Today’s Selkie guest strip comes from Chris, who seems to have tapped into Selkie’s secret dream of running an underwater rodeo. 😉
Thanks, Chris!
As a reminder, there is an extra guest strip posting tomorrow! 😀
Today's edition of the Secret Commentary is empty, because Dave failed to come up with something for it.
Ride ‘im, Selkie!
That is exceedingly cool.
Better technique on highlights and shadows, sense of background vs. foreground elements (I still need to learn when to STOP making detail), use of close-ups, less blocky panel structure, better camera angles, body structure, eye shines, rays of light, bubbles, and action lines. Even what looks like some camera tricks (not sure what to call the trick in question) when she’s about to dive in.
This is the kind of art I want to learn from. Makes mine look amateur, and not in a way that makes me feel inadequate, but a way that makes me eager to see how far I can push my style in new directions.
The only bits I spot that I wonder about are the eye outline showing through her hair in the closeup (might be a stylistic choice, but looks odd), her hair decoration being not pink (it’s pink in canon), and Todd’s first appearance being a bit weird in that it looks like he’s facing forward even though I’m pretty sure that’s his back.
Overall, that is an outstanding page. Kudos, Chris. I’m especially enamored of Selkie swimming and her turning around in the water, because both of those look elegant (the kind of professional-quality art I’m hoping to reach) and have a good sense of form and action.
Wow, thank you so much! This is actually a great critique, too, so thanks for that. 🙂
The outline showing through the hair is indeed a style choice, though I often soften the effect somewhat. I didn’t have time to do that here, so perhaps that makes the difference.
I still have a great deal of things I need to practice more – for example, I’m clearly not very experienced yet at drawing people from behind. 😉 But it’s a big compliment to know it’s been an inspiration in any way.
As for the bow, that’s either something to do with my monitor or the file compression. I swear it looks much more pink in the original file. 😛
Yeah, same sort of thing happened with my file in transition somehow. On my screen her bow looks close to the color of her skin, very grey-lavender.
I figured the eyes might be stylistic because I’m so used to manga where the dominant style is to show the eye through the hair most of the time (and occasionally omit eyes where they should logically be, to demonstrate certain emotions such as grief or embarrassment). And your choice of side-mouth also made me think of that style.
You might find some good reference material in Lackadaisy’s author’s work on gestures and construction. Here’s one of her tutorials: http://lackadaisy.foxprints.com/exhibit.php?exhibitid=356
You did that? Nice. The art style is wonderful. I really like the eyes. Very expressive.
Your comic almost matched Dave’s designs perfectly though.
My only criticism for this one is that Chris got the number of fingers for Selkie wrong, she has three fingers and one thumb on each hand. Other than that, this is my favorite one so far. So funny!
I’m curious as to what type of fish that is. Its back reminds me of a sturgeon but I forget if they have barbels like a catfish which is my second guess.
They have barbels. It’s definitely a sturgeon.
“Well, I’m not doing anything you told me not to… Besides, SHE’S done it!”
I wonder if this is a natural Sarnothi thing; riding large fish like horses. Ithe would totally fail to surprise me if there were some species that had been domesticated for that very purpose.
That would make this an even more natural instinct for her.
At least it’s not the usual “seahorse riding” trope, which makes no sense whatsoever since the only reason we call them “horses” is because of the shape of their heads!
am i the only one who wants to try that now?
Nope.
I’ve actually done that with Sturgeon before, its a lot of fun but you need to be careful. Some can very very angry and try to drown you.
I don’t remember, is there a brown-with-yellow sarnothi flavor? I know humans don’t generally have that kind of coloration, especially in the eyes…
Sarnothi are generally Selkie-colored or similar. Blues, greens, and greys. Unless that person is not Human, which I doubt, the artist probably just took artistic liberty with the eyes. I love it. But definitely not Sarnothi.
Google “honey colored eyes”. They exist.
Jeez, I don’t even like her speech peculiarity NOW; I certainly hope she doesn’t retain it as a teenager.
The white sturgeon is the largest freshwater fish in North America and is the third-largest species of sturgeon, after the beluga and the kaluga. The white sturgeon is known to reach a maximum size of 816 kg (1,799 lb) and 6.1 m (20 ft).
Is that Melanie from the other comic?
*checks cast page*
Yep, looks like Melanie Wayne from Chris’ comic Colour Wheel.
And know I’m debating an archive binge over there in order to check whether she actually tried something like this.
gosh. this page is just stunning. Its so soothing to see her so happy. 🙂
I don’t know . . . is it actually a /secret/ dream? Doesn’t seem like the thing she would keep hidden, frankly.
Sturgeon riding? Very yes
Your panel transitions and coloring skills really blow me away Chris!
This is a totally awesome strip and exceptionally well drawn and colored! yay!
Chris! This page is awesome! It did prompt me to check Color Wheel and you now have a new follower/fan! Love your work!