. I should have explained this point a bit more clearly in the comic but I was getting tired and my storytelling was deteriorating. I hope it still makes sense without the extra knowledge of how the Greek train communication system works.
Robert Mitchum is a bit of an inside joke between myself and Thanos in that he encapsulates all there is about being a man. I made this once and it sorta stuck.
On other news, as far as I know book is being printed (will call to be certain tomorrow), I am planning a NEW COMIC (it's basically subverted pornography). I found out Manga Studio 4 EX was out and successfully stole it (I swear if I ever become rich enough I will pay you the 300 dollars, SmithMicro software) and it has a very really really interesting new features I'm going to try in the next few days. I'll wrap up this comic in a couple of days from now and then Vavel festival is going to happen so expect a stopgap post with pictures and reflections on the event (I hope you don't mind). Then it'll be back to posting comics and also perhaps a few comic theory posts about the comic I'm going to make next. Actually, this is something I want to discuss with you... usually I don't really talk about the comic I'm making in detail until it's done. Would you be interested in following and providing feedback to the process of creation before it is finalized? Keep in mind that this is a cost/benefit thing. On one hand the mechanics of the comic are laid bare and you won't be 'surprised' by it when you read it in the end. On the other hand, the mechanics of the comic are laid bare and you will get a good glimpse at how they work. Also you will be implicated quite directly through feedback with making a comic better. How's that sound? Let me know in the comments, along with any questions or observations about the page above.
I am in good spirits today. The weather outside is beautiful too.
-Helm
Posts
6 comments:
Did you see her?!
Wow, lots of brain food today.
Comic:
You weren't wrong about the interesting frame-work. You had me eyeing those girls up and down, trying to piece them together.
Not sure you should have explained the squirrel though. The randomness was great in the last page. All I thought was 'nuts!' and immediately thought you were the squirrel. Now I see the squirrel was her, depicted as something right, natural, holistic.
Anyway, a minor gripe that pales in the frame-work.
There is actually something quite manga about the next three frames. The beholder bubbles, the description arrows, the simplified art and exuberant frame of the academic moment.
The wafting transition frame (6 if counting the girl montage as 1) and followed by the rain is also dark and brooding in contrast to the jolly flamboyance covering the rest of the page.
I didn't find the lack of Greek transport knowledge hurt the piece. It is easy to assume you wouldn't be leaving at the same station, but there is always the hope.
Experiment:
I'll be happy to comment on whatever you put up (as always). Becoming implicated sounds very legal though ;)
Looking forward to the final page.
leroy: patience is a virtue
Solar: Perhaps you're right and I shouldnt've explained the squirrel but keep in mind that especially 20 hours in, I am not actively 'planning' the page as much as freeform jamming it. I draw and then I write some words and hopefully they'll lead to some more words and pictures later on. Keep in mind that the whole of this was made in a SINGLE DAY :P
Yeah I don't disagree with the 'something manga' note. I have quite a bit of influence from that side of things as well though I've tried to not let it show in the stylistics as much as a lot of young artists do because mostly... um, I guess because I have a love/hate relationship with that form and I object to a lot of their 'superficial cool' design.
if counting the girl montage as 1)
haha here's an interesting factoid about this comic since you touched on this: Since I knew I wouldn't be able to go for the 24pages in 24hours 'rule' of 24hour comics, I thought perhaps I could go for the '100 panels in 24 hours' rule variation that usually goes for infinite canvas works on webcomics and such. This big dissected girls montage was fuelled, besides because it was a good narrative idea, because of the desire to perhaps hit 100 panels. I didn't in the end, it's more close to 70 panels, I'd have needed a couple of more pages, but the story really finishes next page so it doesn't really matter.
heh τα πρώτα πάνελ μου θυμίζουν ένα παιχνίδι που παίζαμε μικρά με τ' αδέλφια μου, δεν ξέρω αν είναι από εκεί αλλά για μένα ήταν μια πολύ εύστοχη "νότα".
μ' αρέσει το 33ο που μανγκίζει, το κάνει πιο ανάλαφρο
There, you got it all wrong:
http://i26.photobucket.com/albums/c115/HRottweiler/whee.jpg
You must've missed that lesson in kindergarten.
Hm?... Yes, I am working now. AXN. I love AXN!
Haha, thanks! In kindergarden ('the garden of children' in German?!) I always cried and asked to be taken back home.
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