As much as I hate to do it, I’m going to have to face the fact that Arclight Adventures just isn’t going. I’ve got an overall plot, I’ve got an outline for the current issue, I have scripts even. But… it’s not going.

The reason is very simple: the art. I don’t want to do it. Doing the art is painful. Every time I try to sit down and force myself to draw for the comic, I suddenly think about how much more fun it would be to go empty the litterboxes, or maybe I’ll be lucky and get sick. This is not a healthy relationship to have with something that is supposed to be a fun hobby.

So… yeah. I might as well admit it to myself. Don’t expect any more Arclight Adventures, unless there’s someone out there fascinated by the concept who wants to do the art. I’m not happy about it, but I’m even less happy about having this thing dragging me down.

Sorry to disappoint, everyone. But sometimes you just have to let go.

-The Gneech

PS: Before anyone asks, I don’t have anything else in the works for the moment. I think I need to let my creativity lay fallow a little longer.

PPS: I might retool the characters and setting for fiction later. I do think there’s something of value there. I just can’t do it alone in the current format.

Just a quickie little plug for my new comic, finally launching! Click on the cute lil’ dirigible above or go to ArclightAdventures.com for the beginning of a fun ride!

-The Gneech

I’ve mentioned before, mostly in connection with Arclight Adventures, that I’m trying to “break out” of my established art style. My recent apparent obsession with drawing My Little Pony is the most visible part of this process, but I’ve been doing a lot of simply studying other styles and trying to break down in my mind how they work.

This morning, as I was waiting for a reboot from yet another Adobe update, I started doing some sketches of John Dunn’s redesign, and I’m trying to utilize some of the new stuff I’ve learned. I’ve never been real comfortable drawing human faces (one of the reasons I gravitated towards furry art), and honestly with a few exceptions I just don’t like them very much. :P But one of the things I’ve been studying is how to get past trying to realistically depict an exact human form and create a stylized form that “reads” human.

I haven’t quite gotten it yet, but I’m improving. :) In the case of John Dunn, tho, I’m still coming to grips with what he should look like both “realistically” and “stylistically,” which is making it a little harder. I might end up just finding pics of an actor online and using them as a springboard (but not a direct model), like I did with Verity. Character-wise he’s been revamped to something like Beast from the X-Men with just a dash of Isiah Mustafah’s “Old Spice Guy” thrown in (as opposed to the Woobie Frankenstein he was originally), so I need to find a model who’s physically imposing in a way that Isiah Mustafah isn’t, but still has a hint of wry humor about him. Maybe Michael Jai White? I’d love to hear any nominations folks might have.

Ah well, back to work for now. But come lunchtime, that sketchbook better LOOK OUT!

-The Gneech

PS: Oh yeah, I meant to mention! Arclight Adventures has a launch date now! January 9, 2012. A bit later than I anticipated, true, but given how rough my early 2011 was, I hope you’ll forgive it. :)