Looks like Rudek has a soft spot for the old Badger, after all. Or maybe there’s more going on here than it seems.
So, with this comic, after putting a lot of effort into adjusting the levels, saturation, contrast, and colors, I’m still not satisfied with the way it reads, tonally speaking.I tried planning out a coherent tonal scheme:
You can see five levels from dark to light, structuring the composition of the background. But I made an error in my process. I only planned out the tone structure of the background, so–the background reads quite well on first glance…
However, in texturing the floor, I threw myself a curve. The gradient goes from the mid-light tone to the mid-dark tone, flattening the mid-tone distinctions in the palette. Now, on the one hand, you could say that gives the backdrop cohesion, helps it represent receding, three-dimensional space. But, on the other hand, look what happens when we add the figures:
Many passages become illegible–or at least complex and unappealing to “read” with the eyes. Rudek’s hand, for instance gets lost because it’s right in the middle of a very active area where four tones are intersecting and overlapping. So, while I do think it makes sense to render the background layer and the figures separately, in the sketching phase I really do need to plan out tonal schemes for the whole image–not for separate layers.
While I’m unsatisfied with the results, I think analyzing my mistakes in this piece will go a long way towards improving the next one.
Wow. I know I said that I wish sometimes that I had been an artist instead of a writer … but reading the kinds of stuff you go through on a regular basis to produce this artwork, I’m thinking of rescinding my previous wish!
Awesome job, tho. Kewl!
I love that Rudek has the compassion to fix it so that Babicha can go home.
So Ruder has a soft heart indeed, after seeing him…you know, not that soft so far until now :D
It’s good to see you back!
I agree with the analysis – when I first read the comic, I got confused as to who Rudek was talking about in the last panel, and it took me a few moments to figure out he was referring to the chicken and not Babcia Borsuk because I didn’t catch where his hand was pointing.
I really enjoy this comic. Thank for making and sharing them.
Thank you for reading them!
Out of curiosity, is this a busy period since January, an expected hiatus, or…? (Read: I’m just eager to see what follows :} )
Hi, thanks for commenting :)
Basically an unintended hiatus due to my son being born, and childcare taking all of my free (non-day-job) time. Hoping to restart the webcomic in June. Sorry to keep you in suspense!
Congratulations!