Welcome to the FAQ! Here you will find a list of questions I've been asked about Picatrix and their respective answers.

About the site:

What is the purpose of this site?
Picatrix is an online shoujo/josei manga and is meant to entertain.

How often is Picatrix updated?
Picatrix is updated Monday, Wednesday and Fridays, usually between 10-midnight CST. Occasionally, Picatrix updates more frequently, depending on the author's schedule.

What are the "Earlier Version" links about?
Picatrix was restarted twice (more about that below). These links lead to the earlier versions.

Why is Picatrix available in Norwegian? Do you have plans to add additional langauages?
Picatrix is available in English and Norwegian because those are the languages spoken in my (the author's) household. I'm certainly open to adding additional languages. If you are interested in translating, please contact me! Please note, however, that fluency is required and native speakers of the translated language are preferred.

About Picatrix:

What does Picatrix mean?
The Picatrix is an ancient book on astrology and magic. I chose this name for the
story because I like the Picatrix's teachings about fate and the manipulation of invisible outside influences affecting humankind and I felt that theme worked well with the story. Also, because the name is from a relatively obscure source, I could be fairly certain there was not already another webcomic by that name.If you're interested in the original Picatrix, you can learn more at http://www.renaissanceastrology.com/picatrix.html and
http://www.astrologer.com/aanet/pub/journal/picatrix.html .

How did you get the idea for this story?
Picatrix literally started out as a dream. When I started Version One, my goal was to record that dream as faithfully as possible (hence why the ending is rushed and... well... very much like the end of dreams can sometimes seem rushed as the dreamer wakes.) The later versions of the comic are based on the original plot but are embellished with additional scenes and a good many details are changed for greater continuity.

What tools are used to create Picatrix?
The lineart is created on B4 sized manga paper with nibbed pens (crow quill/maru for hair and eyes, G-pen for everything else) and Deleter 1 ink. From there, it gets scanned into Frontier MangaStudio 3.0 EX for toning and the addition of speech bubbles. Additional toning is done in Deleter Comicworks and finally, the image is sent over to Photoshop CS2 for final touches and texting.

How long does it take you to do each comic?
About four to seven hours per page, depending on how complex the page is.

Will you help me start a webcomic?
I'm happy to offer advice but I dislike providing critiques on the comic itself (I'm a proponent of finding your style through trial and error). I'm always happy to answer specific questions but the question "How do I make a comic" usually results in a blank stare from my direction. Ultimately, my knowledge is limited... I know how I do things but what works for me and my style may not work for you and yours. I am, however, a pretty good source of knowledge about getting your comic out there (advertising), setting up a Comic Genesis account or Smackjeeves account- the technical side of setting up a webcomic- and am happy to help in whatever way I can.

The Redraw:

Why did you decide to redraw Picatrix (and then start again a third time?) Is this the final redraw?

The answer to this question goes way back to the start of Picatrix in 2005. When I began Picatrix, I viewed it as a 'practice comic'. I figured I would do Picatrix for a year, learn a lot about comic creation in that time, have very few readers and then move on to my main project, a comic called Valefar. Picatrix, however, gained a higher readership than I'd expected and additionally, I began to feel that there was so much more I could do with the story. And, on top of that, I wanted to have something I could print into a book. This would require getting rid of the color (which is just as well, since I'm colorblind and was getting tired of having to rely on color palettes for things to look decent). And so the first redraw began. On this first redraw, I focused on improving the art (mostly because, at this point, I was getting 'you suck, learn to draw' emails on an almost daily basis ><). What I failed to consider was print specifications. My pages weren't a high enough resolution and the text was badly placed on the pages so when I was approached by a publisher to print the comic, I had to redo everything. That's where the current version comes in. Unfortunately, since that time, said publisher and I had some differences of opinion (regarding whether to allow the comic to remain online) and in the end, we went our seperate ways. And that is where we are now. This is most definitely the last redraw. I'm impatient to start Valefar, after all ^-^

About the Author:

Can I get ahold of you via an instant messenger service?
I have MSN messenger (jamie@(remove this)picatrix.net) but I'm on only very seldom. Still, those times when I am on, you're welcome to contact me.

Will you be my Neofriend/Gaia Friend, MySpace Buddy, etc.?
Yes. My Neopets username is Inuyasha23, my Gaia username is Kimaris and my MySpace is http://www.myspace.com/picatrix . I'm also on Facebook under my name, Jamie Haram.

Image Usage:

Can I use Picatrix images on my website/blog?
In most cases yes, provided they're used for non-commercial purposes (In other words, displaying the images is fine, selling them is not.) and not used in downloadable material made available to site visitors (please ask about these cases, first.) Please don't post more than four sequential pages from Picatrix (an exception to this is sites that review webcomics if the images are used in the review). And PLEASE do not claim the images as your own. (I regret I even need to write that but I've had my art stolen with increasing frequency lately.) A link back to Picatrix would be greatly appreciated. If you have any questions, please email me.

Can I use the images on my promotional and/or educational material?
In most cases, yes. If you're doing a report on webcomicing or some related topic and want to use examples from Picatrix, go ahead. You don't need to ask. If you're using images to promote a club (webcomic club, webmanga, anime and manga club, banners for online guilds), that's fine but send me a scan of the flyer or copy of the banner (I've been collecting them ^-^)

Can I use the avatars from the forum?
Yes, feel free to use the avatars wherever you please.