Half-time, almost
At the start of the newsletter, I committed to one year of doing this format, and it’s been… 7 months, so let’s look at the progress!
Plus:
I’m happily inking the pigeon comics. I made it about halfway through the current storyboard. Since it’s not completed in one long session, I can spot unintentional style changes between the first and the current pages because the visual language and these motifs became more routine. (Here’s the first page and the last published scene.) I’ll probably roll with the variations so I can start a new project.
My drawing practice became more of a regular practice. I even tried ‘painting your demons’ as described by Lynda Barry in her book ‘One! Hundred! Demons!’.
Aaaand there’s now a portfolio site under construction. If you go there, please wear a helmet. It mostly pushes short posts on Mastodon and Bluesky.
Minus
Generative models: I didn’t find anything I like. I blame the hype for hiding the good use cases. The text or voice-to-text models are great for language learning, writing the first draft, etc., but they weren’t called AI in 2020, right? Maybe there is similar accessibility-improving value in generating images, just not for me, and I would love to hear about it from people who find it useful.
Social media: trying to get some visibility on major platforms is hell. I welcome suggestions, especially on how to make a lazy reel or low-effort but not annoying posts. Sadly, not using these platforms at all doesn’t feel like a realistic option.
Next
Well, there are still some pigeon squabbles to draw. Some other comic ideas are brewing in the background, and I’d like to upload more things to the website as well. And I have so many half-done sketches and ideas. I’d also like to experiment more with colors!
I will think of doing something with generative models.
Today is my birthday, so can I ask you to share this newsletter with at least one person? It can be for the comics or the tech musings, in a DM, or on socials.
Thanks and bye!
Julia