Inktail in Progress

My Little Man asked me to work on the next Inktail coloring book. I wasn't initially sure why, he is far beyond coloring books, even the detailed 'adult' ones Junior Mad Scientist still likes. But then I found out what he was up to. We had started to look through a couple of my sketchbooks, and I was explaining my plan to create clean digital copies of any art I'll use in Inktail, Too. Rather than attempt to get clean scans/photos and work from that, I'll be re-inking digitally. It's going to be a lot of work, but I'm pretty sure the results will be better than the first book which was to my eye full of errata I couldn't quite clean up. 

Back to the Little Man, who is taller than I am by half a head. Turns out he has been surreptitiously taking photos of my work and sharing with friends. And having a printed book of my art would give him something to show off. Ah... well, thank you? So he initially offered to go through the books and pick out art for Inktail. However, when I showed him the shelf full of sketchbooks from the last 8 years, he suddenly had other things he wanted to do. 

Which was fine. I'm a little dubious about what he'd have chosen! And then I decided since I had a quiet moment where I didn't feel up to much, I'd go through the newer books (ie since Inktail and Friends was released four years ago). I have been concerned - and it's part of why I kept delaying the book - that I'd not have enough art. Hah. Hahhahaaahhaha! 

Yeah. Just now I'm sitting here looking at my sticky flags in more than half a dozen sketchbooks and contemplating two coloring books rather than just one. One would be for young ones, the other for more grown-up colorers (is that a word?) that wouldn't mind monsters and tentacles mixed with their dragons. 

A more grown-up work. Not only for subject, but open lines for coloring that aren't meant to constrain the colorer to staying inside the lines.

Oh, and the sketchbooks? That pile doesn't include the digital work that has already been done without sketches on actual paper. I think I have enough to get started with. Next: to figure out layout and Affinity Publisher.