Finally!
Here it is, finally it arrived all the way from France. The very first copy of the very first book of Semmie the Forest Gnome!
Last Thursday I received a message from my printer that my book was sent by mail that very day and from that moment on I have grown more nervous by the day. I eventually came to a point I had little faith it would ever arrive at all and I would have to order a new copy. But today (thank god!) it arrived and it is truly amazing!
Now I can hear you think: “What is it going to cost? And where can I order one?”.
Well I should ask you all for a little more patience, I am printing this book through the “Print on Demand” principle which quite an expensive way to make books. However it is my goal to offer this book at a price you would pay for a normal comic at a bookstore.
When I have all information, I will make the book available for order trough this website.
Oh yeah and with a beautiful hardcover!
(Click for full-size)
Semmie to the printer!
I have uploaded the printing file of Semmie the Forest Gnome to the printer last Sunday evening and ordered my first advance copy. I can’t believe it is done, that in a few days, after all this time, after it consumed every spare hour I had I can really hold it in my hands.
Preliminary work on Semmie 2 is also progressing, below is a study of the Grey Heron a bird very common to the Netherlands and found along many canals and water filled ditches, that is the reason it is going to play a very big part in the next story.
Click on the image for the full version, have fun!
Preliminary work for Semmie 2
Work on Semmie 2 is moving along with a steady pass, one of the most important locations in the story is by the waterside near a mill. That’s why this week I visited some polder mills in the region to make a few photos. The illustration above is the direct result of this visit, for those of you who aren’t quite familiar with the workings of a polder mill, the hatch you see here blocks the entrance of a tunnel that transports the water to the mill’s paddle wheel. This paddle wheel will then lift the water for 1 or 1,5 meters.
In the mean time the work on the printing document for Semmie 1 is still going on, my Graphic Designer still has to take a critical look at it all before it can be send to the printer, so I will keep you posted!
Semmie the Forest Gnome
It has been a while since I posted anything about Semmie the Forest gnome, but now that all side-projects are done I am finally able to dot the final i’s. I am currently coloring a newly drawn page 5 and after that I will make one big document that will be send to the printer.
I expect to have the first samples done by next month so after some tweaking left and right I should be able to have the book available for everyone by the end of May or begin June.
For anybody that forgot what Semmie the Forest gnome is all about or for everybody that doesn’t know yet just click here.
For now have fun and I will keep you posted!
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!
