ToxinFox's Mostly-Marker Art

[Force Redux]

On 5/27/2020 at 5:14 PM, Galaxy Brain said:

Theres another skull mask underneath 

But then we find out...it's not a mask! 🙃

[Christopher Robin]

A magazine cutout of handsome guy's face (who's

name rhymes with "pulverine") stapled underneath?

 

 

Edited May 31, 2020 by Christopher Robin

[ToxinFox]

I really, really hate to say this, but I might have to put my comic pages on hiatus for a month or more. Why? Because one of the marker companies I rely on heavily is Copic, which makes refillable markers. This is a great feature, because large, high-demand projects like comic pages require a lot of ink, and being able to refill my pens makes that demand manageable. I have to special-order the refill ink, because no one carries more than black and the colorless blender in stores, but that's not usually a problem, other than shipping times occasionally being a few weeks long. 

 

So imagine my surprise and irritation when I went to place an order for *over a dozen colors* that I rely on heavily in general (and some for this project in specific)... and discovered that there are no refills to be found. EVERYONE is out of stock of damn near every color, including Amazon. Why? Because Copic is redesigning the packaging on the refill tubes, and those won't be released until 'early summer/late June', according to a few different sources. And then the new refills have to get to distributors, and then I'll be fighting with everyone ELSE who needs to refill their markers... 

 

...I'm frustrated, you might say. And it impacts more than just this comic-- 99.9% of the art I do is marker-based, so this will eventually hinder almost everything I draw.

 

I've considered turning to other brands in the interim to temporarily replace the colors I need (I also heavily use Prismacolor markers, for example), but there are a lot of reasons that I won't bore you with why that's not the solution I'd like it to be. So my main options are:

 

A) Try to keep the comic going using alternate colors, which will result in some of the pages not quite matching the others,

B) Try to keep the comic going using alternate media entirely (aka colored pencil, watercolor, or digital), which will result in some pages looking ENTIRELY different from the others

C) Or leave the comic on ice until I can resume it with the right materials. 

 

...I know which one I lean toward. Sorry guys. 😔

[Explodjinn]

Looks like the real hard part is how to proceed in regards to this specific project. I agree that a sharp shift in style can be pretty jarring, and there's definite value in waiting so that this one comic can all look the same.

 

Having said that, you absolutely shouldn't stop drawing/sharing it. If materials continue to be the issue, yeah, switch to another medium or to digital for awhile depending on what you're equipped for.

 

Is there another character in this universe that might have a cool backstory to delve into? Seeing the world from another's perspective in a spin-off can be a great way to justify a temporary change in style. Of course, if you opt to make something completely new then no justification is needed, but the point is keep going!

[Troo]

WHAT'S UNDER THE MASK!!! TELL MEH... ..

[ToxinFox]

Oh I have no intentions of *stopping* drawing. I don't think I could if I tried. I've been drawing since I was 3, got a degree in fine art, have taught summer art classes, and worked for six years at an art store. It's a vital part of my identity and mental health. 

 

As far as other projects to pursue and post here? I don't have a lot of other characters with back stories I feel confident telling. I won't say I have no alts, because that's patently false, but... most of them don't have a lot in the way of back stories. (I mean, Coldy Locks is literally just there for the pun.) 

 

Other things I could do are share old City of Heroes art (Including an old, unfinished comic that I did around the time the game got shut down, but I'm afraid that might be a bit emotional for folks), or if no one minds me posting non-CoH-related art here, I could just start throwing in the other stuff I do, too. Because, uh... *checks* I have almost 780 pieces on my Deviantart account, and only a fraction of them are CoH-related. 

 

Thoughts?

 

(And do people want to know what's under the mask, or do we want to wait for the reveal? I *might* be able to do one more page with the supplies I have...)

[ImpousVileTerror]

You can always post a "spoiler" here, which people have to click on to reveal.  Best of both worlds!

[ToxinFox]

Ooo, good point! I forgot about that. 

 

For those who just can't wait to find out what's under the mask: 

 

Spoiler

You know how the Skulls' nose and part of their chin sticks out of the mask? Tan lines. Awkward, awkward tan lines. It's not a big reveal, just a funny gag that I thought was probably a likely consequence of that mask design. 

 

[Darth Delicious]

I don't get sucked into a lot of comics easily, but I just read all the pages! Dang that is one huge cliffhanger too. 😱 Such a lovely, soft and clean style, ToxinFox, I love it!

I think, I'd go for option C, wait out the arrival of the colours and in the mean time do some other drawing (and share 😇). I'm sure having all pages fit together will be worth the wait.

[ToxinFox]

Hey folks. I know it's been a while since I posted, so I have two updates today. 

 

The first is a picture! With the comic on hiatus, this is what I've been working on:

 

The original is 14 x 17 inches, and colored pencil on top of a flat (non-shaded) base of markers. This is a technique I used to do a lot... over a decade ago. Ever since I started really getting good with exclusively markers, though, I stopped using colored pencils in a meaningful way, so it has been a LONG time since I've done something like this. (I forgot how long it takes!) 

 

Anyway, these two characters are DnD/roleplay characters belonging to my husband and me-- Koreal the elf wizard, and Saenathra the elf rogue/ranger. We have a few character pairs that are couples in various games, but these two are really kind of our 'power couple'. 

 

 

In other news: marker update!

 

Copic has finally released the new refills, and I actually managed to get my hands on a bunch of them! Yay!

.... But availability is super-spotty right now, so I'm still missing six colors that I really, really need. (3 of them are skin tones I rely on heavily. So, yeah. NEED.)

 

So it's progress. I've got some of them, and I'm checking sites for the other colors I still need. I'm roughing out the pencils for the next page so it's ready when I DO have the colors I need, too. I haven't forgotten about this, I promise. 

 

 

[Six-Six]

Wow, I really like the effect.

What paper did you use? The texture is awesome. I'm trying to discern whether it's from your technique or your paper, but my ancient eyes and crappy monitor won't let me.

 

[ToxinFox]

Sorry it's hard to see... Doesn't help that it's a small image on purpose (to be forum-friendly and minimize the likelihood of art theft from my various platforms...).

 

That paper is Canson 150lb Illustration board. It has a light texture to it-- more than the marker paper I usually use-- but you often get a 'grainy' look from colored pencils, just due to the way they work. That whole image was a balancing act between embracing the natural texture of paper + colored pencils, vs trying to hide the texture entirely. 

 

For any paper nerds, I do my marker stuff on Strathmore's 500 series 2-ply smooth Bristol board. (Yes, I am THAT particular about my paper.) 

[Force Redux]

Hoping to see more at some point 😉

[ToxinFox]

GOOD NEWS!!

 

After MONTHS of waiting, getting a few colors here and there as they become available, and working on a writing side project to keep me busy, I have FINALLY placed an order for the last handful of critical marker colors I need to be able to continue the comic. (I have a few more colors I'm low on/need to refill, but none of them are critical colors.)

 

Assuming all goes well, the colors should reach me in a week or two, and then I can FINALLY COLOR THE NEXT PAGE, which I've been sitting on, WAITING, since June. You know, 40 billion years ago. 

[Force Redux]

Looking forward to more 🙂👍🏻

[Christopher Robin]

Glad to hear it and looking forward to the continuation.

 

 

Edited October 3, 2020 by Christopher Robin

[ToxinFox]

So, guess whose package got sent to the wrong address. 

Tracking it down is... going well. 

[FoulVileTerror]

Much and many gooding of the lucks be upon you in this matter, @ToxinFox!

[noahenholm]

I've read all these comments!!!

so...WHAT'S UNDER THE MASK?????

Edited October 29, 2020 by noahenholm

[Christopher Robin]

On 10/17/2020 at 7:57 AM, noahenholm said:

I've read all these comments!!!

so...WHAT'S UNDER THE MASK?????

@noahenholm ToxinFox already posted the answer in a spoiler box above.

That way it stays hidden for those who don't want spoilers but those who absolutely

"gotsta knowz nao" can click the Reveal Hidden Contents in her post and read all about it.

 

It's this post here...

 

 

Edited October 20, 2020 by Christopher Robin

[ToxinFox]

Thanks for fielding that, Christopher Robin!

 

As an update: I have had zero luck getting my package (it has been a frustrating ordeal...), so I may be out the $55, and the almost-month I've been waiting for those supplies. I'll probably have to re-order, which hurts on multiple levels. Worst part about this whole mess is that it's technically *my* fault that the order got sent to the wrong address to start with!

 

Augh. I swear the next page WILL happen eventually! 

[Christopher Robin]

Sure thing ToxinFox and no worries on the wait, mistakes happen.

Besides quality art/content is worth waiting for as far as I am concerned.

 

[Force Redux]

No pressure. Just quietly waiting for the next installment 🙂

[Christopher Robin]

Heya @ToxinFox, any update on the art front? Did you ever receive your Copic marker refills?

 

 

[ToxinFox]

@Christopher Robin  as far as the refills, the answer is sort of yes and no. I've received about 2/3 of the colors, but I'm still waiting on one critical color (Nyx's base skin tone), and it just has not been in stock yet, and I'm starting to get really frustrated. At this point, the missing colors are holding up more than one project, too. 

 

The good news is... I actually *do* have a new page. I was hoping to make another one before I posted it, so I could give you guys two pages as a thank you for your patience, but if you'd rather have the next page right now, I can do that. We'll call it a Christmas update.