FLIGHT, DUDE.

GUYS. It's done.

For the last several months it has been my worst-kept secret that I have been working on an 18-page submission for Volume 8 of the Flight anthology. (Which happens, tragically, to be the series' last volume)

It's basically both a dream-come-true opportunity, and the longest comic I've ever written. It has also been the most fun I've had working on anything in a long time.

I hope you guys don't mind if I take the opportunity to wax a little sentimental:

The Flight anthology has been such an important thing to me, over the last several years.

If you've talked to me, you know I love comics and (despite pitifully little work to show for it) I love making them. Graduating from RISD was an intense experience, and by the end I had to make a hard decision: what was I going to pursue?

Long story short- I made a list of things I wanted to do...things I really felt like I wanted to do. It was short list, and at the top of it was "Be part of Flight". Even above working for Pixar.

I really don't think there's much else like Flight out there.

As I pondered whether I wanted to enter the American comics' industry, I learned how hard the work is, how small the pay, and how little creative input or control someone like me would have most of the time. Past all of the myriad of superhero books I've slowly stopped reading, one by one, I realized my love was for webcomics and for Flight. I feel that Flight is the tangible representation of that new spirit of webcomickery that's growing (which includes works like The Meek, Rice Boy, and Bird Boy among countless others): why not use the medium of comics to tell honest, true stories that come right from the heart of the artist? Comics that aren't out to just make a buck or fill a monthly billing. So Flight, to me, has been this beautiful haven of freedom. So many great artists have told great stories through it's pages and it's a heartbreaking shame that it can't last forever. But I am so grateful to have been allowed to be a part of it.

It's been a labor of love, completely.

Now, I guess I need a new dream :P

Above is a tiny preview panel of the finished piece, and below is some of the concept art I did for myself before I started out.

As the release approaches, I may post more of the in-process work...just because I think it might be neat to see?

Nonetheless, to see more of the good stuff you'll just have to buy yourself a copy of Flight vol. 8 :P And let me assure you, having seen some of the work that's been done for it: it will be WELL worth your money. It's going to be an incredible send-off for the Flight series. I am SO incredibly excited to have my work printed alongside some of my heroes'.

And if the Lord wills it, plans are for me to be in San Diego come July for Comic Con, where I'll be sitting at the Flight table for signing! I would love to meet any and all of you, so if you're going to be there, stop by!

A Few Things...

So I know I uploaded a bunch of work in a hurry, and now I've totally gone quiet again. For which I am sorry. I'm totally swamped right now with work both at the studio and at home...all of which is totally fun, and none of which can be shown just yet. :)

The work-work I won't be able to talk about until our game ships, but the personal work may or may not have anything to do with a comicentryforcoughFlightcoughohmygoshi'msoexcited.

So for now you'll have to make do with an old in-progress piece. To tell the truth, I'm not sure if I'm ever going to get around to finishing this, but it was something from a couple of months ago that popped into my head and wanted out. So, in a frenzy I knocked the inks out and just haven't been able to find that muse again, so it's all alone and, I think, kind of boring.

ALAS!

I wish the snow would stop. I feel like the moment I see grass, I'm going to cry.

Also, my friend Fabiola has been featured on this awesome blog in a totally wonderful article about Fabiola-ness. It's be best!

In other news: My Mom has landed a children's book gig, The Illusionist was gorgeous, and fantasizing/spontaneous note-taking about Jellybots is proceeding sporadically.

God is good, even when it's snowing, and especially when the sun is out.

love love,

-n

The Old Man

Hemmingway's 'The Old Man And The Sea' was the last thing my grandfather gave me before he passed away years ago.

Only just now did I finally read it, and then I did this quick doodle (and since my doodles are in color now, I feel justified in uploading them!) Sort of to commemorate the occasion, and to continue to explore some new stylistic stuff in Photoshop, and to procrastinate, if I'm being perfectly honest (which one should always be on the internet :p). He's a bit...whiter...than he should be. Alas.

I also just read Blankets for the first time. Heavy stuff, all around.

-n

So...I have this fandom...

Okok. I've been doodling a lot now. And I had some free time at work, and I'm going to see Deathly Hallows for the second time tonight and and...

well...I have a long standing history of Voldemort obsession. I can't put my finger on it, I think it's just the simplicity of his design that I like...and I've never been 100% on the movie version.

I love what Ralph Fiennes has done with it...but I just don't dig on Voldemort with normal eyes and ears. Just an opinion.

It's also fun to do this as a "look how far we've come" exercise:

I don't know how to take this gallery down anymore, but I'm kind of glad it's still around.

Oh, 2003...

Anyways, I'm off to the movies!

Cheers, guys!

-n

More Jellybots and a Doodleface

More Jellybots! It's smiling at you :)
I thought I'd spend a little more time to give this idea it's due. Again, not a huge amount of work here, but I want to keep it simple. I'm starting to figure out the tone I want to strike, visually at least. I should be working on other things...but I figure this is helping to keep me fresh.

Again, just toying around with some new techniques and brushes. Really just doodling into the wee hours. But since it resulted in an actually colored piece (love love Cintiq!), I thought I'd post it it :D

Really nothing more than a doodled collection of things I like to draw...hair, noses, little eyes and floppy collars :p

Otherwise, not much to report. Thanksgiving-break spent holed up in my room at my parents' house. Coming down occasionally to let my family know I love them and that my workaholism is not their fault, and then disappearing back into the upstairs to draw.

And then there's the food. Egads! I've written this weekend off as a loss diet-wise. I think I have a stuffing-problem. I am addicted.

Anyways: Happy Thanksgiving, all!

I hope you are well and have plenty to be thankful for!

I am thankful for my wonderful family, their patience, my Cintiq mistress, and the project that will keep me from sleeping for the next few months. Also, my car. Which drives me to and from my Cintiq. :)

Bis später,

LEFTOVER SANDWICHES!

-n

Jellybots

Hi!

I got a Cintiq! :D To break it in, I sat up a did a really quick doodle. It's not much to look at, but I needed to get some portion of the concept down, because it's been sitting in my head for months.

It's a concept I hope to develop really fully at some point when I have some time to myself. Try to flesh out the world and cast of characters...

For now, I'm just psyched to have the opportunity to loosen up and sketch (with color!) quickly and easily.

And in the meantime, I'm completely swamped with a particular side project I am completely psyched about. I don't think I'll say anything here yet, but please be patient. I know I promised to do more personal work and not to disappear...you'll just have to trust me that I am doing just that...but you can't see any of it. yet. :D

-n

Seasons: Requiem

Yeah...about that "wait"...

I got itchy and decided I'd upload the whole comic :D I had a hard time getting the files (and I wanted to wait until I had permission to post them), but here they are!

Again: this was done over a year ago for a yet-unpublished Anthology called Seasons (to be published sometime soon by Sofawolf press...updates will follow!)

This was done at around the same time as Piper's Pet, and it was a source of some frustration to me at the time that Piper is a better comic, even though it was comparatively less work. This was done first, so at least I'm...learning? But for my own sanity: this is OLD. I make better now! I promise!

All I can see now are the flaws. I do realize that it is narratively broken beyond all sense. I ambitiously wanted to do this silently (no words), but see if you can guess what's going on! I posit you cannot!

Points for anyone who gets this without the 'spoiler's at the end of this post :p

I will gladly receive any critiques on the storytelling, since I want to make sure moving forward I work out all the kinks! This probably won't change, but it's useful feedback for the future. Lay it on me.

I'm considering adding text, but I'm afraid it would be too much an afterthought.

Still, I'm glad I did it. It was a good learning experience.

And in unfancified prose, the plot is thus:

A repentant mouse warrior returns from the war with his most regrettable casualty: a small child. He feels he must return the child to her father, but the horror of what he has done doesn't hit home until he see's her father's face. He casts down his sword in a solemn vow to never fight again, and instead of retribution he is met with forgiveness; a chance to start again. Simple enough.

Even typing that out I'm realizing how obscure some of the paneling is. Better next time!

Hope you like it anyways,

Cheers!

-n