A New Commission, Finished

art commission by Kelci D Crawford
(Click to enlarge).

You should click that image up there and get a better look.

No, really.

I’m so proud of this new commission I finished for a friend of mine. The client is an old high school friend of mine and the commission was to draw her family.

From left to right, they are: Delias, Kendall, Andris, Jake, Zo, Leon, Margie, and Itzal.

At the moment, I’m not available for commissions. There’s a few things I need to sort out with my day job first.

Once I’m available, though, I’ll announce it here on the blog and on my Twitter, Facebook, and Tumblr.

Thanks for checking out the new work! There will be more of it soon.

I’ll see you tomorrow with a new blog post. :D

Six: An Anthology of Comics…Review

There’s a new addition to my comic collection thanks to the power of KickStarter…

six comic book anthology from kickstarter

I completely forgot I backed this project until it arrived in the mail, along with a really fun “Believe in Comics” sticker (which I already put on my sketchbook).

To be honest, this was the first horror comic I have ever purchased or read. I’m not usually a fan of horror. I don’t read horror comics and even horror movies are ones I watch sporadically. I’ve never seen many of the things this author draws inspiration from, like Tales from the Crypt.

The only horror films I have seen thus far are PsychoThe BirdsOrphan (which I would say is more a thriller than a horror film), and Shawn of the Dead.

Wait, zombie movies count. Then I’ve seen more horror than that.

But it wasn’t until I read this comic anthology, Six, that I was introduced to the idea that the horror genre had its own niches like atmospheric horror and supernatural horror.

So my mind was pretty much a blank slate in terms of expectations for this book.

And it’s actually good.

This anthology features stories written by one author, Fabian Rangel Jr, with different artists for each story.

The first short story, “The Blood and the Snow,” features a Conan the Barbarian-esque woman warrior fighting her way towards her arch nemesis. This one is still my favorite, but mostly because I have a soft spot for badass ladies (or else I wouldn’t have started the Women Warriors Project). The artist, Jonathan Brandon Sawyer, does a great job.

six comics anthology woman warrior
Look at this artwork! It’s gorgeous!

The second story, “The Souls of Wicked Men,” follows two train robbers who fail in their heist, and retreat into the woods for shelter. I’m not going to spoil the ending, but it made me gasp out loud. I haven’t read a comic that made me do that in a long time.

The third story, “No Stranger to Death,” is probably the weakest story of the bunch. It follows an old man as he travels to a stranger’s house, only to reveal himself as a vampire hunter. And then, after he kills the vampire, out of nowhere, a ghost of a little girl appears and asks him to give her a proper burial.

The mood the author is trying to set in this story is commendable, but the artist, though good with facial expressions, is not a great communicator. The volume I got from backing the KickStarter included scripts of this story in the back, and it’s not entirely the fault of the artist that the story falls flat. The story is just littered with shotgun ideas that don’t connect very well.

The fourth story, “Stinky,” however, brings back the good stuff. It’s about a boy who is teased relentlessly by his classmates because he smells like rotten meat. One day, two of his classmates come over to his house to harass him, but soon discover the secret in the house, and why Stinky is…well, stinky. THIS story creeped me out the most, but in a good way.

The fifth story, “When the Evil Came,” is pure gross/psychological horror. Just…don’t read it if you don’t like bugs.

The sixth story, “Our Own Wars,” is about a soldier in a war against zombies. This was actually featured in another anthology, FUBAR (published by Alterna comics). It’s a good closing story, but not the best one (then again, it’s hard for me to get emotionally invested in a zombie story), since it relies on sentiment. But its circularity in its plot makes me happy.

I would say go and buy a copy, but I had a hard time finding it online outside of its KickStarter (which is over). However, if you find it, leave a link in the comments below!

Overall, I say this anthology is a must-read, even if you don’t read horror comics. This anthology definitely got me interested in horror comics, and if you’re on the fence about getting into the genre, this anthology is a good place to start.

Have any other suggestions for horror comics? Leave those in comments, too. :D

Thank you for reading, and I’ll see you on Monday.

Character Design for Comics, Part 1

alien character design sketches concepts
Sketches of an alien race, the Uthers (Click to enlarge).

“Character Design” is generally something you hear more in the animation industry than the comics industry. However, the two industries often overlap, especially whether you talk about camera angles, lighting and moods, or, in today’s post, character design.

Character design is especially important in comics. You need characters that…

  • express the full range of human emotions,
  • are visually individual from each other, and
  • embody necessary elements in your story.

On top of all of this, the character design should be simple enough that you can draw it repeatedly and NOT want to stab your eyes out with a mechanical pencil.

So before I show my own character designs and what elements I think work, I’m going to show some things that…don’t.

While there are no hard and steady rules for character design, I have this one personal rule of my own. It’s the only one I need, but it’s no less important.

If it makes a gorgeous illustration, it’s a terrible choice for a comics character design.

This is something mentioned briefly in an Aaron Diaz blog post about costumes in character design, under a section called “Simplicity.” He says…

Above all else, keep it simple.  Comic characters are not pin-ups or other illustrations; you have to draw them over and over again, from various angles.  If you pile on too much detail, you’ll wear yourself out slogging through all the bits every time you have to draw them.

Let’s look at an example…

final fantasy belt dress lulu
THE BELTS.

THAT is a beautiful illustration. It would be a total pain in the ass to draw repeatedly for a comics story.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: A Bride’s Story.

a bride's story manga
A scene from A Bride’s Story (Click to enlarge)

Yes, it is insanely detailed and gorgeous. The artist also has assistants to help her meet her deadlines.

Most comics artists I know don’t have the luxury of an assistant to help them make art. They are, 99% of the time, making everything on their own.

To that end, I still stand by my personal rule.

If it makes a gorgeous illustration, it’s a terrible choice for a comics character design.

Remember that simplicity is key.

So, what else doesn’t work?

Same Face Syndrome.

disney frozen same face syndrome character design
The most notorious example of “Same Face Syndrome” to appear in recent years. (Click to enlarge)

Same Face Syndrome is when you use the same face in your character design. The most cancerous of Same Face Syndrome symptoms spread into the physique, when you draw all of your characters with the same general body shape.

I used to suffer from this HARD when I started out. It’s a common mistake because Same Face Syndrome is so formulaic, and formulas help make new work faster…even if it’s not necessarily better.

The thing about character design is it should not be formulaic. Your characters should not fit a mold.

They should be individuals, with their own physiques and faces and personalities.

Each character you draw is their own person. They should serve a unique but specific purpose in your story. That’s why you draw them into your comics, after all.

Have you noticed any Same Face Syndrome elsewhere? Have any tips for character designs? Leave them in the comments!

Thank you for reading and I’ll see you tomorrow, when I show some of my own character designs and the creative decisions behind their looks.

Interview with the Cast of “Seeing Him”

The following is an interview I had with the cast of Seeing Him, which is currently on KickStarter raising funds to launch it online. There’s also an extended interview, but you can only read it by claiming it (and other swag) as a reward on KickStarter.

Interviewees: (From Left to Right in the image below) Kate, Adam, Julianne, and Greg.

seeing him cast bust shots for mock interview for kickstarter
Click to enlarge.

KELCI: So what’s your day job?

Kate: I am a small business owner.

Adam: I’m a doctor. Specifically an OB/GYN.

Julianne: I’m a personal assistant to Ms. Betsy Brookes. You might have seen her face on benches around town. She runs the number one realty agency in Nagadan.

Greg: I teach high school Spanish at Charles Strite High. Go Hawks!

What are your hobbies outside of work?

K: I like to hang out with my friends. Play video games sometimes. Plus, in the winter I like to crochet and sew things.

A: Every other Wednesday we have league bowling. Greg and I are on the same team. I also go to the gym a good bit. Sometimes I go out to the movies.

Juli: Outside of work I like to do puzzles and books of brainteasers. I also like to watch horrible TV movies sometimes.

Greg: Well I do a few after-school groups as the faculty leader. I teach sign language and I manage the sci-fi club. Completely non work related I go bowling, I hit the gym, and I like to cook. Particularly baking.

Have you always lived in Nagadan?

Kate: I grew up here, but I went away for college.

Adam: My mother and I moved here when I was 2. Since then the only time I’ve lived anywhere else was when I was in med school.

Juli: Born and raised here, but then I went away to school. That’s where I met Kate. We were roommates freshman year.

Greg: I moved here after college. I grew up in a little town in the south end of the state. You’ve probably never heard of it. I always wanted to live in the big city though, so when I got the chance, I moved.

Favorite animal?

Kate: Ocelots. They are just too cute.

Adam: Dogs. They aren’t called man’s best friend for nothing.

Juli: Narwhales. The fat unicorns of the sea.

Greg: um. I don’t know. Penguins?

Favorite food?

Kate: Chicken and broccoli. Preferably from Mr. Wong Wong’s in Ostmeadow.

Adam: Mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Julianne: Definitely ham. I love having it for dinner and then getting to have real ham sandwiches all week.

Greg: Butterscotch muffins. Big ones.

How do you feel about musicals?

Kate: I love them but I haven’t taken the time to watch a lot of them. I’d love to see one live one day but right now I just watch my DVDs on repeat.

Adam: Meh. They aren’t the worst thing but I’d rather watch something else.

Juli: Some of them are good. Some of them are godawful. No one is that happy all the time.

Greg: …I’d rather not answer that in an interview. My friends might read this. So, on the record, I’m not a big fan.

Adam responding to Greg: You’re going to stick to that when I know for a fact you own at least 5 original cast CDs?

Greg: Yes, that’s my story.

Who is your role model/idol?

Kate: Adamantine Woman. Playgirl, philanthropist, badass.

Adam: My mom. She’s the reason I got into medicine. She’s made me who I am today.

Juli: I don’t have one. I am my role model.

Greg: The teacher from that one movie in the 80’s. You know, the one about the English teacher, they call him captain? That guy. Oh and Professor Y from the Y-Guys comics.

What is the nerdiest thing you have done?

Kate: I went to a comic convention dressed as Madame Majesty once. It was really fun.

Adam: Does being on dean’s list in college a lot count?

Juli: Kate made me dress as Monsieur Majesty at a convention once, but it turned out really fun actually.

Greg: I regularly played Orcs and Oracles with my friends in college. We had a campaign last 3 semesters once.

The following are questions about which of the options you prefer:

Ketchup or mustard?

K: Ketchup.

A: Mustard.

J: Neither. Mayo.

G: Ketchup.

Dandelions or dandy lions?

K: Dandy lions. All day.

A: Dandy lions would be a sight to see.

J: Dandy lions. All day.

G: Dandelions. I don’t want to make someone dress up a lion. Sounds dangerous.

Pancakes or waffles?

K: Why not both?

A: Pancakes.

J: Pancakes.

G: Waffles. Not the frozen ones though, real, homemade waffles.

Cupcakes or muffins?

K: Cupcakes.

A: Cupcakes.

J: Muffins. Cupcakes have too much icing on them.

G: Cupcakes.

Small gatherings with close friends in your living room or big dance parties with lots of people?

K: Small gatherings with friends.

A: Smaller gatherings are more fun.

J: Definitely big dance parties. I can meet new people that way. Plus show off my moves.

G: I like big parties, but house parties rather than dance parties. I like to be able to hear people.

Santa or the Great Pumpkin?

K: Great Pumpkin. Hands down. If I believe, he will appear someday.

A: Santa. I never did understand the great pumpkin idea.

J: Santa. He shows up more consistently.

G: Santa. I like how excited all the little kids at the mall are to tell him what they want for Christmas. If I ever get fat I’m going to be a mall Santa during the holidays.

Dinosaurs or dragons?

K: Dragons. They breathe fire so that makes them cooler.

A: Dinosaurs. The real life dragons. They actually lived so it makes them cooler.

J: Dinosaurs. I was really into them when I was a little kid. I even had a little stuffed T-Rex.

G: Dragons. I wish that scientists would splice them in the lab so that we can have fire breathing air travel. That would be badass.

Nerd or geek?

K: Me? I’m a geek.

A: I was always called a nerd, but I think I’d rather be a geek. They seem to have more fun.

J: Nereek. Everything is better when it’s a hybrid. Cars, dogs, ligers, everything.

G: Jock? But if those are my only options, I think I’d go nerd.

seeing him webcomic logo work in progress
Click to enlarge.

There’s also an extended interview!

The extended interview is available as part of our new rewards, available only on the KickStarter!

The KickStarter is barely to $300, and we have 10 days to go. If you can contribute, awesome! If you can’t financially donate, donate by using your words and telling everybody about it!

Thanks for reading, (thank you for contributing to the KickStarter), and I’ll see you again on Tuesday.

Intervention Con in Ten Points or Less

 

intervention con hotel 2014

From August 22 to the 24, I was at Rockville, MD for Intervention Con!

It was my first time at this particular convention (and my first time in Maryland, really). It was a get-together to celebrate webcomics, gaming, and an awful lot of Doctor Who.

I could overload you with details about the convention, but I’m going to condense everything into ten points or less so I won’t overwhelm you.

1) If you ever find yourself going from Ohio to Maryland, do yourself a favor and take Interstate 79 to Interstate 68, then onto Interstate 270. That way you can avoid Pennsylvania’s ridiculous tolls.

2) Take a hoodie. The air conditioning in the artist alley this year was freezing. I’m grateful I brought mine.

3) When there are no con-goers coming in to spend money (as happened a lot at this particular convention), talk to the other artists and make some new friends. That’s how I met the folks behind Shadowbinders, Bartez, Capes N Babes, and Lost Gamers as well as lovely artists like Magical Tea Time, K.S. Brenowitz, Tico Illustrations, and Kelsey Wailes (OK, gratuitous name dropping is done for now).

4) The Hilton that the convention took place in had the strangest elevators. Here’s a few pictures of the lobby to give you some context.

2014-08-22 16.01.36 2014-08-22 18.34.05

So you see how there are elevators in the corners? Some of them run only from the third floor to the seventh. Some run from the first floor to the sixth. There are more elevators that will run from other strange floor combinations. You may have noticed there are eight floors in the hotel. Whoever decided these elevators were a good idea must have been H.P. Lovecraft himself.

5) I almost forgot! This was the table I set up with.

intervention con table 2014-08-23 12.04.12

I wasn’t listed as a guest because the billing was mostly given to Christian (the writer of Validation) and Tony DiGerolamo (from The Webcomic Factory). But I was the one with the prints and stickers for Validation, so along I went!

And now I have the books, which leads me to…

6) There are some extra copies of the Validation Comic Con Special! You can get them now on my online store. There’s only five copies left, and if you order them, they’ll be signed by Christian and me. Plus, you’ll get a bonus print for your wall from me!

validation comic con special book print

Speaking of prints…

7) I got some new books and art from some awesome folks this past weekend.

intervention con grabs comic books prints

I’ll be reading the books and reviewing them in a new blog segment called “Review Day Tuesday.” It’ll appear on (surprise!) Tuesday.

And the prints? Will be on the wall soon.

8) If you’re ever in Rockville, MD, please for the love of all raw fish go and eat at Rolls N Rice sushi bar. The gang I went with and I had lunch there throughout the weekend, and every time we went it was all delicious!

There were other places we went out to eat, as well, but I didn’t catch their names. There was a Mexican restaurant that had the most delicious roasted duck (with olives) I’ve ever had the pleasure to stuff my face with.

The convention itself also provided food for the special guests, which was pretty good if you could get it. The food went really fast though.

9) If you’re ever at this con, find alternative parking places besides the hotel. Hotel parking is $18 a night (yeesh!). There are alternatives out there.

And I almost didn’t add this, but what the hey.

10) Sunday was my birthday! So Intervention Con was the best birthday present ever!

I should add a bonus thing: because I met so many great artists this weekend, I’m bringing back a feature I started a while ago, but neglected.

I’m talking about Favorite Artist Friday!

So come back on Friday, when I talk about one of my new favorite artists. I’m not going to tell you who it is yet, though, because it’s a surprise.