Friday, September 30, 2011

Wilson Kane Cat

I am not the kind of person that goes around... looks at videos of kitties... posts pictures of kitties... snaps pictures of kitties and makes them talk funny.

But during my stay in Sicily I met a Wilson Kane Cat.
Tall, dark and handsome... Sicilian... masked... and a thief.

This cat Haz no cheesburger... he goes for parmiggiana.



As you can see here is Wilson Kane Cat after snatching a huge chunk of eggplant parmiggiana (top left corner) from our kitchen... and he ate it all!

Yes, apparently cats in Sicily eat eggplants!
And he doesn't look guilty at all, he looked at me and went "maoooaoooooo"!

That's where I raise my hands, surrender and think: what can you reply to a maoooaoooo said with such a grouchy voice?

This ought to be the stupidest post ever but this little thing had me laughing for a day!

Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Lineup

I still do a lot of visual development. I like trying different styles all the time and it's a good exercise to step out of your comfort zone and try different things.

So I was playing around with shapes and proportions and came up with a little lineup (I did not draw all of the sisters but I would like to extend this and maybe create cute couple drawings too).

This is a first draft... so Kane's left side is a bit too wide and lacks continuity and also... I prefer his proportions in the bookmark too.
LOL the things I do for fun! XDDD

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Toddlers

Did I show this to you guys?

I think somebody requested baby versions of our pirates once and I got the same request quite often these days so I decided to draw a baby version of Cat and Foxy.

But I don't remember if I posted them on the blog. If I did I'm sorry... everything is a bit blurred these days as I travel around like crazy LOL.

Anyways I hope you like them.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Wilson Kane bookmark.

I made this drawing the other day and I thought it would look nice as a bookmark.

Would you like more bookmarks done in this style for the rest of the characters? A bit cartoony... and with weird proportions... I think it's kinda cute.


Now some info.
I will be going to Sicily and I don't have internet there.
So the blog might stay quiet for a couple of days.
But Sicily is where the comic started so let's say... I am taking the crew back to their home land.

See you soon, guys! (they will not misplace my luggage this time as I only plan on taking carry on luggage with me).

Sunday, September 25, 2011

Inspiration comes from reality

Taking advantage of the fact I have friends traveling with me I take them to my favorite places too.

This is Sperlonga. I use it quite often for my backgrounds so I thought: Mh, I never posted about the actual places I use for inspiration, I should take advantage of this trip to also take pictures of the things I keep using in the comic.

For example, this arch-entry to the town at the end of a steep is the one that inspired the first kiss scene in chapter one. I use part of it in the background elements.

This part of the architecture, instead, I ended up using for some of the shot during the whole kidnapping scenes.

I do like narrow passages and tiled roofs.








I like to use these small arches, used for keeping the weight of the walls from making building collapse on each other... especially when there's many of them and they create interesting negative spaces.









I like tunnels but I haven't used this one yet, as I was keeping it for the island of Baronett, which is the island where we're about to land and meet Martin again.









Arches as foreground element also make the shot very interesting.
This is actually a small courtyard with a small well, element that I haven't used yet but that will be used soon.


Anyways this was a town that used to get attacked by pirates, so they had developed as a form of defense narrow passages, tall building and intricate net of small roads and staircases. In case of an attack it would slow down the attacker and allow them to throw hot water on them.
Also it would keep the house warm in winter, sheltered by the winter winds.

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Thanks for the birthday wishes!

Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone.
I was so surprised to see so many birthday wishes waiting for me today... and Kanako even sent me this nice present.

Today I spent a lovely day, the weather is beautiful in Italy, right now and the monuments were free so my friends and I went to Rome and walked around like crazy!

It was a nice, relaxing break!

Friday, September 23, 2011

Chapter 15 C curiosities

Here I am with the curiosities for this past release.
The curiosities, this time around, concern mainly just one thing: Catulli Carmina.

If you are enrolled into classical studies, in high school and afterwards during University, you cannot avoid Catullus.

I never went for classical studies but my best friend did and she was the one who introduced his poetry to me when I was but 16 years old and I fell in love with the guy.


He is funny and romantic... just my type of stuff!

The Carme cited in the comic goes like this:
Lesbia mi dicit semper male nec tacet umquam, de me: Lesbia me dispeream nisi amat.
Quo signo? Quia sunt totidem mea: deprecor illam assidue, uerum dispeream nisi amo.

The translation, done by me in a very sucky sucky way, is what Kane is reading to Castalia.

There are plenty of good poetries in his book of Carmina, including the most wonderful "Odi et amo" and of course poem 5, "Vivamus mea Lesbia" which is the one where he goes: "give me a thousand kisses, then one hundred, then a thousand more, then a second hundred...." - in short to the point that they share so many kisses they will lose count.
He's sweet.
My favorite is still the one where he gets very very upset at Marrucino for stealing his kerchief! It's hilarious!

Anyways, this is the kind of stuff I was reading at 16 and still follows me around after more than 20 years. It's true love.

Thursday, September 22, 2011

The Pirate Balthasar - Chapter 15 C

They find my luggage, may the gods of the seven seas be praised!

I am going to celebrate by releasing 2 hours earlier!




Il Pirata Baldassarre - Capitolo 15 C

Mi hanno ritrovato il bagaglio!!!

Festeggiamo con l'update due ore in anticipo!




Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Castaliafairy

I need magical help today.
They lost my luggage... or better yet... they said that the luggage landed but it was never delivered to me.

So I am expecting a call from the airport stating that the suitcase finally got here... and hopefully they will deliver it to me by tomorrow.

Thing is... they still haven't called... and... this is the fourth time it happens.

I have to stop traveling with luggage. I will buy a suitcase every time I travel around anyway. I should just go somewhere, buy stuff and abandon it when I leave. T_T

Castalia, we need magical help, now... I really hope I get to see my suitcase again.

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

The dedasaur is traveling

Alright, guys, it was a fun september 19th.
Thank you all for participating! I think this blog reached a record of posting per day.

Tonight I will be leaving Singapore for a 2 weeks vacation in Italy.
Activity for the comic and on the blog should continue as usual... just the times of the updates might differ a bit (about 8 hours).

My flight is in 7 hours and it will take me 16 hours to reach Europe.

So I will be seeing you on the 21st - as I travel back in time - and btw I fixed all the animated gifs that blogger had turned into jpegs.


Monday, September 19, 2011

Thar be animation!

Ahrright mates!
A fine day of pillaging it was.

Thank you all for participating in this crazy game.
I would like to sail away for the night with the little animation I so long promised.
Done in about two hours with markers and pencil... this is Pifo dancing: Fhivev me timbevf!

Sing and dance along now: Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf! Fhivev me timbevf!


Thar be interview! (Cassandra)

Cassandra: please tell us 3 things you like about your husband. And I mean beyond little Westley, his neck and his hair .

Stttt, the doctor is sleeping, don't make a sound and come back in about... let's say... three chapters or so!


Thar be marker experiment!

From my colleague and his kids.

An experiment with markers.
I don't know about you but I love collaborative drawing between children and adults! *_*

Thar be interview! (Pea)

This one's for Pea:
We all know you are too proper for the piratey nonsense, but have you ever had any feelings at all for any of the crew members? (Even just a little bit?).

Oh good, that means it wasn't too obvious. I'd die of shame if he only knew how much I admire him!
This is not a proper conversation so I shall give you a few hints: he's the only one I like to talk to; he's definitely not blonde; I think of him as "such a waste"; and the village idiot had figured me out right away.


But don't get me wrong, it's not like I have an interest in him... I just find him incredibly charismatic.

Recently I developed some sincere sisterly affection for the doctor as well: you have to be an incredibly patient man to put up with Kes. How can you not love that kind of quality!

Thar be poetry?

Nothing accompanies this wonderful image like a haiku:

Wooden plank on ship
Giant sharks down in the sea
Oh god oh my god

by Weishang.


I so feel this masterpiece should be put to music.

Thar be interview! (Pifo&Quoque)

1) Quoque Tu, do you actually own a Kamasutra book on board since you mentioned the book in question?

Quoque knows of book but never seen it. It's because Quoque was raised away from native land. Anna taught me to read and write but Italian only - he say useful language, most spoken, but very hard one. I know Kama Sutra has pictures but text I would not know how to read it.

2) Pifo, how are you going to deal with point 1) above ?
Cleavly I can't. I have not yet figuved out what thif book you all talk about if. I am ftill looking fov a decent copy of the Odylliad. Fov fome ftvange reafon nobody knowf it. Ifn't that weivd?

3) Pifo: do you prefer corn or cucumber? :0)
Well, cucumbevf ave bettev for youf fkin and cleavly you cannot make tfatfiki with covn.
I love covn but cucumbevf have move applicationf to veal life and wovkf wondevf fov my acne.

Thar be Tin Tin!

Pictures of one of my idol: Rackam the red!

From the famous Tin Tin serie! *_*

How can you not love pirates when you grow up reading this stuff?







Tin Tin for liiiiife!

Thar be Animated Gif!

Photobucket

Lauand strikes again with an animated gif dedicated... to Pifo!

Thar be magnificent Pif'! Aye!

This is fun! XDDD

Thar be interview! (Castalia)

Question for Castalia:
Why the sudden kitty behavior? =^w^=

Castalia: meow? Why sudden? I have always been a cat: I like to climb, I use humans as pillows, I sit with my hands between my legs and I like to play with strings.
Cats are not very vocal, they talk when they need to to communicate with inferior beings - included humans.
Cat designate a favorite human to take care of them.

My favorite human is a smart cookie. He realized right away that kitties are better pets than lizards, he let me use him as pillow, let me play with his hair and when he brings me food he calls me with a finger: here kitty kitty.

The first time I meowed it was because I hadn't seen him the whole day. That's when I first realized he is indeed my favorite human. Once a cat picks a human, being vocal is not an issue anymore, the need to communicate is more important. That's why the more I know my man, the more I trust him, the more I need to meow!

thar be Pirate Ring!

Elianthos has spotted something worthy... superior to the ring of Fynn?

Who's to say? What say ye?

Thus celebrating pirate day: thar be pirate ring!

Thar be Pirate King!

Mandoo, the biggest Josh fan I can think of... send us pirate greetings via postcard.

Ahr, thar be Pirate King!

Thar be fanart!

Behold, me hearties, the bewitched portrait painted by our fellow crew member Lauand!

A round of grog for me boys! A round of grog for everyone!

Steady as we go... the celebration continues...

Thar be weregoat!

Ahoy there, ye scruvy dogs!
T'day... tis the day we've all been wait'n fer!
T'day we celebrate: Talk like a pirate day!

Introducing: the weregoat by 66scarylion44!

"The Were-goat encounter would probably happen like this:Pea and Caftalia ave walking avound Covvo when they come acvoff a boy Weve-Goat "ufing the bufhef". The beft thing to do in thif fituation if to back away flowly, fo they do. Howevev, the Weve-goat followf them back to camp and fallf hovnf-ovev-hoovef in love with Vofe. He'f nevev feen anything fo beautiful in hif entive life. Alaf! Pifo and Vofe will have none of it and get the othev pivatef to vun him fvom camp. He findf the bee-hive, eatf fouv beef, and vunf into a tvee.

Were-goat information:
Found exclusively on the island of Corvo
Males are usually 5'3" with 3" horns (5'6"). Females are 4' with 5" horns (4'5").
Males are intoxicated by figues, seaweed, and bees (Yes, were-goats eat bees. Females more so than males because the males can't eat 2 bees before walking into trees and what-not.).
Females are a dappled brown and males are black, grey, or dark brown. Kids are born light brown that changes when they reach 1 yo.
Females begin to grow their horns when they are 1.5 yo. Males get their horns at 4."

(play on word in the title as tahr is a type of Himalayan goat)

More treasure to come yer way, so sail around these waters for more... booty!

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Does Rose have a boyfriend?

Have you ever wondered - if Rose had a boyfriend - what he would look like?

Apparently he would look like this and Pifo would lure "him" with corn.

The name for the bull was picked, against my will... and it's Jack! (oh, the Titanic humor continues).

The idea for this drawings comes from sitting too close to Nopp during meetings.

Then she asks me funny questions and that's how I manage to answer... on my sketchbook, through drawings (because we cannot talk). ha ha ha.

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Ink gone bad

This is what happens when colored ink goes bad and expires...
even Kane is desperate about it: they change color once they dry and don't retain their natural transparency.


Alright, but... we are getting ready for september 19th, right?

Are you sending questions to your favorite character? I am waiting for more interviews! *_*

Friday, September 16, 2011

Smoochy smoochy

Okay, who said: no smooching on deck? XDD

Another little test, a classic "watercolor and ink" little drawing. But a different type of watercolor, see how much brighter the pigments are in this one? You ought to know the tools to get the best final result.

I am receiving a lot of fun things for September 19th so be prepared... it will be a fun day! :D


Thursday, September 15, 2011

watercolor test

These days I have to prepare tests and exercises for the next module I am going to teach.

I am putting in purchase form for art supplies and materials but I have to test the ones I already have too.

This was done with the Derwent Aquatone (set of 12) in layers and outlined with Derwent colorsoft.


I have a few more things to test so my guess is... you'll get a lot of these in the next few days. From September 20th to October 6th I'll be on vacation.

The comic continues as I worked ahead of myself like crazy to do that... the blog will also continue but will update at weird time (as I shift to Italy's time - 8 hours back).

Are you preparing something for September 19th? *_* It's this coming monday!

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Sally

We have meetings and stuff these days.... I should not say this but I get to carry my sketchbook, sit in the back and doodle.
I find it easier to listen if I doodle, if I don't my brain unplugs.

Because the next story I am going to write is about how Kane meets Foxy... this is what the boy looks like at age 15. You know I always use teal blue and bluegreen for black so... he looks like a scarecrow or something, poor boy, so grim!

Ha ha ha.
The story is quite funny, even though the boy is not.

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

The Pirate Balthasar running for Drunk Duck Award!

Yes, so apparently the Drunk Duck awards opened on September 11th and will opened until september 25th.

If you are a Drunk Duck member you can vote here.

This is our "for your consideration" page!

So yeah you actually have to be a Drunk Duck user to vote for the Pirate Balthasar, this time around - which might make things complicated!

Oh well, we'll see how it goes! Right? :D

Floggy

Oh noooo somebody chopped daddy's legs off! XDDD

Because we are only (well I am) 5 chapter away from the end of the regular comic - and after that we move onto other stories - as usual I like to plan ahead.

So, since I had in mind to dedicate a few stories to the next generation when they are kids (particularly I have this story in mind for Itzak called : Floggy)... well, I started sketching a few ideas.

Yes, markers on yellow paper make hair turn seriously yellow XDD
This is a very small ten minutes sketch and has to do with the fact that toddlers fall asleep on you in the weirdest position. This is Itzak's start position. Reminds you of anybody?

As it turns out having a character that looks like the doctor but has Kes' personality could be quite fun! Prepare to see the shallala version of baby instincts!

Monday, September 12, 2011

911

I live one day in the future, so 911 was yesterday for me.
For the rest of the world is still today.

Just like last year the blog stay silent today.

I am just going to post the cover of the New Yorker by Art Spiegelman.

I think it's stronger than words.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

Chapter 15 B curiosities

Sorry it took me very long. I was supposed to post them yesterday but they fumigated my area in the morning - to my surprise as there were no sign nor email sent regarding this thing (in fact I had to redo my laundry because it was too late when I realized the smoke had smoked all my clothes already) - so I was forced to stay indoor and could not come downstairs to check my internet and post the curiosities.

So here we go today.

More than a curiosities this is a clarification (I hate it when people fight over things in the comment area, people can have opposite opinion and still share the love for the same things, I believe).

What happens here? This is a very traditional technique used in old comics that was taken from movies, it's called: Cut away.
In short when you flip a page there are two possibilities: either the scene continues from the previous one or you jump in time and location.
When the second thing occur you cannot go back to the subject of the original scene so you cut to something else that could take place at the same time as what we don't scene happening on scene.
I can't remember what famous director said that: a story happens between cuts and life happens during the ellipses. :D

So what happened here, in the end is that Kane took Castalia away from the treasure room and I decided not to show it. I've decided, instead, to use the sky (a visual symbol) to show the outdoor without specifying where the outdoor was.

It's not the first time I leave you to your own induction. It's because I simply cannot stand the spoon feeding going on in contemporary storytelling: it's completely unnecessary and readers are not stupid.

Also I am all for action-reaction. I might show you the event first and the outcome later. Putting them together flattens storytelling out, it's like giving the solution before the problem starts.

Pifo asked for something and the doctor wants to be assured that Kane agrees.
Apparently not only Kane agrees but gives Pifo instructions (after getting rid of his brother, whose queer is of no use to Pifo's problem).

Which leads us back to the first scene where the doctor gives Pifo what he asked for... and what he asked for needed Kane's permission.
This page has a haiku structure. :D


As for what the doctor gave him.... my guess would be anything based on olive oil. When you read about ancient history there is always something about sex and olive oil (not to mention some types of infused olive oil where considered aphrodisiacs).
Lubricants are as old as time for Greek Love, even though it might not have been officially accepted in some ancient societies - like the Romans - (and in some occasion persecuted - but especially in cases when the behavior was not considered appropriate)... it was, in facts, just strictly regulated but part of the culture and everyday life. Most of the times overlooked. Many many times it was the main topic to excellent writing too (see Catullus).

Why leaves and not pages?
Because a leaf has two faces and those faces are called pages.
So what Kane is trying to say is that not only we have many pages in our books... we have many leaves: there is double face to a leaf.
Like a medal has two faces. In short he is telling her that the same emotion and the same thought can have 2 faces and these to faces could be contradictory. Kane believes in opposites coexisting.
And this is it for this week, sorry to keep you waiting.


I would like to thank the people who already send me their Pirate Trinkets for the Pirate Day celebration! :D Moaaar moaaar!

Friday, September 09, 2011

Pifo toy in funny pj


Sorry guys, curiosities have to wait... I cannot find a moment to sit down and write, today, I am super packed.
So I'll leave you with something silly I did in ToonBoom training, while learning how to reposition pegs.

Thursday, September 08, 2011

Il Pirata Baldassarre - Capitolo 15 - B

Buona lettura, ragazzi, prima o poi riesco a mettere Shockdome in paro.

The Pirate Balthasar - Chapter 15 - B

It's release day, let me post it now before I get so busy and tired I might forget. As usual you can click on the title of the post to go and read it on Smack Jeeves.


Wednesday, September 07, 2011

My next tshirt.

Yeah, so... ehm... I am a bit - a lot - overworked these days and so I only manage to sleep about 4 hours per night... which causes me to hallucinate during the day, clearly, because yesterday I saw this on the ceiling while daydreaming and I started drooling thinking: tttttt-shiiiiiiirt (-insert drool here-).

I think it's because my trip to Italy is approaching and we have tons of fountains of naked boys riding a dolphin... I want the cow to leave a rainbow trail behind her... or maybe she should jump one... and maybe she should be a merecow or a weregoat....


Would anybody like to attempt to draw a weregoat? That would be a funny game.

Anyways: naked Pifo on a flying Rose shooting rainbows out of her ass - will be my next tshirt! XDDD
Would you like one too?

Tuesday, September 06, 2011

Value studies for PTO

This was my first attempt at coloring the below lineart.

let's say that this is more of a color study/value study for the piece, rather than a final illustration.

The second attempt will have a stronger leyendecker look (but then I'll waste the cape)... I guess I'll try an etching version too.

Monday, September 05, 2011

Kane and Castalia PTO

TPB goes PTO.
I thought I'd show you the sketch of the work in progress.
Since the mermaid illustration will take me a while longer...
I might go directly to the next topic and start drawing the next illustrations.

So the second one was kane and castalia as phantom and christine.
I tried a first rendering but I don't like it.
I am seriously thinking of pen and inking this one or do more than one version.

Saturday, September 03, 2011

Wilson Kane Tshirt

So I went and tested the design of the 9 wilson kanes on my tshirt.

For some reason the print shop removed the white (I did not have transparencies behind the character himself) and so the whole print came out dark because the shirt color shone through.

All in all it's nice... but I think I will reprint it.


Just because - and my heart told me but I was in a rush - I don't think anybody using photoshop 7 should have a print shop at all.

Anyways....

The next one will be better.

Friday, September 02, 2011

September 19th here we go!

Okay okay, as I previously mentioned September 19th is Talk like a pirate day~!
So I wanted to celebrate with all of you and make the September 19th post the best post ever in the pirate balthasar's blog history!

In short it will be made with all the things you send me and it will be about you, shouting your piratey love to the pirate world.


As promised here's a list of things we can do for September 19th!


1) Send us a message in the bottle using pirate talk translators: You can write anything, translating into pirate language!

2) Draw us a message: Any kind of scribble, fan art, drawing, original drawing... anything about pirates (make sure you don't send me copyrighted materials... as much as I love Pirate Spongebob... I cannot use it).

3) Give us pirates pics: send us a photograph (it has to be your own, not something you grab from the internet, you know still copyright issue) of the most piratey looking thing you know. Or you could dress up as a pirate and send us a pic.

4) Create a pirate trinket: since the digital contest is still on... you can create banners, messages, icons, button, animated gif using Pirate Balthasar material or create your own.

5) Tell a tale: a fan fic, a poem, a song, a story, make a video... anything!!!! Yours original possibly.

6) Share your booty: if you find anything interesting that you think we should share with the Talk like a Pirate website...

So since this stuff has to go online on september 19th we have to be done by september 18th, right?

HOW TO SUBMIT!

You can: send an email to dedadaniels(at)yahoo.com, post link in response to any post of the blog, post something on Deviant art (possibly submit to the group as well), post it on facebook, post a link on Smack Jeeves (under any of the pages) and this is all I can think about. Ha ha ha.


This should be fun!

On the papers... - the pirate way!

News of the day - sorry the article is in Italian but... it's worth sharing the news, right?

We have article! Yes! Nuovasocieta' has dedicated an entire article to the Pirate Balthasar (thanks to the recent commotion generated by the Smack Jeeves awards). So here we go!

Tadaaaa, pretty kewl!


Also... blogger is trying to switch to a new version (more similar to google buzz and G+) and there are some new features I haven't explored yet. One thing I've noticed to be gone is the ability to turn the title of the post into a link. I hope it's not gone for ever because I thought it was quite useful.

Anyways... to some extent I hate when things go white and it reminds me of Wordpress (which pisses me off like there is not tomorrow!) it's just freaking ugly, I want my oranges back!
So... let me give them some feedback! :D

Thursday, September 01, 2011

Allegra, the contest winner.

Kanako the winner of our OC game is back from vacation and has kindly agreed to send me a turn around of her character (which should appear in chapter 17).

I wanted to show it to you one more time, since it was voted a lot... before I adapt her to my style :D.

Stick around, if all goes well I'll try and post instruction for the September 19th pirate celebration! :D