Practicing for webcomic glory

Sarai

Have gone and updated the pictures based on feedback and made them smaller, and posted slightly different one's. Got some good feedback, so going off to work on it and come back with my game face on

Number 1
Number 1

Number 2
Number 2

Number 3
Number 3

Number 4
Number 4

Sayounara!

gomidog

Those Images are really huge.

Li_Akahi

You should try to vary your line weight and work on your faces and hands. They look kind of wonky, especially in the first picture.

GreatTeacherMacRoss

The images are way, way too big. Make copies, scale them down, and then try reposting.

For now, I can tell you that there are anatomy issues that are pretty glaring.

You seem to use line work that is minimal, which is fine, but it's also flattening out your forms. You need to either use more lines to define your forms, or use the color to add some dimensions. Right now it's like you can't decide if you're going to go for a flatter look that uses lines to define it, like this guy, or if you are going to use color to flesh out your forms like this guy.

gomidog

For now, I can tell you that there are anatomy issues that are pretty glaring.

Yeah, your hands and arms especially need quite a bit of work. However, do you have a really good story? 9/10ths of a webcomic is the writing, in my opinion. That's how XKCD can draw stick people and get a ton of hits: It's witty and interesting. If you are planning on rolling out this web comic right away, I'd concentrate not just on drawing but on creating really engaging and unique characters.

Also: Please when you practice, don't learn how to draw from anime. It's okay to draw in anime style, but if you draw nothing else, you will stagnate and use the tricks of cartooning and stylization to cover up technical flaws. I found the best way to draw for webcomics is to look at other people/myself/internet photos and try drawing from those.

Also, think of your characters in terms of geometric forms, based on the muscles and shapes of the body. Block them out, and then add the detail. Circle, cube, tube, circle...they will get you thinking 3 dimensionally.

An animator poem for you:
Epitaph of an unfortunate artist
He found a formula for drawing comic rabbits
This formula for drawing comic rabbits paid
so in the end he
could no
change the
tragic habits
this formula for
drawing comic
rabbits made.

Apreche

Make new comics constantly, and never stop. Go look at the first Penny Arcade comic. It's so bad, I can almost draw it. Heck, look at the first strip of any long-running web-comic, they're almost all terribly drawn. The creators just kept at it, no matter what, and that is why they got better. That's the same strategy we use for GeekNights. Listen to those old episodes. They're terrible! Just keep doing something, no matter what, and eventually it will be good.

Funfetus

Actually, if you want to learn to draw, I think the absolute best thing you can do is download these Andrew Loomis books, read them all front to back, and do everything they say.

Omnutia

Once you get a hang of drawing, read "How to Draw Comics" by Scott McCloud. It's a comic book covering all you need to know to get started.
Also, prepare to accept the fact that web-comic popularity is based mostly on writing and release regularity.

Sarai

Those Images are really huge.

Absolutely right - I'll bear that in mind for future posting. Anatomy issues - have had trouble working on those - I've actually gone back and tried to draw the underlying anatomy and it seems to give me an idea of what lies beneath, but not necessarily what proportions to use.

Great advice - and I do need to get out trying to cop out and draw manga style - just easy, I guess.

Sarai

You seem to use line work that is minimal, which is fine, but it's also flattening out your forms. You need to either use more lines to define your forms, or use the color to add some dimensions. Right now it's like you can't decide if you're going to go for a flatter look that uses lines to define it, likethis guy, or if you are going to use color to flesh out your forms likethis guy.

Am going to check out both and work on it - was trying to go dead in the middle because I'm not good at colour, but have a basic understanding of how to use line...

God, it's so awesome to get actual feedback and not "Oh, I didn't know you could draw" or "Hmm... it's nice".

gomidog

Actually, if you want to learn to draw, I think the absolute best thing you can do isdownload these Andrew Loomis books, read them all front to back, and do everything they say.

Hot damn, those books! I downloaded them all. It's funny because I am just reading Kavalier and Clay again, which takes place in 1939 (around when those books were published) and the novel talks a lot about cartooning and illustration in that era. Boy, some of the caricatures really date those books, but most of the advice is spot on for animators, illustrators, and comic artists today.

Sarai

Actually, if you want to learn to draw, I think the absolute best thing you can do isdownload these Andrew Loomis books, read them all front to back, and do everything they say.

Hot damn, those books! I downloaded them all. It's funny because I am just reading Kavalier and Clay again, which takes place in 1939 (around when those books were published) and the novel talks a lot about cartooning and illustration in that era. Boy, some of the caricatures really date those books, but most of the advice is spot on for animators, illustrators, and comic artists today.

I've just downloaded them all - have a slow weekend so should be able to tackle at least some. Before embarking upon this adventure, I purchased and have read "A Comics Studies Reader" [Jeet Heer; Kent Worcester; et al] and took a slightly more academic approach to the whole thing - so I'm keen to get hold of Kavalier and Clay.

Funny enough, coming back to the anatomy issues - I'm obviously not an artist by profession but I studied medicine (I don't practice - no sick note requests!), so I hang my head in utter and complete shame!

To reply to an earlier comment - I have tested the story on a few unwilling participants who gave relatively positive feedback. On that point I agree, the story is a large part of the appeal, but in the majority of cases, the skill of the art is what catches you initially (and hence I have some work to do!) On the whole, I don't want to dive in unpolished and unprepared or I'd be handing you all keenspot (or other) links right about now. Shot for the great advice though - and I'm with Apreche on the Penny Arcade comment!

Funfetus

Hot damn, those books! I downloaded them all. It's funny because I am just reading Kavalier and Clay again, which takes place in 1939 (around when those books were published) and the novel talks a lot about cartooning and illustration in that era. Boy, some of the caricatures really date those books, but most of the advice is spot on for animators, illustrators, and comic artists today.

I've gotta read that book -- heard nothing but good things about it. As for Loomis, yeah, they're pretty dated. A hispanic acquaintance of mine was fairly shocked by the pervasive white beauty ideal in them, but what can you say, it was the 40s? But yeah, Loomis could really draw, and he could really teach. I always recommend those books to everyone, and I wish I'd had them when I was younger.

Great advice - and I do need to get out trying to cop out and draw manga style - just easy, I guess.

It's not necessarily a cop-out -- you just need to understand what so many amateurs who try to draw in ANY "style" don't, which is that you need a strong foundation in traditional skills to make any of those styles really work.

Funny enough, coming back to the anatomy issues - I'm obviously not an artist by profession but I studied medicine

I think artistic anatomy and medical anatomy are really two different animals. You may learn a lot of the same stuff (although I suspect you learn a lot more about organs, which us artists get to ignore), but you're not looking at it the same way.

Once you get a hang of drawing, read "How to Draw Comics" by Scott McCloud.

Not trying to be nitpicky, but to avoid confusion, I think he's talking about Making Comics by Scott McCloud. That's a great book, although I'd actually recommend Understanding Comics even more. It really goes under the hood to what makes comics different from other art forms, and what makes them work. There's a lot more to comics than just writing and drawing.

Kiey

Not trying to be nitpicky, but to avoid confusion, I think he's talking aboutMaking Comicsby Scott McCloud. That's a great book, although I'd actually recommendUnderstanding Comicseven more. It really goes under the hood to what makes comics different from other art forms, and what makes them work. There's a lot more to comics than just writing and drawing.

I would second the reading of Understanding Comics before Making Comics. Some of what Understanding Comics covers is covered in Making, but no as in depth.

Funfetus

I would second the reading of Understanding Comics before Making Comics. Some of what Understanding Comics covers is covered in Making, but no as in depth.

It might be that I take Making Comics for granted, because I've been drawing most of my life, and I kinda know a lot of that stuff already. Understanding Comics goes much more in depth with the more ethereal aspects of visual storytelling, which I never considered until I started drawing comics seriously, like a year ago.

Sarai

Hot damn, those books! I downloaded them all.

A hispanic acquaintance of mine was fairly shocked by the pervasive white beauty ideal in them, but what can you say, it was the 40s? But yeah, Loomis could really draw, and he could really teach. I always recommend those books to everyone, and I wish I'd had them when I was younger.

It really goes under the hood to what makes comics different from other art forms, and what makes them work. There's a lot more to comics than just writing and drawing.

I've downloaded all the Loomis books, so will touch on that. As a non-caucasian individual, I find it amusing the comment about the "white beauty ideal" very amusing. I'm really not fussed by that kind of thing.

Interesting - I'll source the McCloud books - the factors you raise sound like they are well worth consideration. I really did think that once I spent enough time refining the drawing and had a good story I was good to go - could you give me an example of what you mean?

I'm editing the main posting and re-posting smaller pictures, but I'm going to post slightly different one's - and one anatomy drawing. Sure, we learn about organs, but anatomy was a very hands-on one year course. I guess I am just disappointed because I thought I took more on board than I thought I did - still, it makes me more willing to examine what I'm getting wrong!

Funfetus

I really did think that once I spent enough time refining the drawing and had a good story I was good to go - could you give me an example of what you mean?

In comics, you're telling a story visually. In a lot of ways, it's like directing a movie. You need to know where to put the "camera" (what angle to draw it from) and how to create good reading flow from panel to panel. You need to understand how much narrative you can fit into one panel, and what you have to break out into multiple panels. You need know how to progress the narrative from panel to panel clearly, without confusing the reader. All of that is harder than it looks on the surface. That's why in the comics of so many beginners (and in those of far too many professionals) it can be difficult to follow the narrative. Making comics is a constant exercise in problem solving. The aforementioned Scott McCloud books, as well as a good book on cinematography should give you a solid start.

Oh yeah, how I could I forget this one? One of the Bibles of making comics -- Will Eisner's Comics and Sequential Art.

Sarai

You seem to use line work that is minimal, which is fine, but it's also flattening out your forms. You need to either use more lines to define your forms, or use the color to add some dimensions. Right now it's like you can't decide if you're going to go for a flatter look that uses lines to define it, likethis guy, or if you are going to use color to flesh out your forms likethis guy.

Yeah - now I totally understand what you mean - it's the materials I have access to... I'm going to have to spend the weekend trekking around for a decent art store to get exactly what I want. Either that or start ordering online. But I have decided which way to go.