Day 8: We Won’t Be Here When You Come Back
Original Instagram Text
“We didn’t know how important this fight would be. We just thought, hey, just another day on the job. And it started just like any other job. But by the end of it we will have changed our world, but leave over half of our team dead.” — Lin
I solved the issues with my pen by switching the ink out to something that is thinner and not as matte black. It flows almost perfectly now and I have no more skipping issues.
Additional Information
I was trying out Deleter 4 in my Ackerman Classic Fountain Pen the past few days with no success. The ink was not flowing and would dry up quickly. I switched to Noodler’s Heart of Darkness , a fountain pen ink that is not as black as the Deleter, but flows much better. It worked almost flawlessly and finally I understood the benefits of the Ackerman pens over dip pens. The opacity of a black ink isn’t as important in a pen at least. I’ll keep the Deleter for large washes.
Day 9: Farewell Heaven, Farewell Hell
Original Instagram Text
“In the quiet of the mornings and night, I can find a place to sing.”
I took a day off today and rested for most of the time. October is usually a more stressful than average month because of Inktober in spite of the fun things I usually align with it. Nearly 1/3rd there…
Additional Information
Circles and ellipses are my favorite framing shape. In this and future Inktobers, I use them for putting focal points, adding contrast, and establishing the sun/moon. This ensures my ellipse and circle templates don’t gather dust.
Day 10: Into the Deep, Dark
Original Instagram Text
“Why are all the answers in some dark, scary place?”
Probably the fastest I’ve come up with a composition. I’ve been thinking recently of How Pictures Work by Molly Bang, trying to best simplify my compositions and make them readable.
Additional Information
The hardest part of Inktober is coming up with new, readable compositions daily. For comics I have to come up with several compositions quickly, but they are tied together by time and space of panels before/after them. Single page illustrations have to stand by themselves with little to go off of, other than their title and maybe an accompanying description. Some days a composition that fits the title comes quick and other days it’s a slog.
Day 11: Gentle Hands
Original Instagram Text
“I need to stop wearing white shirts when eating anything chocolate…”
I finished the Sweet Blue Flowers manga today and it was SO GOOD. It’s rare to have a complex romance that deals with the often tangled emotions of falling in love. And the art, gorgeous, Takako Shimura is fantastic.
Additional Information
I love reusing characters I’ve made. I came up with her in Inktober 2018, an embodiment of my traveler persona at the time. I moved to LA the year before and started settling in, after the initial months of moving around and never having a permanent mailing address.
Stylistically I stole some techniques from Takako Shimura. Poorly. But there were a few things I liked that carry into future Inktobers.
Day 12: The Reading Nook
Original Instagram Text
“Do I ever wonder about falling? Of course.”
Simple one today because I’m going to a concert tonight. I got a plastic circle template I’ve been trying to use more. I looked up some metal ones the other day and they’re nice…but I also can’t justify them.
Additional Information
Concert was Babymetal and Deathklok. I don’t listen to metal much, but we had a great time at the show.
Day 13: Only With You
Original Instagram Text
“…and as we fly through the sky, I’ll keep you close by.”
Gonna try and wake up early tomorrow for an online gesture drawing class, I missed last week because of sheer exhaustion. And then later in the afternoon I have more life drawing, then a concert…life doesn’t stop for Inktober.
Additional Information
You can see I’m trying to justify my circle template anyway I can! The hand proportions are awkward looking, so something to be careful of.
Day 14: Burning Sunset at the Edge of the Sea
Original Instagram Text
“The sun fades and she disappears, a mirage on the wind in the deep purple sea.”
Another simple one as I have a packed day, already starting at 5 AM and set to end around 12 AM…
Additional Information
I love designs of a character in front of a designed background, whether simple or complex. I think I should have textured the “sky” more, but that idea didn’t come to me until a few days later.
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