grOw/cOmic#6, page 4 completed!

Well, this was definitely a 2-day page — lots of characters, faces, angles, advanced glass effects (close-up of a clear bottle with liquid), and panels (5). This page required me to work a little later before calling it quits for the weekend (whoo hoo!), but it was worth it. Enjoy the preview!

grOw/cOmic#6, page 3 completed

I couldn't quite get this page done in one day as the previous two, mostly due to other "real life" work circumstances, but I made good progress and finished it today. I also was able to get a small jump on the next page as well. There is a little more text in this one as compared to some others, that some may find interesting. ;D

grOw/cOmic#6, page 2 completed!

I've been cruising right along and completed page 2 of issue 1 of the new, upcoming grOw/cOmic#6. I was surprised that I was able to do so in just one day (albeit an extended one), considering the amount of faces and figures on this page. I think the extra time I spent on the pencil stage, as well as the natural feel of a stylus that comes from my Wacom Cintiq, allowed me to complete this page so quickly. I even had to add some special lighting to each of the four panels of this page (as you can see in the preview), but this did not push my time over one day.

Last blog post I released the name of this issue, but not the entire series. I have decided to finally announce the name of the series, which I have been hinting at as a "semi-sequel" to a previously released grOw/cOmic. So, without much further ado, the name of the grOw/cOmic#6 series is "Milking the Plot" (aka "Milk Farm 2"). This series will be a classic BE-focused cOmic, with some lactation thrown in to boot.

grOw/cOmic#6, page 1 completed!

I know it's been a while since the last blog update, but rest assured, I have been working diligently on the newest grOw/cOmic.  Since the last blog entry from 3 weeks ago, I had taken off 1 full week for an out-of-state family wedding, but the returned and immediately dove back into the work on the issue.

Since my last post, I have complete the pencil drawings for the rest of issue 1 (pages 8 through 18) of the new grOw/cOmic series (#6) which will be called "Milking the Plot". Chapter 1 is titled "MacGuffin" (odd, I know, but you will need to know the storyline to figure this one out). I also had more rendering and background setting up for issue 1, which I completed as well. 

I then went on to ink and paint page 1. It's really nice to finally get to this stage after all the prep work that led to this point. This page, as you saw in the pencil previews a few posts back, was quite detailed with a lot of people and numerous faces — all of which adds time. In addition, as you can see by the color preview, I had to deal with some lighting effects.  All in all, this new series is really turning out great!

Enjoy the preview!  It's on to page 2 come Monday!

grOw/cOmic#6 — drawin' and renderin'

Still plugging away at the pencil drawing and background creation and rendering of issue 1 of grOw/cOmic#6.  I had to put more work into the background creation, as I realized there were some important details that needed to be created. I also had to perfect the lighting. The 3D background is very important, as it is featured throughout nearly the entire series.

But I also have been working on the pencil drawings. However, I had hoped I would have gotten further along than I have. But due to the work on the 3D background setting (see above), as well as the high amount of details in the issue (many faces and tight interaction with the background by the drawn characters), I have only completed the first 7 pages of the 18 page issue. But now that the background is nearly complete, I hope to spend more time drawing, and less time modeling and rendering.

Enjoy the previews!

grOw/cOmic#6: Work has begun in earnest

It's been a few weeks since the release of the last grOw/stOry, (#18 "OutgrOwing Denise"), and things have been quite around here on this blog. However, that's not to say it's been quite for me on the grOw front.

Since the day after the release of "Denise", I have continued working on the next project, which will be a full 6-issue, grOw/cOmic series. I say "continued" as work had already been started months ago, when the authors were finalizing the last two grOw/stOries. The most recent work for me on this new cOmic series has been building the set in my 3D program in full detail, flushing out the last 2 chapters in the script, gathering reference materials in preparation for drawing, and, of course, beginning the actual pencil drawings themselves.

My recent computer failure (and subsequent replacement) had some interesting side effects. For one, I was required to upgrade a few pieces of software that no longer worked with the current operating system on the new machine. (For Mac users, I was required to upgrade from Snow Leopard 10.6.8 to Mavericks 10.9.5.) The version of Shade 3D — which I've been using to create backgrounds for the last 5 years — was not longer supported. I had to spend the money to upgrade. However, this was nothing but good in the end. After enjoying a more than 50% discount sale on upgrades they were having at the time, I was thoroughly impressed and excited about the interface improvements in the latest version over what I had been using. To put this in perspective, even if you've never used the software, I went from version 8 to version 14. Huge jump. I think I built the set to the latest grOw/cOmic in about a third the time it would have taken me in the older version.

The script is not complete yet (with most of the undone part in the last chapter) but I have worked out all the kinks and solidified the plot. The explosive final chapter does have a definitive end already cemented in place, but the way in which it arrives to that point, I am still mulling over (and getting me more excited as I do). Since I have quite a few months of work before that time, I am not pushing myself now, but will allow this final issue to age like a fine wine — refining its flavor and working on its body — inside my brain until it is time to bottle it.

Before drawing could begin, I had to layout the issue and typeset the script. I needed to know how much room, and where word bubbles and narration could be placed, so that they would work well within the pages' compositions. I had set text as an afterthought in the first grOw/cOmic and I paid the price.

Then, there is the drawing. Regardless of my heavy use of my Wacom Cintiq for inking and painting, there is nothing more satisfying than pencil on paper for the initial sketches and drawings. The rough edge of the pencil on the tooth of the paper allows for much more powerful feedback to my hand and brain. Of course, the power of digital inking and coloring, in a natural pencil-in-hand way, is the Cintiq's forte. 

I had gathered numerous photos of real people I will be using for reference to draw the characters (and, by the way, not necessarily copying the photos verbatim, but using them to influence the characters by studying real-life expressions, angles, and facial structure). This will be crucial in keeping six characters looking consistent.

I have also begun to draw issue 1, and it has been a very detailed start.  The first page introduces almost all of the characters immediately, so this was a challenge to begin drawing characters I hadn't tackled before. Plus, having to draw six different faces and full sets of clothing (as well as a second frame of three of those faces in close-up) was a daunting task for the first foray into a brand new series. To be honest, I avoided it for a few days, focusing on the technical stuff instead (text layout).

However, I was extremely pleased with the results.  So much so, I am showing the original "raw" drawing of page 1, as well as the final digital composite that I will be using as a template for the ink and paint stage.

You will see the blue pencil roughs under the final graphite lines in the rough version. You will also see the 6 figures of frame one, with their enlarged heads above them. These enlarged heads are NOT the final frame, but allowed me to tackle this first page challenge. In the first panel, the heads of the figures are about the size of my thumbnail. (This drawing is done withing an 11"x 15" (28x38cm) rectangle on a 14" x 20" sheet of paper). This is small enough that a line out of place by the width of a pencil point is enough to change their looks, and makes pencil control extremely difficult (if not impossible). I used to try to draw these frames in actual size, resulting in hours of frustration. Here, I did it by using a "digital technique" for real life. On a computer, you would simply zoom in until the thumbnail-size head was the size of your screen. Since that can't be done in real life, I did the next best thing — draw the heads large, and then after scanning in the page, shrink them down to fit the bodies (within Photoshop).

I won't say I will use this technique for all frames of this nature, but seeing as it was the very first frame, introducing characters for the very first time, I deemed it necessary. And the necessity was for the audience as well as for me, since it allowed me to really delve into the faces of these new characters.

I will be taking next week off, traveling out of state to visit family. But once I return, it's back to the drawing of grOw/cOmic#6 (which, as of yet, does not have a definitive title... though I think I have one).

Enjoy!

grOw/stOry#18 "OutgrOwing Denise", RELEASED!

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