Monthly Archives: January 2012
Webcomics – blue line paper!
When I look at the price of paper, Bristol, vellum, tracing – heck even good quality of typing paper and I cannot bring myself to buy pre cut and pre printed paper with blue lines on them. I am not the professional that I read about in the books and magazines. I am a webcomic creator and my money needs to go somewhere else! Cheap – maybe – innovative – on a rare day – brought up to understand how far my pennies go – you betcha’! Here’s the scoop for scaling:
- I check my templates on my blog post as to the size of my comics online.
- I transform pixels to inches
- I draw that square or rectangle on a good heavy weight Bristol in the lower corner of the paper – okay – I have some Bristol board
- I then draw a diagonal line from the lower left to the upper right and beyond for the length or height of the paper
Now – if I continue my left vertical line up and the bottom horizontal line across – I pick the point on the diagonal that I want the size of my drawing window to be, draw a vertical line to the bottom and horizontal line to the left side – POW – I have the perfect size to draw in and scale down when scanned into the computer. (LOOK AT THE PICTURE) Black line is the original square and diagonal line. Green are the vertical and horizontal lines. Red finishes the box.- I then cut out the window and use the frame to trace with a photo blue pencil on what ever I want to draw on
- Or of course you can cut to the chase and measure the professional boards, transfer those measurements to a blank board – cut and presto – you’re working like a pro
Either way – you have an inexpensive way to create a blue line style sheet for your web creations.
- Why don’t I work on professional boards – expensive with volume.
- Why don’t I use a T-square and a triangle to draw my window- too labor intensive.
- What’s the advantage of making my own? I can make the window to draw in the perfect size for my style and drawing capability.
- How many do I draw at a time? For Mann in School – I cut up a full pad 14×17 pad into 4.25 inch strips and draw the panels in one night – about 45 minutes. Then I pile them up for use over the next 4 months. For Love and Maskerade – I draw them on demand – about 3 every time I sit down to draw.
Cheap – sure. Sensible to cut costs and make a profit where you can – yep!
Below is a video that demonstrates the process of scaling!
Photoshop Tips – no inking!
Do you really need to ink every pencil line you make – well – it comes down to detail. If you have fine lines – YES! If you have simple lines – no – not really.
HERE’S THE TIP AND THE TRICK!
Here is Roy from the webcomic: dingBeans. He was drawn on vellum bristol – blue pencil at first then using a HB 0.9mm mechanical pencil, the drawing was finihsed – NO INKS!
When scanning use a high resolution – 600 if you can. In Photoshop, create a new file – again at a 600 resolution and color mode of Grayscale. You want to stay with Grayscale in the beginning to be able to have the choice of filters to finish the job. Paste your scan.
Next select “Sketch” from the “Filter” file – then choose “Stamp”.
The screen that will come up, will show you the drawing with the “Stamp” filter applied. You’ll want to re size it in the field (lower left control panel) and then play with the controls to change the amount of line to be effected. Once you’re satisfied – you might want to jot these settings down and use them to make sure that future drawings have the same feeling and line thickness.
PRESTO – INKED! Now you can change the color mode to suit – CYMK for print, RGB for web, Grayscale for a black and white presentation.
Here’s what they look like together:
What’s the value – if your lines are basic, your confident of the shapes you’re producing and you want to save time and eliminate one part of the process – use the “Stamp” filter.
GO ROY!
Writer’s block – overcome it!
BRAIN CRAMP Aaaarrggggghhhhhhhhhhh – writer’s block is not terminal!
If you treat writing like a bank account, you can have a lot stored up for a rainy day! Here are tips for keeping the fluids flowing:
- Scribble / doodle / sketch your ideas then write about them.
- Write one liners on post-its and post them on a wall you see everyday. Go back and sort them / edit them / use them.
- Write about your character’s back story.
- Time warp your characters into the future or the past.
- Put your character in a different job – have different super powers – change them into the hero or villain – change their sex or race.
- Write on every scrap of paper you find and at the end of the day sort / file them by character / location / story line.
- Take a walk with a voice recorder and play news reporter – describe what you see in a gritty / sarcastic / funny / hateful way.
- Start with phases like: “I really it when…” or “You’ve got to be kidding…” then dump the intro line and continue the thought.
IT’S ALL ABOUT THE DOING! Being an insomniac, I will put on the TV and listen for key words and phrases that spark ideas. I write them all down whether I ‘m going to use them now or not and file them in the morning if they still hold my attention. Paper and pencils surround me. Scraps of paper are all around me. My desk is more of a place to stack stuff. Sometimes I have special notebooks and pens for writing but they often become constricting.
THINGS THAT I DON’T DO! Ask for ideas from others – I have the feeling that I am not in control, that I’ve given up my creative control – but hey – you might be better working on committee then me! Plagiarize – big no – no! It always comes back to kick you in the face and why do something someone else did – you’re in this because “you” have something to say. And don’t moan and complain about it unless you can include that in your current story line! Some do – but be careful – it gets old fast.
SOME LEFT OVER TIPS -
- Schedule time to write, its like potty training and if works – do it!
- Be spontaneous and do the writing on the napkin thing, the back of the receipt thing, the write on your arm / hand / leg – someone else’s leg.
- Make writing a 24/7 thing.
- If you are also the artist – draw first then write second.
- Heck, try a silent gag!
- Roll out a long piece of paper, turn up the music to a ear blistering volume and write like your throwing up – mad / crazy / whacked out – then go back and sort out words and phrases to use.
- And if all else fails – on a good day – write and draw a strip that has nothing to do with anything and publish that so you don’t have a break in your schedule. Your readers expect to find something new when promised – keep up to your promise.
Your best bet is striking when the iron is hot – write / draw and put it away for a rainy day!
If you have any other tips – get in touch and let me know!
