Image Optimization test and End of Beeswhacks

I'm looking at using an image optimizer, since I won't have Photoshop anymore (budget issues coming soon).
The one on the left is optimized with Photoshop's "save for web" feature. One on the right was optimized with a plug-in for Gimp.

So far, Gimp is doing its job. That's more than enough. Also, I've quit Beeswhacks.

Honestly I've cared very little for that comic and it eats away at whatever free time I have. It's become a chore that I don't look forward to. When I started uploading bits of Blue Fire on Tapastic, it gained almost half of the views Beeswhacks got in its entirety, in just a matter of a week. That says a lot. This is the current viewer count as of now:

That's nearly half of what Beeswhacks made in an entire year, and this has been nearly 2 weeks! So basically, I'm putting more energy into Blue Fire.

Also, still working on that Pixel Brains short. But sadly, I've run into a really bad technical block. A small portion of the short is going to look horrendous, due to Flash having a weird brush jitter, when you draw something at a tiny scale. In the old version, I've rarely had that problem. Now it's noticeable in the newest update.
Anyway, I'll see you all later.

Blue Fire: Cover Test 2

I'm quite confident that "Blue Fire" will STAY as "Blue Fire."

As promised from the last post, I made another spread of cover/logo tests.

This time I made designs that include Hangul (Korean) text. 

However, after seeing feedback on my deviantart, I had to ask "what's the point of having a Korean-based title logo?"

There seemed to be no use, since my main audience understands English, and my Korean is abominable. Unless there are Korean viewers who want to take a stab at reading an English Manhwa, to brush up on their English skills.

I was surprised with one design, and loved it. 

So here it is. Again, feedback is appreciated. You can leave it here, my deviantart, or my tumblr.

Blue FIre test page 3

And test page 3 is here.
This time I tested out my usual way of shading, and then tried with screentones on the right.
Now I remember why I don't like screentones.
They're meticulous.
So far, I think I'm fine for now. I'd really like to get thumbnails done, and at least figure out how to present this comic. I still haven't decided on the logo, and that needs to be done soon.
Not to mention, I have yet to finish thumbnailing the first chapter.

Blue Fire test page 2

Well, the one road block that got in my way, was the phantom's blue fiery eyes. I can't seem to draw fire well. Let alone in black and white. But my brother did offer good feedback on getting the flaming eye look by referring to the manga for "Black Rock Shooter." Really glad I looked at some references.

One thing's for sure, I definitely need to look up references for fight scenes, because the original crouching stance in the first panel was VERY unnatural. My brother couldn't pose that way for a reference picture. I couldn't keep that pose. So I ended up changing it. Now here, I've come up with 3 different tests. One is completely black and white, the middle emphasizes only blue fire, and the last is where the only color remaining is blue. Personally, I wonder if having one color out of the black and white is distracting.

What do you all think? I would love feedback.
You can send feedback on my deviantart or message me on tumblr
More test pages are coming, and I don't think the story needs too much tweaking.
I just need to get thumbnails out.

Finished breaking down Blue Fire, and first character color test

Huzzah for productivity ^^
I've broken down chapters to pages, or estimated. I've got about 12 chapters to work with. Not bad. Few of them will be longer than the rest.
And I made my first color test, though I think I did it wrong.

Initially I'm used to drawing people or characters that are pleasing to look at. Well it was a challenge to remember that this character had a long shaggy beard, and looks like he's indifferent to his appearance. I'm glad I did a color test. Other wise he would have looked like an old, giant smurf.

My dad was intrigued with the fact that I was taking a Korean folk-tale and making it a manhwa comic. Sadly, even he had never heard of "The Logger's daughter and the Blue-eyed phantom." Not sure if this would be an authentic folk-tale. But that's okay. It gives me some freedom to make this "phantom" my own character on its own. And I'm really happy with where I'm going with the characters.

I'm planning on getting thumbnails, and doing a color test for YeoungHy, the logger's daughter.