A lot has been happening recently and I have been doing a lot of things. Did you ever find yourself at one point doing trainings, finishing projects, and doing administrative things…all at the same time. Then you realize that you are slowly getting burned out and you really need something to be completed and actually finished? Well that happened to me and thankfully I was able to get my driver’s license, which was one of those big projects.
Getting a driver’s license in the Netherlands is hard. In fact, some say it is one of the hardest to get in Europe. The Theory exam is very difficult and once you manage to pass that, you have to take driving lessons with a driving instructor, who helps prepare you for your practical exam. My challenge? I had to do this in Rotterdam, where drivers, trams, pedestrians, and cyclists are all aggressively trying to grab the space you currently occupy. So it was quite nerve wracking. Plus, when they see the “L” on your car they think they can do all sorts of crazy shit to you.
Thankfully, I was able to pass my practical exam yesterday, and I am beyond relieved. It was a lot of stress and my days completely full with anticipation that once I did it, I felt this huge wave of relief and realized how tired I was. I think I haven’t slept as well as I did last night in a very long time. Here’s a picture that my driving school will use for their testimonials:
In the meantime and despite the anxiety, I did manage to produce some art. Solicitations over at expatNERD is continuing and I’m currently able to fully produce (script, layouts, pencils, inks, coloring, and lettering) about one page a week. My goal is to post two pages a week since the format resembles the two-page stories that were found in British comics but I think that will not happen until 2026. But we will see. I posted the second page of my second storyline in the series (which is actually pages three and four, confusing I know) on Tuesday, titled True Lies!. It’s a nod to the film when Quiver says “I picked them.” If you know, you know. And find the two pages below:
Since I posted last I also completed a Supergirl piece that was in my brain as part of my Tales from the Sketchbook series I’m doing. I’m finding some old sketches in the sketchbook that I completed and sort of redoing them with the knowledge that I’ve gained since then. I decided on her 80’s costume (uniform? I feel that costume sounds weird) and had meant it to be a physically inked piece and then colored with markers but then I decided to do it digitally. Because I’m doing Solicitations in color I’m also trying to upgrade my knowledge and skills with Krita and this was done with that in my mind. The idea is to not only be better at coloring, lighting, shadows, using gradients, etc, but to also understand the different functions of the program so I can do everything quickly. I do like the result.
And that’s it for this week! I think I might sleep for another week.
-Sleepy Chris
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