Hahaha...what? Batman?

[secondlina]

 Somedays are just weird. Today was a weird day. Felt like breaking some kneecaps.

Aside from that, oh LJ crowd, meet the most giant suck on my time after my day job (I'm like batman. Or sailor moon. Do one thing by day and the other by night. The other being drawing. I'm starting to wonder where Sailor Moon and Batman get their sleep. Because i'm lacking.) This giant time-suck goes by the name of Rose and it's a comic book. You've already seen the cover a while back, but here is a preview of some of the pages.

The story of Rose is pretty simple. It's basically a strange re-telling of Romeo and Juliet with little creatures that look like Miyazaki movie extras. The story starts off with a girl (who is unnamed. I call her "Rose" by default) who has a rose growing in her chest. The rose is a metaphor for her love. Then the guy dumps her ass, so she rips out the rose. From the blood of that wound are born these tiny all black and liquidy creatures. One of those creatures (the "Romeo") is special, different. After the little black creatures are born, the girl wraps herself in a strange cocoon (metaphor for her sorrow) and from the cocoon are born strange "white" creatures who look much more solid and human then the black ones. The black creatures serve the role of Montagues and the white creatures serve the role of Capulets. From the coccon is born a girl creature both white and black with a rose growing in her chest. She looks very similar to the girl who got dumped and wrapped herself in the cocoon. This is Juliet. She is urged by the "Whites" to choose one of them but she ends up choosing to fall in love with the Romeo.  Then a great battle happens, ends in their death and the dumped girl emerges from her cocoon. The whole story of Juliet and romeo was a metaphor for her hopes for love and her mourning of her relationship. 

"Rose" is not a funny story. It's closer to the style of the fairy tale drawings I did for my university graduation. It's deep, dramatic and has detailled drawings. The editing house i'm publishing this under specializes in the strange and original. So it fits very well and allows me to really get my "fairy tale" need to draw out. It's strange to do something less narrative and mostly bent on the images (there is barely any dialogue.)

So anyways, here is a 5 page preview of Rose. Tell me what you think. I'm still in the process of drawing and inking the thing. Only 40 pages to go... *dies*


 

Drawing blood is hard. How does the guy who draw Hellsing stand it?

-Isa
 

 

Comments

[zorbgoink.livejournal.com]

That is...SO COOL. I'm really looking forward to the finished product. I loooooved the stuff from your art grad show (I got dragged out of the room), so it's nice to see more of the same style.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i'm glad I returned to the style. The problem with this style is that it looks really neat, but it's not fitting for everything. It fits beautifully with this type of strange storyline though, so I wipped it out!

I already saw the cover mock-up for the book. Stan (who direct the project) is trying to create a beautiful looking book. I can't wait for this to be finished *_*

[isabiunleashed.livejournal.com]

OMG LOVE!!! I'm soooo psyched to see the final result! I do really love when you draw in that style, it's so romantic and crazy and BEAUTIFUL! It makes me want even more the mermaid drawing!!!! XD
AND, also, I'm finally moved in. We should hang out soon. After I get back from Cuba. YAY AWESOME!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I checked to see - I still have the mermaid drawing and it's in good shape. I don't know what to charge you though. I don't like charging my friends. It kills me. *laughs*

Ooooh, cuba baby. You're gonna be all blond with a tan when you get back! Hahahaha, california style? XD

[isabiunleashed.livejournal.com]

haha well then reserve it for me! and I would feel bad not paying you for it. But I know what you mean, a lot of my friends have a lot of free art. We surely could make up a payment arrangement. We shall discuss it when we see each other soon!!

and more like California Roll style, i tend to burn in the sun. I'll try though, juuuuust for you! XO

[ozma914.livejournal.com]

No wonder you've been busy!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Indeed!

But Spike approves, so it makes it worth it. :D

[kitesareevil.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. The rose, her heart, represent the family that Romeo comes from, and herself, her body, is the white 'pure' and represents the Capulets, herself/Juliet. And both are painful to her. Well drawn and I'm drawn into it.

And MAN all that ink has to be expensive.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I always really liked the oppositions between things like white/black or mind/body. And of course, Romeo and Juliet is the tale of opposition by excellence. So i'm glad I got to play with it. It's very expressive! I'm glad you like it.

.................you know, I used to buy these tiny ink bottles. Now I buy it in giant plastic bottles. It's less expensive in the long run. I get about 100 of these types of drawings out of one bottle. The ink is less expensive then having to buy new brushes all the time so they remain pointy and buying sharpies to do all the details (the sharpies die fast).

[chaos-shepherd.livejournal.com]

That's Sad

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

It's mean to be. It's pretty different from my happy joking side isn't it? *laughs*

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

Wow! The style of this is really nice and neat to look at. I can really feel the girl's pain from her expressions. I can see this must have taken a lot of drawing time.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

...ah, god jeez. The drawing time. I get like...one page done PER DAY. This is total snail time. I'm usually a pretty fast illustrator, so it frustrates me XD

hahaha, nice change of icon.

[earthstar-moon.livejournal.com]

(I've been waiting for a good time to use it. Now seemed like a good moment. ^_~ )

[inverce.livejournal.com]

You are so inspiring! I need to stop being so lazy and start being a late night bat/sailor artist too!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

You could always be a Robin/Mercury XD

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

Drawing blood IS hard. I have never mastered it.

Those drawings are so powerful and amazing. It's very easy to get swept up in it.

How amazing is it that you're doing this? I hope I can purchase a copy off you when it's done.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I'm glad you like the drawings! I've always had problems drawing liquids. The advantage with this bloodstuff is that it's all black, so if I make a mistake, I can get away with it XD

The book will be for sell with an official ISBN and everything! Apparently, we need a minimum of 42 pages to have an ISBN. Did you know that? I didn't. Forced me to expand the story a little. XD I don't know if the book will be available elsewhere then Canada, but it should be available in Canada, on the publisher's website.

At worse, if it's hard to get, you guys can just email me and i'll take care of the buying and sending for you all.

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

I did NOT know that. That's sort of neat!

Since I don't have a credit card, I will probably end up getting it through you. Have you thought about selling it to a Coles/Indigo store on consignment? You lose some money but if you sell enough Indigo might buy the title and get it up on their site, too.

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Hey, I didn't think of that. Plus we have a chapters right in the touristic and shopping district. Might be a good spot! I'll talk to my collection responsable. Thanks for the tip!

I don't mind you going thru me at all. I'll most likely need to distribute a few anyways since most of my f-list is american/international

[yukinoomoni.livejournal.com]

While I worked at Coles, I was able to recruit over a dozen consignment authors just from the area. Two of them had their series bought by Chapters and put on the site. You can do it! ^_^

[isabiunleashed.livejournal.com]

you should also try to get it distributed by the Comic Book Shoppe. They often carry comic/graphic novels made by local artists. I dunno how that all works, but you could try having it distributed by them too. Would give you some local coverage!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

The Comic Book Shoppe is already on the distribution list of potential sellers (Since I did the thing with them in November, they kinda know me, so it gives me an Edge!)

[annekay.livejournal.com]

awesome drawings!!!
like. wow. you win

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I win what? XD

You're paintings were pretty cool too, btw! I took a photo-card! I'd like to buy one if you'd let me! (or trade)

[annekay.livejournal.com]

you win the sunshine.... but you'll have to get it out of the sky yourself :)

also, thanks. did you take the man or woman one???
also, i would not be opposed to selling or trading my art... but not the gold ones... which are the ones i keep getting asked about (although i wouldn't mind doing commissions of other photos... but those ones are super personal and family-like)

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

I like the gold ones, but I could tell it was very personal, I would hate to ask you to part with one. But if you would be willing to take a commission in that style, we could discuss that!

[annekay.livejournal.com]

i would love to do commissions :) but i sent my oil paint back to hamilton, so it would take a while... cuz i am going to be in ottawa until mid june.

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Wow! I am indeed impressed. Is there any way one will be able to purchase this once it gets published? I for one would love to have a copy...

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Yup, this is a real, honest to goodness book coming out. So available for purchase.

It won't be in the us though because we are a small editing house. But you can order it off their website. I'll put the link up when the book will be ready (which won't be for another 4-5 months.)

[snapdragon76.livejournal.com]

Yay!!! I just hope they ship to the US!

[secondlina.livejournal.com]

Rose looks amazing.

That is a messed up comic book that your working on. But then again, you seem to like drawing messed up stuff like that. :P

Anyways, keep up the good work.

See you soon