Hey everyone! Summer's over and I am hanging on by a thread with some nasty insomnia, but I wanted to take some time to update on how the comic is progressing!

I took a little time off before I started on penciling. Took an actual week off from work to give my brain a break and get outside while we still have warm weather. Then I played catch up on some freelance work and IRON BARGE. After a few weeks away though, I'm now back in the saddle and in the middle of pencils.

But first: a cover!

For the cover, and most of my illustrations, I start with a mock up. Just a sketch and then rough colors. It doesn't need to be tidy, it just needs to get down the palette and vibe. I also added in where the title will be so the illustration and colours can work with that in mind. Making sure there aren't too many details behind the letters, if I can frame them in anyway, and using the colour to pull the attention through the illo.

Then with the rough line art, I use my iPad as a makeshift light board and transfer that illustration to actual paper and pencil! Yes, I could absolutely just go to inks on the iPad, but I do like inking traditionally when I have the time. (And it means I can sell the original 🌞)

Here's a quick video recorded on my phone of inking with a quill. Turn your volume up for big scratchy noises.

Once inked, here are the cover flats with some bits of color textures on the tree and grass. The first cover is all greens and blues. I still like the elements of natural colours, but went more warm, fall colours!

And then below is the cover with the shading and highlights! I love the final result, but I know I'll likely keep fussing with this here and there.

Now, for the actual pages!

That's it for now! I'm still working away on pencils and recovering from burn out. But getting to see all these pages together always gets me excited. I'm looking forward to continuing this story and sharing Chapter 2. I hope it got you excited as well!