Chroma Corps (WIP)

[Pheonix Gamma]

I haven't been posting much lately, not because I haven't been actively working, but because I've pretty much locked myself into my studio for the past four and a half months working on nothing but drawing, painting, and writing longwinded essays about nudists and BDSM and drug dealers.

The less I talk about the latter, the better.

Anywho, I've pretty much spent most of my time writing/drafting my first actual graphic novel for my senior thesis this semester. It was supposed to be around 60 pages, but due to four other classes plus my part time job eating up so much time, I only got 18 pages drawn (well, 75% drawn. I'm going to be refining them over the next month) so my project ended up being more of a pilot episode, which I've come to accept.

There it is, sitting in the University Gallery. The gallery opening was last night, and we got a big turnout. I was pretty pumped to see all of my professors flipping through my books, and a few people even asked me to print and sell copies to them, which is really exciting, because the illustrations aren't even done! The critique also went really well, though a bit dramatic (in a good way, but I'll tell you guys about that stuff in another post, since this is bordering on Wall O' Text.)

Oh right, the art. I'm not going to upload the whole book, just the pages that I feel highlight the book and where I'm trying to take it. Some pages are a little more finished than others, but had to be used anyways to meet the exhibit deadline.

http://pheonixgamma.deviantart.com/art/Tentative-Chroma-Corps-Cover-164020281

(cover)

http://pheonixgamma.deviantart.com/art/Chroma-Corps-Pg-3-164021923

(pg3)

http://pheonixgamma.deviantart.com/art/Chroma-Corps-Pg-4-163665399

(pg4)

http://pheonixgamma.deviantart.com/art/Chroma-Corps-Pg-12-13-163191725

(pg12-13)

http://pheonixgamma.deviantart.com/art/Pgs-14-15-of-quot-Chroma-Corps-quot-163545651

(pg14-15)

Chroma Corps is part one of a five-part story detailing the monotony of day-to-day life and the feeling of being trapped by our own daily routines. The message I am to tell the viewer both in this first chapter as well as the whole story, is that you don't need to be trapped doing something you hate, and that life doesn't have to be as miserable as some people make it out to be.

What I've learned:

-You definitely want to write everything out in a text document first before you even consider drawing

-storyboards take up way more time than you'll want them to, but are really, really important. Like, REALLY FUCKING important.

-4 and a half months is not enough time to make a complete, 60+ page, full color, mini graphic novel while juggling four other classes and a part time job.

[Cyber Rat]

Pg14-15 as well as pg 4 are quite good. If I had access to the whole episode, I could comment on more, but otherwise I like the visual style. Congratulations!

[Aaron C-T]

Sweet stuff, this is the first I'm hearing of Dunbar's number which is kind of cool. I really like the concept behind the story too. Pages 12-13 are amazing. Hope it works well with the fold.

[Ristar]

I know exactly what you mean. You know about the whole pyramid table with Research taking up the most of your work, then planning, then development, then the final product? It's what I base my life on

I love how clean your line art is, I'm jealous ;P

Only problem I see is that it's a bit webcomic-y. I feel like some of the scenes could do with a bit more perspective and dynamics.

[Pheonix Gamma]

Been redrawing all the pages to help make it look better and more professional before I submit it to a local publisher I'm friendly with. Here's one of the pages from the end of the first chapter, completely redone (minus the text)

I have a bunch of other pages close to being finished at this point, so I'm hoping to send it off in a few weeks so I can start doing this for an actual job.

[Rawr]

Dude, I am digging this way more. Not that the other one was terrible, but this definitely has a lot more polish too it! Good luck with submitting to the publisher