Paint by Number

About Paint by Number…

Here is where you’ll find the FAQ, some info about the comic and why I started it, and links to other pages of information, as well as links to artwork aside from comic pages :)

If you have any questions please feel free to ask! I’d be happy to answer, and created a formspring just for that purpose:

Formspring

About me:

I’m a freelance illustrator currently heavily involved in a video game project. I started this project as a personal thing really. A sketchbook project exploring a new style, and looking for a creative outlet that wouldn’t hinder my work on the job.

If you’d like to know more about me and my other artwork feel free to visit my professional tumblr:

The Burg of Doom

You can also find me in these places:

Deviantart

Website

Twitter

The story used to be quite a bit different, and goes by a different title now. If you’re unfamiliar with the previous version, feel free to ignore the portion of the FAQ labeled CD/TOQ ;)

Otherwise check back here later for links to character profiles, separate art blogs etc.

FAQ

Q: Why are the pages so small? I can’t read the text.

A: Tumblr resizes to a certain width, and considering I’m working on a landscape oriented comic, this can be a problem. Sometimes, like on page five Luyu’s motherly-ranting, it’s not important that what is said is legible, it’s meant to read as background noise. However if there is a particular page that you’re having a hard time reading, make sure you’re clicking the zoom or open icons to see them full size. If you’re having trouble reading something after that, let me know and I’ll try to fix it up!

Q: What are you using to make this?

A: Graphite powder mostly. First I draw out the scenes, then tone the page with graphite powder. Highlights are made with erasers, extra darks in the background or non-focused places are made with graphite powder rubbed in with a paper stump. Focal points have shading and markings made with pencil to bring out detail.

Q: What made you decide to do this as a comic?

A: Truth be told I started out writing this story, as in just typing it up. But somehow it came to me much easier in comic form. There’s a flow to comics that I really enjoy, and it helps me with storytelling a lot more, because I don’t get hung up on words, it’s more about moods you want to express, and the importance of certain moments. I feel in a lot of ways my storytelling comes across much more strongly through sequential images. In it’s very earliest stages however, this story WAS a comic. A private one, in my sketchbooks in middle school trying to work through how to draw. So really, it’s always been a comic, it’s just only recently that I’ve been able to have the actual skills necessary to do it justice in this form :)

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CD/TOQ

This is specific to people who read this story in it’s previous written format. If you were unfamiliar with it, ignore this ;D

Q: What happened to Marie?

A: Marie is still going to be around, but there were some really fundamental character points to her that didn’t work within the story I wanted. I tried to change her character to be what I needed her to be for this to work, but it just didn’t stick. She’s been around too long. So in the end I needed a new character that was a bit stronger for the lead. Her new role in the story will be addressed in comic.

Q: How has the story changed? Is Marie just being replaced?

A: No. This story has taken a totally different route. It’s no longer a high school romance, which was fun for a while, but I can’t really relate anymore. It’s more mature, a little more serious, and more unique I hope. It’s main themes revolve around family and heritage, and learning how to cope with certain things in your life the right way.

Q: So what… Jamie is gay now?

A: Nothing about him has changed. He’s the exact same orientation he’s always been, I never said he was straight or any other orientation (and I’m not telling that now yet either), and I don’t really like the idea of just switching my character’s orientations at the drop of a hat, it’s not at all realistic, and I find that kind of thing rather offensive sometimes. It has to already be there in them. And with Jamie there has just always been the potential in his character to be a little more open than just straight or gay. Considering this fact, it seemed odd to me not to explore this. I strongly believe human sexuality can be much more complex than just I like girls or I like boys. And the same goes for gender, there are not two rigid ways to be, there are many, many many many shades. Sometimes, as far as sexuality is concerned, I think it’s just a matter of finding the right person. So I started creating a character in my mind that could fit the specific qualities to balance him out in a male/male relationship, and so Mika was born ;)