Box Peek and Race

Good looking out Kyle. The fact that you asked this question means a lot to me as a POC. It's refreshing.

Gan Khef

Write about what you know.

wobess

"Force" diversity? Have you looked outside your window, and seen all the colours and creeds of people walking past? Representation isn't about taking hollow political stances, it's about making sure that our art and media are authentic. Among many other things, that means remembering that people of colour are central parts of any real story, and aren't just villains, best-friends, or brutes. It's easy to forget that, because all art that we make today is built on what was made in previous years, when most popular media focussed almost entirely on white characters. Because of that, it silenced real and important parts of our stories. "Going down this route" just means being conscious of that old bias, and working to move beyond it.

James McCoy

You do you Kyle, I'm very excited for the final end product. I do appreciate the community for looking out though diversity is a complex issue in itself. Moreover backlash on the internet can be fierce for these kind of things regardless of the intent (by backlash from the internet I'm mainly referring to people outside this community that may be less familiar with our operating motto that is: Love and Respect and might not understand the integrity that all the Allies individually posses.) We all understand that you need to be more practical with filming paper.

OverNightGaming

That's it. You said it all.

Tegan Combatti

Don’t even go (down) this route. Forcing more „diversity“ in, next thing people will complain about is that person A acts like he shouldn’t and how his behavior is offensive… It is a battle a Kyle Bosman cannot win. Also using colored paper for the skin while using drawn over white paper for anything else might look not very good. Best keep it simple. Everything more would be overdrawn, no more like Drawn to Death, and we all know how this turned out.

Fai Ban

I think most people here just want you guys to enjoy what you're doing. Whatever makes you happy man. I'm 250% sure we'll all love anything you guys do, especially box peek.

Grazooka

I think that by leaving the paper "blank", you dont make a statement of ethnicity. I personally dont see it as white, but as a lack of color. Still, I'm white, idk if people of different backgrounds agree or disagree?

I think it's all about context. If the world of Box Peek is set somewhere outside of our own world, then I think the differences between people and cultures don't need to collect around a person's skin colour. The differences in our cultures don't need to be read into Box Peek for your world to make sense. I think of Avatar: The Last Airbender, that certainly referenced asian and indigenous cultures without making their characters strongly identified with any race from our world. Within their fantasy world, it made sense. If Box Peek does take place in a context that is somewhat within our world, then I think it's more important to represent people from our world with all of our differences. From everything I've seen, I assume you're setting in in your own fantasy world. But you should probably listen to MC Griffin. Guy seems smart. I also wanted to say that a lot of us trust you and your integrity as a creator. The fact that you're asking these questions at all gives me confidence that you're doing the right thing.

Shane Riczu

Probably late on this, but if at some point you have a Black or Indian VA for a Box Peek character, I think it would be cool for that to reflect on the paper colour. Perhaps a light grey so it wouldn't mess up other colouring too much? You can get white pens for any details like eye highlights. Otherwise, grey paper characters could populate any audience/group shots and non-speaking parts. I say this because it'd be even more of a 'hot potato' issue if one of the Allies voiced a character they aren't the skin colour of. Naughty Dog can squeak it, but I imagine thats the kinda internet furor you guys want to live without.

South park only did one episode with real paper

Blade Kasper

Hey Kyle, maybe it's too late but, I read your original post and the update and a handful of comments and wanted to weigh in too. First of all thank you for making this post, because it is definitely important to be aware of race and representation in media, especially as a creator. But it seems like you were looking for someone to tell you blatantly that it's not cool to have an all-white cast, and since nobody explicitly said that, you've decided to move forward. People did offer possible solutions, and in your update you imply that you don't really want to put in the extra effort (“another intricate step of precision cutting and gluing”). I definitely understand your decision but part of me can’t help but think that, even just feeling the urge to make your post in the first place, you know at some core level that it’s not right? and that it IS worth the extra effort? There are different colors of card stock. South Park had characters of color even back in the paper days, it’s not impossible. But I also realize that it can lead to other issues - for instance, that EasyAllies themselves are all white, so that when doing the voices for characters of color there’s the potential for offending with accents or dialect or whatever. 
It’s a complicated issue without a simple solution, but in the times we live in I strongly believe it is worth that extra effort, in an attempt to help make it a not-so-complicated issue for future generations. Even a “sloppy and goofy” show like Box Peek becomes part of the conversation on representation, simply by existing. And you have the power to make a statement. Love and Respect, Max

Max Miller

It doesn't matter to me what color their skin is, as long as it's the creator's intend.

That was very well written and considerate Liz, L&R.

navyblueprince

It took me a while to craft a coherent thought to this post. First of all, I want to thank you so much for considering inclusion of POC in your creation. I would echo what others have said in that, ultimately, it is your design decision and it's right and just that you're being so up front about your process. In terms of solutions -- please don't try to differentiate characters' races through hair or facial features. This can very easily lead to cartoonish representations that would be incredibly problematic and would only exacerbate the problem. Trying different colored paper might also work. Another solution, which is really time consuming, is to invest in a set of "portrait set" colored pencils. The way I generally color skin tone is that I take the colored shavings of the color pencils themselves, mix them on a separate piece of paper, then apply with a cotton ball or tissues. You can also get special tools called "blenders" that really help to avoid the "splotchy" look you're describing. I think the big decision here is whether you want to extend the production time on this series by the inclusion of skin tones or not. It's kind of up to you, and the creator you want to be. Your audience already knows the kind of integrity you have, and the respect you hold for people. Box Peek has the potential to be bigger than your current audience though, and with that kind of exposure comes a certain responsibility -- but you have to retain your initial vision. Will you get called out for everyone being white? Maybe. But, again, this is an issue of your vision and the effort that you can conceivably expend on this project. Whatever you do, know that we support you. You are awesome, your vision is unique and funny, and whatever this ends up being we're going to enjoy it only if *you* enjoy it too. Love and Respect.

Liz Castro

I remember ONE thing you answered kyle in your mini Q&A at the stream... "The target audience of this show is me" so if YOU want paperwhite people, just do it, if you change that because someone else says so, you are not being true to yourself

In one of the comments it says to use colored paper. Try that maybe, otherwise dont bother its fine

Sven Van Lathem

Ultimately I don't think you should force it. Leaving them completely white makes them feel more like paper people than Caucasian anyways.

I honestly don´ t care (and i´m brown lol), but my suggestion would be different tones of paper, even if they are ultimately all white. Maybe pearl white is different from bond paper white, or a recycled paper tone, etc.)

I dont' have any new suggestions, but I'm glad this is a topic of discussions despite those trying to handwave it. You're a good dude Kyle.

Steven Perry

I work in the animation industry and thought it’d be helpful to talk about this issue with a friend of mine and bring our consensus to this conversation. He’s a director on Rick and Morty, a huge anime fan, an outspoken critic of representation issues in animation and himself a person of color, so he seemed like the perfect person to talk to about this. The conclusion he and I drew came down to coding and casting. Essentially, the pigment thing isn’t ultimately a big issue. Plenty of shows have racially ambiguous characters. The example we thought of was MTV’s Downtown, but since nobody’s ever seen that show, a similar equivalent is One Piece: characters look different, act different, seem diverse, but are ultimately left ambiguous- (especially if you go by the colors in the manga’s colored art where everyone has the same skin color.) That said, it would be easy to botch this. If you’re coding characters racially it would be easy to drift into stereotyping- avoid this! Especially if Box Peek takes place in an alternate anime reality that doesn’t share our culture. Characters being different and coming from different backgrounds lends itself to a feeling of diversity even if there aren’t explicit references to other races/cultures. However, that all might as well be pointless if your voice cast is itself homogeneous. Coding culture and diversity into your characters is next to meaningless if their VO is all handled by white people. It’s the difference between these paper-white characters being racially obscure and literally just “white”-even with a mountain of signifiers to the contrary. I hope that’s helpful!

MC Griffin

Coloured paper?

How about a real light blue, purple, green and pink using water color? Just a subtle hint of a color that matches their personality rather than a cartoon adaptation of ethnicity, you know? I think that'd be more aesthetically pleasing than white and could aid your story telling (ie every character turns the same color when peeking through the box, getting caught peeking, etc)

Matt McCarthy

It doesn't bother me but then again I am white? But when I watch anime or any kind of foreign entertainment I'm not bummed when I only see Asian people so I personally don't think it's an issue. It's just paper.

GenWoofles

More important than the colour of your paper is where your heart really is. By creating this post one can see that you have spent some thought on the overarching sensitive topic. Explore the motivation of creating this post further. A) Do you actually (actively) care about the overarching topic of race, gender, equality, etc. or B) Are you just looking for absolution from the community to prevent discussion and defense once its out - so in general you somewhat care about it but don't want to use your creation as a vehicle for it? I think all ways are fine under the umbrella of "artistic freedom". Doing something to please the crowds won't work.. it has to be genuine. I am sure it will be good. Personally I would consider the setting of the show. It doesn't matter as much in a fictional world as it does in the real world. BTW- more concerning is how quickly some people are dismissing the sensitivities of others as represenation is important.

wouldyoukindly

I work in publishing and contract with illustrators, so I feel your pain. Hope this helps: You may already be familiar with 'mukokuseki' (without state) design in anime. This practice pops up throughout global art history, and it represents an artist's intent to avoid deliberate ethnic distinctions through a character's simplicity. Individual viewers can therefore appreciate your world-building and culture without reference to actual ethnicities--and then fill in characters with perceived ethnic ties as they see fit. In general, the simpler a character looks, the more that wider audiences can resonate with that character. Diverse representation becomes more important as the trappings and topics of your story move closer to real life. But to present a meaningful narrative, you must challenge yourself to give your characters a distinctly and undeniably human core. Good luck with that--I'm confident you'll do great.

Cloisterance

Just do whatever fits with the story. If a person's race doesn't determine their character or beliefs, then it shouldn't be a problem if everyone is one race or every person is a different race. Personally I don't enjoy when shows or movies shoehorn in token white guys, yellow guys, black guys, etc. Usually it comes off as condescending, since it is done to 'appease' or attract a certain section of the population that companies view as having monolithic beliefs and motives.

It is not adding color or representation for the sake of doing it, but because it makes sense. I am from Costa Rica, and we are also "white", but I see POC everyday around me. Having that said, I know Kyle does not have any ill intension, but it is probably something that bothers him.

Mugen Himura

I know you have a good heart Kyle. If it bothers you personally and you wish to add different colors, then by all means do it. Otherwise I am fine with your decision.

Mugen Himura

Well, we live in a world full of people of different races and ethnicities. Accepting that is not politically correct, but common sense. Having that said, we all know Kyle does not have any hidden agenda, so by all means no problem from me.

Mugen Himura

This might be weird as it's not really an art tool, it just sort of came to mind but have you tried makeup? I think concealers/foundations made for darker skin tones might have a nice effect, at least consistent, and this could also work for lighter skinned characters. Just a though! Either way, I'm super excited for Box Peek and glad you're at least addressing this.

Nora Parón

well... with this in the table i think Box Peek is never going to be seen. When kyle solves the problem of the "skin" of the paperguys, then, he is going to resolve why there is no handicapped people, or people who speak other thing than english... and on, and on, and on... Im from Argentina, and if you are familiar, there is the meme "argentina is WHITE" because we are obviously a Latin american country, but with a huge European "bloodline" influence, but we have "LATINOS" of every kind of color. I think is better to UNIFY the colors and DONT HAVE ANY difference, and then imagine the color you want for the skin, it doesnt matter... I dont know, i think is easier to let the audience think what colour is the paper skin that painting

people want to see people that look like them in media that have fulfilled characters and interesting stories. we all wanna see people like us do extraordinary and wonderful things. its inspiring and motivating. especially when in the past it hasnt been done at all or done in a way that’s stereotypical and offensive at best. its just long overdue becoming a normal occurrence. so yeah thats my way of looking at it.

Apparently Mikki's post with my response got deleted/is gone. The gist of it was that I don't have enough experience with racism to say that for sure that there is an impact or not and if she says there is, I believe her. I still don't completely understand why it does make a difference to a lot of people, but I hope Kyle can come up with an idea so everybody feels represented and everybody is happy.

MrMette

No, it doesn't erase anything at all and I certainly am not saying it's not a problem that exists. I am just saying that focusing everything on people's skincolor is not a good way to let people see any skincolor as "normal" and treat all people equally, no matter what the color of their skin is. The thing is that focusing on how many % of media has people with skincolor x does not help making people equal, it just keeps the ridiculous focus on the color of somebodies skin in people's minds. Again, I know I never had to go through the trouble a lot of people have to go through because of their skincolor, but I don't think this will ever go away as long as people keep seeing a difference in "race" or skincolor when they look at people instead of just seeing them as other people. Also, where I live the representation of "the real world" in terms of how people look is different than from where you live. It is impossible to create a show or movie that represents the whole world and I honestly don't see why it should. I can connect with characters no matter what they look like as long as they are well written. Btw, I am not saying there shouldn't be characters with different skincolor. I don't care how characters look. I am saying that trying to force specific features into characters is not a good way to let people get used to the idea that all people are people, no matter how they look. I am not saying you should forget the past, but trying to hold on to something like this will make it much more difficult to move on from it for everybody.

MrMette

As far as I’m concerned it’s your show so you should do whatever you think is best. When it all comes down to it, it’s just a funny little paper craft show so I don’t think that there is a reason to get all upset about it. Keep up the good work Kyle!

neet-oh

saying things like “we’re all human! i see no race! what does it matter anyway!” erases the history of discrimination prejudice and injustice that people of colour have faced just by the way so its a terrible argument. especially when its just fking realistic to have people of different skin tones anyway just bc guess what thats what the real world is like... and its not a “non issue” its always going to be an important topic because to this day lot of mainstream media doesnt have diversity that’s representative of the real world. (in 2014/2015 18% of top movies had no black speaking characters and 50% had no speaking asian characters. 23% of top cable tv shows had no black speaking characters and 51% had no asian speaking characters). i promise kyle considering this and having people of colour in things doesnt take away from any white privilege itll still be there so you know you can still rest easy not being told your representation doesnt matter

I honestly wouldn't care at all. Some people have black hair, some people have blonde hair. Some people have brown eyes, some people have blue eyes. Some people have dark skin, others have more white skin. They are all people. There is no such thing as race in humans. You can possibly say that Homo Sapiens and Neanderthal are "races", but we are all Homo Sapiens. I honestly don't think about the color of people's skin when I watch a cartoon or something. I understand that I am white and so I don't have a lot of problems with how I look and that a lot of people suffer because of the color of their skin and I wish that wasn't the case, but the extreme focus on skin color in things like this doesn't help with racism. I am also not from the US, where this seems to be either a much bigger problem or they are more focussed on the problem than where I live, but this focus on people's skincolor makes everybody focus on something that is normal and should not be any different than the color of somebodies eyes. That said, I think it is nice of Kyle to post this because it is such a hot topic for a lot of people. I hope he can find a solution that makes everybody happy.

MrMette

As an African American I think it’s pretty dope that you are willing to have this conversation. I see people here suggesting different colored paper which sounds like a cool idea. I’m not trippin either way though.

Rasheem Toure

Glad to see so many people don’t care about all the characters being white and think it’s ridiculous Kyle does the absolute bare minimum by at least addressing this. Since it’s no big deal and all, I hope Kyle decides to make all the characters colored now. Shouldn’t be a problem for you guys right? My goodness...

The Hashtagonist

I'm honestly surprised by this post Kyle. I'm interested to see where this came from? If anyone read too much into your Box Peek characters being all white, I would suggest the problem is with them, not the show. It's sad to see the world like they do with so much racial tension. Maybe that's how it is in US due to your history but it definitely doesn't come across healthy.

I'd say that if having a diversity in terms of race is important to you and to Box Peek then you should definitely look into this further for sure. As for skin looking 'patchy' I don't think you should let that determine your decision. Look into getting better quality pencils and this may not end up being an issue. One thing you can do is use white coloured pencils to blend the shading together. Also maybe try doing the skin in multiple thin coverings (around 5 layers), this should get round the patchy look somewhat. High quality coloured pencils have oily waxy texture which should blend well. Don't use watercolours like you say.

By diversity I assume you’re intending to say racial diversity? As far as a group of guys go these fellas are diverse - in their interests in games, in their hobbies, in their families. Don and Huber have almost nothing in common - ian and Ben the same. Even Brad and Huber’s upbringing together is a diverse attribute from the other allies. And, most of these guys are part timers. They have lives outside of EZA. I read your post as saying that by association these folks have limited exposure to diversity, and unless we’re professional stalkers we have no way of confirming how outside influences affect and shape the EZA crew.

Kiraz

This issue never crossed my mind watching the preview. Now that you bring it up, which I wish you wouldn't have....You're white and all you're fellow allies are white (which I'm sure several of these characters are based on) what would make you change the characters skin tone to something other than white? Unless of course there was a racially stereotyped character in the mix (think Apu from the Simpsons, or Chef from South Park). Your creation is your creation, don't go modifying it to appear politically correct. There's nothing worse than when a creative medium arbitrarily injects another race, simply to look diverse.

I'm sorry for posting something that might read like "do this", but have you given marker-pens a thought? They look somewhat like watercolors (?) and a lot of artist use them. Anyway.. Some people care but what I have learned is that most people don't care one way or the other. Whatever you decide upon, Kyle - you have my support.

David Halvorsen

Since this is pretty much parodying anime, instead of a bio page, it could be an eyecatch (commercial bumper) in the middle of each episode that lists all of a character's information including Blood Type naturally with them striking a cool pose. The remaining question would be whether Kyle wants to make all the characters representative of real life ethnicity groups or create his own fictional ones.

MBUN

I totally don't mind and probably won't take notice either way while I'm watching, but maybe you could find a way to use different colored paper. it might be difficult because you would have to paste on lighter paper on top of it or something, but that way you wouldn't have to actually color the skin still.

Maybe state their race as "paperpeople" or something, instead of "humans". So they are all made out of paper in their own lore, which would explain why they are all white.

RedVIII

To be honest, I would not have noticed, if you had not mentioned it. That being said, I'm white and I live in a country that doesn't have a history like the US has with race. I think the idea with different colored paper would be interesting to see. Or maybe color them with a regular pencil? Then they'd have grey skin, which also is unique. Personally though, I don't mind if all of them are white. It's paper people for gods sake.

RedVIII

This is a really good conversation to have, and I really appreciate it coming up now. My first thought is perhaps using different colors of paper so the different skin tones are as clean as the white ones, but obviously that creates a ton of extra work for you, and you’d have to only use this for the faces/skin so it doesn’t alter the clothes/accessories (I’m assuming each character is cut from a single sheet of paper?). I do think it is important that there is different racial representation in all forms of media, so that eventually it becomes normalized and creators just do it without thinking about it. I believe that this extra effort would be worth it.

Brian Denu

White people are not actually white, so I don't see the problem here.

True, but the reality isn't there. Today, all races are not considered/treated/REPRESENTED equally, so some compensation is helpful in that regard. It sucks, but that's how it is. Some darker skin people (as proven by many commenters here) do appreciate the thought.

Angel Sanz Correa

I see this written a lot. It's not about either loving it or taking offence. This argument is not "black or white" (pun intended). It's about being sensitive about other peoples' perceptions and (Kyle) wanting to let his non-caucasians fans know that he thinks of them, and that he knows of the woes of not being white such as being under-represented in narrative mediums. Which, I have to say, is very sweet of Kyle.

Angel Sanz Correa

Different colour paper would probably be the best option. Watercolours would work well I think, but you'd need thick watercolour paper for that, as thin regular paper gets all messed up and crinkly when it dries.

MarziiBarks

I never even thought about that while watching the preview. They are "just" characters in a fictional story. Not every story needs a character from every race...There's no need for "diversity" anyway, because all humans are equal.

Is this really an issue though? Who looks at something like Box Peek and then about race? Are people really gonna identify themselves with Box Peek? And if they do, is the color of the skin rly important? It's 'just' silly looking drawings in an 'unrealistic' cartoony style that are cut out. I doubt anyone actually cares if the skin is white / ethnically white / black / ethnically black/ etc. in this online cartoon show.

no problem here. the characters just are what they are, no need to force any sort of diversity for diversity's sake. it is refreshing to see someone try and stop an issue before it even begins, and i think the more sensitive among us should appreciate that. but the art style looks great, the characters all look wonderful, and i can't wait to see your show come to life! good luck with everything!

rrice64

My thought was they were all anime characters who are usually all Japanese so predominantly white, so from my perspective I don't think there's a problem here. :) But more than that, if it works best style-wise go with that as it is also a piece of art as well as a story.

Ben Bernard-Smith

Would not have noticed this if you didn't bring this up. I don't really care but I appreciate you being sensitive to the other people's possible criticism. It's your art, your style. Do whatever you want. I am sure I would still enjoy the results. Please believe in your art. If using other materials ruins it, then just go with your instincts. From me (a non-white person).

LeeLore

Who cares, pretty much all anime are drawn as "white". Doesn't mean they are actually white. I mean, look at Persona 5... Pretty much everyone is white but they are supposed to be Asian.

Brogan Trull

I think the point is Kyle cares. He tried out different skin tones by colouring in so I don't think he wanted a all white cast, but he's just letting people who do care that wasn't his intention.

Patrick Southward

Humans IRL don't have heads the size of their torsos. Humans IRL don't have black dots for eyes. Humans IRL don't have paper white skin (and if we were to knit-pick about what race the characters are, I could just as easily argue that they are Asian as there are many East Asians with complexions just as pale, if not more, than Caucasians). I think the character design is both simple enough and exaggerated enough so that the question of race is not a relevant one. It's like you said, they're factually white, not ethnically so. Whitewashing and the under-representation of minorities in media is an important issue, but I don't think it's applicable here. As far as I'm concerned, you, Kyle Bosman, are not trying to misrepresent or ignore minority voices in any way. On the contrary, this post shows that you're very much aware of and sensitive towards the issue of diversity. However if this issue continues to bother you, I'd echo some of the suggestions posted by others, like using different shades of grey, changing the facial features of different characters, or using "non-human" colors to forgo the question of "what race are they?" altogether. However, I'd advise against simply coloring the the characters a darker tone without changing any other features. That would be a bit tasteless. L&R

This is not important to me at all, so I leave it up to you, Kyle.

Alexander Zyryanov

I don't want to offend you, and I'm sure tests and trainings like these are mandatory parts of your work (and i feel sorry for everyone who has to endure this current mindset of social constructivism), but the "science" behind this stuff is highly questionable. The fact that your results where shocking to you isn't very shocking to me, because these tests are made to make one believe they are racist or homophobe or whatever. I just need to put this warning here for people who have not yet been brainwashed into feeling guilty about themselves all the time.

Ha, didn't notice the resemblance until now

Easy Allies

What about trying different colored paper? Sure, the pencil colors are not gonna pop as much, but just a suggestion.

seriously! it's sad that this could even be conceived as a potential issue/offence to anyone, ever.

David Curtis

As someone who is responsible for interviewing and hiring people in a big tech/games company (one that is mentioned on the podcast pretty much every week) I've learned to be very very careful and done a lot of training on the subject of unconscious bias. Seriously, everyone who says they don't care about race or see it as a non-issue, try some of these tests to be sure: <a href="https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://implicit.harvard.edu/implicit/takeatest.html</a> . My own results were pretty shocking (the important thing is that it's possible to consciously offset unconscious biases once you realise they exist). Honestly, to me, the fact that you've brought it up at all is a sign that you recognise an issue. If skin colour doesn't translate well to paper colour, I think that's a limitation that would be understood by all. On the other hand I do think it's important to represent at least some form of diversity, whether that be in your voice cast, or done stylistically in some of the ways other people have suggested above. Good luck! I think it's awesome you've considered this and are engaging the community on it.

Greg

So strange that this was even brought up. If people are offended by silly things like skin color in in a paper cut-out anime series, then let them be. Box Peek looks great, by the way!

When we releasing episode 1

Ibrahim Sozer

This reads like satire. Is this really something people seriously think about when it comes to paper cut-outs? The US sure is a strange place. And anyway, this is supposed to be an anime parody, isn't it? Almost everyone in anime has white skin as well, despite being Asian. Probably because only Americans are this sickeningly obsessed with skin colour. Just do your thing, no one with common sense is going to cry racism because your paper is white.

You may have not noticed or cared, but many others might have. Please don't speak or speculate on behalf of others.

miggity

Feels like a colossal non-issue to me. I didn't think of the characters in the trailer as all being caucasian, I thought of them as like little paper drawing people.

Hey Kyle, looks like there's enough helpful suggestions and engagement from actual persons of colour to help you out here. Best I can say is to ignore the pleas to disengage - because, as I'm sure you feel, it is never not worth discussing and only makes your endeavours stronger - and go with your informed gut. Bringing it up was half the battle, so kudos.

DaleBastion

Prisma colored markers, you can watch a few online tutorials and you can get a nice flat smooth even color, super cheap, super quick and it will photograph well. There's dozens of skin tone shades too.

I don't think anyone would have even noticed if you hadn't brought it up, Kyle.

I'm still not sure how everyone is going to be voiced or how its going to look so I am reserving judgement till posting.

It's cool that you care about everything you do (as always). I appreciate that. I have no solution to offer. I just kinda assumed what you said, that they're not all ethnically white.

Eric Grynberg

Ahhh...the US. Everything is about "race" with you. I was extremely supriced and shocked when I had to cross my "race" during airport immigration when traveling to the US the first time. And I was also shocked to see people in the US basically segregateing themselves by majorly defining their identity on their "race" in all my trips to the US. (yes I'm going to continue to put "race" in quotation marks because everyone who firmly believes there's another valid one than "human" is kinda part of the problem) It's paper. They are paper people. They have no "race".

I don't see any issue with it at all.

MaxVSTheGames

EZA crew needs more diversity in general. That Box Peek is all white is a symptom of that and representing it as a technical limitation is missing the bigger picture. With a diverse crew, from the very beginning this “issue” would have been solved by making different artistic decisions. Box Peek is a representation of EZA’s world and access to resources. If Amanda wasn’t available, it would be even less diverse. Box Peek can’t solve this problem and burdening it to try to isn’t really fair to a very small budget production. Diversity is hard. My advice is to let Box Peek be what it is, revel in its simplicity and if EZA is serious about diversity as a core vision statement, then work on that at a much higher level.

What Henry said.

Drayton Williams

Obviously it's not really for me to comment one way or the other - more qualified people than me have already done so. Honestly, I thought the characters were just sort of vaguely raceless/not-of-this-earth in an anime kind of way! For me personally, I'm glad to know you've thought about it seriously, and I have confidence that you'll do what you feel is right.

Samuel Cardwell

I didn’t notice till you bought it up but in my book Kyle, you can do no wrong

Henry Ramirez

Well said. Agree 100%.

Tanner Rienhart

I just find it sad that this even needs to be considered in today’s overly PC world. You’re the artist, Kyle. Do what you want to do in the style you see fit. Excited to see the final product.

Tanner Rienhart

I am confused by some of these comments. If some people really really want diversity, I'm surprised people aren't complaining that all 9 Allies are white. Hence why I think that asking for forced diversity seems a little unfair in this situation. We should never define characters or each other by race; it should be classified by who we are. Anyways, I don't mind what Kyle does with Box Peek's characters (he should do whatever is feasible and what will complete his vision for the show), but I'm worried that people will overthink about its characters' races when Box Peek is aired, just because it was mentioned on a Patreon post.

jif52

It was very frustrating to me as a Child when, at the release of Episode 3, Star Wars Lego sets started coming in different skin tones rather than only Yellow. It was annoying that my unofficial yellow Mace Windu was no longer consistent, and that all my Luke Skywalkers were yellow but Episode 3 Obi Wan was flesh colored. Anyway I guess my point is I think you're good

This may sound dumb but is it a possibility to use different colored paper (or whatever it is) instead such as yellow, brown, etc? I'm not sure how that will look while filming or anything else but it could keep those characters from looking splotchy and maintain the style you're going for.

They’re Paper-American.

iconmaster

Some higher end stationary paper might get you a similar consistency to the printer paper. Also in some more beige and tan skin tones, maybe even pink. Not sure how it would effect the colored pencil work. Worth experimenting I think.

Everett Coe

If it’s important to you to have characters with different skin tones, what about colored paper? Construction paper can come in different skin tone colors without being splotchy :)

Mengsha Gong

I did not really see them as white, like this guy <a href="https://s13.postimg.org/r89osut87/Screen_Shot_2018-02-08_at_10.03.06_PM.png" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://s13.postimg.org/r89osut87/Screen_Shot_2018-02-08_at_10.03.06_PM.png</a> I more so related it to bebop or ganon didn't really think of what race he is. My favorite scene from the trailer btw. Cool effects Bossman.

Hmm... Another thought, could this be something that you address through the cast? All of the Allies are white, so that might be tough.

Michael Wilson

Wut

Isolated Reverie

Kyle the only way to confront this problem is to do what you did: reach out to the community for answers. I’m sure you’ve considered showing diversity through facial features, but I’m also sure you don’t want to simplify the features of different races with the few lines you use, because however you do that, you’ll be wrong. Colored paper would work if you were willing to use white paper for the rest of the body/hair/eyes, but that’s way more work and I wouldn’t blame you for not doing that. The last option is to diversify the voice cast and that comes down to who you know and who is willing. Short of all that, there’s nothing you can do except acknowledge it. Good on you for doing so.

confusedhulk

Some unfortunate comments on here, but I agree with those who suggested that you vary other characteristics to represent ethnic or cultural differences. You don't necessarily have to try to imitate existing ethnicities either. It could just be goofy shit that makes it apparent that this isn't meant to represent the US or our own world, but still supports the value of diversity by showing that there is diversity in the world of Box Peek. It just happens that everybody in this world has the same paper white skin color. That may work out a lot better than trying different shades of paper, but if you're satisfied with the look of different shades of paper then that's fine too.

Kevin Weaver

Why is this a thing? It's fine.

This feels like it should be a non issue

eyedhitit

Not white, didn't really notice. Don't really care, looking forward to it. Good luck

VGJunky

Thank you for being upfront and thoughtful, Kyle. This is why I love the allies! L&amp;R ❤️

Daydreaming Knitter

I don't think racial diversity should matter at all if all races are truly considered equal. Honestly I think the all white looks good stylistically

Swet T.

It is unfortunate that we even need to have this conversation, in a world where racism and discrimination did not exist this would be a none issue. The fact is racism does exist, it all comes down to your intent and whether you made this choice because you thought stylistically it made more sense or if you made the decision because you have now become all about white power. Now I think it is pretty safe to say you did not create Box Peak in order to play out some kind of twisted hate crime, so as long as you are pure of heart you should not even think about it. Best of luck finishing Box Peak off I can not wait to see it! x

Jesse.P

Hey, Kyle. I'm saying this as a brown skinned peruvian: I really don't care about the skin color of your characters. I see them as paper white people because they're paper people. They live in a world beyond race. In fact I believe that trying to forcibly insert one of each color for diversity is inserting a race issue where previously I saw none. BTW I've also never seen a race in real life where people have pointy hair like Goku. Really hyped for Box Peek! Stay true to your vision, dude! P.S. had to edit twice because I wrote Box Keep the first time and Box Peep the second one. Seemed funny enough to include in a p.s.

Thanks for addressing this, Kyle. I was actually thinking about this on the second or third viewing of the promo. I personally think coloured paper would work, that it might "ruin" the aesthetic you're going for. Might I suggest this: Use different colours to draw the actual facial features. So the fill colour is all white, but the line colour of the nose, eyes, etc changes. And since our skin isn't white, you wouldn't even have to use different shades of pink and brown. You could go crazy and use purples, greens, etc. It's your world.

what a good comment thank u

Best response, pin to top and close the thread

Jeff Robertson

hey kyle! i used to work at an art store and I'd say that there are definitely different shades of quality paper in natural and sepia tones you can get that are just a touch darker, they'd still show up on camera but read as different ethnicity, maybe buy a sheet and give it a try?

This is an interesting post. The color of the characters as all the same shade of white is something I picked up on right away when I initially watched the Box Peek reveal trailer. I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see a more diverse set of skin tones that reflect different people. I am a person of mahogany color myself, Black or African American if you prefer. It's always nice to see someone who has the same skin color as you in media especially if represented in a meaningful way. It instills a sense of pride and if I may be so bold I think there are others who share this opinion. As an artist myself, I can recognize the limitations of working with certain tools or art media to create the outcome you envision. If you wanted to dabble in creating a more diverse set of colors, the only real suggestions I have are to digitally color your creations in a program like Photoshop or some free digital art application, use some markers that will give you a nice smooth finish, or construction paper. However, these suggestions all have caveats such as price, time being spent learning to work with the tools, and a potential increase in the production to post-production time of Box Peek to name a few. I appreciate you laying out your views on the matter of Box Peek and race and being willing to accept feedback. The project is ultimately yours and I believe it is up to you decide how you’ll move forward given feedback and your own goals. Thanks again for this post, Kyle. Brandon

Ren Solo

White people aren't the color white. These are paper people

Ajax

Lol, can’t wait for box peek!

A Joker Fan

I think it's commendable you're aware of this. It's a difficult challenge given the medium you are working in. Have you looked at screen tones?

Brad Grenz

Personally I don't care about the color of the characters skin. I only care about the content of the show you're producing.

LOL. Please try not to worry about this. This is such a non issue it actually hurts. On an artistic note, have you considered colouring in all characters? That way everyone has "splotchy and patchy" skin. Alternatively, maybe try emphasizing the outlines / eyes etc with a thin marker maybe? That might be enough to distract from the "splotchy-ness". Just my $0.02. If witcher 3 could survive this controversy, so can Box Peek.

Who cares? Who cares Kyle? I will sound incredibly stupid probably but it doesn't matter. It makes me upset that you even felt you needed to post about this at all. This is your creation, your vision and I'm very excited to see what this is all about. You've been working, undoubtedly very hard to bring Box Peek to us fan. I'm an Afro-Latino and never do I feel that a creative work HAS to represent me in any way shape or form. This is yours. I just don't understand why you would have to post about it. Like a trigger warning, I don't need one. If you, Kyle Bosman wanted to create Box Peek with an all Caucasian cast, have at it. I'm frankly tried of all these politically correct folks and feel you down any of us patrons any explanations. This is your creation and your vision.

Gustavo

So as a matter of material solution suggestions have you though about chalk pastels? They are easy to blend and should give you consistent coverage. As for wether this is a problem that needs 'fixing' I am of the opinion that it is possible to have white be an aesthetic choice without it necessarily whitewashing your world but doing so will require a very delicate balancing act as it would be very easy for any ethnic signifiers you use to tip your characters into caricatures. 'Ignoring' the situation is clearly the easiest solution but I do think that is a missed opportunity to make your world more real and lived in. I wish you luck.

Sarah Wampler

<a href="https://kotaku.com/5627268/why-do-japanese-characters-look-white" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">https://kotaku.com/5627268/why-do-japanese-characters-look-white</a>

Sorry, but I think I'd roll my eyes at anyone who would take offense to a lack of ethnic diversity in a homemade paper puppet show.

Ben Metal

Kudos for being a responsible showrunner, Kyle. This isn't a solution for racial representation on Box Peek, but being sure to include some other marginalized folks — gay, trans, disabled — won't pose the same challenge but will show you care about representing diversity. Just be true to the world, the story, and yourself as a creator. Can't wait to see what you come up with!

This is what I came to say. I’ve seen at least a few artists of color draw themselves with white skin, after all white people aren’t literally white. I’ve also seen people do different shades of gray to represent different skin colors. Given the anime style I don’t think it would be easy to have a character be explicitly a person of color when they all have the same skin tone, but having them be played by a person of color would be nice.

issa

It's my opinion that the best way to represent race in a animated medium is to have an animator who is a person of color to do that in a respectful and as accurate as possible way. As great as it is to see Caucasian content creators acknowledge their need to have POC represented in their creations, it is so much greater to see them utilize the talents of POC who have experience in those mediums. With that being said, I would not assume that the budget for Box Peek would allow you guys to hire another person to accomplish the task of coloring some of the character's skin to the standards you would want them to be. For myself, I would respect that reasoning for why every character on Box Peek shared the same skin tone, but again I can only ever speak for myself. If someone else were also to say that there should be effort taken to show POC representation, I would also agree that they are right. Whatever the end result is, I am glad to see that this was brought up anyways, and if there is ever a "next time" to have good, respectful, representation of minorities, I hope it can be done with input from minorities. TL;DR: If possible, have a person of color with experience to color all the skin tones for Box Peek.

Juan Morales

Respectfully and not ment to be abrasive... It would seem if he did not post this update that you would have assumed that he was ignorant for not including a race in his work? Maybe that's not your intention but that angle is presented at an increasing rate to many people with no ill will intentions and probably the reason why many seem less than enthusiastic about the question at hand.

Zugdar

As an asian guy, I don't really have a problem with them having their skin blank. Realistically pure paper white isn't a good representation for actual white skin and honestly shouldn't be seen as being a white person in the first place. I however can acknowledge that there are those who would ultimately be more sensitive to this type of thing so if it's a big concern to you, one simple suggestion might be to use a light gray color paper to simulate colored skin similar to newspaper comics perhaps?

I think just acknowledging this is more than most would have done and I see your predicament. I don't have an answer I just think its cool that you noticed and owned up to it.

Blade Kasper

While I'm saying this without having seen it executed, instead of various colours to represent skin tones, why not various shades of grey? This would very much fall in line of how monochromatic comics should shade various skin tones while keeping the same aesthetic for Box Peek. On top of that, you can buy paper already in various shades of grey without having to go the thicker, more textured construction paper route or having to use inconsistent tones of water colour or bleeding of copic markers. This paper should be available at places like Staples, if not, art stores will very much carry it.

Aw man, I thought that this was the title of the first episode

I had no idea this could be an issue until today. To me they are not white, they are paper.

Kenny Montenegro

Oh, and I'd also like to mention that up in that thumbnail, I see a person with purple hair. The second I start seeing that sort of thing, I just sorta leave ideas like race aside. I mean, do we quibble over what the heck Piccalo puts down on his census form?

The only thing I can think of is using different colored paper, but that probably wouldn't color very well with whatever you're using. That's all I got, sorry. But I don't think everyone being "white" will be a huge deal.

I get the reason for your concern but it bums me you have to address it in the first place. If people think you're excluding other races and assume you're "insert unfounded claim here" they don't know you, EZA or it's values and I'll go on a limb and say you could not tell them otherwise. Sure you'll keep them at bay for now but it will only be a matter of time before they find it some other time. That being said using different toned paper is probably your best bet. It's be a little more work because the paper will color different so you'd need two layers for each character. One for the skin and another for the clothes/accessories.

Zugdar

Hey Kyle, As a black man I just wanted to say thank you for considering the race of your characters and being open about the process. I don't have many concrete thoughts on a solution to this issue I just appreciate that its on your mind to begin with. Maybe just giving a character a hairstyle or features of another race might work as long as you do it tastefully. Regardless how you plan on handling it I'm sure I will enjoy box peek greatly, especially just knowing diversity was on your mind the whole time. L&amp;R

I'm not very knowledgeable about the visual arts, but I think that as long as you find another way to represent ethnic differences (hair, clothing, etc.) in a thematically cohesive way, then it should be fine. The fact that you are actually concerned enough to make this post though is really cool. I wish you the best of luck in figuring this out Kyle, L&amp;R

I think all white is cool. If you want your non-white characters to visually stand out, clothes and hair are probably the way to go. As a pie in the sky kinda deal, it would be cool if Box Peek had a character bio page where people that cared to know a character's race (along side other cool facts about them) just how some shonen manga does for characters. That would be dope.

“Creator’s Intent”

I think it would be okay, you could try to show ethnicity with eyes, hair, clothes, voice, ECT. But I also think there would be no harm in experimenting with colored papers and make cloths/hair made on white paper and attached to the color paper. Then use your artist license to pick what you are most happy with. I do appriciate you showing concern and the want to be inclusive though!

Matt Brookbank

Actually there is a growing number of Latinos and African Americans because of pregnancy at a younger age

Sekiro505

An interesting conundrum. I applaud you for getting out ahead of it. As a person of color, I usually do look for diverse representation... however, when I watched the teaser, the all-whiteness didn't actually register with me because of the style. Clearly, they're preposterous cartoon people, which in my opinion allows for some leeway. On top of that, your camera angles and overall attitude of Box Peek seemed (to me, anyway) to be inspired by or parodying anime, a genre where skin tones tend to be pretty homogeneous (when watching anime, I presume characters are Asian by default, unless otherwise indicated, but that's neither here nor there.) However, as an artist, I can see this being a challenge. Toning the paper, say, with a printer, or just colored paper will naturally make coloring over it difficult. Watercolor, like you mentioned has problems with getting consistent colors from mix to mix as well as warping most papers. I would consider something like Copic or Prismacolor markers which are designed to be blended (with a special blending marker) so you can get even, consistent tones. They can be expensive, but IMO can be a pretty great investment, as long as you take care of them and don't let them dry out. Thirdly, as a comedic writer, when all else fails, maybe hang a lampshade. An offhand comment about a character being black when they're clearly the same paper white as everyone else could be something to build a joke on. Anyway, don't overthink it too much. Have a good time, dude. L&amp;R

It seems like an artistic limitation. Addressing it prior to criticism also helps. It is probably all scripted out already, but you created a world where you can inject diversity where you like. Not having diversity in skin color doesn't mean that it can't be found in gender, culture, behavior, attitudes, intelect, skills, etc. If it something you are overly concerned about then why not find diverse voice talents?

Morgan Mohalla

I'm Hispanic, or "brown" I guess and I don't care Kyle. The important part is that you cared enough to think about it and post about it. If you want to change it I suppose you could change paper but that seems like a lot of work.

I guess I kind of see it the same way I see anime: I know these characters are Japanese, but they're animated in a way that almost makes them look white to my American eyes. I think the same can be said of Box Peek: people will perceive these characters the way they'd like to perceive them, so I don't believe any extra effort is necessary. (Just my take.)

Input One

lmao guess you didn't read the post then.

Personally, as a white guy, I don't really have a real answer for you - but I do appreciate that you're willing to consider something like this in your work. You're a neat guy, Bosman.

Input One

Leaving them blank is fine. Its great that you even had this in mind which is more than most people. Some people here dismissing it all together just don’t get it and thats just sad.

Eric C.

Are you fucking kidding me Kyle?!?! This is exactly the kind of stupid bullshit the make me stop patreon you guys, geez, I was thinking on getting back and you, the one I admire the most come up with this bullshit?!?, If you want all of them to be white, make them white, stop apologizing for this kind of stupid things

thank god for u

Appreciate the post, not a concern. Make the show of your dreams

Brandon Ray

...the real world? know I'd feel very strange if I woke up tomorrow and all the South Asian people in my neighbourhood were inexplicably white.

James McCoy

As many here have said, perhaps try various shades of paper? Failing that, I can only think to incorporate cultural differences into the characters, showing their different backgrounds and experiences even with the limitation of looking the same. But I do think it is merely that: a limitation of the medium, not a failing on the part of the series or you as the artist/creator.

Follow your heart Kyle. Mexican here and i don't mind

Daniel Garza Andrade

no color white works, But try some to invent a black dude or chick, i say if comes across as a white couple with black haircuts you got a problem :) otherwise go for it

73% of the population in the USA is white, that number kinda makes it “normal” to be white. Like it would be normal to be brown in India, or to be black in Nigeria. Who cares

Jeff Robertson

I'm open to whatever you want to do creatively. Maybe you can find other ways than skin tone to differentiate the characters.

TravelingSnowman

I'm not sure coloured paper would work better (eg. It tints all their clothes). I also get that this is not about "diversity" as a hollow political stance, but about representing real worlds as they are. I agree with Felix above, who suggests finding other ways to represent race (facial features, accessories, etc). I think it's very easy for white people to think that this isn't important, because they never usually have to ask "Hey, where are all the white people?" while watching TV, so because you clearly care I'm sure you'll find a tasteful solution.

James McCoy

Just make your art dude. I don't need any Mexican representation or anything to like the show. Just make it good👍

You can't solve this by using black paper because that would be considered racist and what would a white guy know about black people. I recommend going the Simpsons route and using different colored paper that fits the Box Peek world.

Ibrahim Sozer

Kyle, the fact you brought this up to us as a potential problem vs. someone bringing it up after release says enough about your intent. It wouldn't have bothered me anyways but at least you're being considerate. Follow your heart, it's your project. Creator's Intent!

SupaNova Smith

It's your thing buddy. You've been up front about it. Move forward with it the way you want knowing that a few people might get bent out of shape, but the masses are with you. 👍

Ethnicity isn't just color. Maybe you could still have some other representation of other cultures/ethnicity if that's what bothers you. Voices, physical traits, dialogues. Yet must not be too stereotypical either.

What'sWhat

It's your art, you shouldn't really have to answer to anyone. But if it really bothers you, there's always colored paper. "so the whitest people had the nicest skin" made me chuckle a bit though :)

I think it's awesome you came out and addressed this, but I do think of it as bit of a non-issue. Not to be hostile or invalidating, but I'm not sure if representation is needed in a paper puppet cartoon show for it to be entertaining or relatable. Honestly, I expected from the beginning that everyone would be white - as it was known it was being made out of paper. I'd rather you continue as is now, instead of potentially creating something "not up to quality" just to please a small few. Let the representation/character come from the personality.

AnActualSadTaco

We live in a world where you have to preemptively apologize/explain this...... I am sorry you had to do this Kyle.

the amount of people dismissing why representation matters in these comments is very quite concerning... but anyway thank u kyle for thinking of this and opening up the discussion fairly i think the best way would be different colour paper or investing in more smooth coloured pencils idk i think watercolour pencils are good for colouring no matter the paper? at least we know you acknowledge the issue and are being limited by production and practicality and not by ignorance. l&amp;r

I really don't think it's a big issue, but I've never made identity politics the cross I want to bear.

Daniel Askew

Must be White Australia

Ibrahim Sozer

You're overthinking this, in a cartoon world where everyone is white paper it doesn't habe to represent every nationality perfectly because it's just a cartoon.

Valkyria Chronicles tackled the idea of a different ethnic group having a specific shade of hair and fairer skin. I don't know if that's an idea that can be incorporated and that's a story where racial persecution is very real, but it's one example of someone trying to make it work in a tasteful manner. The fact that you acknowledge the situation you're in with this is enough. Alternatively you could get darker colored construction paper.

Calling it out is all you had to do so I think you are in the clear

Steven Beaumont

If characters are not ethnically white but factually white as you describe, I wonder if you can somehow work that into the lore, as in why ALL people in this world appear the same without calling out someone's race of course.

Joseph Caruso

So I am probably not that adequately equipped to answer this, but I'll try to represent my thoughts. I think you are aware of the representation issue -- you even said you don't envision all of the characters as ethnically white. If it is a symptom of the production, I think it is completely understandable. As I said, I do not think my experience gives me the best ability to answer this, but that is what I think.

White is the presence of all colors so in a way you're already more multiculturally sensitive than the Simpsons.

Mango

They all look like one piece to me as opposed to many layered pieces of paper. So I guess it would be a lot more work from a technical aspect and to get it to look neat and not too thick.

Steven Beaumont

I don't have a horse in this race (pardon), but I appreciate the effort involved in just asking the question.

Doesn't bother me what colour they are , but weird you never just used different coloured paper.

Maxwell-Grant Borthwick

The perks of just knowing English as a second language, I read the title an thought "a race? like a race to release it in spring, hopefully?" Only after reading it became clear what you meant. I don't mind all characters being white. I don't need the mexican heritage to be represented in the screen to feel like I'm part of it, I feel that way just by being able to post this here.

César Villa

You beat me to it! Yeah Doug has blue people, green people, pink cats, whatever.

^

I think the fact that you spoke about this is the most important thing. Sorry, I cannot provide any suggestions personally. Hopefully there is a solution suggested that you agree with as a creator. Looking forward to Box Peek regardless. Love and respect!

I think the fact that this bothers you enough to make a serious post about it discussing the issue means there is no ill will or malicious intent in making the characters white. Lets not make it a skin colour issue when we all know you're not intending to make it one. L&amp;R

Prime Primeson

L&amp;R, thank you for addressing this Kyle

navyblueprince

The only solution to your problem is potentially something you won't want to do either: draw and color the characters digitally on the computer, then print them out. You can reproduce a wide variety of skin tones without the splotchy colored pencil look. Other than that, I'm not sure there's a real solution outside of using a different medium like watercolor/gouache/acrylic paint.

I think it is very nice how you brought up the question and framed it. This is not something that needs to be dismissed but discussed and shared. Someone in the previous comments suggested using a different paper tone and I think it would be a better solution artistically and conceptually (our skin has a unique paper color, but we can always paint a different dress on top of that).

Federico

The only logical thing I could think of is finding different shade/colour paper. Not construction paper of course but there must be for the paper you use for the characters. Either way, as a person of colour I don't see it as a huge deal anyways. Especially since I'm so familiar with you and the rest of the Allies I feel I know all of your intent with dealing with is in a good place. Whereas if Box Peek was a show from say a larger company made by people I don't watch on streams every night then I would be suspect to the whole 'only white paper' characters. But in the end, I am just as hyped for Box Peek and I don't think it's a big thing to worry about right now especially since you're so far in production. There's always next season for new characters and new paper! :D

Writing a thinkpiece about this as we speak...

44stars

It's your art, your vision, and your creation. The onus is not on you, but on us to be open-minded. We're just happy it had come to fruition 😊 L&amp;R

Christian De Hoyos

Skeeter: honk honk!

Yellow person here and I couldn't care less.

They can be a little expensive but there are markers like prismacolor markers that give a very even tone. That could be a solution for the future!

It's a non-issue dude. Don't worry so much.

My first thought was “why don’t you use different colored paper?” , but then I realized you won’t be able to color the hair, clothes, and accessories properly if the base color is not white . Therefore, I don’t see a solution. Keeping everyone the same color is the best way to go about it.

Andrew Left

Paper comes in different colors. I appreciate that you’re thinking about this but I don’t understand the problem.

Michael Wilson

Skin color doesnt matter to me nor should it to anybody else. If you must though, maybe light brown paper?

Skin color was the last thing on my mind. Just grateful you are working on something that's fun for you and the Allies. L&amp;R

Professor Metal Gear

Diversity is a state of mind. We’re all the same and we’re all different. L&amp;R

hellsfoxes

If you want other races then maybe use different tinted papers. There are some nice brown and grey papers that would be cool in your art style.

Marcos C.

Mid-tone papers maybe? I think the most important point is that you are up front about it and are trying to be understanding of what issue people might take with it and the reason you went that direction.

erce

The fact that you’d put this much thought into it (Simpsons aside... aside), says a lot already.

Shawn Doom

I appreciate your willingness to talk about something potentially uncomfortable, before anyone even had the chance to call you out. I wouldn’t change a thing, as a Mexican-Italian. L&amp;R

RanchoCucamunga

Is this real life?

AH

Black person here...I really don’t care.

M