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Behold, a mockup version (with slapped-in, low-res logo and chapter title) of an Empowered vol.12 title page, which kicks off a Sistah Spooky & Emp story that's been excerpted extensively on this here Patreon over the last year or two (or three?).

As shown above, I tried to construct the figures a bit more scrupulously than normal, by first drawing the armless Spooky figure, then flopping and tracing it off for the Emp figure, then adding the arm, flopping and tracing it for Emp, and so on.

Note that, with the final two images above, after scanning the final H-lead underdrawing, I enlarged Spooky's head and moved it around a bit before penciling the final version. (Note also that all the analog-media, lightboard-based f**kery I just described could've been accomplished far more quickly and easily in a digital medium. "Sigh," to quote Emp.)

Alas, "This Calloused Damsel" will be facing some serious trimming if not outright gutting of its pagecount, as this rather lengthy story was written back before I changed my mind entirely as to what Empowered vol.12's main story would be about. 

See, I only have 30 pages left open at the moment to wrap up the volume's revised and mindbending primary narrative, and that ain't gonna be anywhere near enough; so, I'm gonna have to go back and start cutting at least 10 to 20 pages out of the rather rambling and discursive "This Calloused Damsel" to gimme the pagecount I need. (There's plenty of extra material to be cut, believe me, as the story had multiple distress flashbacks, Semi-Meta Emp scenes, digressions into cosplay sex and more.)

NEXT TIME ON THIS HERE PATREON: The full workweek of final 2021 posts rolls on, quite possibly with a "Rose & Lily vs. Linen-Finish Cardstock" Distressed Damsels comic post for the $5+ Patron tiers. 

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Comments

Burninator

You planning on sticking the cut material on Patreon or something once Volume 12 comes out?

AdamVanWyk

I'm curious about the limitations on the page count. Couldn't Volume 12 be longer to accommodate all your ideas?

Sabrina Pandora

Have you made any inroads toward moving to digital, if only to save your drawing hand? Even Chaykin, who still draws his figures longhand, has moved to digital assembly of the pages these days. Dee Fish, the artist on Giant Girl Adventures, works exclusively digitally now. She said the initial curve is daunting, but once you get those brushes working and your hand adjusted, it's dead brilliant. Heck, she draws, tones and letters, and with it all digital it's all adjustable. When we get to the print version we still have minor edits to make, and they'll be super easy. I nag, I know. But it's the future.

Aidenke

The combination of the analog and digital styles is really nice -- and I do hope that any cut content can be either future bonus features in omnibuses or get stolen away for volume 13 shenanigans (if not Patreon content). After volume 12, is there a chance / reason you can't shift the series art-style to digital (which always looks awesome in your sketches)? If it'd make things faster and easier on you, I'm sure that a lot of readers here would be more than happy to support the shift!

JKurt

Is the title of the story a reference?

adamwarren

In theory, it could, but in reality, that's a massive hassle. Besides, most of the existing 50-page story(!) is completely at odds with the rest of the book's storyline, so I don't mind cutting it down.

adamwarren

Probably, but in all likelihood you've already seen here on Patreon most of the material that's slated to be cut.

adamwarren

Oh, EMP12 is almost certainly my last full-length analog media project, as the writing is most definitely on the wall about switching over to digital.

adamwarren

Future projects will almost certainly be digital, but this one's stuck in the ol' analog swamp, alas.

Aidenke

Then count me excited about what the future will bring. Whether it's a rotation of Emp and other new projects, or even just a chance to enjoy the improvements that a digital medium may offer as you close things out with Emp, it'll be fun to see where it all goes!

adamwarren

The title's from a line of dialogue in the story; don't think I posted that page here, though.

Strypgia

Spooky looks thicker than Emp, here. Deliberate to show she's not abusing her demonic 'dump calories on people around me for hotness' magic anymore, I take it? I hope the transition to digital goes smooth. I've known too many artists who have a primary hand and wrist that want to kill them and/or go on strike.

adamwarren

My experience so far has been entirely the opposite, as digital has proven notably less stressful on my drawing hand; then again, I probably apply considerably more pressure in my analog penciling than would be the case with most artists.

Strypgia

Oh, I agree. That's what I mean, artists who've had the effort of analog kill their hands/wrists, and digital is much less pressure. It's just that learning curve, when most people (pre-2015 starters, anyhow) have naturally started on analog and have to fight to make the transition. And yes, you have always seemed to go heavy on the pencils, or basic inks when it's something like the stark B&W chiaroscuro Emp chapters.

KranberriJam

If you cut stuff, I see extras for a future volume. This page alone is so full of detail and I appreciate all the effort you put into your works.