Twisting & Turning

Good-day Readers!

Slowly, slowly we approach the end... I think I'm getting there, I... I think... I... I hope! 

 

Page 109

Page 110

Like me and this comic, Fancy isn't outta this battle yet, but she's taking it to the aggressor.

Regarding page 9, it's a pretty good page. I think I like the middle left and bottom panels best.  Middle left was hard to draw and the bottom one looks exciting.

And page 10, a fast, direct read of what's going on. Not super great, but good enough.  Drawing this page made it clear just how tricky it is to draw those little jets!  I'm not wild about the spiral con-trails but I couldn't think how to show that action any other way.

But what's this?!

This is how I started page 109. It looks tonnes cooler and more exciting what with her getting hit again. The top right and bottom images are really good. I was going to do another drawing beside the bottom one from about the same angle showing the jet tumbling.

So why didn't I continue? That last panel was pretty tough to do and when I got looking at it and tried to figure out how the next image should be, I thought I had the tumble going in the wrong direction and the first tumbling drawing should be second... or maybe not... I couldn't figure it out. 

Also, I felt I had get on with Fancy's "What the hell are you doing?!" speech, to show how she's taking the bull by the horns now.

And page 110... well, just as I was writing this blog I decided to keep it.  I was going to scrap the page altogether.  Next week you'll see the next page and see how this page 110 could safely be jettisoned without creating a hole.

To be continued!!!

On Course

 Hello Readers,

Well, here we are again with another GREAT page of Flight of Fancy!

 

 

 

 

 

Page 108

That's a pretty tall order to say this is a GREAT page, but I think it's pretty all right!

I really like that Fancy actually flies the little jet through a barn and it is especially funny that Dave is giving her warnings just as we see the next obstacle. Really nice drawings in those first 4 panels.  They're action-packed and pretty clear.  The jet looks good throughout and the environment is also well drawn.  Maybe you noticed the tractor on the previous page?  When I got to this page, I wondered/lamented not putting it on the other side of the barn.  I didn't want to draw it again, so that's why we only see half of it.  

The bottom left panel is pretty good - it's hard to suggest Fancy is talking to someone who's not beside her, while still actively flying the jet, and also a challenge to draw her from a slightly different angle each time to make it not repetitive.  

I really like that last drawing of Dave at the laptop in Lawrence's hanger where the AR station was set up.  It's a good drawing and puts him back (visually) into the story. This development that he's networked into the other jets, well... I'm not entirely sure what all the implications are of that and what he can and can't do with that connection, but, well... let's find out together as the adventure continues in... "Flight of Fancy"!  Cue end credits!

Down, Down, Down

 Hello Hello!  

Ok, yes, posting on the right day, but, sadly, just one drawing today, but I think it's a good one.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 107

So what makes this a good one?  A few things... that first panel with Fancy's jet careening toward the landscape is dynamic and the trailing jets help show where her jet has come from, and the number of pursing jets is pretty threatening.

The panel of inside the cockpit has a really nice drawing of Fancy.  She looks cartoony, but I think I like this design the best.  It suits the story style.

And that last panel... WHAAAA?!  She's heading for a barn?  OH NO!!!

I also like the dialogue.  Fancy sounds calm, in the first panel.  Then talking to Dave brings him back into the picture (even though we don't see him here), which is important because we need to keep all the players still in the audience's mind.  And then the fact that he warns her about the barn before we, the audience see it is fun and startling. 

Things I could have fixed/improved on?  I think the first panel should have a bit of a dutch tilt, but I was having enough trouble drawing the landscape in perspective amid the lines printed on the paper! And the angle on the last panel is bit high. Might look better if the camera angle were lower and we could see more into the barn, to better suggest Fancy's trajectory.

Anyway, hope you like it.

Going Down

Hello All!  That is... everyone who isn't trying to get me to post non-Flight-of-Fancy comments here!

And yes, I'm probably getting those messages because I haven't posted in a week nor looked at my email to see who else posted comments, like you, IG!  Thanks for the encouragement and ongoing enthusiasm for this silly project!

So, to reward your patience, here are two pages!  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 105

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 106

"WHAT?!" I can hear you saying..."I had to wait two weeks for that and it took 10 seconds to read?!"

Ok, fair point. Let's talk about this.

Good drawings, right?!  Character designs are consistent.  Good movement across the pages and through the panels. Dynamic camera angles, check check check.

Yes, you're right, IG, I also think I forgot to put in a 3rd (conventional) jet in the top right panel of page 105. Easily fixed, but I figured I'd leave it for now. I like the "quiet" middle panel there.  It adds space and a bit of a pause and works well with the last panel there on 105, which again, slows the action a bit and adds a bit of anticipation, like "why's it so quiet in here" before... BOOOM!  Page 106!

Or should I say "KiiSH".  Yeah, I didn't know what sound effect to use there and I think I've over-used "BOOM".  But I like this page, it's right back into the action.  I like how the enemy missiles make a different sound (FFFSSSSS sounds very futuristic, doesn't it?!).

That first panel should probably be flipped horizontally to preserve the flow, but... as you can see in this quick bodge...

... the missiles need to be on the left side of the panel so they get seen and read before seeing the jet get hit.

And the "Going down" panel is really cool.  Good trail of smoke that suggests how Fancy's little jet is tumbling down toward... farm fields?! Hope she can get outta this mess.

Going to War

 Hello Readers,

Here's another installment.  Gotta say, what with the current news, I question creating a story like this... I mean, war isn't supposed to be fun.  But, I'm in it this far, let's try to finish this up, right?

And then I'll go on to another one of my stories... and yes, it has war and conflict in it too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Page 104

Pretty solid drawings throughout. 

The middle left panel is fun in that we can get a good idea of the comparative size of the jets - Fancy's is SOOO small!  I was juggling the placement of panels but needed to pay more attention to the dialogue.  I think it should read something like "That jet is so small it's amazing we even tagged you."

The middle right panel is quite nicely drawn.  It was kinda hard to draw to show her reaching up to touch the canopy.  I don't really like drawings with extreme foreshortening, so I didn't want to draw her hand close to the camera and the rest of her body back from it.  I think the one I drew works well... believe it or not I tried a bunch of  hand poses, but this one was most readable while keeping the bullet hole/burn visible.

Ohh, and that stern face in the last panel... looks like Fancy's has taken the gloves off.  Look out, Lawrence!  I wonder how it will end.  If you know, IG, please tell me!