Due to circumstances beyond my control, Monday’s OL page will not be posted until late Tuesday. We can all be strong and get through this, together.

 brindle did a sweet Beth fan-sktch, in the style of the commission sketches she's currently taking. I have a real weakness for seeing my characters drawn very well by talented people. The different aspects of style and depiction... and I've always loved Brindle's character construction and poses.

Here's the Beth sketch. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11493477/

I think she's still taking commissions, too. Go give her lots of watches and business and sweetness.

I thought I'd break down where I was on the adult project front, right now. I've already broken ground on the next project, and that's already set in stone, though I don't want to get into that particular one, at the moment. Right now I'm speculating on which of my ideas I'll have for the last project of this year, and then well into next year.

Right now I'm stalled on what to do with the Cottonwine series. I had an idea at first, and started the next set of volumes as The Rise of the Wolf Queen. But I was looking through my plot notes for the subsequent installments, and I wasn't pleased with them. My intent was to take it in a slightly new and perhaps unexpected direction, none of which was mentioned in the first installment. That first comic was done only to re-introduce the inquisitor character. Anyway, this explains the delay in progressing the series. I'm not going to abandon it, but I need some more time to work it to a point where I feel it would make a good adult series to proceed with. The first arc of the series earned such strong reactions from people, both positive and negative. I didn't want to simply repackage the same sort of thing and try to have lightning strike twice. Sometimes the first time you do something like that, it's best to let it stand on its own and not keep trying to recreate it.

One of the things that always bugged me about my own work, was the wide range of subjects I sometimes swing to. I do sometimes fear that people who follow me for a particular phase I go through, will be left behind as I begin doing comics about other subjects for a while. I've built a large collection of people who watch me, and no matter what I put out, I will make only a certain number of them happy with my decision for what to do next, while others are eagerly awaiting new stories about a completely different universe and subject. At one point, I wanted to prune some of the worlds I would work it, narrow it down to one or two, but in the end, I really didn't like the idea of restricting myself.

In the meantime, I'm also swinging back and forth between either a story about Lenore, or a story about Mandy. I'm sure everyone will provide their opinion on the matter, and in this case, I kind of appreciate it, so long as it's not demanding and rude. I know there are people who really like Mandy, but there are also people who want to see more humans hooking up with furries. So far, no complicated plots for either have bubbled up, just really simple introductions to rampant hedonism (that's not an invitation to hear ideas). For the record, I will admit to leaning toward a Mandy story, because she's not had a sexual role in a comic yet, or much of any role, really.

Everything beyond that is sketchy.

Another story with Fisk, another accusation of Mary Sue. :D

It inspired this "small" write-up: http://fiskblack.livejournal.com/103980.html

Bumping off the last journal for timeliness reasons. :3

The venerable Mr. Fang passed away today. He was a friendly cat and the longest I've ever owned a pet. In the end, he could barely walk and it was time. We will drink to him tonight.

Since posting the picture of the power armored bunnies, I've heard comparisons made to Halo, Albedo, Cat Shit One, Rifts, Destiny, Tank Girl, Starship Troopers, Dust 514, Ratchet and Clank, something Fred Perry once did, and even the little bunny named Angel from My Little Pony. It's amusing, by now. I don't think of it as a criticism, but I do wonder what possesses someone to blurt out the first thing they think of by association, like they're taking an inkblot test.

But the main purpose of this journal is just to bump off the notice about the old Veronika image.

After drawing and watching movies at the same time, and not until afterwards did I notice some proportional issues about her upper body that bugged me. I made her arm a bit too large, or more accurately, her lower body too small. I'm not used to working with boobs that big and I think it threw me off. It's subtle, but I'm seeing it now.

Sorry for your favs and comments. When I have some time, I want to fix the image.

I was thinking about adoptables the other day, and came up with an idea. I'm writing this to gauge interest. Most of what I see in adoptables is someone offering a character with unique designs and color patterns. Everything else is a "blank slate" as far as how the character is and what makes them interesting. Since the characters seem to be unique by appearance alone, the focus is on the unique design, the color patterns, and such.

What if someone offered adoptable characters that were already loose archetypes. They'd be illustrated and displayed with a generalized kind of attitude, job, perhaps some vaguely defined hints at possible interests. This would make them interesting not only by how they look, but as personalities that can inspire stories and image ideas in the person who buys the character. What if the character offered was an athlete, or a barkeep in a rough neighborhood, or a powerful executive, with a profile and a write-up describing various general aspects and drawings illustrating "typical" events, while leaving the specific details completely up to the character's buyer? I know there are people who like to get commissions from artists regularly, and they might be inspired to acquire characters that give them ideas for different images and picture sets. They wouldn't be adopting images. They'd be adopting character archetypes.

I came up with this notion when I started sketching again, and noticed that I sometimes come up with character images that inspire possible off-shoot stories that I'll never have time to do. I imagined someone being able to adopt unique characters that I've not developed beyond simple "ideas" in my mind and going nuts with them as they please.

Who would be interested?

I just wrapped up my first play through of The Last of Us. I normally just tolerate games with linear play throughs, but the Naughty Dog studio has a habit of making characters I give a damn about, or at least find enjoyable and charming, so I found myself looking forward to this one. I remember when someone turned me toward the first Disgaea game on the PSP, and I was so interested in seeing where the characters went next, that it made the grinding play very much worth it. I love TLOU because someone wrote a very good character-driven story and decided to then make it into a video game.

The gameplay in TLOU isn't "grinding" like a JRPG, but it's probably not what you're used to if you enjoyed Uncharted for it's combat mechanics. There is no move to switch cover quickly, there's no evasion roll, or anything spiffy like that. It's blunt, panicky, clumsy, and sometimes brutally lethal. The prospect of this makes one want to sneak around opponents sometimes, to leave them standing and avoid combat all together. When this is unavoidable, the best option is to have a plan first, be where you want to be, lay traps, and execute your plan. Once you get used to the combat, there's still this feeling that you don't want to get into it. You have a health bar, and it takes time to use medical kits to heal it. And there's nothing wrong with just hauling ass to a hiding place. The stealth options are trickier than in other games that employ stealth, that I've noticed. The enemy doesn't always employ predictable patrol paths in a never ending pattern. There were some tight "oh shit" moments where the enemy broke a patrol pattern suddenly to take on a new path, forcing me to act fast.

There were a few typical game-design quirks there, like how game designers keep using chain linked fences as barriers, as if people in real life can't just climb them. And there were a few moments when I was presented by an obstacle where I thought to myself, "Nathan Drake could have climbed that."

What really made me love the game where the characters, each warped in their own way by the outbreak of the human-infecting cordyceps fungus. It's based on a real parasitic fungus of that name that usually affects insects and other arthropods. I also recently played Metro: Last Light, and while I loved the game, it's characterization is fairly typical. Artyom was a mute nobody for all the legend he was. The characters in TLOU have the sense of being real, palpable people, and in everything they do, good things, bad things, every lie they tell, you can at least sympathize and understand them. Joel and Ellie are two characters motivated by their fear of tragic loss, which can be seen as both a touching strength and a flaw in both of them. Ellie displays all the weird foibles of a 14 year old kid that makes adults a little uncomfortable with someone in that gray area between child and emerging adult. They did a real good job characterizing her beyond the usual helpless, laughable archetypal kids you see in video games. Joel is a very pained character, and he's caused me to still not be sure what I make of the final cinematic of the game. I won't spoil it, but it hit me with a lot of mixed feelings. It's great when a story leaves you sitting there, wanting more, and yet knowing it's over and tidily wrapped up where the author has decided to leave it.

I loved this game because it wasn't just about how "fun" it is to run around and shoot people and do whatever else. It was about pushing the characters through an interested and compelling narrative created by an inspired author. It's a great game for Naughty Dog to cap off it's PS3 career with, and I can't wait to see what they do for the PS4.

I wouldn't mind beginning to livestream of my finishing stuff just for fun. I have no plans to start taking commissions live, at least until I get my commission reserve list out of the way, and get to the point where I'm comfortable drawing digitally in front of the leering multitudes. Right now, my options are limited.

Livestream works and I've already tested it out, but the way they're set up now, people without Livestream accounts can't just drop in and watch. They have to acquire accounts and log in. The accounts are free, but still, it's one of those little round-about hassles for the uninitiated. This can be alleviated if I upgrade to their least expensive account, which is $50 a month. Pretty pricy for something that's merely for fun. The streaming program is quite nice, but it doesn't have chat integration, and even has a message telling me this, without any real explanation. I have to watch my own stream to monitor the chatting. Then there's the whole, you know... content issue.

Tigerdile would be a fine option, and I know the gentleman that runs the site. They have some limited bandwidth at the moment and whenever they hold big "events" that draw in lots of viewers, the system gets kinda bogged down. Right now he's fearing that if I publicly stream there, it'll just get worse, so I have to wait for those fine, busy people to upgrade and mount up.

In the interim, if anyone knows of any other fine options, I'm all ears. :3

P.S. had a cool streaming icon ready to go, but too many people were remarking about things beyond the implied pee joke, into more gross territory, so it was deleted. Some people.

 dreamkeepers asked me to do a journal reviewing their work, and I gladly agreed. Any chance to add well drawn fuzzy comics to my reading list. I have to say the art on their account, alone, is outstanding. If you aren't familiar with it, go over and take a look at the neat character designs, the world-building concept art and backgrounds. It's always a pleasure to look at.

The first thing that stands out about Dreamkeepers is the comic's very unique and "kinetic" art style. The characters have no issue being twisted and stretched to convey action, or being confined to passivity, or even visual insignificance by the detail of the Dreamkeepers world all around them. It's clear, from frame to frame, that the artist isn't lazy. There are no obvious shortcuts, no shying away from drawing detailed buildings, streets, and assorted "fluff" that the reader can be excused for not absorbing at a cursory glance. Dreamkeepers is packed with the kinds of details that a reader may not actively notice at first, but from which the comic would suffer if it weren't included. This is the sign of a creator that's inspired and enjoys his work, and it shows through. The art evolves and becomes even more tight, concise, and pleasing to the eye as the volumes progress, and the third volume is easily the most visually pleasing. This happens without losing any of the characters' fluid designs and visual appeal.

The framing styles and methods are integrated into the art, based on the mood of the page. While this really helps the setting in some areas, there were just a few pages where the eye didn't flow as naturally in sequence as one would hope, but this seemed to completely clear up as the volumes progressed. The fluid art style made a few crucial detailed frames depicting close-ups of action hard to decipher without lengthy study, but these also seemed to be more rare as the comic progressed. In all, these small matters didn't do much to detract from the comic's overall pleasure.

The story follows the well played formula of a fairly ordinary and unspectacular main character in over his head in a world full of conspiracies and events much larger than himself. Through his adventures, he's surrounded by people more intricately linked to the larger world and who seem to be more capable at their respective skills. The characters escape battles and tight spots with a combination of dynamic action, luck, and even a dopey trick or two as a way of outsmarting stodgy guards, faceless soldiers, and the occasional supernatural demonic nightmare being. While the Dreamkeepers are supposed to keep the Nightmare embodiments at bay (I assume from those who dream - us), the comics take place entirely in the Dreamkeeper world, without any reference to those who do the dreaming. It is a handy way to create a world with built-in tension, factions, and a blend of fantasy magic with the trappings of an alternative technology. And it is fairly effective.

If you dig traditional comics and haven't checked out the Dreamkeepers, there's every chance you'll like it. At the very least, check out their art.

Starting Friday (4/12/2013), Original Life will be on an arc that will cover Red's back story. It's a story I've held onto for years, since shortly after her character was created, never quite knowing the best place to tell it. I think I've found the best way to deliver it for what it is, and as a way to give the character more depth. It's a story that's probably more at home in Better Days than it is in the Original Life, but there are people who have missed some of the more weighty topics from my last webcomic. So, I hope they will enjoy this. There are no punchlines. Not much about it is light hearted. But it will explain some of the reasons she is how she is in her thoughts about families, relationships, and how she needs to be in the control as well as emotionally distant in her sex life.

And if you're not following Original Life, or haven't heard of it, you might want to give a shot. http://jaynaylor.com/originallife/

My webcomics are kind of like a jawbreaker. There are different colors and flavors as you work your way through it, over time. Some people take a break and store it in the wrapper in the desk drawer, only to take it up again later. Some people's mothers find it and are disgusted. Other people never start it out of fear, but then they're happy when they finally do. And then there's that weird girl in the neighborhood who just licks it and never puts it in her mouth.

The comic that was upposed to appear Monday is now up and OL is back on schedule. Thank you for your patience with my momentary lapse. It won't happen again unless there's grave injury or world war involved. :3

http://jaynaylor.com/originallife/

OL is back on track and I've updated the page that was supposed to appear Friday (3-22-13) is up tonight. I'll be posting the page that was supposed to appear Monday tomorrow and then everything will be back to normal.

I'm out of town this weekend and I forgot to upload the files for Friday and Monday's Original Life ahead of time. The files are nestled on my home computer away from my most earnest desires to reach them and transfer them to my comic server. Friday and Monday's updates will be late as a result, probably until mid next week.

Sorry!

The Rise of the Wolf Queen part 1 has been released and is available at the catalog (www.jaynaylor.com). It starts off the new series of events after The Fall of Little Red Riding Hood and introduces a pivotal character in the Inquisitor, the same blonde from part 4 of TFLRRH, and who had a brief appearance in The Cottonwine Field Notes. The original redhead will be back in part 2 of the series.

I'm going to continue my tradition of breaking up my series segments in between other comics from other worlds. There are those who are fans of one or the other and not always fans of both, so this seems the most prudent, plus, it ensures I won't be burned out on one subject. The next project I will be working on will be called "Housecats" and will be about Mai and Minh's complex relationship with Priscilla, each other, and others who find themselves within their sexual sphere. It will be narrated from Priscilla's perspective.

In other news, this weekend will be very busy for me, and then I have to travel and be very busy again for the weekend right after. I'm going to try to get as much work done as possible but this will definitely put a crimp on the commission work I can do in my spare time. Those who are currently on the list over at my commission account  jaydraws can see where they are and I beg your patience.

Thank you so much! 2013 will be awesome.

I've made an account on FA through which I'm going to be handling commissions. It is here  jaydraws

I've thought about ways to separate the commissions I get from the main gallery of work featuring my original characters. I was having a conversation with a fan who suggested I created a separate account specifically for commissions. Not sure why I didn't think of it before, but I'd always had an aversion to just creating different accounts for this and that, but in this case, I think it's a good idea. I'm going to have a place to put all the images that constitute other people's ideas, their characters, their blue penises, green fur, everything. I want to keep the gallery on this page reserved for my own ideas.

I'm going to start migrating commissions from the Fisk account to the JayDraws account as soon as I get everything I need in place over there. I apologize if people's favs and comments get misplaced during the move.

I'm afraid of you.

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/977...../#cid:65384038

Because in my last two projects, I drew women in control of their sexual destinies, I fear women. Because I didn't draw them reduced to objects of physical slaking, I ended up being criticized by someone with a rape fetish. Because my fear of women manifests as me drawing them in control of their lives, instead of drawing them reduced to powerless cum-dumpsters, it must be acute enough to be recognized.

I suppose the most beautiful thing about this is how nicely it joins up with the criticism that I promote rape and sexual slavery with my Red Riding Hood stories.

I guess I've come full circle. I'm getting hyper exaggerated presumptuous criticism from people who complain I draw women too much in control of their sexual decisions, instead of being accused of misogyny.

And I guess, lastly of all, if you feel women have power over you, it says more about the kind of man you'e become than anything else. If seeing women in the same kind of control over their lives as men bothers you.. And this fear of "power" over their own destiny bothers you to the degree that you wish to see women raped... I think I know who's really afraid of women.

I've decided to sell my long time work monitor. It's put in a lot of years, allowing by old MacBook Pro to be an effective desktop for most of that. It's still a monitor of outstanding quality, without any dead regions or anything. Of all the years I had it, the only real problem with it was finding desktop backgrounds of sufficient size.

Here is a photo of everything:
http://jaynaylor.com/images4/cinemadisplay.jpg

Model A1083
Up to 2560x1600 resolution for machines that support dual-link DVI.
There's a dual-link adapter for the Apple mini-video standard that existed prior to Thunderbolt, for hooking up a Mac laptop.
Built in USB2 hub with two ports on the back, as well as Firewire 400.

I've seen them used on the internet as low as $800, but most used are listed around $1,000. I'm willing to part with it, here for $600, and maybe go halfsies on the shipping. I'm giving my furry bros and broettes a first chance before I go through other avenues.

The Red comic is completed and up on the adult catalog, now ( https://jaynaylor.com/catalog.php ) and I'm already sort of gearing up for the next project. I'm pleased that I'm doing these at an even better clip than before. A project like this would have taken me a bit longer with my old pace. The pages look really nice. I'm also really excited to work on the continuation of the original Cottonwine story. This next comic will continue events left off from the Fall of Little Red Riding Hood and be the first installment in the Rise of the Wolf Queen.

I also have a project featuring Mai and Minh and some nice little explanations about them from Priscilla's standpoint that's pretty foremost in my mind. So much so that there's a good chance it'll be the comic I do after the first Wolf Queen comic. There's also a comic possibly involving Brice having his own fling which will coincide with an Original Life arc I have planned for this year, but it's release will warrant some timing, so I can't say when that'll manifest. Aside from that, this year is fairly up in the air. There are a lot of half-stories and good ideas that I haven't yet coalesced into workable form that could make for fun things to do.

Thanks for your support! :3

Jay

I'll be getting back into the regular commission schedule this weekend. Right now I'm in home-stretch mode for the release of the Red comic, which I'd hoped to have done by the middle of this month, and it looks like I'm actually close to making a self imposed deadline.

Thank you all!

Jay

 dragonflybunny is taking commissions for some required bills. She's one of those artists that I've kind of overlooked. She does good watercolors as well as dabbles in cartoonish styles, mostly revolving around bunnies and g-pigs. Her commission prices and such can be found here: http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4196504/

Fleki's selling a fursuit for a sale price and I'm recruited to assist. If you're the kind who collects characters to wear, take a glance: http://www.furaffinity.net/full/9604677/

I've had a few people recently ask me if I roleplay my characters or if I'm playing them on some RP forum where someone has lifted a character of mine and is living out some kind of alternate fantasy. I don't roleplay my characters. If you see them being played anywhere by anyone, it isn't me, and nothing they do is canon. The same goes for any fiction you see written about them, anywhere. I don't write novellas and short stories about my characters and post them on forums or other areas of the internet. If I ever did, they'd probably accompany illustrations and be on my website and/or Fur Affinity.

I don't "authorize" fan-fic, but it sometimes gets written anyway. I get that. I've always found the creative process more rewarding when everything is entirely created by myself, down to every last character. It'd be worthwhile for you to try that and experience that same reward. Even when I draw the occasional One Pony comic, part of me feels a little hollow as my work piggy-backs on someone else's effort and popularity.

If you see folks impersonating me or my characters on forums and other places, rest assured, that isn't me. If it's in an area that doesn't allow that sort of thing, contact the admins. Thanks. :3