So I was having a hard time trying to find something to blog about on my Zombie Ranch comic. I’m horrible at blogging because I really feel like I have nothing worth saying. So I decided to try out a random blog topic generator in hopes of getting my brain started. Well it didn’t work because I don’t want to talk about political issues or botanical art.

Then I stumbled on a random question generator and…well it caused me to create this:

The random question was “How would a spork parade?”

It gave me such a visual that I couldn’t help myself but draw something. After completing this very quick sketch, I laughed and suddenly realized how weird my imagination is.

Clint trumped me on the goat talk, so you can look at his blog if you wanna. Ever since I saw this script, I was looking forwards to drawing wagging goat tails!

Just confirmed: we’re going to be exhibiting at the new Inland Empire Comic Expo on Sunday, Feb. 6th out in Redlands, CA. Looks like tickets are currently $12 at the door ($10 if you come in costume), and the show floor is open from 10am-6pm. If you’re in the area, shamble on by and say hi!

It was a tradition to get a game system for Christmas when I was a kid. That game system was to be shared between me and my brother. Eventually it was only when a new game system would come out, otherwise it was a game.

I continue this tradition, except for the part where I share it with my brother. He lives about 120 miles away, it would be a little hectic if we still shared a game system. So now my husband has taken the responsibility of taking his gaming place, it’s such a “terrible” job.

This year I didn’t get a new game system, but I did get a Kinect for the Xbox 360. It’s not easy for me to spoil myself, I’m just not the type of person to say “I worked hard all week and deserve a treat, I’m buying that art pad I’ve been wanting”, I have to have a reason to buy it. I also have to have reassurance that it’s okay to buy it…sort of trying to convince myself it’s okay to buy. So I usually say to Clint:

Dawn: I think I’m going to buy a Kinect with the Amazon giftcard I got for Christmas.
Clint: Hmmm (writing Zombie Ranch script on computer)
Dawn: It’ll help me move around more and lose weight.
Clint: Okay (still writing script)

When in reality I want it because it’s the closest I’ll ever come to being a Jedi and using the force. Anyone that owns a Kinect knows what I’m talking about…I’ve spent a while moving the screen choices about on the Kinect menu screen in a Jedi like fashion.

But so far I’ve had it for about 5 days. I only have two games; Kinect Adventures and Kinect Sports. Both have reminded me that I am really out of shape and not as young as I once was as I sweat/pant after about 15 minutes of playing. Hopefully the next convention you see me at, I’ll have lost atlas 10lbs.

I am renting Dance Central from Gamefly for one reason only…to make a complete fool of myself on my birthday. It’s like Karaoke (which I am horrifically horrible at) for the body, a select few are good at it while the rest of us are like a car wreck.
I have studied martial arts since I was a kid, won 3rd place in a tournament, and have fought 3 opponents at once…but I can’t dance worth anything. Not a lick of dance talent at all.

As a kid, I did learn Country Line dancing. Which will do no help in playing Dance Central…unless they have me dance to Achy Breaky Heart.

First off! Happy Thanksgiving! Well, atleast to those living in the USA and maybe Canada. I’ve had a habit of being a little quiet for the last couple of blogs, I like to listen and a little shy I guess. But for the holidays, I figured I would write a blog and have a goal to write more. So you better be thankful…or happily eating pie…I’m not very picky. Though now I want pie.

But I figured that since this comic has two completely different character personalities standing next to each other (Rosa’s explosion of personality and Frank’s subtle expressions) that I would talk a bit about drawing these expressions.

What’s more than drawing characters for me? Their personalities! My goal with drawing this comic first was attempting to draw characters with emotion/characteristic quirks.
Some are subtle and repressive like Suzie or Frank – who I like to think feel that actions speak louder than words and have experienced enough in their lives to not be easily surprised. Then there’s characters like Uncle Chuck and Rosa that tend to be more expressive (Okay a whole lot expressive).

The hardest out of these two extremes is drawing someone with subtle to no expression for me. Trying to draw Frank with his “poker face” can be a trial. If I’m not careful, Frank could end up seeming like a cookie cutter character, just someone that I could copy and past on every panel.

Uncle Chuck and Rosa are my favorite personalities to draw so far. Uncle Chuck is so laid back and tends to always have a smile/grin on his face. I try to make him seem cheerful and nostalgic for the “good old days” before the Zombie attack.

Rosa’s expressions are fun to draw with her “I don’t care what you think of me” cheerful attitude. I also wanted to draw Rosa a little different from the others. I didn’t want to draw her as a thin attractive woman, but with a little bit of chunk to her weight. Which wasn’t an easy decision to make because it’s not the attractive norm in many comic books. Sure there’s Francine from Strangers in Paradise, they kept saying she was overweight throughout the comic’s story, but I never saw her as being fat really (truthfully she seemed normal). Plus there’s a lack of chunky artist reference models out there.
But for Rosa’s personality I feel that maybe she was raised by big brothers and didn’t get so much of the “a proper lady eats healthy and has manners” that many young ladies hear from their moms/aunts/etc. So her expressions are a little more towards being a big tomboy, with a whole lot of street smarts, and a dash of cunning. Which showing her awkwardly flirting with Frank is a lot of fun. Rosa…confident in everything but attracting the opposite sex.

Since I don’t have anything to blog about, feel free to ask questions about making a comic. Like what it’s like working with a writer as an artist or vice versa.? Or how to draw/color something? Our thoughts on a certain comic book/web comic?

Also it’s a new month, so don’t forget to vote for us on TopWebComics!

We have survived the San Diego Comic Con! I bought many many things and visited some of my friends, went out drinking with those friends, then your Nerd Queen (yes me) decided to wander around the Gaslamp at night while said drunk. That was pretty much my time at the Convention….I wouldn’t have changed a thing!

Now I’ll be spending the remainder of the year detoxing and getting back to the regular grind of things. Oh wait! There’s Dragon Con I have to prepare for next. I won’t be able to go to Dragon Con, so my artwork will have to go for me. So I have to finish up some drawings, color them and ship them next month.

Then I get free time, right? Wait, no! I then have to look for a job! I finished college and am being shoved out into the real world. Well more like put back. Like releasing me into the wild, I suppose…I am so a gazelle that’s going to get eaten because I have been spoiled by zoo life.
But I’ll be applying to some dream jobs and collecting rejection notices. I got the idea from Tim Schafer: http://www.doublefine.com/news/comments/twenty_years_only_a_few_tears/

I’ll also be applying to a few other jobs just so that I can eat, have a car, sustain my gaming habits. Hey! Girl has to play her World of Warcraft and Dragon Age II when it comes out…maybe a little Nights of the Old Republic…(okay, the force isn’t strong with me) a whole lot of playing.

Just wanted to let some of you know that we are still working on getting a printed version of the Zombie Ranch comic. Been sampling a few print on demand places and think I might have found one. All I’m waiting for is a printed version of the comic to test the quality and if all goes well, we will soon have Zombie Ranch Issue 1 for sale.

I’ll keep you all posted when that big day happens. Hopefully it will be no longer than the end of this month.

And now a comment from the artist: “It’s HORSE GLUE! Get it?! Horse glue!“

This ends our comment from the artist. Thank you.

Also…that damn Zombie Horse is something that I didn’t expect to turn out the way it did. Makes me want a real zombie horse to hug…till it started chewing on my brain.

So we’re almost done with the first part of Zombie Ranch. We do plan on making a print version of the 1st issue available for you to buy online. The goal is to make it as cheap as possible and I estimate that they won’t be more than $5 for a comic (shipping not included).

But I also plan on selling a limited edition 1st issue that will include sketches, art, or other items. Haven’t fully decided on what to put in there. So far we know we’ll include a signed copy of the Zombie Ranch comic and a sketch from the artist (print or original is still undecided). If you have any thoughts on what you would want in a Limited Edition Zombie Ranch 1st issue, let us know.