EDIT: Boston Comic Con appearance canceled due to illness. Sorry.
Morning everyone. I realized I should probably mention a few things here quick before I disappear into inking. It's a busy weekend ahead, and chances are good I won't get another free moment until Monday.
Conventions:
First off, Matt and myself will be at the Boston Comic Con this weekend. There's a lot going on, which makes me sad that we'll be spending most of our time behind the table. Though that's probably the best place for me to be, wallet-wise. I can easily go nuts and buy armloads of books if I'm not careful.
We don't have the table number yet, but we'll be in the Artist Alley area. Just keep an eye out for the seven-foot CN:H banner. We'll have all the books currently available in print as well as a few copies of Issue 12 on hand. And, we'll be testing the new Square app. Which reminds me, I need to be sure to bring that little thing.
Boston and AnthroCon will be our only two conventions this year. Between the cost of gas and what's happening with Matt's job situation, this isn't a good year for cons. Which means, we'll just have to start planning for next year! We're looking to increase our furry con attendance. We need to get 'Cut Loose' out into the con circuit and that title will not go over well at traditional comic cons. Hell, CN:H doesn't do well at those these days.
So, if there are furry cons you'd like to see us at, please drop us a line and let us know! We're not sure if we'll still be living in New England next year, so we're willing to look into cons outside of the New England / East Coast area. We'll decide once we figure out what's going to happen in the next few months.
Guest Art Day:
I love having Guest Art Day every other week. It's fun and it lets me showcase new and old fan art on the front page of the site. But, I think I'd prefer to move them to another day of the week. Monday's can get a little hectic, and I'd rather not find myself unable to post that week's art until late in the afternoon. So, how does Wednesdays for the Guest Art Day sound? Who doesn't like something fun for the middle of the week, eh? So, starting next week, Guest Art Day will be every other Wednesday.
Ustream:
The Ustreams have been fun so far. I hope you've all been enjoying them as well. They do tend to go a little late, though, and the time-slot isn't really friendly to many outside of the United States. So, instead of evenings, let's try moving the Ustreams to every Tuesday starting at around noon, US Eastern Standard Time. This means that Matt won't be joining us, unfortunately. But, it also means that most of us will get to sleep at an earlier time. *laughs* We'll try this for a few weeks and see how it goes.
SpiderForest:
You've all probably noticed the rotating banner at the top of the site. We're part of the SpiderForest comic collective and starting next week, they're doing a comic of the week round robin. I want to admit right off the bat, I haven't had a chance to sit down and read each comic through yet. But, from what I have seen, they're a great bunch of comics and an even better group of people. So, keep an eye out for those SF links starting next week and check them out.
Formspring / Letters Column:
The last thing I wanted to mention quick was that we're just about out of questions for the Letters Column. We've been picking questions at random and there are only two left to answer! So, if you have a question that you'd like Matt and myself to answer, please ask away! While CN:H questions are preferred, we'll also answer ones about comic creation, running a business, and even a bit about ourselves. And, you don't need an account to ask. Bonus! So go ahead and give it a try.
Okay, I think I'm out of little news blurbs for the moment. Later, guys! Thanks for reading!
Eddy: "Get over it! If she told you to jump in a lake with a rock tied to your head, and wait for naked photos of you to develop so she could hand them out to all the kids in the cul-de-sac, would you?!"
Ed: "I had socks on Eddy."
-- Ed, Edd, 'n Eddy
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Thanks for joining us tonight
Hey all. Just a quick note before I head off to bed. So, so sleepy.
Thanks again for joining Matt and myself on Ustream tonight. I apologize for signing off without finishing the panels I was working on. I'd just realized that I'd merged all the lines onto one layer a little too early and it led to a big mess. Mainly, the magic smoke was almost invisible and since the lines were all on one layer, I couldn't change them without doing a lot of damage, which I did. (The undo function only goes back so many steps.) So, I saved the damaged version as BW-10b and opened the previously saved version. And, found I had to re-tone most of it.
This is when things get both frustrating and fun. Puzzles are enjoyable, even when they lead to some mild cursing. But, since I was going to be toning what I just toned over the last half-hour... I figured I should sign off and finish that on my own.
Here's the finished panels below, minus text, of course.
I'll finish the page up tomorrow and start up on eleven as well. Thanks again for hanging out with us! Let's do it again next week, eh? For now, it's late. Night all and take care!
"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jelly beans."
-- Ronald Reagan
Thanks again for joining Matt and myself on Ustream tonight. I apologize for signing off without finishing the panels I was working on. I'd just realized that I'd merged all the lines onto one layer a little too early and it led to a big mess. Mainly, the magic smoke was almost invisible and since the lines were all on one layer, I couldn't change them without doing a lot of damage, which I did. (The undo function only goes back so many steps.) So, I saved the damaged version as BW-10b and opened the previously saved version. And, found I had to re-tone most of it.
This is when things get both frustrating and fun. Puzzles are enjoyable, even when they lead to some mild cursing. But, since I was going to be toning what I just toned over the last half-hour... I figured I should sign off and finish that on my own.
Here's the finished panels below, minus text, of course.
I'll finish the page up tomorrow and start up on eleven as well. Thanks again for hanging out with us! Let's do it again next week, eh? For now, it's late. Night all and take care!
"You can tell a lot about a fellow's character by the way he eats jelly beans."
-- Ronald Reagan
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Ustream tonight @ 8pm EST
Morning! Hopefully it's as nice out where you all are as it is here. The weather today is gorgeous!
I just got back from the chiro appointment to find a tree removal service and one of the local power company vans battling it out for dominance on the road directly in front of our house. Usually when this happens, there's a decent chance of us losing power. So, I'll be postponing any inking until they're done. I don't want to risk losing a lot of work because I got into an inking groove, forgot to save, and the power suddenly disappears. They should be done by mid afternoon, which gives me time to do some sprucing up around the house as well as some reading.
Which will be nice, since I'll be inking into the late evening hours. If you'd like, you can come join me! I'll be broadcasting my slow, stylus movements again this evening starting at around 8pm US Eastern Standard Time on Ustream. I still have page ten to finish up, but if you'd all prefer to see another page being worked on, I also have pages eleven and twelve sketched and ready to go.
For now, I've laundry to get in the wash as well as various other, non-artsy things to do. Take care and see you tonight!
"The first sign of a nervous breakdown is when you start thinking your work is terribly important."
-- Milo Bloom
I just got back from the chiro appointment to find a tree removal service and one of the local power company vans battling it out for dominance on the road directly in front of our house. Usually when this happens, there's a decent chance of us losing power. So, I'll be postponing any inking until they're done. I don't want to risk losing a lot of work because I got into an inking groove, forgot to save, and the power suddenly disappears. They should be done by mid afternoon, which gives me time to do some sprucing up around the house as well as some reading.
Which will be nice, since I'll be inking into the late evening hours. If you'd like, you can come join me! I'll be broadcasting my slow, stylus movements again this evening starting at around 8pm US Eastern Standard Time on Ustream. I still have page ten to finish up, but if you'd all prefer to see another page being worked on, I also have pages eleven and twelve sketched and ready to go.
For now, I've laundry to get in the wash as well as various other, non-artsy things to do. Take care and see you tonight!
"The first sign of a nervous breakdown is when you start thinking your work is terribly important."
-- Milo Bloom
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Issue 13, pages 11 & 12
Hey guys! I'm just about ready to stop for the night. But, I wanted to post the next two sketches first. I've said it before and I'll say it again... action scenes and me just don't get along. We're like oil and water, I swear.
Well, I'm off to grab some ice water and relax for a bit. Night all!
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."
-- Ambrose Redmoon
Well, I'm off to grab some ice water and relax for a bit. Night all!
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important than fear."
-- Ambrose Redmoon
Come see my messy workspace (and tone sites)
Hey guys! First off, a big thank you to everyone who showed up for last night's Live Ink on Ustream! I had fun! I hope you all did too! I was planning to do one this evening as well, but I didn't get much sleep last night, which means... I'm pretty behind today. I still have sketching and the rest of page ten to ink. Eeep! So, we may postpone tonight's Ustream to another evening. I won't be much fun if I'm dozy. If the evenings don't work out too well for everyone, we could try doing them during the day. I just wanted to stick with the evenings at first. I'm not too sure of how the system works just yet, and I'd like Matt nearby in case I make a mess of things. Which, I tend to do at times.
The Ustream Producer program does slow my system down a bit. Nothing drastic, just enough for it to be noticeable, especially while I'm laying down the tones. I moved a good chunk of my music to the iPod so, that's one less program for the comp to run. Mothra's a strong girl, but she has her limits just like everything else.
I was asked for the link to where I found the tones I use. While some of the tones were made by me, most of the odder ones were found while browsing around the net. Unfortunately, I don't have all the links anymore. But, I did track down two of the sites ( Tone Site 1 | Tone Site 2 ). There were a few others, but I've no idea what the sites were called - all the text was in Japanese. Obsidian Dawn also has a few patterns, as well as a number of really high quality brushes.
There were also a few questions about what I was drawing on. I've been meaning to take pictures of the office for a while now, so I went ahead and snapped a few quick. I apologize in advance for the clutter.
This first picture is of the computer. Yes, it's an Apple. No, I do not want to hear how you feel I should have bought a PC or built my own. Not your office, not your say. Keep your opinions to yourself, please. And yes, that bottle is Excedrin. I go through a lot of Excedrin. The drawers are filled with paper, supplies, and additional small, tech items like the camera, CD-ROMS, and various power cords.
Right next to that is the area where I sit (the blue and yellow fuzzy thing is a blanket that's draped on the back of my chair. The bulletin board has notes and inspirational images on it. The screen in the middle is the Cintiq. It let's you draw directly on the screen, which is nice. I've switched to doing everything digitally thanks to this machine. I know, "oh, how awful! No more traditional art!" But, I actually enjoy the fact that I no longer need to scan or stock up on papers and art supplies. Those markers were not cheep. The page shown is at 50%.
The Cintiq isn't floating in midair, it's hanging off a suspension arm (more on that in a bit). The other screen to the left is a TV.
Messy, yet organized. I collect references like some people collect stamps. This area houses books, magazines, markers, the printer, as well as various odds and ends we didn't know what else to do with. (The bookshelf the TV sits on is also filled with books.) Yes, I have a thing for Buddhas. They make me happy.
More books as well as some toys and models. Oh, and the vacuum cleaner - which Holly is deathly afraid of for some reason.
These last two are the arm I mentioned earlier. The Cintiq came with its own stand, but I couldn't find a way of setting it up so I could work comfortably. Matt read about one fellow who used a suspension arm made by Ergotron. (It sounds like a Transformer, doesn't it? "I'm ERGOTRON!") So, after looking into it and checking to see if we had a few studs in that area of the wall, we ordered one and set it up.
I was a little worried at first - if something happens to the Cintiq, I can't afford to rush out and buy another one right away - but it's pretty sturdy. I can now pull the screen closer than I could when it was on the table, which lets me keep my back a little straighter. It doesn't sound like much, but sitting hunched over starts to hurt after eight hours. And, when it's not in use, the arm folds up against the wall, keeping the Cintiq out of the way.
So, yeah, that's my office. I spend the majority of my day in here so, things need to be relatively comfortable. If you're not comfortable while working, you tend to get very little done. Speaking of getting things done, I still have all that work to do. Thanks, guys, and take care.
Doctor: "Do you always talk to the computer, Daria?"
Daria: "Only when the toaster's mad at me."
-- Daria
The Ustream Producer program does slow my system down a bit. Nothing drastic, just enough for it to be noticeable, especially while I'm laying down the tones. I moved a good chunk of my music to the iPod so, that's one less program for the comp to run. Mothra's a strong girl, but she has her limits just like everything else.
I was asked for the link to where I found the tones I use. While some of the tones were made by me, most of the odder ones were found while browsing around the net. Unfortunately, I don't have all the links anymore. But, I did track down two of the sites ( Tone Site 1 | Tone Site 2 ). There were a few others, but I've no idea what the sites were called - all the text was in Japanese. Obsidian Dawn also has a few patterns, as well as a number of really high quality brushes.
There were also a few questions about what I was drawing on. I've been meaning to take pictures of the office for a while now, so I went ahead and snapped a few quick. I apologize in advance for the clutter.
This first picture is of the computer. Yes, it's an Apple. No, I do not want to hear how you feel I should have bought a PC or built my own. Not your office, not your say. Keep your opinions to yourself, please. And yes, that bottle is Excedrin. I go through a lot of Excedrin. The drawers are filled with paper, supplies, and additional small, tech items like the camera, CD-ROMS, and various power cords.
Right next to that is the area where I sit (the blue and yellow fuzzy thing is a blanket that's draped on the back of my chair. The bulletin board has notes and inspirational images on it. The screen in the middle is the Cintiq. It let's you draw directly on the screen, which is nice. I've switched to doing everything digitally thanks to this machine. I know, "oh, how awful! No more traditional art!" But, I actually enjoy the fact that I no longer need to scan or stock up on papers and art supplies. Those markers were not cheep. The page shown is at 50%.
The Cintiq isn't floating in midair, it's hanging off a suspension arm (more on that in a bit). The other screen to the left is a TV.
Messy, yet organized. I collect references like some people collect stamps. This area houses books, magazines, markers, the printer, as well as various odds and ends we didn't know what else to do with. (The bookshelf the TV sits on is also filled with books.) Yes, I have a thing for Buddhas. They make me happy.
More books as well as some toys and models. Oh, and the vacuum cleaner - which Holly is deathly afraid of for some reason.
These last two are the arm I mentioned earlier. The Cintiq came with its own stand, but I couldn't find a way of setting it up so I could work comfortably. Matt read about one fellow who used a suspension arm made by Ergotron. (It sounds like a Transformer, doesn't it? "I'm ERGOTRON!") So, after looking into it and checking to see if we had a few studs in that area of the wall, we ordered one and set it up.
I was a little worried at first - if something happens to the Cintiq, I can't afford to rush out and buy another one right away - but it's pretty sturdy. I can now pull the screen closer than I could when it was on the table, which lets me keep my back a little straighter. It doesn't sound like much, but sitting hunched over starts to hurt after eight hours. And, when it's not in use, the arm folds up against the wall, keeping the Cintiq out of the way.
So, yeah, that's my office. I spend the majority of my day in here so, things need to be relatively comfortable. If you're not comfortable while working, you tend to get very little done. Speaking of getting things done, I still have all that work to do. Thanks, guys, and take care.
Doctor: "Do you always talk to the computer, Daria?"
Daria: "Only when the toaster's mad at me."
-- Daria
Monday, April 25, 2011
Issue 13, page 10 (Ustream tonight)
Hey guys! I'm a little late getting this up. But, I figure better late than not at all. Right? The sketch of page ten was done last night. I still need to clean things up a bit. I was getting a little frustrated at the time, so decided to leave working on the finer details until today. Action poses, I'll figure them out eventually. edit: The clean version is now up.
Inking will start this evening. Why? Because I'll be doing it live on Ustream. Not the whole page, of course. I doubt anyone wants to sit around and watch me move a stylus slowly about a screen for six plus hours. But, we'll be live for a few hours at least. If you want to join us, visit our Ustream account this evening at around 8:00pm, US Eastern Standard Time. We can chat, listen to music, and you can watch me lay the digital ink down.
In other news, I'm currently addicted to this song - "Liar" by Vanilla Ninja. I really need to find more from this group. I've never heard of them before. It's fun to randomly browse YouTube now and then. It often leads to some gems I'd never have found otherwise.
I have some lines to clean as well as the next page to mock-up before tonight. So, I should get back to work. Thanks for reading and take care!
"I wanted to be scared again... I wanted to feel unsure again. That's the only way I learn, the only way I feel challenged."
-- Connie Chung
Inking will start this evening. Why? Because I'll be doing it live on Ustream. Not the whole page, of course. I doubt anyone wants to sit around and watch me move a stylus slowly about a screen for six plus hours. But, we'll be live for a few hours at least. If you want to join us, visit our Ustream account this evening at around 8:00pm, US Eastern Standard Time. We can chat, listen to music, and you can watch me lay the digital ink down.
In other news, I'm currently addicted to this song - "Liar" by Vanilla Ninja. I really need to find more from this group. I've never heard of them before. It's fun to randomly browse YouTube now and then. It often leads to some gems I'd never have found otherwise.
I have some lines to clean as well as the next page to mock-up before tonight. So, I should get back to work. Thanks for reading and take care!
"I wanted to be scared again... I wanted to feel unsure again. That's the only way I learn, the only way I feel challenged."
-- Connie Chung
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Issue 12 prints have arrived
Hey, guys! The first set of Issue 12 print comics has arrived. Just in time for Boston Comic Con next week. Wow, that's next week already? They look good. Please excuse the bad photo, my camera's not the most reliable at times.
The print sales online have been dropping over the last year. We'll keep printing the single issues because they're good to have at cons, but we will be ordering smaller, limited runs from now on. Which means, we may need to go back to Ka-Blam for these single issues. It's not fair to Mike asking him to print such small orders. Though I'm hoping Mike will be willing to let us print the next trade with him. I'm looking forward to that coming out. What can I say, we print books because Matt and I both want a copy for ourselves.
Issue 12 will be available online on May 16th. For now, I need to get back to work on Issue 13 so I can keep ahead. Later, guys, and thanks for reading!
"It's only the view from where you sit that makes you feel defeat. Life is full of many aisles, so why don't you change your seat?"
-- Source Unknown
The print sales online have been dropping over the last year. We'll keep printing the single issues because they're good to have at cons, but we will be ordering smaller, limited runs from now on. Which means, we may need to go back to Ka-Blam for these single issues. It's not fair to Mike asking him to print such small orders. Though I'm hoping Mike will be willing to let us print the next trade with him. I'm looking forward to that coming out. What can I say, we print books because Matt and I both want a copy for ourselves.
Issue 12 will be available online on May 16th. For now, I need to get back to work on Issue 13 so I can keep ahead. Later, guys, and thanks for reading!
"It's only the view from where you sit that makes you feel defeat. Life is full of many aisles, so why don't you change your seat?"
-- Source Unknown
Monday, April 18, 2011
It's Guest Art Day, folks!
Hey, guys, welcome to Monday! More importantly, it's Guest Art Day! Yep, every other Monday we'll pick a drawing from the guest art gallery to share on the blog and front page of the site. Neat, eh? This time, we have art to share by LionkingCMSL.
Poor Max and Ruby seem to be lost. Everyone keeps telling them they're in Astoria, but things don't seem quite right. (For anyone confused, Astoria is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City.)
Be sure to visit LionkingCMSL's gallery for more of his art! Thanks, LionkingCMSL!
If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.
I need to run. I've an hour drive ahead of me and I still need to get ready. Later, guys, and take care!
"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom."
-- Anon.
Poor Max and Ruby seem to be lost. Everyone keeps telling them they're in Astoria, but things don't seem quite right. (For anyone confused, Astoria is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City.)
Be sure to visit LionkingCMSL's gallery for more of his art! Thanks, LionkingCMSL!
If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.
I need to run. I've an hour drive ahead of me and I still need to get ready. Later, guys, and take care!
"I would thank you from the bottom of my heart, but for you my heart has no bottom."
-- Anon.
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Issue 13, page 9
Oh yeah, here's page nine of Issue 13 sketched. Running, running, running... keep those rodents running...
In other news, we've set up a Ustream account. Yeah, I said I'm nervous about working while being watched. I still am. But, it's something interactive that we know many like. I'm not sure when we'll start, most likely sometime this week and evenings only. Also just inking, no sketches. My sketching is a little light and doesn't show up on the camera too well.
I'll let everyone know when we're planning on broadcasting. If nothing else, you can all give me shit while I ink. Not to mention be exposed to strange music. Seriously, I listen to some odd stuff. A lot of French, German, Spanish, and Bollywood music. Not to mention your general mix of rock and new age. Oh, and Weird Al. I can't forget him.
Enough gabbing, back to work. Later!
"Run like you stole something."
-- Daniel Farrow
In other news, we've set up a Ustream account. Yeah, I said I'm nervous about working while being watched. I still am. But, it's something interactive that we know many like. I'm not sure when we'll start, most likely sometime this week and evenings only. Also just inking, no sketches. My sketching is a little light and doesn't show up on the camera too well.
I'll let everyone know when we're planning on broadcasting. If nothing else, you can all give me shit while I ink. Not to mention be exposed to strange music. Seriously, I listen to some odd stuff. A lot of French, German, Spanish, and Bollywood music. Not to mention your general mix of rock and new age. Oh, and Weird Al. I can't forget him.
Enough gabbing, back to work. Later!
"Run like you stole something."
-- Daniel Farrow
Friday, April 15, 2011
Thoughts, plans, and thank you
Hey, guys. Welcome to Friday. Hopefully the day's treating you all well.
The chiro appointment went well. Perhaps a little too well... I'm drowsy. This is the first time in a long time that I've been without pain. It's an oddly relaxing feeling.
A few of you have voiced concerns about my seeing a chiropractor, due to bad experiences or the more woo-woo side of things. (I'll admit, some of it sounds a little woo.) Emails go to Matt and myself jointly and he tends to answer them before I do. But, I just wanted to say, personally, that I really appreciate the concern. It's not something I'm used to, people looking out for my health (well, aside from Matt and our folks, that is). Thank you. At the same time, I really don't want anyone to be worried, so let me just say I did look into it when first suggested and decided it's worth a shot. If I'm not happy with the next few sessions, I'll cancel any future appointments. I promise.
On the production front, page eight of Issue 13 is sketched and page nine will be sketched this evening. I'll spend this weekend inking.
Matt and I did discuss the Supporters side recolors last evening. We've decided to stop offering the recolors and remove them from the site. The thing is, we'd like to wait until the update schedule has increased. Personally, I would like this to happen as soon as possible, but I want more of a buffer first. At the moment, I have a seven week buffer for the Supporters side at our current two pages a week schedule, a five week buffer if we go to three a week. So let's see, it's mid-April now... how about we aim for a late May increase?
Main side, you will be going to two a week eventually. I'm not sure of the days yet - one of them should probably be Monday just because we've been updating on Mondays for so long, I think everyone expects it. I'm not sure of the second day, though. We'll have to think about that. Maybe Fridays? Also, I'm not sure if we're going to start the Main side's update increase when we do the Supporters side, or hold off for a bit. Matt and I haven't come to a consensus about that just yet, we're still working out the details. But, we won't keep either side waiting until the anniversary. It's the best buffer-wise, but I'm impatient. I don't want to wait that long. And, I doubt you guys do either.
As for stuff coming up, Matt and I will answer another question from the Letters Column/Formspring this Sunday. We also have more guest art from the wonderful LionkingCMSL to share Monday which is so awesome, I'm looking forward to it! What can I say, guest art makes me squee.
I've also been bouncing around the idea of doing some more interactive stuff, like maybe a weekly chat or something. We tried an audio version a while back, but it didn't really work out too well. I know a number of people like to watch comics being created on Ustream, but I have a hard time keeping an eye on the chat area and drawing at the same time. We are working on adding comments under the comics. That's one of the things being added to version two of Clickthulu. But, if you have any ideas or preferences on what you'd like us to try, please let us know.
And, on that note, I'm going to grab a quick nap to make up for my lack of sleep this last week, and then get to sketching a little later. Have a great weekend, guys, and thanks for reading!
"How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us."
-- Parks Cousins
The chiro appointment went well. Perhaps a little too well... I'm drowsy. This is the first time in a long time that I've been without pain. It's an oddly relaxing feeling.
A few of you have voiced concerns about my seeing a chiropractor, due to bad experiences or the more woo-woo side of things. (I'll admit, some of it sounds a little woo.) Emails go to Matt and myself jointly and he tends to answer them before I do. But, I just wanted to say, personally, that I really appreciate the concern. It's not something I'm used to, people looking out for my health (well, aside from Matt and our folks, that is). Thank you. At the same time, I really don't want anyone to be worried, so let me just say I did look into it when first suggested and decided it's worth a shot. If I'm not happy with the next few sessions, I'll cancel any future appointments. I promise.
On the production front, page eight of Issue 13 is sketched and page nine will be sketched this evening. I'll spend this weekend inking.
Matt and I did discuss the Supporters side recolors last evening. We've decided to stop offering the recolors and remove them from the site. The thing is, we'd like to wait until the update schedule has increased. Personally, I would like this to happen as soon as possible, but I want more of a buffer first. At the moment, I have a seven week buffer for the Supporters side at our current two pages a week schedule, a five week buffer if we go to three a week. So let's see, it's mid-April now... how about we aim for a late May increase?
Main side, you will be going to two a week eventually. I'm not sure of the days yet - one of them should probably be Monday just because we've been updating on Mondays for so long, I think everyone expects it. I'm not sure of the second day, though. We'll have to think about that. Maybe Fridays? Also, I'm not sure if we're going to start the Main side's update increase when we do the Supporters side, or hold off for a bit. Matt and I haven't come to a consensus about that just yet, we're still working out the details. But, we won't keep either side waiting until the anniversary. It's the best buffer-wise, but I'm impatient. I don't want to wait that long. And, I doubt you guys do either.
As for stuff coming up, Matt and I will answer another question from the Letters Column/Formspring this Sunday. We also have more guest art from the wonderful LionkingCMSL to share Monday which is so awesome, I'm looking forward to it! What can I say, guest art makes me squee.
I've also been bouncing around the idea of doing some more interactive stuff, like maybe a weekly chat or something. We tried an audio version a while back, but it didn't really work out too well. I know a number of people like to watch comics being created on Ustream, but I have a hard time keeping an eye on the chat area and drawing at the same time. We are working on adding comments under the comics. That's one of the things being added to version two of Clickthulu. But, if you have any ideas or preferences on what you'd like us to try, please let us know.
And, on that note, I'm going to grab a quick nap to make up for my lack of sleep this last week, and then get to sketching a little later. Have a great weekend, guys, and thanks for reading!
"How things look on the outside of us depends on how things are on the inside of us."
-- Parks Cousins
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Issue 13, page 8
Oh, it's such a lovely day out. I've the back door open for the first time since last fall. So nice. Unfortunately, with the nice weather came the gnats. Ugh! The things are everywhere in the backyard. It's because of the pond back there, I swear. I go to take Holly out, and get attacked. Ick!
Anyway, page eight is sketched. Hopefully it looks okay. I'm trying.
Run, rodent boy! Run!
"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."
-- William James
Anyway, page eight is sketched. Hopefully it looks okay. I'm trying.
Run, rodent boy! Run!
"The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated."
-- William James
Thinking about the Supporters area recolors
I occasionally pop my head into the Bad Webcomics Wiki. What can I say, it's interesting. When I did this morning, I found that there's a post debating whether CN:H should be listed on there. As someone who reads the Wiki, I'm currently feeling this odd mixture of amusement and 'oh dear God, don't hit me in the face, not the face!' *laughs* When you're a mediocre writer/artist whose comic involves talking critters, it's bound to happen eventually. Throw in having a Supporters area, and you're guaranteed to get someone's ire up. It's like, the perfect recipe.
Though I never noticed that the characters look a bit stoned before. I will never be able to un-see that now. *laughs* It's the big eyes, I swear. I'll have to work on that. Not to mention the characterization. (Though we do realize that Max is supposed to be that wooden, right? That's intentional.)
Seriously, I feel no animosity towards the Wiki and its crew. They're having fun and, to be honest, everyone needs a punch in the kidneys now and then. Yeah, it hurts, but it makes you question your work and methods. And, that can only be good, right? Right.
So, why am I bringing it up then? The reason is, they touched on something that I've been wondering myself for a bit. Mainly, the Supporters area recolors. The recolors are just something we've been doing for a while now and haven't thought much about. The Supporters area does not exist because I think my work is so awesome and I'm the shit. The idea behind it was to bring in a bit of income to run the server, ensure there was a buffer for the Main side of the site, and to offer something for everyone who donated. It's basically a donators area with a funny name. That's all.
I never want anyone to feel they have to buy something - be that a Supporters account or a book - to get the story. The Supporters area just updates the comic a little faster and the books are for people like me who still enjoy reading dead-tree versions of things. Since the recolors aren't a major feature to me, I never assumed anyone would be annoyed at the idea of them being available on the Supporters side only. I was a little surprised.
This, coupled with the fact that I don't enjoy doing the recolors, has made me re-question whether we should keep them. I asked Matt this a few months back, and his response was to let them be. But, with the update schedule set to increase in a few months... to be honest, I'd rather funnel that time into making more pages. Add to this the fact that, according to the site stats, the recolor version sees very little traffic. It sounds like a plan to me. Still, I need to pass it by Matt first.
I've also been thinking over the anniversary coming up. I'm wondering if it might be best to just treat it like any other day. We'll increase the updates like planned, but we should probably nix the contest idea. Matt's busy working on the second release of Clickthulu and I'll be dealing with wrist issues while working around an increased schedule. It's probably for the best.
Well, it's getting late and I've more sketching to do. Love you guys, take care!
"He that never changes his opinion never corrects mistakes and will never be wiser on the morrow than he is today."
-- Tryon Edwards
Though I never noticed that the characters look a bit stoned before. I will never be able to un-see that now. *laughs* It's the big eyes, I swear. I'll have to work on that. Not to mention the characterization. (Though we do realize that Max is supposed to be that wooden, right? That's intentional.)
Seriously, I feel no animosity towards the Wiki and its crew. They're having fun and, to be honest, everyone needs a punch in the kidneys now and then. Yeah, it hurts, but it makes you question your work and methods. And, that can only be good, right? Right.
So, why am I bringing it up then? The reason is, they touched on something that I've been wondering myself for a bit. Mainly, the Supporters area recolors. The recolors are just something we've been doing for a while now and haven't thought much about. The Supporters area does not exist because I think my work is so awesome and I'm the shit. The idea behind it was to bring in a bit of income to run the server, ensure there was a buffer for the Main side of the site, and to offer something for everyone who donated. It's basically a donators area with a funny name. That's all.
I never want anyone to feel they have to buy something - be that a Supporters account or a book - to get the story. The Supporters area just updates the comic a little faster and the books are for people like me who still enjoy reading dead-tree versions of things. Since the recolors aren't a major feature to me, I never assumed anyone would be annoyed at the idea of them being available on the Supporters side only. I was a little surprised.
This, coupled with the fact that I don't enjoy doing the recolors, has made me re-question whether we should keep them. I asked Matt this a few months back, and his response was to let them be. But, with the update schedule set to increase in a few months... to be honest, I'd rather funnel that time into making more pages. Add to this the fact that, according to the site stats, the recolor version sees very little traffic. It sounds like a plan to me. Still, I need to pass it by Matt first.
I've also been thinking over the anniversary coming up. I'm wondering if it might be best to just treat it like any other day. We'll increase the updates like planned, but we should probably nix the contest idea. Matt's busy working on the second release of Clickthulu and I'll be dealing with wrist issues while working around an increased schedule. It's probably for the best.
Well, it's getting late and I've more sketching to do. Love you guys, take care!
"He that never changes his opinion never corrects mistakes and will never be wiser on the morrow than he is today."
-- Tryon Edwards
Monday, April 11, 2011
Issue 13, page 7
Yes, back to sketching. This time, it's page seven of Issue 13. I am so not looking forward to inking that background. I think there will be a lot of shadows in this one.
Gah, I just had to put them in the White Drawing Room for this scene, didn't I? Of course I did. Oh well, hopefully I can make it work.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare. And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere."
-- Ali ibn Abi Talib
Gah, I just had to put them in the White Drawing Room for this scene, didn't I? Of course I did. Oh well, hopefully I can make it work.
"He who has a thousand friends has not a friend to spare. And he who has one enemy will meet him everywhere."
-- Ali ibn Abi Talib
Chiro, cellphones, and cons
Hey, guys! Sorry about all the quiet these last few days. I've been a little preoccupied. I'll get back to sketching tomorrow.
I went to the chiropractor Friday for my wrist and it was an interesting experience. He didn't adjust anything yet. Instead, he asked me about what was happening, did some tests, and took some x-rays. While he could tell there's been an injury to the wrist, he thinks the main source of my current pain and loss of motor control is actually due to a series of nerves being pinched in my spine. One of the tests he performed involved a device that read the pressure and heat areas up and down my spine, picking out the areas that are overly stressed. Which, it turns out, is two thirds of the right side of my spine and the bottom third of my left. He thinks there's a good chance that setting the spine right and removing the pressure on those nerves may not only eliminate most of the wrist pain, but also take out the migraines. Awesome!
It's not a 'one-two-three, you're done' process - it's going to take some time. I've another appointment this Friday to discuss the x-ray results with him and come up with a plan of attack. So, I'm excited. It'll be nice to get my wrist back under control. I haven't felt like working on CN:H because the pain's been getting worse. While I've been living with wrist and migraine pain for over fifteen years now, even I have my limits.
In other news, I now have a cellphone. Why? Well, two reasons, really. The first is that Skype hasn't been all that reliable recently. And two, we're planning on using the cellphone to run cards at cons. The laptop has been a little too clumsy to work with at the table - there's just no room more often than not. We got the idea from the people at the Apple Store - you know, how they use their iPhones to swipe your credit card whenever you purchase something. It's not an iPhone, it's one of those Thunderbolts and it's pretty nifty. Matt and I have been playing with it this weekend trying to figure out how it all works. But, this way we can now record notes, video, and keep inventory on the phone while at cons - we have this habit of misplacing notes while on a trip.
Unfortunately, due to a few ideas we have in the works as well as the cost of gas (Have you been keeping an eye on the gas prices lately?) Matt and I have decided to cut some of our previously scheduled cons out this year. The first to go is Midwest Furfest. It's just way too far out, guys. We also haven't done well there sales-wise the last two times. If we can't make back at least hotel, we have to cut the con for the time being. Especially when the travel distance is so great.
We may be cutting Intervention Con for the same reason. We haven't decided yet. We are still on for Boston Comic Con at the end of this month, as well as Anthrocon in June. Right now, the money from CN:H is occasionally going to front other projects, so we'd like to avoid any big travel expenses for the time being.
That being said, we will be increasing the update schedule after the ten year anniversary in August one way or another. I promise.
Well, it's almost 1:00am here and I've sketching I plan on doing tomorrow. So, it's time I got some sleep. Later, guys, and thanks for reading!
"Problem solving is hunting. It is savage pleasure and we are born to it."
-- Thomas Harris
I went to the chiropractor Friday for my wrist and it was an interesting experience. He didn't adjust anything yet. Instead, he asked me about what was happening, did some tests, and took some x-rays. While he could tell there's been an injury to the wrist, he thinks the main source of my current pain and loss of motor control is actually due to a series of nerves being pinched in my spine. One of the tests he performed involved a device that read the pressure and heat areas up and down my spine, picking out the areas that are overly stressed. Which, it turns out, is two thirds of the right side of my spine and the bottom third of my left. He thinks there's a good chance that setting the spine right and removing the pressure on those nerves may not only eliminate most of the wrist pain, but also take out the migraines. Awesome!
It's not a 'one-two-three, you're done' process - it's going to take some time. I've another appointment this Friday to discuss the x-ray results with him and come up with a plan of attack. So, I'm excited. It'll be nice to get my wrist back under control. I haven't felt like working on CN:H because the pain's been getting worse. While I've been living with wrist and migraine pain for over fifteen years now, even I have my limits.
In other news, I now have a cellphone. Why? Well, two reasons, really. The first is that Skype hasn't been all that reliable recently. And two, we're planning on using the cellphone to run cards at cons. The laptop has been a little too clumsy to work with at the table - there's just no room more often than not. We got the idea from the people at the Apple Store - you know, how they use their iPhones to swipe your credit card whenever you purchase something. It's not an iPhone, it's one of those Thunderbolts and it's pretty nifty. Matt and I have been playing with it this weekend trying to figure out how it all works. But, this way we can now record notes, video, and keep inventory on the phone while at cons - we have this habit of misplacing notes while on a trip.
Unfortunately, due to a few ideas we have in the works as well as the cost of gas (Have you been keeping an eye on the gas prices lately?) Matt and I have decided to cut some of our previously scheduled cons out this year. The first to go is Midwest Furfest. It's just way too far out, guys. We also haven't done well there sales-wise the last two times. If we can't make back at least hotel, we have to cut the con for the time being. Especially when the travel distance is so great.
We may be cutting Intervention Con for the same reason. We haven't decided yet. We are still on for Boston Comic Con at the end of this month, as well as Anthrocon in June. Right now, the money from CN:H is occasionally going to front other projects, so we'd like to avoid any big travel expenses for the time being.
That being said, we will be increasing the update schedule after the ten year anniversary in August one way or another. I promise.
Well, it's almost 1:00am here and I've sketching I plan on doing tomorrow. So, it's time I got some sleep. Later, guys, and thanks for reading!
"Problem solving is hunting. It is savage pleasure and we are born to it."
-- Thomas Harris
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Hello, my name's Darc and I'm a dumb-butt!
Apparently, I forgot to wear the wrist brace while sleeping last night. Seems I also slept on it funny - I have this habit of curling my wrist in tight and sticking my thumb between my middle and ring finger. I don't know why. It's just a comfort thing I've done since I was a kid. But, it's not really the best idea at the moment. Especially when said wrist is supporting your fat head for six hours. *heh*
Luckily, today's schedule involves more thumbnails and storyboarding. I've the next scene with Max, the Prince, and Gavin to layout and a few different ways I can approach it. Hmm... which one to choose? This should be interesting.
Speaking of interesting, I've an appointment Friday with a chiropractor. Not for the back, but the wrist. Pam said he helped with her wrist troubles so, we'll give him a shot. I'm both excited and nervous. I've never been to a chiropractor. I tend to avoid doctors if I can, not out of fear, but more out of not wanting to deal with our insurance company. Because they're crazy sometimes.
Oh, oh man, Matt and I watched this fellow last night, John Pinette. He's hilarious! Here's a short clip...
Well, it's time to wrap the wrist and get some storyboarding done. Later!
Mr. O'Neil: "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."
Jane: "Unless you're diabetic."
-- Daria
Luckily, today's schedule involves more thumbnails and storyboarding. I've the next scene with Max, the Prince, and Gavin to layout and a few different ways I can approach it. Hmm... which one to choose? This should be interesting.
Speaking of interesting, I've an appointment Friday with a chiropractor. Not for the back, but the wrist. Pam said he helped with her wrist troubles so, we'll give him a shot. I'm both excited and nervous. I've never been to a chiropractor. I tend to avoid doctors if I can, not out of fear, but more out of not wanting to deal with our insurance company. Because they're crazy sometimes.
Oh, oh man, Matt and I watched this fellow last night, John Pinette. He's hilarious! Here's a short clip...
Well, it's time to wrap the wrist and get some storyboarding done. Later!
Mr. O'Neil: "A spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down."
Jane: "Unless you're diabetic."
-- Daria
Monday, April 4, 2011
Issue 13, page 6
Just more sketching. Page six of Issue 13 is ready for inking. Whoot! A member of the Summer Court talking with one of the agents. This can't end well.
Hmm... hopefully I'll be able to pull off the second to last panel okay. Faces reflected in eyes, I haven't tried that in black and white only yet. This should be interesting.
" 'For your own good' is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction."
-- Janet Fram
Hmm... hopefully I'll be able to pull off the second to last panel okay. Faces reflected in eyes, I haven't tried that in black and white only yet. This should be interesting.
" 'For your own good' is a persuasive argument that will eventually make a man agree to his own destruction."
-- Janet Fram
What day is it? Why, it's Guest Art Day, silly!
Hey, guys, welcome to Monday! More importantly, it's Guest Art Day! Yep, every other Monday we'll pick a drawing from the guest art gallery to share on the blog and front page of the site. Neat, eh? This time, we have Max done by LionkingCMSL. Ain't he cute!
Be sure to visit LionkingCMSL's gallery for more of his art! Thanks, LionkingCMSL!
If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.
Okay, I've sketching and with luck some inking to do today so, I should get started. Things have been taking a little longer lately due to the wrist, after all. Later, guys, and take care!
"Free will and determinism are like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you is determinism. The way you play your hand is free will."
-- Norman Cousins
Be sure to visit LionkingCMSL's gallery for more of his art! Thanks, LionkingCMSL!
If you'd like to share your CN:H art with us, please send it along and we'll post it on the site and in the gallery. Nothing above a PG-13 rating, please. Thanks.
Okay, I've sketching and with luck some inking to do today so, I should get started. Things have been taking a little longer lately due to the wrist, after all. Later, guys, and take care!
"Free will and determinism are like a game of cards. The hand that is dealt you is determinism. The way you play your hand is free will."
-- Norman Cousins
Friday, April 1, 2011
Mad stylin's, yo
It's oddly hard to find a wrist brace when you're allergic to latex. (Not to mention the other problems a latex allergy causes.) But, it seems I finally found one. It's even mildly comfortable, which is good since I have to wear it now whenever I'm not drawing, eating, or doing anything involving water. Hopefully this isn't too embarrassing at cons. "Oh, why the wrist brace? Did you hurt yourself while [insert cool sport here]?" "No, I draw a lot." Doesn't quite have the same punch.
But, it does seem to be helping a bit. I started wearing it Wednesday night and was able to do quite a bit of inking yesterday with minimal pain once the wrist warmed up. I got two thirds of the page done in about four hours. Then I stopped for a bit with plans of finishing it up later that evening. Ten minutes after stopping, the pain hit like a freight train. So, the brace went back on and I called it a night. But, there was improvement!
Matt and I also downloaded a trial version of that Manga Studio a few days ago. It was interesting. It seemed to crash a lot and it wouldn't let me turn on anti-aliasing, so all the lines looked jagged, but it still may be helpful. If nothing else, I could smooth out the slight jaggedness in Photoshop. I'm assuming the crashing was a glitch in the version we downloaded, since I've rarely seen anyone complain about it doing that. So, that's something we may look more at in the future. I love Photoshop, I've been using it since 1998, but if there's something else out there that can help speed things up and alleviate some of the strain, I'd be a damn fool if I didn't try it.
We do have new guest art to share, but I'm waiting for Monday to do so. I'm hoping to make every other Monday Guest Art Day, with a different drawing showcased on the site - both new and previous art. Why? Because we've received so much wonderful art from you all that I want to make sure everyone sees it. So, look for some awesome new guest art this coming Monday!
For now, I'm going to get back to inking. I've the rest of the page to do. Hopefully I can sketch the next page as well, though I probably shouldn't make any promises in that regard. We just have to take it slow for the time being. Unfortunately, my lovely buffer is now down to only two months. Two months! Nooo! I will conquer you yet, buffer. I will rule yooooou!
"When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up."
-- Les Brown
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