posted by Scraps on Sep 6

ProTip: A stainless steel baking sheet in a 400 degree oven for 20 minutes can cause 2nd degree burns rather easily.

And, for the record, first aid for a mild 2nd degree burn (redness plus blisters) is NOT to put butter on it. Think about it: butter is fat, and fat can be used at very high temperatures to cook food–not exactly cooling. Aloe, however, is good for minor burns and, of course, commercial burn creams (if you can still get Silvadene in your area and aren’t allergic to sulfa drugs, it’s the best). Cool water and a well-wrapped gel pack are a good idea (if it’s very bad or very large, seek immediate medical attention) and your preferred pain killer (Ibuprofen, Aspirin, Tylenol) because it probably will hurt.

Especially if it’s along a muscle that flexes when you hold a pencil to draw with.

I was pretty disappointed in myself when I did that Saturday night and even more dismayed when it seemed like it was going to seriously impede my drawing progress that evening. But I managed (thank you ibuprofen!) to draw the last 5 pages of Little Shop of Tapas that night. Sunday I inked the lettering for chapter 1 after laying out and pencil-lettering the comic for chapter 2: Spoon! After today, the first 4 pages of Spoon! are complete. According to my calculations, I’m 29% through the required penciling.

Three day weekends are awesome. I only wish there were more of them to be had. Too bad it’s back to bed by 11 tonight and business as usual for the rest of the month. But I’m encouraged by the progress.

Spoon! is the story of a small island nation that is alternately ruled by two neighboring islands, each occupying in shifts. Only now, one of the factions doesn’t want to leave, they want it all for themselves. Jud and Ami begin this chapter separated, each dropped into a different faction but they meet up soon enough, befriend the natives and help them to overcome their would-be rulers.

If that story sounds familiar, it should. This is the foodie version of Dune–the Hunters and the Gatherers fighting over Spice Island. I think it’s a fitting opener to our chapter on Soups, Stews and other Stove-top items. Spices are something that can make or break a dish. Used well, spices enhance flavors and enrich a dish. Used ill, they can render a dish absolutely inedible. Time to get to know your spice cabinet a little better.

posted by Scraps on Aug 30

So I made it halfway through Little Shop of Tapas (which included creating 3 supporting characters and designing 2 interiors. I feel awfully accomplished.

Until I realize that I’m only 16% through the comics.

Crap.

But hey! There’s a holiday next Monday and I WILL make the best of that day drawing my fingers off. And as much of this week as possible (I spent a lot of Sunday blogging for the week so I could be freer in the evenings to draw; we’ll see how that pays off.) I can’t believe how much harder it is to draw a page of a completely fictional story compared to the pages I’d draw, ink and be done with in a night (or less) for my own comic about my life. It’s tough to pull these worlds out of your head, didn’t you know?

Well, neither did I.

So the webcomics will remain on hiatus for September and I’ll see how things look at the end of the month as to whether I can resume them in October. I miss telling the other stories, like friends who are on vacation, but this is the way it needs to be.

And because I haven’t posted a scan recently, here’s a couple of panels I’m really proud of from the last few pages.

Panels from Intro, Page 5

Panels from Little Shop of Tapas, Page 7

Back to the drawing board–literally!

posted by Scraps on Aug 23

As expected, this past week was a little hectic. I did get a few more pages pencilled but no where near the number I’d (foolishly?) hoped for. Still, Molly the French Bulldog goes back home in a couple of days and Mom will be returning to work. Today’s visit to her was almost unnecessary–she’d been able to drive and run some errands so there was really nothing I could do for her.

Even though the physical demands of this week weren’t horrible (far from it!) it all boils down to routine.

I am a creature of habit. My habits were trashed this week.

Which is why I feel like complete and utter noodles-for-brains tonight. I described it as being in limbo on twitter. Todd calls it blah. It’s all correct and why tonight is going to be an early one. I’ve got a page in progress that I want to finish up then I’ll probably call it.

Oh, and school (both local and college) started back today which means traffic hell and needing to get up earlier to compensate.

What was that about routine?

posted by Scraps on Aug 16

I suppose I could explain last week’s abbreviated post…

Mom had surgery Monday morning and, first things first, everything went well. They were able to do things the “easy” way (laparoscopic-robot-laser stuff) so she was home the next day and is mending very well. It also helped that my aunt came into town to be there at the hospital and for the week following which, I admit, took a lot of the pressure off us as far as after-care went. But it was also a massive week at work (which usually happens every month around the 10th, it’s when we pay bills and usually when the bulk of jobs to be invoiced come to me, as well–whee!) so I was dragging every night, very little time to mentally compose during the day while dealing with paperwork, etc. Just a rough week.

And we’ve been keeping Molly, Mom’s French Bulldog, since last Sunday night. Thankfully Todd has been doing most of the doggy care.

So what am I complaining about?

Nothing, really, but I was feeling a lot of expectant pressure at the beginning of last week. Brain drain.

But enough about the past!

This week… well, it actually might not be so hot, either. Sure, work has calmed back down to normal levels (knock on wood!) and Todd’s still taking most of the Molly-chores, but Aunt M is back in Jersey so I’ll be stopping by Mom’s each evening to check on her. Not that it’s a problem or an imposition or anything (don’t want to rack up bad-daughter points!) it’s just that it puts me getting home later and who knows what THAT’s going to do, you know?

The up side? Because there definitely is one: all 16 pages of the Chapter 1 comic are laid out and lettered. Page 1 is even drawn to tight pencils because the costume ideas finally clicked as I was laying it out (love it when that happens–it also shows how much whim goes into my projects–tons of advance planning, yes, but also a lot of last-second decisions)!

Chapter 1 is the Appetizers and Snacks chapter and the comic is titled Little Shop of Tapas. If you think that sounds a bit like Little Shop of Horrors, well, you’d be correct! I did mention I was doing parodies of movies for each comic story, yes? Well, instead of a flower shop we’ve got a diner. Instead of the man-eating plant we’ve got a Beholder-like window in the swinging door with lots of little mouths that are very, very picky eaters but only when it comes to repetition–they don’t like the same things more than once. So our trio has to help the employees figure out how to satiate and, eventually, obliterate the monster.

It was originally going to be set in a 50s soda shop/diner but then I read Fix the Pumps (by Darcy of the Art of Drink blog) and learned a bit about the original 1800s soda fountains and the cover was all steampunk/mad scientist and, yeah, it’s now set in a steampunk soda shop/diner. Time unimportant. They’re only going to be there for 16 pages, after all.

This week will concentrate on the hardcore penciling of the remaining 15 pages of this story. I’m not saying I’ll get them all penciled this week, but I’m certainly going to make the effort! Thursdays post is still up in the air–I have something brewing in the back of my mind for it, we’ll see if it ferments.

Oh, and I mentioned that there were some other things that just *had* to get done last week? One of them is this: Cocktails for a Cure, my small part of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk fundraiser this year. Please check out the Cocktails for a Cure page over at Sips & Shots for the full details, but I’m offering cocktail prints as well as a portion of sales from Character Cocktails donated to the cause.

posted by Scraps on Aug 9

Quickie update, gang–The intro is completely pencilled (which really is the hard part) and some of the panels turned out better than I’d imagined! Yes, I know, such a tease for not posting pictures but I will, soon. Promise.

The rest, well, I’m still trying to do too much (quelle suprise) but there’s just a few things I need to get taken care of and life is being life, but work continues apace. No worries there!