Thread "2017 Rant/Share/General Discussion Thread" in forum "Comic Talk and General Discussion *"

Posted at 9:02AM, Feb. 24, 2017

bravo1102 wrote:
It was either immediate surgery or blindness. Don't fool around with retinal tears. I never even saw the sparks or stars just noticed a curtain descending very slowly in the right eye.

My Doc said mine is minor, and shouldn't cause any problems unless I do something to make it worse (like getting in a fight and getting punched ;)) - Now you have me considering a second opinion…!

Posted at 11:02AM, Feb. 24, 2017

ozoneocean wrote:

I have no effing idea what you're talking about, but your nick always reminds me of Elba where Napoleon was imprisoned.

It's a micro loan lending platform that allows people to more or less donate money in increments of $25 to support small loans to people in the developing world; so they can do stuff like grow a business, go to school, build a village outhouse, etc. It's built on the idea that charity giving doesn't work and tends to actually negatively impact the local economy of a place, but a loan tends to act more like a stimulus on the local economy and is more likely to motivate people to use it for development rather than relying on aid to just get by instead of developing with it.

The platform used to offer returns to those people who ponied up the $25 to support a loan as an incentive for them to provide the support, but they've since killed that part of the deal, so now you're effectively just accepting the risks and giving a local bank an interest free loan that they don't have to repay if they aren't repaid.

Posted at 1:02PM, Feb. 24, 2017

Banes wrote:

Been stuck on my next pages for weeks now - things have improved in life a bit but I'm having trouble getting this scripted story drawn! Soon, though, it must happen!!

I haven't had time to lay out even a rough thumbnail for my next page. Too many paying projects and potential paying projects in real life. I'm going to attend the 2017 Game Developer's Conference in San Francisco as well, so that's another 10 days minimum before I can even consider getting back on track

Posted at 1:03PM, Mar. 2, 2017

Hi people! I'm a hobbyist with aspirations to become a hobbyist who also does a webcomic sometimes! I just posted this little creature: https://next.theduckwebcomics.com/Galaxy_Man/

and man oh man! I need some practice with digital coloring! But more than that, I was wondering if you guys had any tips as to layouts, speech bubbles, and the like? I only ask here because I only rarely have access to the internet, so I can't get super active and talk to very many people or ask them for advice directly/individually.

But anyway, this looks like an amazing and colorful community, and I look forward to becoming a part of it if I can!

Posted at 4:03PM, Mar. 3, 2017

ZachWilson129 wrote:
Hi people! I'm a hobbyist with aspirations to become a hobbyist who also does a webcomic sometimes! I just posted this little creature: https://next.theduckwebcomics.com/Galaxy_Man/

and man oh man! I need some practice with digital coloring! But more than that, I was wondering if you guys had any tips as to layouts, speech bubbles, and the like? I only ask here because I only rarely have access to the internet, so I can't get super active and talk to very many people or ask them for advice directly/individually.

But anyway, this looks like an amazing and colorful community, and I look forward to becoming a part of it if I can!

Advice…

With the colouring there are plenty of tutorials but you could try using a soft brush for highlighting and shading.

For speech bubbles, well a lot depends on the software you are using for it.

There are loads of free fonts online, check out dafont.com but check the usage license for ones you use.

I appreciate your internet access is limited so tutorials aren't always going to be an option but the best advice I can give is to keep at it and experiment with techniques.

Posted at 9:03PM, Mar. 4, 2017

Today is a drawing sort of a day! I just wanna draw!

Posted at 3:03AM, Mar. 5, 2017

ZachWilson129 wrote:
Hi people! - speech bubbles, and the like?

As per Genejoke's reply, definitely check out some of the more comic friendly fonts. Blambot also have a good starter guide and Comicraft really go into detail. You definitely don't wan't words creeping over the edges of balloons - It can be tricky to fit everything in I know. Personally I letter a copy of the page with a vector program (Inkscape) so I can move things around and nothing is ever set in stone.

Posted at 4:03AM, Mar. 5, 2017

The unemployment insurance ran out, so I'm officially mooching of the parents now.

I've had two job interviews, and my RV is being delivered home (from the campground in Chincoteague where I lived last summer). At least the dog and I can vacate my mom's office and give them a bit more space.

Money is tight here because my parents' bid on their dream house (10 miles away) was accepted, so they are coming up with down payment and closing costs. Then I found a tumor on one of my rats last week and put the surgery on credit. Which was after I put down a wad of cash to prepay for dog training classes.

Things are not boring around here. The job hunting has given me stress sores and acne. Writing, drawing, and daily dog walks are helping combat some of the anxiety.

Posted at 3:03PM, Mar. 5, 2017

I'm right in the middle of the process of hearing back from grad schools and ultimately having to make a decision. Exciting and also stressful! So far I've been accepted to every place I've heard back from, including Cambridge (still have to wait to hear about funding). It's going to be a really tough choice!

Posted at 7:03PM, Mar. 5, 2017

Hey everyone been gone for awhile. What did I miss?

Posted at 10:03PM, Mar. 5, 2017

MegaRdaniels wrote:
Hey everyone been gone for awhile. What did I miss?

The amazing Hippie Van left off doing Friday newsposts and we have the indescribable Hyena Hell doing them instead now https://next.theduckwebcomics.com/news/2017/mar/02/thems-the-rules-bub/

Posted at 5:03AM, Mar. 6, 2017

HippieVan wrote:
I'm right in the middle of the process of hearing back from grad schools and ultimately having to make a decision. Exciting and also stressful! So far I've been accepted to every place I've heard back from, including Cambridge (still have to wait to hear about funding). It's going to be a really tough choice!

Go to Cambridge and you could move in with Ironscarf! (I am assuming it is that Cambridge)

The saga of Bravo Oneeye continues. The right eye is still healing. There is an air bubble in the eye to keep the retina in place so the eye is all blurry and distracting. So it's either keep it closed and squint like Popeye or wear a patch. I still can't keep my head upright more than a few minutes at a time so am still out of work.

Posted at 11:03AM, Mar. 6, 2017

bravo1102 wrote:
HippieVan wrote:
I'm right in the middle of the process of hearing back from grad schools and ultimately having to make a decision. Exciting and also stressful! So far I've been accepted to every place I've heard back from, including Cambridge (still have to wait to hear about funding). It's going to be a really tough choice!

Go to Cambridge and you could move in with Ironscarf! (I am assuming it is that Cambridge)

The saga of Bravo Oneeye continues. The right eye is still healing. There is an air bubble in the eye to keep the retina in place so the eye is all blurry and distracting. So it's either keep it closed and squint like Popeye or wear a patch. I still can't keep my head upright more than a few minutes at a time so am still out of work.

That's the one! I think it would be a bit far to commute from London to Cambridge every day, haha!

I hope you heal up soon! That sounds like…well, like a pain in the eye.

Posted at 12:03PM, Mar. 6, 2017

HippieVan wrote:
bravo1102 wrote:
HippieVan wrote:
I'm right in the middle of the process of hearing back from grad schools and ultimately having to make a decision. Exciting and also stressful! So far I've been accepted to every place I've heard back from, including Cambridge (still have to wait to hear about funding). It's going to be a really tough choice!

Go to Cambridge and you could move in with Ironscarf! (I am assuming it is that Cambridge)

The saga of Bravo Oneeye continues. The right eye is still healing. There is an air bubble in the eye to keep the retina in place so the eye is all blurry and distracting. So it's either keep it closed and squint like Popeye or wear a patch. I still can't keep my head upright more than a few minutes at a time so am still out of work.

That's the one! I think it would be a bit far to commute from London to Cambridge every day, haha!

I hope you heal up soon! That sounds like…well, like a pain in the eye.

I looked it up and it's 62 miles and a one hour and 20 odd minute commute by train. Many people in New Jersey routinely endure an hour commute to college. My commute was 45 minutes to an hour. And my part time job was a 30 minute commute in another direction. And of course in the US there is no option for public transportation so a car was a necessity and mine was breaking down every eight - nine weeks with annoying regularity.

Posted at 10:03PM, Mar. 6, 2017

Guess what! Both Tantz Aerine and Pitface are heading to the UK as well Hippie!
We should have a UK convention :)
Tantz will only be there to do a lecture, speach, or dissertation of some type though, not there to study like Hippie and Pit.

Hope your eyeballs heal Bravo!

—-

I'm currently off to pick up another antique sabre… This one is located in my very own city this time! It was going suspiciously cheap on eBay. I think that was due to the giant postage costs for overseas buyers though.
Speaking of which, I still haven't got my lovely flank officer's sabre yet :(

Posted at 6:03AM, Mar. 7, 2017

I'm so glad you fabulous Duckers from far away places are coming to the UK and making Britain great again! Take that Brexit brigade.

Hippie, if I can get planning permission for a loft conversion we might just be able to squeeze you in! Always wanted to visit Cambridge actually, to see the boring Semi where Syd Barratt lived, amongst other landmarks.

Posted at 11:03AM, Mar. 7, 2017

Ironscarf wrote:
I'm so glad you fabulous Duckers from far away places are coming to the UK and making Britain great again! Take that Brexit brigade.

Hippie, if I can get planning permission for a loft conversion we might just be able to squeeze you in! Always wanted to visit Cambridge actually, to see the boring Semi where Syd Barratt lived, amongst other landmarks.

It's only a possibility at this point that I'll end up there! I have some other good offers as well, and Cambridge hasn't offered me $$$ yet. (Unfortunately, I don't have 20,000 pounds just lying around!) It would be very cool though.

I was always surprised when I was in England how little people seem to travel around, given that everything is so close compared to here in Canada! You've never been to Cambridge which is only 1.5 hours away, and meanwhile I've been to Saskatoon - which is much, much worse than Cambridge - at least a dozen times, and that's a 9 hour drive!

Posted at 3:03AM, Mar. 9, 2017

HippieVan wrote:

I was always surprised when I was in England how little people seem to travel around, given that everything is so close compared to here in Canada! You've never been to Cambridge which is only 1.5 hours away, and meanwhile I've been to Saskatoon - which is much, much worse than Cambridge - at least a dozen times, and that's a 9 hour drive!

We don't get out much. I blame the weather!

Actually I think most Brits take the attitude that there's nothing to see here and the weather sucks and if they're going anywhere it should be hot and have a beach. A lot more have been to Ibiza than Cambridge I would think. Ask Genejoke - he'd probably prefer Barbados to Bournemouth.

Posted at 5:03AM, Mar. 9, 2017

Ironscarf wrote:

We don't get out much. I blame the weather!

Actually I think most Brits take the attitude that there's nothing to see here and the weather sucks and if they're going anywhere it should be hot and have a beach. A lot more have been to Ibiza than Cambridge I would think. Ask Genejoke - he'd probably prefer Barbados to Bournemouth.

It's the same in the US too. More people around me have been to the Outer Banks or Florida than Princeton. Many people coming to the New Jersey shore for the sun and sand don't even realize there's anything to New Jersey between the Outerbridge Crossing from NYC and Sandy Hook or Point Pleasant other than the PC Arts Center in Holmdel.

As the old New Jersey joke goes: What exit are you from? 114, I used to live at 92 but I moved north. I work up at 126.

Posted at 7:03AM, Mar. 9, 2017

All that reminds me of my city here: Perth
It's so huge and spread out, there are parts of it I'll never see.
Going to some parts just takes so looooonnng…

Like in Tuesday when I took a train and a bus and then walked and walked under the hot sweltering sun to get to the 4x4 business where the guy who had my sword was located.
It felt like I was on a mystic quest to collect some magic items.

And then to find that he had a whole treasure trove of 200 year old Napoleonic sabres in exactly the style I love! Wow. He really WAS like a character in an RPG- a sword merchant. He was an older bald guy, squinting over the top of his granny glasses XD

And just like in an RPG all the ones you really want are way too expensive to buy. :(

Looks like I'll have to do more low level grinding till I can get more.

Posted at 7:03AM, Mar. 10, 2017

And another one just arrived at my door today. Gold plated hilt and blade, as curved as a scimitar, beautiful example!
If it was from an RPG it'd be a super rare legendary blade.

Posted at 7:03AM, Mar. 10, 2017

I don't wish to worry you unduly, but I just woke up from a really long and convoluted dream in which you and your sword played a leading role.

—

My Wacom tablet(Intuos 3) is getting really worn on the surface. Has anyone tried pulling theirs off and flipping it over? I'd like to try this, but if I mess up I can't afford to replace it.

Posted at 8:03AM, Mar. 10, 2017

Ironscarf wrote:
I don't wish to worry you unduly, but I just woke up from a really long and convoluted dream in which you and your sword played a leading role.

Hahaha, sounds great! Do tell :D

My Wacom tablet(Intuos 3) is getting really worn on the surface. Has anyone tried pulling theirs off and flipping it over? I'd like to try this, but if I mess up I can't afford to replace it.

I did that with my intous 1 and it worked great.

Posted at 3:03PM, Mar. 10, 2017

Ironscarf wrote:
My Wacom tablet(Intuos 3) is getting really worn on the surface. Has anyone tried pulling theirs off and flipping it over? I'd like to try this, but if I mess up I can't afford to replace it.

I wouldn't. I tried with mine and found out the hard way that the surface is glued down really well. I ended up accidentally pulling on the board underneath, and now it will occasionally stop reading the pen at random moments causing obnoxious scribbles all over my work. Intuos used to have a program where you could send it in and they'd refurbish it for you for cheap. Dunno if they still have it or if it covers the 3's if they still do, but that's probably a better option.

Alternatively, you could get yourself a sheet of re-adherable 3mm sign plastic and just stick it over the tablet surface for a removable smooth surface that you can replace as it gets worn.

Posted at 5:03PM, Mar. 10, 2017

Im surprised, on the Intuous 1 it was just attached to the surface…
You wouldn't have to pull it off, you could cut it off instead and turn it over.

But if you want to go the non damaging route, get a Cintiq xscreen protector: https://www.amazon.com/Wacom-13-Inch-Cintiq-13HD-Tablet/dp/B00GR4YHRK
Just stick that over the top and cut it down to size.