The Making of the 2015 Holiday Manga

In keeping with requests from my loyal readership, here is the "making of" for the 2015 Holiday Manga. The following steps and associated pictures explain my very un-scientific process at completing a manga. 

Step 1: Find relevant portions of Fullmetal Alchemist that portray roughly what I'm trying to draw. This is for several reasons, including my limited time and limited talent - I'm pretty decent at revising an existing work, but have difficulty "seeing" the layout and characterization on my own. Plus, it is significantly faster for me to use existing work.

Step 2: Develop the layout and story for the page.

Step 3: Pencil sketch each panel to make sure it will fit and makes sense.

The Industrious Hygienist's 2015 Holiday Manga - pencil sketch and layout planning.

Step 4: Ink each panel with changes in the outfits and facial expressions as needed.

The Industrious Hygienist's 2015 Holiday Manga - inked product just before full coloring.

I'm pretty dang proud of the center middle panel. The hatching and ink work turned out much better than I anticipated. I'm less proud of the right hand lower panel - the only excuse I can give for that panel is my 100-pound Alaskan Malamute being bored and nudging my elbow while I was drawing. Close-up of my favorite panel is below.

The Industrious Hygienist's 2015 Holiday Manga - snatching the "last perfect gift."

Step 5: Color in the panels using, you guessed it, Crayola colored pencils. I'm pretty low tech with my art. A smaller version of the final product is below for your enjoyment. 

The Industrious Hygienist's 2015 Holiday Manga - sketched, inked, and colored.

I hope you enjoyed this "making of" blog. I'm working on new art and posts for 2016.

Holiday Manga - 2015 - Mall Safety Tips

In this year's much-anticipated Holiday Manga, the Industrious Hygienist takes you to the mall (a place she dares not venture alone). If you're shopping for holiday gifts this week, remember to focus on your personal safety and security while attempting to adhere to your budget. 

Some mall safety and security tips from the Industrious Hygienist:

• Make a list. Check it twice. (Otherwise you'll end up buying a bunch of random useless stuff.)
• Shop with a buddy. (This helps with safety, security, possibly reduced spending, and more fun.)
• Be aware of your surroundings. (Park in a busy area with good lighting.)
• Don't overload yourself with gifts. (Maintain proper visibility, and if you're a safety nerd, use the NIOSH Lifting Equation.)
• Practice defensive techniques.
• Escalators are scary things. Watch for pinch points and use the handrails.)

The Industrious Hygienist's 2015 Holiday Manga - with mall safety and security tips.

Since the Industrious Hygienist's family and friends pretty much all wanted gift cards, we weren't able to do much local shopping this year. However, we have been participating in Amazon Smile for most of our random purchases, which means that 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible items is donated by Amazon to a charity of our choice. 

We picked Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue as our charity of choice - it's a Phoenix-area rabbit rescue that we've donated to in previous years. And when we're ready for a new bunny, it's probably where we'll go. If you're looking for a new rabbit in Phoenix, take a look at their adoptable rabbits. 

Happy Winter Seasonal Holiday of your choice from the Industrious Hygienist and family! Be on the watch for the New Year's Holiday Card and a post about recycling or properly disposing of old electronics after the holidays.