Hello, Greeting, Hola, Etc.
The title of this post, the “Story Studios…” one, is our new tag line, aka elevator pitch. I believe it pretty much describes what we’ve always produced here. The studio, and its history and mission statement, will get it’s own page soon.
The tag line came about because of my ongoing work on a short book about self-publishing comics. Yes, I am still hard at work on that.
I ordered the Clip Studio Tabmate Controller, and it looks really cool, but I forgot to order the Bluetooth adapter that goes with it. It looks like this will extend the functionality of Clip Studio Paint. There are so many drawing and cartooning aids in this program, and now the AI coloring system, that I wonder how long it will be before no-drawing skills are required to make comics with this application. I’m not joking. Flatting has become super easy, as has perspective, posing with 3D puppets, the use of 3D props, and so forth, that drawing skills may become a thing of the past for cartoonists.
In regards to the AI coloring functionality that has been included with the latest update, I have experimented with it, and while it is not ready for actual comic work it is far more advanced than I would have figured. What’s next? AI inking?
I want to see Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse and Aquaman this week. Likely, I’ll see one or the other. Both come with good word of mouth.
In cleaning up my studio, I am going through all my old art. I pretty much still own just about everything I’ve ever drawn or made. That’s great, but I also still have all studies, underdrawings, photo references, and so forth that goes with them. I doubt history would be interested in this type of material, and it takes up a lot of room, so I’m tossing it out. This is a monumental job, because I’ve made a lot of art in my career. Indeed, before I went professional, I have a lifetime of art stored up here. All the way from the first drawing I ever made (age 3) forward.I can safely say that I was no prodigy. Some of this stuff is just awful. Some of it is a good indication of what sort of artist I would become.
I’m hard at work today on editing my latest short story, “Le Monde Belle,” intended for publication in an anthology. I’m about a third done as of this writing, and it’s going well.