max suffering

Listening to: David Bowie - Letter To Hermione ♫♪

Why is the title of this entry "max suffering"? Because those are the two words that can describe August and September 2014 pretty well for me.

It's been a blur of waiting and trying to cope and feeling completely unlike myself. To help with recovering my wrist pain, I decided to stop drawing in late August. I started drawing again in late September. A full 30 days.

Drawing helped me with everything. So I became a mess. A crying, unhappy, feeling worthless mess. Not sure if it's something related to depression or anything, but dear lord one of the worst times in my life so far.

Eventually I found out that it's mild tendonitis. I have finished my second week of physical therapy and it has been getting better. Slowly, but it's progress. I'm still feeling a bit…out of sorts with myself, and being rusty at drawing is driving me nuts a little, but at least I can draw again. I suppose a new beginning for a new version of myself that I am not used to yet.

You can see some of the new drawings over at the Tumblr counterpart, but there'll be a sketch log with them on here sometime next week. I will be doing Inktober to get myself back in the flow, and therapy reasons. As for 24 Hour Comics Day, which is today, I don't think so. Maybe hourlies.

There's also something else I'm planning to make. I'll make a post when that happens. As for Glass Hearts, chapter 4 is being posted every week on Friday / Saturday at 4 PM EST. In fact, the next update is in a few minutes!

GH ch06 / progress part 3 // 25/32

Listening to: Steve Reich - The Desert Music IIIc: Slow ♫♪

(Claude Speeed's FACT mix has put me in the mood for some Reich goodness.)

 So I am now 7 pages away from finishing this chapter. The only thing in my way is my wrist, which has been hurting quite a bit lately. So I'm trying really hard to take a day or two or more to rest it. It's not easy when I have all the motivation in the world.

 As you can tell, there's a whole lot of feelings going on.

 Still the same page. More sad.

 Still love this song. Hyping myself up for the next EP coming out this fall!

 I loved drawing this panel so much. All while listening to some footwork.

 The other window is actually another page. Gotta keep those consistent tones!

You look like a mess, Charlie.

 That song is the last one of that Claude Speeed mix I mentioned. If you never listened to it before, you really really should. It's beautiful.

 Slowly mastering the hand pose of "holding a smartphone".

This was when I realized I forgot to add backlighting like chapter 3. Good thing I only had to go through 3 pages for that. Also that mix is pretty good. Erlend has good taste. (Though he sounded off-key singing along to Phoenix's "If I Ever Feel Better".)

So yeah, it'll probably be a little bit longer before the next update than the other times. It's so hard because 1) I really want to finish this, 2) I want to thumbnail, and 3) I want to write a lot.

But the wrist demands rest. So I will give it that.

GH ch06 / progress part 2 // 17/32

Watching: Vinesauce

 So wow, I did 8 pages in 4 days. I feel good about this. We're halfway there! Just 15 pages left and chapter 6 will finally be done! I really oughta scan the thumbnails I have done so that I'm prepared to move onto the next chapter.

 This is probably my favorite page of chapter 6 so far. You can kinda see the basic layout up there, but that's only half the reason why.

 Also more Joanna! And I finally made an image of tone references because it's a hassle typing in hex codes.

 #BANG

 I hate backgrounds. But I guess I'm getting better at them.

 Look that song up on Soundcloud. It's really really good and I am addicted to it.

And I listen to Vinesauce in the background sometimes. And I'd take breaks from inking to watch it (if it's live). Again, pixellated text because spoilers.

GH UPDATES + ch06 / progress part 1 // 09/32

It's time for a longly overdue update post!

Listening to: スーパーセックス永遠にSUPERSEX420
"スーパーセックス永遠にR A D I O" ♫♪

I've recently discovered another "wave" genre and getting myself immersed in it. If you ever wonder what vaporwave is: think 80s aesthetic with filter house and some Japanese sampling from time to time. This artist I'm listening to is one example of that.

Let's begin with website updates: the official website is posting chapter 3 still. The comic is also at Inkblazers.com, and chapter 2 is about to be done over there. So that's exciting!

Also I edited chapters 1-5 for the eventual self-publishing of volume 1, so that's also exciting. I think I did that last month. Yeah, I think I did.

 Anyways, earlier this month I got into more thumbnailing. I not only finished chapter 7 thumbnails (which took me forever and a half to do), but also chapters 8 and 9 really quickly. I got into a groove, that's all I can say. The screenshot above shows what my thumbnails typically look like (of course without the black panel borders.) Apparently this is more detailed than what people actually do, but eh - I can't imagine simplifying it more because I wouldn't be able to understand it.

I do my panel layouting and typesetting along with setting the thumbnail into the sketch folder before inking. Color-coded folders are the best thing ever. Also I don't think I planned on that background. Sometimes I let myself improv.

Fun fact: I have played the Touhou Project games. So I have a reasonable reason to be heavily into arrange albums.

Anyways, me looking for references.

 A lot of stuff happens in June (UNLIMITED BIRTHDAY WORKS), so I focused on that stuff rather than inking. So later that month, I finally touched the .psds.

 It was awkward going onto Google Images. For the first time, I used SafeSearch because oh man all I want is good references. This is my first time drawing a public restroom toilet, by the way.

 This is probably not what a public-bathroom-edition!toilet paper dispenser looks like, but I made an attempt anyway.

 Shoutouts to all my artist friends: you should try drawing a smartphone with lots of decorations and jewels on it.

No sense of mood whatsoever.

Finally listened to this album in full. It's aiight, but I need more listens to grasp what I think about it. My favorites are the title track and "High Ball Stepper".

 I've been addicted to Soundcloud lately and I've come across so many artists that I love now! Also I need to make a proper tone reference in image form already.

And finished!

As far as I can tell, I have all clear time to go forward with the next batch of pages!

//sketch log 011

It's been forever since the last post, huh? Sorry about that! I took a massive break after working on chapters 4 and 5, and then I got preoccupied with other things. I finally started inking chapter 6 this month and I have been doing a freelance project (finally!!!). So eventually you will see the first progress post of that chapter. Also I did several edits for the first 5 chapters for the eventual release of volume 1 (eventual = when I have the money, which is not now).

For now, here's a MASSIVE sketch dump! Two and a half months of material!

The first Patreon sketch for the one backer (who happens to be a friend) who is donating enough to get a sketch (every month). Hime from HapiPre as a Team Fortress 2 spy.

GH ch05 / progress part 4 // 33/33

Listening to: mamenoi - Sh,57.101 ♫♪

(This is really really nice collab between a composer/arranger, MANYO, and vocalist, Yanagi Yagi (やなぎなぎ). Check out the really neatly animated preview/crossfade of it below.)

 Anyways, I'm finally finally finally done with this chapter. It felt like a long time, but I got it done within a month: my goal. There are things I want to fix or re-draw, but it's completely done for now. And my mind can finally be at ease.

 Again, this scene is slightly spoiler-iffic, so not many screenshots this time around.

I'll be taking a break after this to make more thumbnails, prepare for Glass Hearts' 8th anniversary (May 12th, by the way!), and just do other things. I've made enough of a buffer to take some more extended time if needed.

//sketch log 010

Aw snap, finally we hit 10 sketch logs! Sorry for the ridiculous volume of comic posts in comparison to…other posts. (And missing all of the Fridays for Fashionable Friday - that haunts me every time I remember to feel haunted about.) But let's get down to business and dump these sketches!

This was a good time to get reacquainted with this style.

GH ch05 / progress part 3 // 25/33

Listening to: Kyodai - Never Know (Original Mix) ♫♪

(They have a few new mixes lined up to be released in the spring and I can't wait to listen to them in full! They posted previews of them on their Soundcloud.)

 I can't even believe I worked this fast. It's been only three days since the last post. I guess this shows how serious I was when I said "I couldn't wait to draw this scene."

 There's only four screencaps because 1) the page-making machine couldn't be stopped, 2) I don't want to spoil this scene, and 3) I wanna go fast. Let's just say I used another brush preset heavily here, and then I went back to another one.

The next batch will be the last. I've been giving myself the goal of "1 batch folder of pages a week." It's nice that's been working out so far. But I'll cut myself some slack for the next one considering on the website, chapter 2 is about to end, and I need to 1) make the omake/author's notes, 2) the smaller in-between-chapter comics, and 3) upload chapter 3.

So yeah! Look forward to the next post! I'll try to mix it up and do a sketch log next.

GH ch05 / progress part 2 // 17/33

 Listening to: Duck Sauce - Charlie Chazz & Rappin Ralph ♫♪

(If you haven't listened to Duck Sauce already, what is wrong with you? They finally released their album, Quack, this month and I've been repeating it like crazy. This song is one of my favorites just for the unadulterated joy that it gives me. For those who have listened to most of their stuff and are bummed out by previously-released songs, relax: the album versions are slightly different.)

(BUT YEAH, LISTEN TO DUCK SAUCE.)

Aw yeah, just short of a week since the first batch was done: and I finished the second one. Best part: the last portion of the batch was a double page spread, as I previously mentioned. Yep.

Most of this batch was just a whole lot of silliness and not much backgrounds. I actually put in backgrounds where I previously didn't plan on putting them. But I didn't stress it too much.

 I also did a whole lot of re-sketching, which was somewhat unexpected. Sometimes better ideas happen in the moment you're about to ink. Sometimes you just gotta save thinking about better ideas for later on. It's weird.

This was one of those cases as well. I thought of something that would flow better with the previous page. Previous idea was a good idea that would probably work in another scene in the future. Eh.

 Also if you haven't noticed: a whole bunch of new characters. (The chapter title should've gave that away.)  So I've had to look at this one screenshot I took like crazy. But I am OVER THE MOON about finally drawing these characters again that it's totally worth it.

I am very very very VERY pumped to draw the next scene, which the last double-page spread (pictured above) transitions to. What that scene entails is one reason why I love this revision of the comic the most. I think I've put in a lot of time and thought into weaving stuff together as a whole this time around.

So yeah! More pages to do! Halfway there! I can do this! Living on a prayer! On the edge of glory! Yeah!

GH ch05 / progress part 1 // 09/33

 Listening to: Lee Bannon - Search & Destroy (Feat. Chuck Inglish) ♫♪

(I don't have a firm handle of this guy's style yet since I'm only just getting into him, but he released his debut album on Ninja Tune last month (I think?). Let's just say he's for the more…well-adjusted, experimental electronic music listener.)

 But yay! I finally began chapter 5! I started on…April 3rd I want to say. That first screenshot was only page 2. Let's just say the first five-ish pages were more background intensive than usual. Also yes! The screenshot above this spiel is a double page spread! I realized after chapter 4: "Wait, I've only done one double-page spread. I should do more!" So this chapter has a whopping TWO double page spreads. I am going to be crying when I get to the next one.

Anyways, I am in silly page zone. The next batch entry will feature said other double page spread, so yeah…I'll try to take more screenshots next time! I am terrible with that from time to time.

Also! Chapter 2 on the website will be wrapping up this month. Check out the news over there for more info on the near future!

Also also! Never forget that I have a Patreon and I'll love you forever if you become a patron for me.

VIDEO ✪ Just Who Is "Everyone"?

Alrighty, finally this video is uploaded-!!

I decided to make a new YT channel dedicated to just my art. I was going to convert my personal YT to one, but it's filled with years of personal history and unrelated uploads that I can't bear to delete. Setting up this new account was really annoying, but eventually I got it right. (Thanks a lot, Google.)

So this first video is of Glass Hearts chapter 5's key/splash illustration from ink to colors. I originally sketched it on paper, so that's why you didn't see that happen. Though I do re-sketch a few things in there.

Anyways, here are a few videos I want to do in the near future:

✪ A comic page, because why not? It won't be super plot-y, obviously.

✪ Fanart, because I gotta get those views. It'll be of something I enjoy and not just me bandwagoning, I promise. The first one will be of Precure, of course.

✪ …a speedpaint I guess. I'm not particularly speedy, but I'll try!

I also might attempt at the streaming feature and see how that goes.

So yeah! Lots of plans for this! I'm excited! YEAH!

GH ch04 / progress part 3 // 24/24

Joe Smooth feat. Paris Brightledge - We Gotta Love (Frankie Knuckles Director's Cut Signature Mix) ♫♪

(It's one of the founding fathers of house who remixed this, why wouldn't I love it? As the song says: "WEEEEEE'VE GOTTTT TO LOOOVE~!")

 (This was me inking while watching/listening to a Vinesauce stream.)

So wow! I finally finished the chapter! It was kinda hard to get back into the groove after the previous batch, but once I got going: I got going.

 (Whoa what, boobs? Front in center? In this comic? Why not?)

 (Can you hear the "BOW BOW BOW BOW"s? If not, you're not hyped enough.)

 If you couldn't tell, some of the patterns I use are ones I make myself. I think I made a lot more for this chapter than the other three. It's safe to say I will make some more floral patterns.

 (This song always succeeds in getting me into the zone, and repeating it over and over again to keep me in said zone.)

 (Staring into the depths of your soul…)

 I don't really have much to say but I set up all of chapter 5's page layouts and script on Tuesday-Wednesday, and I just finished the illustration today. I also recorded and compiled a video of that process, which will be posted on my new art YouTube. So be sure to check that out! I'll make a post about it.

I'd start inking chapter 5 tonight, but the wrist is killing - so I'm going to take a much-needed break. For now, here is the illustration I did for chapter 4.