tonycliff posts
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Flower Photographs!
You'll have noticed there are flower pictures above, which I will explain in a moment. First, though, a quick PDAP update:After thumbnailing Chapter Six, I decided to jump into writing Chapter Seven. That led to a little accidental writing on Chapter Eight, which in turn led to a little writing on Chapters Nine and Ten and, well… now I have my whole story plotted out. I hesitate to pop an exclamation mark at the end of that sentence, but—...
Chapter Six Concept Designs
While drawing Chapter Five, I had to do a little bit of on-the-fly location and character designing. Nothing crazy, just one character and one small location.Still, I regret leaving the design work until I absolutely needed to have it.This is business as usual. It is the nature of comics that for most things, we figure out what it looks like the first time we have to draw it in a panel. Not main characters, though — I like to always have a refe...
Thumbnailing for Chapter Six
I just finished a complete pass on the thumbnails for Chapter Six! This has been the most difficult chapter yet, and has tested the limits of what I thought was a pretty good process.This post is relatively spoiler-free unless you can somehow decipher my appalling handwriting. And if so, let me know and I'll send a trophy.As a reminder of the flawless system I've devised for transferring my incalculable genius onto paper, here are some th...
Chapter Five Pencils are Finished!
I drew the last page for Chapter Five on October 12th! Which means if I started mid-August, it took two months to pencil roughly 60 pages. I think that's good! That's, like, pre-Kiddo speed. I'm happy, especially because the pages look really good.Speaking of which, this week I have:a quick update on some recommendations,thoughts on the ol' Ira Glass balance of taste versus skill, the "Taste Gap,"a little emotional note,an...
Fixing a Boring Panel
This week, I accidentally drew a boring panel. Sorry. But look, look, we can fix it together![ I have four pages remaining to pencil in Chapter Five — I will share some excerpts soon, but first, this week, a little tangent. Plus, you don't really want to see how Chapter Five concludes yet, it's veryspoilery. There are spoilers here, too, but they are lesserspoilers.]I've been doing a new thing with my pencilling, where I take four t...
More Pencils, Swashtober, Master and Commander, and more!
Okay, I joke around a lot about "spoilers, tee hee," but let's get serious. This week, if you reallywant to go into Chapter Five blind, let us just tip our hats to each other and keep moving.Actually, no — I have two nice things to draw your attention to this week, and then — woo hoo hoo!— then we're really snooping around behind the curtain.(As always, images in the carousel are mostly repeated below.)- - - - -First of all,...
Chapter Five pencills continue! And thoughts on pacing and interpretation.
This week I have pencils and — if you look carefully — spoilers for you, so consider yourself warned. Though every time I write out a "spoiler warning" I feel like a doofus, because 1) no one around here has ever complained about being spoiled and 2) I suspect you are like me and you just don't care.I lie, though. Recently Instagram has been serving me ads for the movie THE SUBSTANCE, which looks great. It's not my usual cup o...
Happy Pirate Day!
It's International Talk-Like-a-Pirate Day! To participate, all you need to do is speak as you normally would, as pirates are a cosmopolitan bunch and are no more likely to say "arrrr" than the average member of the populace. Peg legs and black flags are optional.The crew of The Maelstrom offers you their fondest wishes this day. Everyone from The Gladiator, to Piggyback Peter, The Night Scowl, Missus Mace, The Leopard and Her Handler,...
Pirate Season is Upon Us! (CH5 pencils and two recommendations)
Huh. It sure is September, isn't it.This week: a few select panels from my progress on Chapter Five pencilling, and then two recommendations: a very piratey one ("International Talk Like a Pirate Day" is right around the corner on September 19th) and one tiny pro-tip if you have a lot of kids books in the house.As always, the pencils are spoilery, so if you think that might bug you, don't read too far. I put the pencils below the ...
Chapter Four is now up in its entirety!
This week! Why, it's only more of Chapter Four. Plus, click through for a look at some recent book purchases and a tangential slide into the tricks and traps of using coffee-table decoration books as design resources.If you've been waiting until Chapter Four is all up before diving in, now's your time! I just added the second half!Read PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY starting with the new pages, or…Read it from the start of Chapter...
Chapter Five Pencilling In Progress
HELLO ALL! Just as a quick reminder, the first half of Chapter Four is up publicly right here, right after the public Patron Acknowledgement pages. Just in case you enjoy the comic that way, or in case you have friends who need to know!THIS WEEK: a recommendation, a secret, and, of course, new drawings!The image carousel above and the post below include select panels from the upcoming Chapter Five. You might consider it spoilery to see them now. ...
Chapter Four is Now Live (Publicly)!
Come for the hot fresh comics, stay for a personal coda to the Olympic Games!Happy August, Dear Reader. If your summer has been lacking in a little Mediterranean Pirate Adventure, I'm happy to say that the first instalment of Chapter Four of Practical Defence Against Piracyis up, ready to read, right now.Click here to dive in!Plus, instead of doing what I've done with previous instalments — sharing chapters four-to-six pages at a time, ...
Retrospective: Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules, Part 3
It's the third (and closing) instalment of the Delilah Dirk Three Retrospective! Come, come, push past those miserable skeletons and dive into this book with me.Click here to start reading!As with the previous instalment, I'm hosting the actual post over on my own Secret Blog, for a variety of reasons I mentioned in the previous post. As before, please don't share the link publicly.Dive in for some thoughts about the "balance"...
Retrospective: Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules, Part 2
Here is the second part of my retrospective look back at DD3, or Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules!Click here to read it!As with the previous instalment, I'm hosting the actual post over on my own Secret Blog, for a variety of reasons I mentioned in the previous post.I hope you enjoy it, and that I'm not embarrassing myself. As with all of these retrospective posts, the standard warning applies: I am going to speak frankly and crit...
Retrospective: Delilah Dirk and the Pillars of Hercules, Part 1
I'm back with my time machine! Jump in and we'll travel back six-or-so years to the release of DELILAH DIRK AND THE PILLARS OF HERCULES, the third book in the series.To get reading, hit the link above or just click here.Previous retrospectives are here:DELILAH DIRK AND THE TREASURE OF CONSTANTINOPLE("The Beginning")"GETTING TO DD1"(Flight Comics, Test Prints, the Webcomic)DD1: DELILAH DIRK AND THE TURKISH LIEUTENANT(Part 1...
Public Release Approaches and Frightening Holes
Chapter Four is all done! If you’ve been reading along as I’ve been posting, I hope you’ve enjoyed it. If you have been waiting until they’re all posted — or if you’re waiting for a print version — I hope you haven’t been bothered by all these spoilery updates appearing in your inbox.In this week’s update:Should I change how I release these pages publicly?Writing and thumbnailing progress: things get scary so we make a big turni...
Cowards (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 53-56)
Last week, Alexandra and her father rode out of Archipoli.This week, Chapter Four concludes with Alexandra agonizing between her two awful available options: ride for help by abandoning her mother and friends, or stay and face the impossible task of overcoming Archipoli's threats. - - - - -Thus concludes Chapter Four! I told youthings would get worse for Alexandra.I hope you have enjoyed this passage of PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY, as Al...
Your Town Will Burn (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 49-52)
Last week, Sir Edward is confident that the only way to help the town is to go ride for help from the only other town on the island, Barathron. Of course, that effectively means abandoning Alexandra's mother, uncle, and friends to their fate at the hands of Vignelli and/or the pirates.This week, the Pirate Captain makes a promise, and Ataraxes is let loose on Istoria's roadways.- - - - - Here's a question for you, Dear Reader:Is it cl...
The Only Way (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 45-48)
Last week: Alexandra and her father surprised Pii-Pii and hisfather (and brothers) at their home.Now, Sir Edward answers some of his daughter's questions and proposes a… bold? course of action?- - - - - Remember when I promised that things would get worse for Alexandra before they got better?Next week: what aboutmum?Until then,I remain,not the pirates,TC
PIRATES!!! (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 41-44)
Last week, the actual pirates bathed Archipoli in a mysterious, thick, supernatural fog.This week, Alexandra's familiarity with the town comes in handy as Sir Edward trusts her to guide him back to Uncle Nikos' home. Along the way, mistakes are made.- - - - - I flatted the first of the two Pii-Pii pages on one of my few live streams, which you can watch back here should you so desire. I would like to keep trying to stream, except I can...
"I've not the Foggiest" (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 37-40)
Last week, Alexandra came so, so close to getting what she wanted: an opportunity to apologize to her mother. Instead, her father dragged her down the treacherous slope below the walls.This week: we learn more about the strange thing that the Pirate Captain was holding, with all the bells on it, as well as the "fireflies" that have been drifting around for a chapter and a half.- - - - - -The Pirate Captain originally had an ornate horn in...
Appetite for Discussion (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 33-36)
Last week, I made good on a promise about Captain Lear from Chapter One, Nikos took a pointed stand against Vignelli, Edward (Alexandra's dad) made a desperate choice to escape the flames at the gate, and we met an ominous great big green man.This week, Alexandra finally gets the opportunity to apologize to her mother that she's wanted since Chapter Three… almost.- - - - - -I really like the "I'm sorry" spreadin this instalm...
Strong Choices (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 29-32)
Last week, Alexandra found herself powerless before the pirate horde. Vignelli fired at the pirates with muskets. The Flagbearer shielded the wounded Captain Lear and was, himself, wounded by a "lucky" musket shot. Vignelli also hurled flaming hay-bales down before the gate, making a very dangerous situation for Alexandra and her father. Alexandra's found her mom, finally, though they are separated by a great gate. And the pirates bro...
Check-in: Chapter Four Patron Acknowledgements
Hello Patron Readers!Here are the Patron Acknowledgements that I'll be posting alongside the public version of Chapter Four. Please take a minute, find yourself (or what might be yourself), and let me know if it looks the way it should.If you spot any issues, please do not hesitate to leave a comment, shoot me a message, or send an email. In the past I've accepted correspondence via carrier pigeon except the neighbours got a new cat and s...
So Stricken (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 25-28)
Last week, Alexandra rushed to her father's aid, putting herself in great danger. Can she fend off a pirate horde by herself, armed solely with a single burning torch? Well…This week things get worse!… is a sentence that — as soon as I wrote it — I realized will be true for the foreseeable future (of Alexandra's story).One of the challenges with this week's pages was that I wanted to show that The Flagbearer shields Captain Le...
Bottled Lightning (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 19-24)
First of all: a big update this week. I've been looking forward to these pages for a while, building up to them from the very first days, and I'm excited and relieved to finally be sharing them with you.This is the fight scene that you may or may not remember from this post.- - - - - - - Second, thank you kindly to everyone who shared congratulations on the Eisner nomination! Speaking of Eisners, this is fun: I stuck my head into the Vanc...
PRACTICAL DEFENCE is nominated for an Eisner Award!
Practical Defence Against Piracyhas been nominated for a Will Eisner award, in the category of "Best Webcomic!"As a teenager I'd read Wizardmagazine (a magazine about comics and the comic industry) (a magazine is like a collection of blog posts that someone would print onto glossy paper and mail out every month) and every year there would be talk about the Eisner awards, and they were theawards, and they meant a lot. Now I am older, a...
Until the sea claims me! (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 15-18)
Last week, a band of terrifying strangers, armed with cruel implements and a wild jungle cat, planted a pirate flag in the middle of Archipoli's bridge. Scared, Vignelli shut the gates to the Venetian town, and everyone who fled the town is now pinned between the walls and the pirates. What will the pirates do now? What will happen to the villagers?That is what we will find out this week!Apologies for the abrupt cliffhanger cut-off. :\- - - -...
Meet the Neighbours (PDAP, Chapter Four, Pages 11-14)
Chapter Four continues, as everyone both within and without swarms toward the New Gate of Archipoli. Those within wish to see the approaching threat for themselves. Those without seek the safety of the gates.Well, most of them.- - - - -Anyone need some book recommendations?I've had Michael Pollan's HOW TO CHANGE YOUR MINDon my shelf since 2018 or so, but had never got around to reading it. Thank goodness for audiobooks from the library. I...
It's not safe! (PDAP Chapter Four, Pages 7-10)
Four brand-new colour pages from PRACTICAL DEFENCE AGAINST PIRACY!In which we meet what I guess we'll call "Chekhov's Leopard." The anchor around its master's body provides the leverage required to restrain such a powerful animal.The mist and lighting effects are coming into their own. I thought that A) obscuring everything with mist and B) having strong, consistent directional lighting would make pages easier and quicker to p...
