Author: eoinfame

Ch-ch-changes

eoinfame

Hello there. It’s been a long while.

I haven’t forgotten about this project. In fact, whenever I thought about it, my mind kept turning toward ways to improve it, make it more fun, and (perhaps most importantly) do something other than simply drawing “sequential art.”

It seems my desire to draw strictly comics has run its course. In fact, it’s run the course and hopped over the fence, running hell for leather toward the wild forests. In its place is a growing desire to experiment with both drawings and writing, and to play around with forms that can combine the two.

Rather than make another visual novel, though, I want to work with something similar to one: something that gives me room to mix writing, illustrations, interactivity, and whatever else seems appropriate for the story.

Unfortunately, WordPress.com being what it is, finding sane-preserving ways to experiment with that sort of thing is slim to nonexistent. So, for the next stage of the project, The Eoin Fame will be moving to one of my other online spaces.

What does that mean for this particular space?

I’ll keep it around for a little while longer, but I think its purpose is going to change. Rather than being the home of the project itself, this site will become more of a showcase for the work I’m doing—the finished pieces, experiments, and other bits and pieces that come out of the project.

The Eoin Fame isn’t going away. It’s just changing in a way I feel will be far more interesting for myself, but especially readers.

Drawing some inspiration

eoinfame, , ,
Cat Modean sits in a comfy computer chair with her socked feed up on a desk. She casually skims a zine with a small smile on her face. The back cover of the zine features a picture of former Taoiseach Charles Haughey with an indecipherable speech bubble, a star, and a swirl designs around him.

Hello there. Feels like it’s been donkey’s years since I’ve posted, huh? (Did I use that phrase correctly? And why donkeys?)

Grad school has been keeping me busy, mostly with legwork in regards to possible careers—I gotta have some means to pay these student loans. Obviously, many leisure activities were crowding the back burner during this time, and I’m just now taking the pot that contains The Eoin Fame and bringing it back to a front burner before the foam boils over and makes a mess.

But it hasn’t all been tedious. I’ve been enjoying the research required for my MLIS studies, and it’s taken me down some fun paths. For a time, I was particularly interested in zines and their place in library collections. I’m more drawn to the non-political zines, and I see a lot of potential in these little handmade books for bypassing the rigorous standards of publishing (and even self-publishing) and allowing creatives to tell stories in their own way.

In fact, I’ve grown so fond of the freestyle nature of zines that I started to realize that, even if I’ve experimented with different colors and brushes, I’ve had a rather rigid—and very killjoy—mindset when it comes to TEF.

Don’t get me wrong. Clip Studio Paint is a fine playground for artists, and its 3D materials have saved my perspective-challenged self numerous times. But it might have also played a role in my attempt to streamline my process, which has kind of stifled the energy I once had in this project.

I need to go back to basics and have fun with the story again—maybe even going so far as to draw on paper.

Right now, I don’t know what that means in terms of updates—whether I’ll continue the single posts or go back to updating in batches—but this could revitalize the comic in a way.

Maybe The Eoin Fame needs to become a digital zine.

We’ll see what we’ll see. In the meantime, I want to thank you for still hanging around. I hope TEF adds an occasional bit of joy to your day when it’s updated, and I hope to make it better going forward.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 7)

eoinfame, ,

Panel 1

A downward view of the young woman and her tarot reading. She has pulled The Fool, Eight of Pentacles, and The Tower. She reviews The Tower entry in a book.

Barty: (off-panel) Día duít, a stór.

Panel 2

The young woman looks up at the speaker sitting across from her.

Panel 3

Barty is now sitting in front of the young woman, his chin resting on a hand, his eyes lowered as he attempts to charm his new acquaintance.

Barty: Do the cards say anything about a tall, dark, handsome stranger?

Here ends the first flashback of the series and my experiment with a temperamental gradient action I downloaded for Clip Studio Paint. When this action gave the rusty, vintage-y effects I was looking for, it was fantastic. When it gave effects like the one you see now… there were only so many times that redoing the action would produce the kind of colors and effects I liked.

It’s not a terrible action, but the next time I do a flashback sequence, I think I’ll try something that produces more consistent results.

In the coming months, I’m going to do something different with this project. I’ve been toying with the idea of creating an off-site archive for previous installments and decluttering this one to host current scenes.

I don’t plan on using WordPress for TEF forever, so I might as well get started on building a static site rather than rushing to build everything when the project is finished. It’s one less headache to contend with down the road.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 6)

eoinfame,

Transcript

Panel 1

Barty angrily trudges through the pub, past a table near the door. A young woman is sitting at the table. She’s curvy in all the right places… mostly her hips and her massive, swept-back bangs. She holds a small book in her left hand while her right hand is poised over the table; she’s doing something the reader can’t see.

Panel 2

Barty stops in his tracks and glances over his left shoulder. He spots the young woman.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 5)

eoinfame

Transcript

Barty trudges down the sidewalk (or whatever it’s called in Ireland), glaring at the ground. He approaches The Langered Crab, which is decidedly less flowery and festive than its modern depiction.

Barty: Feck it all. Should’ve known… too good to be true… paint it my bloody self if I had the magick… find me a brownie who’ll do it for a bowl of cream…

Flashback #1: The Van (page 4)

eoinfame, ,

Transcript

Panel 1

Barty looks with pride at the van off-panel. Finty begins to hand over the bill. His face seems to be saying, This will take the shine off.

Barty: This is beyond fantastic! I can see those shirts’ eyes light up now.

Finty: The bill, lad.

Barty: “This is the show we’ve been needing, lads! Cork’s finally got one over on ol’ Dublin! We’re getting prime programming here!” Maybe not in those words, but something like them. And I feel it in my bones, this very van is the key to–

Panel 2

Barty’s eyes literally bug out at the bill gripped in his hands.

Barty: GET TO FECK!

As much as I like the filter/action I’m using in Clip Studio Paint to give these comics an old, worn look, I don’t really like how the effects differ from page to page. I’m selecting the same action, but the gradients, noise, and dithering seem to vary in intensity depending on… I don’t know, how distressed the art goblins in CSP are feeling at the moment, I guess. I did say I was going to experiment with styles and colors, but I was hoping for some consistency.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 3)

eoinfame, ,

Transcript:

Panel 1

Finty begins to raise a hairy arm. He gives Barty a grin, showing his crooked teeth.

Finty: But enough jawin’. You’ll be wanting to see what idea I’ve dreamed up for the girl.

Panel 2

Ribbons and sparks of magic flow from Finty’s open hand.

Finty: I think you’ll love it, lad.

Panel 3

The duo admire the magical preview of Finty’s work. The passenger side of the Westfalia has a poofy, curly, 70s-style font with the logo: The Incredible Journey of Eoin Crilly and the Famous Fellywongers.

Barty: It’s a beaut!

Finty: And the real thing will have a glossy finish. As well as a smaller version on the other side.

Barty: That’ll really catch the eye! Fantastic work as always, Finty.

Finty: Not to criticize your choice… or your lack of funds… but a van without windows would’ve been a better canvas, lad.

I would have posted this sooner, but Clip Studio Paint decided to be a pest and forget that I’m using a two-year free trial on my desktop. Things should be moving smoothly from now on.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 2)

eoinfame, , Leave a comment

Transcript:

Barty struts into the garage, a grin on his face. Finty, a balding ginger half-dwarf, wipes his hands on a clean towel.

Barty: Ah, they were easy! Some packets of Kimberleys, and they were all mouth. They even chatted a bit after eating.

Finty: Careful you don’t give away your secret to the public. There’ll be eejits buyin’ up every last biscuit to give to those blasted gods, and where will us sensible folk be for tea?

Barty: Finty, you’re half dwarf! What kind of talk is that about your kin?

Finty: Sensible talk! Mhhph.

Flashback #1: The Van (page 1)

eoinfame, Leave a comment

Transcript:

Panel 1

Daytime. A tranquil, open area with a long garage building. The sign on the front reads “Colin Felton’s Conveyance Convenience” with a phone number. A tree stands beside the garage, its large canopy shading the sky, with a lone crow sitting atop the building, observing the scene. Strolling across the dirt is a figure in white silhouette approaches an open garage.

Panel 2

Inside the garage, view facing the door. The figure walks in confidently. He’s dressed in a sweater vest, a shirt with a long collar, and bell-bottoms. His features are pale with bouncy black hair, thick eye eyebrows, and a smile that can slay the ladies.

Barty: Hello, Felty! How’s my favorite artist this morning?

Felty: (off-panel) Barty! Feckin’ hell, ’bout time you showed up! I was beginnin’ to think the fairies got you after all!

Scene 16

eoinfameLeave a comment

That was a long time between updates, wasn’t it? Well, as mentioned in my update posted, um, how many days ago? I can’t even bear to check, I’m embarrassed… Well, as mentioned in that post, I’ll be doing single posts from now.

To begin this new phase, let’s take a look into the past. And while we’re there, let’s have some fun with different styles, because I’m sure you also want to see a different look for the comic, even if it’s temporary.