I Was Worried For Nothing...

 I am not trying to make light of my concerns when I began to digitizing my comic last week. 

What I mean is when I started to work on the comic in 2018, I did it manually- pencil first, ink after, blacks put in last - but I realized the story was slow-going , my formatting and my art style kept changing, and the narrative was all over the place... And then a light came on. I began working on the story as I did with my comics back in grade school. I simply did it in pen.

The dot grid pen drafts

And WOW, did the story begin to FLOW. Not just in sequence(though that remained haphazard), but in growing subplots, in narrative scope, and an unexpected benefit: a permanent art style began to solidify...

So what I worried about was since the original draft pages were in pen, how did I fix those? I thought and did trace a number of chapters in pencil. Yet, with the new tablet, erasing, correcting, and editing pen and clearing up what was also on dot grid paper(which I will forever use as it helps tighten my perspective and background/setting issues).

The same page on MS Paint

MS Paint retouch

Original dot grid pen draft

What a difference this Bosto tablet makes! My mom continuously tells me "Good things come to those that wait" and I feel this display tablet was made for me.

As somebody returning to digital art after so many years, and trying to do it the 'right way', which means I used digital art as a touch-up to my manually made artwork and illustrations. 

Now, I'm cleaning up paper and pen work, and will use other software for colors, shades, backgrounds, and settings.

Will continue to discuss my process on this blog and on Instagram: Handdrawnbycarmenjr 

Thank you again for sticking with me, dear readers!

I'm Back To Digital Art! Or, at least, trying to

Digital art was something I did for fun. Then when I attended community college majoring in Art, I took my first digital art course, known as Computer Art at the time. 

Yes, it was a pain. We were using Corel at the time. Years later, I upgraded to PhotoShop when it was its own company and still affordable. 

Once I got into an IT Baccalaureate 'accelerated program', I was still fudging around with PhotoShop, occasionally Illustrator and InDesign, to name a few. This was in keeping with my Web Design studies so I could better edit and improve my artwork to upload to my personal website.

Now, after being out-of-the-loop with digital art for several years, I've been studying and retraining myself. Start off with the easiest app and work my way up. MS(Microsoft) Paint. I've also found art, illustrator, and comic software/apps that were free and fully-featured or affordable enough that one did not need a subscription. 

Caption: 3 characters. Cleaning up and redrawing as well so extra strokes in MS Paint.

I'll speak about those other softwares in the next post.

Especially a display tablet of this size: 15.6 inches. Bosto has a variety tablets: regular[opaque gray/black] to display[with its own screen]. 

Caption: My hand wearing my drawing glove with tablet pen

I prefer the display type, like what animators and other digital artists use, as I learn better with visual aids. I'm using my Bosto Tablet(16HD) to clean up and erase/correct my original pen work.  

NOTE: If any of my fellow artists are shopping around for an affordable display tablet, Bosto is an option. Because of supply chain disruptions, I gifted myself two display tablets from the Walmart app. It's important to shop around on Walmart and other stores online. If you see the Bosto below at least $100, it is NOT THE DISPLAY but the regular Bosto tablet.

I Was Almost Goth... *updated*

I started researching reference photos for Jewish and Afro-goths, and the more I read up on Goth culture and speak to former and current Goths, the more I should've been true to myself and become a goth myself back in junior high. Goths were the few folks that would talk to me and even befriend me. Most other schoolmates were indifferent or wanted to bully. I had enough friends to count on one hand. 

The good thing is that I still have goth friends and I feel 'goth-adjacent' or, the more I show my true self, I'm becoming more in-tune with the sensibilities of the subculture which makes so much sense! Once in a writing workshop, a now friend approached, after hearing me read my written piece in class, to ask if I was goth back in school as she was. 

I also gravitate towards Goth characters in the stories I read and am right now reading a webcomic called Nemi, about a goth 20-something and her friends. The story and art is by Norwegian artist, Lisa Myhre. I also remembered a goth character in another webcomic I read years ago by Kevin and Kell artist, Bill Holbrook titled On the Fastrack.

Regardless of genre, goth people just continue to pop up in my own writings and drawings. Or, the sensibilities are there for my readers, who may happen to be Goth, may detect. 

Happy October, my dear readers.💀🖤

Illustrations, New Concepts, and a New Art Account!

[NOTE: Here, there be links!]
As a return to my Tabber the Red writing, I had an idea for an illustration while writing the latest cat fantasy.

 ShadoWalker & his Autumn angel (2018)

The concept was difficult and it took some planning but I think I got my point across. Oh! I can also introduce my new Instagram account: Hand drawn by Carmen Jr - While the Deviant Art is my official online portfolio, the Instagram is for friends and other artists to see progressions of my work - such as rough sketches, thumbnails, preliminaries, and drafts! As well as previous versions side-by-side with updated versions.

The blessings keep coming...

My illustration submission to furry convention Furlandia 2017 has been accepted! I submitted the drawing in its original color and then formatted to black and white. The black and white version will be published in this year's conbook! So excited!

In the same news, a furry poem I based on my love and research for Harlem Renaissance poetry will also be published in Furlandia's conbook!

In other news, while getting ready to submit to another writing opportunity, found out I was one of a list of women honored in March for Women's History Month on an official furry online newspaper! Are you kidding me? How on earth did I miss this?

Here's the link for those interested:
Dogpatch Press - March is Furry Women’s Month – guest post by Shining River

Remember I mentioned back in February of this year I would have another story from my historical novel coming out in an online journal? If not, click on my Featured Post on the right-hand link above my Micro Bio. Also in March, I and other guild members were mentioned for upcoming publications on the official guild website.

Here's the link to that as well:
Member news - March 2017

Inktober 10/30/16 - Submission #26 and #27

Antonio Castellano(c)

Stacey's father. He's a Pullman Porter! An important job that played a historic role in establishing the Black middle-class.

Hobart Hankin Jr.(c)

My guy Castellano's Roma father. And with him, I conclude my Inktober adventures.

 

Thanks everybody for the support, thumbs ups, loves, and encouraging words. 

This is Inktober, the last day of Inktober 2016.

'Til next year, God willing.
 

More Inktober coming up!

Already sketched out my ideas for today, last day for Inktober 2016. I'm sketching the protagonists' fathers next. Will need to stop by art store to stock up on black designer marker and some Staedtler pens (if I can as they're pretty pricier than the designer markers).

Inktober 10/30/16 - Submission #24 and #25

Margarita 'Rita'(c)

Beatrice(c)

Stacey's mother and Castellano's youngest/baby sister. Inktober is helping me recreate updated looks for many characters. My last submissions for tonight. Inktober 2016 finishes tomorrow.

Inktober 10/30/16 - Submission #23

Angela(c)

Here's one of Castellano's sisters. I killed my black designer marker. Now I must buy two this week. So I had to use alternate colors and it worked out well!
Stacey's mom is coming up. Wait for her. This is Inktober 2016.

Inktober 10/29/16 - Submission #22

Gina(c)

This is Castellano's mom. My last Inktober for tonight. I'll be drawing Stacey's mom tomorrow. I was going for 5 pieces but I'll settle for two. By the way, this is illustration #23.
Night, you guys.

Inktober 10/29/16 - Submission #21

Redmond aka "Redboy"(c)

Another character for Inktober.

This is my New Orleans Jazz musician! My first illustration of Redmond. 

Inktober 10/28/16 - Submission #20

Dorothy aka 'Dot'(c)

After work, will do more Inktober submissions. 

This is illustration #21! Another character from Depression-era novel. She's at home. I now realize I should have outlined her shoes in red only and without black ink. Oh well. This is Inktober 2016.

Inktober 10/27/16 - Submission #19

Hortense(c)

5 more days before Inktober ends. My submission of a character who is in my novel and also in my published short story "Night Sounds". I know one person who will be happy to finally see this person visually. Hope you won't be disappointed.

Inktober 10/25/16 - Submission #18

Mrs. Burrows(c)

Another piece done on Mrs. Burrows. Done in the style of Art Deco artist Erte.

Inktober 10/24/16 - Submission #16 and #17

Another Inktober submission. Will do another of a male dog facing the female.

Mock title page A

Next Inktober illustration! Really excited by this. Will have a caboodle of illos to scan and clean up before uploading to my DeviantART page.

Mock title page B

Inktober 10/23/16 - Submission #15

*Singing* I'm falling behind... But no worries. The novel is still being written. ere's Sethrine or 'Cissy' as she's called. Stacey's big sister. As I'm drawing these, all I can hear is 20s music.

Sethrine or 'Cissy'(c)

Inktober 10/22/16 - Submission #14

Virginia(c) 

Another Inktober submission! Another character from Depression-era story. Still working in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles.

Virginia(c)

P.S. Realized I could add a tail!

Inktober 10/22/16 - Submission #13

A cold and bad allergies have prevented me from fulfilling my Inktober obligations. Here's another character from my Depression-era story. 

Darla "Dolly Girl"(c) 

Inktober 10/16/16 and 10/17/16- Submission #11 and #12

Here's my next set of Inktober submits in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. That's my protagonist's new boss, and of course, my protagonist on the right. 

I messed up on Stacey's tail. Should have left it white and outlined in brown like the rest of her. Too dark against the black circle. Sheesh.

Mrs. Burrows(c)

Stacey(c)

More Inktober to come!

In order to try and do as much work as possible with the least bit of time expended, I'll be doing the next couple of drawings in the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles. I always wanted to try my hand at them as other artists I admire. Plus, since I am writing a story in those periods, I want to embody most of its aesthetics and pop culture. Hope you enjoy these next Inktober submissions!