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Email the author at
qwanderer7+lgc@gmail.com
The Elves of LleuGarnock is Copyright
Irene Pitcairn<2008-2009. The Elves of
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June 19, '08
Happy June 19, all!
Right now I'm having the unique experience of actually feeling unrushed in terms of working on my comic. It's probably hard for people to imagine feeling rushed when there is a more than 30-update buffer waiting to go up, but I have been pushing myself pretty hard to get to that point. In the first, say, three and a half months of working on the comic I was only happy if I did at least some work everyday, and a few days I would hurry to get the second page of the day drawn and start on a third.
It sounds a bit odd to say it now, but I did that to myself so I wouldn't feel rushed. A better way to explain it might be to say that I wanted to feel rushed on my own terms; I like to fit a lot of work into one session while I remain inspired, and when I'm not inspired I like to be able to step back and take a breath, maybe get something else done that requires a chunk of my attention. But still, cramming as much as I could into those times resulted in some pretty lazy-looking comics.
The last few pages I've done have included some pretty awesome art. I'm getting better with my tools, both pens and GIMP brushes. I especially notice the difference using my new brush pen, which is holding up better than the first; I generally have a very heavy hand with pens. I'm learning to have a very light touch. I'm learning to appropriately work my old decorative arts (translation: the kinds of doodles I used to do before both my fairy and Manga phases) into the panels with my characters. I never really did both at once before. I'm learning to create all sorts of different digital texture effects for the more simply inked backgrounds.
There are areas that need work; my characters, especially males, are still stiff. My interior backgrounds are improving more slowly than I'd like. But overall I'm very happy right now because I just spent several leisurely hours putting some wonderful detail into the background of one panel. Of course, now that it's done, I realize that same background will figure prominently in the next few pages; but that will force me not only to continue my leisurely pace and practice my detail work, but also to consider angles for viewing the scene I might not have otherwise done.
I'm still afraid that if I don't hurry up and draw comics while I'm inspired to, I'll fall out of interest in my story for too long and run out of buffer and become intimidated. But I've decided not to worry about it too much until my buffer drops to one month instead of three and a half. Because the material when I'm concentrating on my inspiration rather than my hurry is just too pretty to miss right now.
The story continues to stretch itself out and gain detail. If I can keep it up it's going to be around for years and years. That just keeps being amazing to me. I amaze myself.