Book 1 Is Inked!

Welp… I did it. A year of long nights, work and just plain fun came to a close last night in the actual drawing of this book. It was the latest night I’ve pulled on the book.  I usually skype with friends and just chat it up to keep the night lively.  But last night I spent the time alone with this book.

I feel like so many little milestones in this book are just each very special to me.  It’s hard to say why exactly.  I mean I’ve drawn several comics.  Been through this before, but this book is and has always been special.  I really and truly belive in the story.  The message.  The characters.  It is my heart on paper in many ways.  The idea came to me at just this perfect time in my life when I really had no sense of direction and this idea, this single idea has rested with me for almost 6 years now.  I have ached to tell it’s story.  And now, it is done.  Sure there is still much to do, but the story is told.  The edit is locked in and now it’s about dazzling everyone with the special effects and sweeping score of the comics page.  I do feel very poetic about this book.  And others need not feel the same, though I most certianly hope it will come to mean a lot to them as a story as well.

So in the quiet of my office, I worked late, and with much nervousness, watched as the final panels on my spreadsheet were ticked away to zero.  The story is told. 

I feel in many ways that the inking of a book is much like the editing process of a movie.  You are committing to decisions and working at that point to bring about the best performance to the front.  The penciling phase is more like the dailies.  You are deciding on things, moving stuff around.  Now that the “edit” is done I am sending it off to the ILM (Industrial Light and Michael) to color, bring special effects in and make the book the best experience I can.

Thanks to my amazing flatting assistants, I am able to just stay right on course with the book.  I can’t thank you all enough. 

Well I have been sappy enough.  There is a lot of work ahead still.  But it’s very very close now.  All of the really involved brain work can now give way to the kinectic energy of coloring and all that.  Thank you to everyone for your congratualtions and encouragement.  I am so looking forward to seeing everyone’s reactions to the finished product.  Whenever that will be lol.

I listened to this song to end the tme of work. Kinda says it all to me.