The Forest!
Finally, there’s the forest! Semmie is looking a bit overwhelmed at winding path that’s disappearing between the trees. After all his efforts he is finally there, this is the beginning of his dream…
This is the first page where the forest will be shown and because this is a key element in the story, I wanted to take at least half a page to show it. This provided a nice challenge because my coloring style proved too be to tight for coloring the leafy canopy. After a few failed attempts to make it more painterly I found a nice mix (if I say so myself) between a tight and more loose style of coloring.
Have fun with page 13!
The half-page bleed was an excellent choice, and it ties together the entire sequence beautifully. And frankly, I think that the biggest thing about the forest is that it’s consistent with the style of the rest of the story. I think it suits perfectly, and with Semmie standing there thoughtfully, just off center, with his head cocked to the right like that thinking, silently, “I wonder if this is more than I bargained for after all?” He spent the whole first part getting here and had never stopped to reflect on it until now – it’s an extremely expressive and emotional scene. I completely get the mixture of anticipation and nervousness, a very relatable and genuinely emotional little moment.
And by the way, the addition of the human characters is really well done over the last few pages. The temptation may have been to make them more of a part of the actual event, but really, they’re part of the background, framing the real action as Semmie makes his way out of the house, and having their part conclude so succinctly here is really just the right note – and you close it off here really nicely by having the wife actually close the door, behind her, which is an excellent combination of a physical metaphor with a literary one! They go back to their lives, and the REAL story, following the main character, is just beginning! I really am impressed with this – I think you’ve really summed up the first part of the chapter extremely successfully, and this is exceptional work! Well done!
–M
Thanks Man! Those are really kind words. It’s what I intended with this page and I’m really glad to hear that it all comes across.
PS. I listed Semmie on belfrycomics.net and put a little banner add together. It’s still only visible to European traffic, just a little test first to see how it al works. Later I will advertise to the rest off the world. I hope it will bring the same kind of public to this site as it has to yours.
Thanks again for the great comment.
Joost.
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