Escapades Issue 5 - Page 3 - Sketch

Didn't realize it until I'd already drawn it, but it's fitting that Wossy channels big Ryoko energy. ;) https://www.deviantart.com/kayjay333/art/Tenchi-Muyo-Ryo-Ohki-OVA1-07-817104826

Anyway, avid readers may recall Aer's use of the 'traffic lights' safeword method from Issue 2; a Yellow is a "no need to stop the scene entirely, but slow down or stop for a second because something needs tweaking, like maybe a rope needs loosening before it causes breathing/circulation problems, etc", and now we get to witness the awesome power of a Red: "stop everything, the scene is over". Visualized in this case by a protective barrier!

You can see in the additional attached images that I went through a few designs for the barrier bubble, initially starting with a Dragon Ball-esque sphere with some sci-fi hexagonal texturing. Sui said a "police tape" effect around the orb might look cool but I didn't quite understand so did a "planetary orbit" style. He then sent me a draw-over of what he actually meant, which is what got used in the actual page since it looks pretty great. It's kinda like the security system around the towers in Nier:Automata. Shio and WeirdSeal also sent over some 'energy bubble' refs when I was asking around for help, and I liked how the barrier stopped at the floor in one of them. It reminded me of the iconic Nuke shot from the opening of Akira, so I then wanted to tap into that unstoppable energy.

Also included are a couple of other 'smug Wossy' poses where she's discarding the gag, until I decided that it'd be much cuter left around Aer's neck (there were a lot of positive comments about that on the recent Lucky Draw! https://www.deviantart.com/wossarem/art/Lucky-Draw-628-842104218 ), so began going down the "cupping ear" route before realizing it'd need a new camera angle. Also, a closeup of Aer's eye becoming the red traffic light that would've gone inbetween the groping panel and the final orb panel, but there just wasn't space for it without cutting into the orb panel and that'd be a shame - I don't think it'd be such a dramatic moment if it was squeezed into any smaller of a corner than it already is.

Phew! Okay! Lots more to go! This month I've been tracking my diet with an app, and doing lots of home workouts, and... well, I'm not gonna pretend I'm suddenly no longer depressed, but hey, given the state of 2020 - who isn't a bit down in the dumps, right? ;) Anyway, point is, I'm feeling a little better than before, at least. Things will speed up soon, especially once Aer slips into that iconic blouse and pencil skirt...  ( ͡°⁄ ⁄ ͜⁄ ⁄ʖ⁄ ⁄ ͡°)