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This is a weblog of one person's multi-year quest to write, draw, and publish a graphic novel. This is my story: my trials, tribulations, successes and failures. -- Robert Stradley, Weekend Artist


On layouts and backups

Ah layouts.  Those wonderful thumbnail sketches that tell the Illustrator just what the script wants him to draw.  Often done in conjunction with the Writer and Editor, they are the roadmap for individual panels. 

Why?  Well in the webworld, it is not strictly important.  But since the Editor wants to stick these all into a book sooner or later, it is somewhat important to make them look reasonable. 

That translates into connecting the panels into page design.  Left and right hand pages.  Flow from panel to panel so that the readers’ eyes are drawn in the correct direction, not around in circles or up and down when they should be looking right and left.  Disorientation leads to dissatisfaction very quickly, and it also breaks the readers’ immersion in the story.  According to the Editor, that is “NOT A GOOD THING.” 

So it is important to look at the future panels when drawing the current ones.  It is even better to plan a bit first, before drawing, so panels don’t have to be redone from a different angle or viewpoint. 

On backups to Layouts
 
I think I will commit hari-kari.  I cleaned up my workspace some time ago.  While I have found layout pp 1-15, I apparently have lost layout pages 16-50. I know we did them, I just can’t find them. 

Notes to self:

  1. Always keep up with the filing.
  2. Label everything.
  3. Always make backup scans of critical drawings
  4. Always keep up with the filing.   

Well, I have about 70 panels to complete before I run out of work.  I still have to resolve the problem of Shading. 

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Shading Style

Shading is an interesting topic for discussion.  It can be done in blacks, it can be done in cross-hatch or line, it can be done in tone, or it can be done in the pencils and scanned.  It all comes down to style. 

I am still fighting with the question of style for the Chronicles. Do I use the scratchy gritty shading of Prelude, do I go for the smooth glitz of tones, or do I use digital grey tones?  Or some combination of the above? 

Not color, not yet.  I think the Editor would hang me up by the thumbs if I made micefeet of the schedule and went all the way to color.  Tones yes, color no. 

No matter how I try, I seem to be lacking something.  See Prelude for examples of my problem. 

 I think I finally need to get some professional advice.

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Quill  News-2012

News 2012

New years resolution for 2012 – Do something with it or cut it out. 

The 5 year process is now at 9 years and counting.  The editor has lost all her hair from pulling it out, and the Artist is meandering slowly forward. 

This year I expect to finish all the background stuff: shading tones, coloring, website updates, backgrounds, and miscellaneous characters. 

Next year, Adventure 1.  Onward and Upward to Glory!

Weekend Artist Weblog Update
The Weekend Artist weblog has been purged of all but the few pertinent items of interest to anyone who wants to view the tortured history of Amberleigh Chronicles. 

A new and improved weekly Blog will be initiated in the near future.  This constant update of static coding stuff has got to stop.    

Trademark approved
Amberleigh Chronicles is now a registered Trademark.  Go us!

Trademark warning
Be aware that private companies not associated with the USPTO often use trademark application and registration information from the USPTO’s databases to mail or e-mail trademark-related solicitations.  We have received 6 so far, with a total cost of over $10,000 if we had accidentally paid for “registrations.”  They may or may not be legal, but they definitely are NOT necessary.   

New Brushes
Just bought some great new digital brushes from Ray Dillon!  Gotta learn how to use them though…  Consider it at raydillon.blogspot.com



©2012 Weekend Artist Weblog Archives