Weekly Update

Another Monday, An other update...

I'm a bit out of it today, still having energy issue, probably a digestion thing, but I'm getting use to it by now and my doctor isn't worried, so I try not to be ;)

I realized this morning that I haven't taken a day off in 4 weeks ( self care? Pacing? What are those? ). What can I say? Every day I just can't wait to start working (Today being an exception... but nothing a coffee won't fix ). And I've been wondering why... Why this particular project has been drawing me in so easily for so long.

I came up whit 3 conclusions... 3 lessons for me to keep in mind in future projects:

1, it's just plain fun: It's an original subject, with characters I love, that I'm exploring every day not knowing what I'll be working on. Endless surprise.

2, variation: Every day, I add a few elements, and while I did most paring according to their respective franchises, every day I play with at least 3 different universes. Again, endless surprises and exploration. I Think this is also why my favorite comic I worked on is still the X-men one.

3, freedom from reality: You guys probably know me by now. Regarding my art, I am obsessed with always doing the best I can. Always pushing myself, adding details and being as anatomically correct as I can. As a tool, I've been using references pictures a lot, sticking to them as close as I could. Sometime to the deterrent of my imagination.

And for a little while now it had felt like crutches... like cheating, and I was starting to wonder if I could still draw without them.

The angle of this project and the different cartoon proportions made it pretty much impossible for me to use references as I was getting use to. It has forced me to get back to basic. To get back to rough sketching it again and again until I get a position like. And I am enjoying this part quite a bit. It's empowering to feel like my whole self again. To feel like I can play without caring too much about the rules that came with the tool I had come to depend on. At best, once or twice I used a reference as a guideline for a position that was a bit more tricky (She-ra with the water hose come to mind), but nothing I could simply reproduced.

And right now, I'm not sure I'll want to go back to the way I was getting use to once I'm done. I'll have to think about it. Because that would impact my work. I don't draw he same way with a reference that I do without one. My work might not be as realistic. Especially when it comes to live action character's likeness... and I liked that of my work... so am I readdy to sacrifice this?

Lots to think about.

Anyway... THIS WEEK:

Same old plan, drawing new elements for two days (although I already have a good number of new elements I drew during weekend.) and spending the rest of the week coloring everything. If it's not broke... don't fix it.

See you all soon!
Alx