How real does it really need to be?

After much historic research on 1780's churches I finally decided I could mash a bunch of them together since we only see the building in the context of someone's dreams.

Or in other words, I've decided the only thing I want to do at the moment, the only thing that will work after a full afternoon of researching, debating and sketching is some good ol' fashioned bullshitting.

I'm currently sketching out the rough for page 2. It should be retraced and cleaned on the lightdesk tonight and then shaded, photoshop cleaned (and also boxed, that's where I make the lines for the panels) and lettered tomorrow. I hope you'll like it...it signals the return of ZOMG! COLOR! And you best enjoy it as it shows up in these next few pages, because I'm pretty sure it won't be making too many appearances for a while after that. At least, not until the next chapter. (This first one is significantly shorter than the text version of the chapter I dod last year, which you may read here if you like -http://Rosengeist.deviantart.com/art/The-Light-Eater-s-Wife-Ch-1-112504516 )

Also, thanks to my super-awesome Indiana Jones adventure purse (:D) The Light Eater work station (Save for the light desk) is now 100% portable! Yeahhhhh for my art supply capacitating awesomeness bag!

Altruism and the Development of Souls, Now in Technicolor!

Kay, before I say anything else, I know this post may really bother people...lot's of soul discussion and development of souls and what not. I'm just posting because this honestly relates to how things develop in the story and I want to be sincere in this documentation in as much as I am able to be. Even if at times my thoughts may not even feel clear to me.

I've been pondering all day whether or not people can truly be born 'equal'. If there is such a thing as a blank slate. I mean, maybe we all do come into this world with the equal capacities to love and hate, but can you say that a child born into cruelty, poverty and abuse has the same chances at growing up to be happy, healthy and trusting as someone who was born into love, comfort and wealth? Even then...there is some evidence that there are some disorders that people can be born with that can cause violent, hostile or angry personalities.

I ponder this as I wonder about some of the characters the main characters will later encounter. For those of you who have been following this story for a while, these questions apply specifically to Lillith who we will be meeting later.

Once when I was reading about a philosopher (whose name I can't recall, and who evades me despite many searches) I ran across the idea proposed that "children have no souls". (If anyone knows who said this, please, please tell me! I've been looking all over and can't find it!) I don't know if I totally agree with that sentiment, but I think it suggests the interesting idea that perhaps, if children have no souls, but adults do (that was a part of the philosophy as well) that there is something between childhood and adulthood that imbues you with a soul.

Now, I know there are a lot of people out there who don't believe in a soul, but even if you don't I think there is something to run with in that idea. Anyway, this is a historic/romance/fantasy/horror/god what is it?, so let's just run with the idea that in this story, people have souls. I've often heard that in famine and war situations, children will actually exhibit the most vicious behavior in order to survive. We like to think of children as inherently innocent, naive and gentle...but I think if you will recall grade school it's clear that this isn't always true. For much of your early life, you existed only to be taken care of

So what is it then that makes us sympathetic? Where do we go from being creatures that take to ones that can give? Or, if you don't believe in altruism, at what point do we start deluding ourselves into thinking that we are doing something strictly for the benefit of others? (Not saying I don't believe in altruism, but the idea exists that it's just a fantasy and I had to bring it up)

Such thoughts are currently influencing the later chapters...slippery little buggers, sloshing around in my poor old skull.

And then, as I think these things I listen the podcast "I Should Be Writing" and I know that all this thinking is keeping me from doing. I must find a way to think and do at the same time. Sigh...well...I will do my utmost to get a rough done for page 2 tonight. I have a kind of scribble for it. Once I get to the 5th page or so I'll post the scribblies, because they're all kind of on one page.

Anyway, to compensate for all the ponderation and to add color to my page, I'll give you a picture too! Enjoy! Here is some of the early color tests for Hélène...though, she may still be called Cosette on the page and yes I know that's not a real name, but it was kind of a 'filler' name I was using for her for a time. I'll do a nice long post about that sooner or later, it's a fun story in it's own right, and it's an issue I should address.

Anyway, picture tiemz!

In fact, have another picture too! This one is gruesome, but it's definitely one of my faves. There is something about this that just kind of feels as though it suits the series. If it weren't for the fact that the story wouldn't allow for this to be the final image, I kind of wish this could be what I close on. Dandelions and decay are kind of a big recurring motif in this.

Left By the Wayside

So...some of my other characters sat down and had a little convo with me last night. It was anything but pleasant. "So like...seriously...what's the appeal of these 'Light Eating' types? Aren't we cool? Don't we have relatively amusing stories and far more character development? We're older we have seniority!" There were other complaints that ran along these lines, but I think you get the idea. The conversations were heated, cruel words were exchanged, imaginary battles took place, but I think I got the point.

I'm not making this post to say that I'm slowing down on Light Eater or anything. Far from it! I'm simply itching to get page 2 to the inking stage. I have to remember I have other stories though, and that I can't keep abandoning those...they get persnickety when I do.

Anyway... this isn't overly relevant to anything...but these are the thoughts that I have about the project at the moment. In my mind, the bride and groom from the first chapter are standing on top of a pillar with the word 'winner' painted on it and making raspberries at the characters from my other projects. Things could get messy though...there are rumors that some of the characters from my other pet project "BatB" have found an axe to take that pillar down.

Be amused and afraid, very amused and afraid...but mostly amused.

Washed Out

So, I'm mostly doing this post to show you guys some of the style tests I did. I experimented a bit with doing Sumi ink washes, pen work and pencil work in various combo's. Here are some sample's of Cosette's head done in different media and why I didn't chose them.

The one at the top was done strictly in pencil and Sumi ink. Much heavier emphasis on the Sumi ink. I like the feeling of shadow this brought to it, but ultimately I decided not to go with it for a few reasons. Mostly, it was because of what I lost with it. It did great shadows, and I've seen ink handled with great subtlety, but frankly, that is a subtlety that I lack when I must work quickly. Also, I felt that it got rid of some of the ability of her face to emote. It makes some delicious shadows, but that's what her whole face becomes made out of. The subtle lifting of an eyebrow, or the hint of a sneer or smile that I could easily and quickly draw in were

simply drowned out by these tones.

Also, I really had to water down some of the ink to get the shallower lighter tones and I think it would be difficult to keep them at a consistent tone. The water heavy inks also kept eating the paper I was using. There are papers that are really made for ink, but I don't really have the budget to but the amount of that kind of paper that a comic would require. This is kind of a low cost venture out of sheer necessity.

Then I have the picture below that that was made up mostly of marker ink and pencil. It's too clunky and the emotions get lost in all that grey without ever providing the rich shadows that the sumi ink did which may have justified its use.

So pencils and inks were really where it was at in the end...I think this is what's working best. It's so much harder to be certain about this than I had ever thought before.

Oh, and also enjoy some scribblies I made while the ink was drying of a horribly historically inaccurate Hélène (which is what the bride's name has become most recently.) on the left side is a scribly of a dress I wanted very much, but which the store only carried in XS...anyway, if Hélène were a modern girl, she would totally want that dress. These were done with some of the heavier pens I ink with.

On a fun sidenote, "The Flesh Failures/Let the Sunshine" from "Hair" really make me want to draw the groom, and I don't know why!

Page One Has Been Redone

All right! She's finished at last! I hope you guys will feel that this is an improvement over the first art style I was using for this project (which you can see in the first post). I think it will allow the expressions to come across more clearly, which is pretty important for this story. The biggest issue I have with this is the lettering in the box on the bottom left corner of the page. It's the best I have to work with at the moment, and I'm looking for something else. I simply haven't found something better yet.

Oh but you shall not defeat me text! You shall not!!!

Anyway, here she is, page one of the first chapter...which is still currently called "Antipode" (though I have yet to make a title page for it). Enjoy!

Lettering

Jeebus...I have to make a confession...lettering is giving me one hell of a time at the moment. There is so danged much you can communicate with lettering to the audience and it's hard for me to know what it is exactly that fits the mood of this piece best.

It's cold, it's dark, it's paranoid...but at the same time, these are the sentiments expressed by a woman who grew up at Versailles, surrounded by political bigwigs and the court intrigue...she wouldn't crack under that sort of pressure.

Blargh...At the time being I think I may simply post it with the lettering that works best and then replace it later on. I mean, the lettering is on a completely different layer than the image, so it's not that hard to fix. I know that if I just fret about these things and don't put them out there, they'll just stay locked up on my computer forever. So it's probably better for me to get it out there and then go back and make changes later.

Time for posting then!

First Chapter's Title?

I'm going to try and get this sucker properly up on SmackJeeves and DrunkDuck soon (I tried earlier, but both sites were persnickety with me.) Before then, I need to come up with a good, strong lettering style for the title.

Anyway, I have been thinking that the title for the first chapter should be 'Antipode'. Mostly because it's about somebody getting the exact opposite of what they expected and wanted, and there is some play between fantasizing and realizing.

Page 1 will be up soon, she's finished art wise, but she needs lettering and clean-up in photoshop. I think I will be posting some of my style tests too, just for fun.