Dimfall

Dimfall (Lite) - Issue 23

2010-08-11T23:34:00.003+01:00

These are fun and quick. I'll probably do some more.

Clicky to expandy as ever ...

Dimfall (Lite) - Issue 22

2010-08-08T23:24:00.002+01:00

Because today has been such a special day for us EU1 players ...

Click to expand ...

Dimfall (Lite) - Issue 21

2010-08-08T18:49:00.003+01:00

I couldn't get onto the EU1 server ... so I did this instead ...

Click to expand

Dimfall - Issue 019

2009-08-21T21:15:00.003+01:00

Apologies about the first two frames in advance. I was experimenting, and it turns out that colouring a mere sketch sucks. Not only does a coloured sketch look pants, it also takes much longer than my usual method to do.

Click to see the epic suckage!

Dimfall - Issue 020

2009-08-06T15:17:00.004+01:00

I'm still working on issue 19

As ever, clicky to expandy!

It's in pencils - since I'm still experimenting - which made it nice and quick to do (8 frames in two days is quite good), but it's not as nicely done as a proper issue. The traditional undo function is rather limited, and cartridge paper is a bit too grainy for scanning.

Normal paper on the other hand sucks for drawing on (with pencils)

:/

Leave comments please, because comments = win!

Still experimenting

2009-07-21T05:12:00.006+01:00

I'm still experimenting with ways of improving on my method of drawing Dimfall. I have to find a more efficient way of doing this.

The reason I usually halt work on Dimfall for months on end is because I get bored with all the black-lining and colouring that has to be done. It takes an age.

Take the last issue for instance. The fun part - ie the sketching/drawing - took less than two hours for the two frames. But the lining, colouring, shading and highlighting - though crudely done - still took many times that to complete.

I hit upon the idea of dropping the blacklining phase, and instead beefing up the final sketch so it would have nice solid lines, then painting on (well ... under, really) the sketch to get the same result. The problem with that is I can't use flood fill anymore (a great time saver) so colouring will take longer.

The two pics above shows you what I'm trying. I've used mutiple colouring techniques on Heartflame, if you're wondering why she is inconsistant. Even the left side of her hair is done differently to the right. I'm trying to find some method that is quick ... and looks good.

Yes ... I suck at drawing

:p

EDIT - I'm still experimenting as I start the next strip

Dimfall - Issue 018

2009-07-21T01:40:00.004+01:00

I'm still experimenting so it's not a 'proper' strip.

Clicky to expand.

Muffins says ...

2009-07-18T11:25:00.005+01:00

... Just one more!

lol

EDIT - I have a 1680 x 1050 desktop background of this image if anyone wants it. Just click to expand then right-click the below image and select 'save as'.

Muffins says ...

2009-07-16T15:25:00.003+01:00

I picked up an actual pencil and sketch pad yesterday - for the fist time since mid 2007-ish – and was genuinely surprised that I could still use the damn things (I've been using graphic tablets solidly since '07 … not that I draw much anyway).

Another thing I noticed was that it didn't feel like trying to draw with a blunt crayon, which is largely my experience with tablets, and I could sketch much, much faster than in the past.

I also found myself subconsciously reaching for the 'undo' button on the sketch pad.

Lawl.

Anyway, that got me thinking about why I started Dimfall in the first place … to improve what little drawing ability I already had. Looking back, it's interesting which particular things have improved and which have not.

With Dimfall, every frame is a separate picture that has to be sketched, blacklined and coloured, and I've done a lot of frames. So though I've improved when drawing people for instance – going from initial skeletons to finished sketch – the speed and confidence that I do that now bears no resemblance to my pre-Dimfall squiggles. I've learned to be more efficient and to use shortcuts - like drawing hands as hand-shaped blobs for instance rather than fully fingered – and to embrace sloppiness. It rarely matters exactly where a line goes.

As I doodled I started drawing some of the Dimfall characters. Did I mention that drawing with an old-school pencil doesn't feel like trying to draw with a crayon? Yeah. For all it's advantages in lining, colouring and editing, the Cintiq has drawbacks. When I 'zoom out' with a pencil (ie – moving my head away from the pad) I don't have to worry about my strokes being pixelated when I zoom back in.

Paper resolution > Cintiq resolution.

So I'm going to experiment with scanning in pencil sketches for a while, and using the tablet from there for the lining and colouring and stuff.

Hence this post.

The below pic is just one frame I've done from a strip I've been thinking about doing for a while. I'm not doing the strip … just experimenting. You'll probably see more experiments too.

Anyway, the cartoon. Clare and Gankis are arguing about which is more efficient at killing mobs, ranged or melee. To settle the matter they decide to attack the next troll they come across. The one who kills the troll proves their case and wins the argument. They spot one and Clare charges forth with her mourning star raised.

“Raaaaaaaaaaaar!”

But she is surprised to see dozens and dozens of arrows fly over her head and strike the poor troll. “OMG!” As Clare gets closer the the troll falls to his knees with a silly number of arrows embedded in his hide, and more still flying overhead at him. Clare closes the gap with a sprint of speed, a snarl and a mourning star ready to inflict some pain.

“BAM!”

A sharpened fence post impales the troll in the chest, sends him flying backwards and impales him against a tree. Clare turns around, and ...

Issue 017 - OMG! RELEASE!

2009-05-12T14:37:00.004+01:00

Clickus to expandus

If ImageShack is playing up you can click the faster loading, lower quality version below.

Muffins says ...

2009-05-06T08:13:00.004+01:00

Click to expand.

Faster loading, lower quality version below.

Dimfall isn't dead. It just moves very, very slowly.

Dimfall - Issue 016 "Patch Notes"

2009-01-02T09:56:00.004Z

This one was a lot of fun to do.

Click to expand the Imageshack hosted, high quality version below.

If Imageshack is playing up then you can click the lower quality Blogger hosted version below.

Dimfall - Issue 014 "Harvesting"

2008-12-29T17:17:00.007Z

The below thumb should take you to the high quality comic (hosted on Imageshack).

Clickus to expandus.

If Imageshack is playing up you can click on the two blogger hosted thumbs below (lower quality 'cos blogger automatically compresses all pics)

Dimfall - Issue 015 "29th August 2008"

2008-10-31T23:57:00.003Z

Clicky to expand.

Wut?

This and this.

:p to all the newcomers!

Muffins Says ...

2008-10-27T05:41:00.003Z

Click to expand

Check it out!

(not my video)

:D

Soon™

2008-09-19T23:34:00.007+01:00

Click to expand

Alternative title? How about "If you're going to start drawing again, you'd better warm up first"

Dimfall issue 013 - "Conan Burgers!"

2008-06-25T09:07:00.002+01:00

Don't you just hate hype?

Clicky to expand.

Dimfall Issue 012 - "Vapourware!"

2008-06-17T09:31:00.006+01:00

This one was an awful lot of fun to draw.

It's in two parts since Blogger will laugh at me if I try to upload a big pic.

Clickimandy to expandy.

Leave comments please!

There's a complete (whole) and much higher quality version on ImageShack if you think you can tolerate the crappy bandwidth :/

Dimfall - Issue 010 "I'm a MAGE"

2008-05-25T00:45:00.004+01:00

In two parts because Blogger will resize it otherwise.

Leave comments please!

Dimfall - Issue 011 "Chest Drop!"

2008-04-01T21:44:00.005+01:00

Click to expand.

"What happened to issue 010" you ask? Well, Dimfall is so awesome that it doesn't have to have sequential issues!

That's my excuse and I'm sticking to it :)

What is Darkfall all about?

2008-03-05T07:27:00.002Z

Since Dimfall is a Darkfall fan-webcomic I'd thought I'd share my new Darkfall video with you all :)

Have no fear - I'm still working on issue 10. Honest!

Dimfall forum sigs

2008-02-11T20:19:00.001Z

I'm going to make some Dimfall themed signatures for the official Darkfall forums (that anyone can grab and use) as and when the mood takes me. I'll post new sigs here in this post (which people can find using the "forum sigs" label in the label list on the right) which will probably fill up as more issues of Dimfall appear.

Feel free to grab/use/edit them as you please.

Click to expand.

The above sig I created for Camelmix so don't pinch it :)

Dimfall - Issue 009 "Why Vanguard failed"

2008-02-10T18:10:00.000Z

Yay! I finished the strip early!

Click to expand both parts of the best Dimfall strip to date :)

Please leave comments!

Dimfall - Issue 008 "Pest Control"

2008-02-05T09:56:00.000Z

Finally I've finished issue 008! Apologies for the prolonged delay to all those who have been waiting since October for this latest issue, but at least it's done now.

Next time my boss asks me to work extra shifts over the Xmas period I'll remember to ask him what he thinks of as "the Xmas period", because most people think "December" ... not "November, December, January"!

Clickarando to expando both partarandos

Dimfall - Issue 007 "MMORPG Economics 101"

2008-02-05T09:52:00.000Z

Something that I noticed happening in EQ2.

Clickius to expandius

Dimfall - Issue 006 "It's not one of us!"

2008-02-05T09:48:00.000Z

Clicky to expandy :)

Dimfall - Issue 005

2008-02-05T09:45:00.000Z

If real life was like MMORPG's. Half of what happens in a MMORPG never makes much sense to me.

Click to expand.

Dimfall - Issue 004 "Girlyquest 2"

2008-02-05T09:43:00.000Z

On Everquest 2.

Click to expand.

Dimfall - Issue 003 "Gankage"

2008-02-05T09:37:00.000Z

Click to expand.

Dimfall - Issue 002 "Culture Clash"

2008-02-05T09:34:00.000Z

Take a WoW player, insert into Darkfall ... er ... I mean Dimfall, then sit back and watch the fun.

Click to expand.

Dimfall - Issue 001

2008-02-05T09:24:00.001Z

The very first issue of Dimfall!

Click to expand

The Dimfall Webcomic has a new home!

2008-02-02T10:09:00.001Z

And it's here!

It'll probably take a while for me to set everything up to my satisfaction so expect the blog to change radically over the next few weeks as I put things together.

The plan is for this blog to become the official permanent home for everything 'Dimfall', while my old blog goes back to being my blog.

That's it for now.