Thursday, July 28, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 128 completed!

Definitely a full 2-days worth of work, but right at the end of the day, I was able to complete page 128. 18 pages done, 3 to go! Certain effects on these last few pages are decidedly more time-consuming, and I doubt I will be able to finish any of these pages in less time that 2 full days. However, I hope to complete all pages by end of next week, and the cover by early the following week. (Even if I don't finish all pages, I hope to complete the issue by early/mid-week of Aug 8th.) Then, after some behind-the-scenes website artwork and programming, PDF creating, and all the other production work, we will have a release by that Friday the latest.

Tuesday, July 26, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 127 completed!

I had to work an extra hour and a half today, but I was able to complete page 127 of grOw/cOmic#6. I thought it was going to be an easier page, but then realized the complexity of it as I worked. Overlapping characters, liquid effects, etc. all took a little extra time. At this stage, the milk effects alone take up 7 layers unto themselves — rivers, drops, drips, streams, sprays, spatter, big drops, and gush. Each layer has a different shape, and one of 4 milky Photoshop layer effects applied to it. The separate layers give me the maximum control over its look. And, if I don't like how one area came out, I can simply erase that small part on the separate layer, rather than the entire milk-spray effect.

17 pages down, 4 to go (plus the cover to issue 8). And I am pretty sure on what the cover to issue 8 will look like. It's in my head, and I can't wait to get it down on paper.

Friday, July 22, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 126 completed!

I had to work a little later than normal, but I was able to complete page 126 today before the weekend. Maybe it was the AC coolness that gave me that extra boost during this heat we are having, but whatever it was, I am happy that I was able to finish the latest page. I had thought that the chance of doing so was going to be difficult, and I was nearly right. However, I plugged through it "got it done."  Whoot!  16 pages down, 5 to go!

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 125 completed!

It's been a few extra days since the last update, but I was finally able to get page 125 of issue 7 ("Dramatic Structures") completed today! I was unable (as previously mentioned) to work on grOw this past Friday (visiting family and grOw does not mix well, haha). Then, this particular page contained a lot of detail to be worked out. So much so, that my usual 1-2 day per-page pace was stretched to a full 3 days. There were many frames, close ups of faces, many individual characters intertwined, liquid effects (many kinds), motion blurs, etc.  The next page is not as detailed as this one, but it does contain similar elements that, hopefully, won't stop me from posting one more preview before the weekend. Crossing my fingers. (If I can't finish it by then, you should see it Monday.)

Hang in there!  15 pages down, 6 to go!

Thursday, July 14, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 124 completed!

I worked extra hard today to get the latest page (p. 124) finished today, and I will not be able to work on grOw tomorrow.  This way, there is one more preview before the weekend.  It is a great page, with added lighting effects and a dynamic camera angle. Chip, chip, chip -- 14 down, 7 to go!  We are now at the two-thirds mark!

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 123 completed!

Bam! The last update might have taken 3 (business) days, but this one took only 1!  Page 123 was completed today, even before the end of my "normal day". The truth is that the last page didn't take an entire 3 days, so I was able to get a full half-day head start on this page yesterday. It just goes to show you that there is (unfortunately) no specific time frame to complete a page. It all depends on the complexity of the page as dictated by the story at that juncture. Pages that have more faces (which take a lot of work due to their intricacies and details required), more frames, more special effects (blurs, liquids, lighting, etc.) will take more time than frames with less of those, or with less clothing. A naked body is quicker to ink & color than one that may be clothed in garments containing straps, leggings, cloth folds, laces, lacy edges, or denum textures. So when someone asks me what my ETA for release is, and I have more than 2 pages left to do, it's always a guess.

13 down. 8 to go...

Monday, July 11, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 122 completed!

The latest page took an extra day due to the complexities and effects required. Page 122 had lots of overlapping body parts, a number of faces, and lots of liquid effects of varying sorts. The body parts take time, as each overlap requires masking the part individually before painting. The liquids take effects due to their complexity and numerous "drops, drips, spatters, and globs."  12 pages done, 9 to go!

Wednesday, July 6, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 121 completed!

As I mentioned yesterday, I got a great head-start on page 121 after finishing page 120. And thus, I was able to complete (thought just barely) page 121 today, one day later after the last preview. We are now past the halfway mark, with 11 out of 21 pages done. We're over the hump, and now it's a race downhill to the finish line.

Stimulating Summer Sale EXTENDED to July 20th!

Sale Extended:  Up to 35% Off
Stimulating Summer Sale
at BustArtist.com!
Complete your grOw collection!

Now through July 20, 2016*
get up to 35% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER
with coupon code "BAsummer2016"


By popular demand, I have extended the 2016 Stimulating Summer Sale for another 2 weeks, until July 20th, my birthday.

So help me celebrate my up-coming birthday by supporting grOw! Summer is also a time of slower sales for me.

And, on top of that, even though I am hard at work, I've got a bit of a way to go until the next release (grOw/cOmic#6, issue 7). And the bill collector is not going to wait.

So, I'm hoping to stimulate some summer sales in the meanwhile for those who still have not completed your grOw collection!  My loss is your gain!

Use coupon code BASummer2016 at check out, and receive a discount up to 35% off on your entire order over $5.00 USD.  The more you spend, the more you save:
  • $5.00 – $ 14.99 — Save 10%
  • $15.00 – $24.99 — Save 15%
  • $25.00 – $34.99 — Save 20%
  • $35.00 – $44.99 — Save 25%
  • $45.00 or more  — Save 35%
*This coupon code is valid from today until July 20, 2016, 11:59pm EST.

Thank you for your $upport! It takes time a lot of time and effort to produce the grOw series and I appreciate your backing of my endeavors.


Tuesday, July 5, 2016

grOw/cOmic#6, page 120 completed!

Chip, chip, chip...So close to the halfway mark now, with the completion of page 120, the 10th of 21 pages in issue 7 of grOw/cOmic#6. I made good progress over the last two days (taking yesterday off for the holiday), and even got a great head-start on the next page before ending my day today.