Vondye
| Real Name: | Ash |
| Gender: | None Specified |
| Web Site: | http://opiumcaffeine.deviantart.com/ |
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Comment on Chapter 3- page 12 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 06 May 2012 05:46 pm
In comic format, I have this set up as a 2 page spread because I think it works best that way. Took a good chunk of time to finish just this one page. I got obsessed with tweaking the shadows, and kept making slight changes until I felt I got the right feel and look. Er, no pun intended.
When I first sketched up this page, I wasn’t sure it was going to actually make it into the plot. It didn’t seem to add much at first, and was just something fun and challenging to draw. Also, I had a wrestling match with the appropriateness of the tone and theme again. My style of cartoony comic-making and heavily stream of consciousness writing doesn’t always seem appropriate to handle this kind of subject matter, especially with the introduction of another (darker) layer of Zach’s personality. It seems to almost clash. I’m not sure if it comes off forced or works to give the pacing depth because of that.
Vondye, 06 May 2012 05:46 pm
In comic format, I have this set up as a 2 page spread because I think it works best that way. Took a good chunk of time to finish just this one page. I got obsessed with tweaking the shadows, and kept making slight changes until I felt I got the right feel and look. Er, no pun intended. When I first sketched up this page, I wasn’t sure it was going to actually make it into the plot. It didn’t seem to add much at first, and was just something fun and challenging to draw. Also, I had a wrestling match with the appropriateness of the tone and theme again. My style of cartoony comic-making and heavily stream of consciousness writing doesn’t always seem appropriate to handle this kind of subject matter, especially with the introduction of another (darker) layer of Zach’s personality. It seems to almost clash. I’m not sure if it comes off forced or works to give the pacing depth because of that.
Comment on Chapter 3- page 11 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 03 May 2012 02:35 pm
This page got away from me, and took a massive leap towards more work than I planned. I’m not sure it paid off. It feels like it could use more lighting work, and the tiny middle left panel bugs me since the day I drew it for being so damn small and obscure.
The plot gets heavier from here on in straight to the end of the chapter, and keeps rolling straight through the beginning of the 4th. In many ways for me, the first two chapters were warm-ups, and this first stretch of heavier plots are the marathon. I have no idea how I’m going to follow through with the work I’ve planned. It’ll be technically and dynamically demanding for the skill level I’m at. I cringe at the impending train wreck, but I also anticipate the challenge.
Vondye, 03 May 2012 02:35 pm
This page got away from me, and took a massive leap towards more work than I planned. I’m not sure it paid off. It feels like it could use more lighting work, and the tiny middle left panel bugs me since the day I drew it for being so damn small and obscure. The plot gets heavier from here on in straight to the end of the chapter, and keeps rolling straight through the beginning of the 4th. In many ways for me, the first two chapters were warm-ups, and this first stretch of heavier plots are the marathon. I have no idea how I’m going to follow through with the work I’ve planned. It’ll be technically and dynamically demanding for the skill level I’m at. I cringe at the impending train wreck, but I also anticipate the challenge.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 10 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:42 pm
Music Cue: CocoRosie- Smokey Taboo
Went more hardcore in trying to incorporate ambient lighting. It’s a time consuming process, and I think I screwed up in the 2nd panel and the 3rd to a lesser extent. Last panel was easiest, and also my favorite of the bunch. There was some inner dialogue there, but I felt it was redundant within the sequence that the next two pages make.
The general consensus is that the rain in the first panel is, well, a bit suggestive. I tried to make it reflect the colors around it so it was more realistically watery, but I ain’t that good yet. So it’ll remain looking gooey and inappropriate (also the fault of my organic style). I do like the mood the soft glow in that panel creates, though. It’s exactly the right feel I was aiming for.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:42 pm
Music Cue: CocoRosie- Smokey TabooWent more hardcore in trying to incorporate ambient lighting. It’s a time consuming process, and I think I screwed up in the 2nd panel and the 3rd to a lesser extent. Last panel was easiest, and also my favorite of the bunch. There was some inner dialogue there, but I felt it was redundant within the sequence that the next two pages make.
The general consensus is that the rain in the first panel is, well, a bit suggestive. I tried to make it reflect the colors around it so it was more realistically watery, but I ain’t that good yet. So it’ll remain looking gooey and inappropriate (also the fault of my organic style). I do like the mood the soft glow in that panel creates, though. It’s exactly the right feel I was aiming for.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 9 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:24 pm
Ambient Lighting Redeux
Using a friend's very helpful ambient lighting advice, I think I picked up some small idea of showing light sources with colorization. Though it’s definitely far from perfected here, I think the coloring hints at a dark, rainy night with an artificial light source- a streetlamp or the glow from the Smirking Dragon. Or at least it’s a start to depicting such lighting schemes. Over the next few pages I’ll be using it a lot, so it’ll give me the opportunity to practice.
Not too fond of that second panel. Could’ve been more action oriented or emotionally drawn to match the creepy tone of the page. I also wish the demon in the first panel wasn’t so cartoony, because she’s much scarier in the 4th panel (and in the 2nd chapter, when she originally appeared). The cartooniness detracts from the rest of her depictions.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:24 pm
Ambient Lighting RedeuxUsing a friend's very helpful ambient lighting advice, I think I picked up some small idea of showing light sources with colorization. Though it’s definitely far from perfected here, I think the coloring hints at a dark, rainy night with an artificial light source- a streetlamp or the glow from the Smirking Dragon. Or at least it’s a start to depicting such lighting schemes. Over the next few pages I’ll be using it a lot, so it’ll give me the opportunity to practice.
Not too fond of that second panel. Could’ve been more action oriented or emotionally drawn to match the creepy tone of the page. I also wish the demon in the first panel wasn’t so cartoony, because she’s much scarier in the 4th panel (and in the 2nd chapter, when she originally appeared). The cartooniness detracts from the rest of her depictions.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 8 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:23 pm
This page has the only reference to an actual time frame and date in the comic, which I think was a huge mistake on my part- not having fleshed out the when and where of the universe. What made it even more of a problem was the lack of any real futuristic technology until the second chapter, and only the occasional mention of planets and spaceships in the first.
The fact that the third chapter takes on a sudden heavy sci-fi slant feels jarring from my perspective because of that when it shouldn’t be. Yet another valuable learning experience.
In truth, though, I think I was avoiding these elements because I wasn’t confident that I could handle drawing them yet.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:23 pm
This page has the only reference to an actual time frame and date in the comic, which I think was a huge mistake on my part- not having fleshed out the when and where of the universe. What made it even more of a problem was the lack of any real futuristic technology until the second chapter, and only the occasional mention of planets and spaceships in the first. The fact that the third chapter takes on a sudden heavy sci-fi slant feels jarring from my perspective because of that when it shouldn’t be. Yet another valuable learning experience.
In truth, though, I think I was avoiding these elements because I wasn’t confident that I could handle drawing them yet.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 7 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:22 pm
The bottom panel was extremely frustrating, even with perspective reference. The angle of Zull’s body in the seat and the position of the seat in regard to cabin size and Von’s position is all screwy, and the panel needs to be bigger and rectangular to fit the sequence. To go back and fix it now would destroy the original sheet. I’d have to re-draw the entire thing.
In hindsight I probably should’ve walked away from the drawing board that day and came back a bit later, because I could’ve worked it out much more accurately. I think this was a page I had drawn at 6am, so next time I best take my own advice.
There was some wrestling with the subject matter as well. The plot of BB is fairly frivolous, with some grittier elements thrown in here and there for robustness. I didn’t want to make light of the subject (barring some parody pages I did with this sequence out of an aggravating art block & much indecision), but I also needed Von’s situation to be harrowing, and for Zull to have a broad malicious streak. There’s a chunk of plot development that banks on those elements.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:22 pm
The bottom panel was extremely frustrating, even with perspective reference. The angle of Zull’s body in the seat and the position of the seat in regard to cabin size and Von’s position is all screwy, and the panel needs to be bigger and rectangular to fit the sequence. To go back and fix it now would destroy the original sheet. I’d have to re-draw the entire thing.In hindsight I probably should’ve walked away from the drawing board that day and came back a bit later, because I could’ve worked it out much more accurately. I think this was a page I had drawn at 6am, so next time I best take my own advice.
There was some wrestling with the subject matter as well. The plot of BB is fairly frivolous, with some grittier elements thrown in here and there for robustness. I didn’t want to make light of the subject (barring some parody pages I did with this sequence out of an aggravating art block & much indecision), but I also needed Von’s situation to be harrowing, and for Zull to have a broad malicious streak. There’s a chunk of plot development that banks on those elements.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 6 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:22 pm
Shortest page I’ve done thus far, and an instance where I decided to re-order some pages I’d initially drawn in batches. At first the story continued from the last page chronologically, keeping along with the main plot. When I’d finished the main plot pages up to a point and was working on the flashback batch and put them in a portfolio spread, I had an epiphany with the flow of the chapter: strangely, it has better pacing and flow when I hop between flashback and main pages. Probably has something to do with the flashback being more action/drama-oriented, and the present carrying the slice-of-life elements.
I think something gets lost in the way the pages are broken up in the online format versions, though. Seems more choppier than when read like a book.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:22 pm
Shortest page I’ve done thus far, and an instance where I decided to re-order some pages I’d initially drawn in batches. At first the story continued from the last page chronologically, keeping along with the main plot. When I’d finished the main plot pages up to a point and was working on the flashback batch and put them in a portfolio spread, I had an epiphany with the flow of the chapter: strangely, it has better pacing and flow when I hop between flashback and main pages. Probably has something to do with the flashback being more action/drama-oriented, and the present carrying the slice-of-life elements. I think something gets lost in the way the pages are broken up in the online format versions, though. Seems more choppier than when read like a book.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 5 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:21 pm
Ambient Lighting
Cue: The Black Angels: Bloodhounds on My Trail
Experimented with a technique to reflect an overcast, rainy night. It could stand to have more grades of blacks and grays to give things depth, but I think I need to improve my technique before I try anything complicated.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:21 pm
Ambient LightingCue: The Black Angels: Bloodhounds on My Trail
Experimented with a technique to reflect an overcast, rainy night. It could stand to have more grades of blacks and grays to give things depth, but I think I need to improve my technique before I try anything complicated.
Comment on Chapter 3: page 2 of Busboy Blues
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:20 pm
Comic boards & why they're excellent
First page where I used professional comic boards instead of a drawing pad, which I was intimidated about using up to this point. I figured it was a waste of money ($21-25 for a book of 24 sheets!) at my current skill level. But I’m glad I took the plunge during a sale at the local supply store, because I noticed the difference in the art almost immediately. I wasn’t confined to a 9 x 11 space anymore, so the flow of the panels became much more natural. Also the paper was much better designed to work with the drafting pencils I use. It helped develop my ideas into a more comic-booky feel overall.
Captain Zulltan’s scar was a bit wonky at first, until I simplified it later so it no longer looks like the eye’s open (it’s supposed to be stitched closed with a vertical scar) On why he just doesn’t wear an eye-patch or some hi-tech future thing: that simply wouldn’t be bad-assed.
That grinning guy holding the horse (har) creeps me out. Why is he so damn gleeful? What a nutter.
The only thing that bothers me here is I tried to convey a crazy brush fire on the bottom panel, and I think it just looks like dense shrubbery. At least I likely pleased The Knights Who Say Ni.
Vondye, 01 May 2012 09:20 pm
Comic boards & why they're excellentFirst page where I used professional comic boards instead of a drawing pad, which I was intimidated about using up to this point. I figured it was a waste of money ($21-25 for a book of 24 sheets!) at my current skill level. But I’m glad I took the plunge during a sale at the local supply store, because I noticed the difference in the art almost immediately. I wasn’t confined to a 9 x 11 space anymore, so the flow of the panels became much more natural. Also the paper was much better designed to work with the drafting pencils I use. It helped develop my ideas into a more comic-booky feel overall.
Captain Zulltan’s scar was a bit wonky at first, until I simplified it later so it no longer looks like the eye’s open (it’s supposed to be stitched closed with a vertical scar) On why he just doesn’t wear an eye-patch or some hi-tech future thing: that simply wouldn’t be bad-assed.
That grinning guy holding the horse (har) creeps me out. Why is he so damn gleeful? What a nutter.
The only thing that bothers me here is I tried to convey a crazy brush fire on the bottom panel, and I think it just looks like dense shrubbery. At least I likely pleased The Knights Who Say Ni.
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Vondye, 06 May 2012 05:51 pm
This is an important page in the spectrum of the comics’ entirety in terms of elaborating on plot points. I never felt the addiction subplot was fleshed out in the first chapter, and it’s such an important aspect of the story and part of Zach that I didn’t want to gloss it over.
Zach’s arm pose in the bottom panel is a bit obtrusive, but I liked the the vein stylization so much that I didn’t want to remove it. Without it, the impact of the panel wasn’t as dramatic, either. Art doesn’t always imitate life, I guess.