Bleeeeaaahhhh
It’s hot. And not in the good way, either. Think cool thoughts, chum, and here’s some webcomickry to help distract you from the fact that small dogs are spontaneously bursting into flame out on the sidewalk.
- Latin heartthrob Aaron Diaz tweeted up a storm of artistic advice last night; I’m not any kind of artist, so maybe I’m not the best person to judge the helpfulness, but these looked pretty good. Highlights included:
Don’t overuse 1-point perspective. The most “common” or natural perspective is normally 2-point.
Actually remembered some more essentials (bear with me): In digital painting, don’t use two base tones for faces/skin. It’s too small. You need warmer tones for tips of nose & ears, as blood vessels are closer to the surface. The paler the skin, the starker the redness.
Good comics (imo) shouldn’t mimic photographs because a comic panel has to capture several moments. We have to exaggerate poses to convey it. This is why (generally but not always) photo comics come off as really stiff. They’re little slices that don’t convey action.
If your characters are interacting with their environment in a panel, always render the environment first. This helps avoid “body floating.”
I think it’s important to have the right balance of self-hatred (knowing everything you draw sucks) and ego (knowing you can get better). Estimate 87% self-hatred.
There was lots more, and fortunately Diaz has semi-promised a more permanent archive of advice after next Dresden Codak update goes live (which should be this week).
- Jeff Zugale (creator of the most awesome painting ever) was also in wisdom mode, with advice to the working artist on the all-important topic of getting paid:
Simple rule, artists: NEVER, EVER EVER work for anyone who can’t or won’t pay you upon completion, or within 30 days of it by contract. Exceptions to the simple rule: known good clients, work brought in by your agent, charitable contributions, and work you do for yourself.
Also, artists: beware agreeing to “total fee” for the work up front. You leave yourself open to endless changes for which you won’t get paid.
Real clients agree to pro payment terms without trouble. If their budget is small, they tell you, and you can offer simpler work, or pass.
- Back to comicking after a two-month hiatus: Max Huffman (no longer 15 years old, thank you very much), creator of Mocktopus, having successfully crowd-funded his new drawin’ computer. The laugh-chuckles resume here.
- Is it just me, or would a Pinkwater-scribed webcomic be just about average on the weirdness scale in our weird little medium? In any event, newspapers in 1989/1990 couldn’t handle what he was dishing out, but Shaenon Garrity is willing to share what we all missed out on.
Maybe my percentages between self-hatred and ego are off. I make up for it with arrogance and whiskey :)
By bree on 07.07.10 12:33 pm
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