Still working with new ideas for panels and things. I need to learn how to do this better and the only way to do that is trial and error! So I’ll keep mucking around and see what I like and what I don’t. Looking forward to hearing what you think, too!

The scene in the first panel was built and assembled in Google Sketchup! I’ve built a few simple stock buildings for Sigil and they make useful tools for rendering nice cityscapes. I want to render some more and once I have rendered all the ones I want to, I’ll make the components available as a download on the site here.

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As always, don’t forget to vote! I’ll be changing the voting incentive shortly after this post. You’ll get to see where Pel and Qul really are — something that doesn’t show up in this picture

Pel wants to talk to Qul. What could this mean?

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I’m experimenting with the art and the comic again. From now until the end of the chapter you can probably expect to see a lot of stuff being tried out. In here I played with Illustrator’s perspective tools and I think it worked out okay. I also messed a little bit with the panels. I realized my prologue had some pretty dramatic panel designs but I’ve gotten away from that as the comic’s gone on. I read a few other webcomics recently and I’m drawing some ideas from them. I’m still very new to the comic-drawing biz, all things considered, so bear with me as I try to learn some of this.

I’m also going to try and use textures more and figure out the best way to make use of them. I avoid them a lot partly because of time, partly because it’s really really hard to put them in perspective in Illustrator. Well, not hard. But it takes a lot of work and a lot of memory since I have to LiveTrace to get them to change perspective. Maybe I need to learn how to export to Photoshop and do my textures there? It may be better for me in the end. Anyhow, thanks for reading and sticking with me while I learn how to do a webcomic!

And as always, please don’t forget to vote!

I need to find a better smoke/smog texture. Any recommendations? This one just turns my pages all green. In other news, SketchUp hasn’t been so great for me with indoor scenes but it’s been awesome for outdoor scenes. Every background you’ve seen in this scene has been rendered in SketchUp. I need to put together more Sigil buildings so I can create a really cool skyline. Then I need to design some ideas for other planes when we finally get away from Sigil.

And scene! As always, don’t forget to vote! As of this posting, I’m at #212 over there. If you guys vote for me every day, I just might break 200 by the end of the month!

And if you have a chance, give the guys at TWC1000 some voting love too!

A brief recap, combined with some of Pel’s thoughts.

I’ve been working on character development a little more behind the scenes. This is my first publication that I’ve done entirely on my own and it’s a very daunting task. I have to manage the art, work on the story, and try to put it all into a coherent presentation for readers. It’s hard. I’ve written before, but never for something that I show to the world. I’ve drawn and shown those pictures to the world before, but never on a very precise and regular deadline.

I can feel the art getting better the more I practice. I look back at the beginning pages, then come to the ones today and I feel that overall the presentation has gotten a little better. I keep trying new things, but it basically boils down to the fact that I now have a year’s worth of practice getting a decent-looking comic page out within a short period of time. It is hard work but it’s worth the effort.

As for the characters, plot and story, like I said, this is the first time I’ve seriously done any writing that I want to put out there for anyone and everyone to see. I’ve made quite a few newbie mistakes over the past year or so. It’s hard and I really didn’t know what I was getting into. Some of the mistakes are probably my imagination. As they say, you are your own worst critic.

I’ve spent some time with some writer friends who’ve been published and I’ve read a couple books on character and plot development recently. The lessons are still fresh in my mind. I’ve been drawing up the serious outline for my next story arc over the past couple months and I think it’s coming out better.

So, stick with me, cutters. I’ll make this work.

As always, don’t forget to vote! And if you wouldn’t mind, take a look at my bloods over at the TWC 1000 and vote for them, too!

Lastly, don’t forget about the contest! Got two months left so bring out your best cutters to compete for the prizes!

Sorry for the delay! Had a bit of an airhead moment this morning!

I know it’s silly to ask since I screwed up this morning but please don’t forget to vote!

Uh-oh!

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This page made me realize how much I hate drawing hands! On the other hand (har har), I really like how this came out overall for the action. I’m not well-practiced in drawing action scenes and the next few pages are going to challenge me considerably. But I will keep going and do my best! So if you like what I’m doing, please vote! As of this posting I’m at #356! Only 156 more places to climb to get a huge picture of the Metamorphosis cast!

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Also don’t forget the contest! Take a look and come up with your best ideas! I’m going to change it from a forum post thing to an email form. I think it’ll be more user-friendly in general. I look forward to seeing what you all come up with!

The Anarchists make their attack and make sure it’s memorable. Fortunately for Pel, Alyssa’s a mage strong enough to deflect arrows.

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Please don’t forget to vote! I’m in the 400s now, and voting reset on July 1! If you guys can vote me to 200th or better, I’ll make a special poster image of the Metamorphosis cast! That includes everyone that was on the fighting game picture from before!

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Also don’t forget, the Metamorphosis Design-a-Character contest is running! Put your mind to work and come up with your favorite concepts you want to see adventure with Qul & Co. in an upcoming story arc!!

The page says it all! Ka-boom!

Good thing Ianthe saw it an instant before it happened, huh?

Also, new stuff going on! If you like this comic, please head over to TopWebComics and VOTE for it!

You can vote once every 24 hours from each computer you have. If you could do that, I’d be eternally grateful but if you only vote on update days, that’s awesome too! Every little bit helps!

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And now time for a Contest Announcement!

The first ever Metamorphosis “Make a Character” contest is underway! The contest is for you to make a character that will appear as a major supporting character during an upcoming story arc. Here’s the chance to exercise your creativity. Come up with your favorite kinds of characters and get them a chance to meet Qul and company!

The winner’s character will be featured in a story arc down the road. Five more characters will receive brief appearances as extras in the comic. All of the chosen characters will get their very own sketches and drawings!

You can read more about it at the Contest Rules page

Sorry for the delay on this one. Long story short, I forgot to bring the comic image with me to work so I didn’t get a chance to upload until just now. Enjoy!

I tried making the last panel so that Ianthe had speed lines without looking like she had a beard. I’m still not convinced but I think it’s better than nothing.

Here it is! Sorry it’s late. I’ll be back on track next week!