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Newest Comic Page 2009-06-30 Page 35 New reader? Start here!

2009-06-30

Almost Forgot

Apparently I have a Twitter account now! I kind of like it so far; it's less time-consuming than AIM, and less formal than e-mail, which is nice. It's also one more place to post comic updates, among other things. If you're also a Twitterer (Tweeter? Twitteur? Twitterati?), feel free to say hi. :)

Also! Liliy made this awesome priestess fan art a while ago, but I had a bit of a Moment and forgot to actually post it. But here it is now, so go see!

Posted by Aja at 12:15 AM

2009-06-26

Goodnight, Sweet King

I'm sure you've heard the news. Yesterday, a living legend stopped living -- but he'll always be a legend.

Michael Jackson was a genius, an inspiration, and a beautiful person. Though not a role model, he was one of my three idols -- and in the back of my mind, a small part of my desire for personal success was motivated by the hope that, someday, I would have the means to meet him in person. Once in a while, I'd stop and wonder what he was doing at the moment: Sleeping? Writing a song? Having dinner with his family? Who knows -- it was just nice to remind myself that there was such a person in the world at that very moment, simply living.

I want to extend my condolences to any other of his dedicated fans who happen to see this. It's easy to suppose that you're feeling the same way, probably somewhat in shock. If it's any consolation, consider that he is at least finally free from the drama and controversy that must have been such a burden for the last two decades. Although it was hard, his struggle is over. And he did make the world a better place.

Let's remember him at his best. In the end, the good memories are the only ones that matter.

Thank you for staying as long as you did, Michael.

Rest in peace.

Posted by Aja at 5:34 PM

2009-06-22

Happy Birthday to :D!

Hey guys! A few things to mention this week:

Today is my room mate and co-author's birthday! This is a great time to acknowledge her excellent co-authorial and editorial work. Without her, the comic wouldn't have nearly as many clever moments. Thanks, D!

We're taking the day off to relax a bit. For that and other reasons (among which is making sure that the next scene is scripted properly), there won't be a new page this week.

Our #1 project of the moment is earning the rest of June rent, so it would be smarter for me to work on art commissions instead of comics for a while -- but I want the story to keep moving as much as you do, so I'll aim to post a new page next Tuesday if it's at all practical.

In more optimistic news, I'm planning an art tutorial! A few people have asked for digital drawing and comic-making tips over the last few months, and I'm always tempted to write an essay in reply. I've found a lot of shortcuts and various tricks that could be quite handy for someone who plans to draw in large quantities -- but instead of trying to stuff all of that into individual emails, it seems more efficient (and probably more helpful overall) to post such things online.

Of course, this is something I'll be working on when and as I have the time. That means it will take a while, but it also means that you have time to make suggestions! I'll be explaining a coloring and shading technique, since that's what people ask about most specifically (and listing a few dozen Photoshop/GIMP shortcuts, because you can never have too many of those). Aside from that, is there anything else you'd like to see included? Page template setup, speech balloons, that sort of thing? If so, go ahead and mention it in an e-mail or forum post. :)

Lastly, I hope you enjoy the newly de-cluttered site layout.

Have a great week, guys!

Posted by Aja at 9:26 PM

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True Magic pages 31-40	50%		(up to page 35)
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The Angels for Drake	93%		(shading)
Mia for Karen	0%		(pending)
Gideon and Kizzy for Virginia	0%		(pending)
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DM MST Scene 5	75%		(editing)