#i want to learn 3D modeling and develop a very unique style!

[kulvefaggoth]

so much to learn so many skills to develop such a big need for meeting new people and i'm not doing any of it 😭😭😭😭😭😭

[katzske]

Thoughts on Earthspark Season 2 (first half)

Spoiler Free:

I must admit I’m dissatisfied.

The animation and rendering definitely looks cheaper. Sometimes it feels like frames are missing, animations not polished, scenes not fully rendered. 2d and 3d poorly blends. It’s quite noticeable unfortunately. Characters also do the TFP Megatron stare now.

That being said, time was taken to revisit old models of characters and give them a new appearance. (4 i’ve noticed) It makes sense given a lot has changed during one year time skip.

The writing often feels either like exposition dumping or naruto filler episodes. I was never at the edge of my seat even during the climax. I ended up skipping through episodes due to the lack of relevant plot information.

Something ES managed to maintain were carefully composed shots that make great still images. While that’s nice for screenshots and redraws, I also feel like it’s the only unique aspect of ES’ animation style that remained. The rest, as previously mentioned, has lost quality.

Character Details I’ve noticed and want to talk about (spoilers ahead)

half of season 2 part 1 is filler. optimus trailer episode, great america with cosmos, a pachycephalosaurus-truck fighting mushrooms, hashtag taking ten years to dispose of hard drives…. each episode did have a few minutes of either cute or important moments. but the majority is a waste of time.

I was hoping that we would learn more about the decepticons. now that they’re free, what are they up to? how are their dynamics? how did season 1 finale change their perception on things? would they try to convince the terrans THEY are the good guys? nothing like that though.

There is no satisfying character development for starscream. ES Starscream was perfect to explore a more neutral version of him, who does not do bad things out of pleasure, but due to necessity; following his desire to be free. In the show he mentions he wanted to get rid of his oppressors (in his eyes autobots and humans), but a real “bruh” moment was when he told Hashtag the only reason he opened up to her last time was to tell her “take care of yourself first”. It completely disregards the fact he came to help in the season 1 finale after reflecting on Hashtags words. It also aggravates me that the writing could have been a very easy fix. “hey i’m not being selfish by destroying this town. im doing this for the decepticons, we have lived under the control of the autobots and then of humans. this needs to stop, we deserve freedom and i will do anything it takes.”

the show managed to establish some friction between starscream and shockwave but for deception standards it was very tame. overall i think it was written okay; he purposely let the Terrans escape with the fragments, and he bailed on Starscream once he went bonkers. I hope that he gets to be a Decepticon leader in the second half; i don’t think we have seen that in any TF TV show before. i also like that his antennae and eye color give away his emotions now.

i feel like the autobots are treated even worse than the decepticons this season ngl. they merely exist; and when they do have the spotlight it’s often for comedy.

why the fuck did shockwave not wait for hashtag to just dump the hard drives and leave. if someone walked up to me yelling “give me your trashbag” as i’m trying to dispose of it i’d be weirded out too lol.

i hope the chaos terrans don’t return. aftermath imo was, plot wise, redundant. spitfire at least was interesting and had an impact.

i wish there were more interesting fights like in season 1 instead of, oh no they’re hitting the trailer with sticks, oh no we are an abomination of dinosaur and vehicle for what feels like 15mins straight. i miss seeing soundwave slay.

[deadlinesmb]

Shop Fusion Collab - Splatoon 3

Hooooh boy, I have a lot to say about this one.

Let me preface this part by saying that this section would straight up not exist without the talented work of my teammate Nico. Not only did he model/rig Cordelia and the background, but it's thanks to him that I was able to learn the Blender animation pipeline. He was extremely patient with me and answered every question I had, and for that I'm extremely grateful.

For this section, I animated the shopkeeper Cordelia, from the game Dead Estate! While developing this part, I pitched the idea for a Splatoon 3 section and agreed to do the art for it regardless of what game it was paired with! That game ended up being Dead Estate, a game I had never heard of up to that point.

So, what followed was a period of deep research into the game as well as Cordelia, so I could get the best understanding of how to portray her in the Splatoon universe. First thing was first, I had to redesign her. Even for SiIvaGunner projects, humans existing within the Splatoon universe is a bit jarring, so I decided that for Cordelia's model sheet, I would try to jazz her design up to make her a better fit for this artstyle!

I explored some potential species design before deciding to make her an urchin, as I felt like it'd be the coolest way to adapt her hairstyle. I made some minor changes to her outfit and passed it along to Nico for modeling!

(image from Nico's Twitter post on his contributions, def check it out)

Needless to say I was blown away with how well he adapted the design. It came out better than I could have imagined. What soon followed was me forcing myself to learn the Blender animation pipeline from scratch!

It was a very interesting but invaluable process. I am a 2D animator by trade, with very little interest in expanding to 3D, but the more I was exposed to Blender, the more natural the process came to me. I was very surprised. I think the animation took me about a month in total to create, as I was balancing it with schoolwork at the time, but I'm very happy with how it came out considering my 3D experience level.

Beyond the 3D animation side of things, there was also the 2D assets needed for the UI, which I recreated from scratch through editing software with the help of some gracious Splatoon modders who were willing to help me rip UI and SFX from the game. All of the unique 2D weapon icons were drawn by me, each being direct callbacks to actual weapons from Dead Estate! Eagle-eyed viewers also may have caught that I snuck in a teaser for Prince Fleaswallow's upcoming section in the top right of the UI, which required me to make a Splatoon-styled head icon for him!

Overall, this one was a blast to work on. Everyone was surprised to see it being one of the earliest sections finished for the collab. We made sure to get it locked down because we knew we were in for a labor-intensive time if we wanted it to look just right.

[valeofpoppies]

hey!

you are very skilled with 3D art and game development, and i am also somewhat trying to get into it as a hobby (blender + godot rn).

can i ask how you learned to make 3D art? i am hoping that knowing how others learned will help me find ways to learn.

i know the basics of blender, but i really do need to learn how to get past the basics.

Hello! I appreciate you taking the time to write this. This is a question that requires some introspection and would be a good topic for future posts. However, here's the best summarization of my experience learning 3D:

I started doing 3D while I was a teenager. I downloaded a free version of 3D Coat so I could sculpt faces for fun. I barely had any idea how to manage topology then, so my workflow was very destructive (I made a lot of meshes with holes, clipping faces, bumps, no edge flow, etc.)

I revisited 3D during my years in college, when I took a couple of free courses on Lynda(dot)com on how to model in Maya (for which I had a student license for). They were really basic tutorials, but they helped me adopt better practices for modeling (like maintaining decent edge flow, how to use modifiers, how to use drivers, etc).

I began to learn how to rig in Maya until the pandemic hit in 2020, which happened to be the same year I would graduate. I wanted to pursue 3D further after college, but I knew my student license for Maya would eventually expire (and I didn't have enough money coming in to pay a monthly subscription) so I decided to switch to using Blender because it is open-source.

I learned to navigate Blender through a whole lot of popular dedicated Youtube channels (like CGCookie, BlenderGuru, Ducky 3D, and many others...) It did indeed help that I had prior experience with modeling software so I could look up what I needed to know then. I didn't get to using Blender for game dev until a year later, when I came across a whole bunch of game artists and mod-makers across various platforms (twitter, tumblr, steam, discord). The point in which I began to join communities dedicated to making game art/modding is where I experienced the most growth because I wasn't interpreting online tutorials by myself anymore, I was communicating back and forth with other people about making art in general. I learned what tools other people were using, I learned how they functioned, I studied unique applications for those tools by studying other people's work, and it also helped me find new leads for study.

A practice I adopted that I found very useful is pastiching models from other games. If I wanted to get better at creating topology, I would import a ripped model from a game that I liked, studied its wireframe, and attempted to recreate that style by creating a unique model. It is derivative, but in the process you learn a lot of unique applications of smoothing, edge sharpening, normal rotation, masking and texturing that could be useful for formulating a style of one's own.

There's a lot that goes into the learning process. For me, it is like undoing a jacket by the threads. The more you pull the threads apart, the more noticeable it becomes how its all woven and stitched together. Once you've taken apart the whole thing, you get an idea as to how it was put together in the first place.

[joeabdelsater3]

Evaluation

In this very last blog post I am going to evaluate my work based on many factors I have set for myself. As I look back on my major project, I’m really pleased with how it turned out, both in terms of how it looks and how it functions. My goal was to create a world that’s visually appealing and technically solid, and I feel like I achieved that. The color choices and the types of assets I used really brought the two versions of Solark to life, helping to tell the story I wanted to share.

What Went Well

I’m particularly proud of how I handled the UV unwrapping. I focused on texel density, which might sound very technical, but it just meant that the textures on my models look sharp and detailed, even up close. That extra effort paid off, especially since I also kept the models low-poly, to an optimisation degree that ensures a game runs smoothly without losing visual quality if these assets are used.

Getting feedback from other artists was another big plus. I kept asking for feedback and input from my fellow 3D artists friends which kept my work's quality in check. I also posted my work in Discord servers and got valuable advice from others. Not to forget the weekly feedback sessions from both the workshop and personal one-on-one tutorial. This outside input helped me make the right adjustments and confirmed that I was on the right path. I tried submitting my final video to the Dinusty Discord server as participation in their solarpunk two-months challenge, but did not get much interaction. So, I turned to a different Discord server which my previous instructor set up for both students and alumni like me to post finished work and get feedback. I got some good advice from another 3D artist regarding my cinematics and camera transitions which was very insightful.

Evaluation by comparison

When I compare my work to some of the games I admire, I think it stands up pretty well. For example, the grass I created feels similar in quality to the grass in "Immortals Fenyx Rising." While their grass is excellent, I’m happy with how mine turned out detailed, vibrant, and fitting well within the stylised look of the environment.

As for the lighting and atmosphere, I aimed to create a mood similar to what developers created for the game "Journey". While "Journey" is famous for its beautiful lighting, I think I captured a similar vibe, especially in the Wasteland of Awala which resembles the desert in Journey. The way the light interacts with the environment adds depth and really helps to highlight the differences between the two worlds.

I also compared my assets to ones made by game studios. For example I compared my airship/quadcopter asset to the spaceship in "Journey to the Savage Planet." The spaceship in that game is highly detailed and has a unique style that stands out. My airship, while different in design, holds up well in terms of art style and functionality. The level of detail I achieved in my model matches the quality expected in a game-ready asset, making it a solid addition to my project.

Areas for Improvement

Of course, there are always things that could have been done better. My texture channels, for example, weren’t as efficient as they could have been. Looking back, I realize that using trim sheets or atlases would have been a smarter choice, especially for optimising the game environment.

I also think I could have done more with LUTs (lookup tables) and HDRI to texture the assets. This would have helped everything blend come out better in Unreal Engine, giving the project a more polished look. Additionally, relying more on procedural content generation could have reduced the amount of manual work I had to do, saving me time and effort.

Final Thoughts

Overall, I’m happy with how the project turned out. I achieved my goals and project deliverables, and created a cinematic piece that looks good aesthetically and works well technically in evoking emotions. At the same time, I learned a lot about areas where I can improve, and these lessons will definitely help me in future projects.

[fedor-bortnik-fmp]

Forefront, Part 1. "The Art Direction"

Originally, with the first blog about the forefront I wanted to talk about sculpting and how I learned more about it - but then I asked myself upon writing it: Why did I even decide to learn sculpting? And with that question, I wanted to explore the character design a bit.

I have always been a big fan of various graphic art styles: Realistic, Semi-Realistic, and Stylized - They all favour different art directions and benefit from different aspects of the projects (having cinematics, memorable scenes, interesting gameplay, features and many more.)

Like I said a long time ago, the world design by Hideo Kojima (Kojima Productions, 2024) is one of the main reasons why I am doing 3D graphics: With a cool design philosophy over various assets, the interesting background of various characters, it was always exciting to see a new game created by the Kojima since all the new content would always have something interesting happening in it, with the appealing game design.

For example - In Metal Gear 5, The practical costume designs, level and asset designs were always something that amazed me with this game - It was quite exciting for me to just observe the models, unlock new guns, and see what they could do in the game, and also see the Solid Snake doing cool animations of takedowns or sneaking around. (Image reference - by Mike Fudge, who actually worked on a game! 2016)

It was exciting for me since all those new elements felt natural in the game setting it was in. Some of the armour models had so many things happening in them, but through the use of different gradients of colours and smart design it just does not overwhelm the viewer's eyes - In the first seconds, the viewer just sees a grey and white costume, with some familiar items (the belts) and strange shapes around it. But as they observe it - they can see various cool little things, which begin to gently stand out from the design.

In my life, I have not created that many characters so far, since it’s not that long since I started doing the characters - but I noticed a pattern, where I would either try to do complicated suits with some gear on it or try some compositionally challenging work (with designing interesting faces, personalities and so on). This is probably why I enjoy this work and want to grow closer to it - as I want to know more about it and develop it.

Today, it's still very exciting for me to see familiar projects come out into the market, as with projects like Marathon (2023), and Generation Zero® ( Systemic Reaction™, 2019), this is the type of games that I would love to work in in the future, as they bring a new idea into the reality, which is fun to try.

I find these projects extremely exciting since you build interesting characters, assets - and worlds! In which you can find something refreshing, unique and new that will stimulate sense in you.

With that in mind, I can easily answer myself on why have I decided to start loving sculpting: Through sculpting, I can achieve a much better and more in-depth detail of the characters that I produce. With sculpting, I will be able to structure the ideas of living creatures better, as I will have a clear idea of forming their shapes and final quality.

References:

www.kojimaproductions.jp. (n.d.). Home | Kojima Productions. [online] Available at: https://www.kojimaproductions.jp/en.

Kojima Productions (2015) Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain [Video game], Konami.

Mike Fudge (2016). Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain - Snake Parasite Suit. [online] ArtStation. Available at: https://www.artstation.com/artwork/GdWy4.

Marathon (2023). Marathon | Official Announce Trailer. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckI_m8bbXfw [Accessed 14 Jun. 2024].

Systemic Reaction (2022). Generation Zero Official Game Trailer. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NN5xoXM8mY0 [Accessed 14 Jun. 2024].

PlayStation (2020). Pragmata - Announcement Trailer | PS5. [online] YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoxCboik0Is [Accessed 14 Jun. 2024].

[vanessahernandez3d]

Blog #4 Analyzing my work through the lens of Medium Specificity and Gesamtkunstwerk

For this blog post, I will analyze one of my pieces of work through the lenses of medium specificity and gesamtkunstwerk. For this analysis, I chose the following piece. For this 3D illustration, as well as for most of my work, I mixed 3D elements with 2D elements. I also mixed the use of different software such as Blender, Substance Painter, Adobe Illustrator, and Procreate; as you can see, I didn’t stick to just one medium. So let’s analyze my work. 

‘Medium Specificity theories generally concern themselves with the idea that different media have essential and unique characteristics that form the basis of how they can and should be used.’ (Maras and Sutton, 2000)

Under the scope of Medium Specificity, my work would be somewhat less valid or a form of lesser art. As we learned during the seminars, this theory basically proposes that art forms or techniques shouldn't mix, so I’m not respecting the purity of each medium with my work and it is somewhat polluted by the mixing of things. According to this theory, my final artwork should have been achieved by just using one software or just one style (either 3D or 2D.)

However, nowadays in Digital Media Arts, it is almost impossible to stick to just one medium and achieve the greatest result by just using one technique or one style or one software; with all the possibilities that technology gives us it has become very common to mix different mediums and explore how and what different techniques one can use to achieve the desired final piece of work. As stated by Lev Manovich (2000) ‘various cultural and technological developments have together rendered meaningless one of the key concepts of modern art - that of a medium.’ Digital mediums are connected and I could argue that many times they depend on one another; to mention an example, I think that 3D and 2D media are intrinsically related, most of the time 3D artists use or create 2D sketches before conceiving a 3D piece, and 2D techniques are also used for creating 3D textures. In the same way, many times 2D artists make use of 3D models as a base for them to facilitate the process of creating certain environments or human poses. 

I can argue that my art wouldn’t be the same if I stuck to just one medium, and I wouldn’t be able to transmit the messages I want if I just stuck to one way of doing things. Yes the main components of my work are usually 3D stuff, but they wouldn’t look as good as I wanted them to look if I didn’t edit the colors of the rendered image or added 2D elements to the final composition, or if I didn’t create 2D textures for the 3D elements; under this theory I wouldn’t even be able to print and display my work because I would have to just stick to the digital medium. 

So instead, I can conclude that this piece of mine is more of a gesamtkunstwerk and that by the mixing of media, I am achieving my final artistic vision. As we learned during the seminars, this term describes an artwork in which different art forms are mixed to create a single coherent piece of work, and that is exactly what I look to achieve with my art, technique, and style. My goal is to transmit something through my work regardless of how I achieve the final product, what I care about is the impact it has on my audience and that it catches their attention; that is what gesamtkunstwerk is about.

References

Manovich, L. (2000). Post-media Aesthetics Medium in Crisis

Maras, S., Sutton, D. (2000). Medium Specificity Re-visited. Convergence, 6(2), p.p. 98-113. Available at: https://doi.org/10.1177/135485650000600207 [Accessed on: 12 December 2023]

[ailtrahq]

BreederDAO, a startup focused on creating NFT characters and in-game items for play-to-earn games such as Axie Infinity, Sipher, Cyball, and Crabada, is offering its services to players and game guilds. These services involve customization of certain traits within the playable NFTs, ultimately enhancing the chances of winning in the game for a fee.Recently, Benzinga caught up with Renz Carlo Chong, CEO and co-founder of BreederDAO, who shared his thoughts on how AI empowers Web3 creators in developing unique characters and how DeFi tech empowers creators in and outside of gaming. Chong also spoke about his perspective on the impact of the intersection between AI and NFTs on the gaming sector.What is your perspective on the impact of the intersection between AI and NFTs on the gaming sector?The convergence of AI and NFTs is unlocking a new era for the gaming industry. From my vantage point, I've observed that this intersection is not just about creating new assets or more innovative NPCs — at the core, it's about redefining the very fabric of gaming experiences. AI, with its capability to learn and adapt, combined with the immutable and unique nature of NFTs, is challenging the traditional centralized game design and distribution models. We're moving from static, predefined gaming worlds to dynamic, ever-evolving universes where players have a tangible stake and ownership. Gamers are transitioning from mere participants to active contributors and stakeholders, shaping the narratives and economies of the games they love. It's a cultural shift, and I believe we're just scratching the surface.How does the fusion of AI and NFTs expand the possibilities for NFT-based gaming experiences?The fusion is expanding the horizons of what's possible within games. At BreederDAO, with tools like AI Skins, we've seen firsthand how AI can help its users generate unique NFT assets in just a few clicks, even those without technical design capabilities, from wearables to in-game items, tailored to individual player preferences and automatically bring them to whichever digital universe they choose. But beyond asset creation, imagine dynamic in-game economies where AI algorithms adjust market dynamics based on real-time player interactions or NFTs that evolve based on in-game achievements, creating a truly personalized gaming asset. The fusion also paves the way for richer interactions. How can AI serve as a bridge between 2D and 3D art, potentially unlocking new avenues of creativity?The leap between 2D and 3D art has always been a challenging one, primarily because creating 3D art requires an entirely different set of skills than creating 2D art. Historically, designers and artists would only focus on one or the other. However, AI can serve as the bridge between these two styles. With AI, artists aren't confined to one art style alone. Specific AI tools can take 2D artwork and transform it into its 3D version without requiring any intervention from the original 2D artist. Also, with AI, you can remix your 2D artwork or image into a completely different format but still be inspired by the original. With AI Skins, we take 2D images and remix them into multiple versions to serve as the skins of the 3D model you want to create.Could you share some examples of how AI technology enhances the creation of dynamic and interactive NFT-based gaming experiences?AI's integration into the NFT gaming realm is a testament to the boundless possibilities technology can bring. Imagine a game where the environment evolves based on its players' collective decisions. Using AI, game terrains can adapt and change, reflecting the NFT assets introduced by players. For instance, a rare NFT artifact might influence the game's storyline or unlock a previously inaccessible region. An NFT representing a creature might evolve its appearance and abilities using AI, based on player interactions, battles won, or milestones achieved. In strategy games, AI can analyze the NFT assets owned

by players in real time, adjusting game strategies and offering challenges tailored to the player's unique asset collection. This ensures that players are always engaged and challenged in new ways. What were the primary challenges and limitations in NFT-based gaming that prompted the development of AI-driven asset-creation tools?In the early days of Web3 gaming, related explicitly to NFTs, mechanisms like breeding and crafting became popular methods for generating new assets. However, this method inherently meant that a set of predefined traits bound the resulting NFTs. The potential combinations, while numerous, were still confined to the genetic algorithms set by the game's design. Given these constraints, the integration of AI-driven tools became a game-changer. As more projects evolve, so do the mechanics that allow for player involvement and modification. From an NFT standpoint, with the integration of AI, more players can participate in introducing a whole new set of visual traits for their NFTs that the developers might not have initially created. Is there potential for AI to predict and shape player-NPC dynamics based on past interactions, allowing for "learning" and "remembering" from previous player encounters with NPCs?Absolutely. Drawing from our earlier discussions, the potential of AI in gaming extends far beyond asset creation and into the dynamics of player interactions. Historically, static scripts have bound NPCs, offering a predictable and often repetitive experience. However, with the integration of AI, this will change. Imagine NPCs that evolve based on your past interactions. An NPC that remembers you favor a particular strategy in combat or recalls a one-time decision you made in a storyline and adjusts its behavior accordingly. This enhances the gaming experience's realism and offers players a unique journey tailored to their choices.Share something about BreederDAO, its market position, and any plans.BreederDAO operates at the forefront of the digital asset revolution, understanding that as our interactions increasingly shift to virtual spaces, assets like avatars and in-game items become pivotal. These aren't mere digital representations but foundational elements of our expanding digital universe. However, as digital experiences evolve, so does the desire of its users to be more in control of their experience. With their assets, it's not enough to legally own them, but to hold them is to be able to shape and transform them to their liking. BreederDAO is focused on enabling players to do exactly that — we ensure users don't just possess these assets but can truly shape and define their experiences in the virtual world, using one digital asset at a time. In line with this vision, our primary focus is on asset creation and customization, participating in economies and spaces that assign value to digital assets through buying, selling and crafting of support, as well as providing tools and services that allow users to create and customize their holdings to their liking.How does AI empower Web3 creators in the development of their unique characters and digital realms?AI is revolutionizing the creative process in the digital world in two significant ways. First, AI is accelerating the content creation cycle. Tools like Midjourney and ChatGPT can lay down the initial layer of an idea, serving as a brainstorming partner or a creation partner, allowing creators to bring their vision to life or flesh it out at a speed they couldn’t before. Secondly, it also democratizes creation. Because AI is closing the technical and creative gaps present in creating in the digital world, a whole new set of creators is unlocked because more people can now partake and contribute their creativity and ideas and bring them to life.In what ways does DeFi technology empower creators within and beyond the gaming industry?The most significant impact that DeFi technology has had on creators is empowering creators to bypass centralized

platform barriers, which eradicates biases or financial institutions toward individuals based on set criteria and ensures they have true control over their content and its value. Furthermore, DeFi allows them to have direct control over the monetization of their content through tokenization. Instead of relying on ad revenues from platforms that take a significant portion, creators can issue tokens/NFTs tied to their content or access to them. This direct financial link between creators and their audience ensures better compensation and fosters community engagement.  Centralized platforms like YouTube and TikTok, while offering vast reach, often impose restrictive monetization structures. Many creators face hurdles like unpredictable algorithms, sudden account closures and content bans. These challenges hinder fair compensation and actual ownership of their work. NFTs offer a different set-up. They allow creators to sell their unique digital assets, such as art or music, to their audience and community while harnessing blockchain to verify ownership. 

[goblinstone]

Developer Interview: 2D Artist

Game artists play an important role in the game development process. They not only translate the team's ideas into beautiful works of art, but they also set the visual style and feel of the game.

Today we're sitting down with Ruben, our Lead Artist in Goblin Stone, to learn more about how an artist works in an indie game studio and his thoughts on the development of Goblin Stone.

Please take us through your journey as an artist. What inspired you to pursue a career as a game artist?

I was always fascinated with art in games since I was a kid, and working for a game studio came as a great opportunity after years in other industries. My passion for strategy games is what also led me to become a game artist and this helped me find inspiration for the creative process of Goblin Stone. Aside from that, my experiences in advertising, animation, 3d modeling, and storytelling all help out with what I’m able to contribute to the world of the game.

We are curious what a day to day routine of an artist looks like in the studio. Can you share what you do as the Lead Artist for Goblin Stone?

A lot of different art tasks are worked on throughout my day, and the variety is always interesting. I usually have to draw 2d illustrations for use in Unity, but I have to do a bit of level design and 3d as well. Sometimes, there can be fun events on Discord that might need holiday art, too! 

As the lead artist, I also give art direction to maintain the uniformity and quality of art that was set for the game. This includes communicating and collaborating with the creative director and the rest of the art team.

What is the difference between creating concept art and creating 2D game assets?

Concept art is usually about getting the essential core of the idea (a character, location, menu, item, etc)  across with the minimum amount of time. This allows quick feedback and turnaround for the development of the idea to fit the purpose in the game.

2d game assets are finished images for use in the game itself, whether they are sprites, background props, or stand-alone story illustrations. 2D game assets are created as high-quality graphics that are compatible with the game engine, as opposed to concept art, which is sometimes shown as sketches or detailed but unfinished illustrations that is used to convey the overall feeling of the game.

What tools and programs do you use to bring your ideas to life?

I alternate between Photoshop and Unity, with Blender as 3d support when needed. I also used to make simple clay models to help visualize characters and other shapes for my illustrations when I had the time, but nowadays it's much easier to use 3D models as reference.

How would you describe the graphic universe of Goblin Stone? What inspires Goblin Stone’s visual style and how did the team develop it?

The style is strongly influenced by storybook-style illustrations, the works of Studio Ghibli, and fantasy works from the 70s and 80s. From there, we added our personal flair to the character designs and world building to develop a distinctive art style. We hopefully want our game, especially our goblins, to appear recognizable while being a bit quirky.

Please tell us about your process on how you conceptualize and carry out your ideas when creating scenes or characters for Goblin Stone?

I usually start with a variety of designs based on the intention and requirements of the art, then we iterate from there. Everyone on the team also gives input and suggestions, until we arrive at something both readable and unique.

When it comes to conceptualizing and creating character uniqueness, having a visual library of many influences and designs in your head definitely helps, especially for fantasy characters that have been depicted in video games numerous times. I start off with a very recognizable concept, then add something obscure or personal to it. Then I play around with different designs to come up with something interesting that fits our concept!

Which artwork you created for Goblin Stone is your favorite or the one you are most proud of?

Our game’s story makes use of storybook-style illustrations, and I love making them! I’m able to show scenes with emotion and drama, so I try to put a lot into each character’s performance. As for which is my favorite scene in the story, that might be spoiler material!

What advice would you like to share to aspiring artists who wish to work in the indie game industry?

Keep practicing, keep a wide range of current interests, and be ready when opportunity strikes.

[nintensonyreviewguy]

Brilliant Diamond & Shining Pearl Review

Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl remain a great topic of discussion and division as well as tension among fans to this day. The games were both announced and released back in late 2021.

Two pre-release screenshots showing off the graphics for the game.

I will always remember being taken back at first by the graphic style of choice when the games were first announced in the Pokemon Presents trailer back in February 2021. The graphics stay quite true to the original games with the topdown 2D sprite perspective in the overworld but with full fledged 3D models ala Pokemon Sword and Shield on the battling screens. It is something that I can agree with many that I am not fond of. I feel like the game itself would of done a lot better if the entire graphical presentation was in the format, of you know, the primary Generation 8 games! It also would of done quite a bit nicer if some of the areas such as the Battle Zone and Stark Mountian retained their designs from Platinum too. Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are a primary example of where staying too faithful to the original games is not always a good thing. The biggest takeaway I find is that not all, at the time of their release, 898 species in some way, shape, or form were included. At the same time, I kinda get wanting to stay faithful in that respect but it would of been very nice to at least have the other 405 to be included in the post-game if not all of them were there like Sword and Shield, where they only included 664 of the 898 at the time. I feel like the game would of done a lot better if it actually included many of the things that made Pokemon Platinum stand out and that enhanced Diamond and Pearl to the fullest. I always hate it when the developers of a Remake don't appreciate the value of the other special editions that made the original better over the years. A primary example of this is also Pokemon's other work of Omega Ruby and Alpha Sapphire, where it didn't include the fabled Battle Frontier of Emerald, the other third version successor before Platinum. Of course, wouldn't you know it, they didn't learn their lesson the first time and failed to include the Battle Frontier from Platinum into this game as well.

Key artwork from Pokemon Platinum featuring the Distortion World.

The fact that they threw the Legendary Pokemon Giratina into a small room within a optional post-game area and called it a day is extremely upsetting, disappointing, & almost flat out unacceptable. I feel like including the many of the elements from Pokemon Platinum that made Sinnoh stand out more where the main antagonist Cyrus got a way stronger character arc and where Giratina was included at the Spear Pillar and even got it's own unique and special dungeon of the Distortion World from Platinum alongside it's other two kin Dialga and Palkia would of been amazing and would of made the two games leagues better than what they were! The other thing I have to also nitpick and take apart is the fact that they didn't bother for including some conviences such as the EXP. Candies that were introduced to 2019's Sword and Shield games. I think it would of made getting a 100% encyclopedia less of a chore. That's another thing I want to nitpick too! It would of been very nice if they included the expanded Pokemon Platinum Sinnoh Dex within the main adventure. While it is great that they bothered to include more Fire types before battling Champion Cynthia (which was one of the issues that Diamond and Pearl had), it would of been nice to have seen them have a place in the main story again as an official written Pokedex entry. While I feel there are several things wrong with Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl, I believe that there are some merits that need to be taken into account for this review. The fact that they didn't entirely go out to remove some of the beloved elements such as coveted Vs. Seeker and Poke Radar are a welcome and this in case, needed, addition that has been missed out on for many years! I also really like how the Gym Leaders and Elite Four can all be rematched at higher levels and that some of them even have their teams from Platinum after you defeat the Pokemon League for the first time. It's a really nice touch that I don't see a lot of people talking about when they review the game. The little things such as Autosave, showing Type effectiveness in battle, and adding the Rotom Catlog item for Rotom. Also being able to pull out Bibarel on the flick of a dime for the formerly annoying HM moves to do your dirty work and navigate the vast world of Sinnoh via the Hidden Moves app is amusing and very convenient! Catching Diamond and Pearl up to speed with these Remakes and modernizing some of the things to be in line with the rest of the series is a good thing they did. I just wish that it was executed more cohesively than it was and not the scrambled up mess that we got for the final product!

All in all, I feel Pokemon Brilliant Diamond and Shining Pearl are an example of corporate greed at it's finest and using the nostalgia of an older work to as well enticing marketing to make a quick buck. I feel like these games could of done so much better on many different levels. I give them an "OK" score on my Rating System.

My Final Score: ★★★★ - "OK" 4/10

[saijspellhart]

For the artist ask game, if that's ok. 🥺 2, 6 and 24.

2. 5 favourites of your own work?

Oh man let’s see. So, I already shared two of my favorite arts I did last year in a previous ask, so I picked 5 other arts that I’m obscenely proud of and loved drawing. These aren’t necessarily what I consider my best work, just pieces that I had so much fun with. Pieces that I love, and still love, and still look back on fondly. The last one was drawn in pencil, thus the texture. Here they are:

6. Which artists inspire you right now?

So many. So many artists. I could wax all day about who I find very inspiring, but I will name just a handful of the artists who inspire me right now.

Every single one of these artists are heckin talented. They are all wonderful artists overflowing with creativity and skills and amazing ideas. Every time I see art from them it just sparks my own creativity. They each have their own unique styles and personality they bring to their art that just floors me, stuns me, leaves me striving to capture some of that in my own work. Though I don’t know how. But I want to try.

@shinayashipper just has this softness, and this style that leaves me with warm feels. And I wish I could draw Yugi with the type of expression and bubbliness they do. I adore the sharp angles they draw, and the way they draw eyes.

@brobexx does facial expressions like you wouldn’t believe. Their art captures mood and personality and everything in a way I could only dream of. It’s incredible. Their character art just oozes personality from the body language all the way to the faces.

@tsurenaii-iianerust has drawn some of the most incredible tattoos on Atem I have ever seen. And I wish one day I could do something like that. Like seriously, drawing tattoos is hella difficult and they make it look so easy. They’re incredible.

@bold-embrace captures these cute and heartfelt moments. These little expressions and soft touches. Their art is warm and soft and gorgeous, and I admire their use of color so much. Color is something I’m always trying to get better at, and they are so good with it.

@auroblaze does amazing work with traditional medium. I was a traditional artist for most of my life, up until around 4 years ago. And I have to say I have the biggest soft spot for traditional art. And Auroblaze has got some of the best damn traditional art I’ve seen. They draw the characters so well, so expressive and lively, and their style is just *chef’s kiss*. Heckin amazing. Their pencil and pen work is breathtaking. And seeing it makes me long to pick up my own pencils and pens more again.

@artofgreyscalerainbow is like the god of magical creature Yugis. I will say it now. They have drawn so many magical creature Yugis and every single one is amazing, and I want to draw fanart of them all. I love all their art. Their traditional art is just so exceptional. And I love their designs, and gosh they are amazing.

@enberlight does some amazing things with 3D models and renders them, and it’s incredible. I know 3D rendering is so much work, and so challenging, and seeing the level of detail they put into their pieces is just astounding. Incredible. I love seeing the stuff they make. I know I’ll never understand computers enough to do anything like that, but it makes me want to try to learn computers better.

@makota1911, damn, what do I say? You are just amazing. The way they draw Ryou and Yami Marik, it’s stolen my heart. Their art style is so unique and breathtaking. I could pick it out in an instant in a sea of other art. It’s just that unique. And I love their art. I love the characters they draw and the personality. I love their stylization. I acknowledge that style is something an artist develops over time and should not be rushed or forced, and it’s ok to experiment with different styles. But man, Makota’s art inspires me strive to develop my own style a little more. I get so excited every time I see something new from them. And I know they left tumblr for a little while, but Makota, I’m so glad you are back. You’re amazing.

@upload2004, your style is just wow. Another artist with a style so unique and so expressive. I’m just floored. Every time I see your stuff I just marvel, and stare, and focus on the little details, and the stylization, and the expression. I love how your style pushes the boundaries. It’s incredible, you’re incredible. You’ve not only inspired me artistically, but in my writing as well. Your art has given me ideas, and just talking to you has given me ideas.

@the-pigeon-queen, what can I say except that their art single handedly changed my entire opinion about Shadi for forever. Shadi went from a character I kinda despised to a character I wholeheartedly embrace and enjoy. And it’s all Pigeon Queen’s fault. Their art is incredible, their characterization of Shadi is fabulous. I adore the way they draw Pegasus. And their fanfic made me fall in love with their version of Shadi, and the whole Shadi x Pegasus ship. I love it now. I’m unashamed how much I love it. And if I draw Shadi in the future you will know it’s because of them.

@thatsaltybobcat has this style that is astounding. They are so talented, and being their friend over the past year+ has been such a treasure. I’ve gotten to watch their art grow, and evolve, and their style get refined. And they’ve only gotten better and better in leaps and bounds. And trust me they were already a hella talented artist to begin with, but they’ve just made miles of improvement in the time I’ve know them. And honestly, that in and of itself is downright inspiring.

@shiki-art-corp just makes these arts that have such a level of detail, and such an attention to detail that it leaves me breathless. Every single piece I’ve seen from them is so intricate. You could look at their art and constantly seen these new and small details that just bring a life to their work that’s marvelous. I love seeing their art, and they inspire me to try to do more small details in my own work. Hella talented artist they are.

@carura the way they color is just mesmerizing. The color, the atmosphere they bring to their art. Just seeing their work fills me with this sense of calmness. I can’t explain it. It’s something in their coloring. They draw hair like no one’s business. Like seriously their style for drawing character hair is so intense, and amazing and I love it. They also got me hooked on a banging song that I have on my playlist of work music now. And I listen to the song while I draw. So thanks, you are awesome.

@kevlar01 what can I say about you that I haven’t already said whenever I reblog some of your art? I can’t get over your adorable style, and the body language you express in your character drawings. I love your work so much, and it brings such a smile to my face. I admire the way you draw animals, especially your wolf characters. You capture fur so well. You inspire me everyday to work on my Sphinx AU. And honestly if it weren’t for you I probably wouldn’t have written or drawn half the stuff for it that I have. You’re a big reason I’ve made so much progress on it. Thank you friend.

@craneace is honestly an incredible artist and if you haven’t seen their work then you are missing out. They are so talented and the way they draw Thief King Bakura just leaves me with feelings. They draw some of the sexiest TKB art I’ve ever had the pleasure to witness, and honestly their art has inspired me to push myself with drawing different clothes more. I always struggle with clothes, but seeing the amazing clothes they’ve drawn TKB, and Ryou, and Marik wearing has made me want to improve, and experiment drawing more clothing. Crane also colors like you wouldn’t believe. Incredible coloring skills that I look up to, and admire so so much.

Anyway, I’ve already gushed about so many artists. I’ll be done now. I could go on for hours just telling you how amazing artists are, and how much they inspire me, how you should definitely go check out everyone mentioned here. But I’ll be done now. But seriously go check out every artist I mentioned. They are incredible, and while I don’t know them all, and haven’t spoken to all of them personally, I hope they won’t be offended that I tagged them here to wax about how amazing I think they are.

24. How do you deal with artblock?

I listen to music, or rain sounds. I have bookmarked rain sounds on Spotify to listen to and it helps me focus. Especially rain on a car windshield. But mostly I listen to music, music with lyrics, and I let the feels from the songs get my drawing and writing muses flowing.

Aside from that, sometimes I just browse stock photos, and save the poses I like the most. Then I use them later for drawing practice.

The biggest thing I can suggest though is that if you are having art block it might just be a sign from your body and brain that you need a break. Sometimes it’s a short break, sometimes it’s a long long long break. But you should listen. Don’t force yourself to art if you aren’t feeling it. That can turn something you love doing into something that feels like a chore. And you’ll grow to hate it. Give yourself time to breathe and refresh. You don’t have to art all the time.

[ordinaryschmuck]

What I Thought About The Mitchells vs. the Machines

The Falcon and the Winter Soldier is up there as one of the best installments of the MCU. Sure, the action and CGI sucks, and the season finale could use a bit more polish, but there is so much more of what it does right. It brings up an engaging discussion through Karli; the bromance between Bucky and Sam is incredible; Zemo's surprisingly a riot, and U.S. Agent is a character whose inner psychology is something I would like to study. Plus, the series really dives deep into the themes of race and the realistic hesitance that comes with making a black man Captain America. It's easily an 8/10 series that is worth an in-depth discussion.

But f**k that s**t, because I'm talking about The Mitchells vs. the Machines instead!

I know it might be questionable that reviewing a movie starring a predominantly white family of idiots saving the world instead of the TV series about the powerful journey of a black man taking the mantle of an American icon...but this movie is fun, alright? And yes, I'm going to spoil it to explain how. So if you still have a Netflix account, I highly suggest you check it out when you have time.

Because, random people on the internet who most likely won't read this, this Ordinary Schmuck who writes stories and reviews and draws comics and cartoons is going to explain why The Mitchells vs. the Machines might just be my favorite film of the year (steep contest, I know).

WHAT I LIKE

The Animation: Let's get this out of the way right here and right now: If a single person ever tells you that this movie has awful animation, or the worst animation they have ever seen, just go ahead and assume that person is an idiot. Because holy hot cheese sticks, does this movie look amazing!

Say what you want about most of Sony Pictures Animation's movies, but you have to admit that they nail making a CGI movie looking like it could be in 2D. And The Mitchells vs. The Machines is the peak of that style. Every character in nearly every frame looks like they could work well if the movie was hand-drawn, and I love it. I am addicted to seeing films that look 2D with a 3D makeover because there has to be ten times the amount of effort to get that look just right, what with modeling each character in unique ways to nail that style wherein a hand-drawn film, you could just, well, draw it. Not to mention that the cell-shading and certain hand-drawn elements also add to the aesthetic.

Plus, there is so much attention to details, such as most of Katie's character model being covered in sharpie, or how you can see a hint of Eric and Deborabot 3000's drawn on faces even though their black screens are showing something else. Seriously, you can listen to any criticism this movie gets, but don't you dare let someone get away with telling you that it looks awful. It doesn't. It's incredible, and I SO wish that I could have seen it all on the big screen.

The Comedy: On top of being incredibly well-animated, this movie is also incredibly funny. Like, really funny. I shouldn't be surprised since it's made by the same people responsible for Clone High and The Lego Movie, but yeah, I found myself laughing, chuckling, and snorting with nearly every joke in the film. Not every joke works, to be fair. But because of the fast-paced humor, the bad jokes are almost immediately followed up with better ones soon after. What's even better is that the writers know when to take a break with the humor and let some surprisingly compelling drama take over. And even then, when there are jokes during the dramatic moments, they add sincerity to the scene rather than take anything away. Looking at you, The Amazing World of Gumball...I mean, I love you, but sheesh, you need to learn to let a solemn moment play out.

Anyways, the comedy is hilarious. And while I won't spoil every joke, I will go over some bits that might have gotten to me the most.

Katie Mitchell: Let's just go ahead and add Katie Mitchell to the list of characters I highly relate to on a personal level (which is getting longer by the minute, hot damn). But jokes aside, I really like Katie. Her love and desire to make movies is something I identify with, and her goal to just go to a place where she feels like she belongs is easy to understand. Trust me, if I found out there was a group of weirdos who like the same things I do and enjoy the things I make, I’d be willing to pack everything I have and go to them as fast as possible too. Plus, I feel like a lot of us can relate to a character who lives in a household where people question if our career goal is something we can make a living with. I remember two years ago when I told my aunt that I wanted to make my own animated series, and her reaction is a little too similar to Rick's when Katie showed him her movie. They mean well, but sometimes it's for the best to have a cheerleader rather than a critic, especially if that person is family.

Now, Katie isn't perfect as her enthusiasm can get a little annoying at times, and her desire to leave can be conceived as a little too harsh as well. Still, she's pretty cool and serves her role as a protagonist pretty well...also, if the movie gets a sequel, let's hope she and Jude become cannon by then. GIVE KATIE A GIRLFRIEND, DAMN IT!

Aaron Mitchell: But as great as Katie is, it's this goober that earns the reward for my favorite character. At times it looks like Aaron is nothing more than a source of comedy, but he handles some dramatic moments really well. Partial credit goes to Michael Rianda for that one. Yeah, having a child actor would have made Aaron sound more like a kid, but no other voice could have fit him better than what Michael offers as he comes across as weird but never obnoxious.

Also, let's give the writer points for making a character who is clearly neurodivergent. Yet also refraining from having him be annoying or useless to the rest of the cast. No one ever really disrespects or belittles Aaron and instead chooses to work with him rather than against him. Especially Katie, who forms a solid sibling bond with Aaron as a fellow weirdo. It's genuinely sweet to see, and I loved every minute that the writers showed that just because someone acts on a different wavelength doesn't mean they shouldn't be treated any less because of it. You get that with Katie, a little bit, but I see it much more with Aaron, for some reason. And I love him every minute, so that’s a win.

(Plus, I may or may not have had a dinosaur phase when I was younger, so go ahead and add him to the list of relatable characters too.)

Rick Mitchell: This is probably a character you will either love or hate, and I can see both sides of that argument. Because on the one hand, I really like Rick Mitchell. His motivation is clear and understandable from the first set of home videos with him and Katie, both near the beginning and the end. Sure, he messes up a lot, but he is still a man who cares deeply about his daughter, as well as his entire family. He gets to the point where he would make great sacrifices for all of them, especially Katie. Plus, it's just pleasant seeing a cartoon dad who isn't a complete idiot or overprotective regarding his daughter's love life.

However, there are times when Rick comes across as an irresponsible d**k. When he does things like smash the family's phones without telling them or giving them screwdrivers for "presents," you're either gonna find that funny or you won't. Personally, I enjoy Rick and his antics, and I have no problem with irresponsible cartoon dads. As long as they don't cross the line toward Modern-Peter Griffin territory, I've got no problem with dads like Rick, who I believe has never even got that bad. Still, some people might think differently, and I can't blame them. Because after getting great cartoon dads like Greg Universe, I can understand if some people won't be interested in characters like Rick Mitchell.

Rick’s and Katie’s relationship: Alongside the top-notch animation and gut-busting comedy, Rick and Katie's relationship is what I consider the movie's most essential asset. These two are the main characters of the film, and as such, they develop through each other. And what's crazy is that they have very conflicting goals. Katie wants to escape and be with her people, where Rich just wants one last chance to have a good memory with Katie before she leaves. To do so, they first have to understand each other. Katie has to learn why Rick is so desperate to spend time with her, and Rick has to realize why Katie is, well, Katie. What I love most about it is that they try. These two don't spend the entire movie arguing and being at each other's throats until a sudden "Oh" moment in the end. No, there are actual moments when they genuinely try to understand one another and fix their relationship. It's nice to watch, and I especially love when it cuts to Linda and Aaron celebrating each time Katie and Rick get closer to each other. When recommending this movie, I'd say come for the animation and comedy, stay for the phenomenal relationship building.

Monchi: There are probably people already comparing Monchi to Mater or the Minions due to being a comic relief with nothing else to add...but gosh dangit, do I love this little gentleman. Maybe it's because I'm a dog person, but I find Monchie to be incredibly adorable, and I will fight anybody who disrespects this king of kings. Probably not physically, 'cause I'm a wuss, but I will verbally. So WATCH IT!

“HeLlO. i Am DoG.”: Have I mentioned that this movie is funny?

Rick’s videotapes of him and Katie: And right there. Rick's motivation for everything is set in stone through a solid case of visual storytelling.

PAL: The writers do almost everything they should have with this character. PAL might not have the most creative evil plan in the world, but to me, a villain can have a generic scheme as long as they're funny. Thankfully, PAL is funny. Not only is the idea of a smartphone ruling the planet hilarious in all the right ways, but Olivia Colman delivers such a great cynical energy that the character needs. The way PAL reacts to people explaining why humans are worth living is just the best, and her flopping around in a fit of rage successfully gets to me.

If I had to nitpick, I'd say that I wish PAL had more of a meaningful resolution to her character. The movie builds up that she makes a big deal about Mark dropping her, so it feels weird that neither of them really get any actual closure with each other. I'll get more into that in the dislikes, but I wish PAL had more of a fitting end than just dying after accidentally getting dropped in a glass of water. Other than that, she's a great comedic villain for a comedic movie.

PAL MAX Robots: These guys are the funniest characters in the movie. Half of it is the bits of visual humor, while the other half comes from the solid line delivery from Beck Bennett. Especially with Bennett's and Fred Armisen's Eric and Deborahbot 3000. These two are definitely the comedic highlights, as nearly every line they say is both hilarious and kind of adorable at times. And just like with Monchi, if you dare disrespect these characters, I will fight you. Because they are funny, and I will not hear otherwise.

PAL demonstrating what it’s like to be a phone: Have I mentioned that this movie is funny?

(Don't disrespect your phones, kids. Otherwise, they'll try to take over the world.)

PAL turning off the Wi-Fi: Again, have I mentioned this movie is funny?

“I love the dog. You love the dog. We all love the dog. But at some point, you’re gonna have to eat the dog.”: It's the sick jokes that get to me the most. Everyone booing Rick afterward is just the cherry on top.

Attack of the Furbies: Have I. Mentioned. That this movie. Is funny?

Seriously, if you haven't lost your s**t during every second of this scene, then you never had to deal with the demonic entity that is a Furby. In a way, I commend you. But you also don't get to appreciate the comedic genius of all of this. So I also weirdly feel bad for you.

The Mitchells deciding how to celebrate: You don't have a real family if you spend more time arguing about how to celebrate after saving the world than you do about how to save the world. I don't make the rules. I just abide by them.

The PAL MAX Primes: There's not much to say about them. The PAL MAX primes look and act pretty cool, are brilliantly animated, and raise the stakes while still being funny at times. I love 'em, but I don't have much to analyze with them either.

The origin of the moose: ...I'd make the "I didn't need my heart anyway" joke, but to be honest, it's still shattered after WandaVision.

(For real, though, this is a really effective scene that establishes why Rick makes a big deal with the moose and why he might feel hurt that Katie is willing to disregard it completely)

The Theme of Technology and Social Media: There's a theme about how family is important, and working hard on making things work is worth the effort. But that's a bit too generic for my tastes, so instead, I'm gonna talk about the equally important message this movie has about technology. Because as twisted as she is, PAL makes a great point. The technology we have today helps us in a variety of ways. It's especially useful with sites like YouTube, allowing content creators like Katie to reach out and share their voices. The only issue with technology is how people use it. Take note that the main reason why the Mitchells stand a chance against PAL is by using her own tech against her. Yes, over-relying on all the advancements around us can be dangerous, but if we're smart with how we use them, we can get by just fine. This movie isn't about purging all technology like most robot apocalypse stories are. Instead, it's about using it correctly and not being helpless sheep the second the Wi-Fi gets turned off. Which might just be the most unique thing this movie has going for it story-wise (more on that later).

The Climax: The Mitchells vs. The Machines has everything that I think I climax should have. First off, it utilizes callbacks and jokes that I wouldn't have thought twice on actually coming in handy for how the Mitchells win the day. But showing that Monchi causes the robots to malfunction turns a pretty "eh" joke into a solid case of foreshadowing.

Second, everyone does something. Some characters do more than others, sure, but the fact that every Mitchell, even Monchi, has a hand in beating PAL and her robots is a great sense of writing to me. It shows that you really can't cut anyone from the main cast, as they each add value to how they are essential to the plot. Even Aaron, who arguably does the least in the climax, still manages to be the catalyst to what is easily the best scene in the movie. Speaking of which...

Linda Kicks Ass: By the way, that's the actual name on the soundtrack. I'm not even kidding. Check it.

Anyways, for the most part, Linda seemed like a decent cartoon mom. She's insanely supportive but still has the common sense to keep her foot down, like agreeing with Rick to stay safe in the dino stop the second the apocalypse starts. A pretty fun character, for sure, but nothing too noteworthy...but the second she loses her s**t, Linda Mitchell frickin' SKYROCKETS to the best-cartoon-mom territory! Believe me when I tell you that seeing her slice and dice robots like a middle-aged female Samurai Jack is as awesome as it is hilarious. Does it make sense how she can suddenly do this? No, but at the same time, who gives a s**t about common sense?! Because this moment was epic, and I don't think I'll ever get tired of watching it over and over again.

Rick Learning How to Internet...Again: I consider this the funniest moment in the movie. Trust me, the Furby scene is a close, close, CLOSE, second...but I think this scene was funnier.

The final goodbye: This is what I'm talking about when I say humor adds to the dramatic moments. The Mitchells saying "I love you" in moose is pretty funny, but it's also a sweet moment given that this is absolutely how this family of weirdos would say goodbye to each other. And, yeah, I got a little misty-eyed during this scene. Especially when Rick saw Katie pocketing the moose. That s**t just cuts deep, man.

Alex Hirsch Voices a Character: ...That's it. I look up to Alex Hirsh as everything I want to be as a creator, and the fact that his name is on this movie fills me with joy. He's also a story consultant, so that can also explain why the movie turned out as great as it did...although there are some imperfections.

WHAT I DISLIKE

Katie-vision: What's Katie-vision? Well, throughout the movie, we get to see how Katie views the world as there are these hand-drawn elements that look like effects Katie would add if she was the one who made the movie. At times it can be subtle and cute, like when this little beating heart appears when Katie is talking with Jude and her other friends. It's when the movie is in your face with Katie-vision does it get annoying. Like showing how Katie is lying about being certain she can drive up a vertical ramp or signifying what is the Rick Mitchell Special. Even if you justify that this would be how Katie would edit the movie, it still doesn't change how obnoxious these moments can be. For instance, Monchi is justified to be essential for the plot, but that doesn't mean people won't hate him...I'll still fight them if they do, but that's beside the point.

I can totally accept this being a personal issue, as I'm sure some people enjoy it. As for me, I think Katie-vision works best when used subtly instead of crudely.

The Meme humor: It's something similar here. Because some people like meme humor...but I don't. To me, it just dates your story if you reference memes even once. Now, a show, movie, or book being partially dated is nothing new. We Bare Bears, a series that I love, reference memes, apps, and social media constantly. Yet, the show still has a timeless feel to it as it doesn't rely on those references too much. The Mitchells vs. the Machines doesn't rely on memes as much either. But even then, that doesn't make a difference about how annoying that gibbon monkey joke was. Seriously, what the f**k was that? And how is THAT the joke that gets used twice!?

Underutilizing Mark Bowman: It really bothers me how this guy barely does much. I mean, Mark Bowman is the main reason that anything happens in the movie. Because he mistreated PAL, Mark acts as the catalyst for events to come. So the fact that he could have been written out the second PAL takes control doesn't make sense to me. It's worse since I could see more potential with his character through his relationship with PAL. These two could be anti-Rick and Katie, as Mark and PAL show what happens when people disrespect their family. So separating them halfway through the story, and keeping them as such, is a huge mistake as it results in neither having a proper resolution to their arcs. Like I said, Rick and Katie develop through each other, and the same could have happened with Mark and PAL. It doesn't, making it something that I can't help but feel disappointed about.

The Poseys: These are characters I feel like work better with multiple appearances. Sure, they only have the one joke about being a perfect family, but at the same time, you can make a joke like that work. Look at Yvonne from Shaun of the Dead (Which might just be my favorite movie). That's a bit-character whose only purpose is showing how better she is than Shaun despite being in an eerily similar situation. But she works well as we constantly see how great she's doing in every instance we see her. The same could be done with the Poseys, as using a similar joke for one scene is underutilizing great potential to make an already good movie into a better one.

Plus, if you're gonna shoehorn in a romance between Aaron and Abby Posey, the least you could do is have more than one scene developing that...just saying.

Katie’s and Rick’s “Oh” Moments: I want to make it clear that I actually like these scenes. They're well written and effectively emotional. My problem is that they also happen two seconds apart. There's nothing wrong with having a character realize the error of their ways through a tear-jerking moment. It's a popular tactic for a reason. And given how both Rick and Katie are the protagonists, they both need their own "oh" moment. But you gotta space them out, as it makes things easier to see the emotional manipulation that you're clearly trying to pull on the audience. They work, but putting them back to back is an issue easily solved with at least two minutes of padding, not two seconds.

Katie’s Death Fakeout: This is one of the few instances that a joke doesn't work in the movie, made even more annoying with the fact that I could see the punchline a mile away and kept thinking, "Just get to it already." I'm pretty sure no one bought this, especially when Katie didn't look like she could have gotten killed in any way after throwing PAL. It's poorly handled and proof that even the funniest comedies have a stale joke every now and again.

Nothing New is really being done here: Keep in mind that in terms of style, this movie is incredibly innovative. And here's hoping future animated projects can take notes. But narratively speaking? Yeah, there's nothing really new that this movie is offering.

A story about how technology will be the death of us? Been there.

A story about a group of idiots miraculously saving the world? Done that.

A story about a father forcing their teenager on a road trip so they can spend quality time with each other, thus ruining the teen's chance of hanging out with their girlfriend? Believe it or not, I have seen A Goofy Movie...multiple times...both as a kid and as an adult.

Now, I have no issue with a movie's plot being a bit by-the-books, and in some cases, cliche. If done effectively, and if I still have a good time, I don't think there’s much to complain about. And there isn't with The Mitchells vs. The Machines. The problem lies with that I'll forget this movie along with the dozens of others like it in a couple years. Which might just be the biggest issue any film can have.

---------------------

Overall, I'd give The Mitchells vs. the Machines a well-earned A-. It has nitpicks, sure, but it's still a blast to watch. It might not be innovative or groundbreaking as movies like the last Sony Pictures Animation movie, Spider-Man: Into the Spiderverse. However, it is fun. And when the world is burning down around us, it's nice to have a fun movie that can distract us from all of it. So feel free to log in to Netflix the next time you're in the mood for a film that is great for the whole family. You won’t be disapointed

(And I will talk about The Falcon and the Winter Soldier pretty soon. I just needed to get this out of my system first.)

[laetro]

Alina Chau: Storytelling Inspired by Cultural Diversity

Alina Chau’s creativity has no bounds. From illustrations to children’s books and storytelling, she has some amazing artworks in her kitty!

An artist, filmmaker, illustrator, and more, Alina Chau’s creative vision is strongly influenced by her cultural heritage. Having grown up in Hong Kong in an Indonesian-Chinese family during the British colonial period, the diverse mix of cultures gives her an edge in art, too. Her credits include Emmy Award-winning Star Wars: The Clone Wars animated series. Apart from that, she has numerous best-selling games in her portfolio along with the 2018 APALA Picture Book Honor for illustrating ‘The Nian Monster’.

She finds inspiration in her grandmother’s stories, colorful sarongs, and delicate wooden sculptures from Southeast Asia, as well as in the aroma of stinky tofu, and the sound of Hong Kong tram bells chiming. Alina’s artistic and storytelling abilities are influenced by her unique cultural background and her illustrations are highly sought after for exhibitions worldwide. Her lyrical watercolors have garnered her a devoted fan base and the accolades of her peers.

Q. How would you describe your personal style of art in 3 words?

Alina: Whimsical, multicultural, and storytelling.

Q. How did you begin your journey as an artist? What or who was your inspiration?

Alina: I was a very naughty kid. Drawing is the only activity that can keep me out of trouble. I usually get my inspiration from real-life experiences, stories of loved ones, and close friends. Since my background is animation, my all-time favorite and go-to-place for inspiration would be Frederic Back and Hayo Miyazaki. There is too much to list for artistic inspiration – from the masters in art history to contemporary artists and art from different regions of the globe. I wouldn’t know where to start -Paul Gauguin, Henri Matisse, Marc Chagall, Hokusai, Kazuo Oga, Eyvind Earle, Aya Takano, Charley Harper, etc.

Q. Having grown up in an Indonesian-Chinese family during the British colonial era, are your illustrations influenced or inspired by the diversity of the cultures that you were exposed to?

Alina: Yes, definitely. My natural art style and storytelling voice are the fusion of my cultural background. When I was a kid, I often felt a bit of a misfit in different social groups because I don’t feel I am a perfect fit in any cultural group. That could be hard for a little kid. But overtime, I discovered that this experience makes me adaptable and empathetic to change and differences. It became one of the strongest influences of my creative voice and artistic style.

“I was a very naughty kid. Drawing is the only activity that can keep me out of trouble.”

Q. Tell us about the ‘Star Wars: The Clone Wars’ animated series and the inspiration/story behind it and the mediums or techniques used to create it.

Alina: I was a 3D story artist on The Clone Wars. The Clone Wars is part of the Star Wars saga created by George Lucas. George did not go through the storyboard stage with this show. It went directly from script to 3D animatic (AKA Previsualization). We used Industrial Light Magic’s proprietary 3D software (a program similar to Maya) to block out the keyframes of the characters’ performance and action, vehicle actions, and the cinematography. It was fun and challenging. I have many fond memories of working on the show.

Q. What made you switch from animations to illustrations?

Alina: When I worked for studios as a 3D animator, I developed the hobby of painting and drawing after work to decompress, which gave my eyes some rest after a day of staring into the monitor. One day, my colleague recommended me to join the Totoro Project Exhibitor hosted by Pixar. That gets me into trying out gallery shows and exhibitions. In the beginning, it was just an extracurricular activity outside of work to give me some creative outlet to do my art. As I slowly started getting attention from galleries and clients, I began getting commission inquiries. Eventually, when I could no longer balance my day job and my side gig, I decided to leave the studio and try out an independent art career.

Q. How and what made your career take a path towards creating children’s books?

Alina: During the first few years as an independent artist, I didn’t know what I was doing. I learned from other successful independent artists, trying different business models. I tried almost everything, gallery art, toy design, convention, app design, book illustration, etc. After all the trials and errors, I discovered my passion for storytelling. I love drawing and making a beautiful painting, but deep down, visual storytelling makes me happy. This is the reason I became an animator in the first place. This realization helps me focus my creative direction in children’s book publishing.

Q. What is your illustration process like?

Alina: I am a visual storyteller, so the story always comes first. It doesn’t matter whether I am working on a single stand-alone painting or a story. I try to figure out the kind of story I want to share. Then I focus on capturing the story and its emotional moments. My initial sketches tend to be very rough and loose. Once I feel I start getting the story moment, I will slowly focus on polishing the idea. The early development process tends to take up the most time. When I am ready for the final art, I usually have a clear idea of what the image would be.

Q. What is your vision as an artist for the future?

Alina: I hope to continue to grow and expand my visual vocabulary and explore fun new ideas and push myself out of my comfort zones. As a storyteller and author, I hope to diversify my content, especially giving voices to the under-represented.

Q. According to you what are the key features of a perfect client?

Alina: I appreciate consistent and clear instructions upfront from the beginning and respect that an artist needs adequate time and resources to create good art.

[zechatactics]

Developer Interview: Richmond Lee, Art Director for Zecha Tactics

In Part One of this two-part interview,  we sit down with Richmond Lee, the Art Director for Zecha Tactics and CEO of Bit Egg Inc., to discuss the origins and art inspirations behind Zecha Tactics.

Part Two of the interview is also available here.

Can you tell us a little bit about yourself and Bit Egg?

My name is Richmond Lee. I’m the co-founder of Bit Egg, as well as the CEO, and art director for various projects. I’ve been with the company since we were just three people. We’ve grown a lot in the last couple of years. In the beginning, we were making our own mobile games, but all of us were really into hardcore games like console and PC games.

When we started, we followed the generic advice to make something mainstream that would be a hit before you make what you really want to make. We learned a lot and made some casual games. We also made a lot of classic mistakes. We eventually found ourselves at a crossroads where we could keep going with Bit Egg or move on to something else.

We decided to keep going with indie game development while also pivoting to art outsourcing, which we are very good at. After Bit Egg pivoted, we started hiring more people and getting bigger and bigger outsourcing projects. We stuck to our guns and only took interesting game projects. We’ve worked on a lot of great projects and have learned so much from them.

A big turning point was working on Indivisible from Lab Zero. Their art team was great to work with, and Bit Egg did over 300 characters for that game. Our team kept growing from there. Having revenue from outsourcing lets us take bigger risks with our own games. Zecha Tactics is going to take a lot of resources to make, but it’s also the kind of game that we like, and I just feel ten times more confident making this kind of game.

With your experience at Bit Egg and as someone who hosts an entire podcast dedicated to celebrating art in video games on the Art Eater podcast, how has your interest in art shaped your approach to game development?

My background is in art. I’m definitely very art- and animation-focused, but obviously I also care about the gameplay. So for me as a game developer, not just as an art director, I think the art needs to support the gameplay and vice versa. It all needs to fit together. My favorite games tend to be very concise games, where all their elements fall into place well. The animation needs to serve the gameplay, but it also needs to feel good.

I also have a pretty decent following online now through Art Eater. I tweet a lot about interesting art in other games. I’ll get into stuff like Arc System Works and how they do 2D techniques in 3D. The really great thing about Zecha Tactics is that it’s finally an opportunity to take all the stuff I think is really cool in other people’s games and apply it to something I’m making myself.

What makes Zecha Tactics special? Why is it the first game Bit Egg decided to make?

It’s funny and a weird coincidence that so many indie developers here in Thailand make mecha games. I think it’s just part of the culture. I’ve always liked mecha stuff. Even when I talked to Boom, our lead modeler, he said, “I’m not that into mecha.” I asked him, “Yeah, but how many mecha anime series have you watched?” He listed five of them and several video games too. In America, you would be considered a mecha fan, but here in Thailand, you would consider yourself an average gamer.

As far as why we’re making a tactical strategy game, it’s a favorite kind of game for Stephen (Game Designer for Zecha Tactics). He’s designing the gameplay and it’s the kind of game he’s always wanted to make. When Bit Egg started, we were only making other games, but Stephen wanted to build up to making a tactical strategy game someday. So this is that day. For me, it’s also a chance to put into play a lot of things I think are aesthetically interesting. All that cool stuff I tweet about, I’m really excited to put that into our game.

Zecha Tactics is set in the brand new world of Aldsan-Od with original characters and storylines. What are the challenges that come with creating a new world?

That’s just it, right? Creating something from nothing is really difficult because it’s this big blank canvas. Even if it’s sci-fi mecha turn-based strategy, when it comes time to actually create the world and create the story, you need to focus it.

The most challenging thing for me was figuring out the values that would go into the game that would drive everything else. I don’t want to tell a story just for the sake of it. I don’t want to just have robots fighting for no reason. So we’ve actually been working on the game for a year, and the story has been a very slow brew.

We’ve been refining the gameplay steadily, but the story has been up and down. I’d say the most challenging part was just giving it enough time to figure out … a story that I really wanted to tell and what I ended up with just after the last year of development, talking to people, watching stuff, and looking at stuff.

The core theme we came up with was that it’s obviously an action adventure game, and there’s a power fantasy element, but I want to make it a power fantasy about helping people. So Zecha Tactics is a game where you know you’re powerful and you beat people up and you fight, but in doing that you have the chance to go through this virtual world and make it better.

What is the inspiration for Zecha Tactics in terms of its cel-shaded art style? It’s reminiscent of Arc Systems Works’ Guilty Gear titles. Is that an inspiration point as well?

Guilty Gear is a huge inspiration. I’ve always liked the fighting games from the beginning, and then they’ve really pioneered cel-shading in 3D. I love all animation. I like 3D. I like 2D. But I love drawings. I love 2D animation and it’s really amazing how the Guilty Gear games capture the appeal of 2D in 3D. We’ve learned a lot just from studying these games, so they were a huge inspiration.

Judging from the cinematic teaser trailer for the game, Zecha Tactics looks very much right out of 80s mecha anime popularized by series like Gundam. Were there any specific artistic inspirations? Yeah, a huge inspiration from all 80s and 90s anime! We were inspired by Guilty Gear’s technique and just how handcrafted everything is, but their aesthetic is much more modern and slick. In Zecha Tactics, we’re going for a little bit of an old-school feeling, a little bit more restrained.

Personally, I like mecha and I really like the grunt units. I like the Zaku more than the Gundam. I like the Scopedog in VOTOMS. A lot of fans noticed that Zecha Tactics is very VOTOMS, and that’s another huge inspiration. That’s a series about being the grunt, not like being the hero. The guy that just kind of squeaks by these battles.

A cool thing about developing a game is that we’re not limited to just one thing. We can have lots of different factions, and each faction can sort of explore a different style that we like. The starting faction is very VOTOMS-like. The designer we hired, Shinya Mizuno, I think we’ll talk about him more, but he has a very unique style. We’re definitely going to see more of his idiosyncratic style along with other factions. Naturally other people’s tastes who are working on the game will come through too, like our lead modeler really loves Megaman, so you’ll get a little bit of that flavor naturally too.

Check out Part Two, where Richmond goes into more detail on mecha design and the story and tone for Zecha Tactics!

If you haven’t already, sign up for the Zecha Tactics newsletter to get an exclusive wallpaper and regular updates on Zecha Tactics development!

[comicteaparty]

Webcomic Recommendations

Check out this plethora of webcomic recommendations archived from Comic Tea Party’s Webcomic Recommendations Channel!

Nutty (Court of Roses)

Children of Shadow: Ashes https://spiderforest.com/comics/children-of-shadow-ashes/ Genre: Anthro/Horror/Urban Fantasy Trigger Warnings: Rated Mature for blood, gore, and intense scenes Reasons: Some of the most lovely pencil work I've ever seen, well-rendered animal art and a compelling world!(edited)

Heirs of the Veil https://spiderforest.com/comics/heirs-of-the-veil/ Genre: Drama/Urban Fantasy Trigger Warnings: Rated PG-16+ for transphobia, dysphoria, mental illness, blood, trauma, body horror Reasons: Absolutely gorgeous artwork, really compelling illustrations of the lgbt experience

Aloe https://spiderforest.com/comics/aloe/ Genre: Adventure/Drama/Sci-Fi Trigger Warnings: Rated Teen for violence and blood Reasons: I'm normally not into sci-fi but this comic is so bright and colorful, I really love it a lot. Also the main character is non-binary!

Millennium https://spiderforest.com/comics/millennium/ Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Sci-fi Trigger Warnings: Rated PG-13 for Mild Violence and Mild Language Reasons: Lovely art, fun characters, and an engaging space world! I love it so so much.

Sombulus https://spiderforest.com/comics/sombulus/ Genre: Adventure/Comedy/Fantast Trigger Warnings: Rated Young Adult, no warnings Reasons: An absolute blast, super fun story and characters, with a nice long archive too!

Arbalest https://spiderforest.com/comics/arbalest/ Genre: Fantasy/Horror Trigger Warnings: Rated Mature for partial nudity, blood/gore, sex, themes of abuse Reasons: A really compelling story in a non-traditional narrative style, and super spooky to boot.

And finally, to top this off, I'll drop in my own comic as well! Court of Roses https://spiderforest.com/comics/court-of-roses/ Genre: Adventure/Fantasy/Comedy Trigger Warnings: Rated Teen, for Fantasy Violence and Alcohol Use Reasons: Because this is my comic and it's my pride and joy and I love my bards a lot. :3

AntiBunny

Dead Winter http://deadwinter.cc/ Genre: Zombie Apocalypse Trigger Warnings: Violent Reasons: Well it's a straightforward zombie survival comic. What's impressive is how well the artist has studied comics as an art form and put thought and purpose into every panel.

HiddenElephant

http://welcome2earth.webcomic.ws/ Snarky alien crashes onto Earth. Not enough people are reading it in my opinion.

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

Super Galaxy Knights Deluxe R: http://sgkdr.thecomicseries.com/ Genre: Action, Comedy Trigger Warnings: Blood, Dismemberment Reasons: A recommendation for @Goobatron . It's my comic. The creator is me. Super Galaxy Knights is a story about Mizuki Sato, who goes on adventures through a strange world, making friends along the way. The dialogue is like... 70% banter, 30% total non-sequiturs. The art style uses 3D models, in like a weird cel-shaded style that's meant to be reminiscent of games like Wind Waker and Dragon Ball FighterZ. And there's also a bunch of animated panels/pages. There's also a ton of really strange characters. Like there's a dude whose power is that he always wins knife fights. There's a wizard who shrinks hot dogs and carries them around in capsules. Etc. One warning - the early pages are a bit rough-looking. Some have been redrawn recently, but others haven't yet, so it can be a bit jarring to go back and forth between styles.

Cap’n Lee (Flowerlark Studios)

Clockwork http://www.clockwork-comic.com/ Genre: Fantasy / Drama CW: Some language and violence Clockwork is a comic about Cog Kleinshmidt, a moody teenager with an uncanny talent for repairing machinery. He feels he’s a nobody, but is swept into the turbulent world of politics, and is forced to learn magic in a world where magic is strictly forbidden. The art in this comic is incredibly polished and lively, and the characters are all instantly endearing. The writing is also top-notch. The first time I read it, I was completely sucked in after only a few pages. It’s currently on hiatus while the creator prepares the next chapter, but it’s well worth the wait.(edited)

Moral_Gutpunch

Micheal Morbius: Freelance Vampire http://freelancevampire.thecomicseries.com/ Genre: Drama, comedy Trigger: mentions of death and violence, talk of abusive relationships, mention of rape. It's all in dialog. Micheal Morbius, from Marvel comics, struggles to adjust to a as normal a life as a vampire can have. He helps a friend get back on her feet, he goes through therapy, and he's visited by Spider-heroes, this time a new one. Meanwhile, a true monster lurks int he shadows. The art isn't good, but the story and dialog are worth it. It's my comic. I hope after I get a few more pages going people will enjoy the story. It's a story I've been wanting to write for ages and I figured I'm not going to write for Marvel anytime soon (yes, I checked copyright law, Marvel allows this). Dedicated to Stan Lee.

Pakky

The Boy Who Fell http://boywhofell.com/ Genre: Drama, Adventure, Action, Comedy TW: Violence, blood, fighting, ptsd, suicide, death Synopsis (from the website): The Boy Who Fell revolves around an innocent, softhearted and almost-spineless boy named Ren who suddenly finds himself in Hell after accidentally falling off a school rooftop. He is then forced to partake in a tournament full of powerful and vicious beings in order to attain his only way of going home: an all-powerful wish from the ruler of Hell himself. As the story progresses, lines between allies and enemies are blurred, dark pasts are revealed, political issues come to light and all the while, Ren slowly realizes that in order to survive this journey, he might have to give up the very things that make him human I love this webcomic and have been following this artist for over 10 years now and recommend their work to anyone who will listen haha! Super long running webcomic with a well developed storyline and world.

Shizamura 🌟 O Sarilho

Broken http://broken.spiderforest.com/ Genre: Horror Trigger Warnings: Military, death, monsters Reasons: Broken offers a very interesting twist on the concepts of fairies, presenting you with a fairy general on the battlefield fighting against corrupted abominations. The concepts and worldbuilding here are very interesting and the battle/action scenes are great. Often makes use of animation and some HTML/CSS for extra effect. Of Magic and Muses https://xiicomic.com/magic-and-muses/ Genre: Magical Girls, mystery Trigger Warnings: There's a big monster at some point? Reasons: It's a magical girl story! Except nobody knows what's happening, the powers the girls get are maybe not of a friendly nature and they wear armor? The escalation of events is suberb. It has a large (and growing) cast, but each character has their own unique personality, making them super easy to follow and love. Ghost Junk Sickness https://www.ghostjunksickness.com/ Genre: action, sci-fi Trigger Warnings: violence, limb loss, death Reasons: There's a lot to be said about this comic! I really like the characters, who are deeply flawed and charming and make a lot of mistakes (the main duo having an especially interesting, yet sorta problematic dynamic). The worldbuilding is interesting and quirky to match. The mysterious bounty The Ghost is a looming presence, and apparently we'll be learning more about them soon. Super exciting and fun action scenes too!

Desnik

https://monsterhead.net/ Genre: LGBT+ American rural occult fantasy Trigger Warnings: Animal death, mild body horror Reasons: The author/artist is an OC-loving member of the LGBT+ community, and her work deals with self-love in the face of weird circumstances. Love the colors, Carter is an appealing and relatable main character, and the worldbuilding is something I've never seen before.

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

http://www.phantomarine.com/ Genre: Fantasy, Supernatural Trigger Warnings: Death, Mild Body Horror, Mild Violence, Mild Language Reasons: ...This is my comic! (edited)

Phantomarine is a spooky-but-sweet fantasy webcomic about a ghostly princess and her perilous journey across a haunted sea, hoping to save her soul from a devious, shapeshifting death god known as the Red Tide King. Expect all manner of maritime mysteries – monstrous sea creatures, sacred lighthouses, strange afflictions, accursed marauders, feuding gods, grand sea battles, and a heaping helping of humor in-between.

eliushi [Keyspace]

https://tapas.io/series/KEYSPACE-A-Winged-Tale/ https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/keyspace-a-winged-tale/list?title_no=322364 Genre: YA Science Fantasy, LGBT+ Trigger warnings: Mild body horror/violence/monsters, death Reasons: My comic Blurb: Florence thought her idyllic life living with the winged beings would last forever. However, when her mother disappears from a mysterious expedition, she fears for the worst. Through exploring hidden laboratory tunnels beneath the forest, facing Machines from a century-long war against humans, and seeking guidance from the Lost people from a civilization gone by, Flo and her winged friends must piece together the past in order to save all those they love.

Shizamura 🌟 O Sarilho

O Sarilho https://www.sarilho.net/en Genre: Post-Apocaliptic/Sci-fi Trigger Warnings: War, military, death Reasons: I make it Short description: A small team goes on a mission to enemy territory to find the remains of an ancient satellite and they end up finding a lot more. There are computers and dams and electricity-worshipping future romans (edited)

GGY

Tile: Over 8 Miles https://tapas.io/episode/859067 Genre: Drama, Comedy, Slice of Life Reasons I make it: Cause its fun and I enjoy sharing the existence of my characters and their life outside my brain

Emma (Friends or Lovers?)

Dreamwalker Felix by KT and TK https://tapas.io/series/Dreamwalker-Felix and https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/dreamwalker-felix/list?title_no=182487 Genre: Fantasy/Supernatural Trigger Warnings: There's some body horror in there Reasons: The art is just beautiful, and it has tons of funny moments Friends or Lovers? by yours truly https://tapas.io/series/friendsorlovers and https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/friends-or-lovers/list?title_no=49520 Genre: Romance/school slice of life Trigger Warnings: Mentions and depictions of bullying Reasons: It's my comic, so I'll just quote a reader: "Your comic is more accurate to real teens in love in high school than most. It's really good stuff"

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Earth in a Pocket http://earthinapocket.spiderforest.com/ Genre: Retro Sci-fi, Iyashikei Trigger Warnings: none Reasons: This comic posted its final page very recently! It's a relatively short read; very gentle and hopeful without being cavity-causingly sweet. The creator has put together such a heartwarming story that I've been adoring for a while. One of my faves, now complete!

renieplayerone

O Human Star https://ohumanstar.com/ Genre: Scifi, Robots, Drama TW: Dysphoria, Depression Reasons: The characters are so well written and emotional, plus I love the simplistic color palette. They get across the journey of self-discovery in such an interesting way.(edited)

carcarchu

Arcane Flames https://tapas.io/series/Arcane-Flames Genre: Fantasy Trigger Warnings: death? Reasons: I've been following kutty sark for many years now and I've really been looking forward to this comic which I'm pleased to say even exceeded my expectations. Fantastic art and the tone of the story is just lovely, i adore al'vis

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

https://sfeertheory.com/ The art is incredible. Every character, even the background ones, is full of personality. I love a good underdog story, and Luca's speech in chapter three made me scream into my hands and tear up. I can't recommend it highly enough

Tantz Aerine (Without Moonlight)

http://secondcrimeanwar.thecomicseries.com/

The Second Crimean War is a powerful and fun story in an alternate 1990s decade in Ukraine. The art is black and white and improves in leaps and bounces as you move on in the story! The story itself draws you in from page one. There's suspense, there's (black) humor, there's atmosphere and adventure. Highly recommended if you like war/action/suspense.

varethane

Have you ever read Nasty Red Dogs? https://nastyreddogs.com/

oh golly, haha

yeah, it's a fun and twisted and surreal little tale, the early parts especially are like walking through a really bizarre dream that if you describe it, it ought to be called a nightmare, but at the moment you're in it, it doesn't FEEL like one lol

the creator also does a comic called Feast For A King, which I think is more well-known but I haven't read yet (will at some point tho): https://feastforaking.com/comic/

kelly-zine

Title: Zyra Slash Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy, Slice-Of-Life TW: None (for right now at least, it just started!) Reasons: I love Alex and their characters so much! ZS is a project I’ve been following and chatting with them about for a long time and it’s amazing to see it come to fruition. I think you’ll like it too. (Note that it’s on hiatus at the moment!) https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/zyra-slash/list?title_no=373763

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Title: Ark https://www.arkcomic.com/ Genre: Fantasy, Drama, Anthro TW: violence (nothing heavy yet, but my Spider Senses are tingling) Reasons: A 1920s-inspired, extremely believable fantasy setting. Hints of racial tension and a possible war brewing on the horizon. It's pretty early in the story, so hop in and claim the front row seats for this gorgeously illustrated comic! (edited)

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

Tamberlane https://www.tamberlanecomic.com/ Genre: slice of life, heartwarming, Anthro It has a cast of colourful characters. Charming story of a clumsy bat named Belfry who adopts a little human. Various animal neighbors to love

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

I found one of the Chinese webcomics I use to follow, is now on Webtoons. They rename the title to: The Emperor's New Body because it's about body swapping and has interesting depth while some silly hijinks https://tapas.io/series/the-emperors-new-body(edited)

trinketfox

May as well rec my first ever favorite webcomic! Warrior U! https://warrior-u-thecomic.tumblr.com/ It's so expressive and funny that I've always wished it would become a show on cartoon network or something. Only the first few pages are still up on this tumblr since the official site is down, but all chapters are on the artist's gumroad!

It's an episodic comedy fantasy that goes from page-long gags to full episodes. Reccomended for it's humor and a really fun art style.

SteffieMusings

Nebula Beings https://tapas.io/series/Nebula-Beings Genre: Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Horror/Thriller Trigger Warnings: Violence, scary imagery (especially in chapter 7), talks/implied past abuse Reasons: It's a fun series and the two main characters learn to overcome challenges during their travels.(edited)

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

http://humoncomics.com/elftaken-1

Very short comic about the fae!

shadowhood {SunnyxRain}

For anyone who wants really strong character development/plot/art in general, I’m recommending Heir’s Game https://www.webtoons.com/en/drama/heirs-game/list?title_no=1445 For slapstick humor and characters with strong platonic bonds I give you Waffles and Pancakes https://www.webtoons.com/en/slice-of-life/waffles-and-pancakes/list?title_no=1310 And because why not, and if you like Victorian romance with a cute bickering couple, I give you Miss Abbott and the Doctor https://www.webtoons.com/en/romance/miss-abbott-and-the-doctor/list?title_no=707

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

Encephalon Genre: Sci-Fi, Horror Trigger Warnings: Blood, Gore, Strong Language A rescue crew sent to an abandoned space station comes face-to-face with a bio-computer experiment gone horribly wrong. A sci-fi webcomic with body-horror elements. Very creepy stuff! It's just getting started, but after seeing the rest of the story in thumbnail form (my IRL friend is the making it), it's going to AWESOME places. Please check it out! https://encephalon-comic.com/

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

This is: Mirror Mirror for 'Brain' short story contest entry. The 1st ep caught my eye and I'm invested in it https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/mirror-mirror-b/list?title_no=427186(edited)

carcarchu

https://www.lezhin.com/en/comic/freak Genre: fantasy Trigger Warnings: violence? Reasons: sakon's art is brilliant and incredibly consistent. season 1 is now available to read for free!

sagaholmgaard

Genre: Supernatural, urban fantasy, slice of life Trigger Warnings: Maybe abusive parents? idk i feel like it will be explored in the future Reasons: I love the art style and the latest chapter have some CHAOTIC ENERGY and im living for it!! https://tapas.io/series/bygonesbe

GGY

Just got back from hiatus! If y’all are interested in some slice of life + comedy drama I’d like to share my webcomic Over 8 Miles: https://tapas.io/series/O8M/ep39

carcarchu

Veni Vidi Vici https://vevivi.blog.fc2.com/blog-entry-1.html Genre: slice of life, comedy Reasons: reading this comic feels so comfy and it reminds me of being in roman studies class again. you can really see the love and care that Ruby has put into this comic and her passion for ancient rome is really on full display in this work

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

This is the comic books for Cafe Suada I used to read way back. It's a fun slice of life about a teahouse shop keeper rivals with a coffee shop manager https://tapas.io/series/Cafe-Suada The artist used some traditonal tea staining for the textures. The story inspired me to draw my own slice of life series(edited)

sierrabravo (Hans Vogel is Dead)

The Strange Tale of Oscar Zahn https://www.webtoons.com/en/fantasy/the-strange-tales-of-oscar-zahn/list?title_no=685&page=1 Genre: Paranatural Investigation with just a dash of Cosmic Horror Kinda spooky, some light/fantasy violence From the website: Follow the journey of the world's greatest paranormal investigator - Oscar Zahn. Friend to lost souls, enemy of evil, he may lack a body but that doesn't mean he's missing a heart! The art is INCREDIBLE, the tone is really fun with some neat Hellboy vibes, it's complete and it's a good binge read. I really enjoyed it!

carcarchu

Short story about a cat, make sure you've got tissues ready https://akimiya.tumblr.com/post/129049384624

boogeymadam

just caught up with wychwood and it's such a huge treat!! there's some amazingly fun worldbuilding, a lot of intrigue about how the protagonists came to have the powers they do, and the motives behind the things that made the world the way it is * _ * it's also got soooo many pretty derelict environments, cool creature design and fun training montages! http://wychwood.sevensmith.net/comic/1

Yung Skrimp (Carefree)

I started reading Cloven Hearth, it’s interesting and has a really cool art style

https://twitter.com/ruinationcomics/status/1254126660007399425?s=21(edited)

carcarchu

Hana and Mr. Arrogant https://www.ciayo.com/en/comic/hana-mr-arrogant Genre: romance Reasons: Easy breezy read, with nice art and a super likeable heroine! Nothing we've never seen before, but delivered with genuine heart that makes it stand out

LabsZach

This one esp, with the greenery shifting into dirt, roots, and mushrooms, and how it compliments the figures on it is just aces. https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/cloven-hearth/touch-of-the-divine/viewer?title_no=396780&episode_no=14

boogeymadam

recently binged malverav's comic Love and War and it is sooo satisfying, about 2 competitors in a medieval tournament involving jousting, archery and more! The banter between Svanhildur and Marinelle had me grinning a lot. Also, it's a wlw rivals-to-lovers romance aka a GREAT kinda love story!! (my favorite kind ) it's on tapas https://tapas.io/series/Love-and-War/info

carcarchu

cronaj's sports comment got me thinking about this and how damn good it is https://tapas.io/episode/968762 Genre: Sports, drama Reasons: it's insanely creative and the art is so intense, i found it extremely memorable and powerful to read(edited)

carcarchu

Came across this stunning webtoon today. It was originally published on taiwanese webtoon and the author has decided to tl into english to share with a wider audience https://www.webtoons.com/en/challenge/intertidal/list?title_no=371176 Really gorgeous traditionally drawn comic and a lovely poetic writing style

carcarchu

the winner of this year's eisners awards for best webcomic. definitely worth checking out! https://friedricecomic.com/

[scrawnydutchman]

Why ‘Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse’s Animation is So Amazing

So those followers of my blog may know that I posted a full film review of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse rather recently. You’re welcome to go check it out if you haven’t yet, but the short version of it is that it’s my favorite movie of 2018 and is, in my opinion, the best comic book film ever made. But I wanted to address something about the film that I keep seeing coming up. I’ve been watching a handful of reviews for the film online and in a great deal of them I hear people bring up how they were skeptical of the animation style when they first saw the trailers because it “looked choppy”. One film critic in particular by the name of Roger Moore actually still held that critique against the film even after seeing it when he posted his review of it. Most people have come around to enjoying the films animation and have put the idea of it being choppy at the backs of their heads. But what did they mean initially?  The problem with a lot of film critics when it comes to judging an animated feature is that sadly they can come from a misinformed place about the medium and create this negative stigma around a film that isn’t justified. Animation is already fighting a number of prejudices (people saying it’s only for kids, saying it’s a genre and not a medium and any other amount of reasons why they may think they are above it) so this added one does not help what is easily the most spectacular animated film of 2018. But I myself am an animator, so I feel I can come from a place of explaining the visuals in a way that may make the still skeptical viewers more appreciative of what the film is trying to accomplish. With that in mind, here’s why the films animation works so well.

Animating on 2s, not on 1s

When it comes to animation, whether it be 2D or 3D, audiences are typically used to a consistent and fluid motion where there is virtually no break in the motion of a character or object. Simply put; it’s as fluid as fluid animation can be. In these cases, this is because the animation was done on “1s”. But what does that mean?

With a few exceptions, it’s a universal rule that animation runs at 24 frames per second. That means every second of footage you see of an animated film can have as many as 24 unique drawings or adjusted poses in them. That’s a lot of work, but animation legends like Richard Williams (director of Who Framed Roger Rabbit?) are famous for having classical animation of this stature. However, just because you CAN fill each second with that many drawings doesn’t mean everybody does. Alternatively you could have 12 drawings in each frame and just double the amount of time you see them go by. When you do this, it’s called animating on “2s”. It’s half the work for a result that may not be quite as fluid as animating on 1s but still looks convincing enough to deceive the human eye. You could even go as far as animating on 3s and animating on 4s, but the higher you go the more you increase the risk of your animation looking “choppy”. Spider-Verse in particular has most of their frames on 2s, with a few exceptions being when the characters have to keep up with complex camera work and so they go back to 1s. So that would explain why a lot of people initially thought the animation was “choppy” . . . .but are there any advantages to doing animation this way aside from having less frames to fill? Indeed there is. When you increase the exposure of any frame, the layout and composition of said frame as well as any small details has a greater chance of sticking out in the viewers mind. Spider-Verse takes exceptional advantage of this fact because every little action in this film is like a beautiful work of pop art. There can be other ways you can inject great appeal in your animation besides making it “fluid” like making every drawing crisp and full of detail and if you’re a skilled enough animator you can make your animation deceive the eye through a number of other tricks which we will go into in a bit. I can’t think of a finer example of this point than Legendary indie animator Bill Plympton.

Bill Plympton is famous for having his drawing exposures in the 3s and 4s, having every drawing have vivid detail with complex shading and sketchy lines, but he still manages to create believably moving and behaving characters and set pieces in spite of this limitation.

So how is it done? How does an animator make convincing and appealing movement with a decisively limited amount of drawings? Let’s start with good posing.

Posing

I’m of the opinion that Spider-Man lends himself to good animation more than any other superhero. Because of all superheroes, nobody has as many interesting poses, weight shifting and as much natural progression between actions as the web slinger. His main mode of transportation is swinging around, using his weight distribution and kicks and lunges to propel himself in any direction he wants and as he tries to make a turn he has to push himself into another direction, fighting the force that pushed him the other way to begin with. Contrast this with Superman who can just fly right over to where he needs to be without much movement of his arms and legs and without much struggle with incoming obstacles (fun fact, the whole reason Superman can even fly in the first place is because it’s easier to animate than have him leap everywhere). But anyway, back to Spidey. In most animation you develop key poses. Key poses are the main storytelling positions a character may have just to communicate the idea that they’re doing whatever it is they’re doing. So for example if you were to animate a jump, you would start by drawing the position of your character bending their legs to launch themselves up, then you would have them in mid air, then you would have them land again.

Once you create poses that tell the story well enough, you would fill in the rest between. But the key poses are VERY important to get right. To make sure there couldn’t possibly be any confusion as to what the characters are doing or even who they are, animators often ask themselves “would I know what’s happening here even if I put it in silhouette”? To add to the fluidity of the animation in a way that doesn’t compromise the chosen amount of frame exposure, poses also tend to follow a “line of action”. Basically the whole body follows the direction of a drawn line and maintains it’s course in order to really sell the action. It helps for exaggeration and for developing after aspects like arcs.

Now as I said before, Spider-Man is a particularly advantageous character when it comes to this stuff. Because he’s acrobatic. He’s shifts his weight a lot. His most iconic poses as a character lend themselves greatly to silhouette. Also, he happens to be very easy to draw. Even if all you did was draw a red stickman with spider eyes we could instantly tell who it is.

The animators for Spider-Verse knew exactly what kind of beast they were dealing with and MAN OH MAN did they have fun with it. Not only did they perfectly capture the way the classic Spidey moves, but they also gave every different Spider-Person their own take on it. Spider-Gwen moves with the grace and elegance of a ballet dancer, Noir Spidey has a less ambitious and more straight forward way of moving around (kind of “old school) if you will. Then of course you have Peni Parker recreating the anime aesthetic and Spider-Ham with all the elasticity of a cartoon.

*here’s a little Spidey animation I did a while ago.

Squash and Stretch, Anticipation, Overlapping Action, Follow Through

If anybody takes an animation class or tries to learn animation on their own, chances are Squash and Stretch will be the first animation principle listed. It’s exactly what it sounds like. Animators will often contort the model of their character to give whatever is happening more elasticity and to fill the gaps of an arc if drawings are a considerable distance away from each other. It helps the human eye track where an object is going and it can also help with principles like anticipation and follow through. Anticipation is the build up to an action. Think bending your knees before you lunge yourself upward for a jump. Because that momentum has to come from somewhere. Then there’s overlapping action, which is when dragging items on a character’s design such as clothes, capes, long ears, tails or what have you, are trailing along and need to catch up to the rest of the body. Spider-Verse does great with both these principles, especially with Spider-Ham and Noir Spidey. Spider-Ham is obviously influenced by Looney Tunes and other cartoony inspirations so he’ll be prone to doing a lot of squishing and stretching, where as Noir Spidey has the long trenchcoat and hat and you can bet that they’ll always be the last part of him to reach his destination (as well as be the most susceptible to wind). And of course, every character in Spider-Verse has great anticipation  . . . as well as what I think of as anticipation’s opposite, follow through. When an action stops, the body needs a moment to adjust itself into the resting position. Think catching yourself with your legs after a jump, crouching down and then standing back up again. Just like how momentum has to come from somewhere, it has to go somewhere when the action is over.

Appeal

So everything I covered thus far is stuff that’s universal across all forms of animation. But What does Spider-Verse do that makes it special? What separates it from other animated films in the theater? The answer is appeal. Appeal is just having a style and aesthetic that’s pleasing to look at . . . and man does Spider-Verse ever cover that. The film goes so far out of it’s way to look like a comic book that every texture has ben-day-dots so it literally looks like a comic print. Every Spider-Person has their own way of moving, their own way of behaving, their own sets of priorities when it comes to the 12 principles of animation. But the film also has a lot of really clever cheats. One of my favorite examples of this is how the film cheats forced perspective. There are many shots in the film where Miles is falling through the city as the buildings rush past him. The animators actually skewed the models of the buildings for these shots to imitate depth, as when they tried it without the skewing it didn’t looks like they were falling fast enough. They also implemented more classical cheats like smears, basically an animators method of imitating motion blur.

I could go on and on with the animation lecture, but honestly, I covered what I wanted to cover. I just wanted to showcase to anybody who may not be aware that animation is more than just “fluidity” and a seamless framerate and that there’s more ways to create appealing visuals than just that. If you haven’t seen it yet, go see Spider-Verse. It is a masterpiece.