A bit of an update

Hey, guys! I apologize for the quiet this last week. I've been working on various things, including inking the remaining pages of Issue 12. The quiet will probably continue for a few more days or so. Still, I just wanted to give a bit of heads-up on things going on.

The "Lifts and Liaisons" interlude is now complete on the Main side of the CN:H site. (The "C.C." at the bottom means case closed.) I know the comic can read a bit choppy when only a page is updated at a time. But, it's often much smoother when read in one chunk. So, if interested, please go back and reread the interlude straight through. Issue 10, meanwhile, will start this next Monday, February 28th.

Also, the CN:H site's had a bit of a face-lift. Strange things like that happen when I get a little stressed. You should be seeing a red leather-type background. So if the site seems a tad off, give it a refresh and things should look a bit better. I also moved the PW ad to the sidebar instead of the leaderboard we had previously. The leaderboard combined with the SpiderForest ads was a little too much.

And, on that note, I should get back to work. Later and take care!


"A good deal of large and rather interesting work is drifting my way."
-- Howard Pyle

Issue 12, pages 20-24

Hey, folks. Sketch achievement unlocked, baby! Pages twenty through twenty-four of Issue 12 are sketched, lettered, and ready for inking. Woot! Which means, it's going to be a rough next week. But, it also means that we're in the home stretch. Yes, finally. I wanted to be much further along by now, as in about half way through Issue 13 along. Heh, oops.





I rather like how the sketch for page twenty-four came out. So, here's the full version. Go on, Max. You can take him in a fight. I, meanwhile, am going to stand way over there, out of firing range.




"How can we know ourselves? Never by reflection, but only through action. Begin at once to do your duty and immediately you will know what is inside you."
-- Johann von Goethe

Ballroom sketched

Okay, the ballroom for pages twenty and twenty-one of Issue 12 is sketched. Man, that's going to be a bear to ink. It could probably use a few more people milling about, but I'd like to get on with the rest of the pages. Besides, I need to leave room for the dialog.



The fey queens are huge, eh? Well, back to work.


"Every great success is an accumulation of thousands of ordinary efforts that no one sees or appreciates."
-- Brian Tracy

Issue 12, pages 20-24 (thumbnails)

Okay, pages twenty to twenty-four of Issue 12 are thumbnailed and awaiting sketching. I usually don't bother to scan the thumbnails because they're messy and a little hard to decipher. But, I thought in case anyone was curious, I'd give it a go.

This is how the pages start out. Usually there are two thumbnails to a page, with a rough idea of the dialog below. The dialog is finalized once the pages are fully sketched out. It's not the method most use, but it works for me.

The little head shots and extra sketches are just me trying different panel ideas. You never know if something looks right until you try, right?

Pages twenty and twenty-one are going to take a bit of work. I'd like the background on the top of the pages to be of the ballroom in Buckingham Palace. Unfortunately, that means perspective. Eeep! I'd like for the background to break the borders, but I'm not sure if that will print right. Probably best not to try it. The last thing I want is to get a print run that didn't come out right because of something I thought would "look neat".



Sometimes, I can't get the page to flow right on the first pass. That happened here. I want page twenty-two to end with the guards, but jumping straight to them didn't seem quite right. So, I decided to try showing the queens in the background first, then pivoting the view to the guards.



I like ending issues with a splash page for some reason. Probably something I picked up from some of the print comics I've read. I know some other webcomic creators don't approve of splash pages, but it feels right to me. Besides, the idea of ending the issue with a looming, menacing Gavin... I just couldn't resist.



Aside from that ballroom, I'm excited to get to work. (The ballroom intimidates me, I must admit.) Well, on to sketching tomorrow. For now, Matt's home. Later.


"I realize that if I wait until I am no longer afraid to act, write, speak, be, I'll be sending messages on a Ouija board, cryptic complaints from the other side."
-- Audre Lorde

Winter court guards (sketch)

Morning, guys! I still have more work to do on the con banner cleanup, so that will be occupying most of the day. It's such a big image, and with the cost of getting the banner printed being a bit of an investment financially (in other words, not all together cheap) I want to make sure it's done right. My goal is for us to get a few good years of use out of it. So, I'd like something that's going to represent the comic well. Which means, lots of time spent removing all the little dithers from the resizing. Either way, it'll be done by this evening. Thank goodness.

A part of me really wants to pick up one of those moleskin sketchbooks and a few sepia Sakura pens. But, with my tendency to loose sketchbooks, that's probably not a good idea. Still, I'd like to get back into the habit of doing, and sharing, a warm-up sketch each day.

For today, I realized I'll needed to design the Winter Court guards for the next scene. I went with bovine-like creatures because I just happen to like cows. They're so cute! The thing about the fey is I can bring in some animals I don't normally get to use in CN:H. It's nice to mix a few attributes from those species in. Especially the horns. It helps them stand out a bit more from the non-fey characters.



Though I think I'll change the tails to more of a dragon-like look. They're ogres, not full bovines after all.

Well, back to work on the banner for me. Later.


"You can be confident and secure and know that you do a good job at what you do. But, you don't know to be arrogant about it."
-- Ruben Studdard

Valentine's Day and Issue 11 in print

Morning, guys! Happy Valentine's Day! Yeah, I know a number of people online complain about this holiday. How it's so awful and exists only to ridicule those who are not in a relationship. But you know something... screw that. Seriously, why bring yourself (not to mention everyone else around you) down with such negativity? It's a holiday, and holidays are meant to be fun. Furthermore, it's a day for love.

"But Darc, that's the problem! I don't have someone and this day makes me feel worse!" Then love yourself. Do something nice for you today. Make yourself happy and enjoy life. Because the simple truth of it all, cupcake, is that the longer you soak in such thoughts, the harder it's going to be to find someone. People like others who radiate positivity and joy, not hatred and negativity. So go out, have fun, watch a few funny videos, and grab some of those sweet chocolate covered cherries. But most importantly... stop grousing and loosen up.

And, to help you loosen up, here's a funny little video - Everyone Else Has Had More Sex Than Me by TISM.



Now, advice aside, let's move on to CN:H news. Issue 11 is now available in print! As usual, it's twenty-four pages of ink and toned CN:H goodness for the low, low price of $3.00! Pretty awesome, eh? Or, if you're like us and shelf space in your home is getting hard to come by (The books, they're taking over!) there's a digital CBR download available for $1.00!

Meanwhile, Issue 12 starts today on the Supporters side. This has been a hard one for me to do. Part of it was the storyline, the fey are a little tricky for me to work with. But, the greater part was the fact that my back was killing me! Ugh! I could not find a way of sitting that didn't twist the muscles along my spine into new and interesting shapes. But, Matt discovered a solution, and it's brilliant! Oh, so comfortable. I'll post pictures of the new office setup a little later. For now, I need to do my morning workout. I've been slacking off there.

Later, guys. Have fun today, you hear!


"If love is blind, why is lingerie so popular?"
-- Unknown

Con banner cleanup

No, it's not a page sketch. But, like the business card design I posted a few days ago, it's something I've been needing to put together for a while now. Matt and I plan on replacing the con banner we've been using so far. We haven't changed the banner since it was first printed in 2007, I believe. So yes, overdue.

I wanted to use the Max and Ruby ad I drew up a few months ago, but it's a little small. Make that a lot small. The art is eight inches by ten. The banner, meanwhile, is thirty-six inches by eighty. To get the characters to fit, I did some tinkering in Photoshop - setting the DPI really high, then adjusting the physical size of the image to the dimensions I needed. It works, but there's some cleanup to do.



Things look fine at twenty-five percent, but when brought up to one-hundred percent, the fuzziness becomes noticeable. I've started the cleanup, but it's a slow process.



It'll probably take most of the day to finish the cleanup. But still, it's quicker than drawing up a new image. Working at such a large size is a little intimidating for me.

Well, back to work.


"Early to bed, early to rise, work like hell, and advertise."
-- Laurence J. Peter

Gadel (sketch)

Hey, guys! My wrist has been up to its usual tricks these last few days. I ended up coating the stove, floor, and part of myself with tomato soup yesterday due to the wrist giving out. Ew. So I'll be sticking with the nice, plastic cup today. It has a handle. We're talking adult sized sippy-cup here, folks. BOO-YAH!

Still, I've sketching to do today, so I thought I'd try warming the wrist up a bit with some random doodling. The result, Gadel..



Though you know, looking at the finished sketch, it looks a little like she's waterbending. How in the hell did that happen? *laughs* I'll have to fix that before inking. Maybe I'll only have the left hand casting magic, like a fireball, instead of a stream. I was hoping to mock up something that might go along with the Rashanna sketch done a few weeks ago. I need to create some banners for the upcoming convention season, and would like Rashanna and Gadel on one of them. I may still be able to get this to work. We'll see.

And, just because it's Friday and I don't think I've offended enough people this week... here's a funny little video by Albino Black Sheep and Nuclear Bubble Wrap - Draining the Lizard on a Dead Gay Wizard.



Enjoy. I should get back to the comic pages. Later!


"You grow up the day you have your first real laugh at yourself."
-- Ethel Barrymore

Business card design

Just breezing in quick with a design I've been meaning to do for a while now. Yep, a business card for CN:H. It's been long overdue. For some reason I just never got around to it.



I love that cracked leather texture. It was a brush that I put on a layer, removed the background (so the texture could be seen through), and told Photoshop to define as a pattern. It doesn't work so well for the pages themselves, but for covers and other promotional items, it's lovely.

In other news, the new support arm for the Cintiq came in today. I'm so excited! Unfortunately, I was wrapped up in finishing a page so, we couldn't get it up this evening. We'll do that in a few days. I'll be sure to take photos of the new setup once it's up.

Okay, my work's done for the day. Night all.


"The brain is a wonderful organ. It starts working when you get up in the morning, and doesn't stop until you get to the office."
-- Robert Frost

Max and the art of snubbing

Page ten of the interlude, "Lifts and Liaisons" involves a grinning Max saying goodbye to Doodle and Gadel. Simple enough, right? Not quite. There's some subtext that, unfortunately, didn't come across as clearly as I'd like.

I've been told there's been some confusion as to just why Max is grinning in such a smug and satisfied manner. After all, Gadel just insulted him in the previous page. The grin must mean he has some awesome, wacky payback planned. Right?

Wrong. Max doesn't do wacky. He has another method of payback in his arsenal, a way that he knows will bruise Gadel's ego. It's called the snub.

What does 'snub' mean? From FreeDictionary.Com:

snub (snb)
tr.v. snubbed, snub·bing, snubs
1. To ignore or behave coldly toward; slight.
2. To dismiss, turn down, or frustrate the expectations of.
3. Nautical:

a. To check the movement of (a rope or cable running out) by turning it quickly about a post or cleat. b. To secure (a vessel, for example) in this manner.

4. To stub out (a cigarette, for example).

n.
1. A deliberate slight or affront.
2. Nautical: A sudden checking, as of a rope or cable running out.

adj.
Unusually short: a snub nose.

[Middle English snubben, to rebuke; akin to Old Norse snubba.]

Read that last panel again. Max, who Gadel has referred to as being "polite" and "deferential" just gave a pleasant goodbye to Doodle... and a quite "oh, and you, too" to Gadel. That is the snub.

But Darc, people talk like that all the time! Yes, they do. The thing is, we're not talking about general people here. We're talking about the behaviors of two specific characters, Max and Gadel. And, when doing so, we have to look back on their past interactions.

Max isn't fond of Gadel, yet he still calls her "Lady Gadel" when talking with her. Ruby, Doodle, in fact most of RCSI do not. The previous time she upset him, he didn't call her anything at all, just closed the door behind her without so much as a goodbye. This time, he decided to address her, but without the honorific he usually gives. In fact, without her name at all.

So why is this a snub? One of the definitions listed above is, a deliberate slight or affront. To many in polite society, not acknowledging someone's name is seen as not acknowledging them as a person, i.e. as a lesser being. Now, many of us will take this in stride and ignore it, especially if it came from a friend. Other people, meanwhile, will be slightly offended, especially if the person doing this is someone we've just had a heated discussion with. But, for someone like Gadel who feels she's superior to most everyone else around her, it's a big insult. Her face shows this. Max knows the effect it will have on Gadel, and his face shows his pleasure. Doodle, meanwhile, is not good at the subtle snub and thus, is oblivious.

If I was a better cartoonist, this may have come across a little clearer. While I understand person to person communications, I'm still learning how to express that in the comic. I'll get there one day. It's just a matter of time and practice.


"No one can be as calculatedly rude as the British, which amazes Americans, who do not understand studied insult and can only offer abuse as a substitute."
-- Paul Gallico

The trouble with 'fake it 'til you make it.'

I'm sure we've all heard the phrase 'fake it 'til you make it.' The idea that if one acts as if they're already successful, they'll become successful. In theory this is a great idea. And, if done right, it's a great idea in practice as well. Trouble is, most people seem to misunderstand what this phrase means.

'Fake it 'til you make it' does not mean act like an egotistical jerk. Nor does it mean being unwilling to listen to advice. The goal of 'fake it 'til you make it' isn't to convince others of your abilities and self confidence. It's to impress these feelings of confidence onto yourself. It's about using your emotions to focus on the outcomes you want to occur.

Look at it this way, if you want to be a successful comic creator, then you should try behaving like one. Again, I'm not talking about the stereotype many webcomic creators have of the successful people within our ranks. No, I mean actual behaviors that are worth emulating. If you're attempting to make money from your comic, then perhaps you should try handling it and yourself in a business-type manner. Follow through on your promises. Make sure your merchandise is both affordable and well crafted. Treat your readers and fellow cartoonist with respect whenever possible. Don't pick fights with the hopes of making yourself "look big." Don't attempt to overtake another creator's panel or belittle another person's successes. Act with dignity.

These are the marks of a professional. If you try to behave in this manner, you'll show others than you posses confidence and poise. That you're knowledgeable and trustworthy. Slowly, but surely, your readers and fellow creators will take notice, and the success you desire will not be far behind.

And that, ladies and gentlemen, is what 'fake it 'til you make it' is all about.


"Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking."
-- Bernard Baruch

Dad's car (sketch)

Yes, I was bad again today. Instead of inking, I thought I'd try to get some work done on the car drawing for Dad. I've been having a hard time with this one, mainly due to cars (and various other machines) not being my strong point. On top of that, I've never really seen this car so, I'm not familiar with all the details. Hopefully I got close enough.

I decided to do the first version of the sketch on the computer. That way I could move the characters around and change their position - the original idea was to have Doodle and Gadel behind the car. Since I needed things to be mobile, I did the car and characters on separate layers.

Here's the car by itself. I spent the most time on it since I'm not too familiar with drawing cars and the car is what my dad's really interested in.



Doodle and Gadel were next. I had to readjust their size a few times to get them in proportion with the car. Since I'm a little more comfortable with drawing them, I didn't spend as much time here.



At first I thought I'd have Doodle and Gadel standing on the opposite side of the car. But that just didn't look right. So, I moved them to the front, only to discover that they hid a little too much of the Viper. So, poor Gadel got dropped, leaving Doodle all by herself. It's probably for the best.



I'll print this out and redraw it on the Bristol board sometime in the next week. Which reminds me, I should check my Bristol to make sure it hasn't swelled. Wet weather does odd things to paper at times. I should probably check my pens too.

So yay! The car is underway. About time. I'm just so nervous about drawing cars.


"An essential aspect of creativity is not being afraid to fail."
-- Edwin Land

Issue 12, page 19

And now, page nineteen of Issue 12 is sketched out... roughly. I had a bit of a hard time trying to decide how to show the rules of dealing with the fey. Or at least the ones that are going to be dealt with in CN:H - don't accept gifts, don't give gifts, and don't eat fey food. I tried.



On to inking tomorrow. I want to get back on schedule so I can do up Dad's car drawing once this issue is complete. I've been putting that off for too long. Way too long. Sorry, Dad!

edit: I wasn't crazy about the first version, so I took another shot at it.



A little better. Sometimes you just have to keep drawing a panel over and over until it looks right. Yes, it's really rough. Just a general idea. Things will be finalized during the inking stage.


"There's a quality of legend about freaks. Like a person in a fairy tale who stops you and demands that you answer a riddle."
-- Diane Arbus

Issue 14, cover (sketch)

Hey, guys. I've had a rough cover idea for Issue 14 stuck in my head for the last few days. So, instead of continuing on with the next page, I sat down and sketched it out. I know, bad Darc. But, I was worried about losing the idea. Besides, I got to draw a horse. It's always a good day when that happens.



Meanwhile, I've been listening to this song on repeat most of the day - "Odno I To Zhe (The Same Thing)" by T.A.T.U. and Rammstein. I don't know what it is about it. Yes, I'm weird. You can listen to it in the AMV below. A translation of the lyrics can be found here.



Enjoy. I should get to work on the next page. Later!


"What does not kill me makes me stronger."
-- Friedrich Nietzsche