Let's Get Viral

The last month or two has been very busy for The Underground crew. We've taken a few steps back and tried to pay closer attention to what we are actually doing. Both physically with the book, but also digitally I guess, with promotion. We've evaluated Twisted Studio, what it does...what it's meant to do. And we've looked into all other aspects of our current structure, and begun to ask some very tough questions. We've forced ourselves to give some tough, but honest and unbiased answers. This has been an exciting process because I can see that we've begun to handle ourselves more responsibly and realistically. Looking at veiwer traffic, listening for feedback, evaluating time spent. Twisted Studio has begun to take shape finally after more than a decade of fanboy dreaming, the studio is forming. As exciting as this is it has left a surprising question on our plate. What is to come of The Underground?
The Underground is my brainchild. There has been no project which I have been as passionate about, and Twisted Studio excluded, I doubt there will be another. The downside is the workload. It takes so much time, and indeed time-management to complete all of the artwork myself. Not to mention trying to work on promoting, finding printers, trying to build the studio, and so many other related projects. I've been wearing so many hats, I"m bordering on schizophrenia! Even so, I'm not ready to throw in the towel. Merely, re-evaluate our plan of execution.
Our goal is exposure for The Underground. And work load aside, when the costs of printing is considered for such a small run project, something just doesn't add up anymore. Right now at our current juncture we've decided that the best way to get the most exposure for The Underground, is to release it as a web comic! What does this mean for you? Well let me tell ya!
More new content! Free uploaded comic pages every two weeks! Supporting material released weekly! And an easy way to pass on The Underground to your friends and family. We will still work towards releasing the next and subsequent books in print, but for now, we're going to give our readers something to follow much much more often. And if that's the case...
...I call it a win.
Stay tuned. We're working hard to have our first page posted on a newly revamped website in two weeks! That's Monday, December 20th for anyone who's counting!
Thank you all for your continued support, of this beloved project.

The Filth of the Fly Federation

The completed concept for the Fly Federation, to be used in T... on Twitpic

So despite spilling coffee on the sketch, it is complete! Alot of thought actually went into this one, but it was really enjoyable. This is a part of a three or four panel page, this being the last panel. I was intrigued by this panel, and the opportunity to show what the culture here feels like, what the living conditions are, the filth, the grime. This ofcourse is only the beginning, we haven't even put the actual flies in there! So far, we're just looking at the backdrop.
It should be quite interesting to see how the residents live here, how they view their surroundings, eachother...
I think the flies will be a shifty bunch, just like the Skaven in Warhammer, or the Ferengi from Star Trek. Time will tell.

Next step. Midground drawn. on Twitpic

Next step. Midground drawn. on Twitpic
Here's the next step in the Fly Federation's design. With the midground complete, all that remains is the filth in the far background!

The Underground Web Album

The Fly Federation, scanned with the foreground blue-lined. on Twitpic

The Fly Federation, scanned with the foreground blue-lined. on Twitpic

Filthy Drawings!

One of the first images of the Fly Federation. My wife can&#0... on Twitpic

As mentioned before, this new instalment in The Underground series brings us to places unknown, new locales, new species, new dilemmas. Chris and I wanted to make sure that every location has it's own feel, and inspiration. To this end we would ensure that readers would get a distinct feeling for the place they are reading about. Perhaps at a glance they will be able to discern where the buggy heroes are travelling.
This sketch is very rough, and it's dark (as it's a photo of my sketch and not a scan), once the blue line is complete on the original, I'll upload a decent shot. But until then, and without further adieu, I present to you...
The Fly Federation.

The X-men sketch after printing, and going over with red and ... on Twitpic

The X-men sketch after printing, and going over with red and ... on Twitpic

In Unrelated News!

So I took a break from The Underground yesterday, and threw this quick sketch together, using Alias Sketchbook. A wonderful program for the tablet, which I must thank Mr. Ryan C. Kipp for introducing to me. It works really fast, and smooth, without all the fancy features of Adobe Photoshop. Can it do everything I want it to? No. But it is alot more handy when it comes to doing quick sketches, than the beast which is Photoshop. I plan to do my sketchwork in Alias, and on paper with pen, then send it to Adobe to do all the 'painting' and fancy stuff. I think it's going to be a pretty neat piece when it is complete.
The piece in question is an X-men themed piece, with a few of my favourite characters...getting ready for the gasps of amazement as this is an X-men team-up with no Wolverine, Gambit, or Cyclops! My apologies to all fanboys that I may have just outraged! lol.

Building The Queen's Chamber

The third instalment in The Underground series gives the reader a glimpse of the ant colony, Coryn. More specifically still, Queen Azulon's Chamber. When it came to putting the scene together, I really wanted to make sure that this chamber stood out from other areas, this is the Queen afterall. And a Queen to an insect is the most important part of their existence. So I decided to start designing the room wall by wall, soon afterwards I'd realize that the chamber would be so tall and expansive that these walls too would have to be drawn in sections.
When all the wall sections are drawn, I'd like to piece them together as a 3Dimensional dome. After this, I plan to place my camera inside the dome and do a full internal rotation. This way I'll have a great view of the chamber, from any angle. I'm actually pretty excited about this, and kind of surprised I thought of it!
So here's the first of the wall sections. This one will be located directly behind Queen Azulon.

The Underground gets Twittered!

A wise man once said to me, "Paul, it's all about exposure right now not profit".  So with hopes of maximizing The Underground's exposure, I've started a Twitter account dedicated to the book's progress.  Followers can find out at anytime what's going on in Twisted Studio's think tank, and get sneak peaks on the book's new artwork.
When you check out the sketches, you're bound to notice that I've completed all of them in ballpoint pen.  This is just one of the recent changes in how I get the artwork completed, and how WE complete the book.  Surprisingly, we've managed to find a number of ways to complete work quicker, and more effectively.  Stay tuned for more info, more pics, and more vids all in the near future!

Queen Azulon. Completed in ballpoint pen for The Underground... on Twitpic

Queen Azulon. Completed in ballpoint pen for The Underground... on Twitpic

The infestation continues! Check out The Underground on Twitter. As a special treat we've uploaded a few concept sketches from the next issue, "Bad Seeds".

The Sponsorship Program

   This is an idea we've been ironing out for some time now, and its finally ready for the public! The Sponsorship Program is designed to promote The Underground, fund a portion of its production, and attract attention to local businesses, and supporters of this project.  Ideally this program can raise almost half the projected cost of printing our next issue 'The Underground #2: Bad Seeds'.

   Great strides have been taken during the creation of this book, and it is shaping up to be the best one yet!  The planning has gone beyond the story itself, and into the business of Twisted Studio, and a sustainable plan that may allow for the release of additional studio projects in the future.  This moment we are in right now is an initial stepping stone in a very exciting journey, and I'm inviting all of my fellow Windsorites, comic book lovers, art fans, and storytellers to take part.

   For more information on this awesome opportunity, follow this link;

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/note.php?note_id=10150250793635094

   Or feel free to contact me @

paulreaume@hotmail.com

Underground intro 1

Emerging Plans

Since the release of The Underground #0: Unearthed, we've been working really hard here at Twisted Studio on a number of projects. To some extent it has felt like we were running around in circles though. There are so many things we'd like to do, so much potential that the project has, sometimes we need to sit back and look at the big picture. Only after this general view can we really target what our priorities should be. Exactly what is necessary to prepare, and release the next instalment in The Underground series.

There are two parts to our focus for The Underground #2: Bad Seeds; the first obviously being finishing the book, the second being raising the capital to print it. We definitely don't want to take out a business loan, or find some other way of financing it. So it's all about raising the funds the old fashioned way!

On the artistic side, I'd like to start doing some caricatures, and some commissioned pieces. On a business side we've signed up with Google Adsense to allow advertisers some space on the blog here, and we've registered with canadianplanet.net with hopes of raising the traffic through this site. Also, as I'm sure you've seen, we've started a Youtube identity and have started uploading our progress for the world to see! All of this I hope will raise the awareness of our efforts, increase our earning potential, and expedite the process of getting our next book into YOUR hands!

Stay tuned for our continued efforts, and thank you for your continued support.

Brom Paint Video

Bugs on video!

Well, it's an idea we've had at the studio for a while, we've discussed it, joked about it, maybe even roleplayed a little bit!  Capturing the development, and evolution of The Underground on camera, and posting the videos for the world to see (or atleast some small interested portion of it).

This week I've been working on the cover for the next issue of The Underground, and figured this would be a great time to get the ball rolling here.  In order to make the most of this I touched up the blog site here too!  So take some time to peek at the 'Videos' page, and check out the new developments in the book.  Be sure to come back too, as I'll be adding new pages soon enough!

The Styx Introduction

Admittedly, I've allowed myself to get caught up in research for the next book, and planning for the business.  I decided to take a break and sit down with an old favourite comic series of mine, and just enjoy that which has inspired me for years.  Now in my happy place, I found drawing to be natural, and fluent.  The picture I've posted here, I feel, is a good representation of that.    Styx, in all his disgruntled glory!

This image is for the first panel of the third page in the next issue of The Underground.  Behind Styx you'll see a kind of flashback, conveying a feeling of 'who' Styx really is.  Narration will carry the reader through an similar introduction of all four Zealots Elite.  The next panel actually utilizes a few of the components that we've been researching lately.  Some of you may even recognize a few of them.

I'm really excited, not only for the artwork of this page, but even the thought behind it.  When producing the original run of this book years ago, I never took the time to really introduce the characters to the readers.  That's a really important connection, and it cannot be forgotten about.  I feel that this is a benefit of working more with a team now, as we have more minds put together to flush out the story and strengthen any weak points.

As always thank you all for your continued support of this project, and dream.  And a special thank you to my team, who have helped bring this book and indeed myself to a better place.

Cheers.

Proposal

What you see here, are the various title pages for a proposal I've started working on. A proposal for what you say? Well that is a very good question! Truth is, this was originally something I started looking into with regards to contacting some of the major comic publishers. We've come to the conclusion as a group that the most viable options in the industry would have to be Image Comics, Dark Horse, or IDW Publishing. So this proposal is intended to accompany the sequential pages that we'll be sending in. After going over the layout of the proposal, and looking at these pages, I'm figuring that this is something that can be used for many little side projects.

If put together properly, we can use this structure to showcase the work that we can accomplish as a studio team. The goal is obviously to appear as professional as possible, while still maintaining the level of creative expertise that makes our team unique. This mindset is partially what has brought me to focus on the above mentioned comic publishers.

I hope to get five pages of the next issue completed (in colour), to include in the proposal. As it stands right now, I am without a cover design (I don't know if that count's for the 5 pages...), I've got the first page coloured. Second page drawn, and the first panel of the third page almost drawn. whew. It's an exciting process putting this book together as it is a different development than the previous two. I'm working more with Chris Walker for the writing and story development of the book, we're looking into a ton of printing options, and I've started drawing everything digitally (The first two page were the last to be drawn on paper). So it feels like a good positive, constructive motion that we are committed to as a studio.

So that's where I'm at right now. Where we're at. Where are you? Have you any thoughts, suggestions, comments? We'd love to here from you, drop us a line, or check out any of our supporting sites. Also, if you're not signed up for the Network Email already, now would be a great time to do it. Send me an email with your email information, and we'll put you onto the list. It's a great way to keep informed on how the studio is progressing, and find ways that YOU can help. We send it out once every three months, and the next is coming in March. This month I'll be including the first page of the next book! Members of the Network will be the first to see this awesome page, I hope you're one of them.

To reach me; paulreaume@hotmail.com
To see our supporting sites;
http://theundergroundcomic.t35.com/
http://www.dimestoreproductions.com/forum/topicview/misc/the_underground_comic.htm
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/group.php?gid=37802346048

From Left Field!

Amidst the work that is going into promoting the Underground, keeping fans informed, and working on the next issue ("Bad Seeds"), a couple sub-projects have popped up and seduced my attention.

The first isn't really a new project I guess, it's more a revision to our ongoing project; to find a home for The Underground, and Twisted Studio. Up until the last couple of days I have focused this element of my attention purely on trying to get picked up by IMAGE COMICS, or self-publishing under the Twisted Studio banner. Through a little more research I have found two more possible homes, which I really should have considered sooner. The first target is DARK HORSE COMICS. Most, if not all, comic fans reading this will be already familiar with Dark Horse and their main titles. Over the years they've produced the Star Wars comic line, as well as Alien vs. Predator. They produce 'creator owned' titles, as well as a select line of 'licensed' properties, and I think they would be a very nice fit for our project/studio. The other prospect is a newer up-and-coming comic publisher who is showing remarkable growth in the market place, IDW PUBLISHING. As stated previously I had never heard of this company, but with titles such as Star Trek, Transformers, and 30 Days of Night, they are hard to ignore. Once again they boast the most important factor in finding a home; Creator owned properties.

Years ago while working with local artist, David O'Connor (our first project together actually), we sent a coloured sample of The Underground to MARVEL COMICS. We actually received a response! It said in no uncertain terms that Marvel does not produced creator owned titles. That was the last time I sent anything to this company or any other which only prints licensed titles. Now I have nothing against that business angle, but not it is not for me or my bugs! So I targeted Image Comics, and have done so ever since. Now, as The Underground becomes more and more marketable we will begin to broaden our view of the market, and find the best way to make our splash!

The second project is completely different. A game. A role-playing game. It will be called, The Underground: Colonies, and it will focus on the development of an insect colony instead of building up one character. It is set to be a map-based game, and we will be play-testing it via email once the rules are hashed out a bit more. Eventually? Who knows. Their are many prospects out there for us, and I believe the key to making this project (or any other) marketable, is to have as many different channels to the market as possible. Games, shirts, books, posters, toys, the list can go on and on.

So stay tuned all you bug-minded individuals, 'cause there's more to see. I'll try to get a logo for the RPG posted up here as soon as possible.

For more on The Underground, check out our other supporting sites.
http://theundergroundcomic.t35.com/
http://www.dimestoreproductions.com/forum/topicview/misc/the_underground_comic.htm
http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=37802346048
http://www.theundergroundarchives.shutterfly.com/

Character Mapping

With work branching off between producing the book, setting up the business side of the Studio, and physically organizing the working studio itself, its high time for prioritizing! I've started looking at the multiple projects infront of me in terms of how they fit into a necessary criteria. Does it generate income for the studio? Does it generate more followers of the Studio and The Underground? Does it directly pertain to the production of our next issue? I've oft referred to myself as the absent-minded artist, so this regime has really helped me keep my head in the right place.

In terms of producing the next book, that would be The Underground #2: Bad Seeds, which would be the THIRD installment in the new Underground series. Chris and I have begun ironing out the specifics of the book layout, and to get us really rolling I've started a sub-project I call 'Character Mapping'. I'd like to use this to detail each of the characters used, who they are, what are plans are, and where the character is destined to end up. By keeping these three points in mind (from a writing perspective) we can weave the development of each of their individual stories into the complex fabric which is the Underground's plot. So structurally this is literally a matter of asking three questions for each of the characters. Who? What? Where? I'd like to take this opportunity to give you my take on the Who(s), which will be shown in the next book. Some are obviously return characters from the last book, others have not been seen yet. Enjoy.

Cyrus: Ladybug. Main character of the story. He is the former leader of the Amicable Plains, though he is a coward.

Raymus: Ant (Eciton Rapax). He is the gentle beast. Often he is the voice of wisdom, and reason in the Zealots Elite.

Styx: Ant. He is the leader of the Zealots Elite. He is very cold, angry, and guilt-ridden...but why?

Lor: Ant (Polyergus Rufescens). She is an abandoned orphan, dropped at the gates of Coryn, as a larva. She feels out of place despite her skills and accolades.

Sarka: Ant. She is the youngest member of the Elite. Not much is known of her past or heritage. she keeps her emotions, and personal information locked away.

Queen Azulon: Ant. The Queen Mother. Bringer of the Golden Age. She is the peaceful, and benevolent leader of the Ant colony, Coryn.

Prince Loxyn: Ant. Scarred youth. Witnessing his father's murder has permanently affected him. He has spent much of his life training to ensure he never gives in to weakness again.

Admirial Cree: Fly. The cowardly leader of the Fly Federation. He has a desperate plea for Queen Azulon and the Zealots.

Kronus: Honeybee. The arrogant captain of the Hive Shock Troops. His mind has been conditioned by Hive propaganda since birth.

Brom: Spring Dor Beetle. The dim-witted brute of the Hive Shock Troops. He is often a victim of circumstance, and is constantly taken advantage of.

Jes: Wasp. A living construct. Owes his life to Dr. Payne and his experiments.

Sin: Bird Spider. Crazy spider, the wild card. He is another Dr. Payne project, though he is much more volatile than any other Hive member.

So that's it. Those are my thoughts. And they are just that...thoughts. Chris is ironing out some thoughts of his own, and together we should develop a really well-rounded series with characters each unique from one another. Stay tuned my buggy friends, because now we're getting warmed up!

Insect-O-Fact #12

The Silverfish

With all this research going on with developing the new species in the Underground, it seems only fitting that we move on to yet another Insect-O-Fact! With that in mind this newest installment features the Silverfish, their history, and habits.

Many of us have been there; waking up in the middle of the night, for a nocturnal trip to the washroom. With sleep still encrusting your eyes, you flick on the light. As you quickly adjust to the brightness a quick movement...or slithering catches your eye. Too small to be a cockroach, too large and fast to be an ant. Upon closer investigation you come face to face with a shimmering, slithering, silvery creature approximately twelve millimetres in length. You have been infiltrated by the Silverfish.

There are many interesting facts about the Silverfish; for instance they are one of the oldest forms of insect life on the planet, they are one of the most adaptable, versatile, and resourceful. The Silverfish are approximately 300 million years old with specimens dating back to the paleazoic era. A generation can survive for up to 3 years, even living for a year with no food at all! To this day small appendages line their abdomen linking them with their prehistoric ancestors. While they will feed on almost anything they come across (including their own cast off skins!), they preferred resources tend to be paper, book bindings, starchy or sugary substances.

There are several forms of the Silverfish which vary greatly in size, and appearance. In The Underground, they will initially be represented as two 'castes'. The Seriata, and the Cauda. These two castes will represent the Japanese Ninjas, and Samurai respectively. They are an ancient race who live by an ancient code.

"Every moment has it's course; the code leads every action.
Every thought has it's place; the code guides every whim.
Every silversfish has it's caste; the code defines everybug."

-Excerpt from the Silverfish Dogma

The traditions and heritage of the Samurai compare well with the history and lifespan of the Silverfish, and the Ninjas night tactics, and stealthiness are easily related as well. With such diversity in the species, only one thing can be for certain, their alliances lie with themselves, and trust can only be handled as the moment dictates for those who live outside the code.

Moving Forward, Growing Up, and Digging Deeper.

Well, it's been a while since I've posted here but believe you me, I have definitely been busy with this buggy project of ours. Many things have started to take shape, some current, and some on the horizon. Some we can talk about, and some we'll just have to wait and see!

I feel like this project is becoming somewhat of a hydra, as it is developing multiple facets for the team and myself to focus on. Right now it seems to be revolving around The Underground (ofcourse), and Twisted Studio itself. The studio is something that I am really excited about as it will open more doors for myself, the team, and other local artists, writers, and creators. I've recently accepted a job at a local print and design business which I feel will offer me the most ideal opportunity to learn, grow, and further develop the skills I need to run a successful studio. By developing these skills, and making valuable contacts, I can ensure the future success and expansion of The Underground.

In regards to the story itself, Chris and I have been doing more research than even I can believe. We've been taking the story, and consistency therein, very seriously. And this has led us to pour over notes, articles, and images, to create a richer, deeper environment for the readers to enjoy. What sets this book apart? Aside from the characters being bugs, fighting a microscopic war beneath our noses? The facts. We're creating a world from our own, using real everyday facts, and information to shape the story itself. So much of the real world is used to develop the world of The Underground, that you cannot help but get lost within it.

Our current research has led us to the development of a new species for The Underground...The Silverfish. Now many of you have seen these little critters running around their bathrooms, or basements, but you're going to see them in a different light now! The following is some of the process I've gone through to develop the looks of this new species. Chris has been working diligently on developing the culture and heritage of them. And by the way, all this work for the Silverfish...all for one panel, on one page in the next book! Alot for a little? Maybe, but that's what I feel gives The Underground its strength as a series. Every corner is investigated, light is shone on every shadow. The lines of reality and fantasy are quickly blurred.