In Search Of Alex Orange?

Wednesday's blog on Thursday!  Joyous...  Normally I would use my, "Time is probably an illusion generated by our perception of entropy." excuse, but hey this isn't science Monday kids.  It's not like you need me to cram your gray matter with somethin' that should be held in reserve for a postprandial constitution around the garden after tea an' scones, not this late in the week anyway.

So on to the corn syrup laced with nicotine of brain foods, with any luck on my part it will be like a trans fat molecule and it will stick with you for longer than it needs too.

ISOAO, ISAO, or In Search of Alex Orange, is now in full swing!

Facebook Or Site (Tech team is moving so give 'em a break will ya?)

There have been delays though, starting from all the way back in Oct. '11.  Have I been happy about it?  NO.  Impatient?  Just a little.

Although I have learned quite a bit, not including how to annoy an author, between where we started with the project and where my art is now.   Little did I know the kind of challenges this project would hold.

I am used to complexity in art, you can see it in my non-digital pieces.  I love making all the little pieces fall together just so, which by themselves are at best abstract, but together reveal my visual intent.

Comics, not even just web comics, but all comics are a different creature.  The way I planned my other work was meticulous and required time that is not only counter productive to comic creation, but downright demoralizing when applied incorrectly.

The problem comes with my stubborn nature.  The work I would have done would have been beautiful, but it would have been 2020 before Scene 1 was finished with the quality I was demanding of myself.  In the end I had to admit to myself (rather ungraciously) that "getting better" beat "being good".  Which leads to my next topic.

Oh and there is a ti-shit of this over at IelleMahon.

Rigor.

The way I train myself to do anything is pretty merciless.  The industry standard for webcomic updates comes in four different flavors (not counting a few eclectic update schedules like Dresden Codak):

1)  The once a week update (typically Mon. or Fri.)  e.g. No Need For Bushido

2)  The twice a week update (typically Tue. or Thur.) e.g. ...no good examples...

3)  The three times a week (Mon. Wed. or Fri.) e.g. Gunnerkrigg Court

4)  The daily (business days) + updates e.g. Least I Could Do

Naturally I want to be the last category mentioned.  So every day after every hold up, every catch, I make extra time, and learn not a better ways or even a more professional ways to go about comic craft, but rather rather just faster ways.  This is on top of the hour of pure figure drawing I force myself to do, and all the actual other work I have to get accomplished during a 24 hour period.

Even if In Search of Alex Orange starts with bi-weekly updates, I can assure you it's not going to stay that way for long.  This is simply because I can't stand producing work at an insufficient rate.  The faster I work that faster the quality of the comic increases.  Think of it like sprinting to increase endurance.

With that said I can tell you changes are already happening behind the scenes in basically all facets of the comic, and you will seem them implemented at an exponential rate over the next couple of weeks.


Don't worry I am still doing commissions.  I am still doing t-shirt designs.  I am still working on all the projects that I have been working on.  I am just as dedicated as ever to producing high quality work and providing ever increasing value to my clients and community.

Speaking of which, time for some shameless self promotion.

The T-shirt (Design) War between me and Ielle ends a week from now and we really would like your support.  If you can spare about 5 min head over to the page and vote for your favorite design.  If you suggest the theme of our next battle it's possible you could win yourself $25 via PayPal.