Sweet Shoppe Issue no.2 Coming In July!

Well, it's in progress and coming along well. The most recent turn of events with this issue...the cover art is finally completed. 

If the time constraints permit, I'll have this issue ready to go by the start of my convention season.

The End of Conventions...for now...

Well, with June gone, my conventions are done. I've got work to do from my travels, but it's good and enjoyable work. I realize that I've been a little lax in keeping up this blog and for that I apologize. I've been so darn busy, but I'm getting back to things, now.

I've got to work on Hybrid #2 since I was unable to finish it for my second convention. I also need to begin work on Sweet Shoppe #2. I have The story and art are boarded for Hybrid. I need to finish the art, now and then, it'll be ready for print. Sweet Shoppe is mostly written, but hasn't been boarded, yet. It'll probably be slated for production early next year.

The year was kind to me, though. I was able to get many things done, many new designs and many new articles of merchandise for this year's convention tour. ...including this:

Yes, it's Miele from my series, Bella Mariposa. She made an appearance on t-shirts and bookmarks. Mari joined her as well the mascot for the first convention. On the whole, everything went very well. I'm looking forward to next year. ...ah, but right now, I need to finish these comics ^_^

Bright New Year!

Well well well...the new year is already upon us and I am SO BEHIND with comic work! *cries*

I was transferred on the job under the case of a promotion, but, the hours were long and the management less than favorable. So, I got behind on work, just a bit. But, now I'm back where I used to be and things are back at a reasonable pace, thank God! And, I'm back to work.

Ah, but even though I'm late posting this, I did want to wish all of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Here's to a favorable and flourishing 2011!!

Boy oh, boy, this was cutting it VERY close! But, at last, my Sweet Shoppe comics have arrived ^_^ I was worried that they weren't going to make it before I left. You can imagine my joy when I came home as the mail carrier was arriving...with my package!!

I am so happy that it made it on time. I leave for the first convention tomorrow and would have been a little disappointed to not have these. It wouldn't have let it ruin my trip, but let's just say that I am EXTREMELY happier with them traveling along with me :-) Finally, Sweet Shoppe is in print and ready for sale!

Well, with this done, I have to get started thinking of the next issue. I also have to get the ball rolling with the Hybrid and get their second issue up and going. I've started writing the stories for the both of them already. I've also written an entire story for Alley Cat Blues...but I never got the chance to illustrate it. Lion Paws are on the back burner for now as are Eyes in the Dark (never mind Pine Willow, Aoi: Blue Sun, and Serpentine). But, they'll get their chances, soon. Right now, though, Sweet Shoppe and Hybrid are taking center stage. ^_^

Well, I'm packed and ready to go. The bus heads out in the morning. All those who are going to the convention, I'll see you there! ^___^ *waves*

Comic Work Complete!

I can't believe that I didn't post this sooner, but finally, the work for the Sweet Shoppe comic is complete as of April 26th, 2010. WOOHOO! ^__^

I sent the files off to the printer and they got back to me last week and are in the process of printing my book. I'm so excited. I put so much effort, heart and love into and am really proud of what I've done. I hope and pray that it's successful, but that's all I can do for now. Only time will tell in the end. ^__~

Wish me and the girls and Boomer luck! ♥♥♥

In the meantime, I'm back to work on commissions that have accumulated while I was working on the comic. Never a dull moment, right ^__~ See ya!

Cover Art COMPLETED!

*stretches* Well, it took me a day and a half, but I finally finished the cover art for the Sweet Shoppe, issue #1! I am thrilled to have this completed and I'm very happy with the way that it turned out. Mint finally behaved and the pose came out and...well, here she is, gracing the cover of the very first issue of Sweet Shoppe, scheduled to make it's printed debut in May, 2010. ^__^

Mint is the very alluring, very sensual character in the story, yet at the same time, she's amazingly humble and refined and is so graceful that she would...NEVER pose like this for real! LOL! But, in the story, there's a scene where it makes complete and total sense. What's the scene? Well, I can't tell. ^_~ But, it'll be explained in the comic, for sure ^_^

Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this cover shot and, well, I think that's about it. This is the end of March and I'm happy that this is the last entry for this month. If all goes well, I should be able to maintain schedule and have this printed on time! WOOHOO! ...right now, though, it's back to work for me ^___~ See ya!

Finally, A Page Is Complete!

It's taking me forever to get this work done. You would not believe! But, it's coming along, despite hardships ^^;

Yesterday, while skating in the park, I totally crashed and banged myself up fairly rough. My knees were damaged as well as my writing hand, but after a night's rest, I'm starting to come around. My hand is healing nicely and one of my knees is getting better, but the other is still extremely sore and I have to hobble about to get anywhere. Ah, but you take the good with bad. I'm still young and healthy and will heal just fine ^__~

AND!

With the spirit of determination, I finally managed to finish a page of my comic. TA-DA! One page out of twenty complete! This took quite a while because I drew and colored everything individually. So, it took an amazing amount of time to complete it, I'm afraid. Hopefully, though, the other pages won't take quite so long. At least, I really hope not. But, either way, I'll keep moving forward and giving it my best shot. I have to have this finished by the end of April, the latest, so I will do my best and give it everything I've got! Wish me luck and I hope you enjoy this teaser page ^__~

Plowing Along!

Well, it's March and I'm still working away on the Sweet Shoppe, hoping to be finished before the end of April so I can have it printed in time for the convention. This morning I scanned in the first images for the book. Here's a little sneak peak at a WIP.

It's not finished, yet, but it's coming along.

Anyway, this is the Second Prince of Calico, Arjuna with his betrothed fiancee, Amarah, the Third Princess of Kitwa.

This is a snippet of the first page of the first issue of Sweet Shoppe, slated to debut this May. The comic features 20 pages and I...haven't even finished one, yet ^^; BUT! I am getting somewhere with them. One page just needs coloring and two more need inks and then color. Little by little and step by step, that's the way! I just have to keep moving forward and I'll be alright! ^_^

Old Commission and New Uniforms

*stretches* You know, I can't believe that I didn't post this here when I got this commission back in November of 2009.

This was a commission that I was requested to do as a design for a night club in Nashville. Someone told me that this image is hosted as a very large image in their historic print district. That made me really happy to hear. I wish I could see it for myself, but, if I'm ever in the Nashville area, I'll hunt it down, for sure ;-)
SO! Lemme think what else is new. I've finalized the designs for the costumes of the Sweet Shoppe girls even if I haven't finalized the color arrangements for them. I'm debating just having the girls wear the same design and let them all wear whatever colors they choose. That seems to be the best course of action since all the girls have such varied hues, also.

The first issue's story is done, although, I think I'm going to add just a little more to it. I'm not sure as of yet, but I may add an additional bit of writing to what I already have. I won't know for sure, though, until I really get into the illustrations, see how much space I have and determine if I have enough time to make additional submissions to the existing material. So, here's hoping! :)

Alrighty! Back to work! In the meantime, here's Candy and Plum modeling the uniforms for the Sweet Shoppe girls to wear.

Uniformity!

Well well well... Another day, still plowing through the Sweet Shoppe, trying to get things done with the script so I can move on to art. I've actually planned the layout of the shoppe so I can begin figuring out how the shop looks, but the issue of uniforms came up and, thankfully, it was resolved swiftly enough...more or less ^^; Here, I'll show you what I mean:


This is the design for the uniforms of the Sweet Shoppe. There are two versions of, essentially, the same outfit. The one on the left was the original design, but upon thinking on it, I realized that it may be a bit too young for the older girls, Plum, Mint and Sweetheart. So, I designed the second outfit on the right. The lack of a pleated skirt ages it up, just a little and is something that I can easily see the three older girls wearing. So, for the moment, there are two uniforms worn at the Sweet Shoppe ^__~

...now, we move on to the rival shoppe known as, Brandy's Place.


The outfits couldn't be more different, but then, the restaurants couldn't be more different. The Sweet Shoppe is like a soda bar while Brandy's Place is more like a pub. The atmosphere in her establishment is considerably darker and more adult. You wouldn't find children here as you would at the Sweet Shoppe, but, that's the look that Brandy wanted. Children don't make money, or at least not a lot of it so she has very little use for them and thus does not tailor her business to cater to them.

Sweetheart, on the other hand, thinks children are precious and the light of the world and without them, the world would be a much less joyous place. Because of this, her establishment is very geared toward youth and at any given time of the day, you're very likely to see a child in her store. ^_^