If having a digital ruler would help a lot, you could always use Sketchbook Pro to lay in your lines. It's digital ruler is really easy to use. It's a great program for doing roughs, though I still use MS for inking because it just has subtly better line quality.

Thanks a ton for crits guys! Kozi: Yeah, I was sort of banking on the fact this came on the heels of my scar match with wutata for people to get what was going on (Admittedly someone said that comic was quite confusing as well). I well definitely rethink how I do my approach; it's always been a huge thing for me to plop people into confusing situations and make them sort it out, but this has come back to bite me numerous times. And thanks in regards to the baddies; they were actually an old design I used for a comic during my invitational and was a throwback to them (with a bit more thought put into how they work to make them a bit creepier). Thanks for the critique, will take it in mind! Underwood: Ughhh I know! I was having so much trouble with my lines. I feel it's a combination of my own ineptitude and the crappy old tablet I use. Will see if there is any light at the end of the tunnel on this one. I'm hitting the drawing board literally in regards to figure studies and backgrounds and anatomy. So look forward to more concrete stuff coming from me in the near future. Puzzlething: I was struggling with grasping backgrounds when it comes to digital on this one. I asked in chat and people got confused with my frustration (mainly not having a 'ruler' to use threw me off, having to draw all the straight lines with a line tool). I'll keep pumping away at this but I'm thinking drawing my backgrounds on paper, scanning, and then redrawing digitally is going to be the only way for me to really conquer them, as I feel much more confident on paper in regards to backgrounds (well mostly everything actually!). This requires my scanner to actually be working, of course, but one step at a time! I agree with the lines expressiveness issue as well. I think drawing at a large scale and then scaling it down killed any linewidth I did have, though it was surely too small to really show up anyways. I have tinkered around with larger brushes since I read your comment and agree that that is exactly what I needed to do! Also I'm hella flattered you think my stuff is cool. I will perservere and try to make it even cooler! MAUSE: Oh man you blew me away with your side. I flopped about this whole week in amazement. I was like NO THE PUPPY but then was happy that it was okay. You pulled strings in my heart. Seriously, though, your linework is amazing and the backgrounds were usually spot on and very tight and controlled. I echo the sentiments of the other commentors, both in the Ito of Void title and others. Can't wait to see what else you do and am more than happy to be your first battle after so long! Cheers! Kent: As mentioned, anatomy is something I'm gonna be bumrushing like crazy in the coming weeks/months. I'm not done here, actually wanna get another character into Void, but I'm considering my options with Trix for the future. Look forward to more folks, and thanks again for the crits!

Base - I agree with Kozi--your baddie designs were pretty interesting! I can see you're working hard--try practicing anatomy, and along with that facial features so you can make them really consistent. Eager to see how you develop next time--keep practicing! Bittermause - I really enjoy your style, and the dark tone you have to this comic! The animal interaction was so well done - the *lick* panel was so cute! Keep this up please!

Kozispoon: Heheh, you know I wouldn't let such a cute derpy fuzzball go down like that. (Besides Corny would've probably suplexed me(??)) Also thank you for your advice over Skype. The depth and background confusion could be given better care to, so I'll be mindful of that next time. Seevah: I also agree with all the points you made. I especially went trigger happy with the speed lines, so I'll stick with going for "less is more" to keep things clean and to the point. Thank you! Underwood: Color me honored! Now if only I can write just as good as Ito. |:T Puzzlething: Stairs are an evil business, dude. I was not feeling confident in drawing them, especially in the perspective that they were in. I'll be practicing on those for sure. Thank you so much for your input! Alternabase: It was a pleasure doing battle with you, Base! I really enjoyed reading your side. I loved the character interactivity between those, and I honestly feel like this is one of your strongest comics to date. To tell you the truth, I had more planned for those two in terms of character build up, but because I've been known for doing 16+ pages and always rushing at the last minute, I sacrificed a lot of those plans for a shorter story. I regret that very much. :< However, I look forward to seeing what happens next with her! Keep it going!!

Base - I definitely agree with the Field Marshal. You need to push the expressiveness of your lines way more, they're mostly uniform. Try using a brush size that's much larger than you need to go, but responds a lot to pressure sensitivity. It gets you to handle your pen a little lighter, and forces you to create expressive lines. Expressive linework is especially important for you, since you seem to be going for such a dynamic art style. You've got a problem with consistency in your figures and faces, you end up drawing them radically different from panel to panel. It gives your stuff an unintentional surreality. Keep some reference material for all your characters nearby, so that you're drawing from an unchanging source, not something that has changed slightly step-by-step. Be careful with your armature and initial roughs. If you make sure a figure is strong there, that'll just feed into the drawing as you flesh it out, making it better and better as you go. You barely have any backgrounds here. You're not gonna get any better at them if you avoid it dude. Drawing backgrounds can feel super tedious, especially when you chose something as painful as a brick alleyway. Ugghhhh briiiiiiiiicks. What a pain in the ass. But when they're done right, they're so beautiful. And that's really like all of backgrounds in a nutshell. A lot of tedium, for a huge reward. Just keep working on it, and eventually you'll be so much better you won't find it as tedious. I've always loved how exaggerated and dynamic your characters are. Sure, you still have work to do, but I can tell what your going for and it's really cool. And as your fundamentals get stronger, it's only going to get way cooler. Bittermause - AHHHHHH, it's awesome to see you back dude! Your comics are so good. Seeing this reminds me of how few horror type comics we get around here, and if they could all be this good, there should totally be more. I love love the juxtaposition between your strong, clean style and the fine texture/hatching you use. It sets such a good tone for what happens. The watery grays are perfect too. Everything about your design elements are perfectly chosen, and I love the way you drew those shadows/fears. So cool, the comparison to Junji Ito is totally earned. Your comic is mostly amazing, so really the only criticism I have is really nitpicky. You messed up on your perspective a few times on page 5. In the top right panel, the second floor and the first floor are drawn receding towards different horizon lines. And the stairway in the bottom left panel is really off. The stairs don't diminish in size at all as they get farther from the viewer, and they're also drawn as very shallow steps. Like there can't be more than several inches of elevation differences between each step. Your backgrounds are pretty much perfect beyond that though, so it doesn't really matter. Awesome work!

Base my dear, try polishing up your line and figure work -- takes practice but once you get the hang of it everything will be like butter on paper. Also as a sort of practice, try drawing out backgrounds: both establishing ones and large wide angle backgrounds. Bittermause, I shall henceforth call you the Junji Ito of Void. Hope you don't mind.

Base- I like your story telling, but the compositions and details are lacking. You should add a tad more detail to your backgrounds and add backgrounds to all the panels for now even if its like a diagonal your backgrounds aren't detailed enough to carry over to a panel where you omit the backgrounds yet [term: establishing shot]. Also your word bubbles, I'm not sure how you're doing them but I recommend ploping the words in first then drawing the bubble. I'll let you be on anatomy only because I feel like you're slowly figuring it on your own pace. BitterMause: [Second Page First Panel] same thing about no backgrounds but in a different context. Your backgrounds have enough information to lead to a blank panel background. But that panel starts off blank so it doesn't pull me into anywhere. Personally I feel that a blank to detailed background should be a lead up to something. Your speed line focus spot things need work, they're too symmetrical and equidistant and the line weight in them are all the same Page 5 seems better where they're more separate and not the same distant. Also the parts where the characters are facing straight at the panel in they seem stiff appose from your angled positions but with all the angles you have its not seen as much. Good Jorb all!

BASE- Action! Intrigue, a good deal of questions! Namely, I'm not quite sure what's going on. Why is her arm stump bleeding? Who is the spectral blue guy on page 7? I feel as a reader I was plunked into an ongoing story of which I don't know the details of. Do be sure to know that not everyone will be up to date on your fighters backstory, so some context would be groovy. I did dig the bad guys. The design for them felt very Evangelion, not to mention they gave me the willies! I especially liked the pose of the one clinging to the side of the brick wall perched on the roof. BITTERMAUSE- I know we talked about this last night in detail, but I wanted to toss in my critique here. SO GLAD you're back to battling and keeping your promise to finish Eliza's tale. I also love your backgrounds. They have such a level of detail equal to the main events on the panel it all really harmonizes together. you see it especially in page 2. Eliza feels like she's walking through a neighborhood and not a set piece. I also dug the growing sense of dread with the subtle demon shapes liningthe walls and stairwell on page 6. Way to build up the tension and make me pissed off at a comic because I thought the cute corgi died, haha Needless to say, you came back, and you came back swinging. Really strong comic.

Omigosh omigosh omigosh Elizaaaaaa <3

IT'S DONE! Pages uploaded and thumbs sent to bobo. This was a biiiig step forward for me and I really tried to do my best. I feel I could improve on a number of things, mainly my line quality, but even looking back on it I'm happy I finished something this large. Cheers, and looking forward to critiques! Thanks for the awesome fight Mause!

IT'S ALMOST HEREEEEEEEEEE

My side has been submitted. Gonna send thumbs tonight and go back into a prehistoric coma. I can't wait to see yours Base!

I am here, I am excited to see what you guys come up with!

Awwhh yeses

Welcome back Bitter! Best of luck to the both of you.

Welcome back Mauuuuseee

rabbitrabbit: WAAAAAAT Now it's your turn! Do good you two!

:)

rabbitrabbit: WAAAAAAT Yeah, you heard me |:(

WAAAAAAT