"It Had Momentum, It Was Gaining Traction"

I've been on a roll the past few hours--I got about four comics drawn during that time, and I'm actually pleased with how they look.  This is a rare thing--usually, I'm able to deal with the inadequacies of my art style, and recognize that there are many things which I will never be able to draw, and that I'll probably use the same poses and positions and such for the rest of my artistic life.  But tonight's work was just...well, I feel like what I drew was worthwhile and worth looking at.

I've also noticed my art style is evolving slightly.  See, I originally switched to a sketchy look 'round about the end of October last year, and while I liked the way it allowed me to be looser with my art and more expressive than the smooth lines of my earlier style, I always thought it looked just a bit sloppy (especially when, as often happened, I was very lazy with my linework.  In those instances, what I came up with often looked like crap).  However, it did have advantages over the smooth style--the sketchy look gave the drawings depth and a sense of action and movement, while the smooth style always looked flat and really rather lifeless.  Anyway, I finally figured out what I was really wanting to do, and the sketchy style was simply a step in that direction.  My most recent comics retain the energy and depth of the sketchy style, but are much cleaner in terms of the linework and style.  I rather like it, and my most recent efforts (from tonight) really show off the evolved style well.  Like I said, I'm genuinely happy with the way the comics I drew look.

Anyway, I was very productive with the comics tonight, then--I only need to draw one more to have enough comics to cover my vacation period.  Of course, I've only scanned, cleaned up, and uploaded one comic of the six I need, but four more are drawn, so that's good.  At this rate, I may even be able to draw the Semi-Troubled Times strip Adam wanted me to do for Saturday the 7th of August, since he'll be going off on his honeymoon then.  Oh, and on the subject of Troubled Times--I have to admit, the past few pages of it have been my favorites of the comic thusfar.  Seeing the scene as it plays out in Adam's artwork has been like watching one of my dreams unfold--hell, it basically is watching one of my dreams unfold, or at least one of my stories.  His most recent page, with Teran channeling the Wrath of God and smiting demons left and right, is--in my opinion--among the finest pages he's ever turned out for anything.  And to think it's based on something I wrote (however loosely--I did write a few directions down for actions in this scene, but they're along the lines of "Teran catches a sword with his bare hands and then kills the demon in a really cool way.  Then he punches another demon in the head, shattering that one's skull, and punches a hole through another demon's chest, etc.").  Adam's giving flesh and movement and substance to the skeleton directions I gave him, and it's one of the coolest feelings in the world, seeing that happen.  If only he had time to do more than one page a week (actually, it's probably a good thing he can only do that much, or he'd catch up to what I've scripted much quicker...which reminds me--I need to get back to work on Chapter Three pretty soon).

Anyway, that's enough comic talk for tonight.  It's late/early, I'm goin' to bed.

~chuck

Song of the Moment: Otis Redding, "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay"