Most Recent work on the Storybooks

Well, Covid has interjected itself and brought about more delays, so running an end game around that, I have been preparing another version of the files with trim-lines that are different then the cut-guides that I have been using.

 My cut-guides work perfectly, and I might say better than trim-lines, but I got grief from one of the printers because they are not accustomed to the cut-guides I designed and want things different than I have it. I don't need grief. That may have an effect on my decisions as to who ultimately prints the end product, but just to avoid other run-ins, I'm doing another version of the print layouts.

With all that in mind, I also am beginning to return to Book One. Since, after I finish this trim-lines variation on the layout, all the books will be ready to print (sans finished art) I can return to publishing Book One.

Book One is the introduction and the Gnome-sized books are what I will use for promotional purposes. Of course, in the more important instances, the Big People books will be used, but basically Book One, being the introduction, is perfect for pitching the project within the industry.

I have not done much of that directly, because of legal details and the fact that the entire series of seven books has needed to be postured for publication and distribution. The books are not quite there, but they are getting closer. As I said elsewhere; Books One thru Three are finished, Book Four is short about fifteen finished illustrations, Book Five is not illustrated at all yet (although sketches are underway), Books Six and Seven are mostly done, but together are missing (I'd guess) about forty illustrations.

So with the illustrations moving forward (as well as some activity with sculpting, 3D CGI, and music) and having the print files ready to submit, I can develop a schedule for the release of the books.

I am not yet ready to approach the public release, but I can do an Industry release. I need to develop the on-line sales of the hard copy books and in order to implement that, we need to have inventory of the finished book up to an acceptable level. So publication and binding of Book One will proceed in order to reach appropriate inventory levels in order to meet possible demand.

It's hard to say what that might be, but that will likely be affected by what kind of external marketing and distribution may take place. That will most likely involve a distribution contract and pre-sales. I'm setting up a two tiered system of distribution. Internal, being Limited Editions and External being Unlimited Editions.

All books are sold on a prepaid basis only, irregardless as to the quantities. There are two basic editions; Hand-stitched (Limited Editions) and machine bound (Unlimited Editions). 

Both editions can be purchased at the Wholesale level from IMS by resellers.

Only the Limited Editions can be purchased at Retail from IMS. The Unlimited Edition purchases require bulk quantity, with a Purchase Order and either prepaid or a Letter of Credit from the buyers bank, depending on the quantity. Minimum order at this stage of operations is 5k units per book. This will not provide a full keystone, a full keystone in this instance is offset by 10% in favor of the distributor. I have set the MSRP to accommodate a full keystone, but I need to hit minimum of 25k to achieve that. Distribution costs come into play in calculating the margins and some of that is presumed at this point. The larger quantities required for full margins could come from one or more distributors. There are quantity discounts, but it bottoms out at a full keystone at the retail level.

Limited Editions involve IMS Hand-stitched books inventoried in lower quantities and provided exclusively by special order via on-line sales.

I'll continue this in another post.

AG

Publishing Update

As you can see below, we started moving forward with completing the artwork for the illustrations. It is my intention to set up my new workstation to use Poser for creating CGI, animation and expedite the illustration process. If we continue using only our previous methods of illustrating it will take at least another five years, time I cannot afford.

Here is one of my other projects, a ground up restoration of this antique Star Trailerized Home. I have numerous projects which await my attention and will distract me away from The Gnomes. It is because of this that I advise potential participants to act on any desire to be involved.

There is the possibility that the first four books can be released on a schedule, but I'm not keen on that, since doing so would risk loosing our audience. You know, once someone gets excited by a story, they don't want to wait, at least, not for too long. So distribution will be held back until we at least have the sketches finished. Once they are done, it will be easier to see the finish line.

A chassis for our puppets, at least one version in the works.

In the mean while, I am currently changing the borders on the layout to accommodate the off-set printer's expectations. The on-demand layouts are finished, but the specs for the off-set are different. I suppose I need to hook up with a web printer to evaluate the layout for that method of printing as well. But, of course, that will only come into play if there is sufficient demand.

There are other products that need to be printed as well, but for the most part, I can handle those items with my in-house printers, since quantity will be lower. I'm speaking about the Libretto and the score.

On the music front; I have been working to acquire additional components for the new workstation, a third Raid Array, a wonderful keyboard with drum pads to link to Digital Performer, a MOTU MIDI interface and new cables for the EWI. These thing will round off our tools nicely. I want to be certain that once we settle in to redress the music, we have everything we need to finish the job. So I expect to be working on music while the artwork is being finished. It would be very nice, if not essential, if the publication and distribution of the books could be timed to sync with the production of the stage show. We need to capture the momentum once it kicks into gear. As they say; "timing is everything".

On another note; I'm becoming very inclined to move the studio to another location, what I expect would be the final location. I thought the current location would be the final location, but circumstances are not desirable to me. Truth be told, even though I have 10k sq ft of interior space and a back lot, it's not enough. I can work with it, but I need more control over the studio space.

I say this because, right now things are set up. So right now is the time to act. If I start to build another space and begin to tear down, move and set up again, it will be at least two-three years before that space if functional, maybe more. I would rather not contend with this distraction, but it may be inevitable.

So if you are a professional who has been watching and waiting, I would not wait too long, not only because of the potential move, but for other reasons as well.

That's all for now. AG

A sample of The Illustration Process

Here is a page requiring an illustration.

In this sample, 

you can see the page 

with a description panel 

telling the artist 

what the illustration needs to be.

This is the first stage of illustration:

This illustration guide 

is printed on 11x17 paper

 to give the artist the largest working area I can provide with my 

scanning/printing equipment. 

Here is 

the first draft illustration sketch

 inserted in the area after scanning, processing it for exposure & contrast and trimming it to size.

 In this instance 

the sketch was not 

made using the guide.

As you can see, 

this illustration represents

 a portion of the description.

 Since it varies from the description, Zach will be added, 

probably shown eating the eggs.

 In the next sample, 

a background and a fire 

taken from a different illustration 

has been added.

Here, the preliminary sketch 

has been place in the page.

The next stage in the process

is to go through to refine the image 

to properly match the description. 

Then the sketch is turned into a proper line drawing, with stong and clear lines. Once this is achieved, then the line drawing is printed on watercolor paper, which is then colored using watercolor. Once that is achieved, the colored image is scanned back into the computer. 

Now the main file is processed in an assortment of ways to improve it's lines and colors, but also to reshape or enhance the image as necessary.

Portions of the finished illustration might be used in any number of other ways. Enlargement or reduction may be part of that. In any event, the "now finished illustration" can be placed back onto the page, replacing the sketches, and that finished page can then join the rest of the Print Files, which are ready 

to be published as finished books. 

This process is the only thing left to do. All other layout work has been done.

The entire collection of 800+ pages is essentially finished, and ready for publication, except that 348 illustrations are yet to be completed following the process described in this fashion.

In general, I am beginning to look for more artists to work on this project, because ;

1) we need to finish this more quickly than has been the case this far.

2) we will be moving into animation 

3) we need to sculpt our characters 

4) we need to begin building sets for both the parade float and the assorted versions of the Stage Musical.

All of this is contingent upon budget, so that is another aspect of the work needing to be attended to.

Those of you who are professional can see where we stand (from what has been posted on this blog) and I invite dialogue regarding production management essentials.

AG