Hey folks, Longtail here with some of the questions I hear the most often.  Check here first before you e-mail me to ask a question, it just might be here!

Q: When are you going to update (insert comic name here)?
A: I get this one so often, I will answer this one first.   My answer to this is always the same.  My inspiration comes in spurts, and if my comics are not updating regularly, or they were never meant to update regularly (Like Coons), it usually means my muses are taking a break, still trying to come up with a plot, or my real life is requiring my full attention.  I'll update when they update, that's all I can tell you. 
-- *Note: I will also no longer respond to this question if I recieve it. 

Q: How did your comics get started?

A: Gemini Bright started out as a short story I wrote several years ago for my own amusement and never finished. But one day I was reading some online comics; I started thinking about my little story and thought, “you know, this might make a good comic!”  Since then, the comic has resembled that short story the way a banana resembles a fruit smoothie.   This became my first webcomic.

Q: What's the deal with “Coons?”

Q: Why do you do webcomics?

A: Because I love storytelling.  I enjoy making people laugh, and they've been wonderful for improving my art skills.  It's an extremely fun hobby, even if it is a lot of work.

Q: How do you keep up with three of them at once?!

A: Half-assedly.  I think having to split my time among them made them all a little poorer in quality art wise, but I really do enjoy working with different genres and stories every week.  It keeps me from getting bored.

Q: Can I use your art for LJ Icons, save them to my hard drive, use them on my webpage?
A: Sure! I don't mind and I'm flattered you asked.  Just please link back to me if you do and drop me an e-mail. I like to see where my stuff is going and follow these basic rules:

                -- Do NOT use any of my images for profit or publication without my permission.

                -- Do NOT alter, edit, plagiarize, or redistribute my images and try to claim them as your own.  That also means taking one of my images and recoloring                     it and pretending they are yours.

                -- Do NOT steal my bandwidth. If you want to use my images on your own website, save them to your own HD and upload them to your own domain                         space.

Q: What drawing media do you use?

A: I try to go with some relatively cheap but decent quality acid free 8x11 sketch paper because that is all that will fit on my scanner.  I sketch first with .05 mechanical pencil, then ink with Sakura micron tech pens.   I erase the pencil then scan it and do the coloring, lettering, and any touch ups and backgrounds with Photoshop 6 (hurrah for the “undo” button).

Q: How long does it take you to do a page?

A: Depending how involved I make it, it takes me about 4-5 hours worth of work on average from beginning to end, but it can reach up to 10 hours if I do full coloring.  That's ONE page.

Q: Do you take commissions?  What are your rates?

A: Occassionally I will open up several "slots" for commissions and will announce this on my Longtail Comics Community.  I do this to keep them managable, and I have a status indicator at the top of my commissions page.  For detailed information on my commission process and rates, go HERE.   I do warn you though, I am TERRIBLE about time frames and it can take me a good long time to get started on and finish them.

Q:  Why are your backgrounds on commissions so expensive?
A: The backgrounds frequently take three times as long to do as the character and I simply cannot afford to do them for less.
 

Q: Will you do requests?

A: I hate telling people no, but it's gotten to the point where I just can't do work for free anymore.   Sorry. 

Q: Will you accept art trades?

A: Very rarely. I used to, but I'm always way behind in my drawing as it is.

Q: Pwetty pweese?

A: Nope.

Q: Why not?

A: Because my time is not infinite, neither are my art supplies, my inspiration, or my energy levels.

Q: Well, then will you take a suggestion?

A: I can't promise I'll draw it, but feel free to tell me your idea.  I always love to hear what people come up with.

Q: Are you one of those "Furries?"

A: I never know how to answer this question because everyone has different ideas of what a "furry" is.  I love the genre, I love drawing and looking at anthropomorphic art, I have a lot of friends that do the same, and I have a fursona.  Frankly, that's all you really need to know about me from online.  My sex life and my personal philosophies are none of your business.

Q: Yeah, but…Furries…don't you people all secretly fantasize about doing it with real animals?  And isn't it full of weird gay people that think they are actually animals trapped in human bodies with really sick and weird fetishes like having sex with people in fursuits and diapers and stuffed animals and crap like that? That's just creepy!

A:  …and people who enjoy Anime fandoms all secretly want to rape little girls in sailor suits with tentacles, and everyone in the Harry Potter fandom dreams about little boys having homosexual relationships with their teachers, and everyone at a Star Trek convention wants to get it on with a Klingon…Aren't we a little old to be making generalizations?  Furry is no different from any other fandom in that it has it's own set of spectrums and cliques.  Can you name one fandom that DOESN'T have it's share of weirdoes? No? Point made.  Seriously, if all you want to do is go to a furry convention to find someone to have kinky sex with, chances are you will have some luck, and if all you want to do is find a new comic book and spend time having coffee with friends from across country, you can do that too.

Q: Why haven't you added me to your friends list on LJ? *sniff sniffles*

A: Just because I haven't friended you doesn't mean I don't care.  The "Friends" list on LJ just isn't something I look at that often. It's got nothing to do with you personally.

Q: Are you a professional artist?

A: Believe it or not, yes.   It's sort of a side career to my regular day job at the moment, but I have done work for publishing and some large-scale private commissions.

Q: Where did you learn to draw?

A: I taught myself.   I studied human and animals from daily life observation, as well as read everything I could get my hands on about animal behavior.  I also sat down and copied artists I admire, took out books from the library on art techniques, and did a lot of "Google" searches for online tutorials (you can find them on just about anything.)  If you want to look at some of my favorite links to online tutorials, go HERE.  Most of it though was just practice, practice, practice....and a buttload of sugar.

Q: How come you don't do more yiff/adult art?

A: It's just not my thing. 

Q: I want to be an internet cartoonist, do you have any advice?

A: First of all, draw what YOU like to draw, and tell the story YOU want to tell.  I can't stress that enough. You’re the one who is going to have to set aside the time to do it, so you had better enjoy what you do.  When you get right to the point, the comic really is for YOUR enjoyment.  If you go into it because you want praise or money, you’re probably going to be disappointed.  It’s tedious, it’s time consuming, it takes commitment, and it will frequently make you want to make you tear your hair out and question the will of God...kind of like raising children.  But if you're the masochistic sort who enjoys that sort of thing, go for it.  It’s still very rewarding, and you will see it in how your storytelling skills and artwork improve.