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Whew okay. So, I decided at this point I wanted to draw the comic on paper. My biggest reason being that I’d been drawing almost completely digital for 3 years, and felt it was stunting my growth. In hindsight it was true - I needed more time and practice in the analog world - and I present these pages to you as evidence. My layouts, my lines, my lettering, my overall sense of confidence just isn’t there. But with the 3x a week practice drawing a webcomic afforded me, I learned so much.
This page pissed off a decent number of people; free webcomic nitpicking aside, I can understand why. But again, I clearly needed this time to figure stuff out. I’m glad most people were patient.
One reader called my adventures in pen and ink a “bait and switch”, which I still think is really funny. Maybe they are reading this now, as I speak from the top of my game. Hello.
9 thoughts on “#167 – bleary eyed”
dapperanarchist
Huh – when I read this, I assumed it was motivated by the perspective switch from Eve to Hanna. I don't know if I paid enough attention to notice if that switch was maintained, but the switch from smooth digital ink to rough pen ink sort of matches their perspectives and attitudes.
pierandloft
honestly i love how this looks still!
Julie
When I first read this I just thought it was a delightful new style you were experimenting with! Shame on the haters.
thoss
I love this shift, it was great. I generally preferred the more analog-organic style elements when you switched up from digital, but the most important thing is the way you keep developing your craft and aren't afraid to take risks.
Justin
I remember I found it jarring in comparison to the digital stuff. It took me a couple pages to adjust. In the end, though, this one became my favorite arc of the whole series. And I still refer to things that suck as "craigslist."
NotMarkFlynn
The Ren Faire is one of my favorite archs! And I like the pen & paper look, it felt more wild and free, and I think this storyline was a great one to experiment like that.
Danyell
I don’t think you can “bait and switch” a thing that is 100% free.
Scott
There were haters for this? This was fire right out of the gate, and still is.
Amelie W.
I've seen some people who like their comics to be visually flawed – having typos was apparently the most important factor – because it makes them "real". Apparently competent, consistent comics craft is just not believable. So I guess this comic would piss off these people later on as you develop your skills just as much as it pisses of the "bait and switch" critic here.
And you know when your critics are equally divided between people complaining about the exact opposite things, you're onto something good.