Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Page 2

My poor house and furniture!

The good news: I now have two jobs, which means I might actually be able to make a living now. The bad news: I now have two jobs, which takes away a lot of the time I would use for drawing. For a while, I was working seven days a week, but I've managed to get the bowling alley to give me one day off every week that's also a day off my new job, so I should be able to get a decent amount of art done then.

As I use more Manga Studio, I'm finding little, frustrating "inadequacies." I don't wanna use half tones for work made for the web, but you lose some flexibility if you try to use solid greyscale, and the gradient tool isn't worth a d@mn when compared to the one in Photoshop and Illustrator. Manga Studio's still perfect for inking, and there's tons of special tones like those in the last two panels of this page, but I may have to export the work to Photoshop for the simple coloring, even if it's all in grey. But one of the reasons why I'm doing this comic is to figure out Manga Studio's idiosyncrasies before I start a comic on my own stuff, so, like, whatevs.

Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Page 1

Finally!

Man, my first real update in a couple of months. But that time has not been wasted (for the most part), as I was learning to use Manga Studio and continuing my reading on comics making in general. I've got far enough that I felt comfortable to start this six page "conclusion" to my Animal Crossing fan strips.

Looks like my Animal Crossing avatar is screwed because, just like my IRL self, I haven't a penny to my name.

Batcat

He's the hero Animal Crossing deserves, not the one it needs.

Whoa, it's been a while since I've updated! Better post another old pocket sketch to prove I'm not dead yet.

I've got pretty much nothing to show since coming back from Florida. I was so sick when I got back that I was either in bed sleeping or passing out trying to get out of bed, then I was busy with last minute Christmas preparations, then I just got lazy and spent the weeks after that reading/playing/looking at what I got for the holidays (including a Wii U!). Art wise, I've been trying to learn how to use my newly acquired Manga Studio EX4, which I would very much like use for my upcoming Animal Crossing finale comic and original comic series.

As for this particular sketch, I got a little idea during the Birthday Gift Glitch arc to make a few strips about Rover becoming Batcat. Nothing came of it, but I did make this little doodle when it first popped up in my head.

Tink Monroe

They don't make 'em like they used to.

We're back from Disney World, I got a cold of some sort, and I finally finished this piece I worked on the whole time we were there. Like I said in in my last post, I was gonna try my art apps on my iPad, and eventually I stuck with Procreate. It's tough to do decent line art with this and most other tablet art apps. That, along with the fact that Procereate doesn't really have any kind of selection tools, I had to be much more painterly than I usually am. Honestly, I don't think I'm very good at making art that way, but I think this turned out okay. And even though I would have loved selection options, Procreate is still a great app.

As for the image subject matter, of course I was gonna make something Disney related (I was in Disney World, after all). But I also remember hearing on one of the extras on the Peter Pan dvd that many people think Tinker Bell was modeled after Marilyn Monroe. Though she was actually modeled after Margaret Kerry, I can understand how people would connect curvaceous Tink and Marilyn.

So anyway, knowing that bit of trivia, I used this picture of Monroe as a reference for the Tink painting:

And here's the underlying sketch I did in Procreate before painting:

Disney World 2012

 Me gusta.

With another Disney World trip comes another obligatory Tink fanboy comic. Just like last year, we'll be leaving on Thanksgiving day, and also just like last year, I'll be posting random commentary and pictures on Twitter.

But unlike last year, I won't be making more comic strips while I'm there. Thanks to having some activity booked for everyday we're there and the horrible Internet access our resort usually has, I've decided it's just not worth trying to get a comic strip posted. In fact, I won't even bring my Cintiq for the sake of having less to pack.

Having said that, I certainly couldn't go a day without drawing, so what I'll do instead is bring my iPad so I can try out some art apps I've purchased but barely touched. I doubt I'll try to make comics on it, but I'll almost certainly make Disney related stuff, and if any of it is any good, I'll try to post in here.

And now for something completely different, an alternate last panel for this strip:

Cutesy Tiva and Terr

LOL Oms.

Cutesy pocket sketch book drawing of Tiva and Terr from the crazy weird 70's animated movie Fantastic Planet.

Even though the owner/pet relationship between the two wasn't meant to be cute, I can't help but think of it as such. Tiva's just a kid, so you can't really get too mad at her for dressing up Terr in horrible little outfits and doing other such things to him that us humans often do with dogs and whatnot.

But you can get mad at the Draags in general. They suck.

Animal Crossing Foreclosed Title

Music to Tom Nook's ears.

Here's the title for a six page Animal Crossing comic I'm working on. I wanted to practice what I've learned so far in comic writing, but I didn't want my very first attempt to be for Reason and co.'s universe (which is what I'm learning to write for in the first place).

As for why I decided to make it an Animal Crossing comic, there's two reasons. One: I figured it would take slightly less time to make, since I'm using already designed characters and settings that I've drawn plenty of times before, and two: I'm going to make it a semi-conclusion to the comic strips I've been doing for a while. I still might make more in the future (especially when I get into the next one), but it wouldn't be very often now that I'm working on my own comic.

Side note: you'll notice the title is black and white, which is what the comic will be. It takes me forever just to make a colored strip, so I'm certainly not gonna do it for a six page comic. At least not at first.

Tink sketch

Another ever so slightly risqué Tinker Bell drawing, this one from 2010 in my pocket sketch book.

Somewhat related topic, I noticed in what little bit I've seen in the straight to DVD Tinker Bell movies that Disney slimmed down her hips quite a bit, at least as compared to her design in Peter Pan.

So Disney said she's fat.  Well, I ain't down with that.

Six Pound Balls

This coming from a guy who puts gloves on everybody.

I'm certainly no fashionista, but I do know what styles I think look stupid, some of which are:

Pajama pants outside of the house,

Socks and sandals,

And a fedora without a suit to go with it.

I know that last one is more a matter of personal taste, but to me, a fedora without a suit is like wearing a tie over a t-shirt.

I also don't like it when bowling alley customers expect us to help them while they're doing something on their cell phone, but that's another story.

And now for something completely different. Like I said in a recent post, I'll be spending a little less time drawing so I can read up on making comics, now that I'm trying to get one made. After reading the outstanding Understanding Comics by Scott McCloud and Alan Moore's Writing for Comics, I'm currently reading Drawing Words and Writing Pictures. It's actually a text book, complete with assignments and homework, but I honestly don't do much of those. I know I'm not taking full advantage of a great resource, but I don't want to spend tons of time learning before working on this comic, and my major concern is learning how to write for comics. Usually, my rule is if the assignment is pretty similar to something I've done before, I skip it.

Anyway, this post is actually my attempt at an earlier assignment where you're asked to make a single panel captioned comic. I figured it'd be fun and wouldn't take too much time, and would give me a bit of a challenge, since I've never done a single panel strip. You may not think about it at first, but there's a huge difference between getting a joke/idea across in a single image and a few. If I had come up with this gag before the assignment, I would have probably made it at least two panels, the first consisting of the dude asking me for the six pound ball before hand.

Shiina on David Violence and Size Comparisons

David always falls for the Batman patented Sucker-Punch-the-Guy-Behind-You move.

Back when I first started getting the idea for this group, I've always had Shiina and David partnered up, even though he could be just another member without being particularly bound to the others. Since they're exact opposites of each other, I figured I could get a lot of comedy out of the classic odd couple act. And since Shiina's the physically one capable of the group, that means plenty of fortuitous violence at David's expense.

I also like that she seems to be the only one who can harm a mostly intangible ghost. Does she have some strange power? Does David secretly like the abuse and let her beat him up? Who knows?!

I also did a size comparison so I know how they look amongst one another. I did a few minor tweaks to Samantha's and Shiina's heights, but for the most part, I like them they way they are now. As my three readers could probably tell with the comics of John and I, I like height discrepancies between main characters. I'm not really sure why, honestly. Maybe it's just from watching cartoons of the Disney trio while growing up.

Princess Daisy at the Beach

Oh, and that green plumber guy too.

A tiny sketch from a couple of years back. I've talked previously of my preference for Daisy as far as video game princesses go. I don't think I've drawn her since this doodle, but she's still my favorite.

David Redesign

He could some cucumber slices for those eyes.

I spent the last couple of weeks changing David's look. I originally had him in a straight jacket to get the idea across that he's a rather nutty guy who acts on impulse, but I ultimately decided that the look separated him too much from the rest of the group. Like the others, he's a high school kid from the same school (or at least he was when he died), so I gave him a school uniform. But, he's been dead for a while, so I wanted his uniform to be of a different design to show that he's from a generation or two ago. As for him being a bit crazy, I figured his actions would get that across.

You can also see from the eraser marks in the turnaround that I was figuring out how tall he should be. At first he was as tall as Reason, but if I want Reason to be tall for his age, I better make sure he's at least the tallest of the group of main characters. So I made David half a head shorter.

I also drew him in various expressions, which was rather fun since he's a lot more comical and exaggerated than the rest of the main characters. I want him to be like Spongebob Squarepants in that the design of the face can change drastically for the sake of making a funny image.

Samantha Turnaround and Reason Hair Redesign

Her curlers must be huge.

Continuing refining these characters in preparation of a (hopefully) future comic. 

First I did a turnaround of Reason's new hair style. I decided to avoid doing the Flinstones flip, where the part in the hair will suddenly change sides depending where the character's facing.

Then most of this week's work was spent on Samantha's hair. I've always liked her hair, it's almost like a bonnet made of circles, or a real cutesy lion's mane, but I never drew it outside of a three quarter and head on view. I also had to create a process to make sure I draw her hair consistently, as her do is the most complicated out of all these characters. I ended up with a method similar to drawing Lisa Simpson's hair, just replace the spikes with circles.

Shiina Redesign

A female who's more bad-ass than the male lead?! Well, I never!

After messing with different hair styles for Shiina in my last post, I wanted to flesh her out a bit more, both to try one of said new hair styles and to giver her a look that differentiates her from the other female lead, Samantha. Other than the hair, I've made her a bit taller and gave her boy uniform pants with the legs rolled up instead of a skirt (I figure it'd be funny if she were very intimidating to the school officials, so they'd let her wear whatever the hell she wants).

And now for a flashback. When I first got the idea of these characters (I think it was in my later years in high school), I originally made Shiina an African American. I eventually decided that she would be the most action prone character, being very capable of most any physical task and knowing various martial arts if fighting were ever needed in this story. With that change, I figured a Japanese heritage would be more suited for her, but I was always a little bummed about losing a character of color. Than it hit me when making these drawings: "DUH! Just give her both heritages!" There's no rule saying she couldn't have both Japanese and African genes! I'm already starting to get excited about what her parents could be like, one being black and the other asian.

And now for something completely the same. I'm starting to get serious about making a comic out of these characters that have been floating in my head for forever. There's still tons of preparation involved, so there won't be any comic anytime soon. What will happen is that you'll see a lot more posts of sketches of these guys and other aspects of the story as I continue to flesh things out. But there also may be less work posted in general, as making an ongoing comic means I gotta spend time leaning how to write a decent story.

So on that note, if anybody knows of any books or websites that are good resources for fledgling writers, please tell me about them in the comments or Twitter.

Reason and Shiina Hairstyles

Cue a montage at the hair salon set to I'm Every Woman.

Not much to show on this post. We've had guests over this past week, and (I think I've talked about this before) I can't help but feel that I'm being a rude host if I hold myself up at my computer in my room drawing all day like I usually do. So I tried to find something relatively simple to work on.

I've wanted to change Reason's hair for a while now. Not because I don't like it, but rather because there are some popular characters that have a similar style. Now that I'm gonna give him a new do, I think a simple part or something else low maintenance would be the best way to go. Thanks to him being super tall and lanky, he would like to bring less attention to himself, so something crazy that requires tons of hair gel wouldn't suit him. He'll still have the bit of premature white hair though.

As for Shiina, I just wanted to see what she'd look like with shorter hair (I find short hair cuts to be super cute on girls). I'm digging the styles that cover a lot of her face, but not the side that the scar is on, as if she's proud of it and is showing it off like a badge.

Odd Jobs No.9: Beauty Consultant

Yes it will, Precious, we'll get the hose!

I got an idea for a possible series of comic strips about my attempts on finding a new job. Even if it isn't art related, I apply any job that's better than a dinky bowling alley (which is pretty much anything), and I'm trying to think of funny ways that my ineptitude (and love of movies) could quickly make me lose said jobs. Though really, such a thing would be better than what's happening in real life, as that means businesses would actually be hiring. I haven't got an idea for another odd job yet, so if this does become a series of strips, it won't be one right after the other.

BONUS! I usually don't post what little preliminary sketches I do for comic strips, but cute girl and Precious, so, like, why not?:

Bullet Bill Cap

Your welcome, Nintendo.

A couple of drawings I made in my pocket sketch book after my second cousin Nicholas (the same one I made that Super Mario Bros. illustration for) came up with a rather cool idea for a Mario power-up. While playing with some little Mario toys that I wish I had, he put a Bullet Bill on top of Luigi's head and said, "Look, a Bullet Bill cap!" Would that not be an awesome thing to have in an actual Mario game? It could be like the jet power-up from Wario Land.

Seriously, Nintendo, just send us a check already.

Bender Twins

Don't worry, Fry will inexplicably be okay in the next scene.

Here's a little drawing I made for artist and all around awesome person Aimee Steinberger. She announced a while ago that she'll be having twin girls soon, and not too long before that, some of her storyboards on a Futurama episode where Bender becomes a daddy popped up on the Internet. And what better way to celebrate both occasions than with limb bending twin robots?!

And not only is Aimee awesome, she's also so generous that she gave me a shout out on her blog! Thanks, Mrs. Steinberger!

You Think Fox-Squirrel Cares?

You're the princess of the valley of the wind? Fox-squirrel don't care.

I know putting Impact text on a image found on the Internet can hardly be considered art, but I having nothing else new to show (and probably won't anytime soon). This just came to my head after watching Nausicaä recently.

Side note: If this is making no sense to you, Google "honey badger doesn't give a sh!t."

Tinker Bell Wardrobe Malfunction and the Darkwingmobile

Don't get too excited. There are no exposed boobs or Justin Timberlake.

Almost everything I draw is a means to an end, as in I plan to put it though it's paces in Photoshop and whatnot to make it all purty, and I often forget that sometimes I have to sketch simply for the sake of sketching. I do that sometimes in my pocket sketch book when I have free time at work, but that doesn't happen often enough. So here are these doodles.

First, I have my obligatory Tinker Bell sketches, wherein, amongst other things, I delve into the horrors of torn clothing. Look how sad she is! That's the whole point, to expose her grief. What did you think it was for?!

Second, I drew what I thought Darkwing Duck's car might look like, if he had one (as far as I know, he only has a motorcycle, a jet, and a rarely used space ship). I'm quite bad at drawing vehicles and machines in general, so I figured I should practice, and Darkwing has been in my head recently thanks to having bought his show on DVD. I'm reasonably pleased with the results, though all I really did was mix DW's previously mentioned jet (the Thunderquack) with the Batmobile.

On that note, do any of my three readers know of a particularly good, step-by-step How To Draw book and/or website on cars, machines, or technology in general? I know there's got to be some rules, like, "A vehicle of this type or purpose should be this many wheels in length" and other such things that I don't know about. If you know of such a book or site, would kindly let me know about it in the comments or on Twitter?