tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10207916229844348942024-03-12T19:39:45.551-04:00Beyond the Western Deep Production BlogA blog run by the writer and artist of "Beyond the Western Deep", an in-progress fantasy/adventure webcomic that takes place in the fictitious Four Kingdoms.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.comBlogger35125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-47149177839792169882011-12-30T12:08:00.001-05:002011-12-30T12:13:41.927-05:00Going Live!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfT_z5FiM08/Tv3uvc_68UI/AAAAAAAAAOY/cV4xBiCAOFM/s1600/headerWIP2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="106" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-TfT_z5FiM08/Tv3uvc_68UI/AAAAAAAAAOY/cV4xBiCAOFM/s400/headerWIP2.png" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Well, it's been a long time coming, but we're finally ready to announce that Beyond the Western Deep will be going live in webcomic form this Sunday (1-1-12)!<br />
<br />
On Sunday, we will be posting the first five pages of the story, with one new page uploaded every Saturday thereafter. Rachel and I have been working on this story for a very long time, and we're both very happy to finally be able to share it with everyone.<br />
<br />
Now that we have <a href="http://www.westerndeep.net/">an official website</a>, this blog will fall by the wayside in lieu of weekly posts that will go along with the page updates. We'll be keeping this blog up, but new material will be posted on the website proper from now on.<br />
<br />
Thanks to our followers who have stuck with us for so long - we both hope you enjoy the comic as much as we've enjoyed creating it!<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.westerndeep.net/">www.westerndeep.net</a>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-33079782892734485222011-11-27T15:54:00.000-05:002011-11-27T15:54:15.047-05:00Website ProgressWhen making a webcomic, you need two things that are spelled out rather plainly in the name itself: a comic, and a website. As followers of this blog will know, we've been working pretty hard on the comic part for quite some time, but rarely has any mention of the "web" part been made.<div><br />
</div><div>Well, I'm here to tell you that yes, the "web" of our webcomic is coming along quite nicely! A lot of progress has been made in the last couple weeks on the layout and content sides of things, and we're excited to get the site off the ground - something that should be happening in the coming weeks.</div><div><br />
</div><div>In addition to the banners and navigational doodads, we're also planning a few extras right off the bat, like a characters page for the main cast. Regular followers will know these guys already, but here's some new art for that section of the website:</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpi_SJ4W4SOhMZgCYR8KQ1xs9x7KH2QcVSntZAL2-PGDsg6fEmDHoscmwdkzssSN4QJ8d4ZwGddCjydmS6jmknrnvuVjvmZvpsOFOGNQcO1b-qMGpb0nzl3Zt_gvZ6ozwMz8Q5iAkY-DW9/s1600/bwd_cast_portraits.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="161" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpi_SJ4W4SOhMZgCYR8KQ1xs9x7KH2QcVSntZAL2-PGDsg6fEmDHoscmwdkzssSN4QJ8d4ZwGddCjydmS6jmknrnvuVjvmZvpsOFOGNQcO1b-qMGpb0nzl3Zt_gvZ6ozwMz8Q5iAkY-DW9/s320/bwd_cast_portraits.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br />
</div><div>Next time we update, I'll have more to show from the website itself. Perhaps even the website itself! Stay tuned!</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-81724345007373409042011-10-31T10:55:00.000-04:002011-10-31T10:55:48.528-04:00And We're Back!Sorry for the massive wait-time, folks - in addition to getting a sizable chunk of Beyond the Western Deep pages ready for our backlog, we've also been hit pretty hard with work via our day jobs. That said, I'm hoping now that we're starting to get a proper backlog of pages together and are finally piecing together what the webcomic's website will entail, we'll be able to eventually migrate this blog with the new site to keep everything in one place and make updating folks on the progress of the comic an easier endeavor.<br />
<br />
That said, how about some in-progress page work to make up for the long silence?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdfTQfy4pKCFXsS9-7dusx_PFb3DnEqb5WOo2cbwaM0xh0oHTYKXXXpI2IF2GbeE-6G_on8gL0piX8RFgMVg4kaxIrBvE_KD-nOfCEyUrCRi5y_gdD-8e1qybeUeAaWf8ZDmJnbApM0iq/s1600/blog_00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="201" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxdfTQfy4pKCFXsS9-7dusx_PFb3DnEqb5WOo2cbwaM0xh0oHTYKXXXpI2IF2GbeE-6G_on8gL0piX8RFgMVg4kaxIrBvE_KD-nOfCEyUrCRi5y_gdD-8e1qybeUeAaWf8ZDmJnbApM0iq/s400/blog_00.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
As you might remember from a few posts ago, Rachel put together a fine-looking Felis script. The first use of this in the comic itself was a simple banner in a market square in the first page of chapter one. Almost immediately afterward though, a new idea emerged: what if instead of just adding a few lines of Felis script into the opening "history" sequence, we added the actual Felis <b>art</b> as well?<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlzVC8C_Gk8tKdyhyphenhyphenVdvBQ9HEiUZqkAZQlpmUQ3e9MAah-GoIWUFgmwlMRVySuSE08qz_mZCEoFODeGBM3C47H67EQldO9e8dMJyL6Z0-MxdO1s0-EDycRU630X1K5bOKbwMUYecRW8Jt/s1600/blog_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="222" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQlzVC8C_Gk8tKdyhyphenhyphenVdvBQ9HEiUZqkAZQlpmUQ3e9MAah-GoIWUFgmwlMRVySuSE08qz_mZCEoFODeGBM3C47H67EQldO9e8dMJyL6Z0-MxdO1s0-EDycRU630X1K5bOKbwMUYecRW8Jt/s400/blog_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Rachel quickly pieced together a style loosely based on the Bayeux tapestry that fast-became one of my favorite elements of the newly-redone introductory sequence. These simplified representations of the races, juxtaposed with their "real" forms in Rachel's normal style, really help make the historical events on display look and feel more authentic.<br />
<br />
Now that we're buckling down to get the website and page backlog squared away, the blog updates will be a bit sporadic - but it's my hope we can keep a somewhere consistent presence here while we get BWD's new home finalized.<br />
<br />
Thanks for hanging in there!Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-64672084994949601542011-07-23T17:28:00.000-04:002011-07-23T17:28:58.236-04:00Eisner Win!Last night, Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard won the Eisner Award for Best Anthology - turning what was already an incredible thing into something far beyond anything I'd ever hoped for. <a href="http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">David Petersen</a> pulled together a veritable dream team of creators for Legends, and I am humbled beyond description to be able to share in this accomplishment.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOJPUi_DZY9ByYjZ2gF69YaQPyLOH0UEL0ncU7mqNGKFzn_1Ze9cUtO29GTAovprIHEUMzpZh5yJvocYa7aAPcHdGCzOKTum0VRZMmOzhdfkk7eERO1fYiKOOz6FeOdG6BMLE58FOIA5k/s1600/eisner.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioOJPUi_DZY9ByYjZ2gF69YaQPyLOH0UEL0ncU7mqNGKFzn_1Ze9cUtO29GTAovprIHEUMzpZh5yJvocYa7aAPcHdGCzOKTum0VRZMmOzhdfkk7eERO1fYiKOOz6FeOdG6BMLE58FOIA5k/s320/eisner.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Three years ago, I met David Petersen in person for the first time, two years ago I introduced him to my friend <a href="http://seanrubin.blogspot.com/">Sean Rubin</a>, and less than one year ago Sean and I were at the Archaia booth in New York Comic Con signing copies of Legends of the Guard along with several of the other creators. I am truly honored to have been a part of the Legends experience, and I'm confident that Legends: Volume 2 will be just as incredible, if not better, than the original Legends.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">In addition to this Eisner news, I figured I would share a little bit of "BWD" stuff with you! A couple posts ago, I brought up our intention to create languages for the different races. Well, Rachel went and actually created a script for the Felis race that we can use in the introduction of the story and beyond. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3R5qOURS01Ptapo7ir1MtPentZ3iO-B4_s7vO0Ng4TQKBfugFyy6O8bwdIcnfl2Q1O53gTmwdHeXX_jOTpoq7q6Bn8l1IPwiS_JUK33aazCi8bxgqofKPbA-T0P0vn_DcXmRKyA8F_3R/s1600/GairScript.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhu3R5qOURS01Ptapo7ir1MtPentZ3iO-B4_s7vO0Ng4TQKBfugFyy6O8bwdIcnfl2Q1O53gTmwdHeXX_jOTpoq7q6Bn8l1IPwiS_JUK33aazCi8bxgqofKPbA-T0P0vn_DcXmRKyA8F_3R/s400/GairScript.jpg" width="386" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">It's a pretty simple letter-swap, but it looks very cool! There will be a couple minor tweaks to the appearances of certain characters, but for the most part this is pretty accurate to what we'll be using in the comic's pages.</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-36983772061305428162011-07-04T17:22:00.000-04:002011-07-04T17:22:10.316-04:00Sunsgrove SportsHappy Fourth of July, folks! We've got a handful of pages in the bucket now, and things are starting to fall into a nice groove. Instead of tossing up an in-progress page, I figured I'd show a fun series of sketches that Rachel put together that show some experimentation with Dakkan's design, as well as some notes about a possible Lutren/Tamian sport that resembles baseball.<br />
<br />
This is the sort of stuff I love to brainstorm - Rachel will just crank out one of these sketches of her own accord and we'll start imagining the rules for a game like this, how it would've been played, who invented it, or whether it's a sport for kids or adults or both!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DSQlAXCrdrI6N4EIpkzInyxDvmZbXpMZ9bhU2DaLRBf0AZBtjxQ49hQpsh1vFxb6yjq4Xiow_pMkE2IRi9aq3JPbR9WA10Wf_wzuCaB69_bmkyFKDELPUKt2WmBkAl27DPxhDq334COk/s1600/sunsgrove_sports1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3DSQlAXCrdrI6N4EIpkzInyxDvmZbXpMZ9bhU2DaLRBf0AZBtjxQ49hQpsh1vFxb6yjq4Xiow_pMkE2IRi9aq3JPbR9WA10Wf_wzuCaB69_bmkyFKDELPUKt2WmBkAl27DPxhDq334COk/s320/sunsgrove_sports1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>While the sport doesn't have a name (yet!) we've got some variations on the rules depending on who plays - either Tamian or Lutren. Being a bit more acrobatic, the Tamian variation involves a batter, a home base, and a series of five "bases" located throughout a series of trees. Think of it as a kind of 3-D baseball or cricket - where the Tamian batter hits a ball with a bat and has to make their way to home base by leaping across the trees as quickly as possible avoiding the 11 strategically-situated defenders. However, unlike baseball, the Tamian batter is able to run to any base they want in any order, so long as they don't get tagged out by a defender carrying the ball.<br />
<br />
No batter can occupy the same base at once, but they can run to any base they want as soon as the ball is in the air. This means you could feasibly have five Tamian on base at once. So, why not just immediately go for the home base? The strategy here is how scores are made and counted - the at-bat team gets additional points when they get multiple runs to home base on a single hit.<br />
<br />
Stacking the bases, then, proves a risky but potentially useful strategy in grabbing extra points per run. A single run on a single hit nets 1 point, two runs at once nets 3 points, three runs in a single hit gets 5 points, four runs gets 7 points, and getting a full five runs in a single hit offers 10 points.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2lrL7poJNqU2ekT660DBEj3Rh3slGregMcGMe2VOlTF1lNuDRdajJZnBKaAP0d3T5wRHYDec2IUDuEouYHKUmmbShoh7cQSJsXOGOAZ5_WFdyVOk2j6neLyQAc5SVUHjmvk1MX7NXU3R/s1600/sunsgrove_sports2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM2lrL7poJNqU2ekT660DBEj3Rh3slGregMcGMe2VOlTF1lNuDRdajJZnBKaAP0d3T5wRHYDec2IUDuEouYHKUmmbShoh7cQSJsXOGOAZ5_WFdyVOk2j6neLyQAc5SVUHjmvk1MX7NXU3R/s320/sunsgrove_sports2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
If a batter is unable to hit the ball after three pitches, the batter is out. When an at-bat player is deemed to be out, either by striking out or by getting tagged, they are permanently out until the teams switch. To switch the in-field and at-bat positions, the in-field team must tag out the entire 11 person at-bat team. Games have 3 innings that can stretch into overtime if necessary.<br />
<br />
Similar to cricket, there are no foul balls in the game, however. There are numerous optional field positions that the team captain can deploy their defenders to use to catch balls flying far left, right, even up and behind the batter. If the ball is hit with the bat, it's in play 100% of the time.<br />
<br />
This sport probably won't show up in the comic, at least not the story we're going to be starting with, but it could always show up in other stories!Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-23527290561246428342011-06-22T22:22:00.002-04:002011-06-22T22:26:03.581-04:00LanguagesThis isn't really in keeping with the schedule I'd tried to set for the blog updates, but I figure that with my zany schedule, any time I can stick something cool up, I'd better take advantage of the situation!<br />
<br />
In the first page of the comic, we see a busy market near the Spire District of Gair. Originally, a vendor on this page was selling pottery, and there was text on the table letting us know that's what was being sold. However, looking at this, it was decided that the Felis of Gair (and all races of the land) would probably have their own language and written script they would use in their own cities.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWCCCdFhQSxK5zMnEruGJMk974Q72YDjmSv3Wk6pizW2TiW8EvFvyq_Ysruo5E05g0CptBnYJMEXU2T8uDkomsRbdqYSM-jv3PmYxhHlcWLLnSQv0N5KIyq5RYK113NllZXFTz8dAwesR/s1600/FelisTamianScript.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmWCCCdFhQSxK5zMnEruGJMk974Q72YDjmSv3Wk6pizW2TiW8EvFvyq_Ysruo5E05g0CptBnYJMEXU2T8uDkomsRbdqYSM-jv3PmYxhHlcWLLnSQv0N5KIyq5RYK113NllZXFTz8dAwesR/s400/FelisTamianScript.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>And so this began a discussion as to how the different races' languages would look and sound. For the most part, the written languages were meant to mirror the races they were based on. The Tamian, for example, write with a very thin, vertical, tree-like script, with tense, formality, and even variations on the same word being communicated via "branches" on a core letter.<br />
<br />
The Felis, on the other hand, have a script that's more rounded and "scratchy", inspired by more Oriental-style writing, with some added arcs that fit right into the Felis architectural motifs of Gair.<br />
<br />
As the comic progresses and more of the races' languages are fleshed out, we might put up another one of these kinds of posts, but until then, stay tuned for various comic updates as they occur!Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-10615672482777980282011-06-20T21:24:00.003-04:002011-06-21T21:10:09.753-04:00Quin and CrimWork continues on the comic as always, though we weren't able to quite throw together a post thanks to professional obligations on both our parts. Still, I don't like leaving you folks hanging for too long without some stuff, so here are some new sketches detailing protagonist Quinlan and the combat trainer, Crim. We'll start with Quinlan (and a bit of Janik):<br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGeKVGfpcSl3dqs7ohRnEKvpnhNL5_oY4VDryuBlXyrFXqO90C1axMU6qKs5r_wggN-IuzCTM8YARFOuTDfxNvdF9CDwThK32OZwq5QxO59CQEcWCYBICU4OeCKVrK9R0h5sI9ltJqlYA/s1600/BWD_Quin.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhGeKVGfpcSl3dqs7ohRnEKvpnhNL5_oY4VDryuBlXyrFXqO90C1axMU6qKs5r_wggN-IuzCTM8YARFOuTDfxNvdF9CDwThK32OZwq5QxO59CQEcWCYBICU4OeCKVrK9R0h5sI9ltJqlYA/s320/BWD_Quin.jpg" width="252" /></a></div>Quin and Crim have a bit of history that isn't detailed in the comic, which makes it fairly good fodder for the blog!<br />
<br />
When he was young Quinlan showed great promise in the Tamian martial art known as Tesque. He wasn't spectacular by any means, but the trainers saw potential in him and helped to mold him into one of the best Tesque practitioners in Sunsgrove.<br />
<br />
Crim, however, with his heftier frame and altogether nasty disposition, was passed over for advancement many times. He grew to hate Quinlan, resorting to bullying tactics and altogether striving to make his life miserable.<br />
<br />
When Quinlan tried to personally see to it that Crim was given a fair shake by their instructors, Crim was so enraged at the gesture that he nearly knocked Quinlan unconscious during a sparring match, refusing to let up his offense until their instructors physically separated the two.<br />
<br />
Many years later, and finally matured, the two Tamian came to tolerate each other's presence as best they could. Crim is now fighting at the Tesque Master level, and considers himself to be the finest warrior in the Tamian Kingdom, and also thought he was a shoo-in for Captain of the Royal Guard when the position opened up.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jTQSzcHBTQERCyVJIKvr7H2pvXHO9OOceaV0HzVsUWpojKe4okMlVAxFHAGqxN9Q9otHChBdLSJC8OcotTyPL0UUw9o3PPY3e8EXECsVXyK-JP5Zb1jhYRKDzaeS1MTl3IBGXvTPYKvT/s1600/BWD_Crim.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="290" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-jTQSzcHBTQERCyVJIKvr7H2pvXHO9OOceaV0HzVsUWpojKe4okMlVAxFHAGqxN9Q9otHChBdLSJC8OcotTyPL0UUw9o3PPY3e8EXECsVXyK-JP5Zb1jhYRKDzaeS1MTl3IBGXvTPYKvT/s320/BWD_Crim.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
However, history has a bizarre tendency to repeat itself, and Quinlan was hastily promoted to the position when his grandfather, the former captain, passed away suddenly. In response to the news, Crim vowed that he would publicly embarrass the new captain, proving to all the Tamian people that he was the best fit for the position.<br />
<br />
Whether or not he succeeds in doing so is a story left to the pages of the comic!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div><br />
</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-28079042104766019912011-05-20T20:51:00.000-04:002011-05-20T20:51:28.091-04:00The Generals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Hi everyone! Because we missed our post two weeks ago, I'll try to get in two posts this weekend.</div><br />
Let's start with what the post two weeks ago was supposed to be - character reveals of two of the highest-ranked Canid Generals, the brothers Clovis and Tosch.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHhR4cgOEMWvDoPsiNJ82IWCO99tMa5i5bad7cPHPUc5a12pxovFVO2qC0z1JMtIYbxHVgOvpvM-2MtVDQfwvTWrz-Lu0Uy8Y99rRUeoLn8OYlGdXpHE7WxocdnFbmNyB3EUl5Lum4ebn/s1600/clovis.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxHhR4cgOEMWvDoPsiNJ82IWCO99tMa5i5bad7cPHPUc5a12pxovFVO2qC0z1JMtIYbxHVgOvpvM-2MtVDQfwvTWrz-Lu0Uy8Y99rRUeoLn8OYlGdXpHE7WxocdnFbmNyB3EUl5Lum4ebn/s400/clovis.JPG" width="391" /></a></div>Most Canid are conscripted at the age of 18 for a mandatory ten year period, after which they can choose to be released from duty or continue to climb the ranks of the Canid army. Clovis, however, was conscripted into the military at the age of 12 after displaying a certain unnatural aptitude regarding the art of war.<br />
<br />
While the young Canid easily impressed his many mentors as a child, as he grew older they became increasingly terrified of his skills (and maniacal tendencies). The Canid officers tried to keep him on a proverbial leash, but Clovis was simply too brilliant a tactician to contain.<br />
<br />
When tribes of Ermehn exiles began to step up attacks against the Canid, the military, in a word, "unleashed" Clovis and his brother, Tosch onto the battlefield.<br />
<br />
The Ermehn were routed, degraded, and pushed to the verge of outright extinction. Meanwhile, for doing his part to stem the attacks, Clovis and his brother were both promoted to Master General, the highest rank in the military.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIn1jKuGxwOyDhKpP_xOoEYS67LFlMvqV1zF9Qkt0uMgwvmDSrbSOGDcLb-DKjV-QTQDYQr8DXM6m3rpvgKUxF10BZbmb3czIAWpFXkZH3hLAy2W05x0F5djb5KiU9vtTk5tP9OInV1Nd/s1600/tosch.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDIn1jKuGxwOyDhKpP_xOoEYS67LFlMvqV1zF9Qkt0uMgwvmDSrbSOGDcLb-DKjV-QTQDYQr8DXM6m3rpvgKUxF10BZbmb3czIAWpFXkZH3hLAy2W05x0F5djb5KiU9vtTk5tP9OInV1Nd/s400/tosch.JPG" width="351" /></a></div>Despite Clovis' overt military brilliance, many Canid officers believe that it is his younger brother, the quiet and reserved Tosch, who is the smarter of the pair. While Clovis was busy impressing his superiors and going out of his way to ascend the ranks of the military, Tosch kept himself occupied with study and battlefield theory, honing his technique and letting his brother take all the attention.<br />
<br />
Tosch was not conscripted at the age of 12 as his older brother was - though he still managed to impress his elders and join the military at the age of 15. His position alongside his brother at the head of the Canid military was assured when he successfully defended Deltrada Garrison from a horde of Ermehn warriors despite having no supplies, few soldiers, and no chance of reinforcements.<br />
<br />
What do these Canid generals have in store for our heroes? You'll just have to wait and see in the comic!Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-59597475194137051532011-04-21T23:04:00.000-04:002011-04-21T23:04:33.258-04:00Coloring - and Eisner Stuff!Apologies for the delay in posting this one up - I try to get one up every other weekend, but this specific weekend/week combination has been especially hectic. So, without further ado!<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACWS6FOAn2TEyZRpXJSILrqql7c0T4WbBtEc5Ks6eqpk59aFHgP6TSJHaIRYL2pxZa171-H0LqsEuCWygaMfFLVq4SCLDWP__RJGKvpKKBLaYMHEt6spxAWfwvBSZ48qLOke6rJQ5TDoL/s1600/Mouse+Guard+Legends+HC+Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACWS6FOAn2TEyZRpXJSILrqql7c0T4WbBtEc5Ks6eqpk59aFHgP6TSJHaIRYL2pxZa171-H0LqsEuCWygaMfFLVq4SCLDWP__RJGKvpKKBLaYMHEt6spxAWfwvBSZ48qLOke6rJQ5TDoL/s200/Mouse+Guard+Legends+HC+Cover.jpg" width="200" /></a>As I mentioned a while ago, <a href="http://www.seanrubin.blogspot.com/">Sean Rubin</a> and I did a story that appeared in Mouse Guard: Legends of the Guard. Our story, "Potential", centered around a lone guard trying to stop a bear from attacking a small settlement near the edge of the Territories. Being able to contribute to <a href="http://www.davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">David Petersen's</a> incredible world was a tremendous honor in and of itself, but I was completely unprepared for the events that followed, such as signing copies of the hardcover at New York ComicCon, seeing the collection on the New York Times Best Seller List, and being able to meet and correspond with several of the other creators (all absolutely brilliant people). And now Legends of the Guard Volume 1 has been <a href="http://www.comic-con.org/cci/cci_eisners_main.php">nominated for the "Best Anthology" Eisner Award!</a> David himself picked up a nomination for his cover work on the Legends series - and those <i>were</i> some incredible covers!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div>Rachel and I are, as always, continuing work on Beyond the Western Deep as well! During this crucial phase of development, Rachel is experimenting with various color techniques to try and match the tone of the story and the concept, as well as not being too time-consuming to generate.<br />
<br />
The images below are process pieces of various coloring experiments - neither of which are entirely representative of our "final" direction, but were important steps in trying to weed out problem areas in the various styles. Things like the emphasis on white colors in the top-left and an overall subdued emphasis on the center character have also been addressed in more recent color passes.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzxpOOjC_FBpNnXP_SPO2WgGj407SDVERPz_ul9qdTY1739QC1XITKEi9wI4MizgKDQ22G6C0xpEPX5IM_vF1wNV8WMEQh8s6aaoWpTB3GoaOSpkQV5gMC145tXYwkS7NEO620bhoqHC_/s1600/001_color1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzxpOOjC_FBpNnXP_SPO2WgGj407SDVERPz_ul9qdTY1739QC1XITKEi9wI4MizgKDQ22G6C0xpEPX5IM_vF1wNV8WMEQh8s6aaoWpTB3GoaOSpkQV5gMC145tXYwkS7NEO620bhoqHC_/s320/001_color1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBOLbYsZQgiM_a4OBVS85pgs_x79W8JjZfdFGFOHS6WZ-q2yQFKE0jsSjANMjhh72JAUj30x0kapSWLaoiK-Sda6CdbYW2i5pMuRlTBZdFYlhMZanKMHpnqgXXk5fWu85ACkRBuHs6MkL/s1600/001_color2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgwBOLbYsZQgiM_a4OBVS85pgs_x79W8JjZfdFGFOHS6WZ-q2yQFKE0jsSjANMjhh72JAUj30x0kapSWLaoiK-Sda6CdbYW2i5pMuRlTBZdFYlhMZanKMHpnqgXXk5fWu85ACkRBuHs6MkL/s320/001_color2.png" width="320" /></a></div><br />
The coloring shown here has already been rendered mostly moot by follow-up color passes as Rachel tweaks and experiments with the palette, style, and overall detail. Hopefully by the time the next blog comes up, I'll be able to share a more finalized look at the colors of Beyond the Western Deep.<br />
<br />
</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-57772328359983457582011-04-04T23:05:00.000-04:002011-04-04T23:05:14.101-04:00Progress ReportWe're cranking on the page layouts for the webcomic, trying to get a good backlog of pages in the bag before we get to the eventual online posting. These initial days of production are also fairly important in determining how often the comic will be updated when it hits. One thing Rachel and I are adamant about is making sure that when we say the comic will hit, it hits like clockwork.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvEgqM_vwi66Kx6I7PfwJYNZSgApxQgIV5Ff6wuNH9S0WaqaSBPdgbmAO-EUUvrEDQy52fPsixu2t2IeJ1UQ8T-Mo-qN-PhBESC2cUN9ofBfgYlYH8t5KHBezom1-njsQ4S7CqKDZRLn4/s1600/001_WIP.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidvEgqM_vwi66Kx6I7PfwJYNZSgApxQgIV5Ff6wuNH9S0WaqaSBPdgbmAO-EUUvrEDQy52fPsixu2t2IeJ1UQ8T-Mo-qN-PhBESC2cUN9ofBfgYlYH8t5KHBezom1-njsQ4S7CqKDZRLn4/s320/001_WIP.png" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ink test for an in-progress panel (click to enlarge)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Given the nature of the comic, we're planning on dropping one completed page per update when we do finally get our backlog in the right shape and a website up and running. How long it will take between pages is still TBD based on the next couple weeks of work, but we're confident that once we get a few pages done, we'll have a good idea of what to expect down the line - as these early pages are some of the most complex in the comic and will give us a good estimate for the whole "sketch, iterate, finalize, ink, color, post" process.<br />
<br />
In addition to the in-progress inked panel above, another concept pic from Rachel of a Felis soldier:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YVl2yF-USJWI-SKYKMucUMP19w9rvMawaRIEKywnYMA89hLpdH1GTODIvXHMQCVQ6x0PtG3U_4_MeruNAE-eodoiaK-63cG0ka1KjzQkFzLUfKjp-jgpf1YcKxTGfu3npFFMO97lPhER/s1600/ArmedFelis_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="248" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-YVl2yF-USJWI-SKYKMucUMP19w9rvMawaRIEKywnYMA89hLpdH1GTODIvXHMQCVQ6x0PtG3U_4_MeruNAE-eodoiaK-63cG0ka1KjzQkFzLUfKjp-jgpf1YcKxTGfu3npFFMO97lPhER/s320/ArmedFelis_small.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
As you might recall from a few posts ago, the Felis armor needed some type of layering in order to make it more visually interesting. To fix this, Rachel removed the red and gold cloth sleeves and instead brought that out to the top layer as a tunic, along with adding the red shawl. The Felis soldiers don't appear in the comic until a ways into the story, but we're both pretty happy with this design.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-45756978102152369982011-03-22T22:52:00.000-04:002011-03-22T22:52:55.233-04:00Thumbnail Update and some FiddlingA short progress update and a bit of artwork from Rachel today:<br />
<br />
Thumbnails are progressing on the opening pages currently - originally the introduction called for a relatively short jaunt through the Kisharian city of Gair and into a massive spire structure, where scholarly-looking Felis welcomed an unknown newcomer to their ranks and begin the work of chronicling the stories of Quinlan and Hardin.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJbQphzNDMDr2jOMluCf9nVk0IgVkobB-kE4tOTZR2CDXo1XWgLaBxnmavVBLsCaHTgDyy-8RBwXOZ0ylr1SZTXJfhhMiqvs8Kh-kgVHgxr3HpgfIiKXmtRa2BLpkIWnBi8CzmQVTyUw2/s1600/BWD_introRedux.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="130" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJbQphzNDMDr2jOMluCf9nVk0IgVkobB-kE4tOTZR2CDXo1XWgLaBxnmavVBLsCaHTgDyy-8RBwXOZ0ylr1SZTXJfhhMiqvs8Kh-kgVHgxr3HpgfIiKXmtRa2BLpkIWnBi8CzmQVTyUw2/s400/BWD_introRedux.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A set of in-progress thumbnail sketches for the middle half of the introduction. Obviously these are very rough and incredibly subject to change</td></tr>
</tbody></table>In the new layouts, we're trying not to rush this introduction - after all, this is the reader's very first glimpse into the world of the comic, and first impressions are everything. Because of that, we're giving this unknown character some time to walk to her destination, giving several pages of cityscape and interior architecture as she travels to her destination that will ultimately offer clues to the world and the races living within.<br />
<br />
And here's a little bonus art!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3eDvkx-4gHJ3UaB160BXFPVFzWwoabfQzpgw3xenVPQd_dphyafI9vWZHsksR92GBzOCixmqXVRnoveSdiyL2VKN-gf9fh5eK6wtaySM9fHNjgV_JC1v7upPWZ7aJXbonKRcMXkTKRUa/s1600/DakFiddle_sm.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-3eDvkx-4gHJ3UaB160BXFPVFzWwoabfQzpgw3xenVPQd_dphyafI9vWZHsksR92GBzOCixmqXVRnoveSdiyL2VKN-gf9fh5eK6wtaySM9fHNjgV_JC1v7upPWZ7aJXbonKRcMXkTKRUa/s400/DakFiddle_sm.jpg" width="325" /></a></div><br />
Ever since I started working on integrating the Dakkan character into the story, I've had this belief that he played the fiddle. It always seemed a fairly obvious thing for a freewheeling devil-may-care type like Dakkan to know, and I believe that fitting his skills with the instrument into the story could potentially give more insight into his character.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-88639284909307741672011-03-07T15:06:00.000-05:002011-03-07T15:06:35.166-05:00Updated Race Designs: Polcan and Canid<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This post is a bit late, so I have to apologize about that - it's been a rather hectic two weeks, with a business trip to LA and then a holiday in <st1:country-region><st1:place>Ireland</st1:place></st1:country-region>. There will no doubt be a lot of work at the office for the next couple weeks as I play catch-up, so I figured I’d better put this post up before work starts anew tomorrow.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Concluding this series on the updated webcomic race designs, we’ve got the pirate-race of the Polcan and the military-obsessed Canid.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJ8AAhSK-tS4LDYKYd48SzmeoueQZJLkgG6zG2truRyJuuz2hho16RF4_fyCI1mP8igp-6JQNxjmzL9ybwbL0fkebzanJ2v-pga1Llj7pYggpZdjht6O0oRYCZjyLkdmOj2Di3s0aMY6k/s1600/polcan_chase.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="188" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNJ8AAhSK-tS4LDYKYd48SzmeoueQZJLkgG6zG2truRyJuuz2hho16RF4_fyCI1mP8igp-6JQNxjmzL9ybwbL0fkebzanJ2v-pga1Llj7pYggpZdjht6O0oRYCZjyLkdmOj2Di3s0aMY6k/s400/polcan_chase.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A mob of Polcan hunt down a Lutren soldier</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="MsoNormal">The Polcan don’t have much of a role in the webcomic’s tale, but they do show up in crowd scenes and play a part in the introduction, which necessitates us knowing how the Polcan will look. In the prequel story we were working on, the Polcan actually played a much larger role, giving us ample opportunity to work on their background and what differentiates their society from the others in the Four Kingdoms.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeJwvqckCmCn_x1UjNMtyOKVIHDiJ-RiFCWCxIfJN4dixN6-qFONqbLEK7zg6rPTNDZKlo3xRyY3U0os2v2tCaoVgesFXsAdv1NB0Y3YIG_I_ga26uQRc6XM1m_5lpNuhL19F6AaSoFJ7/s1600/polcanCostume.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyeJwvqckCmCn_x1UjNMtyOKVIHDiJ-RiFCWCxIfJN4dixN6-qFONqbLEK7zg6rPTNDZKlo3xRyY3U0os2v2tCaoVgesFXsAdv1NB0Y3YIG_I_ga26uQRc6XM1m_5lpNuhL19F6AaSoFJ7/s320/polcanCostume.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER6Elt2SJrtpalqX6HLxojmsxNKwVo7tcClDTAk5L9sfxgYAh1PNQ-yj9TPKWtWH1gTjCUlN1AYoasscrZXiK1bOXrKtIzDJp1-Qw769Pm-u55HK9LFAKs05jbV-SCbbTmv0oNGq-TwPT/s1600/polcan_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgER6Elt2SJrtpalqX6HLxojmsxNKwVo7tcClDTAk5L9sfxgYAh1PNQ-yj9TPKWtWH1gTjCUlN1AYoasscrZXiK1bOXrKtIzDJp1-Qw769Pm-u55HK9LFAKs05jbV-SCbbTmv0oNGq-TwPT/s200/polcan_1.JPG" width="132" /></a>After terrible drought and constant warfare, the Polcan were forced to flee their home of Rochas’Ve across the <st1:place><st1:placename>Western</st1:placename> <st1:placetype>Seas</st1:placetype></st1:place> in search of new land. History isn’t clear about what happened when the first Polcan ships ran into Lutren fishing vessels, but it is very clear that the situation did not end well.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To differentiate the Polcan from the other races of the Four Kingdoms, given their foreigner status, Rachel came up with the idea of giving them bronze armor instead of the standard iron and steel. Their color scheme became bronze and purple – though their actual clothing design is meant to be ragged and slapped together, altogether signifying their race’s fall from grace.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivny4hGfGIfoPDeA5QtY-WULfF9h15QPPR4yIjLfv1GTtrG0VGqDFIICd_ZD43hBqXTiT6pru9ydnAAn0X1IYM_KVPKYBnKq7tXN_L8pBVcxddkEM8JbbjUDoYcIkLex1DbSxU80QGDaxa/s1600/canid_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivny4hGfGIfoPDeA5QtY-WULfF9h15QPPR4yIjLfv1GTtrG0VGqDFIICd_ZD43hBqXTiT6pru9ydnAAn0X1IYM_KVPKYBnKq7tXN_L8pBVcxddkEM8JbbjUDoYcIkLex1DbSxU80QGDaxa/s320/canid_2.JPG" width="170" /></a>As in the original version of the story, the Canid play a major part in the webcomic tale. However, because Canid society only appeared in a single panel in the original first “issue” of the story, their armor designs were never really fleshed out. All we knew was that of all the races, the Canid would have the heaviest and most resilient armor. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This meant giving them large chest plates, flowing capes, and emphasizing “pieces” of armor connecting together in numerous joints. While they may not benefit from the layered clothing designs of the other races, the Canid armor still needed to look visually interesting, hence the current direction.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
Another concept Rachel toyed with was the idea of giving the Canid (and a few of the other races of the kingdoms) pet birds. While the owls pictured here may not reflect the final designs, I liked the concept and think the addition of birds into the various societies open up some great opportunities, logistical, visual, and story-wise.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WD8mnl3iuENTJivGdwp7FRXg_TXuviHErllaPOb6ttEnIR8l9TLKxX-LHMWoghyCeS2Ey8LTtBQtGjJ-fmknhJmFspI-cKGUOvfFxAXz2fcqkJ240alROQ3wYD5TlNl0YO61EfAxjVDx/s1600/canid_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3WD8mnl3iuENTJivGdwp7FRXg_TXuviHErllaPOb6ttEnIR8l9TLKxX-LHMWoghyCeS2Ey8LTtBQtGjJ-fmknhJmFspI-cKGUOvfFxAXz2fcqkJ240alROQ3wYD5TlNl0YO61EfAxjVDx/s320/canid_1.JPG" width="210" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-38126471674108049872011-02-21T08:50:00.002-05:002011-02-21T08:59:13.977-05:00Updated Race Designs: Tamian and Ermehn<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz7raOtvkgpFV51WXnV9kAYMt2apUh14Jl3150d2KFXDCbW_5ZtOt-wQtP_knoGBhtN3WUFZxY1v5P_MG7UCmfTpM6PK-7aAAVUNh3a6bt0h2E6lu3qi5Ch2kln73NrAjHJ80KvW3JOoV/s1600/quinlan_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxz7raOtvkgpFV51WXnV9kAYMt2apUh14Jl3150d2KFXDCbW_5ZtOt-wQtP_knoGBhtN3WUFZxY1v5P_MG7UCmfTpM6PK-7aAAVUNh3a6bt0h2E6lu3qi5Ch2kln73NrAjHJ80KvW3JOoV/s320/quinlan_1.JPG" width="244" /></a></div>Continuing the theme from the last production update, I thought I'd share a little bit about more the updates we're pursuing for the various races of the Four Kingdoms.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6vVqp9_FHh5XjE71SE8MejNtbeGacq8owzJQGRJ0B3XQfR-8w27isvF88QH-UozNDlEWsxLMFp0InPyZFo2zzanjcVaGO29_DHcdktKAA71fW27Cv92GXfMttGEkQxcR8CaGwRk-3ltY/s1600/tamian_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiP6vVqp9_FHh5XjE71SE8MejNtbeGacq8owzJQGRJ0B3XQfR-8w27isvF88QH-UozNDlEWsxLMFp0InPyZFo2zzanjcVaGO29_DHcdktKAA71fW27Cv92GXfMttGEkQxcR8CaGwRk-3ltY/s200/tamian_1.JPG" width="183" /></a></div>Of all the races in the comic, the Tamian have probably experienced the fewest number of changes since the original pitch went out. Instead of altering their look, we focused more on creating a cohesiveness to protagonist Quinlan's attire and trying to expand that out to other Tamian scouts. This character on the right, Miren, was meant to appear in our prequel tale as a precursor to Quinlan.<br />
<br />
As you can see, her outfit really isn't that dissimilar to Quinlan's. The layered tunic design remains, along with the hood (which Quinlan hasn't worn up yet, but Miren does). Miren's addition to the Tamian scout uniform is the chest piece. The one here is mostly ceremonial, as a scout would not rely on it over their natural agility when it comes to defense. The chest piece would primarily be fashioned from Treewalker chitin - a symbol of that scout's first kill. Many greenhorn scouts would be shown the ropes at once, and the carapace of a giant Treewalker would be enough to fashion ceremonical chestplates for all scouts in the party.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQR4GFf9mt0sIMjICqKcnvnk6Lv-Glec17GlnePcEQaGd1h9jZerT6EIwee1MG2K78CHmHmtVAePgK74GtD-rLaQh4ACJATS1chhwIrXw7lSE-ae2W8jcKioAvRdhKrnkc7mH1nySDARZv/s1600/tamian_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQR4GFf9mt0sIMjICqKcnvnk6Lv-Glec17GlnePcEQaGd1h9jZerT6EIwee1MG2K78CHmHmtVAePgK74GtD-rLaQh4ACJATS1chhwIrXw7lSE-ae2W8jcKioAvRdhKrnkc7mH1nySDARZv/s200/tamian_3.JPG" width="132" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>The other race I'll show off today is the Ermehn. After losing their homeland to the Canid many years prior, the Ermehn have been relocated to the hostile Northern Wastes, forced to scavenge for food and shelter daily.<br />
<br />
Their lifestyle and surroundings don't really allow for heavy armor or ceremonial garb, so they make do with what cloth scraps they can muster up. Instead of focusing on ornamental armor to denote their respective clans, the Ermehn rely on tattoos and paint applied to their fur, with patterns ranging from simple to complex. In most cases, the application of these marks is considered permanent. If an Ermehn is disowned by their clan, it can result in the forceful removal of these marks, which can be painful, if not deadly for the victim.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmeO9s8PiwGbRVXkVJ4Llm2J1eY593KtDPhSOWdIqbxFgSqLtDuxI3KYZfB76mEomHWNjJQKo_1vVAlxsP4n2OVEGfadmN6fo6ZE-vly8DabRO6OWtjbe7wMbb276Pqx_21vCa46O5TXg/s1600/ermehn_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidmeO9s8PiwGbRVXkVJ4Llm2J1eY593KtDPhSOWdIqbxFgSqLtDuxI3KYZfB76mEomHWNjJQKo_1vVAlxsP4n2OVEGfadmN6fo6ZE-vly8DabRO6OWtjbe7wMbb276Pqx_21vCa46O5TXg/s400/ermehn_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
The Ermehn clothing style is similar to the one Rachel and I used in the original pitch, though the addition of heavier cloth, various wrappings, and winter cloaks all became more prominent in the recent designs. The Ermehn travel across some positively brutal terrain in the Northern Wastes, so making sure they had proper protection - even with their familiarity with cold lands - was essential this time around.<br />
<br />
Next time I'll wrap up our tour of the comic's race updates by covering the Polcan and Canid races.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-29342908586594204212011-02-08T07:32:00.001-05:002011-02-08T07:45:23.693-05:00Brian Jacques - 1939-2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Aclre6omljjLuOB6lhBEVrjfcNRethIujuQmJoVQShIM131zRbgBPUsb-GI7Z2tv0XDegRpT-kv_BMZOnyUd4mwej3MB2QZLpGcoCYU6kYmbk8UbHuBTxKwxHlc5RrnASz85j2NT0HEH/s1600/Tapestry.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_Aclre6omljjLuOB6lhBEVrjfcNRethIujuQmJoVQShIM131zRbgBPUsb-GI7Z2tv0XDegRpT-kv_BMZOnyUd4mwej3MB2QZLpGcoCYU6kYmbk8UbHuBTxKwxHlc5RrnASz85j2NT0HEH/s400/Tapestry.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
It's not very often when somebody creates a world so imaginative, so influential, that generations of creators call on it as their inspiration. This past weekend, the creative world lost a giant - a man who crafted a world of woodland creatures living in an Abbey in the middle of Mossflower Wood, and created a community of fans and admirers that I sincerely hope will continue to be influenced by his incredible body of work for years to come.<br />
<br />
In a world that changes on the whims of focus groups and sales charts, here was a man who honestly did not care about any of those things. The Redwall series transcended reviews and bestseller lists. The Redwall series simply was - and every year, almost like clockwork, another book came out that you could read, each one offering a simple guarantee that for a short amount of time, you would be whisked away to the world you'd been reading of since childhood, and it would always be the same, always safe, always familiar, no matter how dark or dreary the real world became.<br />
<br />
Despite the fact that my one personal meeting with Mr. Jacques did not go very well (it involved a Redwall video game pitch back in 2004, and interviews have since proven that this was not an idea he was very keen on), I owe him so very much. To thank him for the Redwall series itself seems insignificant - instead, I look beyond it to see that Rachel and I would probably not know each other if there was no Redwall series, and this comic tale, this world, these characters - they simply would not exist without the Redwall series as a guiding light in our early years.<br />
<br />
My long-standing and irreplaceable friendship with <a href="http://seanrubin.blogspot.com/">Sean Rubin</a> began with that Redwall video game pitch - and other friendships I cherish (Kristen, Vero, Zach, everyone - too many to list) began with a common interest in the Redwall series. My work on <a href="http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">David Petersen's</a> Mouse Guard series would not have come to pass either, without the series' incredible impression on both his work, my work, Sean's work, and our friendship. Truth be told, most of my personal creative endeavors are due to Brian Jacques and the fantasy series he created.<br />
<br />
I don't know what the future holds for the Redwall series now - but I know that regardless of what happens with the series proper, that it will continue to evolve and improve in the hearts and minds of the creators it inspired. Redwall was more than a book series to me - it was and always will be an idea; a creative spark that, as long as we continue to hold it with us, will never die.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-26616616913728647782011-02-05T21:42:00.003-05:002011-02-05T21:45:31.279-05:00Updated Race Designs: Vulpin and FelisIt's been almost two weeks, time for another update!<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: right;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKpbVUNtN4chPw6kII2jG6xh2pc32ItAd_mQzQ1znQk5c5G6R6_bvySsiZ8sSM5lKqBmtPHebTmkiEKPqN_NgTyxv5MpYdqWGXyFGFY31cVIqf_oBVjYW1YLa7_B_IcZqDceYPSbT85tU/s1600/vulpin_1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFKpbVUNtN4chPw6kII2jG6xh2pc32ItAd_mQzQ1znQk5c5G6R6_bvySsiZ8sSM5lKqBmtPHebTmkiEKPqN_NgTyxv5MpYdqWGXyFGFY31cVIqf_oBVjYW1YLa7_B_IcZqDceYPSbT85tU/s320/vulpin_1.JPG" width="198" /></a></div>After spending some time updating the Lutren clothing and armor and making it look more cohesive with Lutren culture, Rachel and I set about defining new looks for the other major races of the Four Kingdoms. While some things are still being tweaked, I thought I'd share some of the in-progress designs Rachel and I are examining.<br />
<br />
For the desert-dwelling Vulpin, Rachel's first order of business was to do away with the concept of a "woodland" fox as the basis for their design, instead drawing more inspiration from the kit fox and other desert-dwelling species. The newer design sports a wider face, with eyes, nose, and mouth being relatively close together in the center, and larger ears set high up on their heads.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V3yqDos24ZSqr47f-3P15FoOWFfy_FXzzTsmBj4YXGhfNkGTz24ZyuYk2MadeOQ5A_72dr06nMy3ihTw0ZwpjxdBm7QEqwVbBAL-3eLij-f-iYxnDg1dcI8MiBloXqBDj-v-MvbYk7uP/s1600/vulpin_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0V3yqDos24ZSqr47f-3P15FoOWFfy_FXzzTsmBj4YXGhfNkGTz24ZyuYk2MadeOQ5A_72dr06nMy3ihTw0ZwpjxdBm7QEqwVbBAL-3eLij-f-iYxnDg1dcI8MiBloXqBDj-v-MvbYk7uP/s200/vulpin_2.JPG" width="100" /></a></div>The end result, I think, makes them look less like a caricature of the usual fox-type characters you see these days, and helps to establish them as their own race free of the usual stereotypes one normally associates with a "fox" character.<br />
<br />
The clothing and armor for the Vulpin pulled inspiration from a number of sources, from your prototypical Saracen warrior to the Ottomans. A number of these elements came together to form the basis of the Vulpin "look".<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The other race I'll show today is the Felis - the cat-like race that hails from the kingdom of Kishar on the eastern coasts. While the Felis are celebrated explorers, scientists and navigators (natural curiosity, you see), they also have a rather impressive army, and that required some imposing armor detailing.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjAY3OU-rYRucD43bxn-8GFzx2m5EU68OBU2LeVpF8Cr2WVH5MsnFjdTtCWy8odTgERWsnAXW50q2vMqElePazUorCjUOp8ld_bfU7czY_2pav9hVLqZ7txp909TwdM_vKHjnMKmMBZQM/s1600/felis_1.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="158" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyjAY3OU-rYRucD43bxn-8GFzx2m5EU68OBU2LeVpF8Cr2WVH5MsnFjdTtCWy8odTgERWsnAXW50q2vMqElePazUorCjUOp8ld_bfU7czY_2pav9hVLqZ7txp909TwdM_vKHjnMKmMBZQM/s320/felis_1.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: right;"></div>One thing Rachel did here that I really like is emphasize the eyes - feline eyes are very striking, and creating a helmet design that isolates them from the rest of the face makes for a very unsettling look that would strike fear into any opponent.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocIKgciTXqyUJ1qosIjqO3RhTGWMVM8IE0pn8QNWyWVUoxvFbilpO-OCxC0uqfA6HH2WErRAdJs7FjUr8OjwvDWUv2kihG5Hk05vUpsTh8URUwZ73CzkjKJqMGrXfeA18TgYL0EYC9szm/s1600/felis_2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgocIKgciTXqyUJ1qosIjqO3RhTGWMVM8IE0pn8QNWyWVUoxvFbilpO-OCxC0uqfA6HH2WErRAdJs7FjUr8OjwvDWUv2kihG5Hk05vUpsTh8URUwZ73CzkjKJqMGrXfeA18TgYL0EYC9szm/s320/felis_2.JPG" width="275" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
The armor designs take some pages from Viking designs, and have hints of the Roman Centurians as well. These will be updated to include some more interesting visual layers on the torso/legs so it's not dominated by a single texture, but overall I'm quite pleased with the first stages of this armor update.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EvOVD1EiQM1FHLuE-V7_UtNGZpRB0EoWIEXoZRpg1o6OOwkp9UXNvlz6ELGkCsPq4qG091-aqjVoDudsyV9AvzOrQJDRado_g8RUlNqcxLAqHyFiVS2C1n5ix13cpYcY6-NkolbTYPqU/s1600/felis_3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-EvOVD1EiQM1FHLuE-V7_UtNGZpRB0EoWIEXoZRpg1o6OOwkp9UXNvlz6ELGkCsPq4qG091-aqjVoDudsyV9AvzOrQJDRado_g8RUlNqcxLAqHyFiVS2C1n5ix13cpYcY6-NkolbTYPqU/s200/felis_3.JPG" width="156" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
The original Felis scholars wore robes that would have seemed at home in the Roman Senate, but the plain white just wasn't very interesting - so Rachel took a stab at a new design - one that hinted at self-importance and vanity, as these scholars think quite highly of themselves. The new design uses the Felis color scheme as well.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
For reference, these are the other color schemes for the races in "Beyond the Western Deep":<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Um2b4VHMYQJJZh0IHceKPClKwsWqka0Zij5-rJXSOLMrB3qiq02J2J6J3Od1sCV7R6AHTVNeY4fHfIlvnU6rGDxj6bbWEyElzBKYZweVSU4wkWdndIdFAqyRUfTMvWTBvnQdzaofJyC8/s1600/race_colors.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="65" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4Um2b4VHMYQJJZh0IHceKPClKwsWqka0Zij5-rJXSOLMrB3qiq02J2J6J3Od1sCV7R6AHTVNeY4fHfIlvnU6rGDxj6bbWEyElzBKYZweVSU4wkWdndIdFAqyRUfTMvWTBvnQdzaofJyC8/s320/race_colors.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Each one has their own dominant colors, so even if you don't see anything but a little blob of colors, you'll know which kingdom that blob of colors belongs to.<br />
<br />
These new race designs are quite important right off the bat, as the comic opens on a massive cityscape, showing many races milling about the Felis city of Gair. This requires core outfit design for the various races to be solidified so we can make sure their representations in the first few panels match their appearances later on in the comic as well.<br />
<br />
In our next couple posts, we'll go into more of the updated character designs, including those for the Tamian, Ermehn, Polcan, and Canid races.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-85846231048475631752011-01-24T22:09:00.001-05:002011-01-24T22:21:09.045-05:00We're Back!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Wow, it's been a long time since October, hasn't it? Actually, it's been a long time since any update on The Four Kingdoms - so I guess it's about time for some new news! Despite some definite interest in the comic pitch at NYCC last October, there haven't been any bites as of yet.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ytnonfn-16TeEO_VUTbeVCMkl84ruQk9OXWN4xx0Sx9-SAuPy1rRbsuQPV8MEoKUuB8Cbn7fZyi0IaOE0ucPOAE5MUBghvU6leIXmVWls0o_2nHojiaM4TUCnXCoom2Op5ROTf579ksx/s1600/BWD_group.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0ytnonfn-16TeEO_VUTbeVCMkl84ruQk9OXWN4xx0Sx9-SAuPy1rRbsuQPV8MEoKUuB8Cbn7fZyi0IaOE0ucPOAE5MUBghvU6leIXmVWls0o_2nHojiaM4TUCnXCoom2Op5ROTf579ksx/s200/BWD_group.jpg" width="195" /></a></div>These past five or so months have been dedicated to a few different projects, ranging from a new one-sheet pitch of the comic to a possible webcomic prequel detailing the first days of the Four Kingdoms War.<br />
<br />
After some helpful suggestions from fellow comic creators, Rachel and I have decided to begin producing our story as a webcomic series. Instead of being a prequel, however, we will be telling the story that was originally pitched, and the one that we've been detailing in this blog since the very first post. While things are still a little ways off before we can start posting material, we plan to keep what followers we have up to date on how the comic is coming along as we put the webcomic and its respective site together.<br />
<br />
Again, sorry it's been so long since our last post - now that we're back to producing the comic, you can expect more frequent updates here - we'll shoot for one new update every 1-2 weeks with in-progress material to show off, and some in-depth stuff regarding all the changes we've made to the story over the last few months.<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirtH01D9ZbiA3thcD0-NFUNRxKlLEBXXmNryC1cI_vZ3etZpmFgjo8t5AfFHG3a0quODkQh6oSHbDCF1u6AmydPNdlmLE_0dz9UG3U0qeIvvGnK1LTkQu8v3HIlnEmCdQ69sHh7M6f0Zy/s1600/BWD_thumbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="120" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjirtH01D9ZbiA3thcD0-NFUNRxKlLEBXXmNryC1cI_vZ3etZpmFgjo8t5AfFHG3a0quODkQh6oSHbDCF1u6AmydPNdlmLE_0dz9UG3U0qeIvvGnK1LTkQu8v3HIlnEmCdQ69sHh7M6f0Zy/s400/BWD_thumbs.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click for Full-Size</td></tr>
</tbody></table>What exactly are those changes, you might ask? Well, for starters, we've abandoned the 17 x 26 cm page size. For those not into the metric system, those dimensions hash out to the much more convoluted 6.625 x 10.25 inches - also known as the current "standard" American comic book size. Funny thing about standards is that people like to buck them!<br />
<br />
After some experimentation, we've decided that the up-and-coming SQUARE format will be our modus operandi going forward. <a href="http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">David Petersen</a> has been a vocal proponent of the format he pioneered with Mouse Guard, and with good reason - square pages are easier to block out, easier to panel, and easier to read. And should one decide to print them out, you'll find they're easier to hold as well.<br />
<br />
Other changes are more story-related. The script and story outline have both undergone considerable edits, though I am quite sure they are for the better. Even the characters themselves, as you can see from the concept art, have undergone some aesthetic changes based on further experimentation with the various races and their cultures.<br />
<br />
To help illustrate just one of the more noticeable character design changes, Rachel put together this fantastic "before and after" piece to explain our creative process here:<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix85iiR3gehZBl8T4vmBow7rK5SusY2QRqhE_X2y-Q1sHENMRFSOSgfxRU4Vo1CC_I1EIvXDZpt4JeMOIjdKhx5tFNA8gozz-o4RHpf4g9qSt6PYt_X43P-SOI4HTfiB0nd9yBHDHTXhsd/s1600/LutrenDesign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix85iiR3gehZBl8T4vmBow7rK5SusY2QRqhE_X2y-Q1sHENMRFSOSgfxRU4Vo1CC_I1EIvXDZpt4JeMOIjdKhx5tFNA8gozz-o4RHpf4g9qSt6PYt_X43P-SOI4HTfiB0nd9yBHDHTXhsd/s640/LutrenDesign.jpg" width="289" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Click for Full-Size</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Perhaps the most obvious change thus far is the name. "The Four Kingdoms", while still adequately describing the continent that the story takes place in, will no longer be the name of this tale. While the name holds a special place in my heart, since it was the original name for long, it was never a particularly good name. There are simply too many "Kingdom" stories out there, and finding a good name for the comic became a long and arduous challenge. Finally, we settled on a name - one that calls up the forest that surrounds Quinlan's home city of Terria.<br />
<br />
The new name of this story is to be "Beyond the Western Deep".<br />
<br />
Rachel and I are very excited to be working on new content for this tale, and we hope you'll stick around for the ride as we commence full production on this new webcomic venture.<br />
<div><br />
</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-22733472803244954952010-08-07T22:12:00.000-04:002010-08-07T22:12:12.502-04:00Pitch Away!Sorry for the long delay, folks! Truth to be told, since the pitch was completed and printed up, not a whole lot has happened on the Four Kingdoms front! After the pitch was completed, Rachel and I got the pages together and self-published a "pitch issue" to pass around to potential publishers. As we learned from the behind-the-scenes on the "Feeding Ground" pitch, having something printed up to look and feel like an actual comic is a huge advantage over a stapled bunch of 8.5x11's.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUBuribAkbLsCgg4ZDnDt0Gc6pezaIA07leCjv0jcWI4hKEGYCO6xclSU7n9LWxUjL-ZaYKJz0JDb0JahgaqsugxT8jJi79lAL14oyeVxaVz-qYeXvmD3p5LcQq0CXKIuzR-5ExwfG1Mj/s1600/photo+(1).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiIUBuribAkbLsCgg4ZDnDt0Gc6pezaIA07leCjv0jcWI4hKEGYCO6xclSU7n9LWxUjL-ZaYKJz0JDb0JahgaqsugxT8jJi79lAL14oyeVxaVz-qYeXvmD3p5LcQq0CXKIuzR-5ExwfG1Mj/s320/photo+(1).JPG" /></a></div>So, thanks to Comixpress, we were able to compile the pages together into our pitch issue, and it turned out perfectly! The box arrived sooner than expected, and now it's just a matter of getting it out so the right people can see it.<br />
<br />
Chances are pretty high that we'll be hanging onto most of these suckers until New York ComicCon rolls around in October, as that will be the best opportunity to show it around to various publishers. Many a deal has been struck at NYCC, and we hope that we get that right pair of eyes on the pitch at just that right moment. As with all pitches, there is absolutely no guarantee of success, but Rachel and I are confident in the quality of The Four Kingdoms, and we hope that come October, we'll have some good news for you!<br />
<br />
In the meantime, Rachel and I are keeping blogs outside the realm of the comic itself that focus on our individual endeavors - Rachel's blog can be found at <a href="http://ninjaweasels.blogspot.com/">ninjaweasels.blogspot.com</a>, and I keep a personal blog now at <a href="http://alexkain.blogspot.com/">alexkain.blogspot.com</a>.Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-13888797129717586572010-05-23T10:06:00.000-04:002010-05-23T10:06:24.796-04:00Pitch Complete!Just a few days ago, I shipped off the complete set of pages over to Comixpress to print up our "Four Kingdoms Pitch" issue. It was a pretty momentous occasion for Rachel and myself, since we'd been working on it in some capacity or another since 2008 - creating the world, iterating on the character designs, doing the whole first issue roughs, then finally assembling the various pieces of the pitch.<br />
<div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJzWTniunRqXHts2SYX7-5gupRlgNm-gKrCz5Uo7DCABPRKyhBcegdBZvNJ0a_q8cNipaRGTZdB3-M2KnVwPIe5Lw3F5V8Z2thb9a2RPccgo0DxTifct4iKQVDkOGO0CO2YIEXtKFuupW/s1600/03-tableContents+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRJzWTniunRqXHts2SYX7-5gupRlgNm-gKrCz5Uo7DCABPRKyhBcegdBZvNJ0a_q8cNipaRGTZdB3-M2KnVwPIe5Lw3F5V8Z2thb9a2RPccgo0DxTifct4iKQVDkOGO0CO2YIEXtKFuupW/s320/03-tableContents+copy.jpg" /></a></div><div>What you see here is the table of contents for the pitch. As I've mentioned before a couple of times, the layout of the pitch was inspired by Stephen Christy (editor in chief over at Archaia) and a commentary he did via Twitter a while back on a pitch he'd received.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The biggest concern I had was fitting the proposal onto a single page. Getting the story across in as concise a manner as possible was really important for me, as it is a rather complex story and summing it up in a line or two can be tricky. Thanks to this one-pager, though, I can take elements from it and sum things up nicely and quickly.</div><div><br />
</div><div>The pitch contains a one-page proposal, a section detailing the five main characters of the series (Quinlan, Dakkan, Kenosh, Janik, and Hardin), a summary for each of the series' proposed eight issues, a section detailing the Four Kingdoms (called "The World Before History" because the first story takes place before proper historians have begun to chronicle events beyond myth and conjecture), a series of completed sample pages from the first issue, three covers, and the entire script for the first issue.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Also, hey! That there's a map!</div><div><br />
</div><div>*ahem*</div><div><br />
</div><div>Anyway, now that the pitch itself is complete, there won't be a whole lot of new material in the way of Four Kingdoms - at least art-wise. I'm sure I'll be writing some new stuff, fleshing out the world here and there. In the interim, however, don't be surprised if I or Rachel stick updates on here related more to our other works and interests. For example, expect to see some treatises here related to game design from me, and some discourse from Rachel on art and animation. It's all part of our plan to make this blog more than a niche production news site :)</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-32773558069309892882010-05-01T16:00:00.000-04:002010-05-01T16:00:00.042-04:00Janik and Hardin emerge!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Well, we promised two more character portraits earlier, and here's a little update for them! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1ExNVCotxiMafxJjtjPy5wMoPPZGnGMgqYcWU5bn5o56P2ba1h7Zdc6hZhve2nNnAbyGyf7YI4Curoli6-YhTkw1ynF-IpZUi6cLUC-R8etxFCOrxkG_dsPoqMBf9FYxKago4mDcEDBMW/s200/JanikBio_WIP3.jpg" width="200" /></div><br />
Janik is a close friend of Quin's... <i>very</i> close. Of course, what with his whole world getting flipped on its head lately, Quin isn't being particularly mindful of their relationship. While Janik understands, she is more than a little frustrated with Quin's unwillingness to take responsibility for his life. After all, that isn't difficult for <i>her</i>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eMvJufbegtTYcNgkq0J6Dp1zVcqnK9hxH9qjD3eMQ2JleaEJ3YBQ5Wm_mlFAPPszz7DDi6KH7LfX_7Fuu3wUXoFPthZJ2gIDXBUuHeuCTiAao5Mx2zbxKLnUwwJtMQrlp0QIuqn-S7SF/s1600/HardinBio_small3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_eMvJufbegtTYcNgkq0J6Dp1zVcqnK9hxH9qjD3eMQ2JleaEJ3YBQ5Wm_mlFAPPszz7DDi6KH7LfX_7Fuu3wUXoFPthZJ2gIDXBUuHeuCTiAao5Mx2zbxKLnUwwJtMQrlp0QIuqn-S7SF/s320/HardinBio_small3.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Hardin is the leader of a tribe of warriors and is largely responsible for disrupting the peaceful status quo in the Four Kingdoms. He sees no problem in using force to get what he wants, but then again force is really the only option he has left...Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-27243314006051195372010-04-12T20:21:00.000-04:002010-04-12T20:25:22.161-04:00Character PortraitsOf the various sections in the pitch for "The Four Kingdoms", the character profile pictures are a prominent section that helps put the entire story summary into context. Aside from the cover image itself (which I might be posting up here soon), this is the reader's first glimpse of the characters. Each portrait had to encompass that character's personality, their role in the story, pretty much everything you'd need to know about the character - just from a single picture!<br />
<br />
I'll be posting new character portraits here with each new update, giving quick recaps on the characters and the process we went through to get the character portraits done up.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div><br />
</div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf0-vUCgdYtNab8_T_2j678AdcPm_SM4XPz42a4Cwuc1mqqszOkhgTEtJoLMjhyphenhypheny23Q8OB1St3r-CbUSDeOSTNsrhLl8zrd9dHUgSEDoBLVz82w5KcFB2BAGVSy4tMZ2CaPKVn8oE9Zr-/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuf0-vUCgdYtNab8_T_2j678AdcPm_SM4XPz42a4Cwuc1mqqszOkhgTEtJoLMjhyphenhypheny23Q8OB1St3r-CbUSDeOSTNsrhLl8zrd9dHUgSEDoBLVz82w5KcFB2BAGVSy4tMZ2CaPKVn8oE9Zr-/s320/Untitled.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>We actually started not with sketches, but with a series of written character descriptions. Rachel and I were already familiar with each character's look and personality, but the first thing we wanted to do was create a scene for each character so that the portrait felt like it was part of a larger narrative. For example:<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK71HGPYKOhFQLzmIiszMpd2boM5gip_QXEzehHzDZWxVhUFVMDIRpAB2FpweU8N2KOFmbfvV8H5jeJ8j_N3jjlxZ0gAWgLa9AD2P-u_tQi8Grf8qOpPy5N8wVYtLiVpGlAtHqbFZoQewx/s1600/01_QuinlanBio_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK71HGPYKOhFQLzmIiszMpd2boM5gip_QXEzehHzDZWxVhUFVMDIRpAB2FpweU8N2KOFmbfvV8H5jeJ8j_N3jjlxZ0gAWgLa9AD2P-u_tQi8Grf8qOpPy5N8wVYtLiVpGlAtHqbFZoQewx/s320/01_QuinlanBio_small.jpg" width="281" /></a><b>Quinlan</b>: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">He waits alone, thinking. Wondering. Mind elsewhere, his bow held fast. Half-attentive, he looks out into the forest from his perch on the high branch, searching for intruders. His mind is instead focusing on a great many other things - tomorrow, he will no longer be a scout, protecting his borders. Instead, he will be at the heart of everything - the capital city, the king's chambers, </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">exactly</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> where he </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">doesn't</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> want to be. Already he wears the uniform, but it doesn't feel right to him - like he's in another's person's skin, wearing a costume. He waits, crouched on the branch in the middle of the Western Deep, bow in hands, a quiver of arrows on his back.</span></span><br />
<br />
With that description, and descriptions for the other major characters in the first issue, Rachel set to work on a series of sketches, some of which can be seen above. Quinlan's was meant to be a bit morose without him looking too pathetic. Dakkan's was meant to make him look carefree and contemplative. Kenosh's was meant to portray a tense scene in the Lutren senate as he convinces them to send his peace envoy to the north. The final versions of Dakkan and Kenosh are below - I'll post up the other two soon!<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0AbqZPr2-mPgmFkQNezbvfD-Mg6SJDe4KhpQ07wx-1N1jBGqtrliO95brrvlah-1fyS0O3w3L4lbrgK9_JNPUMah1OFn79zs4GAVijA3g6kVX59jn7j_Djvseu3_kpPbfdkbJsPQlEek/s1600/02_DakkanBio_WIP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="316" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0AbqZPr2-mPgmFkQNezbvfD-Mg6SJDe4KhpQ07wx-1N1jBGqtrliO95brrvlah-1fyS0O3w3L4lbrgK9_JNPUMah1OFn79zs4GAVijA3g6kVX59jn7j_Djvseu3_kpPbfdkbJsPQlEek/s320/02_DakkanBio_WIP4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhI0AbqZPr2-mPgmFkQNezbvfD-Mg6SJDe4KhpQ07wx-1N1jBGqtrliO95brrvlah-1fyS0O3w3L4lbrgK9_JNPUMah1OFn79zs4GAVijA3g6kVX59jn7j_Djvseu3_kpPbfdkbJsPQlEek/s1600/02_DakkanBio_WIP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="display: inline !important; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; color: black;"></span></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzeKLW9DiuchinDkgGRQv_LkUXglN_L-qa6A9TKtkbrqbXft7BixsE-PCVVOaNNRXsNTeLzgS0ODHYsfymEQw1NZrcd_w99o10-hlTpp_cwJeQWNFX47_TAUWQ-VWbGOF8AlOkm89Zv4y/s1600/03_KenoshBio_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyzeKLW9DiuchinDkgGRQv_LkUXglN_L-qa6A9TKtkbrqbXft7BixsE-PCVVOaNNRXsNTeLzgS0ODHYsfymEQw1NZrcd_w99o10-hlTpp_cwJeQWNFX47_TAUWQ-VWbGOF8AlOkm89Zv4y/s320/03_KenoshBio_small.jpg" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK71HGPYKOhFQLzmIiszMpd2boM5gip_QXEzehHzDZWxVhUFVMDIRpAB2FpweU8N2KOFmbfvV8H5jeJ8j_N3jjlxZ0gAWgLa9AD2P-u_tQi8Grf8qOpPy5N8wVYtLiVpGlAtHqbFZoQewx/s1600/01_QuinlanBio_small.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-70501153249454508392010-03-30T07:32:00.001-04:002010-03-31T08:08:42.812-04:00Deltrada Cover<div style="text-align: left;">Just a quick update for everybody - the pitch materials are coming together excellently, with character profile pics, fully-completed pages, and some very cool mock-up issue covers to demonstrate how the comic would look sitting on a shelf in a store.</div><div><br />
</div><div>I wanted to share the progression of one of the covers with you - specifically our second issue "Deltrada" cover featuring protagonist Quinlan's battle against the blind Ermehn swordmaster, Red. While I won't go into much detail over the specifics of the scene, enough can be inferred from the cover image itself to say that in issue 2, Quinlan finally confronts the Sratha-din Ermehn threat and finds himself in his very first life-or-death fight. Because of this, we wanted the cover to capture that intensity - this isn't just some ordinary fight scene, this is the first time Quinlan's had to fight for his life, and so the cover had to capture the menace and raw power of his foe.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZc9hJ0y7ryjUIoIG2yvUOPD2xoSvLn4cO5Lch-O24JsIPn5LXfqPHdLf2e2ccRXdHF7v5n6hWieQQdBwYVzfxBekQqessEjcObsCDsJThJALjh-__BcBkPOAJrqWgXDmG_oH-Qlfe0o_/s1600/sketches.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="155" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikZc9hJ0y7ryjUIoIG2yvUOPD2xoSvLn4cO5Lch-O24JsIPn5LXfqPHdLf2e2ccRXdHF7v5n6hWieQQdBwYVzfxBekQqessEjcObsCDsJThJALjh-__BcBkPOAJrqWgXDmG_oH-Qlfe0o_/s400/sketches.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
To start, Rachel sketched out a series of thumbnail images so we could see which scene layout we liked the most. There were four initial concepts (shown above), each one showing a different angle/tone/etc. The first sketch got Red's size and strength across well enough, but it felt a bit too crowded and the title text up top would have obscured about 99% of Red's sword. The second sketch, showing Quin from the front with Red swinging away from the camera, just felt awkward. Having Quinlan as the center of attention also put him on a higher footing than his foe - the idea behind the cover was to downplay Quin and make him seem less powerful than Red, and showing our protagonist so prominently elevated him a bit too much. The third sketch featured a similar problem - it elevated Quin a little too much, making him seem as powerful if not moreso than Red. The angle is also a little too straight-on, so we nixed that one.</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span><br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRzZ2iDTHtEkotO6FBJeQralGVPneKOKKwGG8IWCz-Cnf_P1u7QPRztee9DYsF0-2CdE6VujCeU-px2WltsF0Pbh7hgEyj0bPNqY6hfAcNmdVJovrzZ7TKUErt2_uzIsT3nim3jCkIiZL/s1600/cover2_WIP0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhRzZ2iDTHtEkotO6FBJeQralGVPneKOKKwGG8IWCz-Cnf_P1u7QPRztee9DYsF0-2CdE6VujCeU-px2WltsF0Pbh7hgEyj0bPNqY6hfAcNmdVJovrzZ7TKUErt2_uzIsT3nim3jCkIiZL/s320/cover2_WIP0.jpg" /></a>The very last sketch ended up being the one we went with - it put Red front and center, sword in the air, bearing down on an evasive-looking Quin, who is shrinking back defensively. Rachel took the thumbnail and cleaned it up a little bit, sending it over in the form of the sketch to the right.</div><div><br />
</div><div>From here, Rachel was able to take the sketch and expand on it. In the script for this scene, the two characters are fighting in the pouring rain, so a lot of time was spent on Rachel's part looking into how water acts on various surfaces. There was also quite a bit of effort spent on his sword - bloodied from a previous encounter - and how said blood would be affected by the downpour.</div><div><br />
</div><div>With these directives in mind, Rachel went about creating the first pass at the cover using the appropriate page dimensions and flat colors - no rain or special effects, yet.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"></span><br />
<div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohvEGWGCwijvqxEK6Z1YHCy5x2UbgU_yXLooiQt5P2jyJTK6kDvuBXeCXm1pGMvXW-rkZlbb-ZkmW7z3Pd-iZCcXtjt76kQp7Ztz2eVAmwIy_iBoq8G81l8uvV7WHBKwe9s_lbcnqb9dq/s1600/cover2_WIP1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiohvEGWGCwijvqxEK6Z1YHCy5x2UbgU_yXLooiQt5P2jyJTK6kDvuBXeCXm1pGMvXW-rkZlbb-ZkmW7z3Pd-iZCcXtjt76kQp7Ztz2eVAmwIy_iBoq8G81l8uvV7WHBKwe9s_lbcnqb9dq/s320/cover2_WIP1.jpg" /></a></div>In general, we were both pleased with the layout of the characters, the angle of the shot, etc. Rachel also had to remind me that Red's elaborate tattoos, which give his character a lot more visual dimension, had not been added yet - so I was okay with the general absence of detail on Red's body and clothing. </div><div><br />
</div><div>A few things needed tweaking at this point, however - Quinlan's demeanor and pose being the big ones. </div><div><br />
</div><div>In the original sketch, he seemed a lot more animated, like he was actively trying to avoid the inevitable sword swing. In this first pass, he seemed a bit surprised, like he'd let his guard down a moment before. This, along with the various minor tweaks and environmental/special effect additions would be reflected in the next few passes.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><div>In the next pass, Quinlan was altered to look more like he did in the original sketch, and the special effects were added, along with Red's tattoos. The title text was also added! The final pass is below. Enjoy!</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mUcAHCulFeklGdx3SeEklu-8yPnczsamC-9uV3NtWF97VglBRZd4bmicMLrovUS0u1-Rn_6Czebb9MXNIdj68AAR4wCeZvxIW1kXlK3WQV-6tBNi8FIp-BOfv94_fxRpApPFdG_UriMI/s1600/cover02_WIP4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0mUcAHCulFeklGdx3SeEklu-8yPnczsamC-9uV3NtWF97VglBRZd4bmicMLrovUS0u1-Rn_6Czebb9MXNIdj68AAR4wCeZvxIW1kXlK3WQV-6tBNi8FIp-BOfv94_fxRpApPFdG_UriMI/s640/cover02_WIP4.jpg" width="424" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; color: #0000ee;"><br />
</span></div><div><br />
</div></div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-92163338286174692452010-03-07T18:16:00.001-05:002010-03-07T19:39:34.189-05:00An Update! Also, Sunsgrove Architecture<div style="text-align: left;">Wow, three months between blog posts! Clearly this is what I meant when I said we'd be posting more stuff! We're hard at work putting together all the content for the pitch - from fully-completed pages to character portraits and beyond. Stephen Christy, Director of Development at Archaia Studios Press, put together a spectacular commentary on a pitch that was presented to him for the upcoming series "Feeding Ground". Essentially, this was a step-by-step look at a successful comic pitch, and it's been a superb resource throughout our pitch creation process. You can view the images (with Stephen's commentary) <a href="http://twitpic.com/ao70h">right over here</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Currently, we're working on getting the "Characters" section of the pitch completed. I'll show some of the artwork for that as it comes through, but I wanted to share some of the material Rachel's put together for the recently-completed pages that are going into the pitch. Specifically related to the Sunsgrovian architecture style we ended up using for the pages.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0i0s9fQYYWKfP1L9ZbVpIoauObynXvjw9Z3hIAInK7T4Rdwd6NNZitdbmAk-pyTI107-Ail68c_LmVciBknR_tYQ2Jh33wHm7j0thCDpN_tyfY58wOd-Q1f5RJOy8CIaF4aB4IrSQlEWO/s320/TreeColor.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446047524232466642" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 194px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>To start with, the scene in question is a playful sparring match between protagonist Quinlan and an egotistical Tesque trainer named Crim. In the background, we can see the Tamian dwellings surrounding the training area where the match is taking place. The problem was that we didn't really know what the dwellings should look like. All I'd really given Rachel was that the Tamian have a tree-based city, and that I didn't want it to look like a copy of the Ewok Village from Return of the Jedi, Tree-Top Town from Donkey Kong Country, the Elvish cities from Lord of the Rings, or Sprucetuck from Mouse Guard. In other words, I'd told her what it wasn't - but not what it WAS.</div><div><br /></div><div>So we worked out the following four rules for the Tamian architecture:</div><div><br /></div><div>1.) Inverse class/height tropes. What does this mean? In most fantasty tales (and in real life), the rich people live high up, while the poor people live on the ground level. In Sunsgrove, where the entire race is vertically inclined, the tops of the trees offer more living space for the unwashed masses. Countless communal hammocks line the treetops, offering even the poorest Tamian a place to sleep.</div><div><br /></div><div>With Sunsgrove's relatively recent diplomatic focus with the land-bound Lutren, Canid, Vulpin and Felis, the upper-class Tamian began building ground-level accommodations. Diplomats and royalty began to grow accustomed to living on the ground, and the ground-level living quarters became the most valuable properties to own.</div><div><br /></div><div>2.) Open, open, open. The middle and lower-class Tamian (ie the majority) live in the treetops. They've been leaping between trees for countless generations, so I wanted their architectural style to take that into account - it would need to be open and spacious, with lots of open archways and no doors whatsoever. Heavy curtains would keep the cold, rain, and snow out, and at the same time afford a wide open view to the majesty of the Western Deep - the forest that surrounds the Tamian capital city.</div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiG9Sy56-SB0z-K5pequ6drhRPwHHz3qqtlxRU49ZgK6chsPRtDIDPV4UyZcSTo40c3TtbFq0nDqsSpREnGSGK_LlSV2lvlWJ8AJqD9jlCIxqCKgiyXfJ_sZtX0uRpkIzGBSevmpmPDPAvb/s320/tamianrefs.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446052381144369122" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><br /></span></div><div>This resulted in a lot of research into various forms of "open" architecture. Archways, latticework, all sorts of things. Rachel pulled a variety of inspirations from all over the world as she pieced together the look of the Tamian city.</div><div><br /></div><div>3.) Preserve the trees. Since the trees of the capital city are revered as sacred relics, hollowing them all out willy-nilly would feel strange. Because of this, most homes that are built up the tree trunks only partly go into the tree. Homes on the trees are generally small, as Tamian don't spend much time within them, so there wouldn't be much need to hollow out the trees that much anyway.</div><div><br /></div><div>4.) Avoid uniform angles. This is a similar rule to one that I'd heard from the making of features in Lord of the Rings - the Elvish architecture didn't use many, if any, straight lines. Everything was naturally curved to emphasize the Elves' harmony with nature (which also doesn't feature straight lines). </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqo6IXOckRsz61qq5lYnpzX2A9VdpDzcn1sTtQdpX-WktfFQl1LXmM7aP3RuUFXpFCDwSZI9FI7-KL6hu_oiC5k3U_B6xvaDgjpZZVdptTT4ax3qOace-4LjUhY1ie7L0lpNQYlT_iwitg/s320/TamianDwellings1.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5446056118829409506" style="display: block; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: auto; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px; " /></span></div><div>While I wanted to avoid comparisons to Elvish cities like Rivendell or Lothlorien, it's a good general rule when trying to make a city that looks "natural". These rules coalesced into a pretty cohesive style for the Tamian city, focusing on circular ramps, wide arches, and generally a "vertical" feel.</div><div><br /></div><div>That's all for now, but as the character portraits and other pitch assets come together, I'll try to get some stuff on here.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-14329582495360468882009-12-08T21:35:00.001-05:002009-12-08T22:58:30.114-05:00Making the Page<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG_CF0uDo15HP3BXq1so1T9p_gtfMTOY2Fwh94uJ1cPlG-GFLx2Q7LpzkAEDue19GeGckeDIsxYKlT_8-hE1nCLrdOe_aBmRkqX0uVQ8IiSwGU8bhPqzsUtAhQ7SfVC2axXOUII9eJetm/s1600-h/4K_010_color2.jpg"></a>Hey everybody, Alex here! Sorry about the huge downtown between posts - there's been a lot going on in the interim, so there's quite a bit to report!<div><br /></div><div>First and foremost, Rachel has graduated from BYU and is balancing her Four Kingdoms work with a veritable mountain of other projects on her plate. Aside from that, I've also been keeping busy on a variety of new projects, from work-related game projects to a spectacular comic-writing opportunity with my good friend, <a href="http://seanrubin.blogspot.com/">Sean Rubin</a>.</div><div><br /></div><div>Have no fear, though! Progress continues on the comic, and our plan to have a solid pitch together for the next New York ComicCon is still perfectly on-track.</div><div><br /></div><div>I figured that since it's been a few months since we really offered up a post, I'd treat you to something pretty in-depth and behind the scenes: a page's progress, from start to finish!</div><div><br /></div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgy-yRu1qy7aTLuv4NTV1vbK6AhEGt5wMnxge9TrjIMzZIyfV9zufOqyO7q8P6tvMZHoTkSXgutMPO5H_yGHGf5uTePC_JeiWqOYkKmTxT6jQZLvmD8g4JaV9bTDdvy8D8x5y6NhNkHfQ3Y/s320/4K_010rough.jpg" style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 238px; height: 320px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413064015066073890" /><div>This is the first draft that Rachel did oh-so-long ago. This was obviously before any serious script edits, back when the comic script was basically ripped verbatim from the source material - which was, in fact, a novel. You don't need to be Scott McCloud to know that comics don't really support the exposition you can fit into a novel, so I had to really dive into other comics to see how they handled loads of exposition.</div><div><br /></div><div>Long story short, they don't. At least, they don't in such a short period of time. I realized that I'd need to take a hacksaw to my script - not just here, but EVERYWHERE. I really took a good look at other comics in the genre, from Mice Templar to <a href="http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">Mouse Guard</a>, the latter really helping me figure out how to reduce word count using on-screen actions and expressions instead of nouns and verbs.</div><div><br /></div><div>This panel also demonstrates some of the issues we had early on with paneling. The comic was originally laid out like a movie storyboard, with a lot of medium shots for expository sections like this. As Rachel eventually came to learn, comics have their own panel-to-panel language, and that would require a good deal of re-paneling.</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); -webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: underline; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR1KtlRNAEBCBWyw0IER6k3b6yOJz10NQmbVvToTPJgq064tRMpIuC3LFiFuTPpGfelu3jpxXP5dYMTD3s52Jk8KxwaF4ZsCFcdCXX0FF5EzGHHuiS3wC3FZKPQPw4pLUYVPoTd5COce4q/s320/4K_WIP010.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413069467274172354" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px; " /></span></div><div>This page on the left is a few revisions later. You'll see a few new things right off the bat. First, the script isn't as long. It's still long, but it's not quite as clunky and page-filling as it was in the original version.</div><div><br /></div><div>Perhaps the biggest change here is in how the panels are laid out. Whereas the first draft consisted almost entirely of mid-range shots, this new version dares to go for the dramatic close-up, and also cuts away briefly to show the Juskadin in the third panel.</div><div><br /></div><div>In general, this new layout represents the new direction we took after the initial draft, which was twofold: less text, and more diverse panel layouts. Close-ups, cutaways, dramatic angles - nothing is off-limits! If it makes the scene more interesting, we're all about trying it.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGG_CF0uDo15HP3BXq1so1T9p_gtfMTOY2Fwh94uJ1cPlG-GFLx2Q7LpzkAEDue19GeGckeDIsxYKlT_8-hE1nCLrdOe_aBmRkqX0uVQ8IiSwGU8bhPqzsUtAhQ7SfVC2axXOUII9eJetm/s400/4K_010_color2.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5413076228066279858" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 269px; height: 400px; " /></div><div>Finally, we have the completed page on the right. I did leave out a few steps before, like the completed inks and lighting studies that Rachel did, but we must maintain SOME level of mystery, yes?</div><div><br /></div><div>It still amazes me just how much nicer things look in color! Sure, there are some excellent black & white comics out there (<i>Bone </i>popping into my head almost instantly), but I just love the palette that Rachel went with here - it really represents the heart of Four Kingdoms, which is a combination of dark fantasy themes and homages to classical animated films. </div><div><br /></div><div>The Lutren army uniform, with the wave motif, just pops right out of the page when it's in color. Also, the third panel, with its silhouetted malice, really turned out well.</div><div><br /></div><div>The re-panels and page colorings continue, along with a variety of other pitch materials, such as character portraits, maps, covers, all that good stuff. As things move along, rest assured we'll stick it here for you to see!</div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-7641035572318723252009-09-24T21:15:00.000-04:002009-09-24T22:11:26.149-04:00Coloring progress!Hey, Rachel here!<br /><br />It's been a long time since this blog has been updated! Mainly that's because of my time being strained with school, along with a huge overhaul on the art for this project.<br /><br />One of the most difficult (and fun!) part of drawing a comic is when it comes to the coloring stage. Here is where a lot of the mood of your comic gets established - is it cartoony? Realistic? Sad? Intense? Dramatic? Silly and lighthearted?<br /><br />We'd tried a coloring pass on one of our finished pages earlier this year, with <span style="font-weight: bold;">these results</span>:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSX2oqG3rq5HN69Gjwi5KzehO8Tcj8CzHUIQJRe3h2gvx_nMT6oDTDashg9dm5LiE-qnjHMPZ0ZYdUya70EtiVfdFRcVkPAnL1lvdUeRRQaslK2FLEqCZDTFOPC3ZsrzbkhfMHsrs_Czz/s1600-h/4K_color006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 216px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifSX2oqG3rq5HN69Gjwi5KzehO8Tcj8CzHUIQJRe3h2gvx_nMT6oDTDashg9dm5LiE-qnjHMPZ0ZYdUya70EtiVfdFRcVkPAnL1lvdUeRRQaslK2FLEqCZDTFOPC3ZsrzbkhfMHsrs_Czz/s320/4K_color006.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385220803982694386" border="0" /></a>At the time, I thought it was looking pretty sweet. Overwhelmingly Crayola Green color scheme for the forest, soft shading, an attempt at lighting... of course right now I can't find much good to say about it! It's very flat and boring, and one of the professionals we went to for feedback told me so (a shout-out to <a href="http://davidpetersen.blogspot.com/">David Petersen</a>: thanks a ton!).<br /><br />I went on with drawing and fixing pages, and in my personal work, looked for opportunities to practice my digital coloring. Getting good color schemes, making believable lighting, improving my painting style - the sort of things that were lacking.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Here is the new and improved color pass:</span><br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHZS8yPUTUDMWLMyQ1qZ6rUu8-o_ok8oE-jmNQFE1iTBcq07RqcIrx4-z6RW_9fjsY7qA11zMocitHdumdL-hJC_qWHFzm5jJYRwHI8VK3MDOR6-5GpVqlOVpyp6K6qGi4vWHnfp0Lkaa/s1600-h/4K_color006_new.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 215px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHZS8yPUTUDMWLMyQ1qZ6rUu8-o_ok8oE-jmNQFE1iTBcq07RqcIrx4-z6RW_9fjsY7qA11zMocitHdumdL-hJC_qWHFzm5jJYRwHI8VK3MDOR6-5GpVqlOVpyp6K6qGi4vWHnfp0Lkaa/s320/4K_color006_new.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5385220800087128930" border="0" /></a>I managed to find a way to make light more luminous, and in general got a better grasp on how to work with color. In half a year I don't know where I'll be or how much further I will have improved, but this felt like a big step forward. And the best part is it'll make this comic that much easier on the eyes for all y'all! :)Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1020791622984434894.post-68428994895714767902009-04-30T15:00:00.000-04:002009-04-30T15:00:00.853-04:00Dakkan's Journey<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9Laq_oVmjFqSaedUAaCuxZPyYW-5KS08DM6XhdwpnaPqSU9zM21rom9TQWpXYnJCZvIDDzC-2mRCA-0xRXI4zJmJHPs90xRnP7-UCxnrD5dCEzsxpH-mrIITixXXA3xPAcTAb82jL081/s1600-h/024.jpg"></a><div>I must again apologize for these large gaps between blog posts – I can assure you that it’s not because we’re lazy! Quite the contrary, it’s our genuine <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-style: italic;">lack </span>of lazy that’s kept us from updating regularly. I’ll try to keep things coming at a regular pace from here on out.<br /></div><div><br /></div><div>To make up for the long gap between posts, I’ve got a special treat for you all, courtesy of Rachel herself! Not just any ‘ol artwork, but a full-fledged storyboard of a Four Kingdoms-inspired event that occurred in Dakkan’s early career in the Lutren Military.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRe60A-lQzLvwmhL57JDLgwSns_4A6g3GRT1dyXi-aDXbbT3MF-f2I9pX-ycjmqlBEbYOT3L3Ew9bFQNmLDyjPc3B6TI6QiObes3p5-B-_lOe4KTH5CJ1vwWuScqnzmngPZdH6jtGuNHqy/s320/004.jpg" style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 183px;" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330290068580266194" /></div><div><br /></div><div>This storyboard project was actually for one of Rachel’s many art-related college courses, so some liberties were taken with the world of the Four Kingdoms for the sake of the storyline. For example, badgers and raccoons were added in because their natural ‘masks’ made them great highway robbers, even though they're not featured in the actual world of the Four Kingdoms. So while this can’t be considered 100% canon as-is, a rough approximation of these events definitely did occur in some capacity in Dakkan’s past.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><br /></span></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEip72jpIYTdBlFrjWCS_avYbl55kg0mTy8xhtA2kjYdyNi-VwYVZaCB6elB6Q-Ir67DT8H74AbJIAjI2HbTRTrJX5i-_BpdnZ_LBkZMfA0PV_MYZqUlWXQhMfhOwcTPuuw9e_NwAG1eKI2a/s320/035.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330290741194939698" style="float: right; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 10px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px; " /></span><div>In the original Four Kingdoms script, Dakkan was not quite the same character he is now. I had written in a kind of free-wheeling goof to play off of Quinlan’s cynical world view, but he was proving to be generally devoid of character; a standard comical sidekick with no real depth to him. But when Rachel’s long-time character, Dakkan, was introduced as Quinlan’s best friend in a later draft revision, the friendship came to life. It became more than a hero/sidekick relationship – these two characters had become friends through painful life experiences: no proper father figures, a debilitating fear of taking another’s life, and a deeply-rooted sense of loyalty to their respective kingdoms, among other things.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(0, 0, 238); "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ9Laq_oVmjFqSaedUAaCuxZPyYW-5KS08DM6XhdwpnaPqSU9zM21rom9TQWpXYnJCZvIDDzC-2mRCA-0xRXI4zJmJHPs90xRnP7-UCxnrD5dCEzsxpH-mrIITixXXA3xPAcTAb82jL081/s320/024.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5330291705544822514" style="float: left; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 183px; " /></span><div>This origin-type story chronicles Dakkan’s very first mission as a Lutren soldier, guiding a pair of merchants through a dangerous part of the forest. When they are confronted by highway robbers, Dakkan’s quick temper takes hold and he finds himself quickly in a fight for his life! What happens next changes him forever. Let’s just say that there’s a good reason you won’t see Dakkan hefting a sword in the comic anytime soon.</div><div><br /></div><div>The full video can be found by following the link below. The Quicktime movie features one individual storyboard panel per frame, so simply click the link or download it, then use your Left/Right arrow keys on your keyboard to scroll forward and backwards through the story. Also, I should mention that these boards, like the Four Kingdoms comic itself, are rated PG-13, T for Teen, etc. That said, enjoy!</div><div><br /></div><div><a href="http://www.deviantart.com/download/120240472/Adv__Storyboarding_Final_by_Kobb.mov">DAKKAN STORYBOARD PROJECT</a></div><div><br /></div>Rachel / Alexhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16631226260936734615noreply@blogger.com2