Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Final Page

If this were animation, this would play during the last panel and end credits.

Well, that's pretty much it for my Animal Crossing fan comics. I'll still play the games, of course (I've started New New Pastel in New Leaf a while ago). And I still may make some AC strips or art on occasion, but never with the same amount of time and detail as I have in the past. The point of this arc was to make a conclusion to all that, and to learn how to make a multipage comic with Manga Studio.

And now that I'm done with all that, it's time to focus on my own stuff.

ONWARD!

Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Page 5

Panel six, left to right: Stitches, Poppy, Clyde, Moose, Elise, Cube, Rasher.

Somewhat related note: J00 guys see the new Super Smash Bros. fighter?

Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Page 4

IT'S A TRAP!

Idano if I'm too new at comics to bother making gutters other than white, but I've always liked the way black gutters look the few times I've seen. That is, if it's used to enhance the scene, like if it's at night or to give a cinematic feel, like what was done in Marvel Civil War and DC's Blackest Night.

On a side note, are there any Manga Studio users reading this that know of the best way to set up panels where one or more are behind the others and/or blend into the gutters of the page, like what I did in the second panel? It took me forever finagle the panel ruler to get something I liked, and I didn't know if Manga Studio has a more specific way to set up that sort of thing.

Fragile Fanart: Ruffles everywhere

I don't think I've mentioned it on this blog beyond the "Web Comics I rather like" side panel, but I think Shouri's online comic Fragile is one of the best out there. Go, read it. Now.

Anyway, I had to draw some fan art after seeing Jess' shorts on a recent page. I had to! I HAD TO! Look how poofy they are!

Also, Shouri also makes the ridiculously cute Springiette comic strip, so read that too.

Animal Crossing Foreclosed, Page 3

Penguins can fly!

I hope the next plan involves more cross dressing. ...NO, I mean I hope it doesn't involve it! Of course I wouldn't willingly cross dress, why would you even think that?!

Like I said in my last post, I tried exporting the work on this page from Manga Studio to Photoshop for coloring (well, if you can call grayscale coloring), and it worked out great. There's no real visual difference, but it's so much easier and quicker in Photoshop.

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.

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.

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?

Stitches

Good napping trees are hard to find.

Finally thought of an intro for Stitches, one of the more recent neighbors (that I like) in my Animal Crossing town. He's cute and all, but I can't think of any other example of a living teddy bear, except for Winnie the Pooh, that isn't scary, even if it isn't the intention. Even Snuggle creeps me out.

The other mentioned bear is Mori Chack's Gloomy Bear, but he's supposed to be cute yet creepy, so it's cool. I'll have to get a Gloomy Bear plushie one of these days (if I ever see one in this podunk town).

But I still don't want a living one.

Princess Tea

Tea for Princesses, not a tea themed Princess.

Here's what I've been working after my stint at jury duty. One of my bosses at the bowling alley asked me to do ticket and poster images for an upcoming Princess themed tea party, proceeds benefiting Relay for Life.

My dad did the tickets for said boss the year before last (he used to work at the bowling alley too), wherein he found images of Disney Princess dolls and Photoshopped the bodies out. I thought that was some sort of way of saying "put your face here," since the young girls that come are encouraged to dress as princesses, so at first I drew some of the Disney Princesses and put there bodies and silhouette to let the dresses stand out.

But then I talked to Dad about it, and he said the only reason he altered the doll images was so he wouldn't get sued by Disney. When I learned that was the case, I decided draw my own princess that are "Disney-esque," which you can see in the second page of sketches. There are two types of tickets: one for kids and one for adults, so for the parents I drew a fairy godmother.

Now I can cross out "Draw cute princesses and get paid for it" on my bucket list.