Jabberwocky page 1

[secondlina]

Inspiration is a funny thing. I didn't have ideas for sketch comcis for like, ever. And now that i'm working on Jabberwocky and have no free time to speak of, I have a TON of ideas. Muse, you sneaky bitch. I noted all the ideas down though. So hopefully when i'm done... COMICS!

But for now, you guys get Jabberwocky! Page 1 :



I almost replaced the text with "Oh hai. I'm just here with mah sword. Being EPIC"

The art on my Jabberwocky pages is okay. If I had a whole year to work on this project, it totally would have been better. But for something done in a single month, it's quite good. Not bad, but not perfect either. Definitely got the woodcutter style down at least. I really hope people will find this comic pretty and pick it up. argh, so nervous. "Psychopompes" will definitely have better art. This is slightly above "Namesake" level. Don't get me wrong, "Namesake" still has some dang good art. But it's not perfect.

I'm a perfectionnist-obsessy-face-workaholic.

YES.

My art has levels and layers. Just like ogres. Or cake.

In other news, i'm happy. I love manga and anime, but I haven't had many series I was really excited about lately. We have more series and books being translated, but it kinda feels like a lot of it is crap. But, I found a few things I feel in love with. First off, FLCL. I'm falling in love again because they just re-realeased this OAV on blue-ray and despite being rather down on my cash right now, I bought it like it was on fire. I'm so happy.

My second great love of Japanese origin right now is Otomegatari (by Kaoru Mori), the story of a married couple living on the silk road back in the 1500's. Why do I love it? Well, first off, despite being manga, it feels like anyone could read it and understand the cultural aspect. The focus on the every day lives and characters is gorgeous. And finally : THE DETAILS.



HAVE YOU SEEN THIS PAGE?

This is an example of how I want my inking to look one day. So...so awesome.

This book is getting translated to English and French and should be available for pruchase in May. For now, I read the scanlations online. But I really want to buy this printed. To really take in the lavish illustrations.

Gaaah so awesome.

- Isa

Comments

[neocloud9.livejournal.com]

I didn't know Kaoru Mori was doing a new series! :U

Great first page, can't wait to see more Jabberwocky!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

She is. and it's terrific. She's by far my favorite manga author.

[psychosongtress.livejournal.com]

Its funny, the first thing i thought before i read the journal was 'Wow, she puts so much detail in to her work!'. the first page looks so amazing! I look forward to seeing more!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Hahaha thanks!

I love details, but i'm not at the level I want to be in mastering them yet. MORE! MORE DETAILS! MOOOOOOOOOOORE!

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

lolol I demand you edit this post and include that text. The artwork is beautiful. You should be really proud!

And yeah. That manga is crazy-shit detailed.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

I second this.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

*laughing* I like to make jokes about my own artwork a lot. I'll have to post the "parody" version too.

[amelia-seyroon.livejournal.com]

I would have approved of that text, ha. ;D

...man, I never finished FLCL and I haven't heard of Otomegatari. D:

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

You should check it out online. It's terrific.

[fenmere.livejournal.com]

Oh, the lovely ink!

Inking like yours is why my arm hurts. I keep trying to imitate it.

That page from Otomegatari is inhumanly beautiful.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I should film myself inking. Might help you guys out!

It's actually not that difficult or time consuming. It took me about 4 hours to finish that page (sketch included) But i'm used to it too.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Pretties! I definitely get the woodcut vibe from the pages.

Good luck!

And I want a copy of FLCL like burning. It's always been really pricey though. DD:

And I LOVE Karou Mori! She did "Emma" and the amazing attention to detail she does is INCREDIBLE!! I think I shall look into his series when it comes out for sure!!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Not that it's re-released, it's much, much cheaper. 24.99$ on amazon. For a blue ray.

I fell in love with Emma (though I was kinda disapointed in the anime version)and Otomegatari. I have yet to read Shirley, but I totally want to pick it up. She's by far my favorite manga artist at the moment. She has a great sense of story telling and incrible talent for details.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Well, I don't have a BluRay player, so I'd have to stick with the regular format.

I never read 'Shirley.' I also never saw the anime of 'Emma' either. I tried to get a hold of it to watch it, but I was never able to find it anywhere.

[moonphased.livejournal.com]

Oh wow! Definitely looking forward to seeing more! Gah, I meant to comment on the last cover that you drew... LOVED the composition. :) As always the detail on the page art is incredible. ^_^

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Haaha, thanks!

[engelen.livejournal.com]

1) UGGGHHGHH Too much detail. My hand would die... or maybe I would murder the paper in front of me.

2) WHERE ARE YOU GETTING SCANLATIONS FOR THAT!? WHERE!?

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Here.

I've been sucked into reading it most of the afternoon. It's quite good.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It's not that bad actually. When you get used to doing it, it's quite easy and far (4 hours to make that page).

[ichiban-victory.livejournal.com]

Random, but I just realized, "Aah! She has dead eyes!" So that is all... The detail looks fantastic! Her bodice (look at me, I know terms!) alone really draws my attention.

Yep, yep, now I know we have radically different tastes in anime/manga. FLCL was just too weird for me to enjoy it, yet another anime to add to the "This'll scar Diane mentally" pile, but oh well.

On the manga thing, I have been reading through my Lodoss War manga again, and I found it interesting in that the artist is from an older generation of Japanese artists, so the character design barely looks anything like the more current manga art style. Seriously, noses that almost resemble real noses! It would be interesting to study manga art from the past _____ years to see how it has evolved (or devolved, depending on how you want to look at it).

That manga really has gorgeous art though! I suppose if one is to live on the Silk Road, one better have silk garb, and given the intricate detailing in silk fabrics, that artist has their work cut out for them. The backgrounds seem pretty sparse though. Is that just in this page you showed, or is it pretty standard? Probably just as well, as too much detailing can make everything turn into a detailed mess if the artist isn't careful.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

She puts detail in EVERYTHING! I've read her other series, Emma, and the detail in the trees and the grass and the buildings are amazing. And she does extensive research to get everything right.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Dead eyes? Because they are black? I don't like drawing the "shine" (like in manga) because I find it too cartoony. And drawing the iris from afar is difficult. I do give characters irises in close-ups though :D

Yeah, we seem to like very different things. BUT, I think you would really enjoy "otoyomegatari". It's so beautiful. and it's a really well-written story. Just the story of an arranged marriage and the bride's jerk family. The art style reminds me a bit of older manga, like Lodoss (I own the series with sir Spark. Gorgeous drawings). There's a lot of pages with more detailed backgrounds (details on objects, carpets, animals). A lot of the dialog pages have little backgrounds though.

[piratecore.livejournal.com]

yeah that comic is amazing

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrGMo2XPQ0Y

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Jesus... look at her go. Thanks for the video. Now I can totally learn by observation!

(Mwahahahahaha)

[elle-white.livejournal.com]

I can't wait to see more of Jabberwocky! It looks epic and awesome!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Thankies! I hope it will be.

[rose.livejournal.com]

I love how your inking has evolved. It's so dramatic. This page in particular really showcases your abilities so well. I really, really love it. It looks like an engraving for a metal plate or a steel stamp-- very textured. I think that's why I always prefer your works colored so simply and flat-- because than the line work sings.


If you ever get a chance, check out Kuragehime! It's very character driven but the animation is fabulous.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, really intriqued coloring just makes the whole thing look muddy. Which is too bad. I love coloring that makes everything look three-dimensional. But it doesn't fit the style. :D

Oh, thanks for the tip!

[pip25.livejournal.com]

I have read some of Otoyomegatari before (and I should really read more). The art detail is indeed absolutely breathtaking throughout. O_O

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It is! The story is pretty fun too.

[shourimajo.livejournal.com]

I love Otoyomegatari with my soul. I look at the pages and my wrist twitches in pain thinking about that level of details.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It's even more impressive to see her draw it : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrGMo2XPQ0Y

[shourimajo.livejournal.com]

...I'm not worthy.

[pinkwa.livejournal.com]

Kaoru Mori's work is awesome ! so many details ... it is really beautiful.

We can really see the influence he (she?) has on your actual work. This first page is amazing :) I love the trees !

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my work kinda looks like a mix of her stuff and Jeff Smith. :D I'd give a lot to draw like those two.

[crithon.livejournal.com]

Oh that's awesome, love the tension in her anticipation. And Jabberwocky is one of my favorite poem, learned it when I was 7

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Did you? That's so cool! :D

[brendala.livejournal.com]

You did a great job nailing the woodcutter style. I can't wait to see more Jabberwocky pages!


Kaoru Mori rocks my socks, too. Her attention to detail in both the art and the story is incredible. I once tried to do a historical comic and the all the research I needed was overwhelming. I don't know how she does it!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I'm gonna go with passion and obsession. Nobody is THAT good at detail work without obsessing about it.

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Ha ha! Epic with a sword! You got it down pat my dear ;) And that manga page is crazy detailed! Wow! 0o I can't imagine how long that must have taken to ink!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

You can see her do it on video : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FrGMo2XPQ0Y

She's quite fast. Usually detail-lovers (like myself) get pretty fast because we have so much practice :D

[spankingfemme.livejournal.com]

Wow! Thanks for the link! It's always inspiring to watch how other artists spin their magic :)

[ming85.livejournal.com]

Gorgeous!! I think your work already has that level of lovely detail without becoming too cluttered. I think it definitely does not need colour, the black/white balance is already so good!
One tiny nitpick that could make the whole page even more balanced imo: make the textboxes' outlines the same line thickness as the panels. I'm happy to see the text spacious in their boxes with equal whitespace at all sides, something that was still lacking a bit in earlier pages of Namesake.
This project is going to be AWESOME.