Color version of first strip.

[Clockwork Fox]

[WyrmMaster]

Thanks. We enjoyed this greatly.

[SaiaKferr]

Nice to see the game back, and a strip that looks like it will be fun to follow as well. Thanks guys.

As to the color version, nice job!    

[AllieFiona]

Glad you like the strip.  We work hard to make it entertaining.

The color version does look nice.  It must have taken Clockwork Fox a great deal of care and effort to color.

For your information, as I create the greytone version of this in Photoshop, I am working with masks and layers to make future coloration easier.

[SaiaKferr]

For your information, as I create the greytone version of this in Photoshop, I am working with masks and layers to make future coloration easier.

I look forward to seeing where you will go with the story. How far do you have it scripted out, and how far in advance do you do the graphics for it? Do you draw with a mouse or a tablet?

I've been digging around to see if I can find my copy of the original game so I can review the story, though I know you intend the strip to be available to people without playing the game. I played it years and years ago and have forgotten some aspects adventure that I think may help me enjoy the strip a bit more, like who the rat is in the current strip. I seem to remember a rat winning the logic game in the beginning of the game, but don't remember if he turned up a second time.

[Clockwork Fox]

The color version does look nice.  It must have taken Clockwork Fox a great deal of care and effort to color.

Actually, it was much easier than it seems because of the existing grey scale.  If you compare the color strip to the original, you'll notice the luminancy of nearly everything is exactly the same, because only a hue was added to most of the areas.  One place it was not was the vixen's knickers. There's a few areas of gradient shading I added, as well as 'color noise' to the stone greys.  I've always been fond of gradient shading, even though flat shading looks more professional.  It did spend a fair amount of time on it, but I've done this sort of thing before for 2+ years on another comic.

I always was fond of the game's setting, and the strip appeals to me greatly. I wanted to see what it looked like in color.

[WyrmMaster]

The Rat at the end of the last strip is indeed the winner of the Puzzle Contest from the game. The next strip will make that clear.  

[AllieFiona]

>>How far do you have it scripted out, and how far in advance do you do the graphics for it? Do you draw with a mouse or a tablet?<<

Joe and I have the general story line plotted to maybe a third or half way through the story arc, by my guestimate.  (Joe probably has a better idea about the percentage).  We've planned the strips through about the 21st week.  We are just about due to work on the next 10 strips or so after that, plot-wise.

In the best of all possible worlds we'd have the dialog worked out that far as well, but I've had my plate full for the last couple of months, and have had to work pretty much "last minute" on them.  I block out a very rough sketch of a strip with tentative dialog at the beginning of the week, work out details and corrections with Joe via email, phone, meetings, or whatever, and somehow get a finished strip out by the end of that week.  In an ideal world, I'd be working on scripts and sketches with a much longer lead time, but I have to finish up some other projects first.

I work with a tempermental second-hand wacom tablet and a sleepy old "emachine" PC.  I hope to upgrade to a slightly less sleepy PC in the near future.

[AllieFiona]

Actually, it was much easier than it seems because of the existing grey scale. 

Ah, I figured out how these quotes work.


I limited the number of greys I worked in at first for just that reason: they'd be easy to pick out and colorize.  Lately I've been doing a little more fancy footwork in the background, which may make colorizing a little more challenging.  But the actors remain fairly simply colored both for dramatic effect (if you've read "Understanding Comics" by Scott McCloud, you know what I mean) and for easier conversion.

[cairn destop]

Just out of curiousity, do you intend coloring all of the strips?  Will they replace the black and white versions or will they be in a separate location?

[cairn destop]

First off, I know it's not good manners double posting, but there's little action, so forgive the gaff.


Was checking out the character sketches and the strip and there is one thing I think needs working.  I believe the drawings of the two main characters, the male and female fox, are interchangable in the grey shaded tones.  No, not the bodies, I'm referring to the faces.  There's nothing distinguishable between them.

Will now calmly offer marshmellows to all those who will be flaming the non artistic hedgehog.

[AllieFiona]

do you intend coloring all of the strips?

Joe and I figure that we will eventually have a color comic strip.  We have been creating current strips in such a way that retroactive coloring would be fairly easy.  As to when and how this will come about, we haven't discussed that much yet.

[AllieFiona]

I believe the drawings of the two main characters, the male and female fox, are interchangable in the grey shaded tones.

I only have 4 web-friendly grays to work with in flat-colored areas, so the general fox-color of the characters is the same.

Notice that Rif has a wider ruff and squarer face than Rhene.  Rhene has bigger, more feminine eyes, a rounder head, shorter muzzle, and longer dark points on hands and feet  (Rif's reach mid arm and calf, Rhene's almost to the knee and elbow).  And of course, their physiques are quite different.

[WyrmMaster]

All of Eric Blumrich's concept art was very expressive, which makes the characters seem like they've had too much coffee.

[cairn destop]

Didn't want to start a new topic, so I thought this the closest.

Just got a look at the weekly pictures of the three rabbits.  One look makes me think this should be titled "three rabids."  Talk about your nasty looks!  All three of those characters appear as vicious, mean and/or cruel.  Not your typical rabbit, which means I loved it.  About time the fluffy and cute became the powerful.