Once again, I'm deep into what I like to call "Caveman Mode" . . . deep into work
on multiple projects, all with deadlines looming and coming within
weeks of each other. When project saturation hits, I usually let my
beard grow out and the barber shop is not a place I make time to
visit. The picture to your left is but as slight exaggeration.
Here is what I have going on . . .
Work on Oddly Normal: Fignation Times
continues. Inking Jess's pencils are taking longer than I'd thought,
so the process of completing pages is slower than it was on the second book. And with
Leigh starting a new full time job this month (congratulations,
Leigh!), I'm not sure how much I'll be able to depend on her for help
with color flats. It might be time to find some eager intern to work
on color flats in Photoshop. If anyone out there is interested in that
kind of position, shoot me an e-mail. If not for this book, then the next one for sure.
Based on our current schedule, I'm hoping to have a 20 page preview of the third Oddly Normal book available sometime in February, so stay tuned!
I've also started coloring pages for Zeek!, and I plan to post the first chapter online when I have it completed. I'm not sure when the book will be done (I'm hoping for a 2009 release, but that may be wishful thinking since it's my "free time" project), but I'm loving what I've done on the book so far and can't wait to show it off. I've decided to do the book a little differently than other projects. Except for the penciling, all of the work is being done entirely in Photoshop. In other words, I'm inking the characters with the bezier tools and doing fully painted backgrounds (much like I did with Oddly 2). A lot of people are probably wondering why I'm not inking in Illustrator. Well, because I don't like Illustrator. I prefer doing it all in Photoshop. It's just a preference. And using the bezier tools in Photoshbop has been so successful that I may start inking all of my personal pieces this way from now on. It gives the work a crisp, clean, professional look that I like. Hopefully, readers will like it, too.
Here are a couple of preview panels from the book (each from a different page, this is not part of a sequence):

The other thing that will set this book apart from my other projects is that I have intentionally chosen a very specific and limited color palette in which to work. I did it as a challenge to myself, but it's making the finished project look very nice, I think. Time will tell.
I'm also deep into the writing of a new original graphic novel called Spellbinder. Yes, I know there was a comic called Spellbinders, but I don't care. And neither does my publisher. So there. This is a story I've had sitting in the narrative hopper since I was in my early 20s, so I'm thrilled to finally be able to get around to turning it into a reality. It's a western with fantasy elements, so it should be a little grittier than what I've done in the past.
As if that weren't enough . . . I'll be starting work on the Indiana Jones Heritage sketch cards sometime this month, in January I start writing an original graphic novel for the amazingly talented Nicc Balce and sometime soon I may be writing a new project for Viper Comics that I can't talk about yet, but if it happens it will be a big stepping stone in my career (trust me, I'll share more when I can). Oh, I almost forgot . . . Leigh and I are moving to a new apartment later this month. It wouldn't be a Christmas without a major move, right?
So if you don't hear from me much over the next few month, please know that it is simply that I am busy working on many, many projects. In fact, I'd wager that I am entering the busiest working period of my life.
Okay, enough chatter. Back to the grindstone, Cave Man.
-Otis