Webcomics I want to share:  Hero Academy and My Cardboard Life.  They need some more readers, so I want to share!  [EDIT: Link to HA is fixed now!  My bad.]

And don’t forget about the fanart contest!  I’ve recieved two pieces already.  Do you guys want to see them as I get them in, or wait until the deadline and see them all at once together?  I’m leaning toward the latter, but I’ll put them up now if you guys want me to. ^_^

So, as I said in the comment on today’s page, I came home today all pissed off about UPS, but then I sat down to read the comments on the new page, which cheered my up quite a bit.  I spent about 8 hours on this page, which for me is a LOT.  The last time I needed to spend 8 hours on a page was in September of 2008, when I was still using my old method of coloring pages.

This page was EXTREMELY complicated.  If you’ve ever watched me on my Livestream channel, you can kind of follow along and know that my Photoshop file setup is something like this, from top layer to bottom layer:

• Dialogue
• Panel Borders
• Environmental effects (the slight color shifts that are different for each scene.  Inside/outside, night/day, etc.)
• Special Effects (fire, for example)
• Highlights
• Shadows
• Flats
• True Colors
• Backgrounds

So imagine doing that same process for each and every piece of page 456.  I mulled it over for days before I actually started coloring it, and that honestly seemed to be the most painless, simple way.  *passes out from exhaustion*  This page was essentially 9 seperate pieces of art that occupy the same space.

To sum it up, I was very glad you all appreciated it, after all the work that went into it.

And now I’ll rant about UPS for a moment.  Or several.

The apartment I live in makes it very annoying to get deliveries from UPS and FedEx.  It’s got communal hallways, but a locked front and back door, and no intercom system.  Supposedly the UPS and FedEx people have keys to get in the front door, but it’s not always the case.  A lot of the time, I’m not home to receive deliveries whenever the trucks come by, so I invariably end up going online with my little flyer and have the packages held at the distribution center, and I drive out to pick them up myself.  I think in three years there have been five or less times that the delivery driver has both had the key to get in, and came at a time I was home to sign for the package.

Well, a week ago, I ordered more parts to make buttons.  I buy my button parts on eBay, from 68mr (an awesome seller, much cheaper than buying from Badge-A-Minit) and he ships them with UPS.  I missed the delivery the first time, but yesterday, when they were going to try a 2nd time, he never came.  Or so I thought.  Today, I got home from work to find a new InfoNotice with “FINAL ATTEMPT” marked, and a helpful circle drawn around the part that says “For more info, go to UPS.com…”

The guy didn’t even knock on my door yesterday, let alone leave a new notice.  That was what got me pissed off.  So then I had to drive out to the pickup center only to find out my package was still on the truck, and wouldn’t be back for a couple more hours.

I do have my button parts now, but DEAR FREAKING JESUS is UPS a hassle for me.  And I’m an incredibly patient person, after working so many retail and service jobs myself.  After my many hours of fuming today, I think I’m justified in passively hating that delivery guy.

Next time I think I’ll just ask 68mr if he can ship USPS.  They’ll just leave boxes at my door for me. ;_;