takoxuls

[takoxuls]

Any chance your Clair de Lune comic will be available again in the future? It looks so charming. I wish I could travel time to get a copy

I'll make it available digitally again through my shop when I open it in September, yes!

But so far, I don't have plans for a physical release, sorry about that. Trying to cook something else first, we'll see!

Tahnks for your interest!

[takoxuls]

Would you sell bike and motorbike as prints?

Oh, I wasn't thinking about it at first? The originals are quite small, so I'm not sure how good the quality could be. Maybe they could work as 21x21cm prints. Would this be something you'd be interested in?

I guess it's good timing to also mention that I'll be publishing my website and shop around september, after the summer. Maybe I could add bike and motorbike as prints to the goods by then?

[takoxuls]

These were for my summer playlists btw!

Bike | Motorbike

Ride by the river 🦋🌾

[takoxuls]

Ride by the river 🦋🌾

[takoxuls]

Happy to keep illustrating for LOOP magazine! In this issue, all about dreams and the subconscious, I drew a Figment piece for a review by Elena Cortés Alonso.

Design and art direction by Ezek.

[takoxuls]

Thank you all so much for supporting Clair de Lune and SBCF this month, it's truly meant a lot and it's been a really special experience 🧡

[takoxuls]

Onto the actual process of the pages! First, I tried to estimate the amount of pages based on the outline I had written. There were a few pages in doubt, but it finally stuck more or less like this. From the beginning I tried to find a length I could handle and finish in time.

I knew the story would take more pages than I would be able to colour, a technicality that conjoined with the creative decision to tie the colour to the music scenes and keep the rest in B&W. This was reflected on the estimated graphic.

I then did a very messy first draft of the storyboard, trying stuff, crossing out, marking what works.

With that, I wrote down the final dialogues. Once I had those, I made an effort to draw a very clear version of the storyboard. I don’t always do this, but this time I wanted to trace my pencils over these in order to work faster.

I traced the pencils with red lead and then drew the final lines with a regular mechanical pencil. I made the onomatopoeias aside, same process.

Then it’s computer time! Scanned, edited, added grey texture and colours… And done!

As a plus, let me show some of the ideas and variations I sketched for the cover. Drafting ideas, choosing and designing the cover is always an extra struggle for me.

And that’s a wrap on process insights, I believe! Hope you enjoyed these. Remember Shortbox Comics Fair is only up until 31st October, just a few days left to pick up Clair de Lune!

Thanks a lot for reading!

Some sketches and designs I did when I was in pre-production phase of Clair de Lune.

I found the page where I originally wrote down the first plot diagram, some of the influences and even drew bits of scenes I had in mind. For this comic I really wanted to do a proper pre-production and have everything mostly clear from the start, so that when I got to drawing, I could just keep going without stuff left to figure out later.

I also put together a playlist around this time, because the music was so vital to this project. I wanted to have a clear vibe in mind, and to choose some pieces that would appear in the story.

I'll share some more insights on the process soon. Meanwhile, a reminder that you can grab Clair de Lune at @shortboxcomicsfair only until the end of October!

[takoxuls]

I wanted to finish this month on a high note, sooo as @shortboxcomicsfair wraps up, thought I could try a little stream playing some tunes on my clarinet and waving goodbye to Clair de Lune era 👉👈 How does that sound?

Don’t expect anything other than an amateur clarinetist doing videogame soundtacks and babbling in poor English, but this month has truly been a special experience and wanted to thank you all for your support and for putting up with all my promo posts 🙏

Join me on insta, @/takoxuls, 27th Oct at 6 p.m. GMT +2 ✨

[takoxuls]

Little round of @shortboxcomicsfair very casual doodles an recommendations. There are a lot of reads I'm enjoying a lot this year, and wanted to share appreciation for at least some of them.

Featured:

'Blade of the Fane' by @theoplum 'Bobo Has An Offer For You' by Pavina 'ALAS' by @sajanrai 'Expiry Date' by @plaest2k 'Miau! Private Affairs' by @consoroza 'Hibernation Guide for Rabbits and Hares' by @lauren-adassovsky

[takoxuls]

hi, i just wanted to let you know that i LOVED Clair de Lune!!!! it reminds me so much of the sort of daydreams i had as a kid. like, SO much like them! i found the comic really inspiring, your art is incredible, and so is the story! the ending is so sweet too, i thought it was an amazing way to resolve things. thank you so much for making it, and for sharing it!!!!!

Ahhh thank you so much!! I was afraid at times that I might be doing something a bit too niche with like the daydreams and such, but to see it's finding people out there that enjoy it and find it inspiring is so rewarding! Thanks a lot for reading 🧡

[takoxuls]

What was your inspiration for Clair de Lune? (Loved the comic, by the way!)

Thank you so much for picking it up!! 😭🧡

The inspiration for it was a huge mixture of stuff, but primarily, a lot of it comes from my own 10 years as a clarinet student, first at a local school and then at the conservatory. For proof, check this lil' gremlin out:

I've wanted to make a story about a conservatory for so long because, with perspective, it always felt like such a curious place. All the weirdos of high school were here, yet they were replicating the same social structure as high school. It turned an art/passion into something potentially competitive, but also collaborative. You could come out of a class crying, or improvise a fun fanfare with your orchestra pals. So a lot of the anecdotes, details, music pieces and such come directly from here.

I would also imagine stories and adventures in my mind while I was playing in orchestra or band, listening to the music, which is a very present element in the comic as well.

But the actual story has more to do with my experience drawing, instead of playing music. Caring for what your mentor says, comparing yourself to others, being a perfectionist, trying to make something meaningful, finding the fun in the process again... those were the themes I was trying to reflect on.

As per inspiration from other media, there was a lot of stuff in my mind... To name a few: Whisper of the heart, Kids on the slope, Gundam - Witch from Mercury and Bloodborne are maybe the more obvious ones, but there was also some Utena, Evangelion or Blue Drop.

I also put together a playlist quite soon, since the music was so important in this project and I wanted to have a clear vibe in mind.

Lastly, I'll leave some snippets of my pinterest board, since the visual aspects of the whole thing were a bit difficult to grasp for me at first, and putting these together always helps a lot:

Hope you like this little inspo board! Still feels like making Clair de Lune happened in a fever dream tbh.

A reminder that you can now get the comic through @shortboxcomicsfair, only up until the end of October!

[takoxuls]

WE’RE LIVE! You can now go browse @shortboxcomicsfair for +100 brand new digital comics.

Clair de Lune is among them! 68 pages, colour + B&W, music + sapphics + monsters. Only available until the end of October!

You can check the first 7 pages out here

You can buy it here

[takoxuls]

Alba plays the clarinet; Mera is a pianist. They are NOT friends. But it seems, via their music, they both may be seeing the same vision of a giant, mysterious creature... What exactly is it, and can the girls get along long enough to find out? 'Clair de Lune' is a new comic from the ace @takitakos, releasing at SB Fair this October!

This comic will be released digitally in October as part of ShortBox Comics Fair, an online-only event that will see the release of over 100+ new, original comics from artists around the world!

[takoxuls]

🌕✨ Clair de Lune ✨🌑

Excited to share a bit more of my upcoming comic. Here are the first 7 pages for you to get a little taste!

It's a music school story where two teens, a clarinet player and a pianist that don’t exactly get along, will try to play a duet in order to summon a mysterious creature together.

Clair de Lune will be available digitally throughout October at @shortboxcomicsfair along with tons of other amazing comics.

68 pages! Part colour, part B&W! Music! Kaijus! Enemies to lovers!? Please look forward to it!

[takoxuls]

One month left until @shortboxcomicsfair, one month left until Clair de Lune releases!

A music school story where two teens, a clarinet player and a pianist that don’t exactly get along, will try to play a duet in order to summon a mysterious creature together.

Stay tuned! 🌚🌝

[takoxuls]

🌝 Clair de Lune 🌚

A 68-pages comic coming to you digitally through @shortboxcomicsfair - in OCTOBER!

I'll leave you with the cover for now, please look forward to it!

[takoxuls]

Some WIPs of what I’ve been cooking for this October’s ShortBox Comics Fair! Two music students try to summon a mysterious creature through a secret song 🎵 Please look forward to it 💫