Added 1 new A* page:"I'm not an avid sci-fi fan by any stretch of the imagination... but I must say I am very fond of A*"
-- Wild Horse, www.wildhorsecomic.com |
I'm going to let you in on a shameful secret of mine: I have a tendency--which I now know I must remain ever on the alert against lest it get the better of me--to draw rather cartoonish heads.
Yes, it's true! I also seem to have an odd tendency to give these cartoonish-headed people rather cartoonish personalities, broadly painted for comic relief like some Shakespearean clown (although that comparison is a vast disservice to Shakespearean clowns, the lovable devils).
And I had sworn--sworn!--to myself that once I finished what I wanted to do with Proctor and Mar, who had been forced to play the clowns through many of the first episodes of A*, I would stop making silly characters, buckle down, and make only intricately etched, non-clownish-looking characters from here on out. So after their last bit at the end of episode 11, it was full steam ahead with hardcore, realistic characters--right?
So imagine my dismay at my own lack of gritty self-control when we start getting into episode 13 here and I find that some of the episode's supporting characters have perhaps some, shall we say, three-ring qualities. Not to name names, but
And although I can't stop myself from being somewhat pleased by the way I managed to render those two in those two particular drawings, at least compared to some of my other attempts at them, I also can't help but notice that certain features are leaning toward an exaggerated type of physiognomy that I had meant to leave back in episode 11
Furthermore, there's a certain consistent temperamental and physical combination in these repeating goofball pairings that I can't seem to shake, bearing a striking resemblance--now that I've thought of it--to charming characters from many delightful black and white movies
(source)
to which I was subjected--quite willingly, I should add--as an eager and impressionable youth.
Alas! All I can say is that I'm trying to be more aware of and combative against these recalcitrant cartoon tendencies of mine; for instance, just a few pages ago I roughed out a drawing of one of these troubled characters, thoughtlessly crowning him with the big balloon head that my clumsy hands just can't seem to get enough of, and I was polishing it and shading and sailing right along, and even uploaded it, and it was only after I had gone and had a bite to eat and come back to glance at the site that I noticed the full horror of what I had done (yet again); it was really late at night by that time but I couldn't live with it up there a moment longer, and redrew the head in a desperate attempt at correction with what little awareness remained in my faltering faculties:
Thankfully, that second try seemed to do the trick--at least, it got rid of the balloon head. And this is what I must always strive to do! I will defeat these clownish inner demons yet...or at least, tame them somewhat--use their power...FOR GOOD!
Actually, I don't know what that means. Just stop it with the balloon heads, self. :P And remember that 2-bit hard black and white is probably quicker to do than your preciously shaded round cartoon characters, anyway. Either that, or just give up and start putting bowlers on their heads ("devised in 1849 by the London hatmakers Thomas and William Bowler"!).
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