End of the quarter blues

I hate the end of the quarter. I'm sure that most of my students would disagree but for me things get hectic. This is why I haven't updated the comic since before Halloween. I also am working on a new demo reel and updating my portfolio so I just don't have enough on my plate <wink, wink>.

I hope to update soon.

The reason for no strip this week.

This has been one of those weeks that a person can be ever so glad is almost over. I started being sick and because of that I got behind on my teaching assignments. So now I'm trying to tighten up and get it done for class. That's why I am writing this at 1:58 am CST in the U.S.

I was hoping to finish the current Halloween storyline on Sunday. But it looks like that may not happen. However, I may try a "24-hour comics" day on Saturday. I just don't know at this point.

Again to all my readers, I'm sorry for the inconvenience. I hope to get the strip up and running again by next week.

No strip today

There will be no strip today because I have been sick for the last couple of days.

Sorry for the inconvience.

Reality Bomb: Persephone 6

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Reality Bomb: Persephone 5

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Reality Bomb: Persephone 4

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It's all black and white.

I have made a big decision about the strip and it's sort of bitter-sweet. Since the strip began it has been in color. I did this because I knew that it added something to the overall appeal. However, it takes forever to create a strip from pencils to color, especially if you're trying to do it more than once a week, and if you have another full time job.

So, after much thought, the decision that I have come to is to move to pure black and white, with maybe a screen tone here and there. There are several reasons for the change in the strip, including the ones listed above, and I think I owe it to my readers to explain as best I can why I have decided on this change.

1. Time: As mentioned above it is very time consuming doing the color. I have a full time job and the other commitments that anyone has. Until (and if) the strip turns a profit, that's not going to change. I would love to do this full time (hint, hint to readers who might want to donate or click on the ad links).
2. Quality: If I have to decide between the overall quality of the story and the art, or having color, I vote for the story and art. Basically when you're a one man show you have to draw each strip around four times, if you include color and shading. There are quicky solutions like using the paint bucket or magic wand. However, these require an unbroken line and usually there is a lot of clean up that has to be done afterward. Also, the colors don't trap very well, meaning that the color doesn't under-lap the line art if you use these techniques. To solve this I use the pencil tool to trace around the line art making sure that I trap the color under the black line. Then I use the paint bucket to fill these enclosed areas. When I'm finished with the flats I use the magic wand to select these areas of color and use the brush tool to do the shading. So starting from scratch: 1. pencils 2. inks 3. lettering 4. flats 5. shading and special fx.
3. Print Publishing: It's the dream of most aspiring comic book creators, even webcomic creators, to eventually have enough content to publish in print. However, unless you have a huge readership, publishing in color is cost prohibitive. Most small press and self published books are black and white or monotone.
4. File Size and Storage Space: This is one of the least important reasons, but still a factor to consider. The more art that is produced, the more disk space used. Right now, with three months under my belt, Strange Cargo has taken nearly 9 Gigs of disk space. So assuming that I keep doing this for a year we're talking 36 Gigs. Now I knew from the start that eventually I would have to invest in some external storage, but wow! Color files, especially CMYK master files take more space. This includes the reduced web versions.
5. Not My Strong Suit: Color has never been my strong suit. I'm a draftsman at heart. Pencil and ink baby.
6. Others Are Doing It, So why Can't I?: Some of my favorite web cartoonist started out in b&w until they could work on their strips full time. Scott Kurtz and Brad Guigar are two. And some still do b&w (or grayscale) strips, like Dave Kellet and Kris Straub.

So for the good of the strip, for me, and most importantly for you, the loyal reader, this strip is going black and white. I will keep the archived color strips up for now, but if this ever goes to print they will be in b&w.

Thank you for your time reading the strip and this little missive. And don't forget to be back here on Saturday for the next installment of the Halloween epic, "Reality Bomb: Persephone"

Reality Bomb: Persephone 3

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New Schedule:Sat., Mon., and Wed.

Due to the strip's new art style and page size I have decided to do the strip three times a week. This seems to be an acceptable schedule for many other webcomic creators. I want to be able to keep the quality of the art up to par so this is the way it has to be for now.

So in keeping with my teaching schedule the new publishing schedule will be Saturday, Monday, and Wednesday.

Be here tomorrow.

Reality Bomb: Persephone 2

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Periscope Studios

I saw this on the Webcomics List site and I thought it was cool enough to share.

PS be sure to click on my Webcomic List ranking link.

Reality Bomb: Persephone 1

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No strip today

There will be no strip today because of a lot of things, including my sister being sick again.

Reality Bomb: Change

Leandra 13

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Leandra 12

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Leandra 11

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Better late than never.

Leandra 10

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24-hour Comics Day

For those of you that don't know it today is 24-hour Comics Day. So if you get a chance check out the official site.

I won't be participating because I missed the deadline. :-(

Leandra 9

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Late Strip

This week's last strip will be late. Instead of posting on Wednesday (here in the U.S.) it will be sometime on Thursday, 9-30-10.

I had a burst water pipe AND some extra prep work for a class I am teaching.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Leandra 8

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Leandra 7

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Leandra 6

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Leandra 5

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Leandra 4

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Be back Saturday.

No strip today

My sister is in the hospital so there will be no strip today.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Leandra 3

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Schedule for Autumn 2010 = Saturday-Wednesday

Starting this weekend the update schedule for Strange Cargo will be Saturday-Wednesday for Autumn 2010 to accommodate my teaching schedule.

The strip will be back later today (9-20-2010). See you then.

Leandra 2

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Leandra 1

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Chapter 2

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This one's a little lat because had a class to teach. For the next three months Thursday and Friday nights' updates may be late. I may have to go to a Saturday - Wednesday schedule, but we'll see.

Welcome Aboard 21

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Here is the first Strange Cargo strip that I actually drew. I drew it about two months ago but felt that the story needed to be fleshed out before this scene actually took place. The image above is the redo for the actual strip. It was redrawn directly over the original (see below). This was then redrawn, inked and lettered in Manga Studio, and colored in Photoshop. Originally the strip was going to be inked in Toon Boom Studio but the line didn't really turn out the way I thought it should.

The image below is the original penciled image, re-inked in Manga studio, as well as using the MS4 template that I created after I purchased the program (and over a month into the strip!).

The original version.

As you can see Miguel changed the least and Moira the most.

FYI I have also started leaving the images at the original size, but lowered the dpi to 96. This seems to be a standard amongst the webcomics that I follow.

Welcome Aboard 20

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Welcome Aboard 19

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Welcome Aboard 18

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This is the first strip completely totally in the computer with no traditionally penciled page. Again most everything was drawn in Manga Studio 4 and finished off in Photoshop CS3

Be back on Monday. Have a good one.

Welcome Aboard 17

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Welcome Aboard 16

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This one's a little late because I had a meeting today. Sorry.

Welcome Aboard 15

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Welcome Aboard 14

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Welcome Aboard 13

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This is the first strip to be done using Manga Studio 4. After scanning the sketch everything but last minute shading and prep for the internet was done within MS4. Photoshop was used to finish it off.

Welcome Aboard 12

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The strip will be back Monday. Have a good one.

Welcome Aboard 11

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Welcome Aboard 10

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Welcome Aboard 9

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In panels three and four you may notice soemthing new. I started adding 3d backgrounds. I wanted to do it earlier, especially with the docking bay scenes, but I wanted to get the strip up as soon as possible.

The shots were modeled and rendered in 3ds Max.

Hope you like it.

Welcome Aboard 8

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Welcome Aboard 7

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Welcome Aboard 6

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Welcome Aboard 5

This is way late because I had to grade final projects and exams in Animation II last night. That means that tomorrow's will be late as well.

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Welcome Aboard 4

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Welcome Aboard 3

The "majestic" Celeste Fitzgerald, finally revealed.

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Welcome Aboard 2 Redux

Here is Welcome Aboard 2 redone. I inked it in Painter instead of Toon Boom Studio. See what you think.

Welcome Aboard 2

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It's little late due technical issues and a style change.

Welcome Aboard 1

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Strange Cargo: The Comic

Here is the strange cargo comic site.