Lloyd and the Bear

From time to time I get asked how long a book takes me to put together. My answer is always the same in how I say I try and get a book out every three months and that a panel takes about an hour to draw.

I feel sometimes I get judged by that remark as my work is pretty simple. Now when I say panel I mean quarter of a page, sadly this panel below of Bear punching and there being a flash behind the punch took me well over an hour and is only the third of a normal size panel…

It hurts. I get so obsessed to the point I’m checking a panel pixel by pixel. I really wish I could just draw and move on but it’s not me. Symmetry, spacing and positioning are super crazy important to my mental well being and it really holds me up.

Y’know, I sometimes feel I get judged when I reply to the question of how long it takes me to do my books as it’s kinda simple but I sure hope that you guys enjoy my panel layouts!

(But also my art too!)

More soon! Bear hugs!

…and it’s proving SUPER tough!

Page 22. A fight scene. So far I’ve kept the fighting in issue #14 very much off camera but I wanted to have that one page to show some action back when I first did the book and still now with the updated version.

I wasn’t happy with the original page so planned to redo it entirely – which I did!

I had cut it down from four the three panels with the plan of having sound effects in-between the panels. I also removed the picture of Rizos hitting the two baddies behind her as it really didn’t work (that face? The odd length of shoulder? How her hair is behind her fists – the fists that are hitting the bad guys? It made no sense!)

But the thing is, I’m not happy with the new three panel choice either! So I’m heading back to update it AGAIN!

Hey, if you want a job done right…

More soon and by that I mean the updated, updated page!

Bear hugs!

So with the updates to my old book I also get to question if a panel – or panels – are necessary. One lot of panels I questioned was a scene with the Shoal watching on as Bear and Rizos fought a series of bad guys and wondering if they should get involved.

The thing is, I really like these pages! Well, not how they look but the whole scene itself. It might come off a bit self-indulgent but I feel they’re super important and not only to the story but the Shoal themselves!

You see, first and foremost I wanted the Shoal in this book. The last arc didn’t have them in at all except for a panel or two and I REALLY want them on every issue of this arc.

Secondly, I get to put in the whole finishing joke line from one of the Shoal (which also totally ties in with the whole overall message of this issue about knowledge) but it also allows me to keep the fight going on in the background without actually having to see it (I figure panel after panel of fight scene could get a bit boring, or nasty, after a while plus this way you get to imagine what crazy stuff is happening back there)

And finally, and this is an important one, I show some Shoal relaxing. Pretty much all the Shoal we’ve met have been pretty dang evil (or at least look that way). I want to show that not all Shoal are evil or just soldiers following orders. That they have worries and fears and like to relax too.

There’s going to be more of this as the book goes along but yeah, this scene was important to me.

But the updated pages? They look like this now (although yet to be coloured!)

And lookit! I’ve updated that Bear and Rizos are fighting so it ties in with the update previous pages!

I hope you like new look! Let me know what you think on Facebook or Twitter!

More soon! Bear hugs!