001 (wherein a golden egg appears)
In the beginning…
Hello, and welcome to Imaginary Daughter. I plan to run this webcomic all through 2008, and then move on to something else. Part of the reason for ID’s existence is that I’m trying to become better at drawing, and at putting together a story. I hope that by the time this story comes to an end, I’ll have become much better at it that I currently am (which is to say, not very good at all).
In order for this to happen, other than doing my best effort, I’m going to need some criticism, which you are welcome to leave in the form of comments (please be gentle, this is my first time putting my work online for the world to see). I’ll also be running a commentary or post-mortem of each comic, signaling what I think is ok/could be better/sucks. Starting now!
This is only my second watercolor drawing, and it shows. That egg looks different in every panel. I’m reasonably satisfied with Father’s look here. The last panel was the hardest, as for some reason I couldn’t get the body’s proportions right (even if it’s hidden, the proportions still matter!). That clock looks terrible. So do the background, which is dull and just wrong (latter on, I settled, for the most, on a layout for this room; the placard’s doors just don’t look like doors at all).
The linework is alright. I’m using a quill here, but the watercolors cover it in some spots (latter on, I changed the way I work to deal with this, and replaced the original comic with the version you are now seeing, which doesn’t have this problem). I forgot the line for the pillow in the second panel and thought I could just do it with watercolors. It doesn’t look good. I’ll keep on using ink to delineate objects.
I don’t know whether to go back and correct whatever I can. I don’t think I will simply because I lack the time. If I keep improving on work that’s already “finished,” I’ll never get anything done. But I might come back and erase that signature there, as it’s now unnecessary (since it already says Karchesky on the comic’s footer).
Well, that’s it. What do you think?
March 16th, 2008
21:14
You’re being way too critical with yourself! After reading through the whole comic (so far) I was reading the commentary on this first page. You’re saying that you have this comic to practice and get better. Well I can say that I really love the style of this comic, lines fit your style perfectly, and even if the egg looks different in every panel, it doesn’t bother me. It just.. fits. Everything fits! I love the little girl’s expression, her hair, her everything, and the story’s simple but sweet. Sometimes you just have to be satisfied with what you made, even though you know you can do a thousand times better. It doesn’t matter. Other people don’t see the mistakes you made, unless you point them out; especially with comics: they’re meant to be read, you don’t look at a panel for that long. If it eyes right the instant you see it, you’ve reached your goal! I think what you’ve created looks good, gorgeous.. and I’m sure you will improve if you just keep drawing and going on :). But believe me as I say that your comic looks great just the way it is! Don’t worry!