I’ve started a new side project that’s going to be another short story in comic form, just like Green. Why do a side project? Basically I feel the need to do creative work outside of Marooned to stretch out a bit. I love drawing Marooned, but I have other stories I want to tell. And I think stretching out a bit creatively will only make Marooned a better strip.

Anyway, I figured I would share the process with you. This will no doubt take a very long time. Some of the backgrounds are going to be pretty detailed and I don’t really have much free time. So once I get all the designs done and the script finished, it will be just drawing a panel here and there over the process of time until it gets done. So having said all that, let’s get to the project.

The Flower

A couple years ago I was training myself to be an animator. I hadn’t landed my current job yet and I was unhappy where I was working. I have some animation experience, I figured I would do a couple shorts, build a test reel and see if I could break into the industry. Really, it was a bad idea on a lot of levels. Let’s just say I moved on from that idea.

However… I did write a story for one of the shorts I was going to do called The Flower. In summary, it was a steampunkish story of a guy running a old beat up store who leaves at the end of the day to go home to his wife, and finds a beautiful flower on the way home.

I don’t want to share too much more about the story itself yet. I’m still working on the script. I’m actually going to do this project right for once, and that means it will take time. I can tell you that, of course, the main characters are now going to be robots. Yeah, I got a robot thing.

I’ve been sketching, and here’s what I’ve got so far. The robots are going to be a mix of technology. Some steampunk influences, some light manga influences, and who knows what else. Just trying to make them unique and expressive as possible. The setting will be a very run down, nearly dystopian town. Think dark and dreary.

First Sketch of Bill

In this first round of sketches I worked at getting the basic idea of Bill (the main character) down. I felt that his face would not be expressive enough here, but there are parts of it I like.

Bill version 2

The second version of Bill moved much closer to what I think I want. He has the boiler grate in the center with a gauge and something like a battery life indicator below that. The things sticking out are almost Gundam-like. However I don’t like the mouth on this one.

Bill version 3

This one is getting close to what I *think* I want. The mouth is more “normal” and easier to manipulate. He has chunkier feet for plodding along. It’s still early though and I’m not quite sure about the proportions and all. I also suddenly realized he has an uncanny resemblance in the face to the maid in The Jetsons. Completely by accident.

Three Quarter View

Here I began drawing him in space from a three quarter view. I don’t want the front of his face to be too flat. Drawing him this way will be most challenging until I figure out all the forms. It’s likely that this will cause the most changes in design.

Betty

Three things in this one. At the top is the gable of their house… maybe. I’ve been looking at a lot of 18th century houses for reference. I’m not quite sure how I will approach it yet. At the top is Bill with his work apron on, and below is his wife Betty with her kitchen apron on.

It’s worth noting that Bill and Betty will not be talking during the story. It’s a “silent” story, just like Green.

Storefront

This is my first sketch for Bill’s store “Gears and Microprocessors.” Like Bill, I want the setting to be an odd mix of old and new technology – yet somehow the whole of it is all obsolete.

I hope you enjoyed this first look into the project. If you like, I’ll keep updating the blog with information as I make progress.