Well.
When we left our intrepid heroine (me), she was settling into a repressive routine with her intended future husband. As she settled, she began to realize just how much settling she's done.
Lots to unpack here.
First, layout considerations. Slow zoom in from first to second panel, pull out on the last panel. Fairly static page, where the position of the viewer relative to the subject is pretty much the only thing that changes.
I wanted enough detail to be plausible, and to keep the moment as private as possible. I'm happy with the pose and the layout. Inks are okay and serviceable. His hand did something crazy in the last panel, but I touched it up in Photoshop.
Speaking of Photoshop, my original intent was to reverse the last panel for dramatic effect. It looked dumb. I opted to add a gray value to set the time more clearly.
Debating where it goes on the next page. His bombshell here cries for more exposition, but I'm eager to keep the pace, so I suspect I will go on with the action.
This is typical of abusers. They tend to demean and mistrust, and to think their judgment is better than anyone else's. He manipulated my uncertainty about being lovable as trans woman, and here reveals that my trans status is what drew him to me, but not in a positive way. I'm concluding that there's no need to elaborate on that in the narrative, and I can just let events communicate that.
Tools for this page:
- Canson Bristol board
- Lead holder with 4B lead
- Faber Castell eraser
- Triangle and T-square
- Ames lettering guide
- Micron .02, .05, 1.0 and brush
- FW Artist's Acrylic White
- Richeson brushes; synthetic no. 6 round, Sable cat tongue no. 2
- Of course, Photoshop
Next: page 24 of this chapter.
