Christina "Smudge" Hanson's Blog, page 3
March 18, 2015
To Kill a Dragon issue 3 out today on ComiXology
Issue three of 'To Kill a Dragon' is now available at ComiXology!
To Kill a Dragon #3
Cover by: Christina "Smudge" Hanson
Written by: Christina "Smudge" Hanson
Art by: Christina "Smudge" Hanson
Price: $0.99
After Veniamin's failed attack, Nadine's mute charge reassesses his situation. Slowly coming to grips with who (and what) he really is, he suddenly realizes it's not just his own life that's now in danger from the determined assassin.
March 12, 2015
Operation SMAC Down!
The most awesome skilled character designer, Sue Nichols-Maciorowski needs help in fighting cancer. I was real lucky to have Sue as an instructor at CalArts. I remember her as this warm, bubbling, infectious personalty with awesome-mad skills. Hearing her fight with cancer is just breaking my heart. Please, think about helping out if you can.
March 10, 2015
Art poking, Updates and this weeks workload
This week is full of art management stuff.
This weekend Baron opened (then promptly closed) for commission work, leaving me to organize it. Weee! We have got to set up a form or something for commissions - Barons spending way too much time juggling communications between all the different clients. Like ever waking moment this weekend. So that's something I'll be putting together soon. I also need to get the new docked put together on the site so folks who do have commissions and have logged in can see where they stand.
Filling out tax forms is fun... NOT. I especially like it when they give lengthy instructions for something that obvious, but no instructions for something that's super convoluted. *head desk* But it will get done.
‘To Kill a Dragon’ continues to update like clockwork - pg. 11 went live yesterday. Only hiccup is that the front page plugin that shows the current viewable page is barfing into the Prose section. Will be fixing that ASAP. Sorry for the inconvenience, guys. Just a reminder - I do have a bookmarker set up on the site, so you can always click on that to get to the page you last tagged. Thou thinking about it, I should probably move that to the top of the comic instead of the bottom. Less scrolling to get where you want to be. *makes note to add/move plugin*.
Baron and I are also looking at putting a Patreon together - one for him and one for I. More details when we know what the frack we're doing. Our main goal is to get Baron outta his day-job and working back in artwork full time again by the end of the year. And if his commission docket remains similar and steady to what he just took in this weekend, it's totally doable. But art is a highly volatile and fluctuating market so we need to make sure all our ducks are in a row to make it happen.
Art-wise, for myself, I've been poking at a couple of sketches to help learn the painting tools inside of Manga Studio. This is taking a lot longer than I originally thought. I was painting up a character design in a paper doll format so I can play with costumes designs. Just to do the body, took me 4+ hours which is way too long for the amount done. And my hand hurt. Lots. I then worked on his clothes and figured out a way to work the colors faster, but it still beat on my hand. So much so I could only work on it in one-hour blocks, once a day. Any more than that and I'd be in real trouble. To be honest, I WAS getting better results than in Photoshop, but Photoshop, very slightly, beats on my hand less. At this point, I realized that I had made a lot of bad proportional mistakes in the figure. Enough that just cutting out and re-scaling wasn't going to help. So I'm starting over, from the top, this time inked (which Manga Studio is a GOD, and doesn't beat on my hand) and approach it more as coloring instead of painting. We'll see how it goes.
I spent a lot of time last week scanning in some sketches for another project I'm organizing, 'Magical Home Owners Association'. I hope to have more up about it later this week. I've got a lot of stories/projects that need a little organization. I have been... artistically constipated for some time (years) and I'm trying to get some of it out so it's not backing me up mentally. MagicHOA is just one of them.
In other household projects, I almost have my sewing machine accessible again. First thing up on my sewing list is a draw-bag for the emergency meds for my allergies. I'm suppose to carry around Predizone, some Claritin RediTabs and an EpiPenfor if I have an attack but haven't because they won't fit in my pockets without taking damage. I don't want to damage my EpiPen. They are not cheap. I have other sewing projects as well, but the bag comes first and I will not entertain any others until it's done. Just waiting on the fabric to come in for it. ^.^
Also - because spring is starting to show itself, it's time to restart the herb garden. Anyone wanna take out a poll on how fast I kill it this year? lol!
I'm happy to report that my bicycle has finally gone to the shop to get fixed up. I started fixing up the bike last year but stalled out because, well, dealing with a non-working front derail-er was simply out of my league. Turns out is was bent. But since we're probably going to be selling my van in the near future, I need something to at least get me to the market and around town for basic errands. And I miss biking. Only other thing to really make this work is some masks to keep the airborne allergens at bay. But that's what my sewing machine is for.
The other project I'm working on is finding drinks. Due to a combination of health and allergies, the possible thinks I can drink are getting slimmer and slimmer, so I've been scouring the specialty sodas and drinks for alternatives. Right now, I'm looking for stuff that is low to caffeine free (my caffeine tolerance is pretty slim nowadays), not citrus based (I'm allergic to all forms of citrus), and has cane sugar (I cannot stand artificial sugars but want to avoid high fructose corn syrup as much as humanly possible). This particular combination is actually really nasty to find for drinkables. So I have been turning to ginger ales and beers. I'm thinking about doing blog entries on each of the ones I find because... oh Lordy, every brand is so wildly different in character. @.@
I think that's everything for this week. Schedule: lots of website and back-end tweaks, 'To Kill a Dragon' going up MONDAY - WEDNESDAY - FRIDAY, character art to ink/color, MagicHOA synopsis and some character info on (probably) Thursday, 1 herb garden to start killing, bicycle to pick up at the shop Friday, and more drinks to be drunk. Busy week I say!
March 4, 2015
To Kill a Dragon #2 now up on ComiXology
Written by: Christina "Smudge" Hanson
Art by: Christina "Smudge" Hanson
Price: $0.99
Market Day has come! Nadine and Benard take their mute charge into town to see if they can reunite him with his people. But Veniamin has realized he has not finished his job in slaying in Great Dragon and will stop at nothing to complete his mission.
February 27, 2015
The Tyranny of Choice
So now that 'To Kill a Dragon' is in the can, I now contemplate what my next project will be. Only problem is, now that I'm not consumed in a project, ALL my other ones are scrambling for attention... at the same time. Including a new one, something I told myself I wasn't going to do. Thanks, brain.
Right now, I'm trying to sit down and organize the different stories: outlining basic arcs, getting characters ironed out so I know the different casts I'm dealing with, and trying to take a long look at the media each of the stories wants to exist in. As such - my art production is mostly going to be super-rough pencil sketches and semi-random doodles that probably will only make sense to me for a while.
In the meantime - here's what I've been poking at for a bit; Character designs for the new story I told myself I wasn't going to do. Tentatively titled "A Song for the Earth and Rain", it's a Romeo and Juliette style love story set in a fantasy Far-East.
This is Gau (Farwalker), an Elf and main character. He's a long traveled merchant who ends up in the orient ala Marco Polo. Since doing this, he has told me that he also dances Ballet, but thinks he's no good at it and keeps it more as a hobby.
Do note, his "not that good at it" is kind of like someone who just missed the cut at the Royal Ballet saying they are "not that good". We all wish we were "not that good." ~.~
Design is totally NOT final. Not sold yet on the Tudor fashion, but I really like the concept of the cod piece as part of his native dress.
Rest below cut due to slightly NSFW artistic nudity.
More of Gau (Farwalker). Poking more at basic body structure and some costume thumbnails. He kind of goes though at least 4 wardrobe changes I'm figuring. Might do a more polished version of all the clothes later. Right now, I just wanna get rough ideas down before they go whisking outta my head, never to be seen again.
Also, somewhere along the line he gained not only curly sideburns, but a forehead curl as well. Makes him look a little girly, but that's just fine.
And here's the other main character from the story, Yuling Li. She a tiny, little bundle of Asian whoop-ass. Don't let her size and out-going smile fool you. She can both charm beasts and skewer pirates with her bardish ways.
All and all, I'm pretty happy with her design, especially with her pear-shaped body. Just needs a little more polish and she's there.
Yeah - bit of a height difference going there between Gau and Yuling.
This is one of the secondary characters, the Gnoll, Rhedasalm, Master of the Yuling's merchant guild. This was my first pass at him and while I kind of had the idea going in the right direction, he didn't "feel" right. I am keeping his hips-forward/swayed-back profile though. Lets me give him a "hunched" back without looking like he seriously needs a chiropractor and instead just makes him looks a little more relaxed than he actually is.
And, yes, he perpetually has a grumpy face; letting his ears actually convey/telegraph his real mood.
A second pass at Rhedasalm which I am much, much, much more happy with. Legs, shorter. Arms, gorilla like. Fingers, short and rounded. Chest, barreled. Much more hyena-like overall. Still has the shoulders back, hips forward posture, but it's hard to make out in a full front-on view. And he smokes, from one of those long, oriental cigarette holders.
Yeah, this is Rhed.
So, yeah - more to come. wither it be of Song or one of my others I cannot say. ^.^;
February 11, 2015
To Kill a Dragon cover 4
To Kill a Dragon cover 4
Nadine is on a MISSION! And poor Betsy is being treated like a motorcycle.
I'm really pleased on how this cover came out as a whole. Issue 4 is nearly in the can and I hope to have it uploaded to various websites by Friday. I'll also be posting on SMEW mostly to test out the new drip-feed plugin that I wrote. Posting to ComiXology is coming along. They should have issue two available anytime now and I just got the notice that issue three will be available soon as well. I've also entered talks with iVerse about adding it to Comics Plus and their Library Service program. Hopefully good things will come of that but nothing official as of yet.
Hope you all enjoy!
January 24, 2015
Work update on To Kill a Dragon
Hello all! Still busy working away on 'To Kill a Dragon', but I wanted to post a little update of where I currently stand. Just finished another color page. That means I have 7 more pages to go. With luck, I'll have everything done by the second week of February.
Unfortunately, I have a little bad news for those waiting for 'To Kill a Dragon' on ComiXology. After sitting in the cue for months, they have finally rejected issue 2. Mostly due to "need's proofing/has typos" and "images are too low quality/aliased". Okay, I freely admit my spelling is not the best in the world. It gets "creative" at times. But that's why I pass it off to three different people to proofread. Apparently something slipped though anyways. So, when I get a chance I'll go back though the files and see what went wrong and fix it. At least for ComiXology purposes, there is going to be an even longer delay between issues. But I wanted to let folks know what's going on there.
I've also been wanting to upload the pages on SmudgeMarks & EngelWerks, but my heads been so full of just getting the coloring done for the last issue, that keeps getting pushed back. Again, I'm sorry for the delay of that.
A lot of the hangups are cementing in my mind to have a project competed *before* going live with it. Too many delays and interruptions that I cannot seem to recover from, so the best workaround is to have it in the can before hand. At least I'm coming to grips with it now and not with a much bigger project.
Anyways - The last issue of 'To Kill a Dragon' is now looking to come out the first or second week in February. I really hope you enjoy it!
December 22, 2014
The Keeper’s Warrior Now for Sale
The Keeper’s Warrior Cover
Woot! ‘The Keeper’s Warrior’ is now available for sale!
Published by our good friend over at Fox Den, this book is now at Amazon, Barns & Noble, iBooks, and Lulu with other outlets slowly coming online, in both physical and ebook versions.
The Long Road is long indeed.
But even the most traveled of rolling stones needs a respite. And that’s exactly what Warrior, a half-Elf sell-sword, finds when he stumbles into the seaside village of Echo Cove. It is there that he gains a renewed faith in his Goddess Euseeda, a quiet, deep-trusting friendship with the shrine’s Keeper, and a chance to rectify the worst, most devastating blunder that he has ever committed.
Physical –
88 pages, Black & White, Perfect-bound Novella Trade Paperback
eBook –
ePub, 4.05 MB
Retailers, interested in some copies via wholesale? Drop us a line and we’ll get you pointed in the right direction.
December 3, 2014
Delay on last episode of ‘To Kill a Dragon’
Well, yeah. It was bound to happen.
I, Smudge, have fallen behind in my work schedule again. Nothing bad, really. Just over booked myself then the holidays started. Will post a couple of sketches and such on Friday to the various sites that host but the last issue (which will be oversize) will hopefully be posted at the beginning of January.
I also completely face-planted on NaNoWriMo this year. Part of the issue there is that I was assuming I would have ‘To Kill a Dragon’ done by the beginning of November. BWAHAHAHA, silly me. So, yeah. I’ll get back to that once the comic is done.
Anyways, just wanted to give you all a heads up on things happening here.
November 28, 2014
To Kill a Dragon on ComiXology
To Kill a Dragon is now available on ComiXology! Come check it out!
To Kill a Dragon #1
Cover by: Christina “Smudge” Hanson
Written by: Christina “Smudge” Hanson
Art by: Christina “Smudge” Hanson
Price: $0.99
Issue 1
After a devastating attack by the assassin Veniamin on the King’s airship, a lone survivor wakes up confused and mute after falling into Nadine’s apple orchard. With the entire kingdom in an uproar, only this strange, quiet man holds any knowledge on what happened that day and where the Great Dragon 7th, the assassin’s real target, has disappeared to. Now both friend and foe want him, and the race is on to who can find him first.
