Did you know? I'm everywhere! But are you following? Here's the social checklist:
Be sure to subscribe/follow/re-post/whatever or else my legion of monsters will follow you. Unless that's what you want. Then they won't. They're selective that way with their stalking.
Don't forget to pop by Tinychat tonight for an e-reading from Skary Childrin and the Carousel of Sorrow and a chat with me! All you need is a Tinychat account and a way to listen in. You can participate in the chat via webcam, mic, or text-chat! And while we're talking reminders, here are some more places to find me:
And places to find my book:
Speaking of the book, check out the latest fan art I got! Aw, Phillip. And sandwiches! Good job, Zoe. And that reminds me that I may have to do a book-related fan art contest soon. Been a while since I had a contest, hasn't it?
Did you see? Well, did you? There's a new Downloads page! At the moment, it simply has a few Twitter backgrounds for your use, but there will be more downloads in the near future. As far as those Twitter backgrounds go, I've included the most requested characters for now. Are there any others you'd like to see? In other news, the first place winner of Casilda's Hat Contest has received her hat. And look! She's taken pictures!
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I think it works for her, don't you? Rena is also a model for House of Pomegranates, which I encourage everyone to check out.
In case you thought I'd forgotten, I'm still working on an animated short, and as soon as I can figure out how, there will be close captioning of some sort on the YouTube videos for the hard of hearing. I'm also putting that collage together. I've received a lot of wonderful photos, but I can definitely use more. Have you seen anything that reminded you of Skary? Send photos! There's no deadline, and the collage will be updated as long as I continue to receive pictures.
Okay, all right and what-have-you. That's the news. How about a few emails, eh?
My webcomic is usually just posted onto my deviant art account, but only about 8 people read it. I know it's pretty good, and i was wondering if you had any suggestions on how to get more people to see it. Should i submit it into a collaborate website for comics, or should I keep it on my deviant art and hope more people see it? Do i have any other options? -ML
Your best option is to just keep creating. You can put your existing artwork absolutely everywhere, but if you aren't producing quality and regular work, the audience you have will never expand. You want your existing 8 people to tell their friends about it, who will tell their friends and so on. You're also going to need patience. You won't have a huge following overnight! I'm still working on growing my own audience, if that tells you anything. Even if you do create something that puts you on the map, so-to-speak, it will be a flash in the pan if you don't keep at it. Now, all that aside, it really helps to take advantage of the tools that are at your fingertips. Use Twitter, Facebook, your blog, everything. And keep it all current. If you're truly dedicated to your webcomic, I also recommend having your own site for it. If that site is a dedicated blog, that's fine. Just give it a home that's uniquely yours. You can still post your content on other places like DA, but you want your style to stick out in everyone's minds. Another tip - if you see an artist you like who also needs a little promotional help, tell your friends about him/her. Aside from the good karma, they just might return the favor. :)
I'm a huge fan of your sixcasts, do you have any new plans or ideas for crookedsixpence.com? :) - SL
I miss doing the Sixcasts! Some day, if I ever have time again, I will return to those, and I'll find a use for Crooked Sixpence again. For the time being, however, all of that has to sit on the back burner.
I'm a big fan of yours and I just wanted to ask you a question about your art style. Where do you get your inspiration? Because I've always admired your unique style, even being a little jealous cause I have such a hard time finding my own. Maybe, if its not too much trouble, but you do have any tips about style? I thank you one hundred times over. -M
You've probably heard this a lot, but that doesn't make it any less true - just draw a lot. The more you draw, the more your own style will come out on its own. I didn't sit down and decide, "Hey! This is how I'm going to draw!" Some of it was a happy accident. Look at a lot of art, too. Don't do it with the intention of copying someone else's style, of course. Just introduce yourself to as much creativity as possible and study all the details. Don't limit yourself to styles you already know you like, either. By the way, have you ever noticed how delightfully creepy medieval artwork is? The proportions are all wonky, that's why. But it's GREAT. And Edward Hopper. That guy made light and shadows an art form of themselves. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't inspired by certain artists (Alphonse Mucha, Harry Clarke, Edward Gorey, etc), but there's so much more to it than having some favorites.
This one isn't a question, but I had to share it because it made me laugh. Driver's ed handbooks! Ah, memories:
I was bored at midnight (dangerous prospect) and realized I hadn't checked your site in a while (having been a bit frightened into the fact that you had disappeared and become one of those boring adults who works 8-5 then watches the news then goes to sleep) so I checked it and mulled away a good hour sifting through everything NEWslashIMPROVED. I like it a lot! *high five* Very professional, very awesome, very Skary. (Ugh. Unintentional rhyming.)
Also, it made me nostalgically pull out my old Drivers' Ed book because, well, I had newly found your work (and was therefore obsessed with it, as is my way of doing things) at the same time I took Drivers' Ed, and therefore... there are scribbled quotes (primarily repeated word-for-word renditions of "Never Woke Up," my favorite piece of yours), frightening sketches, and a multitude of other Skary doodles.
I really hope to sell that book to:
a) a friend who will get a laugh out of it and (strangely) still want to be my friend
b) a stranger who will either be scarred for life or become a great fan of yours (which with I would take my chances)
Have a chipper day! I can't wait to see more from you in the future and I will use one of my 11:11 wishes to wish that you get on the big screen one day (though with major influences in the film so it's not a yucky sell-out because GOD KNOWS we need more of those in the world... *grumbles*)
:)
-VE
VE, I promise not to sell out too much. ;)