It's been a while since I drew an issue of Farlaine.
The last page of book 3 was drawn around August/September 2012. Since then I've drawn the covers and published the book, but no other sequential pages.
Now I'm trying to do it with a full time day job and a 2 hour commute.
To say it's slow would be fair.
But after a few months hammering on the script, I finally started drawing again a week or two ago. I'm up to about page 3. About.
It's interesting having to re-learn all the tricks and approaches I'd used back then and haven't touched since. I forgot how I worked towards the end, doing lots of sketches on other paper first to establish poses and compose shots. The first page of book 4 I wasn't happy with, but next page I like. So I wouldn't be surprised if it was a dozen pages before I'd gotten back to form and remember all the other things I'm forgetting.
I'm also jumping around trying different inks and paper to start off with. I had some frustrations last time with different kinds. I'd tried Strathmore pads and Blue Line sheets and even some random pieces I found buried away. None of them were great. All had issues. I am trying some of the Eon boards now, and will try single sheet strathmore at different plys. Maybe I'll find something I like.
Inkwise I ended up using Speedball towards the end of book 3 and generally liked it, although for me it dried out and didn't rejuvenate well at one point, so the last cover I did involved lots of nib cleaning. I just bought two new kinds to try, a Japanese sumi ink, and a bottle of Perle Noire. Maybe one will be cooler.
The fourth issue is looking to be a bit longer than the others, currently around 40. We'll see how it goes. Could shorten or lengthen as I go!
Here are a few of the early prelim pieces and sketches I'm using to build up a panel.
OK, now back to work...
