Jumbo deLuxe

Getting back from March break means a whole new schedule and a lot of surprises, so the new comic will have to be postponed until next week for several weeks. I really want to make my updates at least once a week but we might have a few delays for the next few weeks as real life and other commitments for family and friends are starting to intrude into my drawing time.

And then there’s the Stumptown Comics Fest. I’ll be volunteering and helping out while saying ‘hi’ to some very talented folks.

Let me know if you’ll be there too and you want to meet me. I would be up for getting coffee, making sketches, or just hanging out and reading comics.

If you are desperate to see some drawings from me right now, then why not check my flickr page where I’ve posted more stuff from my sketchbook and other little projects, including stuff for Halloween.

Following a week off for a March break beach trip and doing taxes, I’m back to doing what I do here at the Jumbodeluxe webcomic.  For those of you patient enough to come back, I’ve got a some new stuff on the site this week in addition to the regular comic post. I’ve got a blog category specifically for my sketchbook posts (you’re reading it now) and over in that column on the right I’ve added a widget that shows all the latest sketchbook entries on my flickr page. (I should point out that I’ve had a quick go with the stylesheet to make this work, so if it looks weird, try refreshing your browser.)

I think the robot's hands and feet were about the only things that stayed the same

These sketches are rough ideas for the comic that got refined or changed for the final version. I’m often quite surprised when I go through an old sketchbook and find an early concept that either bears no resemblance to what ended up in the comic, or looks cooler in its earlier stage. I generally work very fast in my sketchbook, so these drawings tend to have a much livelier quality. I’d love to retain more of that spontaneity and fun in the final draft only with less glaring mistakes.

I'm not sure why, but the robot looks much cooler here than it does in the final version.

In addition to making a comic strip installment every week, here’s some other stuff that needs to be done within the next few weeks if this is going to be one of those ‘serious’ webcomics.

1. Draw lil’ Emily’s head rounder. It makes her cuter and funnier. Avoid shaping her head like a potato. This isn’t The Family Circus here.
2. Make a ‘characters’ page so visitors can learn about their inner lives and get more enjoyment from the stories.
3. Make some colorful postcards to help promote the site, especially at the Stumptown Comics Fest. (See #6)
4. Make a blog post listing all the swell people who have helped out through advice, comments, free food, laundry, figure models, etc.
5. Make a blog post about some awesome old-timey comics that inspired all this.
6. Attend various comics-related events and promote the comic in a friendly, unobtrusive manner.
7. Make a ‘sketchbook’ gallery page full of drawings directly related to the comic.
8. Consider making an external ‘sketchbook’ page containing drawings that have nothing to do with the comic, but are still fun.
9. Make a super jumbo expanded ‘links’ page with all the comics and blogs and other goodies that are worth wasting time on.
10. Promote the comic politely and unobtrusively on the web by going to bulletin boards,  social media sites, and putting friendly comments on other cartoonists’ sites. Why is it that some of my favorite webcomics don’t have comments sections?
11. Consider getting a twitter account. (I haven’t done it yet because  Facebook creeps me out enough already and I feel like I never have anything useful to say.)
12. Consider using flickr to host sketchbook images (especially ones that aren’t directly related to the comic) and post other images such as reference pictures, and software experiments.

I’ve made a few changes to the stylesheet this week. Nothing major, just some different font styles and colors, and a slightly different rollover for the comics links. Hit the refresh button on your browser if it still looks like the old version, although the changes are pretty minor.