NabbyCapers (WiP-Early Access): Abby-Nabbed! (Patreon)

Edit:

• Added process rant. Definitely worth reading.

Synopsis/Description: 

 The Grand Finale!

...What? 

You didn't think we'd go a month without Abby getting grabbed bound and gagged, did you?

You knew this was coming! After all Nabby is Abby's evil doppleganger and #AbbyNeverWins!

The Rant: 

The grand finale this was all building up to. You knew it was coming; as popular as Nabby is, she does exist to torment Abby, and unlike Abby, she does eventually get to "win." She just now has backup to help her out with it. My personal headcanon is that, Zetta aside, the others were traps Nabby had hoped Abby would fall for (which she has in the past)...

Its just that others....

Beat her to it!

Which, having laid out those comparisons, is fascinating to me.

My personal maxim to avoid the existential dread that "everything has already been done, and there is no originality," is that '"it's not 'the originality' of the idea' that matters, but the 'execution of the idea.'" Which isn't new, either: "It's not what you have to say, but how you say it," and all that.

Even the idea of Abby being stalked and converted by latex drones isn't new either. The first iteration of that idea was an update on the puddle idea above:

I'd like to think (if I may toot my own horn) I've gotten a lot better in a lot of ways since then...Which is fascinating because the properties tab says it hasn't even been a year since this was created. I think the growth comes from a lot of softer realizations, rather than sweeping changes, that have coalesced into a greater whole:

• I understand Abby better. How to draw her, what I want her to be, and how to show that.
• I understand the amount of space I have to use better, so I can use it better and add more elements.
• My understanding of line work has evolved, so I can both add more detail and put emphasis where I actually want it to be.
• I'm a better story/joke-teller. My strips have emotional highs and lows, and builds in action to a climax that doesn't (always) rely on you having pre-existing kinks for them to pay off.
• I'm more comfortable with using more characters. Not just in using other people's charcters, but having those characters interact with each other in ways that feel natural.

It's very fascinating to observe, barely a year later!

Back to the original point, I wasn't worried about repeating my old ideas, because I try not to look back or reference anything that isn't immediately necessary to understanding or enjoying the current strip. Every strip is its own, new original thing, built with my current set of skills. Hopefully, if I'm doing my job right, the only comparisons that will be drawn are the ones I want you to draw.

I kinda wish the others were more involved with Capturing Abby rather than acting as trophies, but there's only so much space and I did very nearly use it all up just getting everyone on screen (twice) and showing Abby's capture and encasement.

In regards to technique, oof.  THis strip was a doozy because every character shape per "panel" functions as a multiplier for how much shiny I have to do. I think its totally worth it. Don't you? In regards to the latex texture, I took some pages out of Bose/Boxcat's book. I don't think latex and texture has to be as simple as "one shadow, one highlight/shine line," so I took from their book of having multiple refraction points for shine, which, I think, spices this up immensely. I think that's something I need to do more of; really STUDY the other artists I'm both friends with and follow, and not just consume their work. There's a lot to learn if you're paying attention. Really, really paying attention, which is why streaming is one of the great educational leaps we've made in the internet age.  Back on the linework, we'll see how well it translates when we get to the line-art phase. I'm definitely looking forward to it! 

What do you think? Let me know in the comments, your input helps me steer this patreon in the right direction! Thank you for your continued Patronage, and I'll catcha over Yonder!

-Saunter!