"The Luminahi" graphic novel

[Matriar]

Long time no see! I apologize that I haven't been much active on this site for the last months.

For those of you that don't know, I'm working on a graphic novel about my original characters which I wanna sell as watermarkless book once it's done.

I said I was gonna make "The Priestess" but other stories came in mind and made the Priestess look stupid. So I sorta threw it away and worked on the Luminahi instead.

Giving my graphic novel the title "Luminahi" because it's the name of one of my main character's brothel. It's supposed to be a meaningless name I made up (coming from the word luminous), I didn't know about Illuminati stuff, and realizing there's always names that sound similiar to things, I wanna keep the name anyway.

By the way, even though this story contains pimps and sexual abusers, you'll never get to see sexual activities in images. What I draw will only be the hints. So no worries.

Luminahi is a story about criminals, a dark sense of humor, irony, and hopefully some logic and wisdom between all this nonsense...

Enough talk, I hope you'll enjoy the pages I got so far!

[STM]

This is really cool! Can't wait for more.

[MeechMunchie]

I'm hooked. Let's see more!

[Oddey]

There are two amazing things in the thread. The first being your return, and the second, being the positively awesome drawings. You really must carry on.

[Splat]

Looks interesting. And your art is really excellent.

Also, it's awesome to see you again

[AlexFili]

Oh my god. This is some seriously good stuff.

[arkaznor]

Whoa... whoa... whoa...
huh, huh, huh...
ah...
I hyperventilated when I saw this... You posted again! After half a year!
...
Now that that's over with, cool comic. Very well composed with detailed backgrounds that don't distract away from the characters or their expressions (which are fantastic as well). The colors fit the mood well. The only complaint I can find is the font inconsistency, but who cares about that.

Excellent job, and good to see you again.

[Matriar]

Whoah wow, I never expected to get such a great warm feedback! Thank you, you guys are really kind! I blushed reading through your comments.

Yes, the font... this was always a thing that was a problem for me. I tried out all fonts Photoshop had, and found fonts to download on the internet too, but that would have meant that I had to ask the claimers for permission, and probably share the less money I could earn after selling the comicbooks too...
The whole thing seemed too much trouble, so I decided to make it a normal easy-to-read font. Also, I didn't want to write with CAPITALS LETTERS FOR EVERY WORD because that only took a lot of space in the speechbubbles, unfortunately.

I think I should be able to show the next page in February, or in the beginning of March, I don't know. It can take about two weeks to finish a page like that, and I have to find a job, and fix other troubles in real life too.

By the way, I corrected some writing mistakes in the third page now. In case you wondered what I edited.

Again, thank you for your great support guys! I really appreciate it.

And if you find more writing mistakes in the speechbubbles, let me know!

[STM]

This is gonna get popular quickly I assure you!

[scipionyx]

finally page 3 ^___^ this is kewl haha i like Voracs expression when he enters the Club xD and the whole atmosphere etc...

perfect!

[AlexFili]

The bottom half of the third page is hard to read for me. I prefer if you use black text all the time against a white background (Except when the text is over a landscape).

[Matriar]

That part is supposed to be *kinda hard to read* because the characters speak in low volume. Whisper, almost. So Vorac (the guy who wants a job) doesn't hear what they're talking about...

But it will be written normal black-on-white in the coming pages.

[MeechMunchie]

That part is supposed to be *kinda hard to read* because the characters speak in low volume.

Techniques I've seen in other comics is to either give the speech bubble a dotted border (to imply it sounds 'fuzzy') or to just write in tiny letters.

[Matriar]

Unfortunately the letters are already tiny as they are, I didn't wanna make them super-tiny. XD

I didn't like a dotted border... because it seemed to make the whole thing kinda childish-looking almost. I've seen the write-in-gray-color idea in some Marvel comic and thought I should try that too.

But like I said, there probably won't be any more whispering texts in future anyway...

[Splat]

I didn't think it was hard to read at all...

[Oddey]

I didn't think it was hard to read at all...

I second that. I didn't even notice it until I was told.

[STM]

I third that movement

[Sabre-Toothed Lime]

I only had difficulties reading the fadded part before I noticed that MF had resized it and that I could zoom in.

Anyway you do have truly exceptional talent, and I hope all goes well ith your attempt to sell it.

Also I noticed the copyright symbol at the bottom of the page. Have you actualy had it copyrighted? Because I thought publishing something on the internet voided your copyright!

[Ajiellyn]

Very nice level of detail. I remember trying to draw a comic once and I just became impatient because so much work goes into every page, so congratulations on your patience.

[Crashpunk]

That is some amazing art there.

Could i ask what programs do you use?

[Matriar]

Thank you guys for your truly kind support again, I really appreciate it!

Also I noticed the copyright symbol at the bottom of the page. Have you actualy had it copyrighted? Because I thought publishing something on the internet voided your copyright!

No, it does not void at all! Everything an artist (or writer, etc) creates is copyrighted to them since they're the owner. I write it on my art so people know about the owner's name too. I think you only have to go ask the government if you wanna have your works trademarked as well, but I'm not sure.

Internet is a place filled with art thieves, that's why it's important to watermark your works like this before someone else could take it away and blame it's theirs, making money with it which is even worse. Only the owners are allowed to post this on the internet (and/or make money with it), unless they give the permission that others may do it too. Which I don't.

Could i ask what programs do you use?

Photoshop CS2.

I made some tutorials that I collected in a folder of my DeviantART gallery: http://gloomyunderwoods.deviantart.c...ery/#Tutorials You only have to click a thumbnail, then click again to full-view. Hope this helps!

[Matriar]

New page is up! I hope it's worth the wait.

It's actually not much of a story this time, but a scene I had to get rid of. The whole thing is more of an intro so far anyway. I think the story gets started slowly from the next page on.

By the way, I'll try to make it a habit to use less panels than this from now on. This time I only couldn't cut it in a fitting part.

[MeechMunchie]

I laughed at the last panel. I think you've created Senanca's 'buissnessman' personality very well. It is, after all, just buisness...

[Oddey]

I smiled when I read "Swish". That alone made it worth the wait.

[enchilado]

Absolutely motherfucking brilliant.


EDIT:

http://www.dafont.com/digital-strip.font
http://www.blambot.com/fonts_dialogue.shtml
http://www.bancomicsans.com/fonts.html
http://www.1001fonts.com/font_details.html?font_id=566

[Alf Shall Rise]

It's good to see you again!

As for your works, I like it. Great developments of the characters, and of course the artwork has a great look and theme to it.

[STM]

awesome truly awesome

[Matriar]

Thank you so much guys, I'm glad you liked it.
Also, Enchilado, thanks for the links but I mentioned the thing about fonts a few posts ago.

New page is up! I hope it is to your liking. I will be using four rows of panels now, not five ones like before. It seems like a good thing, and it's less time consuming.

[Alector]

*falls in and looks around*

*stands up and cleans herself from dust* It...uh...has been more than a year since I visited the OddForums and I never believed that you're still in here. OMG.
I wonder how many old chaps are around here still. hehe
I think these forums will never die on us hardcore fans. x)

I really love this comic so far and can't wait to see more coming from you. It's quite exciting und total durchgeknallt.

[STM]

heh lol nice one