Questions for Quinn and Kara

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:31 am

"Official" question thread. If there are things you wonder about the strip or either of us, feel free to ask. I'd say we're both pretty open to answering questions, so long as they aren't spoilery. If you ask for spoilers, you'll probably get a response like "La!" which will leave me amused, and you frustrated. Whee!

Violetpoof · Post by **Violetpoof** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:37 pm

when drawing with paper and pencil does the lead smear on your hands, or is that only something a rookie goes through . . .?

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 5:40 pm

It depends how pencily I'm being. If I'm doing a whole drawing or something in pencil, I usually put a paper towel or a sheet of paper under my hand to keep from smearing things all over the place. My real problem, is when I ink something, and finish it, and then go back to erase the pencil lines. Invariably I smear the ink. And then I cry. Which is why I do the strip digitally. Less smearing.

MinekaC. · Post by **MinekaC.** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 10:53 am

I just thought I'd comment in regards to inking. If you use quills and/or brushes you might want to get a vile of waterman ink, it's made in france. And by the time I'm done inking the whole page, all the ink is dried. You can start erasing where you started inking, and won't get any kind of smudges. Least that's my own experience, not to mention it's a heck of alot cheaper then those anti-smudge inking pens that they sell at Pearl Paint and various other art stores.
Anyway, just my two cents on the subject.

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Fri Mar 16, 2007 1:17 pm

Ah see, but I have a quart of black cat...
I also really like that black cat dilutes nicely to use for washes as well, and has proven to be really lightfast so far. But, yeah. I do the strip digitally for lots of reasons. It would probably take me twice as long to ink by hand, especially since I'd have to scan, then edit the lines before even getting to color.
What it all boils down to is I'm a lazy bastard.

MinekaC. · Post by **MinekaC.** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 1:40 pm

LOL! I suppose it all boils down to what you have to work with.
It's the reverse for me, it'd take twice as long if not more, for me to ink on the comp as opposed to by hand. But that's likely curtosy of only having a mouse.
Waterman likely wouldn't dilute at all, it's supposed to be for "writing" purposes as opposed to anything artistic, which is likely why it dries so fast. *smiles*
Well, however you do Geekblather, keep it up, it's so much fun to read.

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Wed Mar 21, 2007 6:50 pm

Yeah- I really like the tablet for that. Although, I also tend to work it like ink, so usually people figure that I actually do things by hand. But, that's because I'm sneaky.

Drachenfels · Post by **Drachenfels** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 6:05 am

i noticed something very odd while loading the GeekBlather comic page today...the image behind the sheet paper template...is it a map/partial map of middle earth???

ahaha!! i just went back and rechecked and now im almost positive it is a map of middle earth. (the cut off segment of the one ring at the top right is a dead give away.) nice touch whoever coded the page...nice touch...

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 11:43 am

I actually coded/designed the page. And oh man... the answer to that is even geekier...

*cough*

Uhm. So, in the very very very beginning, pre-comic, when the game was still a medieval RP, I did a ton of maps, and designs. The background is actually a photograph I took of my role playing stuff (at the very bottom you can see a little of a character sheet as well) and the little shiny things are counters. So, it is A map of a medievally place, just not Tolkein's.

This is the full image, where you can see it a little better.

Drachenfels · Post by **Drachenfels** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 1:01 pm

oh man that's even better!! *applause!!*

Geekblather · Post by **Geekblather** » Fri Mar 23, 2007 10:03 pm

Uber-Geek, no?

Yeah, all the backgrounds and the buttons on the site are taken from my own gaming materials.