You’re probably right. Joe Minotaur a few posts down believes she’s looking out over downtown Minneapolis. This may be another subtle time skip to the point where Shelly has gotten full control of her Sphinxy side.
…Which is pretty much where we’ve figured the fictional “neighborhood” of Wapsi Square is located. Looks like a nice apartment building she’s got there.
That would fit with Jin and Monica’s luck these last few strips to find some “broken arrows”. ” I shot an arrow in the air and where it lands Jin will be there” (I apologize to the poet for my modifications)
Looks like Prisma/Copic-type markers for the sepia tones, and ink wash for the cool gray. I could be totally wrong though. That’s just what I see in the color’s texture.
There’s something subtle about the use of the warm/sepia coloring, in the last panel especially, that feels very right. The same warm color was used for Shelly’s skin, and for the buildings in the background… and so it feels as if she “fits in” to what is being shown.
Younger Shelly was often portrayed as being a bit out of place… sort of a jagged presence in the scene, bumbling her way through life. The Shelly we see here, seems to belong in the world, in a way she never did before.
I think the true sign is the look on her face as she’s waking up. That moment can be one of the barest looks into a person’s demeanor, and her face just radiates contentment.
We’ll see if that serenity lasts after finding out what M and Jin have been up to the last couple of days, heh.
Days when you really didn’t want to think about anything.
Days when life’s cares laid down and forgot to get back up.
Days when you could lie down and not even be aware time was going by.
Interestingly enough for me, those days were usually when I was unemployed, homeless, and had no prospects of finding a job or a roof to put over my head.
Having read the other’s comments I’ve had to readjust my thinking.
In Oklahoma a morning like that would be a prelude to a real scorcher of an afternoon.
“And, here in Amphibiana City, the weather on this morning of the royal coronation ceremony is warm and hazy, with light breezes from the west at times. Predictions for this afternoon are for a reign of frogs.”
OH… You’re talking about that mythical season called “Spring” aren’t you?… as another Seattle resident, we don’t get much of that season, nor a real, “proper” HOT Summer either. it’s mostly drizzles followed by overcast, non-rainy days, followed by a few days of heavy rain, then repeat… blech… we can’t even have a proper storm either; i miss the thunderstorms from Michigan, but that’s about it.
I always like when another color gets mixed with the standard black and white into an update. The third color just seems to bring so much life and definition to the page, regardless of what’s occurring on panel.
In regards to the media used, I’d say it was both the cool grey and warm grey marker sets from either Prismacolor or Copic. When used together, you can achieve … this, an impressive piece of art. Take a look at the sketchbooks from Adam Hughes. He’s amazing with this technique.
I think i see some crow quill, some brush, warm and cool markers, some modified photos and some masking.
I know exactly how i’d approach something like this, though the end result wouldn’t be nearly – not even practically almost approximately sort of somewhat nearly – as good.
to me it doesn’t fit with the concrete floors and ceilings, and lack of windows from when she had the nightmare about the spider and transformed in her bedroom.
I know your question has been answered by the mail being addressed to Shelly in the next strip, but I just wanted to say I think those are not windows, but light coming in from the window across the room and landing on Shelly and the wall behind her.
Warm morning? We had a High of 83 Sunday!
And continuing with record highs for the week…
It’s purty! 😛
Shelly at Justin’s apartment, or is this a flashback? The sepia tone sorta suggests flashback.
You’re probably right. Joe Minotaur a few posts down believes she’s looking out over downtown Minneapolis. This may be another subtle time skip to the point where Shelly has gotten full control of her Sphinxy side.
Good god, that is gorgeous artwork!
I know. That’s some of the best we’ve ever seen here.
I love the subtle use of colour.
Not so much colour as warm and cool greys.
How very peaceful. 😀
The background in panel 4 appears to be of downtown Minneapolis from the Southwest.
…Which is pretty much where we’ve figured the fictional “neighborhood” of Wapsi Square is located. Looks like a nice apartment building she’s got there.
(How does that old song go?) Polly put the kettle on, and let’s make tea…
Polly, put the kettle on (rpt 3x)
We’ll all have tea.
Suki, take it off again (rpt 3x)
They’ve all gone away.
An old staple of BBC radio’s “Listen with Mother”.
Actually should be rpt 2x, making a total of 3 in each case.
Also features prominantly in the book “Little House on the Prarie” and “On The Banks Of Plum Creek”, with Mary and Laura substituted. 😉
Ooooooh, pretty!!
Love the watercolor look. <3
I have seen mornings that look exactly like that, and they’re beautiful.
Very pretty. Good sense of depth and openness in the last panel.
OK the art is wonderful, but I get the feeling someone is about to get nuked from orbit, or the Wapsiverse equivalent.
Nah, it’ll be Monica and Jin… with SAND…
After last week? I vote Jin and M with Global ThermoNuclear Weapons… that have been left or lost.
That would fit with Jin and Monica’s luck these last few strips to find some “broken arrows”. ” I shot an arrow in the air and where it lands Jin will be there” (I apologize to the poet for my modifications)
“Strollin’ in the park, watching winter turn to spring
Walkin’ in the dark, seein’ lovers do their thing”
That’s a more whole-and-at-peace look than we’ve seen on her face in… well, maybe ever?
The subtlety of the shading, all through these panels, is really beautiful!
Said it better than I could.
The ‘whole, and at peace’ look – does that mean Nudge woke up with a black eye this morning?
At a minimum, it was a Good trip to the Library!
May Justin be as relaxed.
The two of them may just have found that they are the perfect yin and yang for each other.
Oh…WOW… This. Is. Soo beautiful.
Flat brush? Cut marker? The sepia gives an exellent “warm morning”effect, that is for sure.
Oddly enough it has a sort of “South America”-vibe…
I thought the same thing (about the South American vibe)! 🙂
This really is lovely work Paul!
Looks like Prisma/Copic-type markers for the sepia tones, and ink wash for the cool gray. I could be totally wrong though. That’s just what I see in the color’s texture.
There’s something subtle about the use of the warm/sepia coloring, in the last panel especially, that feels very right. The same warm color was used for Shelly’s skin, and for the buildings in the background… and so it feels as if she “fits in” to what is being shown.
Younger Shelly was often portrayed as being a bit out of place… sort of a jagged presence in the scene, bumbling her way through life. The Shelly we see here, seems to belong in the world, in a way she never did before.
Just listened to this video and it fits this page so well.
http://youtu.be/wBWq9OYMXv4
Very nice! Sweet and pastoral.
Another one came to mind for me… older, more energetic, but equally promising: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyooCErXdMI
I love the art today.
I think the true sign is the look on her face as she’s waking up. That moment can be one of the barest looks into a person’s demeanor, and her face just radiates contentment.
We’ll see if that serenity lasts after finding out what M and Jin have been up to the last couple of days, heh.
I think I just had an art-gasm!
@Paul
I love the colors (or lack thereof) in this one. I see you used some markers, but is it also in watercolor? Or was this all done in Photoshop?
I’ve had days like this.
Days when you really didn’t want to think about anything.
Days when life’s cares laid down and forgot to get back up.
Days when you could lie down and not even be aware time was going by.
Interestingly enough for me, those days were usually when I was unemployed, homeless, and had no prospects of finding a job or a roof to put over my head.
In stories, it’s days like this when the other shoe drops!
The shoe you’ve forgotten all about.
And usually, it drops right on a sore toe.
A beautiful start to a new day, a new Monday, and a new storyline. I hope everything is alright with her and Justin.
Very picturesque. 🙂
That’s why I love this comic! It’s home! I love Downtown Mpls!
Having read the other’s comments I’ve had to readjust my thinking.
In Oklahoma a morning like that would be a prelude to a real scorcher of an afternoon.
Or the precursor to a very nasty Force 5 tornado .
The key to a tranquil life in the Sooner State is to trust in God, but see to your storm shelter.
(As opposed to tying up your camel.)
“And, here in Amphibiana City, the weather on this morning of the royal coronation ceremony is warm and hazy, with light breezes from the west at times. Predictions for this afternoon are for a reign of frogs.”
And here in Seattle, a morning like that means that we’re having our one hot august day this year.
OH… You’re talking about that mythical season called “Spring” aren’t you?… as another Seattle resident, we don’t get much of that season, nor a real, “proper” HOT Summer either. it’s mostly drizzles followed by overcast, non-rainy days, followed by a few days of heavy rain, then repeat… blech… we can’t even have a proper storm either; i miss the thunderstorms from Michigan, but that’s about it.
“Spring” is not mythical, any more than “Autumn” is.
Sometimes they even fall on a weekend.
Enjoy it now, nothing but rain to look forward to…
I always like when another color gets mixed with the standard black and white into an update. The third color just seems to bring so much life and definition to the page, regardless of what’s occurring on panel.
In regards to the media used, I’d say it was both the cool grey and warm grey marker sets from either Prismacolor or Copic. When used together, you can achieve … this, an impressive piece of art. Take a look at the sketchbooks from Adam Hughes. He’s amazing with this technique.
Back when my family ran a small advertising shop, Eloise-the-Art-Department absolutely loved the Prismacolor sets.
I think i see some crow quill, some brush, warm and cool markers, some modified photos and some masking.
I know exactly how i’d approach something like this, though the end result wouldn’t be nearly – not even practically almost approximately sort of somewhat nearly – as good.
Shelly put the kettle on.
Shelly put the kettle on.
Shelly put the kettle on, we’ll all have tea.
Is that Justin’s place? What’s shown doesn’t seem to match with the interior of Shelly’s place that we’ve seen before… http://wapsisquare.com/comic/spider-dreams/
to me it doesn’t fit with the concrete floors and ceilings, and lack of windows from when she had the nightmare about the spider and transformed in her bedroom.
I know your question has been answered by the mail being addressed to Shelly in the next strip, but I just wanted to say I think those are not windows, but light coming in from the window across the room and landing on Shelly and the wall behind her.
Your art is getting better all the time.
i would say the worst thing in the world is waking up alone, the second worse thing is waking up with someone you don’t want to be with…