Aedre’s Firefly: Curiouser and Curiouser…
Aedre’s Firefly Graphic Novel updates every Wednesday
New Readers: click here to start closer to the beginning of the story… You also might like this well-written precis of the story by Todd McElmurry at the WebComic Alliance’s pick-of-the-week: Aedre’s Firefly.
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Do any of you remember those little white-spattered dark blue ceramic-coated tin coffee pots? I wonder if anyone still makes and sells those. Looks like he’s going to use it for making tea, though.
No #LFWC this week
Sorry, guys. I’m so deep into the writing right now I haven’t even been reading much of anything except books and weblogs about the scripting process. Also I need to make a list of the ones I’ve already told you about. Actually, what I should do is update my links list which is a task that is long overdue also.
Creative Process
Going strong. I’ve done a ton of writing in the last couple of weeks (which is why you don’t see me as much on Twitter these days). My pile of 3×5 index cards is is getting bigger, and soon as the cards for Chapt VII come off the corkboard, the ones for Aedre’s Firefly Volume 2 will go up. That’s the plan anyway. The more I write the more I fear I will never get this story told. But of long hard earned habit, I keep going. Like the world continues to turn regardless of the surface patterns of weather, population, peace or wars shifting across it’s surface, likewise I continue to write, draw, and ink disregarding the anxieties, beckoning video games and social networks, dripping taps, housework, poor eyesight, and broken election promises.
Yesterday I spent some time creating some new Photoshop brushes. Last month I made some lovely individual ones of leaves that turned out so well I made some fun abstract paintings with them. But the ones I created yesterday were more utilitarian, for use in creating subtle textures, and shadings in concept and cover art. I love making my own brushes.
I’ve started work on the creation of a PDF version of Aedre’s Firefly. The First pass of which is getting the strips and panels into a more coherent order and at the same time more over-all tonal consistency. I’ve decided to publish the PDF in greyscale to further that end for now, but the actual hold-in-your-hand book will be in colour. At least, that’s the plan for now. Unfirtunately, upgrading my Acrobat Pro from CS5 to CS6 has borked the license for it somehow and it refuses to open for me. So until I get that sorted, I’ve downloaded a sourceforge freeware program to try out called PDF Creator. I’ll let you know how that goes. I installed the software, unchecked both the boxes that were going to install ad bars in my browser (I thought this was supposed to be freeware!But it turns out it’s Adware.) At least I was able to go into Firefox and remove the disgusting thing from the Tools/Addons Menu, because yes, it installed them anyway. Now I’m not sure I want to use this product. It may simply put those adware things in every pdf it creates.
I feel pretty embarrassed at the poor quality of the work. It’s painfully obvious that I had no clue what I was doing, about online publishing or how to use Photoshop, and that though there has been some improvement, even now I have a huge climb ahead of me in order to be as proficient in this media as I am with paint and canvas.Yet, I know that if I hadn’t jumped in with both feet and all the wrong ideas, I would never have had this whole new sometimes utterly frustrating, yet somehow expansive and intensely satisfying, part of my life.
Consistency is what I’m continually striving for –in line, tone, and eventually when I get back to it in Aedre’s Firefly, colour. There are times when I just long to throw the whole thing out and start over right from the initial idea, keeping only the theme, the characters, the world, and the ending. But I think that would add even more years to the process. So I’m leaving it as it is for now. Hopefully volume 2 will be less all over the place and by the end of vol 3, a decent story will have been published.
Other News
I got my iPod working again, so now I have my little clock timer back!
First I wrapped it in cheesecloth so the rice wouldn’t get inside it, then I put it in a zip-lock sandwich bag filled with Basamati rice (all we have handy). Then I put that outside in the railing in the sun on a pretty hot day here (93 degrees) and left it there for the afternoon. When I brought it inside it was still warm, so I let it cool off for awhile. Just before bedtime I pulled it out of the bag and took off the cheesecloth, turned it on and voila! It powered up fine and when it started up the first thing it did was tell me it was bedtime! lol! I checked the wall clock and it was right on. Yay! Everything in it works perfectly!
I also did some more research and artwork for updating this website, which has been so very long overdue. I’m hoping to reinstall the software that lets me make a mockup of the site on my hdd. So I can test things out first, using child themes. For some reason the website stuff is the hardest part of all this and I’m so grateful for WordPress and the Comic Press theme (though I’m thinking hard about switching over to Easel, CP’s successor built by Philip Hoffer (@frumph on Twitter) who currently maintains CP.) for having made it comparatively easy to jump in and start sharing with all of you right away.
I just realised that there are only four more weeks to the end of this chapter! I’m still not sure whether I will be taking a break then to finish Chapt VII before starting to publish the strips for it, or wait until Chapt VII and therefore Vol 1 is finished, so I can devote myself to finishing the scripting of the rest of the story, and also to get this website properly organised. I think that will depend on how much of Chapt VII I have inked by the end of next month. I’ll let you know, though, as soon as I have that figured out.
Thanks for reading Aedre’s Firefly and for taking some of your precious time to comment.It really is your feedback that keeps me publishing this story.
Congrats on all the writing and hard work that is going into AF. I know it’s not easy, especially with all of life’s distractions.
Hmmm, is he talking to the frog…
Thank you, Andy! It’s been a good week for the writing. But I seriously can’t wait to get back to the inking part. lol
Frog? Do you see a frog somewhere? That would be… strange… ;`)
Yay! The ipod is working.
I want to see some of your brushes you made. You should post some images of what the different ones do.
Thanks, Bearman. :`) So good to have my brain implant back.
Finally found some of the pics I made with my custom brushes. I’ll upload some for you to take a gander at tomorrow. I also used some of the leaf ones to create very subtle light effects in some of the Aedre strips.
I really like the symbols you used for the dialog up there! Very cool touch :D
Thank you, Micah. I like to hand draw a batch of those and then keep them in a handy open file while I’m Inking those pages. :`)
The plot thickens.
As for the blue coffee pots with the white specks, I do still see them around.
The Stew pots (boilers) are pretty common as are the roasting pans. I have a couple of both of them and they cook well with not much sticking.
You probably didn’t know I was a cook along with my many other mediocre talents did you?
My wife loves it and she is also tickled that I clean up the kitchen after I cook. Sometimes even after she cooks.
I think everyone must be extra busy because sometimes there is no one on Twitter that I really know.
I have a fairly new roasting pan made the same way, but it’s black with white spatters. Nice to know the old kind is still out there. Great for camping. :`)
I suspect you are a man of many talents, Bo, so no I’m not surprised to hear that you cook well, and don’t mind cleaning up. For an older guy that is pretty rare. Mal is also an excellent cook, and he’s much tidier than I am.
It’s a lonely feeling when you go on twitter and there’s no one there you know… :`( I guess we could all send Dm tweets to each other to say hi Y’all. :`D
So, apparently self-doubt is what keeps thwarting our heroine. According to dude, she’s got the goods, but she has a tendency to make the improper decisions. Hmm….
And at first, I thought the strange voice was coming out of the teapot. It’s early for me, so you’ll have to excuse my ineptitude. :D
Hahah! George you made me laugh again. :`D
The way things seem to be going though, you could have been right about the Teapot talking! lol
This is coming along very nicely. That final panel reminds me of those wonderful Hokusai prints.
Wow! Mark. Ok. Now I’m totally flattered. Hahah! How I wish. But to even be thought to approach his gorgeous work honours me. Thank you! <3
I’d love to have a collection of those. :`D
The plot thickens, indeed! Congrats on all the writing you’ve gotten done, too. That isn’t on account of a lack of certain distractions, is it? ;) Glad to hear your iPod is working again as well. I’ll have to keep that trick in mind in case I ever get mine wet.
*stirs the plot* “Double, double toil and trouble…” ;`)
Lack of distractions? Could be… ;`)
The trouble is I can never remember what I’ve written unless I make thumbnails as I go. Will have to find a balance there.
A fine looking strip, Jande. Another excellent perspective view there in panel three.
So, four more weeks to the end of this chapter… I’m really wondering if we will find out a) who the “shack man” is talking with and, b) if is Aedre going to stay or run, by the end of the chapter. I guess we’ll be finding out soonish!
BTW, I think the consistency of your work has improved enormously since you first started this project!
Thank you, Mal! Consistency is what I strive for the most, and having a decent buffer lets me concentrate on that.
As for what Aedre will do next? I’m not even sure she knows at this point. She doesn’t seem to be the “planning” type. (so far)
Nice bird’s eye view on the last panel! It really makes the most of the space you have.
Thank you, Aidan!
And thanks for reminding me! I think it’s been weeks since I caught up with your current story arc for Scapula! I think the last one I saw was when Bone China said something about not being in the mood for Scapula’s whining and self-pity. Will rectify my omission soon.