Mar06

Printing Beyond Neverwonder

on March 6, 2013

We’re at the end of Chapter 2 of Beyond Neverwonder. With that, I’m looking into getting some printed versions of what has been produced so far. I’m not sure if that’s going to be one or two issues, but I’m in the process of converting all the web-sized files into print-sized files. When I initially started, I never thought that there could be a relatively cheap way of printing the thing, but now, 6 years later, there are some pretty good options there. Fortunately converting all the stuff over isn’t that big of a process. The only page that I didn’t have a high resolution version of was WAY back with page 1. All the rest I have high-res versions of all the artwork. I’m doing a bit of re-typesetting too since I changed fonts somewhere in the middle (still using wonderful Blambot fonts though). It’s looking like the books will cost around $4-5 to make, so that’s not too bad a thing.

Of course, I have no idea if anyone out there is going to want to pay for them, but it’ll be a good exercise in marketing. As soon as I have that ready, I’ll pass more info on.

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Feb25

Working on some workflow

on February 25, 2013

This week’s comic may be a bit late. I’m playing around with some workflow changes and it’s probably going to take a bit of tweaking to get it right. Years ago, I bought Manga Studio 4, a snazzy manga drawing and production program for my computer. Things happened and I never got around to working with it and it just kinda sat there. As I’ve been working on getting things going again, I’m looking at ways of streamlining things.  Right now, I’m seeing if inking on the computer will save some time. I’ve been doing traditional inking and that adds some time to the process.  It’s going to take a bit to get used to a new process, but if it helps in the long run, that’s totally worth it.

In other news, all my prep for WonderCon 2013 in Anaheim, CA is done.  Got all my transportation stuff set up today.  Plane flight is booked.  Airport shuttles have been reserved.  Now I’m just waiting for Comic-Con to get back to me about my Professional verification.  Long process that. Either way though, I’ll be in Anaheim.  Can’t wait!

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Feb19

No comic this week

on February 19, 2013

Just wanted to give the world an update.  With all the stuff that happened this weekend, from the lengthy setup time for the new computer to some minor re-organization in my room at home to a freelance project that I’ve been neglecting that needed to be done, the time I had this weekend all got eaten up and it’s not looking like there’s going to be a new page this week.  Instead of trying to rush something, I figure it’ll be a better thing to put it off a week and do the page properly.

The good news is that the new computer is mostly set up.  The drawing space in my room is a bit more usable now. And the freelance project got done, so that’s all good.  (And I was able to relocate all of my comic books to be in a much more accessible location too.) All in all, a pretty good weekend, even if a page didn’t get done.

Now that all this fun is out of the way, there shouldn’t be anything holding up the page for next week.  :: crossing fingers ::

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Feb17

New computer = Lost day

on February 17, 2013

Today is Saturday, my drawing day for the comic, but there hasn’t been much drawing today.  Let me tell you why.

A few weeks back, we had a really nasty freezing rain here in Utah. I had been going to my car first thing in the morning and slipped on the black ice on the walkway from the front door to the driveway.  I landed pretty hard on my shoulder, causing my brand new iPad mini to go sliding across the driveway (fortunately face up, so the back was all that got scratched up).  What I didn’t know until about a week or so later was that my backpack had hit the ground pretty hard as well.  My MacBook Pro had taken a pretty nasty shot on one of the corners, buckling and cracking the aluminium on various sides of the body and ruining the hinge for the screen.  With the laptop being 3-ish years old, there was no good way to fix it so waited for my tax returns to arrive so I could get a replacement. I got a 15″ MacBook Pro with the Retina Screen to replace my old 17″ MacBook Pro.  It’s much better than the old computer (which is now relegated to being a “desktop” since the screen is having problems opening and closing after the fall), though it has a small hard drive, so I need to work with some better drive solutions, but those will come.

It always takes me a good chunk of a day to get a new computer set up. Reinstalling programs. Moving files. Setting preferences up again.  It’s just a long process. Now, I’m all for new computers, but the time it takes to get things going again is always long. The only benefit that I have this week is that we have President’s Day on Monday and I have the day off. Losing a day today, I should be able to make it up on Monday and hopefully be ready for Tuesday.

I’m crossing my fingers at least.

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Feb11

Bad weekend. No dount.

on February 11, 2013

I have to say that this weekend didn’t end up being a very good one.  It started out great. I got the sketches and 2/3rds of the inking done for page 041, then things went bad. I’ve got stuff that needs to be taken care of, so I’m not sure what the schedule for releasing the next page is going to be.  I wanted to start coloring yesterday, but the badness that came up kept me from getting to it.  I’m going to try to get it done tonight, but with how funky things are right now, I’m not too optimistic.  Blah.

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