Savage swords (Patreon)

I was in the process of writing a Q&A answer when I realised that I had answered a very similar question about a year earlier, so in its stead, here's a picture from my sketchbook. It's a trial drawing for "Savage Sword Of Susan". I don't know if I'll actually make that particular comic but I have a lot of notes for it. By summer, some people may have tired of my pivot to fantasy. Not that it will necessarily be an easy pivot back.

My original plan for the Conan comics was to draw them traditionally, rather than on the computer. I had earmarked a few weeks in the run-up to Christmas to practice (I may have mentioned this before) as I hadn't drawn a run of pages on paper since 2007. I bought pens, paper, a number of new rulers and french curves, even a bottle of proper deleter white-out. Of course this jinxed me, I injured my arm at the start of December, and spent the festive season trying to gain sympathy from those around me as I winced while eg lifting the kettle.

But the one thing I did stick with was going back to life drawing on a regular basis, and this is leading to improvements. Not in my drawing arm, mind. You should see me trying to vacuum the house. Pitiful. Luckily my trademark "gentle style" (designed to avoid the carpal tunnel catastrophes suffered by many of my friends) allows me to continue at the digital easel.