Home stretch

A quick update- I'm in snowy Connell WA with the family, recovering from a turkey coma with just 15 pages left to go. I won't be able to scan them until I'm back in Vermont on December 3rd, but I'll make sure there's a witness to verify that I finished this thing on time.

NaGraNoWriMo- 8

More than half way there! Time to pick up the pace!

Comics Tool Review- Platinum Fountain Pen Converter

This year I decided to do the NaGraNoWriMo project with a brush pen, instead of felt pens like last year. This was instantly a mistake, since our town is going through a "brush pen refill drought", with several of the current cartooning students having decided to ink their entire thesis with the Pentel Pocket Brush.

A pack of refill cartridges at the store in town is $7 here, and the Platinum Fountain Pen Converter only cost $7.50, so I decided to give it a shot.



It doesn't fit my Pentel Pocket Brush, but fits the Kuretake no.8 (and its pricier cousins, the no. 13 and no.40)



I don't like the Kuretake as much as the Pentel Pocket Brush. They both have hair tips, but the Pentel has a nicer point, and the belly of the brush isn't as full with the Kuretake.



Filled it up with Speedball ink. Hope this doesn't clog it up in the long run, I should buy some sumi ink.



Here's the assembled pen and a doodle. Everything is working fine for now, and I'm happy considering the price, if I use it five times it'll be worth it. I'll post more if I encounter any problems.

NaGraNoWriMo- 7

I'm up to page 50 (if you count the chapter break page, and I'm going to because this is hard enough as it is), and back on schedule!



See the whole story so far at the Flickr album.

NaGraNoWriMo-6

I was out sick for a few days, but I'm catching up! Ten more pages to the story, over at the flickr album.

NaGraNoWriMo- 5

Still plodding along. Don't run with knives, kids. Especially stolen ones.

You can read the whole story so far here.

NaGraNoWriMo-4

I was sitting on the couch, watching a movie and laying out panel borders, when Jonch leans over and is like "Draw me on this page." And I'm all "That doesn't make any sense, you don't even know what page that is." But he insists. So here you go.

NaGraNoWriMo- 3

Hasn't been a NaGraNoWriMo update in a few days, because I've had too many guests! Our favorite mystery man was in town Tuesday to turn over the reigns of I Know Joe Kimpel (not to me, that's too much of a challenge) on his way out to the west coast. Good luck, dude!
Then yesterday I had six people over for dinner in my tiny apartment. Which was a crazy idea because I only own two chairs, but totally it worked out.

The weekend will be all about eating leftovers and drawing this comic. I promise.

In the meantime, there are two other friends who have taken on the challenge:
David Yoder is working on his fictional vaudeville autobiography, and Josh Lees is going all space cowboy this month!

NaGraNoWriMo2010- 2

Hey look, it's a corny joke! I should really avoid jokes.
More tomorrow.

NaGraNoWriMo 2010

It's that time of year again.

Time to drive myself crazy.

You can follow my progress on the blog here, or on flickr, or on livejournal which I'm not gonna link to because I'm properly ashamed of it (as we all should be). And the Tragic Relief webcomic site will still be updating Monday, Wednesday and Friday. More comics than you can handle!

Is anyone else taking on the challenge this year? If so, send me a link! I'd love to see it.

Anyway, here's my first few pages.









Yup, doing another "Sir Christopher" story, for two reaasons- 1) I've already got the Winter Blues, and this character's depression and constant failures fit my mood, and 2) If this story ends up successful, I'd like to collect the two into a book.

More to come!