Happy New Year! What's to come?

Here we are, approaching the dawn of 2014 and entering a new year.

"Succubus" has been well received, and I thank you for your support. Longbow9 was glad to hear of the positive feedback.

So what has been happening since its release about 5 weeks ago? A lot, actually, behind the scenes.

If you've gone to my website, you may have noticed the big improvements I made there:

• Larger and more previews.
• Larger Front page images.
• Sectioning the grOw/cOmics by one series per page for clarity.
• Sectioning the grOw/stOries by one 3-stOry-collection per page.
• And recently adding a "Help Chat"! Yes, if I am online, you will see a little chat tab pop-up on the bottom of certain pages (Main store, help, faq, contact) after a few moments of visiting the page. Click to initiate a quick chat with me if you have a question on your order! Instant help!

What about the next project?  They are well underway! And by "they" I mean more than one. Longbow9 will be returning to work on a new grOw/stOry. And while we were discussing the next rewrite of an old E.L. Publication work, we came up with two or three ideas which we liked. 

I also will be writing one that I became very passionate about. I think you all will really like it. It is a complete reworking of the very first E.L. Pub story called "The Blooming of Bonnie." I will most likely be keeping the title, as it works so well with what I have been coming up with.  Currently, I am about 85-90% done with the first draft of the story. While not as large as the last release, "Succubus", it will be the second longest stOry to-date, and will probably be in the area of 30,000 words. This one will be pure breast expansion and will include both male-female as well as female-female sexual scenes. It will also have a strong storyline, with some interesting plot twists, that I hope you will enjoy.

I also have been working on the basic plot line of the next grOw/cOmic series, which will be focused on breast expansion and lactation, and will include a number of women growing. It will be a "kind" of sequel to a previous grOw/cOmic series — that is, in the same "world", and tied into the previous comic, but with new characters.

So, Happy New Year to all ! And stay tuned!

grOw/stOry#15, "Succubus" RELEASED!

grOw/stOry #15:
“Succubus”

The largest grOw/stOry ever — 40,000+ words and 22 new color illustrations.

Synopsis:
Brian was in a dry spell — a very long, dry spell. Always looking for the perfect girl, he had not been able to land her. One night, a fateful discovery of a lost wallet led him to the mysterious house of a young and beautiful young woman named Jezebel.    Though seemingly extremely shy, Jezebel invited Brian in to thank him for the return of her wallet. And that's when everything started to get... sexy and weird.

Brian soon found out — to his surprise and delight — that the awkward and demure girl was not only cute, but could easily perform sexual acts that would make a porn star faint. She also was not quite... human.

And there was her mother and two sisters, as well.

Categories:
Breast Expansion – big, huge, Wow ;   
Lactation, Penis expansion, Ass expansion, Nipple expansion ;
Clothes stretching, clothes ripping .
growth: mysterious biological abilitysexual situations: MF, MFF, (strong).

In this rewritten version of the original E.L. Publication's "Lacula" by Michael Peterson, new author Tristan Langley (a.k.a. "Longbow9") completely re-imagines the original story, adding more characters, a deeper plot and character history, and many more sexual and BE scenes. In addition, new growths (PE and Ass expansion) were added as compared to the original as well!

grOw/stOry#15 features:

• At 40,000+ words, the longest grOw/stOry released to date — over twice as long as the previously longest story, and over 4 times as long as the average stOry!
• The original story ("Lacula") and artwork are included in the Appendix, you will be getting TWO FULL STORIES in one book!
• 22 newly created BustArtist illustrations which are the best quality to date — which is 8 more than average, and includes 4 full-page spreads!
• BONUS FEATURES: Includes high-resolution PDF as well as EPUB (eBook reader such as iPad or iPhone) and MOBI (Kindle) formats!:

Buy separately or as part of Collection 13-15

• Save an extra $4.00 over the current, separate prices.
• Includes the 3 grOw/stOries "Succubus", "SororTITy Study Party", and "New mOOns Rising" . 

AVAILABLE NOW AT www.bustartist.com !  (Visa, MC, PayPal)

grOw/stOry#15 Complete... Release Soon!

I finished up the last illustration for grOw/stOry#15 "Succubus" yesterday, and have since been diligently preparing it for release — from previews to PDFs to purchase buttons. A last round of proofreading tonight, and final store set-up tomorrow. Then next post here at my blog will be announcing its release, which should be sometime tomorrow. With a total of 22 images (including 4 double-size, two-page spreads), I figured I would show off 2 more previews for the blog readers. Almost... there... !

grOw/stOry#15, illustrations 84% complete!

I've been plugging away on grOw/stOry#15, "Succubus", diligently for the past few weeks.  So much so, I forgot to give my minimal once-a-week update that I try to do when working hard on a project.  I just finished illustration #18 (a 2-page spread!)and I am in the middle of #19.  In total, I have bumped the number of illustrations up to 22, 4 of which are 2-page illustrations. This is the most for any grOw/stOry, and a stOry of this size needs this. I would have had more colored by this point since my last update, but when I hit #16, I realized that I hadn't pencil-drawing #17-22 yet (mostly as we were still finalizing the stOry at that time). So, I took a full day or so and made great progress creating those final 6 drawings. The author (Tristan Langley / "Longbow9") has seen the progress on the color images, and needless to say, he's ecstatic.

Getting closer! The artwork is the best to-date, and the Cintiq is seriously helping me achieve that goal without the same strain as before. Plus, I recently upgraded from Poser 6 to Poser 10. This enormous jump in program power — with enhance figures, lighting, previews, and pose-ability — has seriously sped up the posing and camera angle planning I do for each image.

Hang in there!   This newest release is already at my website, albiet with a "Coming Soon" moniker and no buy button. But you can read a synopsis and get some info. (The cool thing also is that the store set-up is already done, something I usually hold off doing until the stOry is complete.)

Enjoy the preview!

GS#15: about 60% completed!

I just finished the 13th illustration for "Succubus", the newest grOw/stOry (#15). I've been tirelessly chipping away at this beast, the longest and most detailed stOry ever — by a long shot! This 40,000+ word stOry — should I say novella? — has lots of material to pull some great images from, and I am not wanting for inspiration. Enjoy the preview!

Website slow... Network Solutions DNS issues

*EDIT:  This has been fixed by Network Solutions by this evening, 9pm, EST.

I'm still around. Should my website (bustartist.com) be slow or unresponsive, please know this is due to my Host (big guy Network Solutions) seems to be having DNS issues.  Once connected, you should have no issues.

If you are just dying to order something, email me and I will send you a direct link to the grOw issue(s) you are looking for. The store is run by a different site and still up and running.

In the meantime, back to working on the next release!  Whoot!

Good progress on grOw/stOry#15

Just finishing up the 8th full-page color image, I realized that I haven't posted an update in a while. The images are coming along great, and most of the book has been layed out, including the original story in the appendix. The cover has also been completed (see my website for a sneak preview! — click the icon for an enlarged image).  I had wished I was further along with the images, but "RL" work has been a real drag on my time — frustratingly so. However, after today, I hope most of that will be done with and I will be able to focus most of my time completing the images. On down time, there even has been tossing around of concepts for the next stOry after this one, so that we can go into immediate production of the next project. Enjoy the preview for now!

Wherefore Art Thou, BA?

Whew, but it's been a while since my last post. I was in communication on other various fronts — DeviantArt, forums, and, of course, the continuation of the grOw girls for the Cintiq Fundraiser at my website — but now it's finally time to make an update here.

As mentioned in the previous blog post, the work on the next project has been underway for quite some time (since about April), and is coming to a head. The next release is going to be a new grOw/stOry, written by a new writer, Tristan Langley (a.k.a "Longbow9" on many forums, especially on the LPSG forum for his enormous, on-going serial "Medicine Show"). grOw/stOry#15 will be a reworking of the E.L. Publications story, "Lacula".

The stOry has just been completed, and Tristan/Longbow9 and I are going back and forth with the final edits and polish. While the stOry was being written, I started on the drawing the images. 16 images have been pencil drawn so far, and 2 of them have been completely colorized (inked and painted using the new Cintiq!). A preview of one of the color images has been attached to this post.

Part of my time "away" from the blog was due to an incredible deluge of "RL" work that hit me 2-3 weeks ago. I used to think getting hit with 4 projects at once was rough; but this time, I was inundated with 7 graphic design projects within just a few days. (I swear the clients planned it that way.) This filled my time during those 2 weeks in mid-September. Luckily, most are finished, with a just a few being wrapped up now.

But, in the meanwhile, Longbow9 continued his writing of the new stOry, "Succubus".  And writing, and writing, and writing. This release is an enormous increase in length of a grOw/stOry — the longest to date by far!  How much longer?  Well, in comparison, the last 2 grOw/stOries ("SororTITy Study Party" and "New mOOns Rising") were about 18,300 and 17,500 words respectively; and the 2 before that by Mr. B ("BEaver Lake Summer Camp" and "The BE InsTITute") were about 15,000 and 11,000 words.  The new, upcoming release of "Succubus" will be more than double the longest stOry to-date, at about 40,000 words!  This thing is a monster, and has plenty of sexy action, characterizations, growth fetishes (BE, lactation, PE and Ball expansion, Ass expansion, and even more BE), rich back story, steamy sex scenes, engaging plot, and plenty of expanding women.

I will be updating the blog with color image previews from time to time until the release.  I won't be showing all of them, as done in the past with other grOw/stOries, since each page is only 1 panel, unlike the cOmics which are multiple panels per page. It would reveal too much to show a piece of every image.

And, of course, the release will also contain the original story "Lacula" and images in the appendix.

What's Next? What's New? What's Naughty?

Here's a quick update on things that are currently going on behind, and in front of, the scenes in "BA-land".

grOw Girls continue to expand!

The grOw Girl images are continuing to be made for reaching the specific goals of my Cintiq Fundraiser. If you haven't seen them, image 8 is now up at my website and my DeviantArt Gallery.  The website versions currently have the advantage of being able to download the images without any text (see link above each image).

The new Cintiq is up and running!
This thing is a beauty! And it is already (if I haven't said so before) making a huge difference — in speed, in ease, in accuracy, and in lowering my wrist/arm fatigue. Each of these will take some time to fully come to fruition, but the borrowing of a friend's Cintiq during issue 5 of grOw/cOmic#5 helped me get a huge leg up.  I hope to write a full review later on with photos. Drawing details is so much easier when I can see my hand controlling the pen. Unlike my other, much older Wacom tablet (an Intuos3), I am not using screen feedback to see if my cursor is properly placed, and then drawing a line that may miss it's mark. While I have gotten good with the Intuos3 over the years of using it, the hand-eye coordination is much better on the Cintiq, and is so much more akin to what I've enjoyed when I'm drawing with pencil on paper.

The next project is fully underway! A new grOw/stOry!

This actually has been in the works now since around April. I have had the pleasure of welcoming a new writer on board who has been diligently reworking the latest chosen E.L. Publication "Tremendous Tit Tale" story. This has allowed me to focus on the last grOw/cOmic, and frees me up to delve quickly into the imagery of this new stOry as it is written. I had taken on the task of rewriting the last 2 grOw/stOries (#13, "New mOOns Rising"; and #14, "SororTITy Study Party"). The crafting of these stories took a lot of work, and THEN, I was able to begin the artwork and production — this added a lot more time between releases.
     Some of you may know this new writer from various forums, but most recently from his herculean, on-going saga of PE, BE, AssE, and all sorts of growth fantasies called "Medicine Show" at LPSG (Link). He goes by "Longbow9" in the Forums and he has been doing a great job of resurrecting a grOw/stOry that I've been trying to complete since 2008 — the reworking of "Lacula".  This new rendition features a whole new take on the secret of the growth, and features BE, lactation, PE, and Ass expansion with an expanded cast of characters! And it's going to be a big one — possibly in the range of the last grOw/stOry, "SororTITy Study Party."

Stay tuned!

The grOw Girls continue to... grOw.

Update, 8/21/13: Image #6 now up!

I had some delays in the progress of getting the grOw girl Fundraiser images completed due to sudden "RL" work. (It's seriously unbelievable how it goes from famine to feast — when weeks of nothing, and suddenly 3 clients pop-up all in the SAME day squawking for immediate work.)  Image 5 has just been completed, and the new grOw girl, Jolene, has been introduced. Suggested by a donor, I liked the name, especially since I looked up it's meaning — "she will increase".  :)

The grOw girls can been seen at my website or at my DevArt gallery.

Cintiq Fundraiser a Success!

 

All those fans out there who have contributed — whether $3 or $200 — have my sincere THANKS for helping out with my Cintiq Fundraiser! Some of you have been more than generous, and you have my humble gratitude! This piece of hardware is going to make a huge difference in my workflow. The last issue of grOw/cOmics is an example as I worked on a borrowed Cintiq (*my friend is very happy to get his back!). 

Once ink and painting started, I definitely noticed an increase in how quickly I was able to complete a page. It was also with noticeably less strain! Over the past few weeks, that "burning" ache in my wrist or thumb or forearm has slacked off considerably. It's not gone completely yet, as this kind of strain takes time to heal; but it has been receding consistently for a while now. An occasional flurry of heavy work (in which using the older Wacom is actually easier for use with layout projects) still causes some fatigue, but no where near previously levels.

There were definitely some things that need getting used to; but I was able to pick up them rather quickly in the first 4 or 5 days, especially after using a non-screened tablet for a few years now. I will have to post a longer review of the Cintiq at another time (getting way past my bedtime now).

Well, your generosity certainly has earned the two grOw girls some serious grOwth to come!  In total, 872 inches (2,212 cm) will be given out to these lovely, willing ladies. I will be busy working on these over the next few weeks. A total of 11 images will be created in all. Oddly enough, I was concerned how Doreen would turn out with only 300 inches of growth.  Ha!  I thought I may have about 4-5 people in the Level 6 range... maybe.  Little did I expect 32 people to contribute so generously!  You guys and gals ROCK!

The amount above my goal will still come in handy — it will help pay the $215 in sales tax, any shipping, and maybe some accessories (such as extra nibs or maybe even the Art pen).

Well... tomorrow, I continue working on Stage 3 of Doreen's growth.

THANKS AGAIN!!!!!!

grOw/cOmic#5, issue 5, Released!

grOwing Appreciation:
Chapter 5: "An Up and Cumming Star"

Available in either PREMIUM or STANDARD Editions!
Or, as part of the Current Series Collection.

Part 5 of a 5-issue series.

Jennie had burst out of the theater, the suns mass ejection energy making her grow to incredible heights. But much to her dismay, the military was still in the area and discovered her —  hell, they couldn't miss her! Fearing for her life, she cried out in terror as the attack helicopters roared towards her curvy, towering figure.

Category: GTS (<150'; Gentle)(includes scenes of 150'-1000'), Breast Expansion (science: huge!), Ass Expansion; Insertion; building destruction; handheld; light vore; sexual situations (mF).

Extra long 22-page issue!

Available in either PREMIUM or STANDARD Editions!

Premium Edition:

For only $1.45 more than the Standard Edition, the Premium Edition features:

• A 300 dpi high-resolution version (2700 x 3525 pixels) of issue 5 (50% more resolution than the standard grOw/cOmics), compared to the Standard 200 dpi (1800 x 2350 pixels). You will be able to enjoy much more of the art, especially if you like zooming in to absorb all of the details of the characters and backgrounds.
• "Art Only" Edition of issue 4: this is the complete comic (also in 300 dpi high resolution, 2700 x 3525 pixels) but with all of the speech balloons, narration boxes, and sound effects text removed so that you can enjoy the art to its fullest in each panel.
• Full page pencil drawings of choice pages. — Included in the Appendix of the "Art Only Edition" are 13 full pages from issue 4 shown in their pencil form, including: some pages with the pencil lines on top of the rendered backgrounds for placement matching of figures.

Standard Edition features:

• Issue 5. "An Up and Cumming Star" in the standard, grOw/cOmic resolution of 200 dpi (1800 x 2350 pixels).
• 5 art-only pages in the Appendix with all the speech balloons, narration boxes, and sound effects text removed so that you can enjoy the art to its fullest in each panel. 

Current Series Collection (1-5) features:

• Issues 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Available in either Premium or Standard versions, as above. (Issue 1 comes in "standard" only).
• Save! If you haven't purchased any of the grOw/cOmic#5 series yet, pick up all 5 current releases for a combined price that will save you up to $6.35 as compared to the separate, normal prices. This savings is for a limited time!

AVAILABLE NOW AT www.bustartist.com !  (Visa, MC, PayPal)

ALSO....

I would like to introduce, Doreen, the BustArtist Cintiq Fundraiser Cheerleader. She will help cheer you on during my Fundraiser to purchase a Wacom Cintiq 22 HD Touch screen.  For more info, see the Contribution Page of my website.  There is no obligation, of course, but your generosity is greatly appreciated!

Final page of grOw/cOmic#5 completed!

Page 97, the final page of both issue 5 and the entire grOw/cOmic#5 series, has been completed! As mentioned, the preview is vague, so as not to give away anything of the ending.

So what's next?  I am finalizing proofreading and a few art corrections ("Hey! how come that piece of cloth disappeared?" and "Oops! The cover was supposed to have dust and smoke."). Afterwards, I will then make the final issue — standard, premium, and art-only PDFs.

Then, it's off the store, to set up the purchasing options.

Then, it's on to the website, creating the art, webpages, text, and other links to the issue.

The next entry to the blog will be the announcement of release — which I foresee happening either Wednesday evening (EST., US) or Thursday!

I may also have my Cintiq Fundraiser ready by then — or, if not, soon afterwards.

Hang in there!

grOw/cOmic#5, pages 95 and 96 completed!

Oh my!  I had no idea that I forgot to post an update when I completed page 95 Thursday afternoon!  Sorry about that!  Well, that just means you get a double-dose today as I just finished page 96! I almost had this last one completed on Friday, but there was about 2 more hours of work I just couldn't get done in time. Now, it's off to the LAST page, which I still have quite a few hours still left in the day to work on.

The wife has already been diligently proofreading and checking my text and art, so that will speed things up as well. I think a release should happen between Wednesday and (at the latest) Friday of this week!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 94 completed!

With another page done for the final issue of grOw/cOmic#5, we are one step closer the release of the issue that will end this series. Page 94 sees the series begin to wrap up as the explosive final issue comes to a close. Only 3 more pages to go!  Hang in there!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 93 completed!

Chip, chip, chip... and then even more chipping.  I worked extra late tonight because I wanted to make sure I finished page 93 today. It was a serious effort, as the page has quite a few panels and lots of special effects. I was a little skeptical that I would complete the page, but I did it! Only 4 more pages to go! Hang in there!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 92 completed!

By finishing page 92, I have now passed the 75% mark towards the completion of issue 5 of grOw/cOmic#5, "grOwing Appreciation"!  This was a very detailed page that pushed me into new areas of effects and coloring. I think it turned out great! With only half the day gone, I will now have the other half to get a good jump on the next page, which is also a very detailed one filled with lighting, effects, and special features. As for the preview, you will notice it is more vague than previous ones. This will continue as these last few pages are the end of the issue and the series. As I have done for previous issues, the final previews are less revealing so as not to give too much away.

You may have wondered at the speed I have been able to produce the last few pages. Though you can't see the full detail of each page (yet), I have been able to do much more in less time than usual, as well as put some more details with greater ease. How? Well, in talking to a friend who is also a graphic designer, I mentioned my goal of obtaining a Wacom Cintiq screen. He said, "Oh, yeah!  Those! Really cool. I picked one up a little while back." When my jaw dropped and I asked him why didn't he tell me before, he replied "You didn't ask." After some prodding, and him admitting that we didn't have any current jobs that required him to use it, he lent it to me to try. Needless to say, I did more than try, I USED! This thing is awesome! And, even better, my hand/wrist/arm fatigue is noticeably retreating! Hopefully, I can convince him to let me continue using it for my "current project that is on a strict deadline" (wink wink). After issue 5 is released, I will renew my efforts to complete my Cintiq Fundraiser so that I can purchase one of these beauties.

As for issue 5, due to the above, I think you may notice an uptick in the art!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 91 completed!

I worked extra long tonight to finish page 91 since I was sooo close to making it a one-day completion. And I did it!  Some panels took some experimenting on some new effects, and others were quite detailed. The big panel alone took about 3 hours from start to finish.  Only 6 pages to go, and the next page will pass the 75%-done mark.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 90 completed!

I really thought I would finish this page yesterday, but page 90 proved to be a bit more complicated than I originally thought. There was definitely a lot of detail and overlapping body parts which made shading and coloring slower with all the added masking and selecting. But it's a great page — fun and hot!  Chip, chip, chip — I am whittling away at the completion of the issue. Only 7 pages to go!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 89 completed!

I've been making great progress, finishing page 89 just one day after the last page. These are the last pages of the series, so the story is coming to a close; the images have been fun to draw, to say the least!  :P~  Only 8 more pages to go!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 88 completed!

I nearly had this page completed yesterday, but various delays (mostly "real life" work) slowed my down. I finished page 88 this afternoon, and hope to immediately begin the next page. Only 9 pages to go in this 22-page issue. The page progress map has been updated, so you can visually see the work done so far. Also note that future previews may begin to get more "vague", so as not to give away the ending of this issue (or, for that matter, the whole series). Enjoy the preview! I'm going to continue to stay cool in AC as the outside temps rise to 95°F with a heat index of 104°F (35°C/41°C).  Maybe it's just the "hotness" of this issue that's raising temps around here — ha ha!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 87 completed!

Well, I was hoping this would have been a 1-day turnaround since the last page, and thus, post this preview yesterday; but I was just barely able to complete page 87 by this afternoon. "Real life" work gave me a wallop yesterday, and half of today, so much so that I didn't think I would even get to this latest page at all today. But the problems finally cleared up, and I was able to get back to "grOw"! As we now step into the second half of the issue, we've past the hump and are now counting down.  10 pages to go...

grOw/cOmic#5, page 86 completed!

With the completion of page 86, we've hit the halfway mark for issue 5!  11 pages down, 11 to go!  While there are 4 more pages than usual in this issue, I won't have to make a cover for the next issue (that is usually shown in the back as a sneak preview) since this is the final chapter of this series. Enjoy the preview! 

Also... from Friday July 12, 10:00pm EST until about Saturday, July 13, 5:00am EST ( July 13, 2:00am–9:00am GMT), my website may be down as my host (Network Solutions) does some major server maintenance. If you are looking for some Friday night fun tonight by making a purchase, better do it soon!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 85 completed!

I was finally able to complete page 85 today, a page that turned out to be more detailed than I had originally thought. I had hoped to finish it and post a preview yesterday; but, alas, that was not to happen. What looked like straight forward panels turned into fairly extensive visuals with overlapping characters, clothing, backgrounds, and props.  Just 1 more page to the halfway mark!  Hang in there!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 84 completed!

I was so close, but I just couldn't quite finish page 84 last week on Friday. I was able to wrap up this one today, and am embarking on the beginning of the next page. 

With 9 out of 22 pages completed, we are well past the third-way mark and are quickly approaching the halfway mark! Whoot!  You can visually see the progress in this chart. 

grOw/cOmic#5, page 83 completed!

Well, I am certainly off to a great start of the second run of inking and painting of issue 5 of grOw/cOmic#5. With the completion of page 83 in a single day, I am hoping I can match a similar pace over the next 14 pages and release issue 5 as soon as possible. So, enjoy the first preview of the final run of previews for the last 15 pages of the series. The countdown begins...

grOw/cOmic#5, pencils completed!

It's been a while since my last update, but lots of things have been going on.

1)  Pencils for the last 15 pages of issue 5 (and, basically, of the whole series) were completed today!  Whoot!  Tomorrow begins the inking and painting of the final pages of "grOwing Appreciation".  I am, unfortunately, way further behind than I had anticipated (I was hoping for a release late June to early July). I hope, if things go just right, to have a released end of July.

2) The "Wacom Cintiq Fundraiser" is still being worked on, but I am getting close. I finally figured out the reward tier level structure. It will be a 2-tier structure in which rewards will be based on the amount you contribute, as well as how much everyone contributes as a whole. I will have a contribution mascot who will "grow" as contributions go up. She will sort of be like my old NaviGirls. However, what is even better, is that YOU will be able to determine the amount of growth and what kind.  Each dollar contributed will add growth to either breast, butt/hip, or height — and you can even mix and match.  More details to come.

Causes of the delay since my last post were a combination of creating many, many Poser "set ups" for the last 15 pages of issue 5, working on the Wacom Cintiq Fundraiser (and mascot), and general "RL" work. There are so many Poser-assisted panels in this issue due to the many dramatic camera angles, and more GTS to normal human size interactions. Maintaining proper proportions is key.

So get ready for a new stream of color previews over the next few weeks, leading up to the release of the final chapter in grOw/cOmic#5. I will focus on this issue more than the Fundraiser for now, to make sure there are less delays.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 82 completed!

Another great, quite detailed page has been completed! Lot's of action, smoke, motion blurs, fire, dust — just a lot of "wow"! With the completion of page 82, this is the last of the first set of pages for issue 5 that are currently drawn (the first 7 of 22). You may remember that I ran out of drawing paper, and had some issues ordering more. In the meantime, I had started on the ink and painting of the drawn pages. Well, now that I have finished all of them so far, it's time to go back to good ol' pencil and paper and complete the other 15 pages for this issue.

I will also be drawing, inking, and painting the new "donation girl" for my Wacom Cintiq Fund Raiser. ;) Stay tuned!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 81 completed!

Yes!  I got a third page done this week with the completion of page 81.  Another detailed page, this one was filled with smoke, lighting effects, and detailed combining drawn characters and 3-D backgrounds. Luckily, it was only 3 frames and a few less effects as compared to the last page, or I wouldn't have been able to finish it before the weekend.  Enjoy!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 80 completed!

WHEW!  I think this last page has got to be the most detailed and complicated page I have ever done in any of the grOw/cOmics!  Page 80 of grOw/cOmic#5 is 5 panels of action, special effects, movement, blurs, smoke, dust and debris, cracks, lighting effects, depth of field effects, and meticulous blending of hand-drawn characters and 3D background (including numerous overlapping of the two). And it sure came out great! The preview here shows only a smidgen of the entire page's details.  Enjoy!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 79 completed!

I meant to post this on this past Friday, but I got caught up in other work. "Progress" is the word, as another detailed page (page 79) was completed on issue 5 of "grOwing Appreciation". It's a much longer than usual issue (22 compared to 16-18 pages), so hang in there!  This is the final chapter of the cOmic!

grOw/cOmic#5, page 78 completed!

I meant to post this yesterday, but got distracted by other work. I have been making great progress and have just finished page 78. I also got a nice jump start on the next page, as well! I've been working with some smoke and haze effects, to give a sense of distance/height. They've been working out quite nicely! I'm still on a roll, so I am not sure if I will switch back to the pencil drawing soon, or finish out the first 7 pages which are already drawn.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 77 completed!

Cruising right along with the first few pages of issue 5, I just completed the second page of the issue, page 77. I am not sure when I will switch back to the pencil drawing again, but there may be a sudden lull between previews when I do. As mentioned earlier, I had only drawn 7 of the 22 pages of the issue when I suddenly ran out of paper, followed by a delay when I ordered the wrong stuff.  But I will have at least one more page soon as I got into my stride with the ink and paint.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 76 completed!

I know it's been a while, but this can happen often between issues. There are a number of items that take place between issues before the ink and painting can occur, which leads to the previews. The replacement drawings pads have finally come in, so that I can now continue pencil drawing the rest of the issue. Seven of the 22 pages (yes, 22!) are already completed. While waiting for these to show, I continued working on the issue by inking and painting some of the 7 drawn pages. Here is the preview to the first page of issue 5 ("An Up and Cumming Star") which is page 76 of the series.

My Wacom Cintiq Fund Drive is also shaping up. Currently, I have the web page up explaining it fully. I just need to finalize the donation end. I am planning on having a 2-tier reward system.  One will be individual, based on the amount of each contribution. The other will be based on the grand total raised, and will most likely be a "fund raiser girl" who will grow as the donations grow.  ;)  Thank you to all who gave great input on this process!

A Review, a Dilemma, and a Question

On Tuesday of this week, I went into Manhattan to the "Wacom Cintiq 13HD Release Party" at TekServe on 23rd Street.  They demonstrated, and allowed hands-on experience, of the new, smaller Cintiq line of screen tablets by Wacom. It also featured a demonstration and Q&A by Joe Quesada (CCO of Marvel Comics & comic book artist), which was cool. He used some techniques that I use.  :)

The new 13HD was quite nice! Sharp and responsive, it gave a lot of power in a little package. However, it was a little too small for my normal workflow. Clicking tiny buttons in Photoshop was a chore. It seemed better for those on the go.

But they also had the other, larger models. And the ones with touch capabilities. Now, these are sweet!  I've have wanted one for a long time, but was always scared to even consider purchasing one without being able to try it out first. (Sure... you can return it. But for restock fee of about $400!) Of course, there was also the cost of these beauties.

Well, this Presentation gave me the chance to try them all out. And I loved them. Sure, it will take a bit getting used to, but not as much as my Intuos3, which I have been using since 2006. When I got that, I went from digitally inking and painting with a mouse!

The Cintiq 24HD was the flagship, of course. Huge, solid — a battleship of a digital screen tablet.  But I actually gravitated towards the slightly smaller and more maneuverable Cintiq 22HD Touch. It was lighter, it rotated like a drawing pad (the 24 does not... too big), it was easier to grab and hold.  I fell in love.

While $1000 less that the 24HD Touch, the 22" is still a hefty $2699.  Right now, more than I can layout.  The benefits are incredibly valuable, however. As I tested out the 22", I was able to comfortably draw without my oft-appearing "wrist-ache" from holding the pen too tight. This comes from the slight "disconnect" I have by moving my hand down near my lap on something I see up on screen. After a productive day, it is not unheard of for me to sit in front of the TV with ThermaCare heatwraps wrapped firmly around my wrist for the next 8 hours. This is also why I continue to draw the grOw/cOmics in pencil first, and then scan in.

I discussed this with some friends, and they suggested I start a donation pool for those willing to help. No obligation, of course, but donating would help me raise funds to get this immensely helpful and productive piece of digital hardware. My friends suggested even a few dollars spread out amongst a lot of loyal fans could actually raise enough that I could pitch in the rest. The payback would allow me to produce the grOw/cOmics more productively, with less chance of injury, and with a quicker speed due to the natural drawing feel of the device. I also know that I seemed to get a better line quality when drawing on the Cintiq, which makes it easier to guide my hand visually as I normally do when I draw with pencil on paper.

I am not sure how I would set this up — maybe through PayPal. I am also not sure of the "response" to this would have — positive or negative backlash. I've seen other internet artists do this — some even for a new car! — but I couldn't do that. Any donation pool would have to be connected to my work. Don't get me wrong — I TRULY APPRECIATE all the support my fans give me already by purchasing the grOw/cOmics and grOw/stOries. Your support is the only way I could pull it off, as this is a one-person operation (plus the proofreading skills of my wife) — drawing, writing*, layout, inking, coloring, website creation, billing, credit card set-up and fees, etc., etc. (*I have hired a few writers in the past to help with the grOw/stOries.)  I couldn't pay the bills and spend so much time creating grOw without this support. Some have already asked me about donating further beyond the purchase price, but I've always declined in the past.

What is your take on the donation pool? Do you have a suggestion on this? I am all ears.

Thank you.

grOw/cOmic#5, issue 5 production underway!

Work on the final installment of the grOw/cOmic#5 series, "grOwing Appreciation" is in full swing, and has been for a few weeks. As with the previous issue, there is a lot of pre-planning that needs to go on before the full ink-and-paint stage starts producing the full-color previews that I usually show here.

So far, I have been working on building additional backgrounds for the issue in Shade 3D.  Like issue 4, this newest installment, titled "An Up and Cumming Star", requires new backgrounds to be created, especially now that the story has left the confines of the theater's interior.  For those of you following the series, you also know that some of the existing settings have ungone an radical change (re: destruction) — a change that is beginning to affect the surrounding structures of the setting.  A lot more "building" (or "unbuilding") of these new scenes needs to take place before the drawing, so that the characters will fit properly into their backgrounds.

I have to admit, I also had to write about 6 pages for the issue, which were temporarily marked with the single word "action" and nothing more. However, in filling out the script into its entirety, it became apparent that the standard 18 pages would not do the needed climax justice. After a few variations, I finalized the issue at 22 pages — 4 more than normal ! 

The pencil drawing of issue has begun, with 7 pages completed.  There will be a slight lull in progress in this regard, as I… ahem, oops… ran out of paper! The large size pads I need are not available in the local arts and crafts store, so they are on mail order, to arrive in about 5-7 days.  In the meanwhile, I will continue the rendering of the backgrounds that have been constructed in Shade. If the pads take too long, I may very well begin the ink-and-paint of the current 7 pages.

The road to the release of the explosive climax has begun!

grOw/cOmic#1: "Milk Farm" — Remastered and Re-released!

When my old store was shut down due to my old Host going suddenly out of business on June 1, 2012, it was a blessing in disguise.   (** Note: This also means I have no records of any sales made before that date — back-up your purchases NOW!) My new ecommerce solution is much easier to handle, set-up, and downloads are immediate after the order.

I was also able to create a custom website, using my own HTML and CSS. I think you'll agree that the current site is much cooler than the cold, catalogue-like layout of my original website.

Another benefit was the lifting of a lot of the file size limits.  This led to the fact that all the grOw/cOmics and grOw/stOries were able to be upgraded to 200ppi or even 300ppi for Premium Editions, along with a raising of the JPG quality from medium to high!  When I created the new store, I took the time to remaster all of the grOw/cOmics and grOw/stOries to the new high-quality settings — except for grOw/cOmic#1: Milk Farm.  The first grOw/cOmic had a few issues compared to all the rest that would not have benefited from a simple recreation of the PDF in higher quality. It needed some under-the-hood retooling (see the Remastered bullet points below).

And "Milk Farm" was much more difficult. As the first "grOw" ever, the way I set up the files was not as easy to convert as all the others. Plus, being the first release, my method of drawing the issue (scanning in hand-inked pages, then coloring in Photoshop) did not afford me the tight lines and accuracy I can now create when using my Wacom tablet and zooming in when needed while "inking" the lines in Adobe Illustrator. Thus, the line work was a little "heavy" when I first released it. Well, I went back and through a combination of coloring some of the lines to a lighter color and/or blurring them into softer lines, I have given the artwork a much-needed facelift (see example below and more on my website).

So, for the past 10 months, I have been slowly reworking the original grOw.

For those who have been inquiring about the "coming soon" on my website and waiting patiently, I can now say... 

grOw/cOmic#1:
"Milk Farm"

Now Remastered and Re-released!

 Now on Sale at almost 50% off of the last published price!

A huge, single 52-page issue.

Bill was fired from his company for exposing the dangers of their new formula, which increases the production of milk in cows. He had discovered that it adversely affected humans. In an attempt to get back at his former employer, Bill and his wife, Rachel, experiment with the forumla to test Bill’s theory — and to have a lot of sexual fun along the way! But Rachel gets caught up in the excitement, and goes further than either of them had planned!

Category: Breast Expansion (chemical: big, huge, Wow.); Lactation; clothes stretching/ripping; strong sexual situations (mf).

Remastered and Re-released!

• Higher resolution and quality!  The remastered edition now sports 200 ppi and high quality JPG formatting, as compared to medium-quality 120 ppi.
• More virbrant colors! Stronger and more accurate colors due to more advanced PDF optimization. 
• Revitalized Artwork! Much of the extra line artwork has been recolored and softened.
• Recreated Dialogue balloons and Narration boxes. Modernized these features to match my current style, as seen in grOw/cOmic#5.

See more examples at my website! »

Available in either PREMIUM or STANDARD Editions!

Premium Edition:

For only $2.95 only $1.95 more than the Standard Edition, the Premium Edition includes the remastered issue 1, plus these additions:

• "Art-only Edition":  Contains the all new remastered artwork — and all word balloons, narration boxes have been removed so that you can enjoy just the artwork.
• Full page pencil and ink drawings of choice pages.: The "Sketches & Drawings" PDF contains 4 pages of 16 rough conceptual sketches for the original idea behind "Milk Farm"; and, 3 pages of tight line drawings of 6 conceptual images; plus, 17 full-sized pages of the original page art, in which blue pencil and black-line inking can be seen 

Standard Edition features:

• The newly remastered released : 52-page cOmic PDF.

AVAILABLE NOW AT www.bustartist.com !  (Visa, MC, PayPal)

grOw/cOmic#5, issue 4 RELEASED!

grOwing Appreciation:
Chapter 4: "A Huge Smash!"

Available in either PREMIUM or STANDARD Editions!
Or, as part of the Current Series Collection.

Part 4 of a 5-issue series.

Jennie had had enough with Guy and his obnoxious fandom. Pushed to the edge of violence, she no longer is resorting to idle, verbal threats. Meanwhile, the sun's energy waves continue to bombard the Earth, causing Jennie to grow even larger — to the point where the movie theater is becoming too small to house the growing giantess. During all of this, Jack is literally placed in the middle of all the action, sometimes beyond his control.

Category: GTS (<150'; Gentle, Angry), Breast Expansion (science: huge!), Ass Expansion; building destruction; handheld; vore (non-gore); sexual situations (mF).


Available in either PREMIUM or STANDARD Editions!

Premium Edition:

For only $1.45 more than the Standard Edition, the Premium Edition features:

• A 300 dpi high-resolution version (2700 x 3525 pixels) of issue 4 (50% more resolution than the standard grOw/cOmics), compared to the Standard 200 dpi (1800 x 2350 pixels). You will be able to enjoy much more of the art, especially if you like zooming in to absorb all of the details of the characters and backgrounds.
• "Art Only" Edition of issue 4: this is the complete comic (also in 300 dpi high resolution, 2700 x 3525 pixels) but with all of the speech balloons, narration boxes, and sound effects text removed so that you can enjoy the art to its fullest in each panel.
• Full page pencil drawings of choice pages. — Included in the Appendix of the "Art Only Edition" are 14 full pages from issue 4 shown in their pencil form, including: some pages with the pencil lines on top of the rendered backgrounds for placement matching of figures.

Standard Edition features:

• Issue 4. "A Huge Smash!" in the standard, grOw/cOmic resolution of 200 dpi (1800 x 2350 pixels).
• 5 art-only pages in the Appendix with all the speech balloons, narration boxes, and sound effects text removed so that you can enjoy the art to its fullest in each panel. 

Current Series Collection (1-4) features:

• Issues 1, 2, 3, 4. Available in either Premium or Standard versions, as above. (Issue 1 comes in "standard" only).
• Save! If you haven't purchased any of the grOw/cOmic#5 series yet, pick up all 4 current releases for a combined price that will save you up to $6.86 as compared to the separate, normal prices. This savings is for a limited time!

AVAILABLE NOW AT www.bustartist.com !  (Visa, MC, PayPal)

grOw/cOmic#5, page 75 completed!

The last page of issue#4 is now completed!  Whoot! Sorry for the vague preview, but as page 75 is the last page of the issue, I didn't want to give anything away. However, I still have some work to do before release.  Next up is the creation of the cover to issue#5, which will appear as a sneak preview at the end of issue 4. After that, I still need to: proofread and correct; create the art-only pages; create the PDF and the Premium PDF; create the new graphics and pages for the website; and, set-up the store for purchase. I have hoping to complete this by Friday or Saturday — I'm crossing my fingers. The next update here at the blog will be the release announcement.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 74 completed!

I worked late because I was so close to completing the next to last page that I just HAD to continue until page 74 was done. I didn't think I was going to complete this so quickly, considering it was another detailed page. There is only 1 more page to issue!  Whoot!  Of course, I also have to create the cover for issue 5 (since it appears as a sneak preview at the end of issue 4). But were are nearly there!  After the last page is done, as well as the next cover, I have a little non-art work to due — such as proofreading, setting up the store, work on the HTML of the store website, etc.

grOw/cOmic#5, page 73 completed!

OK, as I claw my way back to the living, I can announce that I just finished page 73, leaving just 2 pages to go to the end of issue 4. What was I clawing my way back from? A real, nasty flu and fever that knocked me out for a good 6 days.  Ugh!  And I even had gotten my flu shot at the beginning of the season! Good thing I did, too, or else it would have been even worse. I think today was the first time I felt like myself in a week (and still only at about 90% capacity). It felt good to be back in the saddle again, though five days of laying about and watching TV gave me some much needed rest — mentally and my arm/wrist which was getting fatigued from all the work I've been doing lately.

Hang in there!  We are getting closer to the end!