Revision Time #2
It is time for the second and final part of Revision Time. Page 5 was the only page that truly needed some serious revising, the revisions on the other pages were mostly due to colors and/or texture. For all of you who can’t wait to see the altered pages, I will not be uploading any of them, sorry. But they will only be available in the printed version.
The old page 5 only had 2 panels showing the other dolls laughing and making fun of Semmie. On the new double paged page 5 I have used an entire page just to have that feeling of humiliation get a cross a little better. The only thing you have to do is imagine the big sound effects (Hahahaha, Hihihihi, Hohohoho), because they are put in during coloring.
Have fun!
Revision time
I have always had a bad feeling about page 5. It had too few colors, there were some unclear panels and I just tried to tell too much in just 1 page which made it all even more unclear.
During the revision round I saved this page for last and then eventually made a decision: current page has to go and 2 new ones should replace it. So this week the new page 5 part 1, without colors but with inks! Next week page 5 part 2 also without colors.
If you want to see these 2 new pages in color you unfortunately have to wait until the printed version of Semmie the Forest gnome.
Have fun!
Cover – Semmie the Forest Gnome
Finishing up the First story of Semmie the Forest Gnome is steadily proceeding, the cover is done as you can see below and the revision round is running its course. If everything goes well then I should be able to have my first copy of Semmie somewhere in January and not long after that you should be able to order a copy yourselves. Imagine, your own copy of Semmie the Forest Gnome at the shelf of your own bookcase!
Several people have told me my last post sounded quite final, like there will not be a next story of Semmie the Forest Gnome after this one. It was certainly not my intention to send out such a signal since there will definitely be a sequel! At this very moment I am sketching the pages for Semmie the Forest Gnome 2 featuring Semmie and Bear of course, but also a pilot and some very typical Dutch locations. So keep an eye on StudioJoost.nl because when I have enough pages prepared I’m going to start uploading new full-color pages every week.
And now the image for this week: the cover! It is probably not very reputable to say this about your own work, but isn’t it cooooooooooooooool!
Have fun and click on the image for full-size!
The End
Right in the middle of all the attention, with everybody’s eyes and ears pointed at him, Sem is clearly enjoying it all. Maybe my eyes are deceiving me but it looks like his adventure made him grow taller than the other dolls. Enjoy the attention Sem, you have earned it!
When I, I am almost embarrassed to say this. When I started this project 3 years ago I had absolutely no idea that, 1. It would take this long for me to finish 32 pages and 2. That I actually had no idea what it would take to make a good comic. It is up to you to decide if I succeeded in accomplishing that last point, at least I believe I did.
I have learned so much about writing a story or making a good composition or choosing the right colors etc. That now, when I look back at the beginning there are quite a few things I would do different if I would do it again. And I have to restrain myself so I don’t redo the first pages completely during the revision round. All these new skills are better put to use on a brand new story.
I better stop beating around the bush, here it is, the final page of Semmie the Forest gnome!
Curious
Sem never expected this since he was terribly laughed at when he announced he would go off and look for the forest. Basically the Puppet room is just like anywhere else in the world. When you tell you are about to do something nobody has ever done before people will cal you crazy and laugh at you. But when you have actually done it you will be called a hero and people are hanging on your lips to hear about your experience.
Sem deserves all this attention off course, because he has an amazing story to tell them.
Now that I reached the end of this story (only 1 ore page and the cover to go) I realize I have not put enough time and effort in the development of the next story. At this moment I have only 4 pages sketched out and that is not nearly enough to start on full pages in ink and color. I’m thinking of posting sketches and preliminary work on different project every Tuesday until I have enough work done to start posting pages of Sem’s second story. If you have any other idea of what I should put up, please let me know!
To make thing even more hectic I started a little project on the side that need to be finished by the end of February 2011. This will be a picture book that will accompany a d.i.y. puppet kit of one of the new releases of AtelierLuus.nl. I can’t tell you any more about this project at the moment, but soon I will dedicate an entire post to this subject.
For now have fun with page 31!
