Hey, Steemit! I am super excited to share tonight’s post with all of you. As far as my photography career goes, although I love it, I am a victim of my own success […which, you must understand, took over 15 years to achieve]. I am grateful, but the tremendous amount of work, constant shoots and editing, does keep me from drawing. Comics is where my heart is. Always has been and always will be. One day, when this market moons again, I’ll have the freedom to book shoots when I want to, and not when I have to. With that, I’ll be transitioning to comics, full time. That is the plan.
Until then, I’m working on a few comics projects when I can, mostly for my own sanity. I have so many friends, and see so much on the internet; people struggling with depression and anxiety. I am fortunate that I do not, but drawing, sketching and inking are paramount in keeping the depression away. At times, I feel like clients that’ve been waiting on photos see me post illustrations and think to themselves “…why isn’t he working on my photos?”. It’s much bigger than that. Drawing for me is mental and emotional therapy. It keeps me stable and it’s an essential part of everything else running properly.
With the crypto-market still in a lull […feels like almost a year now], I definitely don’t have the freedom to sick back draw 12 hours a day. I do, however, have a few projects I chip away at when I can. One of those is a horror anthology with my friend and writing partner, @ghostfish. We’ve spent the last few months meeting up and fleshing out a “Creepshow” style comic focusing on psychological hauntings of the mind amidst the horrors of the human experience. We’ve only been able to get a page done every couple of weeks, and not in proper order, but tonight, I’m able to share page one.
This is the first page to our comic. Untitled, as of now, by our “Crypt Keeper” narrator is the Ferryman of the River Styx. He will take readers to a story set in different times and places in world history. This first story takes place in Passchendaele, France at the end of World War I. An Australian Allied soldier comes across an unfortunate German infantry grunt, stuck in the mud at the bottom of an artillery shell hole. For his troubles, he’s shot. His body slides down with the German, and a post-mortem conversation about life, death and war begins.
This is a really cool story and I’ll be sharing more of it here on Steemit. The first four pages, more or less, are finished. When @ghostfish and I finish this short story, we plan to print it as ashcan comics. They’ll be available here on Steemit if you’d like a physical copy. Until then, thanks for reading, supporting and resteeming! For more photography, art, illustration and the stories behind the work, follow me here @kommienezuspadt!
Horror is also one of my many things. The illustration looks great and the story sounds like it has a lot of potential. It may take months but it will be worth it. You are very talented and I hope you get to follow your dream as much as you can.
Thank you @readingdanvers! Yeah, for whatever reason I've been in to horror since I was about six. I remember writing stories about a guy that put kids hands in to a meat grinder, while I was in first grade English, lol. Some things just stay with you throughout your life. If this market would just get its act together, I'd be able to work on these stories full time.
Yeah, I totally hear ya, it's been down for a really long time.
Looks incredible! I love the whole format and vibe you're going for, and the Styx ferryman framing device is perfect. Can't wait to get my hands on a copy!
Thanks @bryan-imhoff! I'm talking with @lovejoy and @robrigo about some really mind-bending applications of art and comics in the blockchain. We had a conversation at @caffetto yesterday and it was blowing my mind. Next time I get you on the phone, I have to share some of these ideas with you. Completely embodies that potential of this new technological revolution.
Your pencil works is amazz--ing. I am continually impressed that you can draw with such details and precision using iPad.
I like that the first panel introduces us nicely to the story by showing a detailed scene where the main hero is currently located. I'm glad there will be more to come ^_^.
Thank you so much @scrawly. You know I'm super insecure about my illustrations, lol. The iPad is the shit. You really need to get one. I'd LOVE to see what you could turn out with it. There's going to be announcing the third generation in a couple weeks. I'll be buying one the day it's out. Glad you could follow what is going on. Story telling, as I'm finding out [...the hard way] is a completely different skillset than just drawing something that looks good.
I understand your insecurity because before I joined Steemit I was very nervous showing my artworks, but I discover if I do it pretty regularly like what I'm doing right now, the fear is considerably lessened. So yeah, this is my lame attempt to make you show us more of your drawings, because they actually look gorgeous and you have no reason to feel insecure about them lol.
I'm still debating whether I should buy an iPad Pro or a Windows tablet. I love my current iPad though so I'm leaning that way. Plus you and foxxie always show great stuff with the Pro.
This post was shared in the Curation Collective Discord community for curators, and upvoted and resteemed by the @c-squared community account after manual review.
I'm looking forward to see your comic! I do hope for you that the market will boost soon and you'll be able to do the comics full time. For me photography is a mental therapy. I love taking and editing photos. It makes me feel like I'm creating a whole new world :)
Fingers crossed for you!
Same here @delishtreats. It's frustrating for a lot of people. There are a lot of Steemians on here from Venezuela, so I try to keep my grievances in check. These are first world problems for me, but when that does happen, I'll have the ability to spend more time on the comic. That's great that photography is your therapy. It is for me, too. I just wish I didn't HAVE to shoot as often as I do. I still love it, though.
up and resteemed...the second drawing could be the crossing of river Styx...
Thanks @whornung! Resteems go a long way. I really appreciate that.
How well I can understand you, doing my day job that eats my painting time :( At least you are doing something also creative as shooting and doing it great. But, understand that love and urge you have for drawing. Well, men you are great in it, and as I said before, it's a shame you don;t do it more @kommienezuspadt.
I'm trying my best to overcome that @jungwatercolor. I sound like a broken record but if this market would just bounce back, 90% of my problems would be gone. I just need some breathing room to pay some bills, but I'm not selling any of my crypto when it's like this.
It's not broken record, it's life and your wishes to do something you really love from the bottom of heart. Know really well what you are talking about, since I go to office and work for 8 hours thinking about my paintings and home ..But bills and rents need to be payed, and as a single woman it's chalenge sometimes. Thank God for my personal discipline. And regarding market, well it would also make me life easier if it will rise again. Until than, wish you more time for your comics @kommienezuspadt.
I love your lines, and the way you proportionate your figures. I loveeee~ Gorgeous composition also on the city view and the detailing is superb <3
Really amazing project, Lars !!!
Very much looking forward to be able to buy a copy when this is out !!!!
<3
Thank you, Spider-chan! I'm hoping I can get this thing done by December. @ghostfish and I have really been plugging away at it, @veryspider. BTW, you're going to LOOOOOOOOOVE the next #trialbycomics theme :P
what a tease ! OH i cant wait * ___ *
Beautiful drawings. I'll look forward to seeing that inked. Will you do digial inking and colour?
Thank you @jamessmitharts. I've always appreciated your art here on Steemit, That means a lot. I don't know about the inking, and most likely not the color. I suck at coloring. I genuinely do love raw pencils. Some of my favorite art books are the Unwrapped editions by DC. Just pencil pages by the greats like Greg Capullo and Jim Lee. We'll see.
Oh I think you'd be good at colouring. Just a bit of Vector or pixel colour :)
Did you ever read 2000A.D.?
This is so cool.. and so good!
I hope the market moons and you get the time to work on this.. You are insanely good at taking pictures,, but to keep these drawing skills away from us is almost unfair :o
Cheers mate! Looking forward to seeing the next pages come to life!
Thank you @beekart! Man, I'm so impatient for that to happen. It is literally the only thing keeping me from working on these comics regularly. It doesn't even have to go to the heights it was at last year. Just enough that I feel justified in taking some out to pay the bills.
Man you are an amazing artist and your style resonates 100% with me ...remindes me of Jim Lee😉
Hopefully therea are waiting some big illustration projects for you!
Dude! The Jim Lee reference just made my entire night. Thank you so much @bronkong. I have a lot of things in store. I just started a third comic project with @lovejoy that should be a lot of fun. Thanks for all the support.
Yeah it’s true, I’m myself am a Jim Lee fan and I definitely see some references in style.
Im Sure, and it Sounds like your are exciting for it 🤙
The whole concept sounds absolutely amazing. And the art is gorgeously detailed. I cannot wait to see more!
Also, I hope your clients realize that you can’t possibly eat, breathe, and sleep photos. Everyone needs breaks from work, and photography is your job. It’s essential to have balance, and do things that feed your soul. Drawing has always been a type of creative therapy for me, and I think it’s that way for a lot of artists. I hope they are understanding and respectful of that, and that you also don’t give yourself too much guilt over it - give yourself permission to do things that make you happy!
Most of my clients are great @offbeatbroad, but there are definitely a few that are relentless and it stresses me out to wake up to nasty or passive aggressive texts. Whenever this market recovers, I'll be able to work on comics full time and I'm just getting impatient because I was expecting that to happen six months ago.
Your comic looks awesome I'd love to see it when it's totally ready! Also with respect to your drawings each person has his way to drain what he feels and you keep away the depression draws which I think is excellent as it is a way to keep you inspired to get new ideas for your comic that is something you like
Yeah, @gvand. I agree. I tell @guthrie that all the time. It's totally normal to get down about life. It's your coping skills and ability to change your mood that's important. For me, that's art and being productive. It always gets me out of that hole.
I am so excited for this and I am a big WWI nerd. I always felt it never was used enough, being over shadowed by WWII as a trope.
This is going to be good and I hope that you can find time to do more drawing, though don't stop your photography, it's so GOOOD!
Are you really, @donnadavisart? Well, this first story in the horror anthology was inspired by a long mutli-part podcast by Dan Carlin called "Hardcore History". You should listen to them all if you're a history enthusiast. I can't stop working on photo editing because I have so many clients on my ass, but I'm trying to draw simply for mental health reasons. Almost nothing makes me as happy as when I'm working on comics.
Thank you for this, yes I really do love WWI time period. So many changes and interesting things happened. Some amazing fiction and poetry came out of that war as well.
Your artstyle is georgeous man. Wow. That looks AAA class right there.
Totally in love with the CryptKeeper panel.
Thanks so much, @eqko. I have major insecurities about my comic work so that means a lot. Yeah, lol. The Charon ferryman came out really cool.
I am thrilled to see this coming to life and will definitely follow its development.
I assume it'll be inked and maybe colored?
Will you keep that typo? I'd highly recommend to digitalize your handwriting to create your own font (or from your writer), in my opinion this is super important to give dynamic in the reading.
Big respects, seeing your solid technique, this can only lead to something mind blowing.
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It may be inked. I'm not sure, @haedre. It's taking forever just to get these pencils finished and I really do love raw pencils as an esthetic. Some of my favorite books in my collection are Batman: Unwrapped. I have a few volumes by Jim Lee and Greg Capullo. I really love that look. What typo did I miss? Thanks so much, man. I love your art here on Steemit so the encouragement means a lot.
Hey @kommienezuspadt! The raw pencil is definitely dope, keeping it that way is a good choice! And it can still be colored later to make awesome collector versions.
About the typo, I just mean your very own!
You can easily create it with websites like http://www.yourfonts.com, you download an alphabet grid and fill it up with your own letters. You scan it, upload it, You pay a couple of $ and you got your damn own font! 8)
It then usually needs a few tweaks (like the spaces between and other details) with font editors (I use font forge) but then really, I certifiate that this enhances drasticly the reader experience, the intensity.
Thanks for doing indie projects like this, I support 1000%.
So glad to be back and catch up with all your wonderful art🖤
So glad to have you back, @artedellavita! We all missed you!
Xo and more Xo’s🖤
I had lost your answer because there was no internet! 😥😥😭
I have already answered it, if you can review it.😊😊
Oh the first page is incredible! I remember the second drawing, I did not know it was for a comic! I hope you finish it soon to delight me watching it!
I know you like the comic @kommienezuspadt and see how you describe it I could see that your love for him is too much that you made your own terepia, one is sometimes forced to do things that we like but it is not what we prefer to do, I hope the market soon and you can get completely into what you like.
I like the details, you always focus a lot on that and it's amazing how you achieve it! It's great to do something that excites you and makes you feel good!
I hope to see more!
Thanks @yanes94! Yeah, that Charon drawing on the River Styx was the artwork for "Mythology" in Trail by Comics a few weeks ago. Good eye. I know we're all waiting on this market to recover. Thank you. I love seeing all of us improve each month, and year with our time here on Steemit. I look at my work from a year ago and I see vast improvements in my illustration.
Hopefully, improve soon @kommienezuspadt ! If I remember that, I could not participate there and I was very sad!
Yeah, they're great changes, it's amazing what you put up each time, I like every job you do and I always enjoy it
Love the ferryman, not to mention the post-mortem conversations.
Thanks so much, @kathleenscarboro! Charon was really fun to draw, and almost every story in this anthology has to do with the passing of the living world to the realm of the dead. He's a perfect narrator.
Definitely going to give @ghostfish a follow, and very cool to finally see some of your own work, since you've spent so much time nurturing the comics community here on steemit!