#engineering comics

[gracedrawsstuff]

WHAT INSPIRES ME? BANDIDA EDITION

Beth that is a great question.

I mean, aside form obvious things like "VIDEO GAMES" and "GUD COMICS," I wonder what inspires me. So let's see.

Music is a big one, maybe the biggest. The Bandida herself came out of a song of the same name by Audra Mae. Here's a clip of the lyrics No mercy have I for you No god can save my soul It's love and life I fight for With blade and gun in tow

My darling, please forgive me I'm feared in every town I'm stopless now to save you The bandida's comin' 'round

Now if you'v ready any of my Bandida comic it's pretty obvious how this song was an inspiration. I do this a lot, though, I've discovered. If I'm ever stuck in a story that I'm writing, I listen to music that I feel fits the tone. And by either listening to the lyrics or just the music itself, I often draw inspiration for where I'll go next. Sometimes if find a song I really like, it will even re-direct where I'm taking a story.

Sometimes I get worried that I'm appropriating too much from songs, but when it comes down to it I'm always adding and changing the stories I hear in songs. And I think drawing inspiration from other art forms is a perfectly natural part of the creative process, so I try not to feel too bad about it!

I wish I could link you to the music my boyfriend Steve is working on because he wants to make a companion album. But in lieu of tailor-made Bandida music, here are some of my Bandida playlist songs.

Devil's Spoke - Laura Marling

Many trains and many miles, Brought you to me on this sunny isle And what of which you wish to speak, Have you come here to rescue me?

All of this can be broken, All of this can be broken, Hold your devil by his spoke and spin him to the ground.

You're A Marked Man Brother - Mieka Pauley

If you search your soul, and it sets you free And you're all contrite like you ought to be It might get you off, get you right with God, But you'll never be right with me

From Now On  - Dear Reader

I followed every sound Watched them roll around Heard the pop, the crackle Living in her mouth Each vowel was a wonder I wanted just to touch her Fold her in my arms and Take her home to mother

ALL THAT and lots of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club and Black Keys. But I won't get into that. These are just the highlights!

[alexdumb]

Welp, I'm slowly finishing my comics for hourly comic day. It's only 4 5 days late, so everything is going better than expected. Will I ever get out of bed? Tune in next week my fellow comics engineers to find out!

[gracedrawsstuff]

Something I've found to be extremely useful when designing characters is expression sheets! This is a character from a comic I'm working on with another SAIC student. It's my first time not co-writing something (I am purely an ~illustrator~) so it helps both me and the writer to make sure we're on the same page how each character emotes.

I dunno how much I can say about the comic right now, I don't wanna share too much. But this gal is real cute and fun to draw!

[gracedrawsstuff]

Drawin ggg myselff fffff [Week 3 Blog]

The problem with doing an autobiographical comic is that you have to draw yourself OVER AND OVER AGAIN-

at various ages and states of awkwardness-

- and with LIMITED consistency. Sigh.

But I've come this far. I must press on!

[gracedrawsstuff]

Procrastination Doodles [Week 2 Blog]

I'm having issues writing my ACTUAL first project script, so i spent some time doodling a character for a potential OTHER project. I still haven't decided if I'm going to spend the rest of the semester after this first project on The Bandida, or if I'm going to try and make 3 separate comics.

Anyway, this is Delilah. She's the mother of Canaan, a character I did some comics on last year (from the same universe as the Bandida!). I might post them here since I've only ever made physical copies!

I was trying to figure out her body shape/proportions when she was younger and had not yet, you know, given birth. I think her face has gotten a little too long for me. But I enjoyed making these~

[gracedrawsstuff]

Greetings, Engineering Comics Friends! [Week 1 Blog]

I'm gonna be posting here once a week for my Engineering Comics class. I'm gonna try and post some lil comics usually, but for today, I have a drawing of the characters from last semester's comic final!

It's the Bandida and her lady love on a beach date. Bandida looks like an old-timey muscle man and that's 100% on purpose.