Welcome to Chapter 2! As to how I spent the down time, you’re looking at it: here is the first ever colored update for this comic *pops virtual champagne… then puts it away coz I have to drive tonight* 
. Over this little between-chapter break I just gave myself I finally got a chance to learn how to use the Wacom tablet my wife gave me for my birthday, and this page is the result. Some of you might recognize this page from my Zuda submission awhile ago. Yes, it is the same page. I figured they’re not using it, so what the heck 
It’s fun playing with colors, but as I’m a total novice at coloring with the computer, the process is ridiculously slow right now. I’ll probably get a little better and pick up some speed if I keep at it, but at my current skill level, if I make ever page in color I might have to skip a week every now and then. I’ve been stewing over this for awhile… is it better with color? Is it worth the extra time? And then I thought… isn’t this just the perfect opportunity for me to shirk my responsibility and let my readers make the decision for me? So please take a moment to take this little poll I’ve setup below, and we’ll see if this coloring thing should continue or not. Many many thanks . For a comparison to the uncolored version, see the link here.
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Colour is nice… but, IMHO, black and white is so much nice nicer!
So glad to see a new page! Its an addiction i say… an addiction…. Welcome back!
Looking at this new page does make me want to ask… “so… what’s the rush?” heh
This is your first Wacom coloring work? Wow. I voted for “special occasions only”, although this looks awesome.
…albeit Ming/Qing dynasty. Although, I have to admit I have no idea what late Han dynasty architecture looked like. Tang is pretty recognizable (brown, low, earthy, solid, those big curled up fin-like thingies at the ends of the roof), but anything before that I draw a blank.
I (tried to) vote for special occasions. The color is interesting but I think the black and white has a certain elegance and purity to it. It’s a tough call.
Actually, the color is growing on me. I see the “absorption” textures in the sky, ground, and door are still there, so perhaps not much is lost by adding color.
Thanks for the votes/comments guys. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about adding colors, so it’s very helpful for me to get some input from you all… from the looks of it, I might be doing some coloring once in awhile, so I guess there’s plenty of time to decide if we like it or not
I also can’t claim to know much (or really anything) about Han Dynasty architecture either. As far as I know (and someone please correct me if I’m wrong) there are very few, if any, buildings from that period still surviving today. Guess that’s the problem with wooden houses. Most of the reference materials I can find are indeed from the Ming/Qing dynasties, which coincidentally was also a problem for the author(s) of Romance of the Three Kingdoms – Green Dragon Saber, anyone?
I voted for “ditch the colours”, not because I didn’t like the coloured page (it is beautiful!) but because I so much love your black and white arts. But there is more to it. The black and white you do has a very unique look that contributes much to the special feeling of the “Tales”. To me that distinct aquarell feeling wich connects your work to chinese illustration got lost to this picture.
Well, on the other hand it might be worth to wait and see what you manage with your equipment in this direction after having gained some experience – because your first try in colour is already way more impressive than a lot of other established web comics!
Either way, your skillfull arts is a delight, coloured or not.
The red is so auspicious. On the whole, I think I prefer the B&W, but the colour is nicely done. I’m not so sure about the perspective of the dragon “panel” between the stairs, though.
As for any anachronisms in the architecture, I wouldn’t worry. As you point out, the original ROTTK has plenty. Similarly the 18th century 狄公案 is nominally set during the Tang dynasty, but describes the China of the Ming era when the book was written.
I voted for color for the start of each chapter, but b&w on daily basic. All color is not worth it, and your b&w stile is very good.
(Sorry for clumsy English here).
The feedback I’ve gotten here and on comic forums have been pretty consistent, most people say keep the B&W version, maybe colors once in awhile. So that’s what I’ll be doing
What I’d really like to do is figure out how to make colors look like water color in photoshop, I think that’d fit in with the style of this comic much better. Something else to add to my list of things to work on…
I do wish I had better reference sources for what things looked like during the late Han dynasty. I have a book on clothing styles through the different dynasties, and it’s quite helpful, but that book and google are pretty much all I have for references
Koad & Mercy, yes, you’re both right. RotTK (or any other Ming book afaik) styles everything in their own time. Like all the European Medieval or depictions of Biblical stories with people in plate armor or pointy shoes.
There just don’t seem to be many old (as in ancient) buildings in China that I’ve seen at least. Even Tang stuff isn’t there. Xi’an has only modern rebuilt replicas since Chang’an was completely razed. Nothing wrong with keeping it everything in your work Ming-style since that’s how most of us probably picture “old” China anyway. Although the figurines of Tang women playing polo are eye-opening!
The first time I saw one of those polo figurines I thought it was a joke. But then the little museum plaque said polo was pretty popular back in the day. If the little museum plaque says so it must be true
I’ll vote for color on special occasions. I can see where adding color to help differentiate the cast of ten thousands might be helpful. LOL However, I understand the time required problem!