Brittle Hill progress

Hi Judy
Just contacted you on FB. We have both a 'me' page
https://www.facebook.com/alan.spinney.7
and a 'painting page'. Plus the website, helenalanspinney.com.
Plus the blog. Whew
No Instagram yet, and no Tumblr or Pinterest either, ha ha

I like Pintrest for storing sites that I want to remember. But I've haven't found any use for Tumblr since there is no way to actively link to the website that is being featured. I have not clue why. It doesn't make any sense to me at all.

Cover art for the third issue of Brittle Hill, available mid November online:


A screen shot of inked panel from Brittle Hill issue 3, with pencil drawing still visible here and there:


Screen shot of a detail from Panel 1, page 2 of Brittle Hill issue 3:


The pencil drawings were done with a mechanical pencil on tracing paper.
Inks were all done digitally, with Wacom tablet and cursor.
Colouring is also digital, using Photoshop brushes.

Fantastic!... I have to get my hand on one of these comic books. Haven't done it yet. But your drawings look so good. I like cartooning too, but to bad we only have so much time in a day...

Very impressive, Alan.

Thanks Faisal and Crystal! I'll post the link to purchase issue 3 (pdf) once it's released. And now, back to Alan's Learning Curve, October edition

Looking good. It looks and sounds like you are getting quite proficient with the Wacom digital art.

Thanks Judy. It is taking a while to get used to the tablet, but I like it now. I realized that I could swivel the image on the screen, so my hand motions are still natural while I draw curved hair, etc. That made a big difference in allowing me to feel comfortable drawing with a plastic stylus on a piece of plastic

The ability to swivel the image is a definite plus in using the tablet.

So glad to see you continuing the comic - looking good!

Interview with us about Brittle Hill, first published last weekend in the Saturday edition of a New Brunswick daily paper, the Telegraph Journal:

http://musicnerd.ca/brittle-hill-the-couple-behind-the-comic-book/

We released our third issue of the Brittle Hill comic book on Saturday in Halifax Nova Scotia.
The release coincided with a Science Fiction/Comic Convention that attracts 6000 people over 3 days.

We were invited to share 2 tables for a few hours each, and did an in-store signing too, all in one very busy day.
The comic is available online now, just visit our website page at www.brittlehill.com


Taking position at about 9am, before the show opened to the ticket holders...


A table at Strange Adventures Comic Store in downtown Halifax NS

Excellent interview. It was fascinating to learn more about how this all came about.

Thanks Judy! I have roughly estimated that it takes 4 days per page to produce this comic book series. A lot more than I would have thought. Fun, creative and hard work, which is, I suppose, no real surprise. Thanks for reading the interview!

I enjoyed the interview also. Anything worth doing requires a lot of work, doesn't it!!!!

Hi Jan, yes, most people who don't create things don't understand how much work is involved. It's not their fault; they pay a few dollars to watch a movie that cost $200M, or click on a TV show that cost $2M an episode. It's worth explaining the process, so they see what a labour of love it can be to create.

So true Alan...

Back to drawing the Brittle Hill comic book now, issue 4. My life circumstances have just changed (yet) again so I have time to draw, but I'm not drawing a salary. Tough grind, but I am remaining positive and channeling the angst and ambiance into the art and applications. More later.

Sigh!… I hope things improve for you. I know it might be ridiculous to say since I am sitting in Texas. But please let me know if I can be of any assistance…. Anything to help a fellow artist.

Sorry to hear about the change. Why is it whenever things seem to be going really great and you are in exciting times, something always spoils it? I guess life would be very boring without it. Keep the faith.

Thank you both for your kind comments. It's times of transition like these when I learn the most about myself and others, the key is to keep 'on the sunny side'.

On the bright side, it was (is) a sunny day, with fresh snow allowing for lots of great outdoor photos. My wife and I went out this morning to do just that, and might hit the second 'golden hour' later today to do more.

God bless you, Alan. I'm sure things will work out all the better for you.

Thanks Crystal. I am also getting back into daily drawing, with the 4th issue of the comic book on my drawing board. It is 'calling to me'

Oh, Alan, sorry to hear about your new circumstances but being older than you and having a lot more life experience, may I say that sometimes the things that look like the worst thing ever are the things that push us into something far better!

Yep, sometimes it's really uncomfortable and always seems as if things are taking way too much time but just hang in there, keep the positive attitude. I love how you say you learn about yourself in times like these - it's true and being grumpy and ungrateful doesn't change a thing & just slows down the whole process!

Been there - done that (way too many times!!!!)

Thanks Jan! I appreciate your comments. I am working on a few possibilities now, and taking this period as a pause to reflect. And there is drawing and painting to work on, which give me pleasure and keep me centred.