Day 69: Tiny an Everest

After yesterday's more elaborate post, it's back to a slightly simpler one today. The supporting characters  Tiny and Everest are back. I like these guys. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 68: word on the street

Change of scene and of course, introducing more characters  (Anybody keeping count of the supporting cast  If you have, let me know how many I'm up to, cause I'm afraid to count.) These two handsome fellows are Tiny and Everest (after the mountain, not the pup...who is also named after the mountain, I think...)

Now, I did not have a chance to post yesterday, so I figured I'd better make this a little interesting. As such, here's a little bit of an explanation of how I ink. I have posted a few videos showing different panels (here, here, here and this one expands on the previous one. And this is a slightly longer one (5min) with a voiceover), but here I'll try to explain it. 

Below you see how I first "rule" all the background. I don't worry so much about keeping it clean or exact. It's more about getting all the lines in and doing my best to keep the perspective correct (always a challenge). I also make sure I use thicker lines closer to the reader and thinner lines further back. 

I then clean up the lines and add some details. Most of the detail work is done freehand to counteract the hard ruled lines. I always feel like calling it quits at this stage. I mean, who needs characters...really...?!? 

That being said, at the time of pencilling this page, I asked for some advice on whether or not I needed the background buildings, especially as there is a lot of dialog in this panel. A good friend of mine, (whose name, in an attempt to avoid sounding like I'm name-dropping, I will leave out (Mike Collins, whose list of credits is WAY too long include)...) pointed out that everything always looks better with backgrounds. 

Now that I have established the scene and made sure the background works, it's time for the characters. I always try to do the outlines of the characters first, again to make sure you can clearly see which character is in front of which and that they stand out from the background. After that is the fun part of  filling all the details and presto, panel is done. (Minus lettering and coloring, of course...)

Any questions or comments regarding my process, please let me know. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 67: Here we go!!

Anybody else have Monday great you like this?

And what I needed was more supporting characters...

Anyway, apologies. I had to choose between continuing getting work done or posting updates this weekend. So this is me leaving the weekend behind. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 66: one of those days...

Here's yet ANOTHER supporting character  This Jon's landlady. She doesn't have too big of a role this time around but I believe she will pop up again. 

Jon is glad it Friday!! Ain't we all?

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 65: Here we go!!

Jon is off for the next page (now that page18 is done.)

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 64: who'd have guessed?!?

Lot of waiting around today, so I got a chance to post after all. So just to finish off the month properly, here is all of page 18!! Yep, one more in the can!! Both Tommy and Miss. Hills are present and they will both return later. Now it's time to introduce more supporting characters and a new location which will play a good part of the rest of the story. 

As always, any thoughts, comments and:or feedback is more than welcome. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 63: Now listen up.

Jon passing some knowledge on to Tommy the Kid. 

No update for the next few days (most likely) as it's treatment time for my son again. Promise to be back with a vengeance as soon as I can. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 62: Two days in a row?!?

Don't tell anyone but I think I'm back on schedule!! I probably just jinxed it... oh, well...

And look, here's another character come to yell at me... I told you Tommy "the Kid" Bambino would be back....or I think I did...

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 60: everyone's a critic...

"None of theses panels make any sense..."

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 59: angry characters

**Due to major technical issues, this did not get posted two days ago . I'm sorry.**

"You are posting late!!!"

"Honestly, what are you dilly-dallying for?!? Get on with it!!"

Apologies. Technical issues stopped me from posting. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 58: ...oh, snap...

"Here you have pictures of a bunch of artists who work faster than Charlie...". Everyone's a critic, even Miss. Hills...

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 57: INK!!!

Apologies time again. Work was done yesterday but nothing I could post. At least not for the time being. You can check out some of the previous pencils and try to imagine where I've gone from there. 

Also had a bit of a planning session for all planned work yesterday. If I want to make set deadlines (not counting any unforeseen changes) I have to stick to schedule. So far so good (one day in, I know!!) And as you can see both Jon and Miss. Hills are both shocked and surprised by said scheduling. 

If you have any questions or comments, please let me know. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 50: This is done, right?

I blame USS Callister!! Without its existence, I would have gotten more done and been able to mark Day 50 better... then again, those fifty days have not been as consecutive as I would have liked, so maybe I'll save the bells and whistles for day 75 or day 100. Unfortunately, not all the blog-"reports" can be as cool as yesterday's or Day 43 or even 23. 

Anyway, this is done, right?

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 48: Plenty paperwork.

Always a lot of things to keep straight with these things. When I "introduced" Miss Plenty Hills in Jon Pay, PI: The Comedy is Over I decided to add a flower pattern to her dress. Now... (convoluted part coming up...) Prizefighters & Knickerbockers (the story I am currently working on and showing you panels from) has been in the works for quite a few years. It consists of 46 pages of which 28 pages were actually penciled traditionally. When the opportunity to do TCiO with Turncoat Press here in Cork, Ireland, with my partner-in-crime (known to some as the Script Doctor. To me, he is known as friend and writing-mentor) Rob X Román, I was working digitally and working quite a bit faster. As a result, TCiO skipped the chronological queue. Also, as stated, I changed Plenty's dress. So the pattern does not exist on any of the pencils and I keep having to remember to put it back in. Had the same thing happen with Rod Hatchet's pinstriped tuxedo.... why do I keep doing this to myself...?!?

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 46: what happened?

I'm here! Sorry. This week knocked the wind out of my sails. A bit more than I expected. Trying to get back in to it. 

So here's the panel I've been dipping in and out of. This page features mostly Jon and his secretary, Plentance Hills, fondly referred to by her friends as Plenty. Another supporting character will show up in a few panels, but we'll get back to him then. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology. 

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2018.)

Day 45: opening doors

Small panel, small update. The door opens to a new year, a new scene and new possibilities. 

There will not be an update tomorrow as it is treatment day for my son. I'll be back in two days.

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology (for a very reasonable price if I do say so myself... and I'm a cheapscape...)

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2017.)

Day 44: here we go!

Here is the post I promised yesterday  Yes, it was one of those days and this was all I got. However (in danger of coming across too philosophical) this is a great symbol for 2018 for me: a blank page, full of endless possibilities and opportunities.

Happy New Years, everybody and all the best for 2018. (And as for you 2017... you can shove it up your rear!!)

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology (for a very reasonable price if I do say so myself... and I'm a cheapscape...)

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2017.)

Day 43: Page 17 done...FINALLY

A little late in the day but got there in the end. (Two min past midnight depending on your time zone, but who's counting, right...?)

I edited the halfway video to show the whole page with everybody: Gus, Jack, Ella, the unnamed street singers and a lot of supporting cast. 

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology (for a very reasonable price if I do say so myself... and I'm a cheapscape...)

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2017.)

Day 42: ...seriously?!?

Seriously?!? I'm not done with this panel yet?!? SERIOUSLY??!!??

In the words of the great FMCuonzo "hooboy!!!"

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology (for a very reasonable price if I do say so myself... and I'm a cheapscape...)

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2017.)

Day 41: Wwwwwhhhyyyyy!?!?

I love these kinds of backgrounds, but they are SOOOOO much work. They are also one of many reasons "doing a panel a day" is actually a challenge...

If you want to learn more about Jon Pay or Gus MacDugal, there are three comics available on ComiXology (for a very reasonable price if I do say so myself... and I'm a cheapscape...)

(Jon Pay, PI and All supporting characters ™ & ©, C. A. Aabø, 2017.)