#It's amazing how I can forget so many details about this webcomic

[liqdrababbles]

several of you: yeah Roxy being bilingual really makes a lot of sense! especially since she used troll terminology before me, who had TOTALLY FORGOT this detail: ............... of course.......... I especially considered this detail when I was writing that post.... yeah........ 100%...........

[yurimother]

LGBTQ Comic Review - Amongst Us Book 1

A masterful combination of comedy, subtle romance, and incredible sensuality

I make no attempts to hide my complete admiration and infatuation with Shilin Huang's Yuri webcomic Amongst Us. The slice of life AU featuring reimagined versions of the lead characters from fantasy series Carciphona as a lesbian couple has held a special place in my heart for a long time. I named the series one of the best Yuri works of the past one-hundred years, can frequently be found lurking in the author's Twitch streams, and even have a wall in my office dedicated to the artwork of the main couple (or I did before my office became a remote classroom). So, when a Kickstarter by Shilin and Hiveworks Comics launched promising a print version of the work, I was eager to support it financially and promote it with my humble platform. The Kickstarter took place in March, and books were initially estimated for release in May of 2020. However, as you have probably realized by the dates alone, the world went very South around this time. A combination of disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic, a healthy amount of bad luck, and what I am inclined to believe, for various reasons, was some awful mismanagement by Hiveworks led to numerous delays. Indeed, by the time the book finally shipped, I had moved, so my copy arrived a little later as it had to be forwarded. But, at the end of this frustrating and anticipation-building event, I finally have the volume in my hands, and it was worth the wait. While I adore the webcomic, this gorgeous print volume completely enthralls me. The book is absolutely the preferred way to read this spectacular comic.

Before getting into the exquisite details of Amongst Us Book 1: Soulmates, I need to take a minute to praise how well this book is put together. The paperback binding is thick and features amazing spot glass that sparkles in the light. This feature only accentuates the fantastic and bright the cover illustration of main characters Veloce and Blackbird loving holding each other is. The back cover has a simpler but more imaginative illustration of the two flying through the sky, and the character's expressions tell you everything you need to know about this fantastic, odd couple. There are a few things you will notice upon opening the volume. The first is how well Amongst Us made the challenging transition from vertical webcomic to the page. The assembly and paneling are fantastic and clear, and chapters feature stylized illustrations and title cards. You will then see the inside cover, a powerful display that perfectly contrasts the front's glowing and tender love. Finally, there is Shilin's presents moving forward and dedication, where she lovingly dedicates the book to her partner, Kristen.

I assure you, as good as the book's presentation and assembly is, the contents within are even better. Amongst Us follows Veloce and Blackbird's bombastic relationship. The two women are eccentric and striking musicians in their early twenties, and I swear you will never forget them. The slice of life storylines are, per the genre's definition, mundane and include events like shopping at the mall, riding the train, and having lunch with a friend. The charming simplicity of the story serves well to the reactions of the characters. Shilin effortlessly transitions from adorable moments of affection to explosive and hilarious comedy and irresistible and delightful moments of sexual tension; Veloce's neck and jawline alone could topple a monarchy. Often, slice of life works can become dull or repetitive, but these stories and the frequent changes in tone help the reader stay engaged and excited.

Putting slice of life aside for a moment, it is also important to note that Amongst Us is also has an interesting place within the Yuri genre, or "Girl's Love/GL" as it is often called in webcomic circles (originally an analogous term of Boy's Love). Webcomics have often been a bit more adventurous with their storylines and styles than Japanese manga. While the genre rose to popularity in the space thanks to digital manhwa and manhua, some (not all) of the Yuri tropes did not carry over between the similar mediums. Many modern webcomics and webtoons take their inspiration more from manhwa and manhua GL, which has developed its own canon and tropes over the years. However, even for a webcomic, Shilin's work feels somewhat divorced from most other worlds of Yuri. This first volume exists mainly against the Yuri genre's expectations. However, the next book, which flashes back to the couple's origin, undoubtedly is more in line with convention, for better or worse. It feels like the author decided to screw the norms and write a work that she would enjoy, and I am so glad that she did. Veloce and Blackbird are young adults, out of school in an established relationship with no drama. This (sadly) unconventional setting is made all the more irregular because of just how distinctive, and unwonted Blackbird and Veloce are.

Blackbird and Veloce, originally from the fantasy world of Carciphona, take on a new life, literally, in this wonderful modern reimagining and homage. You do not need to be a fan of the original work to enjoy their bizarre and larger-than-life personalities. Indeed, when I read Amongst Us online for the first time, I had not ever even heard of Carciphona. Veloce is the quieter and more stoic of the two, although she is not afraid of showing a more relatable and human side as she reacts to Blackbirds wild antics. Veloce's (not)straight man approach is hilariously sobering. But, her best moments are in those when she lets loose a little bit, like when she is rendered drooling by the promise of her favorite smoothie or in her stoic yet alluring flirtations with Blackbird, only to get close enough to steal a healthy chomp of ice cream.

Blackbird, on her part, is completely insane. She continuously pulls of wild antics like jumping on Veloce to surprise her or singing an especially threatening song after a glorious battle over lunch. However, she is perfectly capable of showing her love and admiration for Veloce in her own cheeky way. However, true to form, each softer or more personal moment between the two is often immediately and perfectly juxtaposed with comedy, with the apparent exception of the book's touching and thoughtful finale. Veloce and Blackbird will both more than please readers individually, but you will fall in love with them as a couple. I must have read this at least a few dozen times between the webtoon and the book, and I am just as enchanted as ever by their loud and unapologetic love.

The ordinary misadventures of Blackbird and Veloce are accompanied by genuinely astounding artwork. No, that statement does not do Shilin's illustrations justice. Veloce and Blackbird lead from the page thanks to stunning, full-color illustrations that detail every moment of hilarity. Every movement from the slightest smirk to the over-the-top dramatizations of regular events thoughtfully and beautifully sprawl across the pages and invite you to stare for hours. Shilin is the only person possible who could make something as simple as someone softly singing Happy Birthday so epic and sultry. Speaking of which, my goddess of Yuri is this work titillating. No, there are no gratuitous scenes, but just the characters leaning over each other or touching the other's chin makes my hands shake. My only small complaint is that some early chapters show their age slightly with noticeably lower quality linework and flatter colors than the dazzling and dynamic work demonstrated towards the end. Still, even on its worst day, Amongst Us looks better than most of its peers and the entirety of its many inferiors.

Amongst Us is nearly the perfect work. It has a uniquely compelling and mirth-inducing way of displaying a young yet very unordinary couple's everyday life. Its characters, from design to personality, are instantly memorable and striking. Despite being ready to rip each other's heads off at the drop of a hat, or rather because of it, Blackbird and Veloce feel the perfect and natural couple we so rarely witness. Shilin's masterful combination of comedy, subtle romance, and incredible sensuality is astounding. This book is worth it for the outstanding and vibrant artwork alone, but its combination with excellent writing create a sonorous and majestic modern romance unlike any other. I believe that Shilin has created something genuinely special here, and I can confidently say that out of the hundreds of webcomics I have read, this one is the pinnacle of its kind and my absolute favorite.

You can purchase Amongst Us book 1: Soulmates exclusively on Shilin's online shop and read the webcomic now for free on Twitter, Webtoon and Tumblr​ @okolnir​.

Ratings: Story – 9 Characters – 10 Art – 10 LGBTQ – 8 Sexual Content – 5 Final – 10

[evelhak]

5 Works Tag Game

Rules: it’s time to love yourselves! choose your 5 (ish) favorite works you created in the past year (fics, art, edits, etc.) and post or link them below to reflect on the amazing things you brought into the world in 2020. tag as many writers/artists/etc. as you want (fan or original) so we can spread the love and link each other to awesome works!

Thanks for the tag @tippenfunkaport !

I wish I could say my favourite work is the novel that got a book deal because I will never be over that joy, but I didn't write it this year and no one can read it yet, so I'll (mostly) stick to my fan works here. 😄 I've never created as much fan works as I have this year, so it's good to reflect on it. Even though December hasn't been that creative, since I've been pretty burned out from other stuff. (That's why I haven't really been around lately. 😂) Anyway, this should be fun!

Since I have to choose, my favourite works of 2020 are, in no particular order:

1. A Good Day

My longest Catradora comic. I can still read it and not hate it. Usually I have a hard time looking at my drawings after a while because I never quite see all my mistakes while I'm drawing frantically. Then later the twisted anatomy just glares at me, and the whole thing looks completely different. I can see the mistakes in this one as well, but there are also panels that I genuinely like. I think the story has a nice flow and I just loved drawing it so much. I wanted them to have all these conversations. And I wanted it to be the kind of comic that is long enough for you to sense the minutes and hours passing, like you're with them the whole time instead of just one scene. I don't know if it works for others but it works that way for me.

2. 273 Minutes After Prime

Simply drawing-wise, this is probably the best one of my comics? I'm happy about that, but this was also one of those conversations that I just NEEDED to happen. And I thought for some reason that I wasn't going to draw anything from the first few weeks after the war? Dunno why, but I'm glad I changed my mind.

3. Katinka

My fic about Catra's birth mother. Only the beginning is posted, but I finished writing "act 1" in November. The whole thing is probably not half-way though, still. I suspect this isn't going to have many readers but I love my new characters, and I have so many ideas that make my stomach twist in excitement. It's canon-compliant (unless I mess up somehow, since I tend to forget details) but some canon events will still look completely different if you read this until the end. :)

4. Wolfman of Joe's Mouth

A superhero satire set in my own hometown. I started this webcomic with a friend of mine this year. The beginning is atrocious! This was pretty much the first thing I ever drew digitally. But hey, if you read it you can see how much I improve. Although, I still haven't quite found the balance with the messy style I'm trying for this comic. And to be honest the target audience for this is pretty tiny. You probably won't really get it if you don't know Finnish culture well. I'm not saying don't go read it, but the target audience is mostly just people of my hometown, so keep that in mind. Anyway, I love this because I do it with a friend, and it's nothing like my usual stuff!

5. The Snow Queen

A Kuroko no Basket fic, a side story to my main fic, with Momoi as the main character. I wrote this early this year but only recently posted it. The beginning is a bit messy but other than that, I just LOVED writing this and I loved how much I got out of exploring Momoi's character, I had so many "Aha!" moments while writing. The way my favourite manga was woven together with one of my favourite fairytales in my head, was just deeply satisfying. Character exploration is like a feast for me.

Hope next year will be as satisfying😍

I'll tag @tileo-spikey19 @msweasley @thewillowtree3 and @savethekat

[pendingoomething]

Full Review: Go Get A Roomie!

Where would a queer webcomic review blog be without one of the longest running GL comics of all time “Go Get A Roomie!”?  Light Spoilers below 

Starting in may 8th 2010 and still going, Go Get A Roomie is an European comic about a beer loving carefree hippy “Roomie” living life with her roommate. The lucid dreaming and jaded Lillian. In a slice of life NSFW comedy about living life, drinking beer, and changing as people.  And it’s probably one of, if not the best slice of life queer comics around.  But before I start rambling about why I love this so much, let’s break this down. The art. Now, the thing with looking at the art for a comic that’s been running for 8 years is there’s going to be some changes. And you would hope so, too. And the art in Go Get A Roomie has certainly changed. In the first couple of chapters in this comic the art is ... rough. The characters remain recognisable, and the backgrounds although wobbly aren’t horrible. It isn’t bad art, but it certainly is not the best. But throughout the comic, without loosing the style the comic goes from this:

to panels like these:

It’s safe to say that the panels of these comics are stylised and friendly but gorgeous. And most importantly the panels work. And that is extremely important. There are many comics that can make an image look incredibly pretty, but have them fall apart when using panels as a storytelling tool. things like looking at panel shape, background detail, creating timing, and directing the path the readers eyes. It’s small things like these that make “Go Get A Roomie!” stand out as much as it does. It’s competent, and really sells the scenes and jokes it wants to tell. It just has an understanding on panel work and page setting that really makes this comic a joy to read. Go get a roomie! may be a horizontal, monochromatic strip. But it knows how to work that, and it knows how and when to pull it’s punches with silent down to earth panels, and when to really hit the panel home. It may be a little thing, but it’s the care that goes into this comic that really makes the art work for the story.  (However, being such an old comic, it takes few chapters until the panels really start to click).

(Go Get A Roomie! knows how to play with it’s panels to hit the ideas home and make them interesting) The characters. Now, this may be a controversial point, but quite a few comics as diverse as this have a lot of problems with characterisation. And that’s not saying that comics shouldn’t be diverse, quite the opposite, lack of diversity is an incredibly important issue with modern media. But, that doesn’t change the fact that a lot of queer ensemble comics fall into a trap of writing a lot of LGBT+ character and then forgetting to round them out, or give them interesting flaws, or flaws at all. Even if they’re intentions were in the right place. Go Get A Roomie! to put it lightly, completely avoids this problem. It might take a few chapters for the characters to go from their humorous personalities to their rounded character arcs. But when they do.  This comic knows how to develop it’s characters. It REALLY knows how. It’s one of those comics that can re contextualise 7 years worth of jokes with one heart wrenching hard hitting line. And is it oh so effective. It’s emotional, funny, and INCREDIBLY well done. The characters in the later chapters really get to shine, and grow, and the interactions between the main cast is absolutely delightful. From Lillian and Roomie, to Ramona or W.O.C (Wise old crone) the story is full of relatable, funny, and engaging characters.  The characters in this Comic are certainly it’s biggest strengths. And to watch them struggle and learn over time is incredibly rewarding. 

(This comic isn’t afraid to take its time to build up emotional pay off)  The story. You probably wouldn’t expect much of a story from a NSFW slice of life comedy. But, oh  boy!  First of all, though, the humour. The thing with comedies is that humour is pretty damn subjective. Go Get A Roomie’s goes for sexual to character based comedy. If that’s your type of humour then the comedy in this story is incredibly well done, (still a little rough in the beginning but it isn’t bad). And the writer really knows how to back up the jokes with a deep understanding of her characters and how to control timing in her strips. All in all the humour is pretty solid.

However although the comedy is an extremely important part of the comic, it’s biggest draw is the characters and story. There isn’t much of a “plot”, the main character drunkenly crashes into her polar opposites room one day and hi jinx ensue from then on. There’s no big bad, romantic love triangle, or competition that the character strives for. But it would be a mistake to say that the Story isn’t one of the most important parts of the comic. Go get a roomie! is incredibly down to earth and character driven. The plot will know how to make you laugh before punching you solidly in the gut with a fresh dose of the feels. Things that happened in comedy panels will become character development later on, and single lines can recolour the entire story. It knows when to be energetic and hilarious, and it knows when to hit audiences with subtle hard hitting lines. 

[Edit, I can not believe I forgot to expand on this] The biggest stand out in the comic however is by far it’s heart and themes of family and love. Character’s form found families, deal with relationships with their parents, and all have unique and varying romantic/platonic relationships including multiple poly ones. And it is far beyond refreshing to see a comic that explores platonic friendship as something important and deeply fulfilling. Found families themselves are also extremely important to the comic, and the comic takes time to cement the dynamics and comfortability these characters have around each other. The biggest strength of the comic is it takes it’s time to organically explore the complexities of these relationships and the reliance different characters have on each other. 

(The comic takes time to flesh out the relationships the characters have with eachother in funny and interesting ways.)

The comics ability to explore a large array of relationships with depth and humour is the biggest standout of the Go Get A Roomie!. And it’s the grounded believabilty of its characters and how they interact with eachother that really brings heart to its story. it’s heartwarming and nuanced.

Picking up “Go Get A Roomie!” you’ll find yourself within the first couple of pages in a slightly wonky newspaper panel sex comedy starring an airheaded hippy in a bar. And that’s why I first dropped this comic (and because I was 15 at the time. So that was the right decision). But scratch a little further through some of the awkward jokes and earlier years and you’ll begin to see something else. At it’s core, this comic is a nuanced character driven story with a great sense of humour, relatable cast, with sex and gender positivity. It’s heartwarming and hillarious, and it’s use of art and paneling is seamless and really knows how and when to hit home for the viewer. It has long running gags, and can crash emotion down over the last 20 pages with a single quote. It isn’t afraid to be NSFW, and it’s incredibly clever. 

It is an amazing read.

And easily, the best queer slice of life around. 

[courtingstars]

Notes for Storming the Castle, Chapter 4

Hello again, my dear AkaFuri readers! These notes are kind of long since I rambled on and on about Disney movies because I’m me. (And now after this chapter everyone knows why I put Disney movies in the Ao3 tags! //laughs)

So we’ll start with the Disney stuff, then I mention a few things about Akashi’s sexuality in the fic, and then the usual cultural notes. (Plus the real-life inspiration for the last scene!) Also as a reminder, I have a Pinterest board with photos that helped inspire the first half of the story.

(Cut for me being an incurable Disney nerd, plus notes about sexuality, love hotels, Japanese convenience stores, and other things!)

On The Disney Movies

I should probably feel bad about putting so many Disney references in a fic. //laughs (I’ve been Disney obsessed since I was little, and I wish I could pretend I grew out of it, but I really, really didn’t). But it seemed like a fitting way to bring up the lighter side of fairy tales, since that’s a major theme in the story.

It’s also worth mentioning that Disney stuff is a popular obsession in Japan! There’s Tokyo Disneyland, tons of great Disney stores, you get the idea. I’ve also seen a few Japanese dubs of the movies, which are excellent. <3

I didn’t plan to go into so much detail, but I wanted to try to make the movie references as accessible as I could. And if you haven’t seen the films, I do recommend them because I am a sappy dork. I chose them to match the story, and hopefully to create some interesting parallels to both Akashi and Furihata.

So first, The Little Mermaid! Random fact: This was the first movie I ever saw in a theater. (Also one of my first memories! I was three.) The songs are great, and it’s an interesting take on the fairy tale. But mostly I just thought it would be kind of funny that Furihata would like a movie about a redhead who has issues with a super-strict father and a hard time fitting in with normal humans, because of course you would Furi. (I mean Ariel was basically the reason all of us 90’s kids were in love with supernaturally red hair, right...? No? Just me? //shutting up now)

(… I would absolutely read a fic about merman Akashi trying to comb his hair with a fork though, I don’t know how that would even be in character BUT I’D READ IT. XD)

And if you haven’t seen the film before or want a trip down memory lane, here are some YouTube clips of parts I mentioned in the fic! The opening, Fathoms Below, has beautiful atmosphere. Part of Your World is Ariel’s most famous song, and I pretty much ripped off the reprise of the song in Akashi’s dream sequence so let’s all crack up together about that visual, haha. I think Poor Unfortunate Souls is one of the best villain songs ever, and of course Kiss The Girl is famous and adorable (and you can see how it ends if you didn’t already know, or you forgot!).

As for Cinderella, it’s so iconic that I feel like I don’t really have to say much about it... I did briefly mention the scene with Cinderella getting ready in the morning, which is pretty well-known (also I want you all to really imagine Akashi and Furihata watching a movie where the mice all sing in those tiny high voices together), but the main thing I wanted to link is the fairy godmother’s song! It is precious and iconic and absolute NONSENSE and I will now always think of Akashi cracking up when I watch it. //laughs I also quoted the song with Cinderella and her prince, So This Is Love, which has gorgeous scenery.

And last but not least, Beauty and the Beast! For some reason I’ve had in mind for a VERY long time that Akashi only saw this Disney movie when he was a kid. (I wrote a really silly GoM fic about my headcanons for all their favorite Disney movies back in 2015, but never got around to posting it. //laughs). In any case, hopefully I made it obvious enough in the chapter why I think it’s an Akashi sort of story. (Because of course in an AkaFuri fic Akashi’s Disney crush would be a book-loving brunette who’s off in their own little world, right? Pfft.) Also, full warning, this chapter won’t be the last time I include a painfully obvious homage to this movie… I apologize in advance. xD

Anyway, one of my favorite parts is the prologue! That chiming music is so epic, and the art is breathtaking. And of course Belle’s opening song in the village is brilliant. Those two clips show off the scenery well, which ties in closely to why I referenced it in the fic. The song Something There is a great example of the way the romance develops. And I could ramble on and on, but those were the main things I referenced, so that’s probably sufficient. //laughs

… Okay and also can we just agree that all happy-ending kisses should end in a magical firework explosion? Yes? Yes. (I may or may not be planning to write a scene kind of like it for, um, a certain fic that isn’t this one… And now everyone will know my not-so-secret influences. //cough)

And if you happen to be in a Disney mood now, I’ll also link a countdown I found of the top 20 best Disney endings, which includes almost all of my favorite Disney films/some sadly underrated ones! (My personal favorites will always be #13 and #7, but I could not agree more about the top five rankings, because I am a Disney Renaissance kid. <3)

On Akashi’s Sexuality in the Series

I mentioned this a while ago, but now might be a good time to mention it again! In my AkaFuri series, Akashi is on the asexual spectrum, but I haven’t used the specific term for his identity in the fic. Partly because this fic takes place when those terms were even less commonly known (back in 2010, which is only a few years after I first came across AVEN, so the idea would have been even less familiar in Japan), and partly because he hasn’t fully discovered this about himself yet.

One of the reasons I started writing this series was that I wanted to try to capture how it feels when you haven’t completely figured out your sexuality yet. That was pretty normal among my friends and I when we were sixteen, for a lot of different reasons. (Furihata will be having a similar experience in the series too, which I’ll get into later!) Anyway, I’ll be exploring these issues in more detail in the next fic in the series, but since this chapter does mention some of the feelings Akashi has been struggling with, I thought it would be good to clarify.

On College Kids in Japan in Relationships

I had a lot of fun writing the scene where Furihata’s brother sneaks back into the house, and since it loosely references an aspect of modern Japanese culture, I should probably mention that here…

It’s not too uncommon for university students in Japan—and other young people in their twenties—to still live with their families. Which means that for the ones in relationships, it can be hard to find some (ahem) private time, especially since living spaces are often crowded and PDAs are discouraged. So it’s very normal for young people in Japan to go out to places like love hotels with their significant others…

… And that’s basically what I was implying, when it comes to where Furihata’s brother snuck off to. //laughs That’s also the context of Furihata’s mother’s lecture, and I tried to capture some of the Japanese norms about sex there as well. It’s tricky to explain how they differ from Western norms, because they’re not more “conservative” or “liberal” exactly, just different. (And they vary a lot depending on the person and what generation they’re from!)

But basically, to sum up, I was hoping to convey that Furihata’s mother isn’t upset about what Furihata’s brother is doing per se, it’s more that she’s worried about him being responsible and “appropriate” while he’s doing it. My impression is that it’s unusual that a parent would broach the subject like she does--but hopefully it’s clear that this is a part of her character. Similar to how she dealt with events in Chapter Three. (And that’s also why a character like Akashi is very embarrassed to have overheard it, poor kid. xD)

Also! For those of you who are 18+, if you want to learn more about the cultural context of love hotels in Asian countries, and what they’re like (answer: epic) I love this comic that sums it up. (The comic isn’t explicit, BUT it’s hosted on a webcomic site—that I personally love—that features 18+ comics about sex ed and sex toy reviews. So please be aware, the ads and some of the site’s illustrations are explicit! And very inclusive, sex-positive and awesome.)

On Elementary School Uniforms

I also wanted to briefly mention one of the cultural tropes in Furihata’s family photos! Japanese elementary students wear bright yellow hats when they walk to school, as a way to make them more visible to prevent accidents.

On Conbinis

This is basically just a note to say that I love Japanese convenience stores. //laughs They’re everywhere, everyone uses them, and the major chains are extremely competitive. So they’re often open around the clock, their services are amazing, and their food is delicious.

Also, here’s a random fact! Kit Kats are hugely popular in Japan, and they have all kinds of unusual and regional flavors, including green tea and wasabi and sweet potato. (Yes, really.) The trend started because of a pun in Japanese that made them a popular good-luck gift to give to exam students. Now they’re so well loved that they even have fancy chocolatier stores that sell ultra-fancy Kit Kats because… Because Japan, that’s why. XD

(Also when I post this chapter, I’m rewarding myself by ordering some hojicha Kit Kats from Amazon, because roasted tea flavored Kit Kats from Kyoto are you serious of course I want that in my mouth.)

On the Inspiration for the Walk with Furi’s Dad

I also wanted to make sure I mentioned one of my biggest inspirations for this fic! Which is that when my sister studied abroad in Japan, she stayed with an amazing host family near Hiroshima.

I’ll never forget all her stories about what it was like, but my #1 favorite is that she was awake one morning and her host dad invited her to come on a walk with him… At which point he put the family cat in a harness and they went out and walked the cat. (Maybe that’s more common in some countries, but at least in the U.S., I don’t know anyone who walks a cat? XD) She tells the story a million times better than I do, but the gist of it is that they wandered around this ultra-tiny parking lot for a few minutes and he showed her the strawberries in their garden and it was adorable and a little strange and the best thing ever. <3

I didn’t have Furihata’s dad walk a cat in the fic, sadly enough! (I decided it would be kind of distracting… Also, the Furihatas don’t technically have a cat in canon. //laughs) But I did put a cat in at the end. Partly because everything’s a metaphor, the metaphors are out of control, someone save me from myself. But mostly because I wanted to include a nod to my sister’s host dad and his family, and how much they influenced this story, by being so welcoming to her when she was so far from home. <3

[comicteaparty]

May 13th-May 19th, 2020 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from May 13th, 2020 to May 19th, 2020.  The chat focused on the following  question:

Which comic has your all-time favorite artwork, and why do you like it?

carcarchu

Oh yes i can say this with certainty but the webcomic with my all-time favourite artwork by far is 榴花不及春 https://www.manmanapp.com/comic-1404769.html. it's not just that the art is beautiful but the way the artists create mood and tone is just jaw-dropping. I actually got chills a few times while reading it from the art alone and that's not something that i can recall happening when reading a lot of webcomics, or actually any fiction in general. there's such a elegance to the line weight and movement of the art that brings life to the characters. the artists' use of lighting adds such depth to the scenes, sometimes creating a warm and inviting atmosphere and other times a haunting and foreboding chill. the time i've spent with this comic is not something i'll soon forget(edited)

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

This is such a difficult question for me. Gahhh, so many pretty comics out there.... I guess, in regards to artwork alone, my favorite is the 2015 version of Countdown to Countdown by Vel. (https://tapas.io/series/Countdown) Just... such beautiful work. I'm a sucker for detailed painterly styles I will admit, but also the color and lighting is phenomenal. The way Vel sets up the mood with color and movement is amazing. The textures and brush strokes are simply gorgeous! Unfortunately, Vel rebooted the comic to a new style last year, and while it is still really gorgeous, I must admit, I don't like it nearly as much as the original. (What can I say? I have a bias for painterly styles.) Still highly recommend it! (https://tapas.io/series/CTC) I do want to point out some honorable mentions for me: * Ghostblade by WLOP (https://tapas.io/series/GhostBlade) - another painterly comic * The Sixth Dalai Lama by Ze Zhao (https://tapas.io/series/thesixthdalailama) - discontinued as far as I'm aware, but painted traditionally with watercolor! * Wind Rose by Sfera (https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/wind-rose/list?title_no=54306) - Painterly again (later on as the artist improved) but also great expressions I will say, I also love deliciously detailed lineart, but I don't see it a lot (especially in webcomics), and I cannot think of one right now :/(edited)

carcarchu

ahh ghost blade is a great choice @Cronaj (Whispers of the Past) and while i agree that countdown to countdown's new art isn't as sumptuous as it used to be for a comic it works better and the simpler art style allows vel to release at a more consistent rate without injuring herself so i really respect the change(edited)

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Yeah, definitely understand why they changed styles, because oml can a painterly style be taxing

DanitheCarutor

I can't pick just one! But to start off I love the art of Lost Honey (https://www.losthoney.com/), everything about it is so soft, the linework, the colors the character designs, the panelling, it all has such a nice feel to it. The creator's use of color is sooo easy on the eyes, it fits so well with the comic. The linework has such a nice flow and movement, there is never a feeling of stiffness, it almost reminds me of water. Also I'm a complete sucker for traditionally drawn comics. Even though it's discontinued as far as I know, Thicker Than Blood also has really nice aesthetics! (https://tapas.io/series/Thicker-Than-Blood-), it has such a unique style almost like classical art mixed with glass. The designs are detailed yet highly stylized. The quality varied from time to time, given the amount of work that goes into them, but overall I really liked the look of this comic. Carciphona is another one I like aesthetically. (https://tapas.io/series/carciphona) The art of this one has improved immensely since it started, and while I'm not a fan of the look of the earlier pages, I'm loving how their work has evolved. The style is very Japanese inspired, there is a lot going on sometimes, but has its own unique look and is very well crafted. Also I love the action scenes, how they're handled makes the scenes look intense, sometimes grandiose.(edited)

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Oh my god I love carciphona’s art! I always get shilin’s art whenever she sells at Anime North I’ve been meaning to read carciphona for a while so thanks for reminding me!

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

Hands down it is Black Out Cityhttp://blackoutcity.ca/lvl10.php Jay does these amazing illustrative panels when they introduce a new chapter and it has me hooked on each update! The way that the title is incorporated within the panel is beautifully done, and their attention to detail and effective use of contrast is breath taking. Definitely a huge inspiration of mine! I also want to shout out to O'Sarilho by @Capitania do Azar . The palettes she uses are unique and dynamic, and the layouts read like the comic is animated (there's even animated parts in it!) the way she draws action and portrays horrific parts is phenomenal!https://sarilho.net/en/

(also i love this prompt but i could def go on forever with it hehe)

Deo101 [Millennium]

I wholeheartedly second O'sarilho ^^ it's a comic I regularly reccomend and I probably won't ever get over how lovely it looks! (I'll have to look for more comics who's art I love later)(edited)

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

I'll throw in Heart of Gold https://heartofgoldcomic.com/. The ethereal palette, the clean and crisp architecture, the panels that work perfectly with the church imagery, and the energy of the lines and brush strokes. SO GOOD.

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

I agreEE

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Okay for me it's two webcomics One of them is Tracy JB's Lackadaisy https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/lackadaisy/list?title_no=39790&page=1 https://www.lackadaisycats.com/ Everything she does is wonderful; colour, expression, character, plot.....her art inspired me to embark on expression work. I remember being younger and being so inspired by her webcomic. Hands down can't find a flaw. The other one is Muted by anidoodles https://www.webtoons.com/en/supernatural/muted/list?title_no=1566 I was introduced to her from her Heather animatics on youtube. I love how her inking and cell shading is simple but VERY effective; the use of bold bright colours and watercolours was amazing. My art style is heavily inspired by hers and overall, I love how she captures people's attention with it.(edited)

Miranda

Oh I love Muted!

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

looks at your profile pic heheh

Miranda

I mean, I'd have to say I love "Nothing Special" by Katie Cook. Her art style and color scheme is just easy on the eyes and I love her intricate filled backgrounds. https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/nothing-special/list?title_no=1188&page=1 Phantomarine is another favorite. I absolutely love the painted look and it's been inspiring my newer pages. Every page is just a work of art and I love the color choices and just everything about it. http://www.phantomarine.com/

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

PHANTOMARIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINE

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

I’m also going to say Phantomarine

Theres also one I found recently called Bybloemen that has a really cool art style

FeatherNotes(Krispy)

ohhh Bybloemen is gorgeous and is so up your alley Sssfrs!

sssfrs (JOE IS DEAD)

Its so good

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

Woah, it's like woodcuts!! I like it!

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

Ooh this is a hard choice since I see beautiful webcomic art alot. Recently my favorite art and coloring style I've been inspired by are: - The Glass Scientists https://www.theglassscientists.com/ Some of the pages are well executed, I like the character designs, fantasy with alchemists, werewolves and more. Ghost Teller https://www.webtoons.com/en/horror/ghost-teller/list?title_no=1307 I enjoy QTT use of gradient coloring and spooky atmosphere, it looks like alot of time were used to make each strip. I like how the characters are linked to each story, it's not as spooky as more dramatic. They are all short stories Gourmet Hound: https://www.webtoons.com/en/drama/gourmet-hound/list?title_no=1245 When I think of slice of life with a soft pleasant color palette, this story comes in mind. I like to refer to her work as well as other SoL comics for inspiration on coloring.(edited)

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

@carcarchu ooh I love the different comics you recommend. It's always unique and pretty. I hope there's a tranlation strip for '榴花不及春'(edited)

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

GOURMET HOUND

IM SO HAPPY ITS HERE

chalcara [Nyx+Nyssa]

Funnily, the webcomic with my all-time favourite art is Order of the Stick. Love how much expression and narrative work this simple style does.

RebelVampire

Definitely Rising Sand https://risingsand.glass/. The art is immensely detailed in ways that are relevant to the world and story, has beautiful color choices, beautiful compositions, amazing light effects, great backgrounds, and so on. And just overall the skill level is so high I'd need another 20 years experience with art to even be able to begin to point out a single flaw.

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

^Ooh yes! I don’t know how Rising Sand keeps that quality so high. From their posts, it seems like a bit of a nightmare sometimes But the end product is like its own animated film!

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

Omg I'm often in awe with those artists making high quality art that looks like it belongs in graphic novels or film. I can imagine those big details will take alot of time to put together. (edited)

I once happen to meet the creators for Rising Sand. Very passionate writer and artist team who have quite some experiences and strong teamwork. (Life goals!)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

so many comics to check out :0

Deo101 [Millennium]

wow rising sand is really gorgeous

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Whoa rising sand is really good

actually reminds me of Tigress Queen by Allidraws https://www.tigressqueen.com/comic/page-0001(edited)

especially the parts where she draws glass and architecture it's very vibrant and full of life

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

Gosh I realized I have a trend of loving slice of life stories, so I might end up recommending that genre afew times!

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

(don't forget webcomic_recs for recommending good comics in general outside of the weekly topic!)

Unfortunately Korean-only at this time, but I am in awe of the art in this comic. It's not very polished, but you can tell the artist really knows what he's doing in terms of anatomy, perspective and composition. https://comic.naver.com/webtoon/list.nhn?titleId=701535&weekday=wed

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

oops I remembered that, I'll go repost there instead. Thanks Keii. Wow that comic(edited)

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

I really want to read more Korean and Chinese webcomics, they have a different vibe and story atmosphere. I enjoy looking into them as inspiration on how to stage my webtoon scenes.(edited)

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Hmmmm, I wouldn't recommend the one above for how to make vertical scroll comics. That one was originally made for print and then adapted afterward, and it shows.

Still absolutely amazing action art, though!

Holmeaa - working on WAYFINDERS

@LadyLazuli (Phantomarine) Heart of Gold is SO beautiful! I agree with you 100 procent!

I will add The Ocean Soul. Holey damn this comic is SO gorgeous!!!! https://tapas.io/series/The-Ocean-Soul

Javi

Gonna add this before this prompt changes. I think Oren's Forge has the best artwork I've ever seen done in a webcomic. Every panel has a setting that's so bold and pristine in color, layout, and background that it begs to be animated. Every color used paints a different mood to show character development and the style of the characters is so stylized and interesting to look at. Even the story is interesting enough that it gets you hooked and wondering what will happen next. Also talking animals, what more can I say? :) There's more discussion in FurAffinity than there is on Tapas so I'm putting two links https://m.tapas.io/series/OrensForge https://www.furaffinity.net/full/18260576/

[doxampage]

A Figurine 3D-Printed in Gray Resin: Meet Father Perkins

Imagine bringing your favorite character from an illustrated book to life in the form of a 3D-printed figure! That’s what happened to Father Perkins, the character dreamt up by the author and illustrator John Herzog.

Herzog has a background in animation and has dabbled in filmmaking and screenwriting. He turned one of his characters into a real figure with the help of a 3D designer and the possibilities of 3D printing offered by gray resin.

He explains how his story came to life in this interview.

Turning a character into a 3D figure: from drawing to 3D print

Who is Father Perkins, the main character of this story? “I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. The character has been with me for the last few years and I’m still figuring out exactly who he is. I think Father Perkins is the embodiment of my desire to make the world a better place. That’s the cerebral answer. The basic answer is that he’s a Catholic priest who’s a dog.”

Father Perkins. From drawing to 3D-printed maquette

  Father Perkins was originally going to be in a weekly webcomic, so John Herzog thought the character would be good to have as a maquette, allowing him to accurately draw the character from all angles.

“While the idea has evolved from a webcomic to a children’s book, it’s still great to have the maquette and 3D model of the character. Consistency is something that often plagues illustrators, so this is a wonderful way to ensure that the character remains on model throughout the book”, explained Herzog.

When an illustrator meets a 3D designer

The illustrator worked with a professional designer for this 3D design and explained why to us: “While I’ve done some modeling in the past, my skills are incredibly lacking. It’s something I definitely want to get better at in the future. But given my inabilities there, I decided to hire my friend and former classmate Garrett Pond to handle modeling the character. Be sure to check out his wonderful work. The guy is brilliant.”

The creative process to 3D printing this figurine started with John drawing the character and handing it to Garrett.

“And Garrett, being the amazing modeler he is, was able to have a first pass done fairly quickly – just a couple of days.” After this, the usual back-and-forth with revisions and tweaks started. Josh would provide Garrett with drawings of the model and he would adjust accordingly.

Garrett also hollowed out the model so that the printing costs would be significantly less.

Click on the image to see all the notes between Herzog and the 3D designer to get the perfect 3D print.

  It’s all about the right 3D printing choices

Joh Herzog decided to 3D print with i.materialise for many reasons:  “I settled on using i.materialise to print because of all the characters I saw on the site. I knew that the complexities of the design would be handled with love and care. Needless to say, I’m incredibly happy with the result. The part I was most worried about was the glasses, but they came out looking amazing!”

Hollow your 3D prints in gray resin to make them more affordable

Gray Resin has the perfect qualities for such a project but Herzog also has an aesthetic reason for choosing the material: “I just liked the color. And typically, the maquettes done at major animation studios are done in either tan or gray, which I’ve always liked.”

“I settled on using i.materialise to print because of all the characters I saw on the site. I knew that the complexities of the design would be handled with love and care. Needless to say, I’m incredibly happy with the result. The part I was most worried about was the glasses, but they came out looking amazing!”

The magic of turning an illustration into 3D printing

This is the only character that John Herzog has turned into a 3D figure so far but it won’t be the last. “I’d love to have more of my characters translated to 3D and printed. There’s something truly magical about the process of taking a flat, drawn series of lines and shapes and turning it into a tangible object. It becomes more real somehow. It’s fantastic.”

In between design assignments and new books to write and illustrate, and with the time that the illustration classes that he teaches leave him, Herzog is already thinking about a new character to model and print. The funny thing is that this time it will be a cat.

There’s something truly magical about the process of taking a flat, drawn series of lines and shapes and turning it into a tangible object. It becomes more real somehow. It’s fantastic.”

An illustration by John Herzog. Will this be his next 3D print?

Meet all the Herzog characters on his website.

Do you also have a favorite character that you want to bring to life?  Once your designs are ready, you can upload them to our 3D printing platform to get an instant quote for your prints.

 If you also need help from a professional 3D designer, take a look at the 3D designers on this database.

3D printing in gray resin

Gray Resin is the perfect material for creating 3D prints with great surface quality and a high level of detail, and it’s ideal for visual models like figurines.

Gray resin 3D-printed figurines

The technology behind Gray Resin is Stereolithography, which you can learn more about 3D printing in resin in this article. Gray Resin comes in a natural finish called “Basic”, or it can be spray-painted in different colors by our production team.

Don’t forget to read our Design Guides carefully before starting to design your 3D model for this resin.

A Figurine 3D-Printed in Gray Resin: Meet Father Perkins published first on https://getyourprintingcompanies.tumblr.com/

[totalimageshop]

A Figurine 3D-Printed in Gray Resin: Meet Father Perkins

Imagine bringing your favorite character from an illustrated book to life in the form of a 3D-printed figure! That’s what happened to Father Perkins, the character dreamt up by the author and illustrator John Herzog.

Herzog has a background in animation and has dabbled in filmmaking and screenwriting. He turned one of his characters into a real figure with the help of a 3D designer and the possibilities of 3D printing offered by gray resin.

He explains how his story came to life in this interview.

Turning a character into a 3D figure: from drawing to 3D print

Who is Father Perkins, the main character of this story? “I’ve been thinking about this a lot lately. The character has been with me for the last few years and I’m still figuring out exactly who he is. I think Father Perkins is the embodiment of my desire to make the world a better place. That’s the cerebral answer. The basic answer is that he’s a Catholic priest who’s a dog.”

Father Perkins. From drawing to 3D-printed maquette

  Father Perkins was originally going to be in a weekly webcomic, so John Herzog thought the character would be good to have as a maquette, allowing him to accurately draw the character from all angles.

“While the idea has evolved from a webcomic to a children’s book, it’s still great to have the maquette and 3D model of the character. Consistency is something that often plagues illustrators, so this is a wonderful way to ensure that the character remains on model throughout the book”, explained Herzog.

When an illustrator meets a 3D designer

The illustrator worked with a professional designer for this 3D design and explained why to us: “While I’ve done some modeling in the past, my skills are incredibly lacking. It’s something I definitely want to get better at in the future. But given my inabilities there, I decided to hire my friend and former classmate Garrett Pond to handle modeling the character. Be sure to check out his wonderful work. The guy is brilliant.”

The creative process to 3D printing this figurine started with John drawing the character and handing it to Garrett.

“And Garrett, being the amazing modeler he is, was able to have a first pass done fairly quickly – just a couple of days.” After this, the usual back-and-forth with revisions and tweaks started. Josh would provide Garrett with drawings of the model and he would adjust accordingly.

Garrett also hollowed out the model so that the printing costs would be significantly less.

Click on the image to see all the notes between Herzog and the 3D designer to get the perfect 3D print.

  It’s all about the right 3D printing choices

Joh Herzog decided to 3D print with i.materialise for many reasons:  “I settled on using i.materialise to print because of all the characters I saw on the site. I knew that the complexities of the design would be handled with love and care. Needless to say, I’m incredibly happy with the result. The part I was most worried about was the glasses, but they came out looking amazing!”

Hollow your 3D prints in gray resin to make them more affordable

Gray Resin has the perfect qualities for such a project but Herzog also has an aesthetic reason for choosing the material: “I just liked the color. And typically, the maquettes done at major animation studios are done in either tan or gray, which I’ve always liked.”

“I settled on using i.materialise to print because of all the characters I saw on the site. I knew that the complexities of the design would be handled with love and care. Needless to say, I’m incredibly happy with the result. The part I was most worried about was the glasses, but they came out looking amazing!”

The magic of turning an illustration into 3D printing

This is the only character that John Herzog has turned into a 3D figure so far but it won’t be the last. “I’d love to have more of my characters translated to 3D and printed. There’s something truly magical about the process of taking a flat, drawn series of lines and shapes and turning it into a tangible object. It becomes more real somehow. It’s fantastic.”

In between design assignments and new books to write and illustrate, and with the time that the illustration classes that he teaches leave him, Herzog is already thinking about a new character to model and print. The funny thing is that this time it will be a cat.

There’s something truly magical about the process of taking a flat, drawn series of lines and shapes and turning it into a tangible object. It becomes more real somehow. It’s fantastic.”

An illustration by John Herzog. Will this be his next 3D print?

Meet all the Herzog characters on his website.

Do you also have a favorite character that you want to bring to life?  Once your designs are ready, you can upload them to our 3D printing platform to get an instant quote for your prints.

 If you also need help from a professional 3D designer, take a look at the 3D designers on this database.

3D printing in gray resin

Gray Resin is the perfect material for creating 3D prints with great surface quality and a high level of detail, and it’s ideal for visual models like figurines.

Gray resin 3D-printed figurines

The technology behind Gray Resin is Stereolithography, which you can learn more about 3D printing in resin in this article. Gray Resin comes in a natural finish called “Basic”, or it can be spray-painted in different colors by our production team.

Don’t forget to read our Design Guides carefully before starting to design your 3D model for this resin.

from 3D Printing Blog | i.materialise https://i.materialise.com/blog/3d-printing-gray-resin/