Sunday, January 27, 2013

So I'm ruining Tumblr now


With the health stuff, I've been trying to find the most efficient work method. To keep myself moving and whip myself into art-shape, I've been doing warm-up sketches. (I can draw in the sketchbook while resting in bed.) Since I feel bad about not being as interactive as I'd like to be, I've been letting folks suggest silly ideas for the warm-up drawings and dumping the results on my Tumblr.

I'm far more lax in what I draw as silly sketchbook stuff than with my official art pieces. While not my norm, fanart can be fun, and maybe it'll make you all happy. Drop your requests in my Ask box - you don't need an account - and then... wait a loooong time for the sketch to appear? While a sketch a day (don't expect them all to be color) is a good goal, I draw these when I lack the momentum to draw anything else. So, hey, if the Tumblr goes quiet it means I'm knocking out some excellent stuff in more important locations!  I pick what I draw from the requests based upon what inspires me that day, factoring in what I can pull off in the allotted prep time.  I may love a request to draw a larger scene, but it could be weeks before I have time to get it done. Simple stuff, like requests that can be stated in 5 words or less, have a higher chance of being used.

It may not be art card streaming requests, but I hope it's enough to let all you great readers know that I still care, and I still want to listen to your wishes.

Thursday, January 24, 2013

New Copper Road! 1/24/13


As bad as I've been with health stuff, I'm still riding a great wave of fun with comic creation. I started the year with a long list of ideas I wanted to act on, and that's been so helpful with me being being mopey and pained. Today's original Copper Road idea had to be delayed, as I didn't have the script *just* right - but I was able to go to the backup list and whip something up for your pleasure. Vote here to see the new comic!

So, yeah, the second I can do work without my head exploding later, there will be no stopping me! I've got outlines and ambitions - Comic ideas for months, art plans, merchandise plans and, of course, the book announcement looming in the future.

Thursday, January 17, 2013

New Copper Road! 1/17/13


Hey, I remembered we were due! This one's Transformerlicious! Vote here to see it!

By the way, if you've been in need of a streaming fix, you should check out Darc Sowers' stream! It's every Wednesday at 8pm eastern! (And go read her comic while you're at it!) My streaming is still on hold due to head exploding syndrome, and she's far better at art anyway.

Wednesday, January 16, 2013

Some card sketches

From what I'm hearing from my doc, I'll have to do more adapting to being broken than waiting until I'm fixed, so I've been trying something inspired by my friend, Becca: Three daily goals. The farther I fall behind, the more frustrated I can get - so this helps break it down.  It's better to make a dent in the work than flip out and stress over how much I have to do, and what order I should do it in. It won't allow me to get far ahead, but I hope I can keep pace and get a few extra things done.

My goals are simple and sometimes vague. (Even then, I don't always get them done, but I'm not letting that get me down.) Yesterday it was 1)Ink two comics, 2)Color and upload two comics, 3)Begin work on two more comics.  Today it was 1)Finish last night's two comics, 2)Sketch out some owed commission work and 3)household chores.  I got 1 done, didn't really do enough to check off 3 (but I'm checking it off anyway) and 2... here you go!



Normally this is something that can be done during a stream, but I've also sketched and inked the art cards as prep work when needed.  As any streaming I make must be limited now - The more I talk, the worse I feel - reducing streamed work to coloring only will be beneficial. (It's not the full experience, but it's better than NO experience, right?)

Usually I'd go straight to inking, but I'm taking a break - and it allows me to show off the idea of the spray paint on the wall behind Roddy.  I'm not sure if it's over the top or not.  It wouldn't be included in the inks anyway, since it's part of the coloring stage, but whatevs.  For Dionne's card, the only change is me including her feet and the platform she's standing on. Well, I played with some costume stuff too, but it'll get refined more in inking no matter what.

Tomorrow's goals, by the way:
1) Brush up on reading Ginpu and sketch out my guest comic. (She's sicker than me, so she wins.)
2)Turning the outline for next week's Precocious into solid scripts
3)Lining pages and starting the thumbnails. (Takes longer than you'd think.)

Yesterday I went beyond my goals. Today I came up short. Tomorrow, I'll probably come up short, but it's a hefty list. I'm hopeful, though.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

MarsCon appearance canceled

Due to my continued health problems relating to my ill-fated tooth extraction so long ago, I have been forced to cancel my appearance at MarsCon. I was looking forward to being a panelist and hosting my first talk, but I have been advise against taking that on in my current state.

My deepest apologies go  to the wonderful people behind the convention, the panelists I won't be there to support and anyone who wanted to visit me. My heart breaks having to do this. I hope to make amends next year.

For those wondering about my future, all the healthy hours I have are being devoted to keeping Precocious going. When I find extra windows of energy, I will work on the few remaining owed commissions, as well other projects that need attention.  Commissions remain closed until I'm healthy enough to stream at my prior pace.  Any streaming in January, if any, will be short coloring streams for the owed commissions only, and likely done with little to no warning time. I'm going to be *very* cautious going forward with easing myself back into a normal schedule.

Sorry to everyone. I'll be a fighter, and I'll get healthy again. If I could blow up my drawing finger and only miss a week of updates, I can survive my head exploding too.

Monday, January 14, 2013

Glitter Abuse

In what was supposed to be a fuller focus on commissions in the new year, I ordered a bunch of fun pens, including glitter pens! I've never had use for the before, but I've seen enough of the commission world now to know how fun they can be. This is the first thing I did when they arrived:


This also happened to be the mystery gift I was giving out during my recent "Too hurt to stream" giveaways, and the last art card I was able to complete before things too another turn for the worse. Enjoy your GlittUrsula, Brighttail! (I held off posting this until he got the card in the mail.)

Twitter and FurAffinity people got to see more of my glitter shenanigans. When the new Pokemon starters were announced, I marveled at how Fennekin took over the internet so quickly. The Glitter Pennekin was my stupid response. (Behold: About four minutes of HARD work!)


So I haven't been able to act on many of my fancy ideas for the new year yet, what with the old year doing all it can to destroy my head. One day, my friends. One day...

Thursday, January 10, 2013

New Copper Road! 1/10/13


Oh, hey, this! I was supposed to post this Monday, but I was too busy writhing in agony. For several reasons! My head is the RG3 knee of cartooning right now. (So, an 8-10 month recovery time? At this point, I'd believe it.) Vote here to see the comic!

Precocious will continue as normal, by the way, but I'll be very slow with everything else. I'll do what I can when I feel non-screamy, though.

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Convention update! (Edited)

UPDATE: Due my continuing health problems, I have been forced to pull out of my MarsCon appearance. You should all still go to get your sci-fi fix, though!

Since my convention stuff is currently buried on the Buy Stuff page, I'll toss out a reminder here. Make your plans, kiddos!

MarsCon - January 18-20 - Williamsburg, VA
(appearance canceled)

Fur The 'More - April 5-7 - Baltimore, MD
This is an upstart furry con, trying to get something going in the mid-Atlantic region. As this one *also* happens to be nearby other dear friends, I hope it has great success! I will be hanging around the dealer's room, hopefully selling stuff and drawing continuously. Support it if you can, because it's totally convenient for me if it can grow!

Anthrocon - July 4-7 - Pittsburgh, PA
This is the big one! The second Precocious book will debut here! (For those wondering, pre-orders should start in February.) I will be at Table N19, in the far-right aisle of the Dealers Room!

Those are my confirmed conventions. Other likely appearances will be at Intervention (August 23-25, Rockville, MD) and MidwestFurFest (November, Chicago, IL).  I'm trying for Connecticon, SPX and FurFright too, but it's harder to get a table with those.

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

New Year! New Copper Road! (UPDATED!)

Update: Another Copper Road is up! One more to go! I'll edit this post again when it's up. The archive gets updated Friday night.

Update again: The final Copper Road of the week is up! I know you all think the strip is autobiographical, but it's really more about me using my life events to write something funny. This new one was written BEFORE I had my surgery, back when I thought it would be comedy gold. Haha. Who knew?

Oh yeah, and THE COPPER ROAD ARCHIVE HAS UPDATED!

*current**current*




It's a big day! 2013 is here! Copper Road is here! Oh, and Precocious is FOUR YEARS OLD TODAY! It all began January 1st, 2009 - and it all continues January 1st, 2013! Can we get to five? (Yes.)

Anyway, on to Copper Road! We're gonna wrap-up the Ursula story this week. New comic today! New comic Thursday-ish? ANOTHER NEW COMIC SATURDAY-ISH? Hey, sure. We can do that! Get your vote on to keep me motivated, and get Precocious some fancy attention!

By the way, the 100th Copper Road is appearing this week, so more celebrating will happen! Once the Saturday(ish) Copper Road goes up, I'll update the archive page with the recent strips.