Words from the Creator
Tribute; Lore; Thanks
Updates
Embellished Art*
* ( detailed – Inked – color – painted)
Tues April 14 2020 – I have a planned, a new schedule, to get a comic completed ( inked, colored)- it requires, adapting the format of the weekly posts, to provide the required time.
After objective analysis, I see that, alot of the minor chores, to maintain a status quo of Weekly post content, now have to be let go, in order to move forward. They were good, to get the Apocrypha, Composition Books, Strathmore Pads, Vintage covers, scanned. But now that I have a 24 Mp camera, and developed my art repertoire, in order to progress, I should spend more time drawing ( inking and coloring).
The trade off is: Apocrypha, Atelier: Composition/Drawing study Gallery: fan-art/ Apocrypha + misc ( videos, vintage, game animations, + commentary) + scans of WIP larger than 11 x17″ = redraw templates, pencil new comics, script new comics, ink, color: Scans of finished pieces ( higher quality images).
Thanks for being with me during the Road Trip – I had access to a PC for only 6 hours a week for 2 months. That’s why, when I returned, I prioritized the video game animations, scanning art books, vintage interiors, scripts, soundtracks, and 6th Scale models photos ( all things that I need the home studio to create).
Any of the references are enough for a day ( to a weeks worth) of a quality redrawing. Hopefully, you will find this phase rewarding – as I prioritize drawing, inking, coloring ( referred to as ’embellishing’).
I am ready for redrawing templates, pencilling/scripting new comics, inking, coloring – and painting. My newer pieces, look as good as, if not better than the best of the Apocrypha – to me. The reproduction studies are the key to increasing quality, for every subject aspect. And redrawing, is the way to get endless variety of quality content.
If I post only new work ( Atelier/ Gallery ) in the last hour of each day. And I draw 8 – 10 hours ( 3 x 3 hour sessions daily). I will be able to embellish pieces and make a comic.
So, I will try, starting April Week 2, ( after completing the sections of this week’s post). To Focus on studio productivity. Saving time for creating art:
Pause: Supplemental Misc Items
Things that may change ( take a backseat) during this phase- I will Pause:
1.Gallery: Apocrypha, Gallery: Composition, Weekly Apocrypha, Vintage:comics, Videos, ( video game animations), and posting pieces to subscribestar. *
*I may still post these, when I feel like it ( if it’s relevant somehow, or I want to share it, as a reference source) but not as a status quo.
I am willing and able, to put together comics now, and I want the bulk of studio time to be: a) reproduction studies b) redrawing c) application ( illus, comics ect: detailed pencil , ink, color; paint)
ETA new LURIDMAX COMIC!
There is no reason, I cannot have 22 pages pencilled in a month, 22 pages inked in a 2nd month, and 22 pages colored in a 3rd month. ETA, JULY 30, 2020, we should have our first issue of a comic, that you;’re interest and support, helped produce! This can then be advertised, and see if more are interested.
Thanks for being with me, as I sifted through stacks of art, composition books, drawing pads, and vintage comics! The release of original scripts, soundtracks and photos of 6th scale models – are material that supplement and enhance the art, but not meant to eclipse the art production.
Drawing Phase
Why now? – I assess the art I create, with and without reference, and how few studies remain, to create an informed/original art product, – compared to independent first issues, and feel I am ready to create something now, for an audience, that is at a quality that I am ready to share. Not perfect ( always room for improvement) – but the process can include a first issue, that isn’t perfect – as I see in all the first appearances I have acquired. At this phase, there is more to gain, by committing to ’embellished’ work. Having processed, a significant body of reference material. At which point, more could be redundant, and not furthering a comic being produced – with the variety/quantity of Weekly content, becoming the product itself. It was always meant as a work in progress, and to encourage a thorough grounding in technique and practice.
Primarily, nothing is really changing much for me, in the studio – I am just drawing more, and getting proper sleep. The work looks better each day. Instead of trying to fill the blanks of my web page menu templates, I plan to post items daily or every other day, with the goal of getting something inked and colored to post. If I embellish a piece, I will post scans ( only if it’s 11 x 17″ ); photos if it’s larger.
I will only post the ‘paused’ content, if I happen to use it as a reference, or want to share it otherwise. I can save 2 days of studio time, if I streamline ( rather than maximize) the misc content. In 2 days, I can embellish pieces.
The original goal of Luridmax was Maximizing quality ( forms, aesthetics, concepts, backgrounds, supporting cast, art skill) – and quantity. ( not quantity of supplemental posts: ie, scans of unfinished pieces, editing scans, for hours, – and misc content).
Hopefully, you will find the new posts refreshing, and long awaited – and a good exchange, for the a status quo ‘ quantity’ of images.
The comic is ready. The preliminary work is sufficient. Below I itemize the factors – how the studio time will be allocated, to enable a new, completed comic.
Factors
Even though it’s more efficient to do it all in one session, – all day posting, tends to throw off my momentum, and progress for a couple days, (because it requires me to be seated at the PC for over 6 hours; which prevents me from exercising, and effects my sleep time**)
** I’ve noticed, breaking the posts into smaller daily sections, has improved the quality of my art, by virtue of regular sleep time ( as required, for the physical aspects of photographing 6th scale models)
I, as well as subscribers, want to see the works in progress, embellished. To get there, it is clear to me, that putting in 8 hours or more daily in the studio, is leading to that directly. But, making web pages, writing messages to both subscribe star and the web site coming soon – scripts, editing rough layouts (composition book scans – for hours), scanning and posting vintage covers ( at a weekly expected quantity) starts to add up to 2 days worth of productivity, spent on some other than making the best art I can.
Ways I have thought of, to save time ( the less time I spend preparing composition book drawings, – removing text, and things oblique to art; the more I can put into the art.):
- I may reduce the composition book posts, to whatever I can post within 15 minutes – because in an hour, I can draw something of superior quality.
- And instead of connecting scans of anything larger than 11 x 17″ : 14 x 17, 19 x 17″ ( of unfinished sketches) – I can photograph them (24 MP ), and save the hour or more it takes to process the unfinished images, to get them closer to completion.
It might not sound like alot of time saved – but In a 3 hour period, I can complete a 19 x 24″ basic scene, its the weekly chores that keep images from being completed, and then I have new ideas over the next 72 hours.
Trying to meet a status quo of “Weekly Pack” content, that results in extra hours making web pages, and editing unfinished pieces – is all time that could go to coloring a piece. The former system made sense when I was disseminating alot of scanned ‘Apocrypha’.
The key images of the Apocrypha are mostly scanned, and posted. (There are more, but I have plenty to work with. )
I began redrawing pieces, and see that the most productive thing I can spend my studio time doing, is drawing, inking and coloring.
So, I may post more recent pieces into the Atelier, older pieces, in the Apocrypha, and pieces I am embellishing into Gallery. Whatever is most convenient with the existing weekly pack menu. Anything I post , will be mentioned on the ‘Coming soon’ of this website
I have written an outline for a comic series I want to do. Viewing it, as part of the process of improving. Instead of letting my ambition for quality, at every level, keep it in the queue. Out of my IP, I have chosen some arche types, and general plot. The presentation will be an unfolding story, with lurid pre-code horror elements. I won’t focus on dialogue; I will try to show the story with pictures.
Saving Studio Time for Art
I can pencil the pages throughout each week, and embellish them, and make large splash covers, and paintings –
( after analyzing studio productivity)
If I:
a) don’t spend 2 hours editing composition book pages in MS Paint, to post to Atelier ( composition).
b) don’t post all in one evening ( causing me to inevitably stay up late, and make the subsequent days, less productive, for drawing detailed quality – every week.
[Out of a 7 day week. Leaving 4 days to work in the studio, minus 1 day to do chores ( scanning) = 3 days to draw quality. ) c) don’t post Apocrypha/Vintage ( Videos/Video Games/ Scripts/Soundtracks/ 6th Scale) as a status quo – which can take up 3 hrs to 3 days. ]
The best schedule, is to draw morning, noon, and first two hours of evening – then post an image ( or something from the aforementioned categories) daily.
Tues April 7, 2020 ( 10:36pm) Added a 3rd soundtrack. Photographed the interior of 3 comics, worth studying*
* ( that later can be posted). Working on a detail reference study for a main supporting cast* ( that is one of the main remaining items, before I plan to embellish many of the 19 x 24, and 14 x 17 templates ( after which I can ink, and color: and redraw) ]
*Should know in 3 – 4 weeks what to expect regarding it**.
*The main thing separating the professional pre-code horror comic art, from amateur – seemingly incomplete, pieces; in my opinion; is the supporting cast ( time and thought, put into details; which overall, elevates the quality).
Camera: 6th Scale: Photo
Frank Frazetta’s Death Dealer: Axe, Scimitar. Always thought this character looked the coolest, and most menacing, tough guy, sort of bad-ass anti hero, icon. On aspect of creating work that isn’t limited to the chief differentiating factor, ie, in lurid pre code horror, is the quality of the designs of the supporting cast. Ie, Ridley Scott’s aliens, and James Cameron’s Terminator.
There are many such memorable creations ( ie, The Predator; Darth Vader; Cthulu; Legend: Black Cauldron ( the horned King); Skeletor; Ghost Rider ) which other derivatives, simply didn’t make the effort. I want to have the supporting cast to have due diligence, put into developing; and study some Frazetta, Boris, and other iconic designs, to integrate elements of it, and produce something of quality
Honoring Legends
Lurid ( painted) covers; which have inspired, generations; and a good starting point for paintings I want to begin for the IP, I have been developing. ( logos, backgrounds, scenes, characters). The style is direct, and uses every inch of the page to fill with lurid content. A benefit of studying these, will be an option, for variant covers; in the Eerie publications style ( of the 70’s).
Like all the vintage content, it takes time to disseminate ( photographing an interior can take hours). I wanted to keep the content for the vintage section, true to the genre ( and not skimp, by only publishing mainstream). After scouring online comic stores for lurid pre code horror comics, I found them far and few between. The recent lot of Eerie publications, magazines, was perfect.
Story Telling
Over a handful of years, I simply never cared that much for the Dolcett story premise- beyond being about the only lurid pre-code horror content being produced in quantity/art quality ( as main searchable keyword) for the past 30 years. The ideas in the story, and the concerns of the characters are mostly alienating to me. It doesn’t reflect my circle, I’m not a corporate, swinger, and alot of the stuff, is simply way outside of anything I care about.
Sword and sorcery, however, are like fables, universally relatable, and pure imagination; bringing people with different cultures, to share a universal sense of justice. Not meant to be an exact reflection of society and can be a character presentation, in a different environment, giving insight. Personalities interact and face situations that are impossible, using the artifice, and magic of sci-fi, fantasy concepts. Transformative, and increasing, embellishing human experience and capability to allow for metaphoric storytelling.
Adaptations
I am so relieved, by the positive reception* to the first scripts I have had voice acted. With a generally interesting scripts/characters as a foundation, I anticipate, bringing my best effort to embellish, something that is part of a story, and look forward to the comic/ visual novel: as a means to communicate physicality ( visually), characters ( story, dialogue), and tone ( musically; melodic themes, sound effects).
Gratitude
The more balanced the presentation, masculine/feminine, the broader its appeal, the more who are reached, the more support, and the more content ( quality animations, games). It would be a dream, to be at a comiccon, with Zaydimar, viewed as a gritty, tale featuring, gore, and strong survivors, and hot, muscular women, in a story that is Sword & Sorcery adventure, that appeals to a Pg -13 audience, publically; and sign autographs, meet actors/models/writer/colorists and print physical books, to send to subscribers, with signed prints, and exclusive Lurid covers.