Let the triple party begin!

We’re having a triple party and it’s lasting through Monday! Hillbilly Hoot #1, Techwarrior #4 and Dream Angel #23 will all be released for the party, one each day of the party!

So, who goes first? Drumroll, please!

Today’s release will be….

Techwarrior #4!

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It’s true CryptoLock’s a sneaky virus, but what about his favorite pet Infiltrator? What secrets does this lethal-looking mechanical snake hold? You won’t want to miss today’s release to find out!

Less than 2 1/2 hours from the time of this post, this page goes live!

What about the other two books? Well, there’ll be another toss-up tomorrow to see which one goes live for day 2 of the triple party.

These have been longer than usual for production. Especially Dream Angel #23. A lot has been learned along the way, too. Some of the new techniques have been employed in these books, others will possibly  be put to use in later books. One important lesson has been just how many characters can go into even the simplest of scenes before the program crashes! Even with the upgrades done to the computer, it still has its share of limitations. Fortunately, I know ways around those limits to create the scenes I want.

The beauty of these books – particularly compared to the earliest ones I’ve done – is staggering! If you’d told me in 2007 I’d be making such beautiful 3D art, I’d have laughed! You see, I was just beginning to explore 3D with Poser 7 and still doing my comic book art by hand. Nothing against hand art, but it took 3 days to do one page and unfortunately, the art still needed a great deal of work to look very realistic. Don’t get me wrong, the art looked good at the time, but looking back at it now, it looks like a 5-year-old did it… well, to me it looks that way, anyway.

I didn’t formally discover DAZ Studio until 2012 when it was suggested by a fan that I do a new version of Dream Angel #1. The new second edition blew me away – and I rendered it! I’d added 6 new pages that, while dark, still printed with breathtaking results and the story seemed enhanced by the new art. Well, it doesn’t take much guess work to realized I was hooked and promptly started fixing character models to work in DAZ Studio. The first group turned out good and some have since gone through a few light changes, but nothing drastically noticeable.

A year ago, a friend suggested taking his logo and making him a comic book character… well, that would be Techwarrior and he’s seen more of the experimenting in new techniques than Dream Angel. If you haven’t seen Techwarrior #1, you ought to because it was the first time I lit a scene myself. Why’s that significant? Well, I’d nearly always used light sets for scenes and sometimes they simply didn’t do what I wanted. With Techwarrior, I wanted to utilize the studying I’d been doing on lighting to create the right mood for the story and it worked. Since, there haven’t been too many non-custom lit scenes in Techwarrior and Techwarrior #4 has some that really add to the mood of the story in a way I only dreamed of a few years back! Don’t take my word for it, get the books from right here in the shop!

Triple release party coming soon!

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Come join us at the Facebook party! It’s been a lot longer in the works than usual, but finally, we’ll see a triple release party for Dream Angel #23,

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Techwarrior #4,

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and announcing the all-new Hillbilly Hoot #1!

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Although the latter two have been largely ready for a couple weeks now, the idea was to have a big party for all three to celebrate the new series.

Dream Angel was supposed to be done a couple weeks ago, but other things ended up taking priority. Nevertheless, it’s rapidly approaching completion with a good possibility of the party being this Saturday. This is one party you won’t want to miss!

These books are all amazingly rendered with great care and attention to detail. Well, don’t take my word for it, check them out for yourself when they’re released!

In other news, the redesign of Daybright and Firebright plush characters has turned out adorable. The sample Daybright I made has a full armature even inside the ears and wings. The plan is to finish off Dream Angel, have the triple release party and finish off the last of the details for the sample before posting pictures, so keep your eyes open for those to appear and beware: He’s a thief! He’ll steal your heart at first glance!

There’s plenty of charming darlings just waiting to be adored in the shop. Not forgetting key chains, travel mugs and other assorted goodies! There’s lots of cool stuff to do and see on this site, so don’t be shy!

Opinion time!

Are you excited about the triple party? What do you think of the redesign for Daybright and Firebright with the armature? Granted, you have yet to see it, but be imaginative for a moment. It’s a blue Pegasus unicorn with a complete armature that makes it poseable. Here’s Daybright in the shop as he is currently. Now, imagine a more realistic redesign with the armature.

Storm of awesome coming!

There’s a storm of awesome coming! One you won’t want to miss at all! Dream Angel #23, Techwarrior #4 and Hillbilly Hoot #1 will all be released soon in a fun triple party.

All three of these have knock-your-socks-off fun just waiting for you. Dream Angel’s in trouble again in #23 as her friends and family have been captured and she’s left almost alone to save them. Techwarrior is visiting an old friend when trouble starts again for him in #4 and Hillbilly Hoot is the premier book! I don’t dare spoil it other than something is missing!

The art has taken a definite jump for the better lately and stories are better than ever. Sweeping landscapes, huge battles and awe inspiring villains await in these books.

These books are so full of beauty that the computer can barely handle it! Scenes have taken 12 hours or more to prepare for rendering and much longer than in the past to render. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an excellent computer with enough power to do the job of course, it’s just been having trouble because the scenes have so much going on.

In other news, the plush action figures also look awesome! The new 11″ Arora/Dream Angel is a redheaded knockout. I’ve also acquired a new horse pattern for Daybright and Firebright that’ll be appropriately modified for them. These more realistic characters feature a soft body with a strong wire armature inside the body so they can be posed. Even the horses likely will sport these wire armatures once the pattern is modified and finalized.

This storm of awesome will definitely take you by storm. Don’t take my word for it, though! Stick around and find out for yourself!

Cool news!

Cool news for anyone eagerly anticipating Dream Angel #22 and the printed edition of Techwarrior #3: Dream Angel #22 will be released tomorrow morning live in the shop and Techwarrior #3 has been submitted for listing in print on indyplanet!

What of Hillbilly Hoot? Well, that one’s gradually coming together. It’s good to know that these books are getting back on track and looking absolutely breathtaking!

If you’re wondering, I’m just getting warmed up for the year. You might have noticed I missed the February and March releases for Dream Angel. Well, that just means I was gearing up for bigger and better than ever stuff. New toys for making rendering faster and better, learning new tricks and coming up with all sorts of awesome goodies you’ll love.

So, the year got of to a sluggish start for book releases, you’ll find it’s worth the wait and if you stick around to enjoy the fun, you’ll find some very impressive visitors popping into the story of Dream Angel. I don’t dare spoil it, of course, but you’ll find some fun surprises just around the corner as the excitement builds!

Techwarrior #3 is live!

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Techwarrior #3 is live! I know this one’s been anticipated for quite a while now and it’s finally ready. In this book, we see the scope of Techwarrior’s world and meet a new friend. Well, instead of spoiling the story, it’s a far better idea to encourage you to just go get it in the shop! If you’d prefer a print version, it’ll be a few days before that’s ready, but it’s coming soon!

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What news for Dream Angel #22? Well, with the completion of Techwarrior #3 comes the halfway point of Dream Angel #22. This time, Nyxus has made a bold move in the form of a mass capture of Dream Angel’s friends and family. Will she be able to save all of them? This one is looking at an April 7th release and has some incredible scenes in it.

The story of this cover is almost a funny one. See, that background was a birthday present from me to me. Ironically, it’s a scene I’ve wanted since Dream Angel #6. If you haven’t read that one, you ought to, as it has a quite interesting earthquake in it. At the time I was rendering Dream Angel #6 and Dream Angel #7, the scene was far too expensive to afford sadly. Thus, as readers of the series will find, I had to improvise. Not that it’s a bad thing, just that this scene would have been seriously impressive for those books. It’s ironic since this scene didn’t go on sale until my birthday this year which was fortunate since I did actually have the money to get it finally.

You might also be interested in the third series that’s coming along gradually. Yep! Hillbilly Hoot is beginning to come together. The script is written, the character library still needs to be completed, but it should be ready for production soon. Curious about the cover of Hillbilly Hoot #1? Here it is:

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So, three fabulous series all very enjoyable and all-ages friendly. That’s hard to beat, is it not? What do you think of these covers? Discussion’s open to polite, helpful comments! If you’re not sure, read the rules, please!

Mischief on the horizon…

There’s mischief on the horizon!

Lots of mischief on the horizon! For those who have been patiently waiting for Dream Angel #22, Techwarrior #3 and even heard hints of Hillbilly Hoot #1, your patience may soon be rewarded!

As you might have noticed, Dream Angel #22 didn’t come out in February as planned and Techwarrior #3 is months overdue since it was supposed to be November. Well, things have been hectic, but will soon be back on track with Hillbilly Hoot added in for good measure!

Haven’t heard about the Hoot? Well, that’s because he’s a new series that’s been in the pre-production script writing stages for a while now. Hints have been dropped and even the Hillbilly Hoot owl plush has been added to the shop, but not too much is known as yet. Like his counterparts Dream Angel and Techwarrior, though, he’s a series designed for all ages to enjoy.

So, if you missed your favorite heroes, here’s a small taste of what’s to come with the cover of Dream Angel #22:

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Okay, I confess: I can’t get enough of that scene! It’s just so impressive having her flying like that. Cool, isn’t it, though? Now, why do you suppose I separated the story and art credits? Could there be a reason…? *Hint: It’s something fans of characters like Midora and the Dragon Trio will love!

In other news…

You might have noticed the share for discount buttons on the product pages weren’t working properly. That’s been fixed! Share away and get a 10% discount. It might not sound like much, but it’s a good reason to share the fun goodies and awesome characters to be found in the shop anyway, right? I have little doubt there might still be kinks in things on this site, but it’s returning to 100% normal gradually. I think it’s at about 85%. The important areas are all working, especially the shop!

If you didn’t know, this site suffered a double hacker attack in late October early November last year and has moved to new hosting with far better security measures in place. It’s been under reconstruction since and while the major areas are back to normal, there are still things that are missing or not quite yet working completely. Patience is greatly appreciated and I ask that you help me out by reporting these problems when you find them.

New book!!

The first new book of 2016 has been released! Dream Angel #21: Guardians of the Tower is a breathtaking example of how much has been learned in the last year! Even how much has been learned in the last week.

I’ve learned that for the moment, I can’t put more than maybe 10 characters in a scene before DAZ Studio simply closes on me. This was especially problematic yesterday as I had a scene that called for over 40 of my characters to be in the scene. So, I had two options: Buy the $100 Decimator plugin from DAZ that simplifies the 3D models or render 2D images and put them on primitives. (Yes, I’m sharing a secret here!)

Since I’m saving up to get tables at local comic book conventions later in the year, the plugin was pretty much out of the question at this point, so, I started rendering posed characters with the same lighting I used for the scene so it would be consistent.

I wish I could show you some of these character renders and the process, but the site’s media library is on the fritz, so you’ll have to be imaginative as I describe this.

Together with a transparency map, these 2D renders on primitive planes got to play “stunt double” for the regular 3D characters. Seen from above, they’re like cardboard cutouts, but since they’re lit and seen from the front, they seem lifelike and appear to belong. All day yesterday I was rendering the characters and creating those transparency maps. The result made the effort worth it as the 2D plane characters played their parts very well and created the illusion that they are full 3D characters – which technically, they are, in a way.

Another impressive piece is the projections this part of the story called for and learning to make them glow effectively. The projection was good without the glow, but with the glow it gives the scene just the right touch!

If you want to see these tricks in action, the new book is waiting! Dream Angel #21: Guardians of the Tower is live and ready for you! You can also come enjoy the Facebook release party with its sneak peeks and teaser pages.

Signed book + character plush bundle?

A signed book and character plush bundled together for one price? Am I seeing ears perk up? Well, the price might even turn a few heads. The price that’s being settled on is $25, including shipping.

So, how will the bundles work? Well, Dream Angel is getting the bundling first. So, here’s how it’ll go:

  • Dream Angel #1 + Dream Angel plush action figure
  • Dream Angel #2-20 + fan’s choice character plush action figure
  • Some books between might have a particular character paired with them, but most will be fan’s choice

In other news, Dream Angel #21 will be released on Thursday, January 28, 2016! Since the site’s acting up about images, unfortunately, those will have to wait, but the product page will be live that day. I’ll also be able to order the proof copy of the printed version which soon after will appear on indyplanet with the books that came before it. As for adding Dream Angel #19 and Dream Angel #20 to indyplanet, there have been some setbacks with that process beyond my control. As soon as the problems are worked out, I’m sure they’ll be live as well.

For those still awaiting news on Techwarrior #3, that one ought to start production soon. How soon, is hard to say, but when it’s green lighted, I’ll make sure you know immediately! A small teaser for it would be that the action gets more intense and soon new characters are introduced. It’s a book worth anticipating, so keep an eye out for news on it!

Looking forward to the new book?

Are you looking forward to the new book? I know I am! This book is rapidly becoming a breathtaking example of just how much I’ve learned in the last few years since starting this series. The scenes are definitely fabulous and with the additional RAM for the computer, render quickly. In some cases, I can’t get over despite how used to the program I am, it still manages to surprise me with the renders.

An example would be a render I did just yesterday for page 6. I positioned the camera to sight along an arrow and the reflection of the mountains in the scene on the bow caught me by surprise. Well, I won’t spoil it too much, but this book is most certainly one to be proud of.

I thought it would be fun to share a small sneak peek at the upcoming action. To read more, you’ll just have to wait until it’s released later in the month! Ready? You sure? Positive you’re sure? Here it comes!

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Impressive, aren’t they? Learning new techniques is indeed paying off. This looks to be a very well done book. I don’t dare spoil the action to come, but you won’t want to miss one bit of it!

I’m also happy to say the tablet I got has been paying for itself. Since it thinks it’s a computer, I managed to install GIMP on it. It’s similar to Photoshop and I’ve been putting it to good use. I figured out how to make myself custom brushes from stock character and scene renders. These brushes in turn serve to aid in planning the pages of the book when I’m not at the computer. This means work goes with me even when I’m out. These stock render plan pages are like sketches. Simplistic in nature, but most certainly get the point across as a guide for final rendering.

I’m also finding a comfortable method of script formatting rather than the mere who said what with occasional captions thrown in for good measure. Dream Angel #21 is the first to follow this formatting and it’s quite effective. Combined with the stock render plan pages, the final renders look very close to what I had in mind when I was writing the script the first time. Granted, like any writer, the script goes through a mess of revisions, but usually as I’m planning the pages. For those that don’t know, I’m a very visual person. Visual learner in particular. If I can see what I’m doing or learning, it’s easier for me to understand. Thus this new script style combined with the stock render plan pages has sped things up quite a bit.

What do I mean by speeding things up? Here’s a look at how I plan things for each day:

  1. wake up at 6 or 7AM (give or take a few minutes)
  2. walk dog/breakfast
  3. 8AM (again give or take a few minutes) until Noon I have set aside for rendering the day’s book page. Most of the time lately, it’s been less than 2 hours for rendering the page because of the plan pages and new script format that helps guide the scene. Now, don’t get me wrong, it’s not easy in the slightest to get a scene just right, but once it’s set, pose, expression and camera changes are all that I need to do until the next scene change.

Ask anyone who’s never looked cross-eyed at a 3D program to try rendering some of the scenes I’ve done lately and they’ll call you crazy the instant they see the program’s interface. It’s that way with people using Photoshop for the first time, too. Like a deer caught in a car’s headlights they don’t know what to do with all those gadgets, bells and whistles. It’s taken me years to do what I’m able to do now.

Anyway, I’m opening the door to your thoughts on the matter, but make sure you stick to site-wide rules! If you don’t know them, go visit the home page and read them. I love criticism, as long as it’s constructive! Learning from mistakes is very important and I do make a point of trying to learn from constructive criticism.

Rendering has officially begun!

Rendering has officially begun for Dream Angel #21! he cover and page 1 are now done! Sticking to the usual page-a-day routine of my self-imposed schedule, January 28th appears to be the day to look for it in the shop!

I know I’m excited to be working on this book after the cool new tricks I’ve learned lately. To say I’m not excited would be a lie anyway. I love making these books! So, curious about the rough test cover that guided the final cover? Think I ought to share it? You sure? Here it is:

rough cover

It did a nice job of guiding the final cover render, which looks amazing! Think of this one as a tease cover. It looks good, but there’s definitely room for improvement.

Very much looking forward to more rendering on this book. How about you?