Please read meee! :D

Ignore the stuff below, it's just to make the blog look pretty ;3

Hello again. I haven't been very active here lately, but that's mostly because university keeps me much busier than I'd like. But I hope to be able to blog more often.

This time I decided to write a blog about an assignment I had at uni, which was to create a three-page comic with a cover, so here's a bit of my process.

How I started:

First, I had to decide which story I wanted to work on. This wasn't easy because I had a ton of ideas, but I had to keep in mind that I wouldn't have much time, so I couldn't choose something too complex.

Among the ideas I was considering was continuing a comic I had already started (which is actually a Spanish webtoon), which was also the product of a class project. That comic is inspired by the concept of the CW series Supernatural (monster hunters and such) but with my OC and a local legend from Mexico (which is where I'm from). That comic ended up being 15 pages long, which was planned and hand-drawn in a span of 3 weeks. I also had to produce the physical volume. I admit it ended up looking more rushed than I would have liked, but to be honest, I didn't think I'd be able to finish it on time.

Here's the link if anyone's interested:

Mostruos de México:

https://www.webtoons.com/es/canvas/monstruos-de-m%C3%A9xico/list?title_no=1107775

I could upload a translated version if you're really interested and don't know Spanish.

Problably I'll do a blog about this OC, and some other OCs I have :D

In the end, I decided not to continue this story because I still had flashbacks from the last time :'D

And I didn't felt motivated to anyways.

Instead, I decided to work on a new story I'm writing based on a role-playing game I'm playing solo (A 1000-Year-Old Vampire).

For those who don't know, it's like playing Dungeons & Dragons, but instead of a dungeon master, it's a book full of prompts, which you get randomly by rolling dice.

Now, after all that rambling, I'll show you what I did :D

(Still be prepared for more rambling next)

Character Designs: 

From left to right: Matteo di Giovanni - Lucia di Giovanni - Caterina di Marco - Master Lorenzo - István

Ignore that I didn't draw any shoes, I was a bit lazy ok? lol

Disclaimer: I'm mexican not italian, so I don't know everything about medieval Italy, I did some research before writing this but I have to admit it wasn't too deep (I was soo excited to start palying), so I'm aware there will be some inaccuracies in the story and in my drawings, but remember this is all made up, and it started for fun, sooo I hope you enjoy it, and if you happen to  know more about Italy and medieval ages please coment what you know! :D

So the protagonist is Matteo di Giovanni, a young man who works as a ceraiolo (candle maker) in mid-14th-century Italy, during the height of the Black Death. After his father's death, Master Lorenzo took him into his workshop to teach him the trade. Matteo lives a humble and sacrificial life, caring for his 11-year-old sister, Lucia, who spends her time playing in the wax workshop while he works.

He also has a romantic interest in Caterina di Marco, the daughter of some regular customers. There's a subtle but mutual spark between them, as they have occasionally exchanged small gifts. The problem is that Caterina is already engaged to a man of higher social standing, chosen by her parents, so Matteo knows their love is impossible. (I know it's a cliché, but it works.) While he lives his normal life, news of the plague begins to arrive, and with it comes the appearance of a mysterious nobleman (István) in Matteo's village.

The story isn't complete yet, but I decided to adapt this part of the story I've written. Later I'll add what happens after what I've written so far in the comic :3

Sketches and process:

Here is the sketch of how I was going to arrange the layout of the comic panels; during the process they stayed more or less the same, there was only a small change in the order of panels on the second page. And there isn't a sketch of the front cover because I had no idea how I was going to do it at that time haha

I did all teh drawings by hand but this time I colored them digitally.

First I did the backgrounds

I realized I don't have many photos of the process, so I'll add next the ones I find, but basically I colored the backgrounds and then started adding the characters, and after I had the characters on the panels I added the dialogue. (I used Ibis Paint for all of this)

Flat colors:

With details:(finished)

If you're wondering about my process on the cover... It just kinda happened? I was so pressured to finish it that I just did it, before that I didn't had an actual idea of how I wanted the cover to look like.

Finished result:

And here's the final result yei!!!

(It's in spanish, but don't worry I'll translate :D)

New Comic!

Vampire #1: The corruption begins

Italy 1347

"Matteo! Could you attend to the young lady?"

"Coming!"

"Are you here to place an order, miss... Miss Di Marco?"

"Yes, the same thing as always, Matteo"

"It's not usual for you to come yourself"

"I wanted to come this time, that's all..."

"..."

"Are you okay Matteo?"

"Yeah..."

"Well, I'd better go. Take good care of yourselves, you and Lucia. I heard my father mention a horrible illness."

"Yes... See you around, Catalina"

Later...

"See you tomorrow, Matteo"

"Until tomorrow, Master"

"Lucía come on, let's go!"

"Coming!"

Spoilerr!!!

This is what happens next after what I draw:

The story takes a turn when Matteo falls ill. Desperate not to infect his sister, he accepts the help of a mysterious and noble client of the workshop named István. This man gains his trust and guides him out of the city, but it's all a trap: István turns out to be a monster and ends up biting him. Matteo becomes a vampire, and blood stops flowing through his veins; instead, dark, hot wax flows through them, hardening on his skin upon contact with the outside.

Unable to see his sister again for fear of what he has become, Matteo takes refuge in some abandoned ruins. At first, he is overcome with guilt after killing his first traveler to quell an unbearable hunger, but over time he succumbs to his instincts and develops the ability to hunt without leaving a trace, luring solitary victims to the warmth of his fire. Everything changes when he corners Luca, a 17-year-old boy fleeing the plague. Seeing his own reflection in the young man's terror, Matteo hesitates. To save his life, Luca offers him a deal: to become his "eyes and ears" in the village in exchange for mercy. Matteo accepts, leaving us wondering whether he saved him or condemned him to something far worse.

End of the spoiler :D

I think that's all. If you read everything and made it this far, I want you to know that I love you.

I'd appreciate it if you commented or gave kudos if you liked it. Maybe I'll be inspired to continue it as a comic instead of just leaving it as text. Also, if you happen to read my other comic, Monsters of Mexico, I'd love to know :)

I hope to make blogs more often :D

Bye bye

(Note: If something reads weird, it's because I used a translator in some parts)