#141 - Äntligen
Monday, April 14th, 2008I did a guest strip for Rebecca Clements today!
So what do you guys think? I’m going to be experimenting with handdrawn for the next while. I think so anyways. Let me know what you think!
I did a guest strip for Rebecca Clements today!
So what do you guys think? I’m going to be experimenting with handdrawn for the next while. I think so anyways. Let me know what you think!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:26 am
Looks really nice and I think you should keep drawing that way!
April 14th, 2008 at 11:30 am
Oooh, I like this style a lot. Definitely keep it up.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:41 am
nice.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:47 am
It’s a wonderful style!
What happened with Tina?
April 14th, 2008 at 11:58 am
I love it!!
for some reason it makes me think of Edward Gorey on Prozac
April 14th, 2008 at 12:08 pm
Yes. What did happen with Tina?
April 14th, 2008 at 12:15 pm
yes, see, even rene wants to know. tell us, anders!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:22 pm
I love it - it’s somehow a lot more personal.
Love the colours that you used!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:24 pm
Very nice; the style really seems to suit the feel of ALM. Edward Gorey is a name that has come up in my thinking of the style of ALM before (along with Aubrey Beardsley and Van Gogh at times, actually).
April 14th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
Alex: I don’t see how that’s any of your business.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:25 pm
I love how you always change styles!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:26 pm
well! someone’s got their grumpy pants on.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:27 pm
Are you using watercolor paints? It looks really great.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:28 pm
Samantha: I am using watercolours and India ink.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:32 pm
Alex: My pants are feeling quite good today, thank you.
April 14th, 2008 at 12:33 pm
then i guess it’s your butt that’s grumpy!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Alex: Actually, my butt is feeling fan-fucking-tastic!
April 14th, 2008 at 12:35 pm
please, leave the fan-fucking to someone else, eh?
April 14th, 2008 at 12:36 pm
Anders: If you can’t tell us what happened to Tina can you tell us why you have been so mean to EVERYONE IN THIS COMIC
April 14th, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Samuel: Mean? I have only best of intentions.
April 14th, 2008 at 1:00 pm
This style looks fantastic. Keep it up
April 14th, 2008 at 1:17 pm
Hand drawn: Good. Very good.
You’re using watercolors, right?
April 14th, 2008 at 1:22 pm
I love it! Does it take more/less time than your original style? also i love the expression on ‘the girlfriends’ (can’t remember her name) face
April 14th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Hm, this is certainly a pleasant surprise! It will be nice to see how this drawing style looks across the whole comic in the next few weeks, I’m looking forward to it! It has a softer quality to it that I rather like, even though the shapes and curves you use, Rene, are commonly visually soft already. Yes, the more I look at the hand-drawn, the more I like it.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:06 pm
I love the look. Your drawing is already very expressive and the most memorable strips for me so far are the ones where the characters’ emotions are bubbling forth (quiet images, characters looking at each other, etc) - I think the watercolor is a perfect fit.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:13 pm
In regards to Tina, what do ya think?
She got paid off by Ander’s mom’s assistant/lawyer/lover watchdog—sound’s like a good working theory there’s just so many possibilities.
new style A-OK!
April 14th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
oh the watercolours are beautiful, rene!
i love the mood it gives.
and hello anders! listening to radio dept. on the plane?
April 14th, 2008 at 2:24 pm
I’ve always been fond of water colors, and I love how you use them and the ink together.
April 14th, 2008 at 2:42 pm
Ey! After an entire week end of waiting there is No flash back or no details about Tina and Anders!?
Someone is about to be nailed to the cross Engström!!!
April 14th, 2008 at 2:44 pm
…that or will be made to watch “2 girls 1 cup” >=)
April 14th, 2008 at 3:08 pm
I like the colouring, but I’d prefer inked lines. If I had to choose, I’d say I prefer the old style.
April 14th, 2008 at 3:11 pm
It’s definitely an interesting change, and from what I’ve seen of other comics where an artist has switched to hand-drawn, it does tend to pay off overwhelmingly. Soo, yes, I like it, and if it’s convenient to you to do it, you should continue to do so.
April 14th, 2008 at 3:14 pm
it took me a long while before I saw that it actually says “Fnarts” up in the menu, i always thought that I was mis reading it.
Really nice with handdrawn René!
April 14th, 2008 at 3:58 pm
Aww, I really love the use of watercolours. It really gives off a bit of a fuzzy morning feel.. definitely like a cold winter day. I’m excited at seeing more of these in the future!
Also considering that the first panel is in the morning, I assume Anders did spend the night with Tina one last time? But he didn’t drag her over at least?
April 14th, 2008 at 4:09 pm
That guest comic is like a magical swirly kawaii mushroom cloud that pisses rainbows and shits puppies. I don’t think I’ll be able to frown for the rest of my day.
April 14th, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Maybe it is just me, but it seems that the painted panels are so light that they seem to bleed into the white background of the website. Especially on the top panel on the right side. I have to actively look in order to figure out where the panel ends. I tend not to like that effect and would prefer there be a border or for the paintings to be set on a darker background.
Also the line work in your previous comics is much darker. The dark inks make the change in line width much more apartment. When you hand draw the comic it actually seems like all the lines are the same width and the comic feels less detailed. But I enjoy your coloring especially, looks much more natural and can’t wait to see a strip at night. Keep up the great work. ^_^
April 14th, 2008 at 4:42 pm
Wow, Rene! This art experiment is beautiful. I love it!
April 14th, 2008 at 5:19 pm
It’s lovely, but I prefer the old style.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:37 pm
The hand drawn style is a very welcome change of artistic pace, Rene. Good job with this. Looks very stylish.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:38 pm
Also, the first panel reminds me of Craig Thompson’s Blankets. This is an incredibly high accolade btw, if you haven’t read any of Thompson’s work.
April 14th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
The watercolor looks really great with your style, I’d like to see more of it!
April 14th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
I am loving the watercolors, Rene! Your art is improving always!
April 14th, 2008 at 6:12 pm
it looks like childrens book illustrations! (classy english ones!)
April 14th, 2008 at 6:14 pm
i personally like your regular style better, i think it better shows off your talent, and its easier for me to follow the flow as a comic. but i love your small breaks from the norm, like with anders the lumberjack! (that was gorgeous) rene, you can make anything look good, but i think your regular style is the best hands down.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:38 pm
Only one set of footprints, so we at least know that Tina isn’t coming back with him.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:41 pm
A pleasant surprise, indeed. Somehow the change is welcome, though I probably wouldn’t have realized it if you hadn’t changed it. And… it’s nice to have a page without a character doing something nasty to another character.
Is there anyone out there WITHOUT nasty character traits? Perhaps someone with only a mildly irritating personality? I’m still on the bandwagon, but I wish your story wasn’t so utterly depressing!
P.S. Beautiful page!
April 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
Love the hand drawn, I would definitely like to see more.
April 14th, 2008 at 6:50 pm
I like the new style, but I think it would look better if the lines were done with a wider nib. that’s just my suggestion, though.
April 14th, 2008 at 7:04 pm
Aurs: I bought some wider nibs today!
So look for more varied line widths tomorrow.
April 14th, 2008 at 7:05 pm
Love this style. Whatever style you use, let me congratulate you. You’re very good w/eyes, hands, expressions and interesting perspectives. Oh, and borking + horking.
April 14th, 2008 at 7:27 pm
Yes, that’s true, the hands are just awesome! To me they always are the most difficult part.
April 14th, 2008 at 7:32 pm
this strip is a great representation of the morning and start day of a trip, especially a slightly nervous or uncertain one. i’ve travelled a lot in the last year and with a lot of uncertainty– moving alone to france from the US when i didn’t know anyone over there, going from portland to north carolina to meet up with an ex-boyfriend i hadn’t talked to in six months and try to work things out… the list goes on. this panel captures how the heightened emotional state and anticipation of those times makes for striking, intense and singular moments of quiet, lonesome beauty. the early morning sun hitting the snow- i can taste the morning air and paused-time feeling of that moment; and the pensive out-the-window of an airplane stare, going from anxious, furrowed-brow concern on to an excited and self-satisfied grin. its all familiar to me, very well captured in this comic; and i think this watercolor/india ink hand-done style did it, rene. its refreshing, and full of more emotion and depth than some of the last weeks’ computer work, i feel. i’d love to see you continue on for a bit in this style. thanks!
April 14th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
i really dig the hand-drawn style– keep it up, it looks great!
April 14th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Rene, let me add my voice to those who prefer the hand-drawn, water-colored style. I feel that in bringing out the texture of the paper, the water color especially adds a bit of a rough, uneven visual quality that is a perfect match for the characters’ personalities and events of the story. There is also a greater sense of subtle depth, which gives everything more life and complements the simplicity (not in a bad way!) of your line work beautifully. Please, please continue!
April 14th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
I like the old style for internet. However, on your art blog you are talking about hand drawing everything again for when you put out a book of the story and I love your hand drawings; would definitely prefer hand drawn for a book. :]
April 14th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
New style: Great Great!
I hope I’m just overthinking and maybe being a bit paranoid.
But I really hope Tina isn’t smart enough to eff over Anders.
[ie: hidden cameras/sex tape!!]
zomg.
April 14th, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Roseart or Crayola? :O
April 14th, 2008 at 10:10 pm
Watercolor: YES!
Hand-drawn and lettered: maybe not.
April 14th, 2008 at 10:21 pm
After reading some comments, I gotta say:
- I had no problem distinguishing between panels
- I think the light watercolors worked especially well for this particular comic: lightness of the morning, delicate colors for a desolate feeling, cold–I felt it reflected the lonely flight back. It reminded me of cold, lonely flights I’ve had myself.
- I’d really love to see more of your hand drawn watercolor stuff
April 14th, 2008 at 10:41 pm
aww
I like it, I have no objections to your switching over
:
April 14th, 2008 at 11:01 pm
It looks really beautiful. Can’t wait to see what comes next.
April 14th, 2008 at 11:07 pm
Eeek!! What did Anders do?
April 14th, 2008 at 11:16 pm
Ah, definitely keep going with this style, Rene. It just… Has more feeling, I guess you’d say. Really adds a nice touch
April 14th, 2008 at 11:44 pm
Yay! pictures for sad children has a link to anders loves maria!(i think this is new)
April 15th, 2008 at 2:02 am
Wow! This is really nice, if it’s not too much trouble keep drawing like this. It’s unique.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:10 am
I love it! It is very pretty!
April 15th, 2008 at 7:42 am
I love the coloring. Beautiful.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:48 am
This page is very beautiful.
Your pages are always very beautiful.
April 15th, 2008 at 7:59 am
The coloring is absolutely beautiful. I love this comic. Nice work Rene.
April 15th, 2008 at 8:40 am
I do like the watercolour and it being hand drawn, but I prefer the comic being in your usual style (sorry!).
Just one persons opinion though
April 15th, 2008 at 9:52 am
This is gorgeous. Rene can do no wrong.
April 15th, 2008 at 11:13 am
I love the new style, the watercolours look amazing. You have great control, I am very envious. My attemps with watercolour are far less successful. You luckly little scamp!
April 15th, 2008 at 9:48 pm
what? weird!
someone changed my comment!
>:(
April 15th, 2008 at 9:49 pm
what?! gahhh
the posting thinger is acting up on me
oh well
nice page for today
April 15th, 2008 at 10:19 pm
Mary: If you use html tag punctuation it will cut out your text.
April 16th, 2008 at 11:41 am
Aw, Anders hiding under his hoodie because he’s uncomfortable! I do the same thing. What a perfect detail