Skulking Ninja Productions

2011-08-02T21:53:00.000-06:00

This week's comic page will be delayed by a few days due to trip-related lack of sleep. I am totally exhausted. It will go up sometime this week, though.

2011-06-15T21:31:00.002-06:00

Since I spent a good chunk of the day in a doctor's waiting room, today's comic will be delayed. It should be up tomorrow or, at worst, on Friday.

2011-01-24T21:59:00.000-07:00

I'm back, sort of. I don't think I'm quite up to regular update speed at the moment but I do have a bunch of script written and I'd like to get pages out at something resembling a decent rate. I'll post my progress down here periodically so that people can be reassured that work is happening (or, conversely, that work isn't happening and I ought to be ashamed.)

So. Page 205 status - script and roughs completed.

2010-02-22T11:43:00.002-07:00

I am SO disorganized these past couple of weeks...

But anyway! Gothbunnies has reached 200 pages (well, probably 201 by this point) and Wolfman Al of Air Patrol was nice enough to send me some! (I apologize for taking this long to get my act together... ;_;).

This week's page should go up more-or-less on schedule. Although every time I say that I manage to screw it up somehow, so we'll pretend I never said anything.

Also, apparently my deviantArt subscription has apparently run out, which broke the widget on the sidebar here last week. So if anyone noticed and wondered what was up, that was it.

Anyway, thanks for reading this all these years, everyone!

2010-01-14T11:18:00.003-07:00

The bad news: this week's page is not done. The good news: I'm writing script again so output of pages should be more regular for the next while. I'm tentatively going to say that this week's page will be up before Monday and next week's page should be on schedule.

2010-01-05T22:09:00.003-07:00

It's back to work time, and my brain is so fried it's not even funny. I can draw, but I can't seem to write a single line of fiction that makes any sense. Thus, you get art. I'll try to poke my brain into action as soon as possible. I'm hoping things will have normalized by next week, and in the meantime there may be more art. Or, if that doesn't work, other *different* art.

Also, page 200 is coming up in about 2 weeks so if YOU have art, or would like to make some, then please send it along! (All I ask is that it's PG and Gothbunnies-related.) I will do a character sketch of your character of choice (yours, mine, whatever) in return, unless I get completely swamped with requests, which is pretty unlikely.

2009-12-22T19:22:00.002-07:00

Due to the usual Christmas rush, there will be no comic this week. Have a great Holiday season everyone and I'll see you next week!

2009-10-20T16:07:00.002-06:00

There will likely be no update this week. My surgery was on Friday and I spent the weekend recovering. Things went well, though, so with any luck everything is going to return to normal soon.

2009-10-13T23:12:00.000-06:00

Comic mostly done. Will be up Wednesday night.

2009-10-06T23:31:00.003-06:00

Painting deadline is in two days and I think I've killed three brushes and my right wrist. So this week there are sketches! More sketches may be up later in the week, depending on how crazy I am and whether I can mouse with the left hand at work.

In Bunnyland there are no late-night doughnut shops. The Chief really likes his raspberry turnovers, though.

Oh yes, and you can click for a slightly bigger version where the words might be legible.

2009-09-22T23:30:00.000-06:00

First part of Page 186. Next bit will be up later in the week.

2009-09-15T23:25:00.002-06:00

Man, these last couple months have been terrible as far as getting time for comics. I'll try to get some sort of update up before the end of the week, but I'm pretty swamped right now. If it's not family it's my health and if it's not that it's the upcoming art show I promised I'd do something for. I'm simply overbooked. Thank goodness I don't have a wife to murder and Guilder to blame for it.

Sorry! Hopefully things will be back to normal sometime after October 9th, when they yank various bits of my innards out at the hospital. Thanks for not showing up at my door with pitchforks and torches!

2009-09-01T22:54:00.003-06:00

One last page of pencils and next week I get back to inking! I got back Saturday night and my brother is visiting from out of town so... not much time to comic.

2009-08-16T22:20:00.003-06:00

Okay, pencils for the next two pages are a go. Sorry they won't be as nice as the inks, but at least the story goes on! If you can't see them here on regular update day, it means that for whatever reason I don't have internet access. However, they should be posted on Modern Tales automagically! So you can still catch 'em there.

2009-08-11T22:29:00.002-06:00

Heeey, lookit that, this week's update is actually on time. Sadly, this isn't going to be a trend as I am going on vacation next week. I was going to ask for guest comics, but what with work being so crazy lately I completely forgot. Also I myself am terrible at guest comics, so I always feel bad asking.

Aaaanyway. At this point I suspect I'll post the pencils. Or some sort of pencils. I apologize. I'm sure one of these days I'll catch a case of organization, but this year isn't looking too good.

2009-08-05T07:52:00.003-06:00

Aaah, sorry, once again the comic will be up this evening. I haven't gotten used to my new earlier morning work schedule. I still think I can stay up late to finish things up on Tuesdays but I really can't. :P

Hopefully I can get my crap together for next week.

2009-07-29T12:06:00.000-06:00

This week's page still needs lettering, it will be up later tonight.

2009-07-21T23:12:00.003-06:00

My host seems to be undergoing maintenance right now, so I'll be posting page 178 Wednesday morning. Or, if you just can't wait, it should update on Modern Tales automagically within an hour or two.

2009-06-23T20:46:00.002-06:00

Hey there. First off, there will be no comic this week. I apologize sincerely, but between my health, my job and my yard, I'm so exhausted I can barely think. Hopefully I'll be back in better form next week.

Next up, Wolfman Al of Airpatrol Online drew a cute picture of Sorrel and frogged Larch! Click for bigger:

Anyway, sorry to be such a party pooper. I'm off to water the lawn monster and then I'm going to sleep for a week. With any luck, I'll not only sleepwalk but I'll also sleepdraw and sleep-remove-viruses-from-laptops.

2009-05-14T12:44:00.003-06:00

Hey! Do you like asian-inspired, well-drawn near-future sci-fi? Well, my friend J. Dalton has started updating his comic "A Mad Tea Party" again. It's got girls, aliens, hovercars and political upheaval!

Give it a go and see if you like it. I do!

2009-04-14T14:25:00.002-06:00

Hey! Vinnie D. of Antibunny did an Easter Special pic of some famous comic bunnies -- and there's Dit crashing the party in the background! :) Don't turn your back on BunBun, Dit. That's not a good idea!

Thanks for putting Miss Dittany in such good company, Antibunny!

2009-04-09T11:35:00.002-06:00

The Daily Bunny Blog! Link stolen from Sophie of MacRatLove.

And remember bunny lovers, educate your friends about not giving bunnies as gifts for Easter! A rabbit can live as long as a cat or dog, it needs a bunnyproofed space to run around for exercise, it probably won't like getting picked up and unless it's spayed or neutered it will get very grumpy and destructive when it hits its teenager phase in a few months. Send them off to the House Rabbit Society web page to educate themselves before getting a pet and if they're sure that they'd like to take on the commitment, there are lots of sad rabbits waiting for a home at their local shelter.

Please help spread the word!

2009-03-10T23:25:00.002-06:00

The comic will be up sometime on Wednesday. Almost done, just too tired to continue tonight.

2009-02-27T10:50:00.000-07:00

I can't resist cute animal videos. Here's a mouse doing an obstacle course!

2009-02-09T21:55:00.002-07:00

Hey there. Lately, my work has been really stressful and my health hasn't been so good. I don't think I can really continue things as I have been without a break of some sort. So I'm considering either taking a month-long hiatus or posting pencilled pages, which would be a lot faster for me to make. I think at this point I'd rather do the pencilled pages and try to ink them as time becomes available and I feel better.

I'm going to try to get a rough page up for Wednesday. If I have to take a break I'll probably run guest art or something. In any case, I thought I should give you guys a heads-up that things will be dicey for the next month, one way or another.

I'm really sorry about this, and thanks for understanding.

2009-01-28T09:46:00.002-07:00

Man, I just noticed that next week I'll be putting up page 155. Since it's the 156th page, it'll mean that I've been working on Gothbunnies for three years in total. (Hiatuses really screw with one's anniversaries).

It gives me a great desire to go back and fix my art. And also to make my next comic a vector copy 'n'paste deal.

2009-01-21T09:07:00.001-07:00

The comic will be up sometime later today. Hopefully earlier rather than later, since I still have homework to do for Thursday. Bleargh.

In the meantime, this is pretty cool.

2009-01-15T16:02:00.003-07:00

Hey! You! If you're not easily offended and like Powerpuff Girl-esque art, go read Sister Claire (Pregnant Nun). It's cute and irreverent!

Edit: fixed the link, it works now!

2009-01-14T13:16:00.002-07:00

January has been pretty productive so far, as far as art goes. My New Year's resolution of doing some drawing every day is still going well (I'm posting the little snippets to my art blog, Lagomorphosis). I'm going to try to keep it going through February this year. Unlike last year, when I gave up a month in.

I'm starting my painting course tomorrow and there's a canvas and some brushes sitting here waiting for the chance to be used! I've never had a real stretched canvas before. I even dug out my tube of yellow ochre paint that I last used in my studio course in 1998 and it's still good. Craziness!

I'm very excited about this.

Other than that, I've wasted way too much time on the Fail Blog and Geekologie this weekend. :P Also, just because you haven't had enough nightmares lately, here's a creepy sheep chair. Do I want one of these? I have no problem with sheep skins if the meat was actually consumed. Still, taxidermy -- it's freaky.

2008-12-23T22:21:00.002-07:00

Sorry, no comic tomorrow. I've been cleaning all weekend and making pierogis for the past two evenings to feed the family tomorrow. I'm bushed and my hands hurt. Since the page is partially done, it will likely be up before the end of the week.

2008-12-17T10:29:00.002-07:00

Hi there! The comic will be up later tonight. Half my usual comic-making time has been consumed by Christmas-related madness. Can you believe that Christmas is a week away? I assure you it came as the greatest of surprises to me. And yet, it's on the same damn day EVERY YEAR.

This year, I'm dealing with it by faking my own death. Please don't tell anyone. IT WILL BE OUR SECRET. Wink wink.

2008-12-10T09:36:00.003-07:00

Okay, this has just taken the #1 spot on my List of Things I Need to Own. It's an autonomous paintball turret! I don't know what nefarious use I'd put it to (apart from getting myself fired from my job) but it would be awesome to have one.

Also, it's interesting to note that walking through a field full of rabbits bears a disturbing resemblance to walking through a field full of crickets.

2008-12-03T09:08:00.003-07:00

This is perhaps not my best-written page ever, but at least I'm happy with the art.

Also:

Read Evil Diva! It's cute! (Stole the link from Josh Lesnick).

Also also:

Disapproving rabbits disapprove. This is why I've always liked rabbits so much. The attitude.

Drawing from Your Head

2008-12-01T16:05:00.003-07:00

About once a year I get the urge to write a semi-helpful art essay for newer artists and post it to my dA journal. Since I now have a blargh and I need to keep it fed, I might as well repost it here.

Drawing from Your Head, or "Hey -- Why Doesn't This Look Like I Imagined It?"

So you're a newer artist and you're pretty good, as long as you've got a picture in front of you to copy from. And you have this COOL idea for a monster deer with stars shining through its hide and coral branches sprouting from its head instead of antlers. Unfortunately, you don't have a photo of one of those in front of you -- but you see the picture in your head SO CLEARLY and you're sure you can draw it! You get to scribbling away and the inevitable happens -- you draw something that doesn't look anything like you imagined it. You toss the picture into your wastebasket in disappointment and question your abilities. What's going on? All those other artists just sit there and knock out picture after perfect picture. Why not you?

First off, your brain is not a photo album. It's good at all sorts of clever tricks, including giving you the impression that you're imagining something solid while actually glossing over all sorts of details. Like, say you're dreaming that you just told the funniest joke in the world, and in your dream you're laughing like crazy. Then you wake up and you try to remember the joke and it's not all that funny. In fact, it's not funny at all. That's because your brain didn't produce a funny joke, it produced the feeling of something being funny. So when you look at that deer picture in your head, your brain might be producing the impression of "deer" and "coral", but it's not actually giving you anything real to work with.

So how do those other artists do it?

Most of them don't go around telling you "this isn't like I imagined it". And if they do, half the time you're not paying attention anyway. "This picture looks so good!" you think. "Who cares if it's not exactly how the artist imagined it?" That's an important point, though -- drawing from imagination and having it look like what you imagined is not automatic or natural for the vast majority of artists. You're trying to do something difficult, failing at it is not a sign that you should give up drawing forever.

Next, your brain is going to fail you unless you have a photographic memory. In order to draw something well, you need to know all the details of its appearance. When you imagine that deer's pose you need to know what shape its head is, how its legs attach to the body, how wide the coral branches are and how tall. You need to know how you're going to get that glow around its body. If you've developed an artist's eye for noticing and remembering details, you might be able to observe many of the things you need to in your mental image before it changes or fades away. If not, you're going to have to figure out all those details before you do the finished piece.

Of course, most of the time we don't actually know all the details and never did. If you've never spent much time looking at deer then your brain isn't going to know that a deer's head has such and such dimensions and such and such a shape. Just because you can imagine something doesn't mean you know anything about it. Imagine page 33 from the last novel you read. I bet you can see a page in your mind. Unless you happen to have a photographic memory or happened to memorize that book, you're not going to be able to read the words off that exact page merely because you can imagine it.

There is no shame in getting reference and looking things up. Newer artists hate to do this because they don't think they have to. More experienced artists know that if you don't put serious time into figuring out what things look like, you're likely to end up with dogs that look like goats. Newer artists think that means they don't have talent. Experienced artists know that if they don't want dogs that look like goats, and if they have to look at photos to achieve that then by God they're going to look at photos. Nobody knows whether you looked at a photo or not, unless you tell them. They only know whether your dog looks like a dog or not.

So: when you have a mental image, try to figure out what the important bits are (deer in a certain pose, stars, coral, night sky, etc.) Then plan your drawing out. Instead of trying to use that mental image as a photo to copy from, use it as inspiration. Think about the basics of art. Is there a background behind the deer? Rather than trying to copy it out of your head, use your knowledge of perspective to set it up. Draw out a few different, simple versions of the image. Would it be better if you were looking up at the deer from below or straight on? Should it be framed by trees? After you've decided on the basic composition, look for reference. Do some studies of deer and coral. Work out some colour schemes. When you feel ready, do up a composite and if you like how it looks then do a finished image.

It sounds like a lot more work than just closing your eyes and scribbling, but this is the way many (if not most) artists work. Just like most people will write better essays if they research the topic and write an outline first, so most people will draw a better picture if they plan it out first. And when you're done it might not look *exactly* what it looked like in your head, but you will have done everything you can in order to make the best picture you can. A good artist might actually make a *better* picture by planning it out first. They might decide that their mental image of a pose was good but the lighting and colours were boring. In planning things out, they might hit on a colour combination they like much better, or decide that giraffes are cooler than deer, or whatever.

2008-11-25T22:05:00.003-07:00

Welp, the comic is up. My work here is done. Until next week.

Hey. Hey YOU. Want to waste way too much time? Try this interactive text game called Violet. Don't tell me how you solved it, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with the Ethernet cable.

Also, if you have a few bucks to burn, go check out Historyonics, a comic anthology by some Vancouver-area artists. It's got a pretty good short story by Jonathon Dalton and something by the fabulous Steve LeCouilliard, who does Much the Miller's Son but doesn't seem to have a proper website. You can read Much the Miller's Son on his blog, assuming you can find the first comic.

In other news, my NaNoWriMo novel is terrible but almost done, and my house is no longer listing to the side although I sort-of miss the pitfalls in my front yard. I was hoping to turn them into a moat filled with piranhas. Special cold-weather piranhas that can survive the Edmonton winters.

Anyway. Off to do something gloriously unproductive!

2008-11-20T11:32:00.002-07:00

Up to 31,000 words and got a comic out this week (and on time, yet! Go me!) I'm having some plotting problems with the book. Anyone know of an easy way to cure fish-zombie poison that can be obtained in the middle of nowhere? Or should I just let everyone die?

And because everyone needs to take the occasional break and make fun of some terrible things, here's Photoshop Disasters and Cake Wrecks, dedicated to exposing terrible professional photoshopping and caking (respectively). Read through the archives, some of this stuff is hilarious.

2008-11-18T12:44:00.002-07:00

Currently re-reading The Malazan Book of the Fallen while I'm waiting for the new Dresden Files book to come out in paperback. Last time my interest petered out somewhere around Midnight Tides (Book 5), but going back through Deadhouse Gates (Book 2), I have to say that I had completely forgotten how great a writer Erikson is. Also, Iskral Pust rules.

I think I lose steam through all these huge series because as great as a truly epic story is, there are often just too many characters to keep track of. You just manage to get interested in one group when BAM! you're in another scene with a completely different group of people. Once there are enough such groups, you start forgetting what these people were doing last and why you were interested in that in the first place.

Otherwise, this has been stuck in my head since the weekend. It's two years old so I'm sure everyone's seen it, but if I have to live with it, then I might as well inflict it on anyone else who hasn't been infected yet.

2008-11-17T15:04:00.002-07:00

NaNo is clipping along, I'm a little over halfway done. In the past few thousand words, I burned down an inn and poisoned a couple caravan guards. Lest you think that I'm using up precious comicking time, I actually do most of my writing at work, where typing doesn't cause any comment but whipping out a tablet probably would.

For the interested, here's another good writing resource for those of us of the Spec Fiction persuasion, The SFWA Resources List.

And here's a few things for the artists:

Itchy's Lighting Tutorials
Posemaniacs - get some practice doing gesture drawings!
Digital Painting Tutorial - a good, all-around digital painting tutorial/walkthrough

2008-11-13T08:33:00.002-07:00

Some cool stuff for writers I've come across in the past few days:

Holly Lisle's Writing Pages - everything you want to know about becoming a fiction writer, and probably some things you didn't.

Put Your Character in a Sticky Situation - need some more conflict? Try one of these.

Write or Die - although it's more like "type, or we make you listen to Rick Astley".

And just because I think this is great, here's the article on Otto the Octopus for those who didn't see this on Twitter or Facebook (via Pharyngula).

2008-11-07T13:03:00.000-07:00

I've never been much for random socializing, but I thought I'd try putting up a Skulking Ninja blog. It'll include both the apologies for late comics that you know and love, as well as other things that I think should go in a blog, like rants about Kids Today and blurry pictures of the neighbours' cat.

But before I get on with that, and since this week's comic isn't late, I'll start with NaNoWriMo. Anyone else doing NaNo this year? I did it in 2005 and managed to squeeze out a terrible urban fantasy novel about loser vampires. This year I'm doing a sword 'n' sorcery fantasy. I started 5 days late and I'm keeping up with the comic as well so it's a ton of work, but it's a lot of fun. Masochistic, "oh gods, where's the plot going next?", "I suck at writing!" fun. If I survive this, next year I'm going to write a terrible bodice-ripper. With actual bodices getting ripped. I'm not sure anything risque will happen in it otherwise, but there will be pieces of bodice all over the place, let me tell you.

Also, I can't believe that it's taken me this long, but I finally read Code Name: Hunter, and the story's really quite good. If you enjoy urban fantasy, don't dislike furries (and if you don't and do, what are you doing here? Shoo! Shoo!) and haven't come here from there, you should check it out.

Last of all, I really enjoyed drawing those goofy faces in panel 5 this week. Oh, Castus. You have issues.