The True Test for SPR is coming!

by richtoon on August 29, 2011 at 7:36 am
Posted In: News

Well guys, I am no longer on vacation. My Day job is in full force. I hope that I have prepped enough of SpacePestRemoval to keep it going through next spring. It’s going to be a lot of work and it is also going to be a lot of fun. I am going to post a bit more. Still working on that one. And I can safely add at this stage that the web design will have a new look very shortly. That’s about it for now.

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Reviewed

by richtoon on August 27, 2011 at 9:32 am
Posted In: News

Earlier this week, my webcomic got reviewed on a podcast on Digital Strips. You can check it out here:  http://www.digitalstrips.com/2011/08/digital-strips-podcast-255-horizons-watch-space-pest-removal-and-power-nap-looney-tunes-is-racist-and-we-love-it-anyways.html

This is my first ever review! It was on a segment they call Horizon Watch where they take a look at promising new webcomics. SpacePestRemoval definitively fits in that category.

They generally liked the artwork and the colour. Calling it reminiscent of old school Saturday morning cartoon… I’ll take that.

But there is a lot to work on, as far as the guys are doing the podcasts are concerned.  And you know what?  They are right. This is a young webcomic. I am literally learning as I go.  I’ve been focusing on some elements here and there….but not a lot of the big picture stuff… like pacing, stories and better jokes.

I have a bad habit of not developing the characters – just having fun with the process more than anything else: the process of building the comic itself.  I am going to ease in more distinct personalities in the coming months.  Change is coming.

One of their crits was that the psets all looked the same. I initially wanted to separate sentient aliens from the alien pests by giving the pests “the black eyeballs” to make them feel more animal or bug-ish. That definitively backfired so I’m gonna change that for sure. I am actually changing some of the strips I’ve already finished.

The next big thing to change was pacing. That I just don’t know how to change yet within the chosen format of
the “long form” full page. I think this is the thing that is going to take me the most time to sort out.

The real biggy is the story…. It needs work.  I know it.  And a story arc is being developed that will add a bit of intrigue, conflict and with a bit
of luck, some interest.

One thing that gives me lots of hope is that all webcomic pundits agree on one thing: webcomics tend to grow and mature over time.  As the creator of this little project, that inspires me to press on and see where this will all go.

I want to have an all ages feel.  So that frames things a certain way. But I welcome the challenge.

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Earthquakes

by richtoon on August 23, 2011 at 7:06 pm
Posted In: News

Today’s earthquake got me thinking about previous earthquake experiences. We were lucky up here: the quake was all but a faint tremor this far north of the border. Ottawa, Canada had it easy.

But about a year ago, we got a shaky one! It measured a Magnitude 5.0. I happened to be in the dentist chair at the time. Thankfully, there was no drilling at the moment of the quake. I was simply getting my teeth cleaned.  As the shaking started, the hygienist stopped what she was doing and looked around. I sat up a little as well. As the shakes grew bigger, I stood up next to her and we just stared at each other.

Then it kicked up another notch. Alarms were going off. Shouts could be heard all over the mall. My fight or flight instincts punched in. I was just about to run out of there without paying. I guess that doesn’t make any difference since they know where I live. But I wanted to get home and check on my kids and make sure everything was alright…. it all stopped. Just like that. Like nothing ever happened.

I told her I had to get home right away. She of course understood.

I now know what an evacuating shopping mall looks like: not pretty and slow. All I kept thinking about were the huge slabs of concrete above my head in the middle of the levelled parking lot.

I got home to freaked out kids. No damage on the house. whew!

All in all it was an experience. The social media went on overload as it always does during things like that.

That’s all I have to say about that.

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ChickenHare

by richtoon on August 22, 2011 at 7:26 pm
Posted In: News

One of my favorite webcomic, ChickenHare is going through a bit of a readership hard times lately. It is very difficult to believe that a comic of this magnatude would ever have problems with readership.

The characters are both strong and diverse. The locations are gorgeous. It has an all encompassing storyline. The baddies are fun the colours and linework are unbelievable.

I only hope to be half this good someday in the distant far future.

It must be read! That’s your homework. Read ChickenHare!!!

http://www.chickenhare.com/

 

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To iPad or Not to iPad

by richtoon on August 21, 2011 at 12:48 pm
Posted In: News

An incredible thing has happened to me lately: I get to try out an IPad 2 for one week.  I was talking to some friends of mine during a sketch night about possibly buying an iPad 2 or holding out for the possible iPad 3 that is rumored to have an HD resolution screen. Vanessa offered to lend me hers up until the next Sketchnight. That was truly very generous of her to do that. Thanks Vanessa!

So here is the thing: I already own an iPhone 4. Most of the things that the IPad can do; I can do on the iPhone.

The size of the screen is appealing for reading web comics and ebook and movies… But… It is kinda crappy to draw on. Working on Wacom Cintiq and then trying an iPad is a serious step back. There is no pressure sensitivity, no big drawing apps, the resolution is not great and daring with a tablet stylus is frustrating.

Drawing on an iPad would be by far the primary reason why I would purchase an iPad. So far, I am not sold on the idea.

Here is an example of a drawing of straddle that I drew
on the iPad. You can really see the difference between  what I can do with an iPad and my regular
setup.

After a little bit more fooling around with Sketchbook Lite App, It looks a little more hopeful. as seen by this example. But the lack of line width and pressure is still disconcerting.

I had this fantasy of lugging the light iPad to sketch and doodle everywhere I could get away with it. Maybe even get a little bit ahead on SPR. I just don’t know if it is worth it.

I want (and can) buy an IPad.

But do I honestly need one?

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