The Optimist

Author notes

Page 40

Kristen Gudsnuk

on Sept. 3, 2009

Yowza! Another page finished! This one I drew yesterday at work (just during my lunch break), and then painted today during my lunch break! I have a special spot where I sit. It's outside, near where I park, on this concrete sort of slab perpendicular to the building. I sit up there and ruminate and draw/paint. I'm always worried I'll fall off XD but I haven't yet. Oh, but don't think I finished painting it in the meager 30 minute break I get. hah! no. I finished at home. But it's a very picturesque area, with a bird's eye view of the little shops below, and some trees.
I'm very happy with this page. I've been worried about how this part will come out, but I think that other than the second panel being less-than-awesome, the rather difficult poses (such as the last panel with the cepelinas being thrown… oh, -as makes it singular, -ai is plural, I believe– so it's one cepelinas, three cepelinai) came out effortlessly. I was really shocked, actually, because usually I erase at least a BIT, or have to start with stick figures and flesh them out. That one I didn't have to. AND ALSO, suddenly my hand-drawing technique has improved a LOT! look at jadwiga's limp hand in the second panel– it just came out like that on my first try! same for the throwing hand!!! I might sound like I'm bragging, but I'm not, I'm just happy to see that I'm improving, at least with drawing hands.


Oh, and I won a DD award for Best Spiritual!! Thanks a lot to everyone who voted for me in the preliminaries. It's so odd to win a prize for this comic- and awesome. It's a reward enough just to know I have readers as smart as you guys, let alone getting recognition from the panel for the awards.

At the same time, though, I'm a bundle of nerves- I haven't bought a car yet, I'm going to DC this weekend so I can't get one then, and I've got no time otherwise, what with working. I get home pretty tired, too. Also, I feel slightly melancholic. It may have something to do with not being with Max for so long. Like, it's not like I actively miss him (heh hi max) but I feel generally less happy, more cranky, etc. (and I take it out on the poor fellow- luckily he's got a very thick skin when it comes to my antics.)
aanyway, none of that really matters… here's my page! enjoy! I may finish up another page for Saturday, but if not, I'll be busy this weekend so don't expect another page till tuesday at least.

adios!