Hello and welcome to yet another exciting instalment of the Crispy Parsnips Almost Bi-Weekly Supporter Update Wot Appears Of Patreon From Time To Time. Now I'm sure you're all wondering what hilarious shananiganry I'm going to ply for the opening paragraph of this update. Well I'll let you into a little secret: So am I. I write these pretty much straight-ahead, stream-of-consciousness style so I have no idea where it's going. Can't wait for the funny bit. Here it comes. Any second now... Oh, it was one of the seconds outside of my allotted writing time. Sorry.
And so we begin not with a bang, but with scratchy fingernail sounds.
The issue I'm currently experiencing with these comics is, even though I'm starting to embrace a more hands-on relationship with colour and shading, both simplifying the process and giving me more control and understanding, it just so happens that I write two comics for every comic I finish. This was meant to be a small aside of 11 small vignettes, one showing the discovery of each of the Calendars. Now Dane alone has about 15 comics! I'm my own worst enemy. That and anxiety. And entropy. Actually I have quite a few worse enemies.
Besides getting carried away with comics, I've also been ploughing on with commissions. Well 'commission' to be precise. But it was a doozy! As a reminder my commissions are open over on my Ko-fi as well as on request elsewhere, and I'd really appreciate the off-chance that people could help me in spreading the word because (and this is a little insider-trading for those not in the know) everything costs money. They don't teach you that in school, I tell you.
Still, in the gaps between attempting to make a living I've been trying to improve my ability to draw people in my own stylised little way. The vector through which I'm managing this is memes! Just a little ongoing idea I concocted which permits my brain time to spend on a variety of character studies. One of these has rather aged of late, as I understand.
Besides all of the above there's been a certain amount of preparations occurring for my forthcoming holiday week, accompanied by the usual travel panic and organisational obsession. However this year it's coincided with the growing soul-searching and recontextualisation of the trajectory of my life, so that's good. Anxieties are like buses, it transpires.
I have an informal plan to, in addition to the week away, take the following week to dedicate solely to setting up plans and objectives for the rest of the year, alongside exploring some new artistic ideas guilt-free. Without giving too much away this is really a last push to get this whole shebang, whatever it currently resembles or shall transform into, to work before it all collapses in under its own poorly thought-out gravity.
It's nice to have some form of concrete posts to hold onto in the swirly maelstrom of slosh that is reality, and mine are streams! Not only are we doing them, we're positively blitzing through, having completed 'The Dame Was Loaded', started and completed 'Thank Goodness You're Here' and begun the second instalment of the famously barmy 'Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney' series 'Justice For All'.
Even weekend plans aren't immune from the entropic grasp of change! Having torn through our levelling sidequests in Grim Hollow, we've parried the approach of Elden Ring due to some health issues and instead began enjoying the many-handed chaotic delights of ill-organised mopping in 'Viscera: Cleanup Detail'. And thence, of course, we doodle.
What remains is what's to come. I'd very much like to hold myself to the idea of each of these updates containing a comic, but my focus ought to be primarily on finding work and commissions. Extracurricular activities such as videos may take a back-seat as I endeavour to stabilise this bicycle before the wheels fully fall off.
Thank you so much for you support. Despite my economic catastrophisation it's important you understand that your support here is very much the only reason any of this is still running. It's my objective to take that weight from your shoulders by the year's close, but know that for however long you're kind enough to help it's extremely appreciated.
Anywho, enough seriousness. Silliness ho!
Look after yourselves,
Crispy 💜