bob-artist

[bob-artist]

These are GREAT! Big thanks for doing this! To answer your questions:

Definitely yes! As a cartoonist, I find them helpful because comics rely so much on movement/variation/expression and understanding the form as a 3D object, instead of just one perfectly framed shot of the animal's most photogenic pose (assuming California condors have a photogenic pose haha). It's so hard to find good animal reference like that, particularly of unusual poses and angles. Also A+ animal selection here already!

Yes, they work! Even the blurry ones can still help in terms of overall body shape.

It could be nice to have a subfolder for the shots that include carcasses/dead animals. Not a deal breaker, but for me it's just always a downer having to go past taxidermy/roadkill/dead animals etc while researching. Subfolders in general help if you end up with a large enough volume of photos, but for now it's not a big deal. Also, I agree with dragonsmirk - shots from behind are great and hard to find! 3/4 back views, aerial views from various levels of elevation and rotation, twisting poses, action poses, and anything that can be used to estimate scale - all these things are always appreciated. And you already have several.

Animal reference photo compilation concept test!

I've been saving this project for a new website I'm planning, but that's been delayed by the grindstone of capitalism, so I'm going to set up this part early. This is the concept test for a repository of reference photos of a whole bunch of different species of exotic animals.

For every 50 or so photos I take of an animal, there's generally only a couple that I like and are also in focus and also framed correctly. But that led me to realize... all those slightly blurry or off-center photos are probably a great set of references for people interested in general shape/form/movement for their art! So I'm setting up of the idea before fully committing the time into making it happen.

I've been going through my photo backlog and pulling out the shots I think will be useful for art references. Lots of them show posture, facial movement, close-ups of feet or eyes, and walk cycles, but also other behaviors like jumping or drinking. They're not perfect - there's often stuff out of focus or reflections on the glass - but I think they'll still be useful for art?

The link below is to the Dropbox where I'll host these photos until I eventually get that new website/project up and running. Right now I've got folders of four species uploaded for this test: California Condor (CW for carcass feed photos), Jaguar, Komodo Dragon, and Moose. Please go check them out and tell me what you think!

~~WADTT Animal Reference Photos Dropbox Link~~

What I'm looking to learn from y'all is:

Is this type of reference photo repository useful / worth doing?

Do these photos work or are they too blurry/wonky/there's too many?

What things would make a project like this better? (Caveat, it has to stay on Dropbox for now).

If this turns out to be as useful as I'm hoping, and the photos work, I've got a whole bunch more species to upload.

#reblog #art reference #big thanks this project looks so awesome!! #and sorry i love california condors sooo much but i just couldn't resist roasting them #animal reference #art resources

[bob-artist]

This may be weird but your 4 legged goose art from that viral post changed me in some way. I can’t stop thinking abt the little guy

I... I hope it didn't change you into a quadruped....

#for real tho thank you! this makes me happy #replies

[bob-artist]

annotated hardcover giveaway

it's The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher's first birthday, so I'm celebrating with games and giveaways on social media all week! for my own sanity, the full schedule of events will happen only on Instagram, but this giveaway and select other events are happening across platforms.

if you're interested in reading the silly comments I left on this hardcover - including roasting my own characters, letting you know where I was doing my annotating that day, and occasional insights into the writing of Remarkable Retirement - here's how to enter:

rb this post

follow me

for a bonus, tag a friend in your rb or the replies

this giveaway is open internationally to anywhere that can accept shipments from USPS. while it is taking place across platforms, there will only be one winner because it took me months to annotate a single copy.

the giveaway will run until 9a.m. EST this Friday, 26 April 2024.

in the meantime, you can take a quiz to find out which character from The Remarkable Retirement of Edna Fisher you are: click here to take quiz on UQuiz

#reblog #congrats on an awesome year!!

[bob-artist]

The ITS Ghost Cameo Fundraiser is live!

I'm doing a little fundraiser to help cover costs for the first year of ITS web hosting, and hopefully a promo budget too. So, as promised, I'm selling ghost cameo slots! You or a pet can be a background ghost in chapter 1 of Into the Smoke. :D

After early access for my patrons, we're up to $180 and still have some good slots left. The fundraiser is running until May 5, and you can pick up a slot in my shop at bobappavu.com!

(also the preview thrift shop slot above ended up selling out, but omg it's gonna be so cute and I can't wait! I'm too excited about all the sold slots, in no small part because I get to see people's A+ pet photos 😆)

#into the smoke #into the smoke comic #ghost cameos

[bob-artist]

Behold, Canadians.

My mom was showing me her garden today, and she very excitedly told me about how "two giant Canadians" just landed in her yard the other day.

#reblogged reply #canada goose #goose #geese #canada geese

[bob-artist]

My mom was showing me her garden today, and she very excitedly told me about how "two giant Canadians" just landed in her yard the other day.

#i get it #i'd be excited too

[bob-artist]

Hi I just learnt that grebe the bird existed and I am intrigued do you have any knowledge to drop on the dudes

BOY DO I! grebes are my favorite waterfowl!

they're specialist divers and fish hunters, and they're a pretty wide group with a LOT of species!

and they're all freaks. every single one of them.

they're most closely related to FLAMINGOS, of all things, which is why their feet are so weird! they evolved completely separate from other waterfowl like ducks and geese, so they did the flipper thing totally backwards.

this is going to be a theme, nothing these birds do is normal.

unlike other specialist diving birds (coughcough LOONS coughcough), they aren't totally incompetent on land! just, again. total freaks about it.

aaagh I love them so much I might actually explode

also they swim like frogs, babies can dive pretty much immediately after hatching, and adults can minutely adjust their buoyancy in the water at will like a fucking submarine. you just can't make any of this shit up.

weirdest fucking bird 100/10

#i need this on my primary blog #grebe #grebes #birds are losers #grebe appreciation post #this person gets it #cw animal death

[bob-artist]

You ever catch someone staring at you and you just

#misc comics #artists on tumblr #minicomic #birds #bird art #animal art #comic #grebe #pied billed grebe #grebes

[bob-artist]

Little drawing of Blaze the spirit medium consoling the most tormented soul of all

#into the smoke #into the smoke comic #artists on tumblr #oc #original character #chihuahua #dog #ghost dog

[bob-artist]

came for the geese stayed for the gay. keep that old cheese wheel rolling friend

Thanks pal, I sure will! :D

#replies #geese #canada goose #any time i decide to draw a reply i'm just so so slow #artists on tumblr

[bob-artist]

Hopefully y'all will never get a 404, but you're gonna want one :D

(404s hurt search rankings so don't go there on purpose haha.) This screenshot is Otto's gift to you 🙂

The Website is Live!!

Into the Smoke's website is open to the public! It includes, among other things:

A big fat chapter 1 preview episode y'all can read now!

The new Monthly Roundup blog, which list everything I released over the past 30 days so you don't have to follow me in a thousand different places

You can sign up to get episode updates by email

...shiny

Into the Smoke is my upcoming free webcomic about a spirit medium who loves his ghosts a little too much. It launches on May 29!

Anyway:

🎉 intothesmokecomic.com 🎉

#reblogged reply #into the smoke #into the smoke comic

[bob-artist]

The Website is Live!!

Into the Smoke's website is open to the public! It includes, among other things:

A big fat chapter 1 preview episode y'all can read now!

The new Monthly Roundup blog, which list everything I released over the past 30 days so you don't have to follow me in a thousand different places

You can sign up to get episode updates by email

...shiny

Into the Smoke is my upcoming free webcomic about a spirit medium who loves his ghosts a little too much. It launches on May 29!

Anyway:

🎉 intothesmokecomic.com 🎉

#into the smoke #into the smoke comic #webcomic #artists on tumblr #webcomics #webtoon #gay #lgbtq #queer #comics

[bob-artist]

Hi there! I friended you about a year ago, I think, when you were following the nesting of a mourning dove pair at your window. Will there be further coverage of the doves this year, do you think?

I sure hope so! I miss them so much. 😭 My planter box is all ready for them (as in, it's devoid of any actual flourishing plants, haha). Looking back at my mourning dove neighbors tag, they showed up last year on April 23. So if they do come back, it'd be pretty soon!

But you never know with wild animals... I don't know how old they were, and it's possible this was at least their second nesting year. In 2022, on the day I was bringing my plants out on the balcony, I startled a pair of mourning doves trying to set up their nest. They flew away and didn't come back that year, but it could have been the same doves in 2023.

Anyway, cross your fingers for the return of World's Greatest Mom and World's Greatest Dad!!

#my mourning dove neighbors #dove #mourning dove #doves #replies #i'm also working on a secret art project featuring the dove family! #but I can only work on it in between my other projects #so it might be a little while...

[bob-artist]

OMG look at him!!! He's perfect ;_;

My brain: You have so many tight deadlines. So many things on your weekly schedule. So many important jobs. You have to get important work done!!!

My hands:

#reblogged reply #plush #other people's stuff #canada griffin

[bob-artist]

I was going through old photos, and I found these gems from a Morton Arboretum trip.

#goose #geese #canada goose #canada geese #morton arboretum #troll hunt #the best and most dangerous trolls

[bob-artist]

I can’t believe I didn’t see your first quadraped Canada goose and follow you immediately, you are the artist I have been looking for my whole life

LOOK AT THAT BEAK. I just love that I'm suddenly being united with all the Canada goose appreciators after a lifetime of only knowing haters!

And now, I must share with you one of my favorite goose photos, which also demonstrates my prowess as a photographer. 😆

Did I continue down the sidewalk? 100% yes. :D

#replies #canada goose #canada geese #goose #geese

[bob-artist]

Hi! I love the Canadian Griffin comic SO MUCH and I would like to print it out and frame it. Do you sell prints? Is there a pre-established way for me to buy it? If not, are you ok with me printing it on my own and sending money to your patreon?

I actually had to close my old print shop last year. I have another ask in my inbox about this, and I wanted to set up the new shop before answering... but I'm slow. ;_;

I'm hoping to set up the new shop in the next couple weeks, but if you don't want to wait, you can definitely print it out yourself - and you don't need to pay me if you do that!

If you want to send a bit, though, you can, and I always appreciate anything people give! <3 Patreon is an option. Or, if it's easier for a one-off payment, you can buy me a coffee send me a honk on Ko-fi instead - but again, it's not at all required!

#replies