Moons are for suckers.
– A few of you have asked (in the most polite way possible, which I appreciate) why the comic has looked absolutely awful this season. And it has. And I know it. the truth is that I just haven’t been able to draw this year, which has been really frustrating for me. I’m not sure if its stress, anxiety, burnout general dissatisfaction with the world or something else, but nearly every illustration, page and sketch I’ve done for the last year has been a struggle, and it has resulted in some really poor work. Which I’m not happy with or proud of. This is especially disappointing to me because I was really looking forward to this season, with pirate ships, big cities, complicated fight scenes and a chance to draw Marah again. Instead it seems like I can’t draw Marah at all, and every panel is a struggle. I’ve never been so frustrated with my art.
Its difficult to know that you only really get one shot at doing something in a comic, and then its gone, and there’s no real chance to try again. or if you do, its time spent fixing old work at the expense of doing new work, which is never good. Yu have to make the important moments stick, and when you don’t it really feels bad. I’m pretty happy with the writing this season, but the art feels bad.
I’m trying hard to do better. I’m trying, starting with this page, to take my time, to enjoy the process, to not rush myself and to just do my best and remember that I actually love my job and wouldn’t want to do anything else. I feel like its helping a little. The last strip was really poor, but this one seems better. I’m hoping that the final act of this season will live up to my expectations.
It is ok to take a break to get your groove back if you need to. Vacations are a thing for good reason.
This conversation is adorable.
Take your time Jake, I’m enjoying this arc.
Actually, I like the new art style. Other than a few continuity issues with hands/clothes you’ve been doing really well. You have nicer shading and I can actually tell the Carlos apart. Marah doesn’t look quite like she does in the few photos that ended up here but it’s a distinct look and works fine for anyone who doesn’t know the real Marah. You’ve changed how you render faces since the first arc in Yeld and that’s just fine. Maybe find some pictures of Marah at that age and try and convert those? I don’t know what your process is.
Flat Earthers be like
here we go down the rabbit hole. heh
I knew things would get confused further, but I didn’t anticipate moon denial.
I only just now noticed that his scar is the same as Monkey D. Luffy’s.
Uh huh.
Hm. For what it’s worth, if the art’s been off I at least haven’t really noticed. I like this comic for the story and the world building.
To give you an idea of where you can go with nothing but dedicated practice, recently Howard Taylor wrapped up Schlock Mercenary after I kid you not twenty straight uninterrupted years of comics. But it started out looking like this: https://www.schlockmercenary.com/2000-06-12
Meanwhile as a counter-example there’s Dresden Codak. Stunningly well-drawn, and started out quite clever, but the artist got so far up his own butt it’s just a confounding, endlessly-late trainwreck at this point.
Although Dresden Codak started with no real schedule anyway.
I appreciate what you’re saying. Thanks.
Yeah, I don’t wanna dump on it *too* hard, since it’s not like Diaz’s erratic release schedule harms me in any way or anything. It’s just a bummer he can’t stick to his commitments is all. It’s just so hard to follow what’s going on if I have to go three months back to remember where we even were in the story, you know?
I know. I read the comic about once a year, and I usually have to go back about a year to remember whats happening.
“tavels”
sigh
Panel 1, ‘tavels’
Color, long story arcs? I’m in. Even the no color days I think ‘Sweet! I can pretend to be a cartoonist annnd Color.’