Moving to Wordpress

Hey Guys

Just a quick note to say I'm moving my blog over to wordpress.

Just makes it a bit easier for me to update and keep everything in the same place, so now my website and blog are both over at:

stephaniemale.wordpress.com

See you there! 

Charon Chapter One

I've spent most of my day today typesetting the first Charon Continuum chapter (Written by Dominic Archer and available to read online for free here) for viewing online and then re-editing it for the Kindle, when it eventually gets published on there.

My poster illustration from the post before is actually being used as the front cover. (Yay!)

I've actually really enjoyed working on the Charon Continuum, but I feel I might have to take a step back for a bit, because I feel like I haven't worked on my own projects in a while, through no fault but my own of course.

So far, in my sketchbooks I have three fully scripted out mini comics to draw up; further journal comics to do; as well as the main Graphic novel I'd like to finish scripting and then actually draw. So, yeah....a lot to be getting on with really.

Charon Poster

More Charon Work, this one's a Poster Design to use for Promotional purposes. For some reason the original jpeg I have keeps going funny colours when uploaded to blogspot, so I've had to use the low-res version from deviantart. 

Lucy Knisley and Sketchbook Making.

About a year ago I watched Lucy Knisley’s video ‘Life is the Story’ and I found it really inspiring and decided to make my own sketchpad.

I made it, and I did used it for a bit, but unfortunately it eventually started to fall apart and ended up being put to the bottom of my book pile and never being used again; I think maybe because I didn't make it very well (Spider-man wrapping paper)

Well I found it again yesterday, after a massive clean up in my room, and I decided to remake it. During my cleaning, I also found about 3 destroyed sketchbooks with all the pages falling out and decided to use those too.

I pulled the pages out of the sketchbooks and punched holes through every page, then I spent about 2 hours remaking the front and back covers to the new book, covering the board with nice fabric.

I think I’m going to enjoy using this sketchbook, it feels a lot nice in the hands then a wrapping paper covered book. I think it also looks a lot nicer too.

Charon Continuum

It's been a bit of manic day again today. Been doing a fair bit of design work for the Charon Continuum Project, which I'm part off.

Generally, I've taken a bit of an Admin/Organisational role for the project, but the website needed a bit of work to look nicer and we're in need of some posters and postcards to hand out for recruitment.

First, I sorted out the Wordpress site; it looked a bit of a mess. A little bit confusing, and not very user friendly. I changed the theme sorted out some settings, then I made a new header (below) for it.

I tried to make the header a bit Sci-Fi but also kind of 'trendy' and simple. I think it came out nicely considering I only done it all quickly this morning.

Now I'm working on the postcards/flyers to hand out at conventions and events this year. I'm trying to get at least one design completely finished before the start of May, so we can get them printed to hand out at the Bristol Comic Expo on the 11th-12th of May.

I've worked about 10 thumbnails so far, still need to do a few more, but I'm happy enough with one of the designs to carry on with for now.

It's a fairly simple design, copying the format of a newspaper, displaying both the subject of the first short story of the project and also all the needed information for new recruits and readers. Here's a screenshot of it in progress.

Ctrl + Shameful

It's been a while since my last update, completely shameful on my part. Life has been pretty hectic recently. But hey, even the unemployed have errands to run.

Been thinking about improving my digital painting skills recently, as they are relatively nonexistent. I can colour flat comic-book styled works to an extent but actual digital painting is another thing.

I didn't just start painting on Photoshop, because frankly, it's such a massive subject, I didn't know where to start.

Thankfully, through searching for tutorials on Google, I came across Ctrl+Paint.

Ctrl+Paint is run by Matt Kohl, an experience concept artist. The site is a free resource for digital painting with extensive video library.

After only discovering it 3 days ago, I've already watched quite a few of the videos and I've found each video to be both in depth and easy to understand.

Along side some of the videos, exercise worksheets are given to help work through topics such as Brush Control and Blending, which is a fantastic idea and really helps with the learning process.

Below, I've worked through one of the Brush Control exercises, this is the first exercise I've completed from Ctrl+Paint, and the first time I've used the painterly technique in Photoshop. So bearing that in mind, I don't think my efforts have been too bad.

 

Brush Control Exercise.
The right of each pair is my practice of each given shape. 

Dino Love

Started a new comic today, its about Love and Dinosaurs. 

Above is the first page, I've left out the dialogue for now, to keep the story a bit of a mystery.