Back in April, I wrote a blog post about my plans for 2024, with big creative goals in mind. It’s always best to work towards a plan, right? The idea was to finish my commission work for Blue Fox Comics, then complete CATAPULTED, and finally launch a Kickstarter to get it printed and into the hands of readers. So, how did I do?
The short version: I didn’t quite hit all my goals. I haven’t completed my work on Gone Issue 4 or the CATAPULTED graphic novel. But I’ve learned some valuable lessons along the way that will set me up for the future. Keep reading if you want to hear the full story of what happened.
Injury
2024 has been the most injury-prone year I’ve ever experienced—and ironically, all of my injuries came from trying to improve my health! This year, I was determined to become a regular gym-goer again. Growing up, I was always active, playing sports and exercising, but I’d had an on-again, off-again relationship with the gym for many years. When COVID and lockdown hit, I took several years off from working out. At the time, I didn’t think the break would have much impact on my body, but I guess no exercise + aging = a higher likelihood of injuries.
Within the first month of January 2024, I suffered my first injury—a minor tear in my pec (on my drawing side). It happened while using a seated bench press machine. I heard an audible “crack” in my chest. Initially, I thought it was just my ribs shifting or cracking, so I foolishly kept going. A few days later, I felt sore but chalked it up to normal post-gym aches and pains. I went back to the gym a few days later—and that was a big mistake. That’s when I realized I’d injured myself. Thankfully, the tear was minor, but it was painful enough to require a sling to relieve the weight of my arm on my pectoral muscle. It was especially frustrating because the injury was on my dominant side, and I’d set ambitious creative goals for 2024.
After recovering, I decided it was time to return to the gym. Staying active is essential for a healthy body, after all. A few months later, I was back in my routine, and things were going smoothly—until my second injury struck. This time, it was my back. Now, you might think I hurt it lifting weights or doing something intense at the gym, but no. In the least dramatic way possible, I threw my back out… opening a drawer to grab a pair of socks. Yes, socks. Was the drawer low to the ground, requiring an awkward bend? Nope. It was at waist height, and all I did was try to open it. I still don’t know what went wrong, but somehow, I managed to injure my lower back. After another slow recovery, I eventually made it back to the gym—freezing my membership each time an injury sidelined me.
Now, let’s talk about my most recent injury—this one actually happened at the gym. (And yes, I know what you’re thinking: maybe it’s time to quit the gym.) It started with a squat on the Smith machine, using a relatively light weight. I did just one squat and immediately knew something was off. I stopped right away and finished my workout cautiously, but over the next few days, the pain escalated until I was almost completely incapacitated. I suspect I bulged a disc in my lower back—this time, the pain was on the opposite side of my previous injury. I couldn’t walk, stand, or even lie down comfortably. The bulge was pressing on a nerve that ran through my hip and down my leg, making every position unbearable.
After three sleepless nights, I finally discovered, in the dead of night, a few stretches and exercises that brought some much-needed relief. With a combination of inflammation management, gentle stretching, targeted exercises, and plenty of rest, my back gradually recovered. Now, I’m injury-free and back at the gym, feeling stronger and healthier than ever. These injuries taught me the importance of exercising cautiously and building a strong core to support my body.
I’m even considering writing a post about maintaining health as an artist, focusing on the common injuries many artists face and how to prevent them. Stay tuned for updates—I can’t wait to share more!
Drawing Process & Style
One of my goals for 2024 was to finish the art for Issue 4 of Gone for Bluefox Comics. It’s taken a bit longer than I expected, but the whole process has been a real eye-opener when it comes to my growth as an artist.
First off, I’ve realized that my pencils aren’t as tight as they should be. I often find myself redrawing panels over and over, trying to make things better before I even start inking. A lot of professionals in the industry say that the hardest work happens in the pencilling stage since that’s when a lot of the key decisions are made.
Secondly, I’ve always aimed for a drawing style with clean lines and detailed rendering. Travis Charest has always been my favourite artist, and recently, someone even compared my work to Steve McNiven’s. I love this polished style, but I’ll admit, it’s pretty time-consuming to pull off. For CATAPULTED, though, I’m considering going with a looser approach—maybe experimenting with some cool digital brushes I’ve come across to assist my rendering.
Right now, I’m still inking the pages for Gone, but I’m really close to wrapping it up. I had the chance to meet Simon from Bluefox Comics back in October at MCM Comic Con, and it was great to catch up. He’s been incredibly patient and understanding, especially with the back pain issues I’ve been dealing with. Unfortunately, the delays in finishing Gone have had a knock-on effect on the progress of CATAPULTED.
I’ve also realized that in between projects, I really need to sketch and draw just for fun. I’ve been going through sketchbooks from some of my favourite artists, like Kim Jung Gi, and I love how they explore wild, creative ideas. I used to do this a lot myself, and it’s often where I end up developing new comic ideas.
Where do I go from here?
The only way to go is forward. I’m focused on finishing my commissioned work and the extra time I’ve taken has resulted in better art (in my opinion). I should have it completed within the next few weeks.
Once I’m finished with Gone, I’m really looking forward to diving into CATAPULTED. This year, I’ve been spending a lot of time reading and learning more about storytelling and the art of making comics. I’ve been focused on areas like comic writing, crafting engaging dialogue, and developing characters that really resonate with readers. It’s been eye-opening, and I’m excited to put all these new insights into practice as I move forward with CATAPULTED.
If you’ve been following my journey so far, thank you for sticking with me—it’s about to get interesting, and I can’t wait to share what’s coming next!
