Ah, so that's how you plan to have Cork eat the hamster! Too bad ... the little guy (or gal?) appears to have a lot of character. In these two installments alone, we get to see his great physical strength, his good work ethic and sense of responsibility, his fearlessness, his astuteness and blunt honesty, and a wonderfully disrespectful sense of humor. My kind of hamster.
I'm a big believer in seeing non-human creatures like Cork portrayed with some kind of non-human eyes. Using "blanks" is one way, but amplifies the burden of getting the "eye surrounds" (eyelids, eyebrows ...) and rest of the face right, for conveying expression. A good thing, since THESE are the areas (not the eyeBALLs themselves) that do the conveying. Have you tried experimenting with various other-wordly styles of pupils/irises?
I really like the story so far, the layouts and perspectives (especially in part I). In frame 3 of part 2, however, Cork is looking upward as she talks to the hamster ... was that intentional?
Another question: Do you intend to keep this to black/white? If so, you may want to do something about the woods in part II; there's a "2D busy-ness" that sort of distracts me ... it's not there at all in part I, with the great use of perspective and black.
I LOVE the simple lines, though, Scott! Exactly the kind of strip that grabs my attention. Can't wait to see more!
Hey Beata, Don't worry about the hamster, he'll be around. I was only kidding about Cork eating him. He owns the pizza place in town. People (and animals) have got to have their italian delicasies. As for the eyes, she'll be able to go back and forth at will from fairy-mode to more human-looking. Maybe when she's startled or angry. And yes I had her looking up on purpose. She's kind of waxing poetic at that point and presenting her 'mission statement.' As for the background, I debated whether or not to black in the forest behind the trees but I thought it might take away from her overall shape especially around the hair. I still may darken it. We'll see.
Thanks for the warm welcome. I'm already beginning to feel at home (which may be a good thing or bad depending on my mood). Speaking of my mood, here is my critique of Buncake's new strip. The introduction of Cork on the first page is visually confusing. First, she's seen from the back, which is not the strongest way to introduce a new character. I would insert a CU of her face between panels 2 and 3. But whatta I know? Also, by showing the forest on the opposite side of the road in the bg, you don't convey a sense of her leaving her dark forest for a world of concrete and asphalt so much as her crossing the road to re-enter her forest world. I would leave the bg blank beyond the road to convey a sense of the unknown mystery ahead of her and focus the reader on the road which will take her into her new future. Page 2 is much stronger in character development, and I would have the trees behind her fade away as the story moves forward and accentuate her leaving her past behind. Pupils/no pupils? Beata is correct about the "eye surrounds" (love that term), but it's up to you. NOW, why weren't you at the party?
Number dos. Oh, the pathos.
Great gag!
ReplyDeleteI laughed.
You are funny.
I vote no pupils. The new little orphan annie.
You can't delete your picture? No virus. You probably just need to do it on a good day for blogspot. Seriously. They get glitchey.
Now that the beardbeast has been vanquished I put in my own pic. It is a great day for the kingdom!
ReplyDeleteAh, so that's how you plan to have Cork eat the hamster! Too bad ... the little guy (or gal?) appears to have a lot of character. In these two installments alone, we get to see his great physical strength, his good work ethic and sense of responsibility, his fearlessness, his astuteness and blunt honesty, and a wonderfully disrespectful sense of humor. My kind of hamster.
ReplyDeleteI'm a big believer in seeing non-human creatures like Cork portrayed with some kind of non-human eyes. Using "blanks" is one way, but amplifies the burden of getting the "eye surrounds" (eyelids, eyebrows ...) and rest of the face right, for conveying expression. A good thing, since THESE are the areas (not the eyeBALLs themselves) that do the conveying. Have you tried experimenting with various other-wordly styles of pupils/irises?
I really like the story so far, the layouts and perspectives (especially in part I). In frame 3 of part 2, however, Cork is looking upward as she talks to the hamster ... was that intentional?
Another question: Do you intend to keep this to black/white? If so, you may want to do something about the woods in part II; there's a "2D busy-ness" that sort of distracts me ... it's not there at all in part I, with the great use of perspective and black.
I LOVE the simple lines, though, Scott! Exactly the kind of strip that grabs my attention. Can't wait to see more!
Oh, yeah, ... I like the humor, too!
ReplyDeleteHey Beata,
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the hamster, he'll be around. I was only kidding about Cork eating him. He owns the pizza place in town. People (and animals) have got to have their italian delicasies.
As for the eyes, she'll be able to go back and forth at will from fairy-mode to more human-looking. Maybe when she's startled or angry.
And yes I had her looking up on purpose. She's kind of waxing poetic at that point and presenting her 'mission statement.'
As for the background, I debated whether or not to black in the forest behind the trees but I thought it might take away from her overall shape especially around the hair. I still may darken it. We'll see.
I'm very depressed about the turn of events concerning the hamster.
ReplyDeleteFear not, oh queasy one. The hamster will be the Shaggy to Cork's Scooby-Doo. Although tune in tomorrow to see him disembowled and gustated by ravens.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the warm welcome. I'm already beginning to feel at home (which may be a good thing or bad depending on my mood). Speaking of my mood, here is my critique of Buncake's new strip. The introduction of Cork on the first page is visually confusing. First, she's seen from the back, which is not the strongest way to introduce a new character. I would insert a CU of her face between panels 2 and 3. But whatta I know? Also, by showing the forest on the opposite side of the road in the bg, you don't convey a sense of her leaving her dark forest for a world of concrete and asphalt so much as her crossing the road to re-enter her forest world. I would leave the bg blank beyond the road to convey a sense of the unknown mystery ahead of her and focus the reader on the road which will take her into her new future. Page 2 is much stronger in character development, and I would have the trees behind her fade away as the story moves forward and accentuate her leaving her past behind. Pupils/no pupils? Beata is correct about the "eye surrounds" (love that term), but it's up to you. NOW, why weren't you at the party?
ReplyDelete