Sunday, January 22, 2012

An experiment in control and perservernce

Okay, so me and my girlfriend have a comic together. Sort of. When we met in high school we meshed our ideas together to create one big story world that turned into stories, role plays and comics. It started as an accident, and other people got involved, friends had characters in there to. We had notebooks filled with letters and stories although I regretfully threw them away (so what if many were illegible, who cares).

Oh and in high school, they were filled with cliches, Mary Sues and Gary Stu's and many other cringe worthy story crimes, but it was our story. We decided to make it a comic. It went through many attempts and incarnations, I think five or six. Over the years the story grew and changed, characters were added, many were trimmed  (and good riddens) and all of the characters 'donated' by friends were almost all removed.

Every time we would start the comic it would be great. Excitement, joy, and teamwork. Untill it ended up being a story she wrote, and I edited, I felt like I was having to compromise the essence of my characters, she felt pressured and stressed. We always did things relatively the same way and I wanted to try a different approach, she never did.

Now she has apparently discovered the joy of what I have been saying all along, and wants to try planning my way, which means we both work together and build a story brick by brick. I lay one, she lays one. Sounds good? That means planning seesions, sketches, character bio's, story boarding, and yes, plotting! Ah that is the writers word for planning, my best friend and worst enemy, but I shall embrace you and we shall make sweet comic babies!

Right? I hope so because over the years this story meant a lot to a lot of people, but it meant a lot to me especially, and after crushing disappointment time and time again (I was never the first to call it quits or stop production ) I hope people can see why I was very, very hesitant to proceed this time. But everything looked good, clear sky, calm water. But no matter how much I want it and no matter how much I cry (and there would be crying) if this does not work, I will not, no matter what, try again.

I am all for trying again and again and again and again, but I cannot work with someone who is not being honest with what they want and what they are doing, with someone who constantly wants to quit or throw away good work because it's not 'good enough' or someone who won't work with me instead of against me. I may not be easy to work with all the times, but I am rarely the first one to try to throw in the towel, I am stubborn and will keep going to prove I can.

We have the story. We have the talent (she's the artist, we are both writers). But do we have the perserverence to make it work? Do we have the control to balance our ideas and make the story come to life?

I'll let you know, and hope the answer is yes.

((Note: I originally titled this 'An experiment in Control and Art, but then I saw this is what I was really talking about'))

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Lazy Blogger is Lazy...

It is true. So very, very true. I haven't been up to much, work, playing Harry Potter Lego's on the Wii, and Girl Scout stuff. I haven't made a lot of art, just a few Christmas presents, one of which the pictures mysteriously vanished of, when I find them, I will upload them. I also have a few things to make up, which I plan to do this month.

I am currently working on a really tough cross-stitch for my best friends birthday. It is a super pain in the butt but I know she will love it and appreciate it. I will upload pics when I am done.

This month my girl friend promised that we would make time do something we haven't done in a while, photograph the dollies, I am super excited! Yea, they want to come out and be FREE!

And since I feel like my blog is naked, without adding a picture, here is a photo I took at camp of the REALLY foggy morning.



Okay, goodnight!

*Edit* Oh yea, working on a semi-top secret project with my partner in crime. Oh yea!