Pandeia

Yes, more updates! We’re about a month away from a super-awesome barrage of Pandeia goodness! From November, Pandeia Issue 3 with update at an unprecedented 3 times a week for 7 weeks! This will see us up until Xmas, where there’ll be a short break, and then another run of issue 4. I’ve not yet written far enough ahead to guarantee Issue 5 will follow the same schedule, but I am certainly trying for it. This is where the story gets oh-so-good. This is the stuff I’ve been planning to write for four years, and now it’s happening: hover-bike chases across desert plains, epic shootouts in ancient libraries, more tomb-raiding and a a massive cliff-hanger which will probably make some heads asplode – ok, I’ve said too much.

To prove I’m not just chin-wagging and that I am really getting on with the task, here’s some previews of the pages I’m working on:

I’m currently laying page 6. That’s 2 day’s work with the script at hand. I’ve decided that a solid script is definitely the way to go. Planning everything out makes this part of the task not only fast, but very enjoyable. As you can see from the inks of Fietta Navara above, there ink style has also evolved. I’m putting everything I’ve got into this issue to make it the best yet.

It’s an exciting story, loads of exposition, intrigue, more introduction to the inhabitants of this world, and a barroom brawl! Stay tuned for more updates as we ramp up to the online release of Pandeia Issue 3.

So what’s going on with Pandeia? When will you see some new art? I’ve got a few moments between renders, so allow me to bring you all up-to-speed on a few things:

• Focus of project – my focus since June has been promoting the first two issues of Pandeia. I’ve appeared twice in a local comicbook Youtube channel – Kapow! Comicbook Show – and I’ve tabled my stuff at a local collectibles fair. I’ve been spending time working on the eStore, and I’ve been researching ways to get better quality products made.
• Found a local printer. He is able to turn around a small order in a couple of days, and for a great price. Turns out that deadlines like Supanova can be met without needing everything sent to Ka-Blam months in advance. Still working out print stock, reformatting some work to fit specs, but so far, so good.
• A new printer and new eStore updates – such as Social Media login – means I am working on making printed versions of my comics available to purchase right here.
• New Schedule – while it may be a bit of of a wait for new pages of Pandeia, it will be worth it. I am currently working on scripts for the next two or three issues. I’m about halfway through Issue 3, using my commuting time to write, revise, and concept. This is with a view to cease script-writing by end of September and focus on layout and finishing pages, so that I can create a three-day-a-week update schedule for November onwards. There may be a short break between issues.
• Plans to finish book 1 by end of 2013. I have the outlines figured out, and some ideas for the direction of Book 2, so focusing on the immediate issues means working in a more streamlined way.
• Ceasing extra-curricular activities. I will not be participating in any anthology projects in the foreseeable future. The end for completing Pandeia is in sight. It will consume my work hours for the next couple of years, but it will be worth doing just to get this story out.
• Working out how to better integrate things like the “Process To Go” podcast episodes here on this website.
• Working on extra media – posters, prints, possibly t-shirts.
• Working on a trailer for Pandeia to drum up hype. Have to make it awesome. Awesome takes time.

I am aware there are more and more fans coming by the site, and I wish there was more to show to go with all the marketing and hype! While this site may seem to have gone quiet (and may continue to look quiet for a couple of months) November will be explosive. I hope you’ll stick around for that.

Pandeia Issue 2# is finally available in PRINT! You can place your orders through indyplanet.com This issue looks GOOD. I’m pretty blown away with how it turned out.

Each print issue is $4 (plus shipping & handling) so you can get both issues in print at a bargain price!

I’ll be tabling these at Supanova in Sydney this year, so if you’re in the area, please come find me in the artist’s alley. You’ll see the posters from a fair distance.

So just to make it easy:

Pandeia Issue 1# $4.00 at indyplanet

Pandeia Issue 2# $4.00 at indyplanet

And don’t forget, they are also available as eBooks from the eStore right here!

Pandeia Issue 1# eBook is free, and the Pandeia Issue 2# eBook is just $1.29

If you like the story so far and want updates on how Issue 3# is developing, like the pandeiacomic page on facebook where I post regular sketchbook updates, and link all the Process 2 Go episodes where I discuss the making of process once a week.

Wow, I’ve not done one of these blog posts in a while. I wonder if anyone really reads them? Oh well. Worth putting up a few words about what’s going on around here.

I am speeding towards finishing this issue/chapter as fast as I can manage. I’ve been struck with illness, work commitments and other stuff which needs taking care of. In the meantime, I thought I’d share a couple of sneak previews. First off, the cover has now been decided on. Here is a quick thumbnail:

I think it’ll work when it’s all done, so stay tuned. I’ve also been taking a little extra time with the next page. I had the set all sussed out, but I realised there are going to be some details around the endges of what i let you see that are going to demand a re-visit. I also wanted a very particular look to the set, so I had to do some research on how to get a good stone-block effect. Thanks to a couple of Blender boffins, I discovered a “masonry” plugin for Blender, and I quickly whipped up a room with ease. A little detailing later and…

Now, lastly, if you would like to hear a bit about the process that went into producing these pages, I’ve been doing a “process to go” series over at the process diary. The last few episodes have been exclusively about this issue of Pandeia. should they prove popular, I will be doing a regular update podcast for the next issue(s) so you can hear a bit about what goes into putting the issues together.

Thanks for sticking around, you faithful few! There’ll be plenty more to come really REALLY soon. Promise.

Yes the next page will be late again… but this time, I have a great reason! As some of you know, I have been plagued by a techno-curse in which all my gadgets, tools and devices have been raptured away to Silicon Heaven. As a result, I’ve had to replace my macbook, monitor, and now having no money left to replace my desktop computer, have had to come up with ingenious work-arounds to compensate and keep on going.

I recently had the good fortune of interviewing a fellow Illopond artist, Lee Wiley, about his current graphic novel project, Expiration Date. In the interview, he described his method of work to me, incorporating both Photoshop and Sketchbook Pro. I was fascinated by this. I use GIMP (ok, so I dabble in photoshop for work) to produce Pandeia but I’ve never been a fan of it on the Mac. The main issue I have is that it requires X11 to load, and that does not have a good relationship with my Wacom tablet.

However, Sketchbook Pro does.

So I substituted Photoshop with GIMP, exported the template file as a psd (yes, you can do that in GIMP!) and opened it in Sketchbook pro. All the layers were preserved, and I could sketch away! I’ve recorded my process so far, and as I complete the page, I will keep recording, and then post a demo video some time next week for you all. Here is where I am at so far:

It will make more sense when you see what was done in SBP and what was done in GIMP (hint: the borders and layers were in GIMP, the sketching done in SBP) but I thought I’d share my progress so far.