--- In SkunkworksAMA_at_yahoogroups.com, "Adrian Glenn" <outlawoa@...> wrote:
>
> P.S.- How long did U plan in making an "actual" story out of S.Works, and at what time did U think it was "time" 4 the series to take on a different turn based on the cast's persona?
I started redoing the Caterwaul stuff back in 1999, but ended up biting off more than I could chew. Since the Skunkworks stuff ties in with that title, I also had to figure out how to explain the studio as well. Although I had never announced it when I first started drawing the Skunkworks folios back in 1995, I had (incorrectly) assumed folks would view the prints and folios as "products" from the studio (kinda like those old "Glamour Shots" deals from a few years back). However, a lot of people thought the pictures were some kind of candid snapshot of the character's day-to-day life. Realizing this, I ran with it a little, and started drawing the humorous Skunkworks comics. But then, people began to misread the strips as canon material, instead of funny little comics with no actual connection to the "real-life" aspect of the characters involved (hence, the appearance and differing reactions of humans or other anthro people in the strips).
I had always wanted to flesh out the Caterwaul series in greater detail. The original first issue was drawn with the intention of being published in "Genus", which is why there is nudity and/or sex in the book. The story had to be greatly simplified in order to fit within a smaller overall runtime, which meant a LOT of details were cut out. As a result, this presented a lot of holes and inconsistencies in the stories.
I eventually rewrote the first story in a more realistic vein. In order to better illustrate this story, I realized I'd have to step up the quality and detail of my work, and focus more on the character and the story rather than sexual content. I wanted to make a book that someone outside the fandom would be interested in reading, as well as folks within the fandom.
After redesigning the characters, I realized I had made them a little TOO realistic, and it was a bit creepy looking. I played around with the designs a bit more and arrived at the current style, which has elements of reality in it, as well as a softer, more "eye-friendly" style. I may use the "real" versions of some of the characters in another production; they reside well inside the "uncanny valley" territory, and I don't want to chase people away like that.
Personally, I prefer the more "animal" design to the characters; I do not feel they should look too human. Because of the new designs, I can show different species using their inborn abilities. In the first Caterwaul story, there is a scene where Crystal jumps on a spiral staircase railing and runs up the entire length on all fours, just as a normal cat would. Later in the story, both she and Tiffany (the fox) get knocked through a railing and fall to the floor below. Tiffany lands awkwardly, smashing through a table, while Crystal rotates herself in the air and lands on all fours. There's another scene where Leila (the wolverine) is fighting an opponent on her back; I watched numerous videos of these different species fighting, so that I could see how the animal would react, and then apply an "evolved" version of that behavior to the appropriate character.
This change in design and story complexity also allowed me to detail the world they live in. I see a lot of artist who mirror our world, where many things are similar, and characters behave very human-like. I didn't want that for these characters. I realized they would live in a world unlike our own, despite there being many parallels. Their societies, governments, businesses and social practices would be different than our own. Humans rely largely on sight for many of their daily interactions; these creatures have the benefit of enhanced sight, smell, hearing and, in some cases, taste or touch. So it's important to illustrate those differences.
I started getting burned out on a lot of the furry stuff after a few years, since it was turning into the same-old-same-old. With this new spin on the characters and stories, it has me pretty excited to start working on it. The only thing that's really holding me back at this point is the fact that I also draw "regular" artwork for a living, and that doesn't always leave a whole lot of time for the anthro stuff. But I am intent on getting this ball rolling again; I'm just aware it's going to take a little more time than I first thought.
--JMH, whew!
Received on Sat Jul 25 2009 - 23:19:51 CDT