Rather than going in to each update with the “I’ve gotta get this done, preferably in one shot!”  feeling, I’m going to start intentionally breaking up the workflow. So, for example, script and storyboard on one day, planning and sketches the next, colours and inks the third, and shades and text on the last!

Today’s goal? Script and storyboard (I thought I had this done already, but then discovered that had I lost my notebook).

We’ll see how this goes. I’m already worried that it’ll just deteriorate into me spending an entire day on my tablet… sigh.

MJ

UPDATE #1: It is oppressively hot, here in Kingston, and my patience for my computer’s ineptitude  is at an all time low. Wouldn’t you know it, said computer is giving me new kinds of grief! Yesterday, during sketching, Painter crashed three times! THREE! This is turning into a battle. If I get many problems today, I might just abandon this week’s update and work on other art instead.

UPDATE #2: Okay, so my tablet and Painter decided to play nicely today, so I managed to get the planning/sketching stage completed. I’m currently debating a revert to my line-defined style (for the sake of getting an update done in a timely manner).. we’ll see!

UPDATE #3: I think I may have been a bit overambitious with this page. I *should* have the art done by this afternoon, but oy, it’s a bit of a task.

UPDATE #4: Well, I’ve been taking many little newsbreaks throughout the day (what with Obama’s press conference on the oil disaster, and Calderon’s address to parliament), but the art is *mostly* done. I’m on to the characters now. This points towards either a late-night, or perhaps early morning update. The funny thing is, my sleep schedule is the exact opposite of last year’s problem. Instead of going to bed later and later (resulting in later and later wake-ups), I’m going to bed earlier and earlier (resulting in, you guessed it, earlier and earlier wake-ups). This, of course, I blame on my photography. I’m sure the situation will be rectified shortly.

If you’re reading this, it’s because you are a true supporter! Either that, or you subscribed to the site’s RSS feed and can’t be bothered to unsubscribe. Either way, thanks for stopping by!

I’m sorry for the radio silence.

There’s an ugly, ugly word that sometimes gets thrown around which begins with an “h” and ends in “-iatus.”

So… is Spartachick on hiatus? NO! GOD NO! No, no, no! Nope. Okay… maybe…

…just a little bit…

If it is, it’s unofficial, mostly because I know that the second I actually put in writing “sorry fans, Spartachick is on hiatus,” I’ll be struck by the muse and pump out 4-5 acceptable pages.  It’d be cheap deception.

No, what’s really going on here — BAHAHAHAHAAAaaa… sorry, my neighbour’s dog is twice the size of said individual, and just decided to chase after a squirrel — is an unparalleled attack of ADD. What this means? Well, instead of drawing, I’m out and about, taking pictures of this beautiful little city!

Basically, I’m distracted by my other interests at the moment. This sort of thing normally fizzles out after a few weeks (note: it has been a few weeks), and then I return to my tablet with fresh views and ideas!

Now, now… I know we’ve seen comics go down this road before. I’ve watched as great writers and artists burn themselves out with monotony, necessary for proper dramatic pacing. Either that, or they just get tired.

Push that aside: I like drawing. I like writing. I like my story, and get excited when I think of where it’s going to go. For the time being, however, I need to not force an unsatisfactory product. Eventually – if aforementioned muse fails to strike in a timely manner – I’ll get frustrated and just GET THINGS DONE. The pages will be sub-par, and I’ll look back in disgust (the upside is that I won’t have to worry about them anymore).

I could babble on for pages about this, but that’s mostly because I haven’t slept in many-an-hour, and spent the majority of the morning walking in uncomfortable shoes.

What to take away from this blog post:

- Spartachick is NOT on hiatus (not officially, anyway).

- The author/artist is distracted by his other creative activities.

- The author/artist’s enthusiasm in the story-line has NOT waned.

- It is in the comic’s best interest that the author/artist takes his time.

- Any semblance of an update schedule is now kaput (sorry Webcomic List (oh… my rating shall plummet)).

That’s about it… hopefully sooner than later, eh? Bye for now!

MJ

Apparently my computer no longer recognizes my tablet… stupid pile of obsolete circuitry. We’ll see if I can get this sorted, but outlook not good for a weekend update.

This sucks for my other site, too. I had – what I thought to be – a funny strip worked up for the British elections, and now I can’t draw it in time for it to retain relevance. Now I know how ancient comic playwrights felt…

Anyway, will keep you posted!

MJ

So, no. I haven’t abandoned this site. In fact, I’ve got the next page written, story-boarded, and laid-out. Maybe it’s the spring weather, maybe it’s exam-season stress, or maybe it’s that I’m recovering from an Oblivion relapse… right now, I have got the attention span of a ferret.

“Oh! I want to go out and take pictures! No! Wait! I have two essays to write. Aww, but I haven’t updated my sites in weeks! Ooo, I could definitely play guitar! What’s that? Friends want to hang out?! Awesome! How could I have forgotten about the Stanley Cup Playoffs?!”

In the end, nothing gets done, and I just sit around hating myself.

Oh, also, my computer is being a real jerk right now. Not that that’s news.

Right, so maybe an update by tomorrow?! We’ll see!

MJ

Alright, so unless I can pull off an absolutely miraculous one-night comic-drawing session tomorrow, there’s not going to be an update this week. Maybe some filler… but I make no promises. Normally, I’d be all over the procrastination comic-drawing (like yesterday, at felixmarcus.com), but tonight I really, really need to focus.

Seriously, there are only two classes I have a chance of doing decently in this year, and tonight’s essay is for one of them! Oof… what an academic massacre this semester has been! Thankfully, it won’t affect my graduation, as all my “bad” courses have little-to-no connection to my degree. Still, let this be a cautionary tale!

Okay, back to essaying… talk later!

MJ